a jacobite exile: being the adventures of a young englishman in the service of charles the twelfth of sweden by g. a. henty. contents preface. chapter : a spy in the household. chapter : denounced. chapter : a rescue. chapter : in sweden. chapter : narva. chapter : a prisoner. chapter : exchanged. chapter : the passage of the dwina. chapter : in warsaw. chapter : in evil plight. chapter : with brigands. chapter : treed by wolves. chapter : a rescued party. chapter : the battle of clissow. chapter : an old acquaintance. chapter : in england again. chapter : the north coach. chapter : a confession. preface. my dear lads, had i attempted to write you an account of the whole of the adventurous career of charles the twelfth of sweden, it would, in itself, have filled a bulky volume, to the exclusion of all other matter; and a youth, who fought at narva, would have been a middle-aged man at the death of that warlike monarch, before the walls of frederickshall. i have, therefore, been obliged to confine myself to the first three years of his reign, in which he crushed the army of russia at narva, and laid the then powerful republic of poland prostrate at his feet. in this way, only, could i obtain space for the private adventures and doings of charlie carstairs, the hero of the story. the details of the wars of charles the twelfth were taken from the military history, written at his command by his chamberlain, adlerfeld; from a similar narrative by a scotch gentleman in his service; and from voltaire's history. the latter is responsible for the statement that the trade of poland was almost entirely in the hands of scotch, french, and jewish merchants, the poles themselves being sharply divided into the two categories of nobles and peasants. yours sincerely, g. a. henty. chapter : a spy in the household. on the borders of lancashire and westmoreland, two centuries since, stood lynnwood, a picturesque mansion, still retaining something of the character of a fortified house. it was ever a matter of regret to its owner, sir marmaduke carstairs, that his grandfather had so modified its construction, by levelling one side of the quadrangle, and inserting large mullion windows in that portion inhabited by the family, that it was in no condition to stand a siege, in the time of the civil war. sir marmaduke was, at that time, only a child, but he still remembered how the roundhead soldiers had lorded it there, when his father was away fighting with the army of the king; how they had seated themselves at the board, and had ordered his mother about as if she had been a scullion, jeering her with cruel words as to what would have been the fate of her husband, if they had caught him there, until, though but eight years old, he had smitten one of the troopers, as he sat, with all his force. what had happened after that, he did not recollect, for it was not until a week after the roundheads had ridden away that he found himself in his bed, with his mother sitting beside him, and his head bandaged with cloths dipped in water. he always maintained that, had the house been fortified, it could have held out until help arrived, although, in later years, his father assured him that it was well it was not in a position to offer a defence. "we were away down south, marmaduke, and the roundheads were masters of this district, at the time. they would have battered the place around your mother's ears, and, likely as not, have burnt it to the ground. as it was, i came back here to find it whole and safe, except that the crop-eared scoundrels had, from pure wantonness, destroyed the pictures and hacked most of the furniture to pieces. i took no part in the later risings, seeing that they were hopeless, and therefore preserved my property, when many others were ruined. "no, marmaduke, it is just as well that the house was not fortified. i believe in fighting, when there is some chance, even a slight one, of success, but i regard it as an act of folly, to throw away a life when no good can come of it." still, sir marmaduke never ceased to regret that lynnwood was not one of the houses that had been defended, to the last, against the enemies of the king. at the restoration he went, for the first time in his life, to london, to pay his respects to charles the second. he was well received, and although he tired, in a very short time, of the gaieties of the court, he returned to lynnwood with his feelings of loyalty to the stuarts as strong as ever. he rejoiced heartily when the news came of the defeat of monmouth at sedgemoor, and was filled with rage and indignation when james weakly fled, and left his throne to be occupied by dutch william. from that time, he became a strong jacobite, and emptied his glass nightly "to the king over the water." in the north the jacobites were numerous, and at their gatherings treason was freely talked, while arms were prepared, and hidden away for the time when the lawful king should return to claim his own. sir marmaduke was deeply concerned in the plot of , when preparations had been made for a great jacobite rising throughout the country. nothing came of it, for the duke of berwick, who was to have led it, failed in getting the two parties who were concerned to come to an agreement. the jacobites were ready to rise, directly a french army landed. the french king, on the other hand, would not send an army until the jacobites had risen, and the matter therefore fell through, to sir marmaduke's indignation and grief. but he had no words strong enough to express his anger and disgust when he found that, side by side with the general scheme for a rising, a plot had been formed by sir george barclay, a scottish refugee, to assassinate the king, on his return from hunting in richmond forest. "it is enough to drive one to become a whig," he exclaimed. "i am ready to fight dutch william, for he occupies the place of my rightful sovereign, but i have no private feud with him, and, if i had, i would run any man through who ventured to propose to me a plot to assassinate him. such scoundrels as barclay would bring disgrace on the best cause in the world. had i heard as much as a whisper of it, i would have buckled on my sword, and ridden to london to warn the dutchman of his danger. however, as it seems that barclay had but some forty men with him, most of them foreign desperadoes, the dutchman must see that english gentlemen, however ready to fight against him fairly, would have no hand in so dastardly a plot as this. "look you, charlie, keep always in mind that you bear the name of our martyred king, and be ready ever to draw your sword in the cause of the stuarts, whether it be ten years hence, or forty, that their banner is hoisted again; but keep yourself free from all plots, except those that deal with fair and open warfare. have no faith whatever in politicians, who are ever ready to use the country gentry as an instrument for gaining their own ends. deal with your neighbours, but mistrust strangers, from whomsoever they may say they come." which advice charlie, at that time thirteen years old, gravely promised to follow. he had naturally inherited his father's sentiments, and believed the jacobite cause to be a sacred one. he had fought and vanquished alured dormay, his second cousin, and two years his senior, for speaking of king james' son as the pretender, and was ready, at any time, to do battle with any boy of his own age, in the same cause. alured's father, john dormay, had ridden over to lynnwood, to complain of the violence of which his son had been the victim, but he obtained no redress from sir marmaduke. "the boy is a chip of the old block, cousin, and he did right. i myself struck a blow at the king's enemies, when i was but eight years old, and got my skull well-nigh cracked for my pains. it is well that the lads were not four years older, for then, instead of taking to fisticuffs, their swords would have been out, and as my boy has, for the last four years, been exercised daily in the use of his weapon, it might happen that, instead of alured coming home with a black eye, and, as you say, a missing tooth, he might have been carried home with a sword thrust through his body. "it was, to my mind, entirely the fault of your son. i should have blamed charlie, had he called the king at westminster dutch william, for, although each man has a right to his own opinions, he has no right to offend those of others--besides, at present it is as well to keep a quiet tongue as to a matter that words cannot set right. in the same way, your son had no right to offend others by calling james stuart the pretender. "certainly, of the twelve boys who go over to learn what the rector of apsley can teach them, more than half are sons of gentlemen whose opinions are similar to my own. "it would be much better, john dormay, if, instead of complaining of my boy, you were to look somewhat to your own. i marked, the last time he came over here, that he was growing loutish in his manners, and that he bore himself with less respect to his elders than is seemly in a lad of that age. he needs curbing, and would carry himself all the better if, like charlie, he had an hour a day at sword exercise. i speak for the boy's good. it is true that you yourself, being a bitter whig, mix but little with your neighbours, who are for the most part the other way of thinking; but this may not go on for ever, and you would, i suppose, like alured, when he grows up, to mix with others of his rank in the county; and it would be well, therefore, that he should have the accomplishments and manners of young men of his own age." john dormay did not reply hastily--it was his policy to keep on good terms with his wife's cousin, for the knight was a man of far higher consideration, in the county, than himself. his smile, however, was not a pleasant one, as he rose and said: "my mission has hardly terminated as i expected, sir marmaduke. i came to complain, and i go away advised somewhat sharply." "tut, tut, man!" the knight said. "i speak only for the lad's good, and i am sure that you cannot but feel the truth of what i have said. what does alured want to make enemies for? it may be that it was only my son who openly resented his ill-timed remarks, but you may be sure that others were equally displeased, and maybe their resentment will last much longer than that which was quenched in a fair stand-up fight. certainly, there need be no malice between the boys. alured's defeat may even do him good, for he cannot but feel that it is somewhat disgraceful to be beaten by one nearly a head shorter than he." "there is, no doubt, something in what you say, sir marmaduke," john dormay said blandly, "and i will make it my business that, should the boys meet again as antagonists, alured shall be able to give a better account of himself." "he is a disagreeable fellow," sir marmaduke said to himself, as he watched john dormay ride slowly away through the park, "and, if it were not that he is husband to my cousin celia, i would have nought to do with him. she is my only kinswoman, and, were aught to happen to charlie, that lout, her son, would be the heir of lynnwood. i should never rest quiet in my grave, were a whig master here. "i would much rather that he had spoken wrathfully, when i straightly gave him my opinion of the boy, who is growing up an ill-conditioned cub. it would have been more honest. i hate to see a man smile, when i know that he would fain swear. i like my cousin celia, and i like her little daughter ciceley, who takes after her, and not after john dormay; but i would that the fellow lived on the other side of england. he is out of his place here, and, though men do not speak against him in my presence, knowing that he is a sort of kinsman, i have never heard one say a good word for him. "it is not only because he is a whig. there are other whig gentry in the neighbourhood, against whom i bear no ill will, and can meet at a social board in friendship. it would be hard if politics were to stand between neighbours. it is dormay's manner that is against him. if he were anyone but celia's husband, i would say that he is a smooth-faced knave, though i altogether lack proof of my words, beyond that he has added half a dozen farms to his estate, and, in each case, there were complaints that, although there was nothing contrary to the law, it was by sharp practice that he obtained possession, lending money freely in order to build houses and fences and drains, and then, directly a pinch came, demanding the return of his advance. "such ways may pass in a london usurer, but they don't do for us country folk; and each farm that he has taken has closed the doors of a dozen good houses to john dormay. i fear that celia has a bad time with him, though she is not one to complain. i let charlie go over to rockley, much oftener than i otherwise should do, for her sake and ciceley's, though i would rather, a hundred times, that they should come here. not that the visits are pleasant, when they do come, for i can see that celia is always in fear, lest i should ask her questions about her life at home; which is the last thing that i should think of doing, for no good ever comes of interference between man and wife, and, whatever i learned, i could not quarrel with john dormay without being altogether separated from celia and the girl. "i am heartily glad that charlie has given alured a sound thrashing. the boy is too modest. he only said a few words, last evening, about the affair, and i thought that only a blow or two had been exchanged. it was as much as i could do, not to rub my hands and chuckle, when his father told me all about it. however, i must speak gravely to charlie. if he takes it up, every time a whig speaks scornfully of the king, he will be always in hot water, and, were he a few years older, would become a marked man. we have got to bide our time, and, except among friends, it is best to keep a quiet tongue until that time comes." to sir marmaduke's disappointment, three more years went on without the position changing in any way. messengers went and came between france and the english jacobites, but no movement was made. the failure of the assassination plot had strengthened william's hold on the country, for englishmen love fair play and hate assassination, so that many who had, hitherto, been opponents of william of orange, now ranged themselves on his side, declaring they could no longer support a cause that used assassination as one of its weapons. more zealous jacobites, although they regretted the assassination plot, and were as vehement of their denunciations of its authors as were the whigs, remained staunch in their fidelity to "the king over the water," maintaining stoutly that his majesty knew nothing whatever of this foul plot, and that his cause was in no way affected by the misconduct of a few men, who happened to be among its adherents. at lynnwood things went on as usual. charlie continued his studies, in a somewhat desultory way, having but small affection for books; kept up his fencing lesson diligently and learned to dance; quarrelled occasionally with his cousin alured, spent a good deal of his time on horseback, and rode over, not unfrequently, to rockley, choosing, as far as possible, the days and hours when he knew that alured and his father were likely to be away. he went over partly for his own pleasure, but more in compliance with his father's wishes. "my cousin seldom comes over, herself," the latter said. "i know, right well, that it is from no slackness of her own, but that her husband likes not her intimacy here. it is well, then, that you should go over and see them, for it is only when you bring her that i see ciceley. i would she were your sister, lad, for she is a bright little maid, and would make the old house lively." therefore, once a week or so, charlie rode over early to rockley, which was some five miles distant, and brought back ciceley, cantering on her pony by his side, escorting her home again before nightfall. ciceley's mother wondered, sometimes, that her husband, who in most matters set his will in opposition to hers, never offered any objection to the girl's visits to lynnwood. she thought that, perhaps, he was pleased that there should be an intimacy between some member, at least, of his family, and sir marmaduke's. there were so few houses at which he or his were welcome, it was pleasant to him to be able to refer to the close friendship of his daughter with their cousins at lynnwood. beyond this, celia, who often, as she sat alone, turned the matter over in her mind, could see no reason he could have for permitting the intimacy. that he would permit it without some reason was, as her experience had taught her, out of the question. ciceley never troubled her head about the matter. her visits to lynnwood were very pleasant to her. she was two years younger than charlie carstairs; and although, when he had once brought her to the house, he considered that his duties were over until the hour arrived for her return, he was sometimes ready to play with her, escort her round the garden, or climb the trees for fruit or birds' eggs for her. such little courtesies she never received from alured, who was four years her senior, and who never interested himself in the slightest degree in her. he was now past eighteen, and was beginning to regard himself as a man, and had, to ciceley's satisfaction, gone a few weeks before, to london, to stay with an uncle who had a place at court, and was said to be much in the confidence of some of the whig lords. sir marmaduke was, about this time, more convinced than ever that, ere long, the heir of the stuarts would come over from france, with men, arms, and money, and would rally round him the jacobites of england and scotland. charlie saw but little of him, for he was frequently absent, from early morning until late at night, riding to visit friends in westmoreland and yorkshire, sometimes being away two or three days at a time. of an evening, there were meetings at lynnwood, and at these strangers, who arrived after nightfall, were often present. charlie was not admitted to any of these gatherings. "you will know all about it in time, lad," his father said. "you are too young to bother your head with politics, and you would lose patience in a very short time. i do myself, occasionally. many who are the foremost in talk, when there is no prospect of doing anything, draw back when the time approaches for action, and it is sickening to listen to the timorous objections and paltry arguments that are brought forward. here am i, a man of sixty, ready to risk life and fortune in the good cause, and there are many, not half my age, who speak with as much caution as if they were graybeards. still, lad, i have no doubt that the matter will straighten itself out, and come right in the end. it is always the most trying time, for timorous hearts, before the first shot of a battle is fired. once the engagement commences, there is no time for fear. the battle has to be fought out, and the best way to safety is to win a victory. i have not the least doubt that, as soon as it is known that the king has landed, there will be no more shilly-shallying or hesitation. every loyal man will mount his horse, and call out his tenants, and, in a few days, england will be in a blaze from end to end." charlie troubled himself but little with what was going on. his father had promised him that, when the time did come, he should ride by his side, and with that promise he was content to wait, knowing that, at present, his strength would be of but little avail, and that every week added somewhat to his weight and sinew. one day he was in the garden with ciceley. the weather was hot, and the girl was sitting, in a swing, under a shady tree, occasionally starting herself by a push with her foot on the ground, and then swaying gently backward and forward, until the swing was again at rest. charlie was seated on the ground, near her, pulling the ears of his favourite dog, and occasionally talking to her, when a servant came out, with a message that his father wanted to speak to him. "i expect i shall be back in a few minutes, ciceley, so don't you wander away till i come. it is too hot today to be hunting for you, all over the garden, as i did when you hid yourself last week." it was indeed but a short time until he returned. "my father only wanted to tell me that he is just starting for bristowe's, and, as it is over twenty miles away, he may not return until tomorrow." "i don't like that man's face who brought the message to you, charlie." "don't you?" the boy said carelessly. "i have not noticed him much. he has not been many months with us. "what are you thinking of?" he asked, a minute later, seeing that his cousin looked troubled. "i don't know that i ought to tell you, charlie. you know my father does not think the same way as yours about things." "i should rather think he doesn't," charlie laughed. "there is no secret about that, ciceley; but they don't quarrel over it. last time your father and mother came over here, i dined with them for the first time, and i noticed there was not a single word said about politics. they chatted over the crops, and the chances of a war in europe, and of the quarrel between holstein and denmark, and whether the young king of sweden would aid the duke, who seems to be threatened by saxony as well as by denmark. i did not know anything about it, and thought it was rather stupid; but my father and yours both seemed of one mind, and were as good friends as if they were in equal agreement on all other points. but what has that to do with nicholson, for that is the man's name who came out just now?" "it does not seem to have much to do with it," she said doubtfully, "and yet, perhaps it does. you know my mother is not quite of the same opinion as my father, although she never says so to him; but, when we are alone together, sometimes she shakes her head and says she fears that trouble is coming, and it makes her very unhappy. one day i was in the garden, and they were talking loudly in the dining room--at least, he was talking loudly. well, he said--but i don't know whether i ought to tell you, charlie." "certainly you ought not, ciceley. if you heard what you were not meant to hear, you ought never to say a word about it to anyone." "but it concerns you and sir marmaduke." "i cannot help that," he said stoutly. "people often say things of each other, in private, especially if they are out of temper, that they don't quite mean, and it would make terrible mischief if such things were repeated. whatever your father said, i do not want to hear it, and it would be very wrong of you to repeat it." "i am not going to repeat it, charlie. i only want to say that i do not think my father and yours are very friendly together, which is natural, when my father is all for king william, and your father for king james. he makes no secret of that, you know." charlie nodded. "that is right enough, ciceley, but still, i don't understand in the least what it has to do with the servant." "it has to do with it," she said pettishly, starting the swing afresh, and then relapsing into silence until it again came to a standstill. "i think you ought to know," she said suddenly. "you see, charlie, sir marmaduke is very kind to me, and i love him dearly, and so i do you, and i think you ought to know, although it may be nothing at all." "well, fire away then, ciceley. there is one thing you may be quite sure of, whatever you tell me, it is like telling a brother, and i shall never repeat it to anyone." "well, it is this. that man comes over sometimes to see my father. i have seen him pass my window, three or four times, and go in by the garden door into father's study. i did not know who he was, but it did seem funny his entering by that door, as if he did not want to be seen by anyone in the house. i did not think anything more about it, till i saw him just now, then i knew him directly. if i had seen him before, i should have told you at once, but i don't think i have." "i daresay not, ciceley. he does not wait at table, but is under the steward, and helps clean the silver. he waits when we have several friends to dinner. at other times he does not often come into the room. "what you tell me is certainly curious. what can he have to say to your father?" "i don't know, charlie. i don't know anything about it. i do think you ought to know." "yes, i think it is a good thing that i should know," charlie agreed thoughtfully. "i daresay it is all right, but, at any rate, i am glad you told me." "you won't tell your father?" she asked eagerly. "because, if you were to speak of it--" "i shall not tell him. you need not be afraid that what you have told me will come out. it is curious, and that is all, and i will look after the fellow a bit. don't think anything more about it. it is just the sort of thing it is well to know, but i expect there is no harm in it, one way or the other. of course, he must have known your father before he came to us, and may have business of some sort with him. he may have a brother, or some other relation, who wants to take one of your father's farms. indeed, there are a hundred things he might want to see him about. but still, i am glad you have told me." in his own mind, charlie thought much more seriously of it than he pretended. he knew that, at present, his father was engaged heart and soul in a projected jacobite rising. he knew that john dormay was a bitter whig. he believed that he had a grudge against his father, and the general opinion of him was that he was wholly unscrupulous. that he should, then, be in secret communication with a servant at lynnwood, struck him as a very serious matter, indeed. charlie was not yet sixteen, but his close companionship with his father had rendered him older than most lads of his age. he was as warm a jacobite as his father, but the manner in which william, with his dutch troops, had crushed the great jacobite rebellion in ireland, seemed to him a lesson that the prospects of success, in england, were much less certain than his father believed them to be. john dormay, as an adherent of william, would be interested in thwarting the proposed movement, with the satisfaction of, at the same time, bringing sir marmaduke into disgrace. charlie could hardly believe that his cousin would be guilty of setting a spy to watch his father, but it was certainly possible, and as he thought the matter over, as he rode back after escorting ciceley to her home, he resolved to keep a sharp watch over the doings of this man nicholson. "it would never do to tell my father what ciceley said. he would bundle the fellow out, neck and crop, and perhaps break some of his bones, and then it would be traced to her. she has not a happy home, as it is, and it would be far worse if her father knew that it was she who had put us on our guard. i must find out something myself, and then we can turn him out, without there being the least suspicion that ciceley is mixed up in it." the next evening several jacobite gentlemen rode in, and, as usual, had a long talk with sir marmaduke after supper. "if this fellow is a spy," charlie said to himself, "he will be wanting to hear what is said, and to do so he must either hide himself in the room, or listen at the door, or at one of the windows. it is not likely that he will get into the room, for to do that he must have hidden himself before supper began. i don't think he would dare to listen at the door, for anyone passing through the hall would catch him at it. it must be at one of the windows." the room was at an angle of the house. three windows looked out on to the lawn in front; that at the side into a large shrubbery, where the bushes grew up close to it; and charlie decided that here, if anywhere, the man would take up his post. as soon, then, as he knew that the servants were clearing away the supper, he took a heavy cudgel and went out. he walked straight away from the house, and then, when he knew that his figure could no longer be seen in the twilight, he made a circuit, and, entering the shrubbery, crept along close to the wall of the muse, until within two or three yards of the window. having made sure that at present, at any rate, no one was near, he moved out a step or two to look at the window. his suspicions were at once confirmed. the inside curtains were drawn, but the casement was open two or three inches. charlie again took up his post, behind a bush, and waited. in five minutes he heard a twig snap, and then a figure came along, noiselessly, and placed itself at the window. charlie gave him but a moment to listen, then he sprang forward, and, with his whole strength, brought his cudgel down upon the man's head. he fell like a stone. charlie threw open the window, and, as he did so, the curtain was torn back by his father, the sound of the blow and the fall having reached the ears of those within. sir marmaduke had drawn his sword, and was about to leap through the window, when charlie exclaimed: "it is i, father. i have caught a fellow listening at the window, and have just knocked him down." "well done, my boy! "bring lights, please, gentlemen. let us see what villain we have got here." but, as he spoke, charlie's head suddenly disappeared, and a sharp exclamation broke from him, as he felt his ankles grasped and his feet pulled from under him. he came down with such a crash that, for a moment, he was unable to rise. he heard a rustling in the bushes, and then his father leapt down beside him. "where are you, my boy? has the scoundrel hurt you?" "he has given me a shake," charlie said as he sat up; "and, what is worse, i am afraid he has got away." "follow me, gentlemen, and scatter through the gardens," sir marmaduke roared. "the villain has escaped!" for a few minutes, there was a hot pursuit through the shrubbery and gardens, but nothing was discovered. charlie had been so shaken that he was unable to join the pursuit, but, having got on to his feet, remained leaning against the wall until his father came back. "he has got away, charlie. have you any idea who he was?" "it was nicholson, father. at least, i am almost certain that it was him. it was too dark to see his face. i could see the outline of his head against the window, and he had on a cap with a cock's feather which i had noticed the man wore." "but how came you here, charlie?" "i will tell you that afterwards, father. don't ask me now." for, at this moment, some of the others were coming up. several of them had torches, and, as they approached, sir marmaduke saw something lying on the ground under the window. he picked it up. "here is the fellow's cap," he said. "you must have hit him a shrewd blow, charlie, for here is a clean cut through the cloth, and a patch of fresh blood on the white lining. how did he get you down, lad?" "he fell so suddenly, when i hit him, that i thought i had either killed or stunned him; but of course i had not, for it was but a moment after, when i was speaking to you, that i felt my ankles seized, and i went down with a crash. i heard him make off through the bushes; but i was, for the moment, almost dazed, and could do nothing to stop him." "was the window open when he came?" "yes, sir, two or three inches." "then it was evidently a planned thing. "well, gentlemen, we may as well go indoors. the fellow is well out of our reach now, and we may be pretty sure he will never again show his face here. fortunately he heard nothing, for the serving men had but just left the room, and we had not yet begun to talk." "that is true enough, sir marmaduke," one of the others said. "the question is: how long has this been going on?" sir marmaduke looked at charlie. "i know nothing about it, sir. till now, i have not had the slightest suspicion of this man. it occurred to me, this afternoon, that it might be possible for anyone to hear what was said inside the room, by listening at the windows; and that this shrubbery would form a very good shelter for an eavesdropper. so i thought, this evening i would take up my place here, to assure myself that there was no traitor in the household. i had been here but five minutes when the fellow stole quietly up, and placed his ear at the opening of the casement, and you may be sure that i gave him no time to listen to what was being said." "well, we had better go in," sir marmaduke said. "there is no fear of our being overheard this evening. "charlie, do you take old banks aside, and tell him what has happened, and then go with him to the room where that fellow slept, and make a thorough search of any clothes he may have left behind, and of the room itself. should you find any papers or documents, you will, of course, bring them down to me." but the closest search, by charlie and the old butler, produced no results. not a scrap of paper of any kind was found, and banks said that he knew the man could neither read nor write. the party below soon broke up, considerable uneasiness being felt, by all, at the incident of the evening. when the last of them had left, charlie was sent for. "now, then, charlie, let me hear how all this came about. i know that all you said about what took place at the window is perfectly true; but, even had you not said so, i should have felt there was something else. what was it brought you to that window? your story was straight-forward enough, but it was certainly singular your happening to be there, and i fancy some of our friends thought that you had gone round to listen, yourself. one hinted as much; but i said that was absurd, for you were completely in my confidence, and that, whatever peril and danger there might be in the enterprise, you would share them with me." "it is not pleasant that they should have thought so, father, but that is better than that the truth should be known. this is how it happened;" and he repeated what ciceley had told him in the garden. "so the worthy master john dormay has set a spy upon me," sir marmaduke said, bitterly. "i knew the man was a knave--that is public property--but i did not think that he was capable of this. well, i am glad that, at any rate, no suspicion can fall upon ciceley in the matter; but it is serious, lad, very serious. we do not know how long this fellow has been prying and listening, or how much he may have learnt. i don't think it can be much. we talked it over, and my friends all agreed with me that they do not remember those curtains having been drawn before. to begin with, the evenings are shortening fast, and, at our meeting last week, we finished our supper by daylight; and, had the curtains been drawn, it would have been noticed, for we had need of light before we finished. two of the gentlemen, who were sitting facing the window, declared that they remembered distinctly that it was open. mr. jervoise says that he thought to himself that, if it was his place, he would have the trees cut away there, for they shut out the light. "therefore, although it is uncomfortable to think that there has been a spy in the house, for some months, we have every reason to hope that our councils have not been overheard. were it otherwise, i should lose no time in making for the coast, and taking ship to france, to wait quietly there until the king comes over." "you have no documents, father, that the man could have found?" "none, charlie. we have doubtless made lists of those who could be relied upon, and of the number of men they could bring with them, but these have always been burned before we separated. such letters as i have had from france, i have always destroyed as soon as i have read them. perilous stuff of that sort should never be left about. no; they may ransack the place from top to bottom, and nothing will be found that could not be read aloud, without harm, in the marketplace of lancaster. "so now, to bed, charlie. it is long past your usual hour." chapter : denounced. "charlie," sir marmaduke said on the following morning, at breakfast, "it is quite possible that that villain who acted as spy, and that other villain who employed him--i need not mention names--may swear an information against me, and i may be arrested, on the charge of being concerned in a plot. i am not much afraid of it, if they do. the most they could say is that i was prepared to take up arms, if his majesty crossed from france; but, as there are thousands and thousands of men ready to do the same, they may fine me, perhaps, but i should say that is all. however, what i want to say to you is, keep out of the way, if they come. i shall make light of the affair, while you, being pretty hot tempered, might say things that would irritate them, while they could be of no assistance to me. therefore, i would rather that you were kept out of it, altogether. i shall want you here. in my absence, there must be somebody to look after things. "mind that rascal john dormay does not put his foot inside the house, while i am away. that fellow is playing some deep game, though i don't quite know what it is. i suppose he wants to win the goodwill of the authorities, by showing his activity and zeal; and, of course, he will imagine that no one has any idea that he has been in communication with this spy. we have got a hold over him, and, when i come back, i will have it out with him. he is not popular now, and, if it were known that he had been working against me, his wife's kinsman, behind my back, my friends about here would make the country too hot to hold him." "yes, father; but please do not let him guess that we have learnt it from ciceley. you see, that is the only way we know about it." "yes, you are right there. i will be careful that he shall not know the little maid has anything to do with it. but we will think of that, afterwards; maybe nothing will come of it, after all. but, if anything does, mind, my orders are that you keep away from the house, while they are in it. when you come back, banks will tell you what has happened. "you had better take your horse, and go for a ride now. not over there, charlie. i know, if you happened to meet that fellow, he would read in your face that you knew the part he had been playing, and, should nothing come of the business, i don't want him to know that, at present. the fellow can henceforth do us no harm, for we shall be on our guard against eavesdroppers; and, for the sake of cousin celia and the child, i do not want an open breach. i do not see the man often, myself, and i will take good care i don't put myself in the way of meeting him, for the present, at any rate. don't ride over there today." "very well, father. i will ride over and see harry jervoise. i promised him that i would come over one day this week." it was a ten-mile ride, and, as he entered the courtyard of mr. jervoise's fine old mansion, he leapt off his horse, and threw the reins over a post. a servant came out. "the master wishes to speak to you, master carstairs." "no ill news, i hope, charlie?" mr. jervoise asked anxiously, as the lad was shown into the room, where his host was standing beside the carved chimney piece. "no, sir, there is nothing new. my father thought that i had better be away today, in case any trouble should arise out of what took place yesterday, so i rode over to see harry. i promised to do so, one day this week." "that is right. does sir marmaduke think, then, that he will be arrested?" "i don't know that he expects it, sir, but he says that it is possible." "i do not see that they have anything to go upon, charlie. as we agreed last night, that spy never had any opportunity of overhearing us before, and, certainly, he can have heard nothing yesterday. the fellow can only say what many people know, or could know, if they liked; that half a dozen of sir marmaduke's friends rode over to take supper with him. they can make nothing out of that." "no, sir; and my father said that, at the worst, it could be but the matter of a fine." "quite so, lad; but i don't even see how it could amount to that. you will find harry somewhere about the house. he has said nothing to me about going out." harry jervoise was just the same age as charlie, and was his greatest friend. they were both enthusiastic in the cause of the stuarts, equally vehement in their expressions of contempt for the dutch king, equally anxious for the coming of him whom they regarded as their lawful monarch. they spent the morning together, as usual; went first to the stables and patted and talked to their horses; then they played at bowls on the lawn; after which, they had a bout of sword play; and, having thus let off some of their animal spirits, sat down and talked of the glorious times to come, when the king was to have his own again. late in the afternoon, charlie mounted his horse and rode for home. when within half a mile of the house, a man stepped out into the road in front of him. "hullo, banks, what is it? no bad news, i hope?" and he leapt from his horse, alarmed at the pallor of the old butler's face. "yes, master charles, i have some very bad news, and have been waiting for the last two hours here, so as to stop you going to the house." "why shouldn't i go to the house?" "because there are a dozen soldiers, and three or four constables there." "and my father?" "they have taken him away." "this is bad news, banks; but i know that he thought that it might be so. but it will not be very serious; it is only a question of a fine," he said. the butler shook his head, sadly. "it is worse than that, master charles. it is worse than you think." "well, tell me all about it, banks," charlie said, feeling much alarmed at the old man's manner. "well, sir, at three this afternoon, two magistrates, john cockshaw and william peters--" ("both bitter whigs," charlie put in.) "--rode up to the door. they had with them six constables, and twenty troopers." "there were enough of them, then," charlie said. "did they think my father was going to arm you all, and defend the place?" "i don't know, sir, but that is the number that came. the magistrates, and the constables, and four of the soldiers came into the house. sir marmaduke met them in the hall. "'to what do i owe the honour of this visit?' he said, quite cold and haughty. "'we have come, sir marmaduke carstairs, to arrest you, on the charge of being concerned in a treasonable plot against the king's life.' "sir marmaduke laughed out loud. "'i have no design on the life of william of orange, or of any other man,' he said. 'i do not pretend to love him; in that matter there are thousands in this realm with me; but, as for a design against his life, i should say, gentlemen, there are few who know me, even among men like yourselves, whose politics are opposed to mine, who would for a moment credit such a foul insinuation.' "'we have nothing to do with that matter, sir marmaduke,' john cockshaw said. 'we are acting upon a sworn information to that effect.' "sir marmaduke was angry, now. "'i can guess the name of the dog who signed it,' he said, 'and, kinsman though he is by marriage, i will force the lie down his throat.' "then he cooled down again. "'well, gentlemen, you have to do your duty. what do you desire next?' "'our duty is, next, to search the house, for any treasonable documents that may be concealed here.' "'search away, gentlemen,' sir marmaduke said, seating himself in one of the settles. 'the house is open to you. my butler, james banks, will go round with you, and will open for you any cupboard or chest that may be locked.' "the magistrates nodded to the four soldiers. two of them took their post near the chair, one at the outside door, and one at the other end of the room. sir marmaduke said nothing, but shrugged his shoulders, and then began to play with the ears of the little spaniel, fido, that had jumped up on his knees. "'we will first go into the study,' john cockshaw said; and i led them there. "they went straight to the cabinet with the pull-down desk, where sir marmaduke writes when he does write, which is not often. it was locked, and i went to sir marmaduke for the key. "'you will find it in that french vase on the mantel,' he said. 'i don't open the desk once in three months, and should lose the key, if i carried it with me.' "i went to the mantel, turned the vase over, and the key dropped out. "'sir marmaduke has nothing to hide, gentlemen,' i said, 'so, you see, he keeps the key here.' "i went to the cabinet, and put the key in. as i did so i said: "'look, gentlemen, someone has opened, or tried to open, this desk. here is a mark, as if a knife had been thrust in to shoot the bolt.' "they looked where i pointed, and william peters said to cockshaw, 'it is as the man says. someone has been trying to force the lock--one of the varlets, probably, who thought the knight might keep his money here.' "'it can be of no importance, one way or the other,' cockshaw said roughly. "'probably not, mr. cockshaw, but, at the same time i will make a note of it.' "i turned the key, and pulled down the door that makes a desk. they seemed to know all about it, for, without looking at the papers in the pigeonholes, they pulled open the lower drawer, and took two foreign-looking letters out from it. i will do them the justice to say that they both looked sorry, as they opened them, and looked at the writing. "'it is too true,' peters said. 'here is enough to hang a dozen men.' "they tumbled all the other papers into a sack, that one of the constables had brought with him. then they searched all the other furniture, but they evidently did not expect to find anything. then they went back into the hall. "'well, gentlemen,' sir marmaduke said, 'have you found anything of a terrible kind?' "'we have found, i regret to say,' john cockshaw said, 'the letters of which we were in search, in your private cabinet--letters that prove, beyond all doubt, that you are concerned in a plot similar to that discovered three years ago, to assassinate his majesty the king.' "sir marmaduke sprang to his feet. "'you have found letters of that kind in my cabinet?' he said, in a dazed sort of way. "the magistrate bowed, but did not speak. "'then, sir,' sir marmaduke exclaimed, 'you have found letters that i have never seen. you have found letters that must have been placed there by some scoundrel, who plotted my ruin. i assert to you, on the honour of a gentleman, that no such letters have ever met my eye, and that, if such a proposition had been made to me, i care not by whom, i would have struck to the ground the man who offered me such an insult.' "'we are sorry, sir marmaduke carstairs,' mr. peters said, 'most sorry, both of us, that it should have fallen to our duty to take so painful a proceeding against a neighbour; but, you see, the matter is beyond us. we have received a sworn information that you are engaged in such a plot. we are told that you are in the habit of locking up papers of importance in a certain cabinet, and there we find papers of a most damnatory kind. we most sincerely trust that you may be able to prove your innocence in the matter, but we have nothing to do but to take you with us, as a prisoner, to lancaster.' "sir marmaduke unbuckled his sword, and laid it by. he was quieter than i thought he could be, in such a strait, for he has always been by nature, as you know, choleric. "'i am ready, gentlemen,' he said. "peters whispered in cockshaw's ear. "'ah yes,' the other said, 'i had well-nigh forgotten,' and he turned to me. 'where is master charles carstairs?' "'he is not in the house,' i said. 'he rode away this morning, and did not tell me where he was going.' "'when do you expect him back?' "'i do not expect him at all,' i said. 'when master charles rides out to visit his friends, he sometimes stays away for a day or two.' "'is it supposed,' sir marmaduke asked coldly, 'that my son is also mixed up in this precious scheme?' "'it is sworn that he was privy to it,' john cockshaw said, 'and is, therefore, included in the orders for arrest.' "sir marmaduke did not speak, but he shut his lips tight, and his hand went to where the hilt of his sword would have been. two of the constables went out and questioned the grooms, and found that you had, as i said, ridden off. when they came back, there was some talk between the magistrates, and then, as i said, four constables and some soldiers were left in the house. sir marmaduke's horse was brought round, and he rode away, with the magistrates and the other soldiers." "i am quite sure, banks, that my father could have known nothing of those letters, or of any plot against william's life. i have heard him speak so often of the assassination plot, and how disgraceful it was, and how, apart from its wickedness, it had damaged the cause, that i am certain he would not have listened to a word about another such business." "i am sure of that, too," the old butler said; "but that is not the question, master charles. there are the papers. we know that sir marmaduke did not put them there, and that he did not know that they were there. but how is it to be proved, sir? everyone knows that sir marmaduke is a jacobite, and is regarded as the head of the party in this part of the country. he has enemies, and one of them, no doubt, has played this evil trick upon him, and the putting of your name in shows what the motive is." "but it is ridiculous, banks. who could believe that such a matter as this would be confided to a lad of my age?" "they might not believe it in their hearts, but people often believe what suits their interest. this accusation touches sir marmaduke's life; and his estate, even if his life were spared, would be confiscated. in such a case, it might be granted to anyone, and possibly even to the son of him they would call the traitor. but the accusation that the son was concerned, or was, at any rate, privy to the crime intended by the father, would set all against him, and public opinion would approve of the estates passing away from him altogether. "but now, sir, what do you think you had best do?" "of course i shall go on, banks, and let them take me to join my father in lancaster jail. do you think i would run away?" "no, sir, i don't think you would run away. i am sure you would not run away from fear, but i would not let them lay hands on me, until i had thought the matter well over. you might be able to do more good to sir marmaduke were you free, than you could do if you were caged up with him. he has enemies, we know, who are doing their best to ruin him, and, as you see, they are anxious that you, too, should be shut up within four walls." "you are right, banks. at any rate, i will ride back and consult mr. jervoise. besides, he ought to be warned, for he, too, may be arrested on the same charge. how did you get away without being noticed?" "i said that i felt ill--and i was not speaking falsely--at sir marmaduke's arrest, and would lie down. they are keeping a sharp lookout at the stables, and have a soldier at each door, to see that no one leaves the house, but i went out by that old passage that comes out among the ruins of the monastery." "i know, banks. my father showed it to me, three years ago." "i shall go back that way again, sir, and no one will know that i have left the house. you know the trick of the sliding panel, master charles?" "yes, i know it, and if i should want to come into the house again, i will come that way, banks." "here is a purse," the butler said. "you may want money, sir. should you want more, there is a store hidden away, in the hiding place under the floor of the priest's chamber, at the other end of the passage. do you know that?" "i know the priest's chamber of course, because you go through that to get to the long passage, but i don't know of any special hiding place there." "doubtless, sir marmaduke did not think it necessary to show it you then, sir, but he would have done it later on, so i do not consider that i am breaking my oath of secrecy in telling you. you know the little narrow loophole in the corner?" "yes, of course. there is no other that gives light to the room. it is hidden from view outside by the ivy." "well, sir, you count four bricks below that, and you press hard on the next, that is the fifth, then you will hear a click, then you press hard with your heel at the corner, in the angle of the flag below, and you will find the other corner rise. then you get hold of it and lift it up, and below there is a stone chamber, two feet long and about eighteen inches wide and deep. it was made to conceal papers in the old days, and i believe food was always kept there, in case the chamber had to be used in haste. "sir marmaduke uses it as a store place for his money. he has laid by a good deal every year, knowing that money would be wanted when troops had to be raised. i was with him about three weeks ago, when he put in there half the rents that had been paid in. so, if you want money for any purpose, you will know where to find it." "thank you, banks. it may be very useful to have such a store, now." "where shall i send to you, sir, if i have any news that it is urgent you should know of?" "send to mr. jervoise, banks. if i am not there, he will know where i am to be found." "i will send will ticehurst, master charles. he is a stout lad, and a shrewd one, and i know there is nothing that he would not do for you. but you had best stop no longer. should they find out that i am not in the house, they will guess that i have come to warn you, and may send out a party to search." charlie at once mounted, and rode back to mr. jervoise's. "i expected you back," that gentleman said, as he entered. "bad news travels apace, and, an hour since, a man brought in the news that sir marmaduke had been seen riding, evidently a prisoner, surrounded by soldiers, on the road towards lancaster. so that villain we chased last night must have learnt something. i suppose they will be here tomorrow, but i do not see what serious charge they can have against us. we have neither collected arms, nor taken any steps towards a rising. we have talked over what we might do, if there were a landing made from france, but, as there may be no landing, that is a very vague charge." "unfortunately, that is not the charge against my father. it is a much more serious business." and charlie repeated the substance of what banks had told him, interrupted occasionally by indignant ejaculations from mr. jervoise. "it is an infamous plot," he said, when the lad had concluded his story. "infamous! there was never a word said of such a scheme, and no one who knows your father would believe it for an instant." "yes, sir, but the judges, who do not know him, may believe it. no doubt those who put those papers there, will bring forward evidence to back it up." "i am afraid that will be the case. it is serious for us all," mr. jervoise said thoughtfully. "that man will be prepared to swear that he heard the plot discussed by us all. they seized your father, today, as being the principal and most important of those concerned in it, but we may all find ourselves in the same case tomorrow. i must think it over. "it is well that your man warned you. you had best not stay here tonight, for the house may be surrounded at daybreak. harry shall go over, with you, to one of my tenants, and you can both sleep there. it will not be necessary for you to leave for another two or three hours. you had better go to him now; supper will be served in half an hour. i will talk with you again, afterwards." harry was waiting outside the door, having also heard the news of sir marmaduke's arrest. "it is villainous!" he exclaimed, when he heard the whole story. "no doubt you are right, and that john dormay is at the bottom of it all. the villain ought to be slain." "he deserves it, harry; and, if i thought it would do good, i would gladly fight him, but i fear that it would do harm. such a scoundrel must needs be a coward, and he might call for aid, and i might be dragged off to lancaster. moreover, he is ciceley's father, and my cousin celia's husband, and, were i to kill him, it would separate me altogether from them. however, i shall in all things be guided by your father. he will know what best ought to be done. "it is likely that he, too, may be arrested. this is evidently a deep plot, and your father thinks that, although the papers alone may not be sufficient to convict my father, the spy we had in our house will be ready to swear that he heard your father, and mine, and the others, making arrangements for the murder of william of orange; and their own word to the contrary would count but little against such evidence, backed by those papers." they talked together for half an hour, and were then summoned to supper. nothing was said, upon the subject, until the servitors had retired, and the meal was cleared away. mr. jervoise was, like sir marmaduke, a widower. "i have been thinking it all over," he said, when they were alone. "i have determined to ride, at once, to consult some of my friends, and to warn them of what has taken place. that is clearly my duty. i shall not return until i learn whether warrants are out for my apprehension. of course, the evidence is not so strong against me as it is against sir marmaduke; still, the spy's evidence would tell as much against me as against him. "you will go up, harry, with your friend, to pincot's farm. it lies so far in the hills that it would probably be one of the last to be searched, and, if a very sharp lookout is kept there, a body of men riding up the valley would be seen over a mile away, and there would be plenty of time to take to the hills. there charlie had better remain, until he hears from me. "you can return here, harry, in the morning, for there is no probability whatever of your being included in any warrant of arrest. it could only relate to us, who were in the habit of meeting at sir marmaduke's. you will ride over to the farm each day, and tell charlie any news you may have learnt, or take any message i may send you for him. "we must do nothing hastily. the first thing to learn, if possible, is whether any of us are included in the charge of being concerned in a plot against william's life. in the next place, who are the witnesses, and what evidence they intend to give. no doubt the most important is the man who was placed as a spy at sir marmaduke's." "as i know his face, sir," charlie said eagerly, "could i not find him, and either force him to acknowledge that it is all false, or else kill him? i should be in my right in doing that, surely, since he is trying to swear away my father's life by false evidence." "i should say nothing against that, lad. if ever a fellow deserved killing he does; that is, next to his rascally employer. but his death would harm rather than benefit us. it would be assumed, of course, that we had removed him to prevent his giving evidence against us. no doubt his depositions have been taken down, and they would then be assumed to be true, and we should be worse off than if he could be confronted with us, face to face, in the court. we must let the matter rest, at present." "would it be possible to get my father out of prison, sir? i am sure i can get a dozen men, from among the tenants and grooms, who would gladly risk their lives for him." "lancaster jail is a very strong place," mr. jervoise said, "and i fear there is no possibility of rescuing him from it. of course, at present we cannot say where the trial will take place. a commission may be sent down, to hold a special assizes at lancaster, or the trial may take place in london. at any rate, nothing whatever can be done, until we know more. i have means of learning what takes place at lancaster, for we have friends there, as well as at most other places. when i hear from them the exact nature of the charge, the evidence that will be given, and the names of those accused of being mixed up in this pretended plot, i shall be better able to say what is to be done. "now, i must mount and ride without further delay. i have to visit all our friends who met at lynnwood, and it will take me until tomorrow morning to see and confer with them." a few minutes after mr. jervoise had ridden off, his son and charlie also mounted. a man went with them, with a supply of torches, for, although harry knew the road--which was little better than a sheep track--well enough during the day, his father thought he might find it difficult, if not impossible, to follow it on a dark night. they congratulated themselves upon the precaution taken, before they had gone very far, for there was no moon, the sky was overcast, and a drizzling rain had begun to come down. they could hardly see their horses' heads, and had proceeded but a short distance, when it became necessary for their guide to light a torch. it took them, therefore, over two hours to reach the mountain farm. they were expected, otherwise the household would have been asleep. mr. jervoise had, as soon as he determined upon their going there, sent off a man on horseback, who, riding fast, had arrived before night set in. there was, therefore, a great turf fire glowing on the hearth when they arrived, and a hearty welcome awaiting them from the farmer, his wife, and daughters. harry had, by his father's advice, brought two changes of clothes in a valise, but they were so completely soaked to the skin that they decided they would, after drinking a horn of hot-spiced ale that had been prepared for them, go at once to bed, where, in spite of the stirring events of the day, both went off to sleep, as soon as their heads touched the pillows. the sun was shining brightly, when they woke. the mists had cleared off, although they still hung round the head of ingleborough, six miles away, and on some of the other hilltops. the change of weather had an inspiriting effect, and they went down to breakfast in a brighter and more hopeful frame of mind. as soon as the meal was over, harry started for home. "i hope it won't be long before i can see you again, harry," charlie said, as he stood by the horse. "i hope not, indeed; but there is no saying. my father's orders are that i am to stay at home, if people come and take possession, and send a man off to you with the news privately, but that, if no one comes, i may myself bring you over any news there is; so i may be back here this afternoon." "i shall be looking out for you, harry. remember, it will be horribly dull for me up here, wondering and fretting as to what is going on." "i know, charlie; and you shall hear, as soon as i get the smallest scrap of news. if i were you, i would go for a good walk among the hills. it will be much better for you than moping here. at any rate, you are not likely to get any news for some hours to come." charlie took the advice, and started among the hills, not returning until the midday meal was ready. before he had finished his dinner there was a tap at the door, and then a young fellow, whom he knew to be employed in mr. jervoise's stables, looked in. charlie sprang to his feet. "what's the news?" he asked. "master harry bade me tell you, sir, that a magistrate, and four constables, and ten soldier men came today, at nine o'clock. he had returned but a half-hour when they rode up. they had an order for the arrest of mr. jervoise, and have been searching the house, high and low, for papers. no one is allowed to leave the place, but master harry came out to the stables and gave me his orders, and i did not find much difficulty in slipping out without their noticing me. mr. harry said that he had no news of mr. jervoise, nor any other news, save what i have told you. he bade me return at once as, later on, he may want to send me again. i was to be most careful that no one should see me when i got back, and, if i was caught, i was on no account to say where i had been to." the farmer insisted upon the young fellow sitting down at the table, and taking some food, before he started to go back. he required no pressing, but, as soon as his hunger was satisfied, he started again at a brisk run, which he kept up as long as charlie's eye could follow him down the valley. although the boy by no means wished mr. jervoise to be involved in his father's trouble, charlie could not help feeling a certain amount of pleasure at the news. he thought it certain that, if his father escaped, he would have to leave the country, and that he would, in that case, take him as companion in his flight. if mr. jervoise and harry also left the country, it would be vastly more pleasant for both his father and himself. where they would go to, or what they would do, he had no idea, but it seemed to him that exile among strangers would be bearable, if he had his friend with him. it would not last many years, for surely the often talked-of landing could not be very much longer delayed; then they would return, share in the triumph of the stuart cause, and resume their life at lynnwood, and reckon with those who had brought this foul charge against them. that the jacobite cause could fail to triumph was a contingency to which charlie did not give even a thought. he had been taught that it was a just and holy cause. all his school friends, as well as the gentlemen who visited his father, were firm adherents of it, and he believed that the same sentiments must everywhere prevail. there was, then, nothing but the troops of william to reckon with, and these could hardly oppose a rising of the english people, backed by aid from france. it was not until after dark that the messenger returned. "master harry bade me tell you, sir, that a gipsy boy he had never seen before has brought him a little note from his father. he will not return at present, but, if mr. harry can manage to slip away unnoticed in the afternoon, tomorrow, he is to come here. he is not to come direct, but to make a circuit, lest he should be watched and followed, and it may be that the master will meet him here." charlie was very glad to hear this. harry could, of course, give him little news of what was going on outside the house, but mr. jervoise might be able to tell him something about his father, especially as he had said he had means of learning what went on in lancaster jail. he was longing to be doing something. it seemed intolerable to him that he should be wandering aimlessly among the hills, while his father was lying in lancaster, with a charge affecting his life hanging over him. what he could do he knew not, but anything would be better than doing nothing. mr. jervoise had seemed to think that it was out of the question to attempt a rescue from lancaster; but surely, if he could get together forty or fifty determined fellows, a sudden assault upon the place might be successful. then he set to work reckoning up the grooms, the younger tenants, and the sons of the older ones, and jotted down the names of twenty-seven who he thought might join in the attempt. "if harry could get twenty-three from his people, that would make it up to the number," he said. "of course, i don't know what the difficulties to be encountered may be. i have ridden there with my father, and i know that the castle is a strong one, but i did not notice it very particularly. the first thing to do will be to go and examine it closely. no doubt ladders will be required, but we could make rope ladders, and take them into the town in a cart, hidden under faggots, or something of that sort. "i do hope mr. jervoise will come tomorrow. it is horrible waiting here in suspense." the next morning, the hours seemed endless. half a dozen times he went restlessly in and out, walking a little distance up the hill rising from the valley, and returning again, with the vain idea that mr. jervoise might have arrived. still more slowly did the time appear to go, after dinner. he was getting into a fever of impatience and anxiety, when, about five o'clock, he saw a figure coming down the hillside from the right. it was too far away to recognize with certainty, but, by the rapid pace at which he descended the hill, he had little doubt that it was harry, and he at once started, at the top of his speed, to meet him. the doubt was soon changed into a certainty. when, a few hundred yards up the hill, he met his friend, both were almost breathless. harry was the first to gasp out: "has my father arrived?" "not yet." harry threw himself down on the short grass, with an exclamation of thankfulness. "i have run nearly every foot of the way," he said, as soon as he got his breath a little. "i had awful difficulty in getting out. one of the constables kept in the same room with me, and followed me wherever i went. they evidently thought i might hear from my father, or try to send him a message. at last, i got desperate, and ran upstairs to that room next mine, and closed and locked the door after me. you know the ivy grows high up the wall there, and directly i got in, i threw open the casement and climbed down by it. it gave way two or three times, and i thought i was gone, but i stuck to it, and managed each time to get a fresh hold. the moment i was down, i ran along by the foot of the wall until i got round behind, made a dash into that clump of fir trees, crawled along in a ditch till i thought i was safe, and then made a run for it. i was so afraid of being followed that i have been at least three miles round, but i don't mind, now that my father hasn't arrived. i was in such a fright that he might come and go before i got here." chapter : a rescue. the two lads walked slowly down the hill together. harry had heard no more than charlie had done, of what was going on. the messenger from his father was a young fellow, of seventeen or eighteen, with a gipsy face and appearance. how he had managed to elude the vigilance of the men on watch, harry did not know. he, himself, had only learnt his presence when, as he passed some bushes in the garden, a sharp whisper made him stop, and a moment later a hand was thrust through the foliage. he took the little note held out, and caught sight of the lad's face, through the leaves, as he leant forward and said: "go on, sir, without stopping. they may be watching you." harry had thrust the note into his pocket, and sauntered on for some time. he then returned to the house, and there read the letter, with whose contents charlie was already acquainted. eagerly, they talked over what each had been thinking of since they had parted, early on the previous day; and discussed charlie's idea of an attack on lancaster jail. "i don't know whether i could get as many men as you say, charlie. i don't think i could. if my father were in prison, as well as yours, i am sure that most of the young fellows on the estate would gladly help to rescue him, but it would be a different thing when it came to risking their lives for anyone else. of course i don't know, but it does not seem to me that fifty men would be of any use, at all, towards taking lancaster castle. it always seemed to me a tremendously strong place." "yes, it does look so, harry; but perhaps, on examining it closely, one would find that it is not so strong as it looks, by a long way. it seems to me there must be some way or other of getting father out, and, if there seems even the least bit of a chance, i shall try it." "and you may be sure i will stand by you, charlie, whatever it is," harry said heartily. "we have been just like brothers, and, of course, brothers ought to stick to each other like anything. if they don't, what is the use of being brothers? i daresay we shall know more, when we hear what my father has to say; and then we may see our way better." "thank you, harry. i knew you would stick by me. of course, i don't want to do any mad sort of thing. there is no hurry, anyhow, and, as you say, when we know more about it, we may be able to hit upon some sort of plan." it was not until eight o'clock that mr. jervoise arrived. he looked grievously tired and worn out, but he spoke cheerfully as he came in. "i have had a busy two days of it, boys, as you may guess. i have no particularly good news to tell you, but, on the other hand, i have no bad news. i was in time to warn all our friends, and when the soldiers came for them in the morning, it was only to find that their nests were empty. "they have been searching the houses of all sir marmaduke's tenants, charlie, and questioning man, woman, and child as to whether they have seen you. "ah! here is supper, and i am nearly famished. however, i can go on talking while i eat. i should have been here sooner, but i have been waiting for the return of the messenger i sent to lancaster. "yesterday morning there was an examination of your father, charlie, or rather, an examination of the testimony against him. first the two letters that were discovered were put in. without having got them word for word, my informer was able to give me the substance of them. both were unsigned, and professed to have been written in france. the first is dated three months back. it alludes to a conversation that somebody is supposed to have had with sir marmaduke, and states that the agent who had visited him, and who is spoken of as mr. h, had assured them that your father was perfectly ready to join, in any well-conceived design for putting a stop to the sufferings that afflicted the country, through the wars into which the foreign intruder had plunged it, even though the plan entailed the removal of the usurper. the writer assured sir marmaduke of the satisfaction that such an agreement on his part had caused at saint germains, and had heightened the high esteem in which sir marmaduke was held, for his long fidelity to the cause of his majesty. it then went on to state that a plan had been already formed, and that several gentlemen in the south were deeply pledged to carry it out, but that it was thought specially advisable that some from the north should also take part in it, as, from their persons being unknown near the court, they could act with more surety and safety. they would, therefore, be glad if he would take counsel, with the friends he had mentioned, as to what might seem to them the best course of proceeding. there was no occasion for any great haste and, indeed, some weeks must elapse before the blow was struck, in order that preparations should be made, in france, for taking instant advantage of it. "the rest of the letter was to the same purpose, but was really a repetition of it. the second letter was dated some time later, and was, as before, an answer to one the knight was supposed to have written. it highly approved of the suggestions therein made; that sir marmaduke and his friends should travel, separately and at a few days' interval, to london, and should take lodgings there in different parts of the town, and await the signal to assemble, near richmond, when it was known that the king would go hunting there. it said that special note had been made of the offer of sir marmaduke's son, to mingle among the king's attendants and to fire the first shot, as, in the confusion, he would be able to escape and, being but a boy, as he said, none would be able to recognize him afterwards. "in the event, of course, of the first shot failing, the rest of the party, gathered in a body, would rush forward, despatch the usurper, cut their way, sword in hand, through any who barred their path to the point where their horses were concealed, and then at once scatter in various directions. for this great service, his majesty would not fail to evince the deepest gratitude, upon his restoration to his rightful throne, and pledged his royal word that each of the party should receive rank and dignity, together with ample estates, from the lands of which the chief supporters of the usurper would be deprived. "so you see, charlie, you were to have the honour of playing the chief part in this tragedy." "honour indeed!" charlie exclaimed passionately. "dishonour, sir. was there ever so infamous a plot!" "it is a well-laid plot, charlie, and does credit to the scoundrel who planned it. you see, he made certain that sir marmaduke would be attainted, and his estates forfeited, but there existed just a possibility that, as you are but a boy, though a good big one, it might be thought that, as you were innocent of the business, a portion at least of the estate might be handed to you. to prevent this, it was necessary that you also should be mixed up in the affair." "has john dormay appeared in the matter so far, mr. jervoise?" "not openly, charlie. my informant knows that there have been two or three meetings of whig magistrates, with closed doors, and that at these he has been present, and he has no doubt, whatever, that it is he who has set the ball rolling. still, there is no proof of this, and he did not appear yesterday. the man who did appear was the rascal who tried to overhear us the other night. he stated that he had been instigated by a gentleman of great loyalty--here one of the magistrates broke in, and said no name must be mentioned--to enter the household of sir marmaduke, a gentleman who, as he believed, was trafficking with the king's enemies. he had agreed to do this, in spite of the danger of such employment, moved thereto not so much by the hope of a reward as from his great loyalty to his majesty, and a desire to avert from him his great danger from popish plots. having succeeded in entering sir marmaduke's service, he soon discovered that six gentlemen, to wit, myself and five friends, were in the habit of meeting at lynnwood, where they had long and secret talks. knowing the deep enmity and hostility these men bore towards his gracious majesty, he determined to run any hazard, even to the loss of his life, to learn the purport of such gatherings, and did, therefore, conceal himself, on one occasion behind the hangings of a window, and on another listened at an open casement, and did hear much conversation regarding the best manner in which the taking of the king's life could be accomplished. this, it was agreed, should be done in the forest at richmond, where all should lie in wait, the said sir marmaduke carstairs undertaking that he and his son would, in the first place, fire with pistol or musquetoon, and that, only if they should fail, the rest should charge forward on horse, overthrow the king's companions, and despatch him, mr. william jervoise undertaking the management of this part of the enterprise. no date was settled for this wicked business, it being, however, agreed that all should journey separately to london, and take up their lodging there under feigned names; lying hid until they heard from a friend at court, whose name was not mentioned, a day on which the king would hunt at richmond. he further testified that, making another attempt to overhear the conspirators in order that he might gather fuller details as to the manner of the plot, he was seen by master charles carstairs, who, taking him by surprise, grievously assaulted him, and that he and the others would have slain him, had he not overthrown master carstairs and effected his escape before the others, rushing out sword in hand, had time to assail him. "during his stay at lynnwood he had, several times, watched at the window of the room where sir marmaduke carstairs sits when alone, and where he writes his letters and transacts business, and that he observed him, more than once, peruse attentively papers that seemed to be of importance, for, after reading them, he would lay them down and walk, as if disturbed or doubtful in mind, up and down the room; and these papers he placed, when he had done with them, in the bottom drawer of a desk in his cabinet, the said desk being always carefully locked by him. "that is all that i learnt from lancaster, save that instructions have been given that no pains should be spared to secure the persons of those engaged in the plot, and that a special watch was to be set at the northern ports, lest they should, finding their guilt discovered, try to escape from the kingdom. so you see that your good father, sir marmaduke, is in a state of sore peril, and that the rest of us, including yourself, will be in a like strait if they can lay hands on us." "but it is all false!" charlie exclaimed. "it is a lie from beginning to end." "that is so, but we cannot prove it. the matter is so cunningly laid, i see no way to pick a hole in it. we are jacobites, and as such long regarded as objects of suspicion by the whig magistrates and others. there have been other plots against william's life, in which men of seeming reputation have been concerned. this man's story will be confirmed by the man who set him on, and by other hidden papers, if necessary. as to the discovery of the documents, we may know well enough that the fellow himself put them there, but we have no manner of proof of it. it is evident that there is nothing for us but to leave the country, and to await the time when the king shall have his own again. my other friends, who were with me this afternoon when the news came from lancaster, all agreed that it would be throwing away our lives to stay here. we all have money by us, for each has, for years, laid by something for the time when money will be required to aid the king on his arrival. "having agreed to take this course, we drew up a document, which we all signed, and which will be sent in when we have got clear away. in it we declare that being informed that accusations of being concerned in a plot against the life of william of orange have been brought against us, we declare solemnly before god that we, and also sir marmaduke carstairs and his son, are wholly innocent of the charge, and that, although we do not hesitate to declare that we consider the title of the said william to be king of this realm to be wholly unfounded and without reason, and should therefore take up arms openly against it on behalf of our sovereign did occasion offer, yet that we hold assassination in abhorrence, and that the crime with which we are charged is as hateful in our sight as in that of any whig gentleman. as, however, we are charged, as we learn, by evilly disposed and wicked persons, of this design, and have no means of proving our innocence, we are forced to leave the realm until such time shall arrive when we can rely on a fair trial, when our reputation and honour will weigh against the word of suborned perjurers and knaves. "we were not forgetful of your father's case, and we debated long as to whether our remaining here could do him service. we even discussed the possibility of raising a force, and attacking lancaster castle. we agreed, however, that this would be nothing short of madness. the country is wholly unprepared at present. the whigs are on the alert, and such an attempt would cost the lives of most of those concerned in it. besides, we are all sure that sir marmaduke would be the first to object to numbers of persons risking their lives in an attempt which, even if, for the moment, successful, must bring ruin upon all concerned in it. nor do we see that, were we to remain and to stand in the dock beside him, it would aid him. our word would count for no more than would this protest and denial that we have signed together. a prisoner's plea of not guilty has but a feather's weight against sworn evidence. "at the same time, charlie, i do not intend to leave the country until i am sure that nothing can be done. as force is out of the question, i have advised the others to lose not an hour in trying to escape and, by this time, they are all on the road. two are making for bristol, one for southampton, and two for london. it would be too dangerous to attempt to escape by one of the northern ports. but, though force cannot succeed, we may be able to effect your father's escape by other means, and it is for this purpose that i am determined to stay, and i shall do so until all hope is gone. alone you could effect nothing; but i, knowing who are our secret friends, may be able to use them to advantage. "we will stay here tonight, but tomorrow we must change our quarters, for the search will be a close one. during the day we will go far up over the hills, but tomorrow night we will make for lancaster. i have warned friends there to expect us, and it is the last place where they would think of searching for us." "you will take me with you, too, father?" harry exclaimed eagerly; while charlie expressed his gratitude to mr. jervoise, for thus determining to risk his own life in the endeavour to effect the escape of sir marmaduke. "yes, i intend to take you with me, harry. they will pretend, of course, that, in spite of our assertions of innocence, our flight is a confession of guilt, and you may be sure that we shall be condemned in our absence, and our estates declared confiscated, and bestowed upon some of william's minions. there will be no place for you here. "my own plans are laid. as you know, your mother came from the other side of the border, and a cousin of hers, with whom i am well acquainted, has gone over to sweden, and holds a commission in the army that the young king is raising to withstand russia and saxony; for both are thinking of taking goodly slices of his domains. i could not sit down quietly in exile, and, being but forty, i am not too old for service, and shall take a commission if i can obtain it. there are many scottish jacobites who, having fled rather than acknowledge dutch william as their king, have taken service in sweden, where their fathers fought under the great gustavus adolphus; and, even if i cannot myself take service, it may be that i shall be able to obtain a commission for you. you are nearly sixteen, and there are many officers no older. "should evil befall your father, charlie, which i earnestly hope will not be the case, i shall regard you as my son, and shall do the same for you as for harry. "and now, i will to rest, for i have scarce slept the last two nights, and we must be in the saddle long before daybreak." the little bedroom, that charlie had used the two previous nights, was given up to mr. jervoise; while harry and charlie slept on some sheep skins, in front of the kitchen fire. two hours before daybreak they mounted and, guided by the farmer, rode to a shepherd's hut far up among the hills. late in the afternoon, a boy came up from the farm, with the news that the place had been searched by a party of troopers. they had ridden away without discovering that the fugitives had been at the farm, but four of the party had been left, in case mr. jervoise should come there. the farmer, therefore, warned them against coming back that way, as had been intended, naming another place where he would meet them. as soon as the sun was setting they mounted and, accompanied by the shepherd on a rough pony, started for lancaster. after riding for three hours, they stopped at a lonely farm house, at which mr. jervoise and his friends had held their meeting on the previous day. here they changed their clothes for others that had been sent for their use from lancaster. mr. jervoise was attired as a small trader, and the lads in garb suitable to boys in the same rank of life. they still, however, retained their swords, and the pistols in their holsters. three miles farther they met their host, as arranged, at some crossroads, and rode on until within three miles of lancaster. they then dismounted, placed their pistols in their belts, and handed their horses to the two men, who would take them back to the hut in the hills, where they would remain until required. it was two o'clock in the morning when they entered lancaster and, going up to a small house, standing in a garden in the outskirts of the town, mr. jervoise gave three low knocks in quick succession. the door was opened almost immediately. no light was shown, and they entered in the dark, but as soon as the door was closed behind them, a woman came out with a candle from an inner room. "i am glad to see you safe, mr. jervoise," a man said. "my wife and i were beginning to be anxious, fearing that you might have fallen into the hands of your enemies." "no, all has gone well, herries; but it is a long ride from the hills here, and we walked the last three miles, as we wanted to get the horses back again before daylight. we are deeply grateful to you for giving us shelter." "i would be ready to do more than that," the man said, "for the sake of the good cause. my wife's father and mine both fell at naseby, and we are as loyal to the stuarts as they were. you are heartily welcome, sir, and, as we keep no servant, there will be none to gossip. you can either remain in the house, in which case none will know of your presence here; or, if you wish to go abroad in the town, i will accompany you, and will introduce you to any acquaintance i may meet as a cousin of my wife who, with his two sons, has come over from preston to pay us a visit. i don't think that anyone would know you, in that attire." "i will run no more risks than are necessary, herries. those i wish to see will visit me here, and, if i go out at all, it will not be until after dark." for a fortnight they remained at the house. after dark each day, a man paid mr. jervoise a visit. he was the magistrates' clerk, and had an apartment in the castle. from him they learned that a messenger had been despatched to london, with an account of the evidence taken in sir marmaduke's case; and that, at the end of twelve days, he had returned with orders that all prisoners and witnesses were to be sent to town, where they would be examined, in the first place, by his majesty's council; and where sir marmaduke's trial for high treason would take place. they were to be escorted by a party of twelve troopers, under the command of a lieutenant. the fugitives had, before, learned that the search for mr. jervoise had been given up; it being supposed that he, with his son and young carstairs had, with their accomplices, all ridden for the coast at the first alarm, and had probably taken ship for france before the orders had arrived that all outgoing vessels should be searched. harry and charlie had both been away for two or three days, and had been occupied in getting together ten young fellows, from the two estates, who would be willing and ready to attempt to rescue sir marmaduke from his captors' hands. they were able to judge, with tolerable accuracy, when the messenger would return from london and, two days previously, the men had been directed to ride, singly and by different roads, and to put up at various small inns in manchester, each giving out that he was a farmer in from the country, either to purchase supplies, or to meet with a customer likely to buy some cattle he wished to dispose of. charlie had paid a visit to lynnwood, and had gone by the long passage into the priest's chamber, and had carried off the gold hidden there. as soon as it was known that the messenger had returned, herries had borrowed a horse, and had ridden with a note to the farmer, telling him to go up to the hills and bring the horses down, with one of his own, to the place where he had parted from them, when they entered lancaster. there he was met by mr. jervoise and the lads and, mounting, they started with the spare horse for blackburn, choosing that line in preference to the road through preston, as there were troops stationed at the latter town. the next day they rode on to manchester. they went round, that evening, to the various inns where the men had put up, and directed them to discover whether, as was probable, the escort was to arrive that night. if so, they were to mount at daybreak, and assemble where the road crossed the moor, three miles north of chapel le frith, where they would find mr. jervoise awaiting them. at nine o'clock that evening the troop rode in and, at daybreak, mr. jervoise and the boys started. two of the men were already at the spot indicated, and, half an hour later, the whole of them had arrived. mr. jervoise led them back to a spot that he had selected, where the road dipped into a deep valley, in which, sheltered from the winds, was a small wood. leaving one at the edge, to give warning directly the escort appeared on the road over the brow, he told the rest to dismount. most of them were armed with pistols. all had swords. "do you," he said, "who are good shots with your pistols, fire at the men when i give the word--let the rest aim at the horses. the moment you have opened fire, dash forward and fall on them. we are already as numerous as they are, and we ought to be able to dismount or disable four or five of them, with our first fire. i shall give the order as sir marmaduke arrives opposite me. probably the officer will be riding. i shall make the officer my special mark, for it may be that he has orders to shoot the prisoner, if any rescue is attempted. "i don't suppose they will be at all prepared for an attack. they were vigilant, no doubt, for the first two days but, once out of lancashire, they will think that there is no longer any fear of an attempt at rescue. pursue those that escape for half a mile or so, and then draw rein, and, as soon as they are out of sight, strike due north across the fells. keep to the east of glossop, and then make your way singly to your homes. it will be better for you to travel up through yorkshire, till you are north of ingleborough, so as to come down from the north to your farms. "i know that you have all engaged in this affair for love of sir marmaduke or myself, and because you hate to see a loyal gentleman made the victim of lying knaves; but when we come back with the king, you may be sure that sir marmaduke and i will well reward the services you have rendered." it was an hour before the man on the lookout warned them that the troop had just appeared over the hill. they mounted now, and, pistol in hand, awaited the arrival of the party. two troopers came first, trotting carelessly along, laughing and smoking. a hundred yards behind came the main body, four troopers first, then the lieutenant and sir marmaduke, followed by the other six troopers. with outstretched arm, and pistol pointed through the undergrowth, mr. jervoise waited till the officer, who was riding on his side of the road, came abreast of him. he had already told the boys that he intended to aim at his shoulder. "they are the enemies of the king," he said, "but i cannot, in cold blood, shoot down a man with whom i have no cause for quarrel. i can depend upon my aim, and he will not be twelve paces from the muzzle of my pistol." he fired. the officer gave a sudden start, and reeled on his horse, and, before he could recover himself, the band, who had fired at the flash of the first pistol, dashed out through the bushes and fell upon the troopers. four men had dropped, one horse had fallen, and two others were plunging wildly as, with a shout, their assailants dashed upon them. all who could turn their horse's head rode furiously off, some along the road forward, others back towards manchester. the lieutenant's horse had rolled over with him, as that of mr. jervoise struck it on the shoulder, with the full impetus of its spring. "it is all over, sir marmaduke, and you are a free man. we have nothing to do now but to ride for it." and, before the knight had fairly recovered from his astonishment, he found himself riding south across the moor, with his son on one side of him, and mr. jervoise and harry on the other. "you have saved my life, jervoise," he said, holding out his hand to his friend. "they had got me so firmly in their clutches, that i thought my chances were at an end. "how are you, charlie? i am right glad to see you, safe and sound, for they had managed to include you in their pretended plot, and, for aught i knew, you had been all this time lying in a cell next mine in lancaster castle. "but who are the good fellows who helped you?" mr. jervoise briefly gave an account of the affair. "they are only keeping up a sham pursuit of the soldiers, so as to send them well on their way. i told them not to overtake them, as there was no occasion for any further bloodshed, when you were once out of their hands. by tomorrow morning they will all be at work on their farms again, and, if they keep their own counsel, need not fear." suddenly sir marmaduke reined in his horse. "we are riding south," he said. "certainly we are," mr. jervoise said. "why not? that is our only chance of safety. they will, in the first place, suspect us of having doubled back to the hills, and will search every farmhouse and cottage. our only hope of escape is to ride either for bristol, or one of the southern ports." "i must go back," sir marmaduke said doggedly. "i must kill that scoundrel john dormay, before i do anything else. it is he who has wound this precious skein, in order to entrap us, expecting, the scoundrel, to have my estates bestowed on him as a reward." "it were madness to ride back now, sir marmaduke. it would cost you your life, and you would leave charlie here fatherless, and with but little chance of ever regaining the estate. you have but to wait for a time, and everything will right itself. as soon as the king comes to his own, your estates will be restored, and then i would not seek to stay your hand, if you sought vengeance upon this cunning knave." "besides, father," charlie put in, "much as he deserves any punishment you can give him, you would not kill cousin celia's husband and ciceley's father. when the truth is all made known, his punishment will be bitter enough, for no honest man would offer him a hand, or sit down to a meal with him. "ciceley has been as a young sister to me, and her mother has ever been as kind as if she had been my aunt. i would not see them grieved, even if that rogue came off scot free from punishment; but, at any rate, father, i pray you to let it pass at present. this time we have happily got you out of the clutches of the whigs, but, if you fell into them again, you may be sure they would never give us another chance." sir marmaduke still sat irresolute, and charlie went on: "besides, father, mr. jervoise has risked his life in lingering in lancashire to save you, and the brave fellows who aided us to rescue you have risked theirs, both in the fray and afterwards, if their share in it should ever be known; and it would not be fair to risk failure, after all they have done. i pray you, father, be guided by the opinion of your good friend, mr. jervoise." sir marmaduke touched his horse's flank with his heel. "you have prevailed, charlie. your last argument decided me. i have no right to risk my life, after my good friends have done so much to save me. john dormay may enjoy his triumph for a while, but a day of reckoning will surely come. "now, tell me of the others, jervoise. have all escaped in safety?" "all. your boy brought me the news of your arrest, and that we were charged with plotting william's assassination. i rode that night with the news, and next day all were on the road to the coast, and were happily on board and away before the news of their escape could be sent to the ports." "and now, what are your plans, jervoise--that is, if you have any plans, beyond reaching a port and taking ship for france?" "i am going to sweden," mr. jervoise said, and then repeated the reasons that he had given charlie for taking this step. "i am too old for the wars," sir marmaduke said. "i was sixty last birthday, and though i am still strong and active, and could strike a shrewd blow in case of need, i am too old for the fatigues and hardships of campaigning. i could not hope, at my age, to obtain a commission in the swedish service." "no, i did not think of your joining the army, sir marmaduke, though i warrant you would do as well as most; but i thought that you might take up your residence at stockholm, as well as at saint germains. you will find many scottish gentlemen there, and not a few jacobites who, like yourself, have been forced to fly. besides, both the life and air would suit you better than at saint germains, where, by all accounts the life is a gay one, and men come to think more of pleasure than of duty. moreover, your money will go much further in sweden than in france." sir marmaduke, checking the horse's speed, said, "i have not so much as a penny in my pocket, and methinks i am like to have some trouble in getting at the hoard i have been collecting, ever since dutch william came to the throne, for the benefit of his majesty when he arrives." "you will have no trouble in getting at that, father," charlie said laughing, "seeing that you have nothing to do but to lean over, and put your hand into my holsters, which are so full, as you see, that i am forced to carry my pistols in my belt." "what mean you, lad?" "i mean, father, that i have the whole of the hoard, that was stowed away in the priest's hiding place;" and he then related how banks had revealed to him the secret of the hiding place, and how he had, the night before sir marmaduke was removed from lancaster castle, visited the place and carried away the money. "i could not see banks," he said, "but i left a few words on a scrap of paper, saying that it was i who had taken the money. otherwise he would have been in a terrible taking, when he discovered that it was gone." "that is right good news, indeed, lad. for twelve years i have set aside half my rents, so that in those bags in your holsters there are six years' income, and the interest of that money, laid out in good mortgages, will suffice amply for my wants in a country like sweden, where life is simple and living cheap. the money itself shall remain untouched, for your use, should our hopes fail and the estates be lost for all time. that is indeed a weight off my mind. "and you are, i hope, in equally good case, jervoise, for if not, you know that i would gladly share with you?" "i am in very good case, sir marmaduke, though i none the less thank you for your offer. i too have, as you know, put aside half my income. my estates are not so large as those of lynnwood. their acreage may be as large, but a good deal of it is mountain land, worth but little. my fund, therefore, is not as large as yours, but it amounts to a good round sum; and as i hope, either in the army or in some other way, to earn an income for myself, it is ample. i shall be sorry to divert it from the use for which i intended it, but that cannot now be helped. i have had the pleasure, year by year, of putting it by for the king's use, and, now that circumstances have changed, it will be equally useful to myself." "do you know this country well, jervoise?" "personally i know nothing about it, save that the sun tells me that, at present, i am travelling south, sir marmaduke. but, for the last few days i have been so closely studying a map, that i know the name of every town and village on the various routes." "and whither think you of going?" "to london or southampton. strangers are far less noticed in large towns than in small, and we could hardly hope to find a ship, bound for sweden, in any of the dorset or devon ports." chapter : in sweden. after much discussion, the party agreed that it would be best to make for southampton. the road thither was less frequented than that leading to london, and there were fewer towns to be passed, and less chance of interruption. mr. jervoise had brought with him a valise and suit of clothes for sir marmaduke, of sober cut and fashion. they avoided all large towns and, at the places where they put up, represented themselves as traders travelling from the midlands to the southern coast, and they arrived at southampton without having excited the smallest suspicion. indeed, throughout the journey, they had heard no word of the affray near chapel le frith, and knew, therefore, that the news had not travelled as fast as they had. at southampton, however, they had scarcely put up at an inn when the landlord said: "i suppose, gentlemen, they are talking of nothing else, in london, but the rescue of a desperate jacobite by his friends. the news only reached here yesterday." "it has occasioned a good deal of scare," mr. jervoise replied. "i suppose there is no word of the arrest of the man, or his accomplices? we have travelled but slowly, and the news may have passed us on the way." "not as yet," the landlord replied. "they say that all the northern and eastern ports are watched, and they make sure of catching him, if he presents himself there. the general opinion is that he will, for a time, go into hiding with his friends, in the hills of cumberland or westmoreland, or perhaps on the yorkshire moors; but they are sure to catch him sooner or later." "it is a bad business altogether," mr. jervoise said, "and we can only hope that all guilty persons will in time get the punishment they so well deserve. how can trade be carried on, if the country is to be disturbed by plots, and conspiracies?" "how, indeed?" the landlord repeated heartily. "i do not meddle in politics, being content to earn my living by my business, and to receive all who can pay their reckoning, without caring a jot whether they be whigs or tories." the next morning mr. jervoise and sir marmaduke went down to the port, leaving the lads to wander about the town at their pleasure, as two persons were likely to attract less attention than four. they found that there were two vessels in port, loading with munitions of war for sweden, and that one of them would sail shortly. they at once went on board her, and saw the captain. "do you carry any passengers?" "none have applied so far," the captain said; "but, if they were to offer, i should not say no to them." "we want to take passage for sweden," mr. jervoise said. "the king of that country is, as they say, fitting out an army. clothes are as necessary for troops as swords and guns, and we think we could obtain a contract for these goods. there is no hope of doing so, unless we ourselves go over, and, though sorely loath to do so, for neither of us have ever before set foot on board a ship, we determined on making the journey, together with our two clerks, for whom we will take passage at the same rate as for ourselves, seeing that they are both related to us." "have you any goods with you?" "we shall take over but a bale or two of cloth, as samples of the goods we can supply; but, beyond that, we have but little luggage, seeing that our stay may be a very short one." there was a little haggling for terms, as the two gentlemen did not wish to appear eager to go; but the matter was finally settled to the satisfaction of both parties. on their return to the inn, mr. jervoise took the host aside. "we have business connected with our trade in cloth in sweden, where we hope to obtain a large contract. the matter may occupy us a week, or a month or two for aught we know, and we do not want our horses to be eating their heads off, here, while we are away. besides, we may be able, on our return, to take a passage to one of the devonshire ports, which would suit us much better. but we should not be able to do so, if there were need for returning here for our horses. therefore, we would fain dispose of them, and, if you can find us a purchaser by tomorrow night, we will pay you a fair commission on the money we receive." "i doubt not that i can do that readily enough," the landlord said. "three of them are fine animals, fit for any gentleman's riding. the other is a stout hackney. trust me, i will get the best price i can for them." the next day he came up to their room. "i have had a good offer for the horses," he said. "two gentlemen, who arrived yesterday from france, and are staying at the inn of a friend of mine, are requiring horses for themselves and their servants, and i have promised my friend a slice of my commission, if he will bring them round hither. will you name your price for them?" "no, i would rather not," mr. jervoise said cautiously. "if we asked too high a figure, we might frighten the purchasers away. if we should ask too little, we should be the losers. i daresay they have named, to your friend, the price they are willing to give. you had better ask from them a good bit above that, then you can come down little by little, and maybe, seeing the horses are really good ones, they may advance a bit. i am not used to a horse deal, and will leave it to you to make the bargain. we are sorry to part with the animals, but they might die on the voyage, or get so injured as to be worthless; and, moreover, we shall have no use for them there. therefore, as we must sell, we are ready to take the best terms we can get." when they returned to the inn, after an absence of two hours, they found that the landlord had sold the horses, for a sum nearly approaching their value, the gentlemen being as anxious to purchase them as they were to sell. the next day, they bought three or four rolls of west country cloth, and a supply of clothes suitable to their condition, together with trunks for their carriage. all these were sent down to the ship, in the course of the afternoon, and they themselves embarked late in the evening, as she was to set sail at daybreak. the lads, accustomed to spacious and airy rooms, were quite taken aback at the small and stuffy cabin allotted to their joint use, and slept but badly, for the loading of the ship continued by torchlight, until within an hour of the time of their departure. after tossing about for some hours in their narrow beds, they were glad to go on deck, and to plunge their heads into a pail of water, and were then, after combing their long hair, able to take an interest in what was passing round them. the sailors were busy; stowing away the cargo last received, tidying the decks, and coiling down the ropes. there were but few persons on the quay, for those who had been engaged in loading the cargo had gone off to bed, as soon as the last bale was on board. in half an hour the sailors began to hoist the sails, the hawsers were thrown off, and, with a gentle wind blowing aft, the ship glided along past the shore, being helped by the tide, which had begun to ebb half an hour before. the lads were greatly interested in watching the well-wooded slope on the left, with the stately ruins of tintern abbey rising above the trees. then they passed the round fort, at the water's edge, on their right, and issued out from southampton water into the broad sheet between the island and the mainland. it was dotted with sails; fishing craft and coasters for the most part, but with some larger ships bound from the east to southampton, and others that had come in through the solent. this was very entertaining to the boys, and they were still more pleased when they saw the fortifications of portsmouth, with cannon pointing seaward, and with many vessels riding in the strait by the side of the town. "that fort would give the french or the dutch a hot reception, were they at any time to think to capture the dockyard and shipping," sir marmaduke said. "the dutch have already captured the place, and that without shedding a drop of blood," mr. jervoise remarked. "'that is true enough," the knight said, stamping his foot angrily on the deck, "but what has been won so easily may be lost as quickly. i have seen several changes since i can first remember, and i hope i may live to see another. however, we need not talk of that now." "no, indeed," mr. jervoise agreed. "it may be, sir marmaduke, that it would be better if we had talked and thought less of it, during the last twelve years; better for ourselves, and for these lads. we might still have been ready to join his majesty as soon as he landed, but as, till then, we could do nothing, it seems to me now that it would have been wiser had we gone about our business without worrying our heads, to say nothing of risking them, about a matter that may not take place during our lives; as we know, well enough, the king of france uses the stuarts only for his own convenience, and at heart cares nothing for them or their cause. it is convenient to have the means of creating trouble here, and of so weakening william; and it may be that, some day or other, it may suit him to send over an army here to fight william, with the aid of the stuarts' friends, instead of fighting him in holland or elsewhere. but whether he may think fit to do so in one year, or in twenty years hence, who can say? it is a question solely of military policy. "the stuarts are simply used, by the french king, to pull english chestnuts out of the fire. i would that they had established themselves anywhere rather than in france. it does them harm with vast numbers who would otherwise be their friends, at any rate in england. in scotland it is otherwise, for scotland has always been in alliance with france; but in england it is different. france has always been the national foe; and, had not charles and james proved themselves so subservient to louis, william of orange would never have been crowned king. there are vast numbers in england who would rather see a stuart than a dutchman on the throne, but who will never strike a blow to replace them there, and that because they will come over backed up by french bayonets. "well, let us talk of something else. if the time ever comes to act, we shall be ready, but till then we can let the matter sleep, the more so as we have a new life before us, and plenty of other things to occupy our thoughts." "what is it, father," harry asked, "that the swedes and danes are going to fight about?" "it is a difficult question, harry; but there can be little doubt that denmark is in the wrong. the king of sweden died in april, . his death was unfortunate, for the powers contending in europe had all agreed to refer their quarrels to his mediation. at his death, denmark endeavoured to obtain the honour, but failed; and by the mediation, chiefly, of the swedish regency, peace was concluded between france, england, and holland, in the autumn of that year; and, shortly afterwards, the struggle between the german emperor, france, and spain was also concluded, but not at all to the satisfaction of the swedish mediators. "while sweden was occupied in this matter of the pacification of europe, the king of denmark thought to take advantage of the fact that charles of sweden was but a minor, to press frederick, duke of holstein, who was in close alliance with him. "there had long been serious differences between the rulers of denmark and holstein, both of whom were branches of the oldenburg family, and this in reference to the duchy of schleswig. the quarrel had arisen from the act of christian the third, of denmark, who decreed that the descendants of his brother adolphus should govern holstein, jointly with the king of denmark, and that holstein and schleswig should belong to them in common, neither making any change in holstein without the consent of the other a more foolish arrangement could not have been conceived, for anyone might have foreseen that it would lead to disputes and troubles. in fact, quarrels continually arose, until, at the peace of rosahild, in , the duchy was adjudged to denmark. "holstein, however, never acquiesced in this, and in there was war, when, holstein being defeated, the danes imprisoned its duke, christian albertus, until he signed a renunciation of all his rights. "his troops were disarmed, and all his towns and fortresses garrisoned by danish troops. on his release, the duke went to hamburg, where he remained till, at the peace of fontainebleau, four years later, he was replaced in possession of his estates and rights of sovereignty. "but this did not last long. new troubles arose, but sweden, england, and holland interested themselves in favour of the duke, and a peace was concluded in , by which he was confirmed in the rights given him, ten years before, with full liberty to raise a certain number of troops, and of building fortresses, on the condition that he should raise none to the prejudice of denmark. "this was another of those stipulations which inevitably lead to trouble, for it afforded to denmark a pretext for continual complaint and interference. when frederick the fourth succeeded his father as duke of holstein, in , the quarrel grew so hot that denmark would have invaded holstein, had not the parties to the treaty of ' interfered, and brought about a conference. this lasted all through the year , but the negotiators appointed to settle the matter were unable to arrive at any conclusion. "the following year, charles of sweden, who had just succeeded his father, furnished the duke with some troops, to help him to build some forts that were intended to protect the frontier, in case of invasion by denmark. christian of denmark at once attacked and captured these forts, and levelled them to the ground. the duke, being too weak to engage in a war with his powerful neighbour, did not resent this attack, and the negotiations were continued as before. in view of the danger of the situation, and the necessity for a monarch at the head of affairs, the swedish diet met, at stockholm, to take part in the funeral of the late king, which was to be performed on the th of november, and to deliberate upon the situation. "by the will of the late king, charles was not to ascend the throne until he reached the age of eighteen, but the diet passed a vote overruling this, and, as the regency concurred, he was at once crowned, and the alliance with holstein was cemented by the marriage, that had been previously arranged between charles's eldest sister and the duke of holstein, being celebrated at stockholm. charles the twelfth at once concluded treaties with france, england, and holland; while denmark is reported to have prepared for war by making a secret alliance with augustus of saxony, king of poland, and the czar of russia. both these monarchs were doubtless desirous of extending their dominions, at the cost of sweden, whose continental possessions are considerable. "augustus is not yet very firmly seated on the throne of poland. there are several parties opposed to him, and these united in obtaining, from the diet, a refusal to pay the saxon troops augustus had brought with him. the king, no doubt, considered that these could be employed for the conquest of livonia, and that the addition of so large a territory to poland would so add to his popularity, that he would have no further troubles in his kingdom. "charles the twelfth, being in ignorance of this secret agreement, sent an embassy to russia, to announce his accession to the throne. the ambassadors were kept a long time waiting for an audience, as the czar was bringing a war with the turks to a conclusion, and did not wish to throw off the mask until he was free to use his whole force against sweden. the ambassadors were, at last, received civilly, but the czar evaded taking the usual oaths of friendship, and, after long delays, the embassy returned to sweden, feeling somewhat disquieted as to the intentions of the czar, but having no sure knowledge of them. "the king of poland was more successful in disguising his leaning towards denmark, sending the warmest assurances to charles, requesting him to act as mediator in the quarrel between himself and the duke of brandenburg, and signing a treaty of alliance with sweden. but, while sweden had no idea of the triple alliance that had been formed against her, the intention of denmark to make war was evident enough, for king christian was gathering a great naval armament. "the duke of holstein, becoming much alarmed at these preparations, hastened on the fortifications of tonningen, on the eider, three leagues from its mouth. the garrison of the place was a weak one, and a thousand swedish troops were thrown in to strengthen it. the king of denmark complained that this was a breach of the treaty, but, as his own preparations for war were unmistakable, no one could blame the duke of holstein for taking steps to defend his territories. "as you know, christian of denmark died about this time, and was succeeded by his son frederick the fourth. "last august, he commenced the war, by sending a naval squadron to cover the passage of four regiments into pomerania. charles of sweden, seeing that holstein must be crushed by its powerful neighbour, called upon holland and the duke of lunenburg, who were with sweden guarantors of the treaty, to enforce its provisions; and a joint protest was sent to the king of denmark, who was informed that, if he invaded holstein, they should consider it a breach of the treaty of altena, and treat him as a common enemy. frederick replied by sending some troops into the duchy. "no active operations took place, until the beginning of this year. up to that time, sweden had not doubted the friendship of the king of poland, and charles, at first, could hardly believe the reports he received from the governor of livonia, that the saxon troops were approaching the frontier. "a few days later, however, came the news that they were advancing against riga. the governor prepared for defence, and hastily mounted cannon on the walls. his powers of resistance, however, were lessened by the fact that the river duna was frozen over. fleming, who commanded the saxon troops, arrived before the town, early in february, with four thousand men. the governor had set fire to the suburbs on the previous day; and fleming was surprised to find that, instead of taking it by surprise, as he had hoped, the place was in a position to offer a stout resistance. however, he attacked the fort of cobrun, on the opposite side of the river, and carried it by assault. "the news was brought to young charles the twelfth when he was out hunting, a sport of which he is passionately fond. by all accounts, he is an extraordinary young fellow. he is not content with hunting bears and shooting them, but he and his followers engage them armed only with forked sticks. with these they attack the bears, pushing and hustling the great creatures, with the forks of their sticks, until they are completely exhausted, when they are bound and sent away. in this hunt charles took fourteen alive, one of which nearly killed him before it was captured. he did not break up the hunting party, but continued his sport to the end, sending off, however, orders for the concentration of all the troops, in livonia and finland, to act against the saxons. "as soon as the king of denmark heard of the siege of riga, he ordered the duke of wurtemberg-neustadt, his commander-in-chief, to enter holstein with his army, sixteen thousand strong. all of that country was at once overrun, the ducal domains seized, and great contributions exacted from schleswig and holstein. fleming and the saxons, after one severe repulse, forced the garrison of the fort of dunamund, commanding the mouth of the duna, to surrender. tonningen is the only fortress that now holds out in holstein. so you see, lads, there is every chance of there being brisk fighting, and i warrant the young king of sweden will not be backward in the fray. a man who is fond of engaging with bears, armed with nothing but a forked stick, is not likely to hang back in the day of battle. "but, at present, we will say no more on the matter. now that we have got beyond the shelter of the island, the waves are getting up, and the vessel is beginning to toss and roll. i see that sir marmaduke has retired to his cabin. i mean to remain here as long as i can, and i should advise you both to do the same. i have always heard that it is better to fight with this sickness of the sea, as long as possible, and that it is easier to do so in fresh air than in a close cabin." the lads quite agreed with this opinion, but were, in spite of their efforts, presently prostrate. they remained on deck for some hours, and then crawled to their cabin, where they remained for the next three days, at the end of which time they came on deck again, feeling better, but as weak as if they had suffered from a long illness. mr. jervoise had been in frequently to see them, having escaped the malady, from which, as he told them, sir marmaduke was suffering to the full as severely as they were. "so you have found your feet again," the captain said, when they appeared on deck. "you will be all right now." "we feel much better," harry said, "now that the storm is over." "storm! what storm? the weather has been splendid. we cannot wish for anything better. it has been just as you see it now--a bright sun, and just enough wind for her to carry whole sail." the lads both looked astonished. "then why should we roll and toss about so much?" harry asked. "roll and toss! nonsense, lad! there has been a little movement, of course, as there always must be when there is a brisk wind; but as for rolling and tossing, you must wait till you see a storm, then you will begin to have an idea of what the sea is." the boys both felt rather crestfallen, for they had flattered themselves that their sufferings were caused by something quite out of the ordinary way, and it was mortifying to know that the weather had been really fine, and there had been nothing even approaching a storm. the rest of the voyage was a pleasant one. they found they had regained their appetites, and were able to enjoy their meals; still they were not sorry when they saw the coast of sweden, and, a few hours later, entered the port of gottenburg, where sir marmaduke, for the first time, came on deck--looking a mere shadow of his former jovial self. "well, lads," he said, "i was glad to hear that you got through this business quicker than i did. here we are in sweden, and here i, at least, am likely to stay, unless i can pass by land through holland, france, and across from calais, for never again will i venture upon a long voyage. i have been feeling very ungrateful, for, over and over again, i wished that you had not rescued me, as death on tower hill would have been nothing to the agonies that i have been enduring!" as soon as the vessel was warped alongside the quay, they landed, and put up at an hotel, sir marmaduke insisting that the ground was as bad as the sea, as it kept on rising and falling beneath his feet. mr. jervoise agreed to return on board the following day, to fetch the luggage, which would by that time have been got up from the hold. at the hotel, they met several persons able to speak english, and from them learnt how matters had been going on since they had last heard. the town and fortress of tonningen had fallen, after a vigorous defence; it had been bombarded for eight days, and had repulsed one assault, but had been captured at the second attack. england and holland had agreed to furnish fleets, and an army of twelve thousand swedes were in readiness to march, at once, while other armies were being formed. the king had, the week before, reviewed the army gathered at malmoe; and had, on the previous day, arrived at gottenburg, accompanied by the duke of holstein. mr. jervoise went, the same afternoon, to find out some of his friends who resided at gottenburg. he was fortunate enough to find one of them, who was able to inform him that his wife's cousin was now a major, in one of the newly-raised regiments stationed at gottenburg. he found him without difficulty. major jamieson was delighted at the coming of his former friend. "you are the last person i expected to see here, jervoise. it is true that, when we met last, you said that if matters went wrong in england you should come out here, instead of taking refuge in france; but, as everything is quiet, i had little hope of seeing you again, until i paid another visit to scotland, of which at present there is but little prospect. have you grown tired of doing nothing, and is it a desire to see something of a stirring life that has brought you over here?" mr. jervoise related, shortly, the events by which he had been driven into exile, and expressed his desire to serve in the army of sweden, and that his son and young carstairs should also enter the army. "they are but sixteen yet," he said, "but are stout, active fellows, and could hold their own in a day's march or in a stout fight with many men. of course, if i could obtain commissions for them, all the better, but if not they are ready to enlist in the ranks. roughing it will do them no harm." "their age is no drawback," major jamieson said. "there are many no older, both in the ranks and as officers. men in sweden of all ages and of all ranks are joining, for this unprovoked attack, on the part of poland, has raised the national spirit to boiling heat. the chief difficulty is their and your ignorance of the language. were it not for that, i could obtain, from the minister of war, commissions for you at once." he sat thinking for some minutes, in silence. "i think i see how it can be managed, jervoise. i have some twenty or thirty scotchmen in my regiment, and i know a colonel who has as many in his, and these i could manage to get, in exchange for an equal number of my swedes. ships are coming daily from scotland, and most of them bring young fellows who have come out to join the army. "you know how the scots fought, under gustavus adolphus, and there is scarce a glen in scotland where there are not traditions of fathers, or grandfathers, who fought in hepburn's green brigade. therefore, it is natural that, seeing there is no chance of military service at home, there should be many young fellows coming out to join. "i can go across this evening to the minister of war, who is a personal friend of mine, and get him to give you permission to raise a company of scotchmen for service. i shall, of course, point out to him that you will enlist them here. i shall show him the advantage of these men being gathered together, as their ignorance of the language makes them, for some time, useless as soldiers if enrolled in a swedish regiment. i shall mention that i have twenty in my own corps, who are at present positively useless, and in fact a source of great trouble, owing to their understanding nothing that is said to them, and shall propose that they be at once handed over to you. as to the exchange, we can manage that quietly between ourselves. you would have no difficulty with fresh-landed men, as these will naturally be delighted at joining a company of their own countrymen." "thank you very heartily, jamieson. this altogether exceeds my hopes, but i fear that i know nothing of drilling them." "two of my men are sergeants, and, having been in the army for some years, speak swedish well. they will do the drilling at first. the manoeuvres are not complicated, and, for a pound or two, they will be glad to teach you all the orders necessary. i don't know how you are situated as to money, but i can assure you my purse is at your service." "thank you; i am, in that respect, excellently well provided, as is my friend sir marmaduke. we have both made provision for unexpected contingencies." "then, if you will call tomorrow after breakfast, i shall probably have your commission ready. as a matter of course, you will have the appointment of your own officers, and will only have to send in their names. each company is from a hundred and forty to a hundred and fifty strong, and has a captain, two lieutenants, and two ensigns." mr. jervoise's news was, on his return to the inn, received with delight by the two lads; and sir marmaduke said: "i wish i could shake off twenty of my years, jervoise, and join also. well, well, i daresay i shall get on comfortably enough. i know there are a good many english and scotch jacobites settled in the town or neighbourhood, and i shall not be long before i meet someone i know. "as the matter seems settled, i should advise you lads to go down, the first thing in the morning, to the wharves. there is no saying when ships may come in. moreover, it is likely enough that you may light upon young fellows who have landed within the last few weeks, and who have been kept so far, by their ignorance of the language, from enlisting." "that is a very good idea," mr. jervoise said. "they will be delighted to hear a friendly voice, and be only too glad to enlist in a scottish company. you can say that each man will have a free outfit given him." accordingly, the next morning early, the two lads went down to the wharf. presently they saw three young fellows, who were evidently scotch by their dress and caps, talking together. they strolled up near enough to catch what they were saying. "it is hard," one said, "that, now we are here, we can make no one understand us, and it seems to me we had far better have stayed at home." "we shall find some one who speaks our language presently, jock," another said more cheerfully. "the old man, where we lodged last night, said in his broken tongue, that we had but to go over to malmoe, or some such place as that, where there is a big camp, and walk up to an officer and say we wish to enlist." "oh, that is all very well," the other grumbled; "but, if he did not understand us, we should be no better off than before." "are you wanting to enlist?" harry said, going up to them. the men gave an exclamation of pleasure, at being addressed in their own tongue. "that we do, sir. if you can put us in the way, we shall be grateful." "that i can do easily," harry said. "my father is raising a company of scotch and englishmen, for the regiment commanded by colonel jamieson. this will be far better than joining a swedish company, where no one will understand your language, and you will not be able to make out the orders given. my father will give each man who joins a free outfit." "that is the very thing for us, sir. we expected to find scotch regiments here, as there were in the old times, and we had hoped to join them; but whether it is a company or regiment, it makes but little difference, so that we are with those who speak our tongue." "very well, then. if you come to the lion inn, at nine o'clock, you will see my father there. if you know of any others in the same mind as yourselves, and willing to join, bring them with you." "there are ten or twelve others who came over in the ship with us, two days since, and i have no doubt they will be fine and glad to join." "well, see if you can hunt them up, and bring them with you." on returning to the inn, they found that mr. jervoise had already received his commission as captain, and, by ten o'clock, fifteen young scotchmen had been sworn in. all of them had brought broadswords and dirks, and captain jervoise at once set to work buying, at various shops, iron head pieces, muskets, and other accoutrements. during the next three days ten other english and scotchmen had joined, and then a ship came in, from which they gathered another four-and-twenty recruits. arms had already been purchased for them, and, on the following day, captain jervoise marched off to malmoe with his forty-nine recruits. harry accompanied them, charlie being left behind, with his father, to gather another fifty men as the ships arrived. a week later this number was obtained, and charlie started with them for the camp, sir marmaduke accompanying them on horseback, in order to aid charlie in maintaining order among his recruits. he had already fixed upon a small house, just outside the town, and, having met two or three old friends, who had been obliged to leave england at william's accession, he already began to feel at home. "don't you fidget about me, charlie," he said. "ferrers tells me that there are at least a score of jacobites here, and that they form quite a society among themselves. living is very cheap, and he will introduce me to a man of business, who will see that my money is well invested." chapter : narva. for the next fortnight, drilling went on from morning till night, the officers receiving instructions privately from the sergeants, and further learning the words of command by standing by while the men were being drilled. at the end of that time, both officers and men were sufficiently instructed to carry out the simple movements which were, alone, in use in those days. it was not, however, until two months later that they were called upon to act. the english and dutch fleets had arrived, and effected a junction with that of sweden, and the danish fleet had shut themselves up in the port of copenhagen, which was closely blockaded. a large army had crossed to zeeland, and repulsed the danes, who had endeavoured to prevent their landing, and had then marched up to within sight of the walls of copenhagen, which they were preparing to besiege; when the king of denmark, alarmed at this unexpected result of his aggression on holstein, conceded every point demanded, and peace was signed. the negotiations were carried on in holland, and the swedes were extremely angry, when they found that they were baulked of their expected vengeance on their troublesome neighbours. the peace, however, left charles the twelfth at liberty to turn his attention to his other foes, and to hurry to the assistance of riga, which was beleaguered by the saxons and poles; and of narva, against which city the russians had made several unsuccessful assaults. without losing an hour, the king crossed to malmoe. the troops there were ordered to embark, immediately, in the vessels in the harbour. they then sailed to revel, where the swedish commander, welling, had retired from the neighbourhood of riga, his force being too small to meet the enemy in the open field. no sooner had the troops landed than the king reviewed them, and general welling was ordered, at once, to march so as to place himself between the enemy and wesenberg, where a large amount of provisions and stores for the use of the army had been collected. the two lieutenants, in the company of captain jervoise, were young scotchmen of good family, who had three months before come over and obtained commissions, and both had, at the colonel's request, been transferred to his regiment, and promoted to the rank of lieutenants. captain jervoise and his four officers messed together, and were a very cheerful party; indeed, their commander, to the surprise both of his son and charlie, had quite shaken off his quiet and somewhat gloomy manner, and seemed to have become quite another man, in the active and bracing life in which he was now embarked. cunningham and forbes were both active young men, full of life and energy, while the boys thoroughly enjoyed roughing it, and the excitement and animation of their daily work. sometimes they slept in the open air, sometimes on the floor of a cottage. their meals were rough but plentiful. the king's orders against plundering were very severe, and, even when in denmark, the country people, having nothing to complain of, had brought in supplies regularly. here in linovia they were in swedish dominions, but there was little to be purchased, for the peasantry had been brought to ruin by the foraging parties of the russians and poles. there was some disappointment, that the enemy had fallen back at the approach of welling's force, but all felt sure that it would not be long before they met them, for the king would assuredly lose no time in advancing against them, as soon as his army could be brought over. they were not, however, to wait for the arrival of the main force, although the cavalry only took part in the first affair. general welling heard that a force of three thousand circassians had taken up their quarters in a village, some fifteen miles away, and sent six hundred horse, under majors patkul and tisenbausen, to surprise them. they were, at first, successful and, attacking the circassians, set fire to the village, and were engaged in slaughtering the defenders, when twenty-one squadrons of russian cavalry came up and fell upon them, attacking them on all sides, and posting themselves so as to cut off their retreat. the swedes, however, gathered in a body, and charged the russians so furiously that they cut a way through their ranks, losing, however, many of their men, while major patkul and another officer were made prisoners. the king was at revel when this engagement took place, and, although but few of the troops had arrived, he was too impatient for action to wait until the coming of the fleet. he therefore marched to wesenberg, with his bodyguard and a few troops from revel. he at once despatched a thousand men, to cover the frontier, and issued orders for the rest of the troops to leave the whole of their baggage behind them, to take three days' provision in their haversacks, and to prepare to march the next morning. major jamieson came into the cottage, occupied by captain jervoise and his officers, late in the evening. they had a blazing fire, for it was now the middle of november, and the nights were very sharp. "well, jervoise, what do you think of the orders?" he asked, as he seated himself on a log that had been brought in for the fire. "i have not thought much about them, except that we are going to do a long and quick march somewhere." "and where is that somewhere, do you think?" "that, i have not the slightest idea." "you would not say that it was to narva?" "i certainly should not, considering that we have but five thousand infantry, and three thousand cavalry, and of these a large number have been so weakened, by fever, as to be unfit for fighting; while at narva, report says there are eighty thousand russians, in a strongly intrenched camp." "well, that is where we are going, jervoise, nevertheless. at least, that is what the colonel has told me." "he must have been surely jesting, major. we may be going to push forward in that direction, and occupy some strong position until the army comes up, but it would be the height of madness to attack an enemy, in a strong position, and just tenfold our force." "well, we shall see," jamieson said coolly. "it is certain that narva cannot hold out much longer, and i know that the king has set his heart on relieving it; but it does seem somewhat too dangerous an enterprise to attack the russians. at any rate, that is the direction in which we are going, tomorrow. it is a good seventy miles distant, and, as they say that the whole country has been devastated, and the villagers have all fled, it is evident that when the three days' bread and meat we carry are exhausted we shall have to get some food, out of the russian camp, if nowhere else." captain jervoise laughed, as did the others. "we can live for a short time on the horses, jamieson, if we are hard pushed for it, though most of them are little beyond skin and bone." "that is true. the cavalry are certainly scarcely fit for service. welling's troops have had a very hard time of it, and we may thank our stars, though we did not think so at the time, that we were kept nearly three months at malmoe, instead of being here with welling." "but do you seriously think, major, that the king means to attack the russians?" cunningham asked. "my own idea is that he does, cunningham. i cannot see what else there is for us to do. at any rate, if he does, you may be sure that we shall make a tough fight for it. the cavalry showed, the other day, that they can stand up against many times their number of the russians, and if they can do it, i fancy we can. there is one thing, the very audacity of such an attempt is in its favour." "well, we will all do our best, you may be sure; but since thermopylae, i doubt if men have fought against longer odds." the next morning the men fell in. captain jervoise, who, like all of his rank, was mounted, took his place at the head of his company, and the little army marched away from wesenberg. it was a dreary march to purts, but the sight of the ruined villages, and devastated fields, aroused a feeling of indignation and fury among the troops, and a fierce longing to attack men who had so ruthlessly spread ruin through a fertile country. orders were issued, that evening, that the men were to husband their provisions as much as possible, and the order was more strictly obeyed than such orders usually are, for the men saw, for themselves, that there was no possibility of obtaining fresh supplies in the wasted country, and were well aware that there existed no train of waggons and horses capable of bringing up stores from wesenberg. there were a few aged men and women remaining at purts, and from these they learned that their next day's march would take them to a very difficult pass, which was held by six hundred of the russian cavalry, together with a force of infantry and some guns. it was the intention of the king to encamp that evening near the pass, and, when within three or four miles of it, general meidel, who had with him the quartermaster of the army, and four hundred cavalry, rode on ahead to choose a site for the camp. he presently saw a large body of russian foragers in front of him, and sent back to the king for permission to attack them. charles ordered the army to continue its march, and, hurrying forward with some of his officers, joined general meidel and charged the foragers, killing many, taking others prisoners, and putting the rest to flight. he followed close upon their heels, and rode right up to the mouth of the pass, in spite of the heavy fire of artillery and musketry opened by the russians. he at once determined to take advantage of the alarm produced by the defeat of the russian cavalry, and, although darkness was now drawing on, brought up some of his infantry and artillery, and attacked with such vigour that the russians fled, after offering a very feeble resistance. a battalion of foot were ordered to occupy the pass, while the rest of the army piled their arms, and lay down where they stood. in the morning, they were astonished at the strength of the position that had been gained so easily. the defile was deep and narrow, a rapid stream ran through it, and the ground was soft and marshy. a few determined men should have been able to bar the advance of an army. the troops were in high spirits at the result of this, their first action against the enemy, and were the more pleased that they found, in the russian camp, sufficient provisions to replace those they had used. after a hearty meal, they again advanced at a brisk march. the defile was captured on the evening of the th november, and, early in the morning of the th, the army reached lagena, a league and a half from narva, and, ordering the troops to follow, the king rode forward to reconnoitre the russian position. the troops were weary with their long marches, and many of those who had, but recently, recovered from fever were scarce able to drag themselves along, while great numbers were unfit to take part in a battle, until after two or three days of rest. the officers of the malmoe regiment, for it had taken its name from the camp where it had been formed, were gathered in a group at its head, discussing the situation. most of the officers were of opinion that, to attack at once, with men and horses worn out with fatigue, was to ensure destruction; but there were others who thought that, in face of so great an army as that gathered in front of them, the only hope was in an immediate attack. major jamieson was one of these. "the king is right," he said. "if the russian army have time to form, and to advance against us in order of battle, we must be annihilated. at present, their camp is an extensive one, for, as i hear, it extends in a great semi-circle four or five miles long, with the ends resting on the river. they cannot believe that we intend to attack them, and, if we go straight at them, we may possibly gain a footing in their intrenchments, before the whole army can gather to aid those at the point of attack. it will be almost a surprise, and i think the king is right to attempt it, for it is only by a quick and sudden stroke that we can gain a success over so great an army." the halt was but a short one and, as soon as the regiments had arrived at the positions assigned to them, they advanced. as soon as they appeared, on a rise of ground facing the intrenchments, the enemy opened fire. the king had already reconnoitred a portion of their position, exposing himself recklessly to their shot, and, as soon as the troops came up, he issued orders for them to prepare to attack in two columns. first, however, several of the regiments were ordered to fall out, and to cut down bushes and make fascines, to enable the troops to cross the ditches. the intrenchment was a formidable one, being provided with parapets armed with chevaux de frise, and flanked by strong exterior works, while several batteries had been placed to sweep the ground across which an enemy must advance. the right column, under general welling, was to march to a point nearly in the centre of the great semicircle; while the left, under general rhenschild, was to assault a point about halfway between the centre and the river, where one of the largest and most powerful of the enemy's batteries was placed. the king himself was with this wing, with his bodyguard, and he hoped that here he might meet the czar commanding in person. the russian emperor had, however, left the camp that morning, to fetch up forty thousand men who were advancing from plescow, and the command of the army had been assumed by the duke of croy. the swedish left wing had with it a battery of twenty-one guns, while sixteen guns covered the attack on the right. it was two o'clock in the afternoon when two guns gave the signal for the advance. hitherto the weather had been fine, but it had become gradually overcast, and, just as the signal was given, a tremendous storm of snow and hail began. it set right in the face of the russians, and concealed from them the movement of the swedes, for which, indeed, they were wholly unprepared, believing that the small force they saw was but the advance guard of a great swedish army, and that no attack need be expected until the main body arrived. the consequence was, the swedes were almost at the edge of the ditch before they were perceived, and both columns attacked with such vigour and courage that, in a quarter of an hour, they had gained a footing in the intrenchments, and had so filled up the ditch with the fascines that the cavalry were able to follow them. the russians were so astounded at this sudden attack that they lost heart altogether. the swedish left, as soon as it entered the intrenchments, swept along them, the russians abandoning their guns and batteries, and making for their bridge across the river. unfortunately for them, their huts were built close behind the works, and in rear was another intrenchment, designed to repel assaults from the town; and the terrified crowd, unable to make their way rapidly along, over ground encumbered by their huts, crossed the interior intrenchments, thinking to make their way faster through the fields to the bridge. the swedish king, however, placed himself at the head of his bodyguard, and, followed by the rest of his horse, charged right upon them, cutting down great numbers, and driving the rest before them towards the river, while the infantry kept up a heavy fire upon the fugitives in the intrenchments. the panic had spread quickly, and the russian troops nearest to the bridge were already pouring over, when the mass of the fugitives arrived. these pressed upon the bridge in such numbers that it speedily gave way, cutting off the retreat of their comrades behind. ignorant of the result, the terrified crowd pushed on, pressing those in front of them into the river, and the number of drowned was no less than that of those who fell beneath the bullets, pikes, and sabres of the swedes. in their despair the russians, rallied by some of their generals, now attempted to defend themselves, and, by occupying some houses and barracks, and barricading the passages between these with overturned waggons, they fought bravely, and repulsed, for some time, every effort of the swedes. darkness was now falling, and the king hastened to the spot where the battle was fiercely raging. as he ran towards it, he fell into a morass, from which he was rescued with some difficulty, leaving his sword and one boot behind him. however, he at once pushed on, and placed himself at the head of the infantry engaged in the assault. but even his presence and example did not avail. the russians maintained their position with desperate courage, and, when it became quite dark, the assault ceased. the right column had met with equal success. it had penetrated the intrenchments, defeated all the russians who opposed it, and now moved to assist the left wing. the king, however, seeing that the russian defences could not be carried, by a direct assault, without great loss, gathered the army in the space between the town and the russian intrenchments, and placed them in a position to repel an attack, should the russians take the offensive; giving orders that, at daylight, the hill on which the enemy had their principal battery should be assaulted. the guns here commanded all the intrenchments, and the capture of that position would render it impossible for the russians to continue their defence, or for the now separated wings of the army to combine. the officers in command of the russian right wing, finding themselves unable to cross the river on their broken bridge, and surrounded by the swedes, sent in to surrender in the course of the evening, and two battalions of the swedish guards took possession of the post that had been so gallantly defended. the king granted them permission to retire with their arms, the colours and standards being given up, and the superior officers being retained as prisoners of war. the broken bridge was repaired and, early the next morning, the russian troops passed over. their left wing was, after the surrender of their right, in a hopeless position, for on that side no bridge had been thrown over the river, and their retreat was wholly cut off. on learning, before daybreak, that the right wing had surrendered, they too sent in to ask for terms. the king granted them freedom to return to their country, but without their standards or arms. they filed off before him, officers and soldiers bareheaded, and passed over the bridge, their numbers being so great that all had not crossed until next morning. the russians lost over , men killed or drowned, a hundred and forty-five cannon, and twenty-eight mortars, all of which were new, besides vast quantities of military stores and provisions. a hundred and fifty-one colours, and twenty standards, and the greater proportion of their muskets, together with the military chest, the duke of croy, their commander-in-chief, and the whole of their generals, colonels, majors, and captains, fell into the hands of the swedes, as prisoners of war. the total loss in killed and wounded of the swedes was under two thousand, the chief loss being due to the desperate resistance of the russians, after the battle was irretrievably lost. it may be doubted whether so complete and surprising a victory, between armies so disproportionate in force, was ever before gained. the king had exposed himself, throughout the day, most recklessly, and was everywhere in the thick of the russian bullets, and yet he escaped without so much as a scratch. the malmoe regiment had been with the left wing, but suffered comparatively little loss, as they were one of the last to enter the intrenchments, and it was only when darkness was closing in that they were called up to take a part in the attack on the position held by the russians. "never was the saying, that fortune favours the brave, more signally verified, jervoise," major jamieson said, as he sat down to a rough breakfast with the officers of the scottish company, on the morning after the russian surrender. "that's true enough, but russians are brave, too, as they showed at the end of the day. i fancy you have a scotch proverb to the effect that 'fou folk come to no harm.' i think that is more applicable in the present case." the major laughed. "the fou folk relates rather to drunkenness than madness, jervoise. but, of course, it would do for both. i own that the whole enterprise did seem, to me, to be absolute madness, but the result has justified it. that sudden snowstorm was the real cause of our victory, and, had it not been for that, i still think that we could not have succeeded. the russian cannon certainly continued to fire, but it was wholly at random, and they were taken by surprise when we suddenly appeared at the side of the ditch, while we were across before they could gather any force sufficient to defend it. "after that, panic did the rest. the commander in chief fell early into our hands. there was no one to give orders, no one to rally them, and i expect the russian soldiers gave us credit for having brought on that storm, to cover our assault, by the aid of malign spirits. "well, lads, and how did you feel when the shots were whistling about?" "i did not like it at all, major," charlie said. "it seemed such a strange thing, marching along in the thick of that snowstorm, hearing the rush of cannonballs overhead, and the boom of guns, and yet be unable to see anything but the rear files of the company in front." "it was an uncanny feeling, charlie. i felt it myself, and was very grateful that we were hidden from the enemy, who, of course, were blazing away in the direction in which they had last seen us. we only lost three killed and twelve wounded, altogether, and i think those were, for the most part, hit by random shots. "well, if this is the way the king means to carry on war, we shall have enough of it before we are done." the sick and wounded were sent into the town, the first thing, but it was not until the russians had all crossed the river that the king, himself, rode triumphantly into the place, surrounded by his staff, amid the wild enthusiasm of the inhabitants, whom his victory had saved from ruin and massacre. the town, although strongly fortified, was not a large one, and its houses were so dilapidated, from the effects of the russian bombardment, that but few of the troops could be accommodated there. the rest were quartered in the russian huts. on the th, a solemn service of thanksgiving for the victory was celebrated, with a salute from all the cannon of the town and camp, and by salvos of musketry from the troops. the question of provisions was the most important now. it was true that large quantities had been captured in the russian camp, but, beyond a magazine of corn, abandoned by the fugitives at tama and brought in, there was no prospect of replenishing the store when exhausted, for the whole country, for a great distance round, had been completely devastated by the russians. these had not retreated far, having been rallied by the czar at plescow, and quartered in the towns of the frontier of livonia, whence they made incursions into such districts as had not been previously wasted. "this is dull work," archie cunningham said, one day. "the sooner we are busy again, the better. there is nothing to do, and very little to eat. the cold is bitter, and fuel scarce. one wants something to warm one's blood." "you are not likely to have anything of that kind, for some months to come," major jamieson replied dryly. "you don't suppose we are going to have a battle of narva once a week, do you? no doubt there will be a few skirmishes, and outpost encounters, but beyond that there will be little doing until next spring. you can make up your mind, for at least five months, of the worst side of a soldier's life--dull quarters, and probably bad ones, scanty food, cold, and disease." "not a very bright lookout, major," forbes laughed. "i hope it won't be as bad as that." "then i advise you to give up hoping, and to make up your mind to realities, forbes. there is a good deal of illness in the camp now, and there will be more and more as the time goes on. there is nothing like inaction to tell upon the health of troops. however, we certainly shall not stay here. it would be impossible to victual the army, and i expect that, before long, we shall march away and take up quarters for the winter. "as to operations on a great scale, they are out of the question. after the thrashing they have had, the russians will be months before they are in a condition to take the offensive again; while we are equally unable to move because, in the first place, we are not strong enough to do so, and in the second we have no baggage train to carry provisions with us, and no provisions to carry if we had it." on the th of december, the king quitted narva with the army, and on the th arrived at lais, an old castle six miles from derpt, and here established his headquarters. a few of the troops were stationed in villages, but the greater part in rough huts in the neighbourhood, and along the frontier. it was not long before major jamieson's predictions were verified. a low fever, occasioned by the fatiguing marches and the hardships they had endured, added to the misery from the cold and wet that penetrated the wretched huts, spread rapidly through the army. many died, and great numbers were absolutely prostrated. the king was indefatigable in his efforts to keep up the spirits of the troops. he constantly rode about from camp to camp, entering the huts, chatting cheerfully with the soldiers, and encouraging them by kind words and assurances that, when the spring came, they would soon gain strength again. at narva the four young officers had all purchased horses. most of the swedish officers were mounted; and the king encouraged this, as, on occasion, he could thereby collect at once a body of mounted men ready for any enterprise; but their own colonel preferred that, on the march, the lieutenants and ensigns should be on foot with their men, in order to set them an example of cheerful endurance. those who wished it, however, were permitted to have horses, which were, on such occasions, led in the rear of the regiment. captain jervoise had approved of the purchase of the horses, which were got very cheaply, as great numbers had been captured. "if we can get over the difficulty of the forage," he said, "you will find them very useful for preserving your health during the winter. a ride will set your blood in motion, and, wherever we are quartered, there are sure to be camps within riding distance. the king approves of officers taking part in dashing expeditions, so you may be able to take a share in affairs that will break the monotony of camp life." they found great benefit from being able to ride about. forage was indeed very scarce. they had no means of spending their pay on luxuries of any kind, their only outlay being in the purchase of black bread, and an occasional load of forage from the peasants. their regiment was with the force under the command of colonel schlippenbach, which was not very far from marienburg, a place open to the incursions of the russians. baron spens was at signiz, and colonel alvedyhl at rounenberg, and to both these places they occasionally paid a visit. in order to keep the company in health, captain jervoise encouraged the men to get up games, in which the four young officers took part. sometimes it was a snowball match in the open; at other times a snow fort was built, garrisoned, and attacked. occasionally there were matches at hockey, while putting the stone, throwing the caber, running and wrestling matches, were all tried in turn; and the company suffered comparatively little from the illness which rendered so large a proportion of the swedish army inefficient. colonel schlippenbach was an energetic officer, and had, several times, ridden past when the men were engaged in these exercises. he expressed to captain jervoise his approval of the manner in which he kept his men in strength and vigour. "i shall not forget it," he said, one day, "and if there is service to be done, i see that i can depend upon your company to do it." in january, he took a party of horse, and reconnoitred along the river aa, to observe the motions of the saxons on the other side; and, hearing that a party of them had entered marienburg, he determined to take possession of that place, as, were they to fortify it, they would be able greatly to harass the swedes. sending word to the king of his intention, and asking for an approval of his plan of fortifying the town, he took three companies of infantry and four hundred horse, made a rapid march to marienburg, and occupied it without opposition. he had not forgotten his promise, and the company of captain jervoise was one of those selected for the work. its officers were delighted at the prospect of a change, and, when the party started, captain jervoise was proud of the show made by his men, whose active and vigorous condition contrasted strongly with the debility and feebleness evident, so generally, among the swedish soldiers. as soon as marienburg was entered, the men were set to work, to raise and strengthen the rampart and to erect bastions; and they were aided, a few days later, by a reinforcement of two hundred infantry, sent by the king, with some cannon, from the garrison of derpt. as the place was surrounded by a morass, it was, ere long, put into a position to offer a formidable defence against any force that the russians or saxons might bring against it. the swedes engaged on the work gained strength rapidly, and, by the time the fortifications were finished, they had completely shaken off the effects of the fever. chapter : a prisoner. a fortnight after the fortifications of marienburg were completed, colonel schlippenbach sent off lieutenant colonel brandt, with four hundred horse, to capture a magazine at seffwegen, to which the saxons had forced the inhabitants of the country round to bring in their corn, intending later to convey it to the headquarters of their army. the expedition was completely successful. the saxon guard were overpowered, and a thousand tons of corn were brought, in triumph, into marienburg. some of it was sent on to the army, abundance being retained for the use of the town and garrison, in case of siege. it was now resolved to surprise and burn pitschur, a town on the frontier from which the enemy constantly made incursions. it was held by a strong body of russians. baron spens was in command of the expedition. he had with him both the regiments of horse guards. much excitement was caused, in marienburg, by the issue of an order that the cavalry, and a portion of the infantry, were to be ready to march at daylight; and by the arrival of a large number of peasants, brought in by small parties of the cavalry. many were the surmises as to the operation to be undertaken, its object being kept a strict secret. captain jervoise's company was one of those in orders, and paraded at daybreak, and, after a march of some distance, the force joined that of baron spens. the troops were halted in a wood, and ordered to light fires to cook food, and to prepare for a halt of some hours. great fires were soon blazing and, after eating their meal, most of the troops wrapped themselves in the blankets that they carried, in addition to their greatcoats, and lay down by the fires. they slept until midnight, and were then called to arms again. they marched all night, and at daybreak the next morning, the th of february, were near pitschur, and at once attacked the russian camp outside the town. taken completely by surprise, the russians fought feebly, and more than five hundred were killed before they entered the town, hotly pursued by the swedes. shutting themselves up in the houses, and barricading the doors and windows, they defended themselves desperately, refusing all offers of surrender. the livonian peasants were, however, at work, and set fire to the town in many places. the flames spread rapidly. great stores of hides and leather, and a huge magazine filled with hemp, added to the fury of the conflagration, and the whole town was burned to the ground; numbers of the russians preferring death by fire, in the houses, to coming out and surrendering themselves. many of the fugitives had succeeded in reaching a strong position on the hill commanding the town. this consisted of a convent, surrounded by strong walls mounted with cannon, which played upon the town while the fight there was going on. as baron spens had no guns with him, he was unable to follow up his advantage by taking this position, and he therefore gave orders to the force to retire, the peasants being loaded with booty that they had gathered before the fire spread. the loss of the swedes was thirty killed and sixty wounded, this being a small amount of loss compared with what they had inflicted upon the enemy. "i call that a horrible business, captain jervoise," charlie said, when the troops had returned to marienburg. "there was no real fighting in it." "it was a surprise, charlie. but they fought desperately after they gained the town." "yes, but we did nothing there beyond firing away at the windows. of course, i had my sword in my hand; but it might as well have been in its sheath, for i never struck a blow, and i think it was the same with most of our men. one could not cut down those poor wretches, who were scarce awake enough to use their arms. i was glad you held our company in rear of the others." "yes; i asked the colonel before attacking to put us in reserve, in case the enemy should rally. i did it on purpose, for i knew that our men, not having, like the swedes, any personal animosity against the russians, would not like the work. if it had come to storming the convent, i would have volunteered to lead the assault. at any rate, i am glad that, although a few of the men are wounded, no lives are lost in our company." harry cordially agreed with his friend. "i like an expedition, charlie, if there is fighting to be done; but i don't want to have anything more to do with surprises. however, the cavalry had a good deal more to do with it than we had; but, as you say, it was a ghastly business. the only comfort is they began it, and have been robbing the peasants and destroying their homes for months." many small expeditions were sent out with equally favourable results; but captain jervoise's company took no part in these excursions. charles the twelfth was passionately fond of hunting and, in spite of his many occupations, found time occasionally to spend a day or two in the chase. a few days after the attack upon pitschur, he came to marienburg to learn all particulars of the russian position from colonel schlippenbach, as he intended, in the spring, to attack the triangle formed by three fortresses, in order to drive the russians farther back from the frontier. "i hear that there are many wolves and bears in the forest, five leagues to the north. i want a party of about fifty footmen to drive the game, and as many horse, in case we come across one of the parties of russians. i want some hearty, active men for the march. i will send the foot on this afternoon, and ride with the horse so as to get there by daybreak. which is your best company of infantry?" "my best company is one composed chiefly of scotchmen, though there are some english among them. it belongs to the malmoe regiment, and is commanded by captain jervoise, an englishman. i do not say that they are braver than our swedes; they have not been tested in any desperate service; but they are healthier and more hardy, for their officers, since the battle of narva, have kept them engaged in sports of all kinds--mimic battles, foot races, and other friendly contests. i have marked them at it several times, and wondered sometimes at the rough play. but it has had its effect. while the rest of suborn's regiment suffered as much from fever as the other troops, scarce a man in this company was sick, and they have, all the winter, been fit for arduous service at any moment." "that is good indeed, and i will remember it, and will see that, another winter, similar games are carried on throughout the army. let the company be paraded at once. i will, myself, inspect them." the company's call was sounded, and, surprised at a summons just as they were cooking their dinners, the troops fell in, in front of their quarters, and the officers took their places in front of them, and waited for orders. "i wonder what is up now," nigel forbes said to harry. "you have not heard anything, from your father, of our being wanted, have you?" "no; he was just as much surprised as i was, when a sergeant ran up with schlippenbach's order that the company were to fall in." five minutes after they had formed up, three officers were seen approaching on foot. "it is the colonel himself," forbes muttered, as captain jervoise gave the word to the men to stand to attention. a minute later, captain jervoise gave the order for the salute, and harry saw that the tall young officer, walking with the colonel, was the king. without speaking a word, charles walked up and down the line, narrowly inspecting the men, then he returned to the front. "a fine set of fellows, schlippenbach. i wish that, like my grandfather, i had some fifteen thousand of such troops under my orders. present the captain to me." the officers were called up, and captain jervoise was presented. "your company does you great credit, captain jervoise," the king said. "i would that all my troops looked in as good health and condition. colonel schlippenbach tells me that you have kept your men in good health, all through the winter, by means of sports and games. it is a good plan. i will try to get all my officers to adopt it another winter. do the men join in them willingly?" captain jervoise and his officers had all, during the nine months that had passed since they landed in sweden, done their best to acquire the language, and could now speak and understand it thoroughly. "they like it, your majesty. our people are fond of games of this kind. my four officers take part in them with the men." the king nodded. "that is as it should be. it must create a good feeling on both sides. present your officers to me, captain jervoise." this was done, and the king spoke a few words to each. charlie had often seen the king at a distance, but never before so close as to be able to notice his face particularly. he was a tall young fellow, thin and bony. his face was long, and his forehead singularly high and somewhat projecting. this was the most noticeable feature of his face. his eyes were quick and keen, his face clean-shaven, and, had it not been for the forehead and eyes, would have attracted no attention. his movements were quick and energetic, and, after speaking to the officers, he strode a step or two forward and, raising his voice, said: "i am pleased with you, men. your appearance does credit to yourselves and your officers. scottish troops did grand service under my grandfather, gustavus adolphus, and i would that i had twenty battalions of such soldiers with me. i am going hunting tomorrow, and i asked colonel schlippenbach for half a company of men who could stand cold and fatigue. he told me that i could not do better than take them from among this company, and i see that he could not have made a better choice. but i will not separate you, and will therefore take you all. you will march in an hour, and i will see that there is a good supper ready for you, at the end of your journey." colonel schlippenbach gave captain jervoise directions as to the road they were to follow, and the village, at the edge of the forest, where they were to halt for the night. he then walked away with the king. highly pleased with the praise charles had given them, the company fell out. "get your dinners as soon as you can, men," captain jervoise said. "the king gave us an hour. we must be in readiness to march by that time." on arriving at the village, which consisted of a few small houses only, they found two waggons awaiting them, one with tents and the other with a plentiful supply of provisions, and a barrel of wine. the tents were erected, and then the men went into the forest, and soon returned with large quantities of wood, and great fires were speedily lighted. meat was cut up and roasted over them, and, regarding the expedition as a holiday, the men sat down to their supper in high spirits. after it was eaten there were songs round the fires, and, at nine o'clock, all turned into their tents, as it was known that the king would arrive at daylight. sentries were posted, for there was never any saying when marauding parties of russians, who were constantly on the move, might come along. half an hour before daybreak, the men were aroused. tents were struck and packed in the waggon, and the men then fell in, and remained until the king, with three or four of his officers and fifty cavalry, rode up. fresh wood had been thrown on the fires, and some of the men told off as cooks. "that looks cheerful for hungry men," the king said, as he leaped from his horse. "i did not know whether your majesty would wish to breakfast at once," captain jervoise said; "but i thought it well to be prepared." "we will breakfast by all means. we are all sharp set already. have your own men had food yet?" "no, sir. i thought perhaps they would carry it with them." "no, no. let them all have a hearty meal before they move, then they can hold on as long as may be necessary." the company fell out again, and, in a quarter of an hour, they and the troopers breakfasted. a joint of meat was placed, for the use of the king and the officers who had come with him, and captain jervoise and those with him prepared to take their meal a short distance away, but charles said: "bring that joint here, captain jervoise, and we will all take breakfast together. we are all hunters and comrades." in a short time, they were all seated round a fire, with their meat on wooden platters on their knees, and with mugs of wine beside them; captain jervoise, by the king's orders, taking his seat beside him. during the meal, he asked him many questions as to his reasons for leaving england, and taking service with him. "so you have meddled in politics, eh?" the king laughed, when he heard a brief account of captain jervoise's reason for leaving home. "your quarrels, in england and scotland, have added many a thousand good soldiers to the armies of france and sweden, and, i may say, of every country in europe. i believe there are some of your compatriots, or at any rate scotchmen, in the czar's camp. i suppose that, at william's death, these troubles will cease." "i do not know, sir. anne was james' favourite daughter, and it may be she will resign in favour of her brother, the lawful king. if she does so, there is an end of trouble; but, should she mount the throne, she would be a usurper, as mary was up to her death in ' . as anne has been on good terms with william, since her sister's death, i fear she will act as unnatural a part as mary did, and, in that case, assuredly we shall not recognize her as our queen." "you have heard the news, i suppose, of the action of the parliament last month?" "no, sir, we have heard nothing for some weeks of what is doing in england." "they have been making an act of settlement of the succession. anne is to succeed william, and, as she has no children by george of denmark, the succession is to pass from her to the elector of hanover, in right of his wife sophia, as the rest of the children of the elector of the palatinate have abjured protestantism, and are therefore excluded. how will that meet the views of the english and scotch jacobites?" "it is some distance to look forward to, sire. if anne comes to the throne at william's death, it will, i think, postpone our hopes, for anne is a stuart, and is a favourite with the nation, in spite of her undutiful conduct to her father. still, it will be felt that for stuart to fight against stuart, brother against sister, would be contrary to nature. foreigners are always unpopular, and, as against william, every jacobite is ready to take up arms. but i think that nothing will be done during anne's reign. the elector of hanover would be as unpopular, among englishmen in general, as is william of orange, and, should he come to the throne, there will assuredly ere long be a rising to bring back the stuarts." charles shook his head. "i don't want to ruffle your spirit of loyalty to the stuarts, captain jervoise, but they have showed themselves weak monarchs for a great country. they want fibre. william of orange may be, as you call him, a foreigner and a usurper, but england has greater weight in the councils of europe, in his hands, than it has had since the death of elizabeth." this was rather a sore point with captain jervoise, who, thorough jacobite as he was, had smarted under the subservience of england to france during the reigns of the two previous monarchs. "you englishmen and scotchmen are fighting people," the king went on, "and should have a military monarch. i do not mean a king like myself, who likes to fight in the front ranks of his soldiers; but one like william, who has certainly lofty aims, and is a statesman, and can join in european combinations." "william thinks and plans more for holland than for england, sire. he would join a league against france and spain, not so much for the benefit of england, which has not much to fear from these powers, but of holland, whose existence now, as of old is threatened by them." "england's interest is similar to that of holland," the king said. "i began this war, nominally, in the interest of the duke of holstein, but really because it was sweden's interest that denmark should not become too powerful. "but we must not waste time in talking politics. i see the men have finished their breakfast, and we are here to hunt. i shall keep twenty horse with me; the rest will enter the forest with you. i have arranged for the peasants here to guide you. you will march two miles along by the edge of the forest, and then enter it and make a wide semicircle, leaving men as you go, until you come down to the edge of the forest again, a mile to our left. "as soon as you do so, you will sound a trumpet, and the men will then move forward, shouting so as to drive the game before them. as the peasants tell me there are many wolves and bears in the forest, i hope that you will inclose some of them in your cordon, which will be about five miles from end to end. with the horse you will have a hundred and thirty men, so that there will be a man every sixty or seventy yards. that is too wide a space at first, but, as you close in, the distances will rapidly lessen, and they must make up, by noise, for the scantiness of their numbers. if they find the animals are trying to break through, they can discharge their pieces; but do not let them do so otherwise, as it would frighten the animals too soon, and send them flying out all along the open side of the semicircle." it was more than two hours before the whole of the beaters were in position. just before they had started, the king had requested captain jervoise to remain with him and the officers who had accompanied him, five in number. they had been posted, a hundred yards apart, at the edge of the forest. charlie was the first officer left behind as the troop moved through the forest, and it seemed to him an endless time before he heard a faint shout, followed by another and another, until, at last, the man stationed next to him repeated the signal. then they moved forward, each trying to obey the orders to march straight ahead. for some time, nothing was heard save the shouts of the men, and then charlie made out some distant shots, far in the wood, and guessed that some animals were trying to break through the lines. then he heard the sound of firing directly in front of him. this continued for some time, occasionally single shots being heard, but more often shots in close succession. louder and louder grew the shouting, as the men closed in towards a common point, and, in half an hour after the signal had been given, all met. "what sport have you had, father?" harry asked, as he came up to captain jervoise. "we killed seventeen wolves and four bears, with, what is more important, six stags. i do not know whether we are going to have another beat." it soon turned out that this was the king's intention, and the troops marched along the edge of the forest. charlie was in the front of his company, the king with the cavalry a few hundred yards ahead, when, from a dip of ground on the right, a large body of horsemen suddenly appeared. "russians!" captain jervoise exclaimed, and shouted to the men, who were marching at ease, to close up. the king did not hesitate a moment, but, at the head of his fifty cavalry, charged right down upon the russians, who were at least five hundred strong. the little body disappeared in the melee, and then seemed to be swallowed up. "keep together, shoulder to shoulder, men. double!" and the company set off at a run. when they came close to the mass of horsemen, they poured in a volley, and then rushed forward, hastily fitting the short pikes they carried into their musket barrels; for, as yet, the modern form of bayonets was not used. the russians fought obstinately, but the infantry pressed their way step by step through them, until they reached the spot where the king, with his little troop of cavalry, were defending themselves desperately from the attacks of the russians. the arrival of the infantry decided the contest, and the russians began to draw off, the king hastening the movement by plunging into the midst of them with his horsemen. charlie was on the flank of the company as it advanced, and, after running through a russian horseman with the short pike that was carried by officers, he received a tremendous blow on his steel cap, that stretched him insensible on the ground. when he recovered, he felt that he was being carried, and soon awoke to the fact that he was a prisoner. after a long ride, the russians arrived at plescow. they had lost some sixty men in the fight. charlie was the only prisoner taken. he was, on dismounting, too weak to stand, but he was half carried and half dragged to the quarters of the russian officer in command. the latter addressed him, but, finding that he was not understood, sent for an officer who spoke swedish. "what were the party you were with doing in the wood?" "we were hunting wolves and bears." "where did you come from?" "from marienburg." "how strong were you?" "fifty horse and a hundred and forty foot," charlie replied, knowing there could be no harm in stating the truth. "but it was a long way to march, merely to hunt, and your officers must have been mad to come out, with so small a party, to a point where they were likely to meet with us." "it was not too small a party, sir, as they managed to beat off the attack made upon them." the russian was silent for a moment, then he asked: "who was the officer in command?" "the officer in command was the king of sweden," charlie replied. an exclamation of surprise and anger broke from the russian general, when the answer was translated to him. "you missed a good chance of distinguishing yourself," he said to the officer in command of the troops. "here has this mad king of sweden been actually putting himself in your hands, and you have let him slip through your fingers. it would have got you two steps in rank, and the favour of the czar, had you captured him, and now he will be in a rage, indeed, when he hears that five hundred cavalry could do nothing against a force only a third of their number." "i had no idea that the king of sweden was there himself," the officer said humbly. "bah, that is no excuse. there were officers, and you ought to have captured them, instead of allowing yourself to be put to flight by a hundred and fifty men." "we must have killed half the horsemen before the infantry came up." "all the worse, colonel, that you did not complete the business. the infantry would not have been formidable, after they discharged their pieces. however, it is your own affair, and i wash my hands of it. what the czar will say when he hears of it, i know not, but i would not be in your shoes for all my estates." as charlie learned afterwards, the colonel was degraded from his rank by the angry czar, and ordered to serve as a private in the regiment he commanded. the officer who acted as translator said something in his own tongue to the general, who then, through him, said: "this officer tells me that by your language you are not a swede." "i am not. i am english, and i am an ensign in the malmoe regiment." "all the worse for you," the general said. "the czar has declared that he will exchange no foreign officers who may be taken prisoners." "very well, sir," charlie said, fearlessly. "he will be only punishing his own officers. there are plenty of them in the king of sweden's hands." the general, when this reply was translated to him, angrily ordered charlie to be taken away, and he was soon lodged in a cell in the castle. his head was still swimming from the effects of the blow that had stricken him down, and, without even trying to think over his position, he threw himself down on the straw pallet, and was soon asleep. it was morning when he woke and, for a short time, he was unable to imagine where he was, but soon recalled what had happened. he had been visited by someone after he had lain down, for a platter of bread and meat stood on the table, and a jug of water. he was also covered with two thick blankets. these had not been there when he lay down, for he had wondered vaguely as to how he should pass the night without some covering. he took a long draught of water, then ate some food. his head throbbed with the pain of the wound. it had been roughly bandaged by his captors, but needed surgical dressing. "i wonder how long i am likely to be, before i am exchanged," he said to himself. "a long time, i am afraid; for there are scores of russian officers prisoners with us, and i don't think there are half a dozen of ours captured by the russians. of course, no exchange can take place until there are a good batch to send over, and, it may be, months may pass before they happen to lay hands on enough swedish officers to make it worth while to trouble about exchanging them." an hour later the door opened, and an officer entered, followed by a soldier with a large bowl of broth and some bread. "i am a doctor," he said in swedish. "i came in to see you yesterday evening, but you were sound asleep, and that was a better medicine than any i can give; so i told the man to throw those two barrack rugs over you, and leave your food in case you should wake, which did not seem to me likely. i see, however, that you did wake," and he pointed to the plate. "that was not till this morning, doctor. it is not an hour since i ate it." "this broth will be better for you, and i daresay you can manage another breakfast. sit down and take it, at once, while it is hot. i am in no hurry." he gave an order in russian to the soldier, who went out, and returned in a few minutes with a small wooden tub, filled with hot water. by this time charlie had finished the broth. the doctor then bathed his head for some time in hot water, but was obliged to cut off some of his hair, in order to remove the bandage. as he examined the wound, charlie was astounded to hear him mutter to himself: "it is a mighty nate clip you have got, my boy; and, if your skull had not been a thick one, it is lying out there on the turf you would be." charlie burst into a fit of laughter. "so you are english, too," he exclaimed, as he looked up into the surgeon's face. "at laste irish, my boy," the doctor said, as surprised as charlie had been. "to think we should have been talking swedish to each other, instead of our native tongue. and what is your name? and what is it you are doing here, as a swede, at all?" "my name is charles carstairs. i come from lancashire, just on the borders of westmoreland. my father is a jacobite, and so had to leave the country. he went over to sweden, and i, with some friends of his, got commissions." "then our cases are pretty much alike," the doctor said. "i had gone through dublin university, and had just passed as a surgeon, when king james landed. it didn't much matter to me who was king, but i thought it was a fine opportunity to study gunshot wounds, so i joined the royal army, and was at the battle of the boyne. i had plenty of work with wounds, early in the day, but when, after the irish had fairly beat the dutchman back all day, they made up their minds to march away at night, i had to lave my patients and be off too. then i was shut up in limerick; and i was not idle there, as you may guess. when at last the surrender came, i managed to slip away, having no fancy for going over with the regiments that were to enter the service of france. i thought i could have gone back to dublin, and that no one would trouble about me; but someone put them up to it, and i had to go without stopping to ask leave. i landed at bristol, and there, for a time, was nearly starving. "i was well nigh my wits' end as to what to do for a living, and had just spent my last shilling, when i met an english captain, who told me that across at gottenburg there were a good many irish and scotchmen who had, like myself, been in trouble at home. he gave me a passage across, and took me to the house of a man he knew. of course, it was no use my trying to doctor people, when they could not tell me what was the matter with them, and i worked at one thing and another, doing anything i could turn my hands to, for four or five months. that is how i got to pick up swedish. then some people told me that russia was a place where a doctor might get on, for that they had got no doctors for their army who knew anything of surgery, and the czar was always ready to take on foreigners who could teach them anything. i had got my diploma with me, and some of my friends came forward and subscribed enough to rig me out in clothes and pay my passage. what was better, one of them happened to have made the acquaintance of le ford, who was, as you may have heard, the czar's most intimate friend. "i wished myself back a hundred times before i reached moscow, but when i did, everything was easy for me. le ford introduced me to the czar, and i was appointed surgeon of a newly-raised regiment, of which le ford was colonel. that was eight years ago, and i am now a sort of surgeon general of a division, and am at the head of the hospitals about here. till the war began i had not, for five years, done any military work, but had been at the head of a college the czar has established for training surgeons for the army. i was only sent down here after that business at narva. "so, you see, i have fallen on my feet. the czar's is a good service, and we employ a score or two of scotchmen, most of them in good posts. he took to them because a scotchman, general gordon, and other foreign officers, rescued him from his sister sophia, who intended to assassinate him, and established him firmly on the throne of his father. "it is a pity you are not on this side. perhaps it isn't too late to change, eh?" charlie laughed. "my father is in sweden, and my company is commanded by a man who is as good as a father to me, and his son is like my brother. if there were no other reason, i could not change. why, it was only yesterday i was sitting round a bivouac fire with king charles, and nothing would induce me to fight against him." "i am not going to try to persuade you. the czar has treated me well, and i love him. by the way, i have not given you my name after all. it's terence kelly." "is not the czar very fierce and cruel?" "bedad, i would be much more cruel and fierce if i were in his place. just think of one man, with all russia on his shoulders. there is he trying to improve the country, working like a horse himself, knowing that, like every other russian, he is as ignorant as a pig, and setting to improve himself--working in the dockyards of holland and england, attending lectures, and all kinds of subjects. why, man, he learnt anatomy, and can take off a leg as quickly as i can. he is building a fleet and getting together an army. it is not much good yet, you will say, but it will be some day. you can turn a peasant into a soldier in six months, but it takes a long time to turn out generals and officers who are fit for their work. "then, while he is trying everywhere to improve his country, every man jack of them objects to being improved, and wants to go along in his old ways. didn't they get up an insurrection, only because he wanted them to cut off their beards? any other man would have lost heart, and given it up years ago. it looks as hopeless a task as for a mouse to drag a mountain, but he is doing it. "i don't say that he is perfect. he gets into passions, and it is mighty hard for anyone he gets into a passion with. but who would not get into passions, when there is so much work to be done, and everyone tries to hinder instead of to help? it would break the heart of saint patrick! why, that affair at narva would have broken down most men. here, for years, has he been working to make an army, and the first time they meet an enemy worthy of the name, what do they do? why, they are beaten by a tenth of their number of half-starved men, led by a mad-brained young fellow who had never heard a shot fired before, and lose all their cannon, guns, ammunition, and stores. why, i was heartbroken, myself, when i heard of it; but peter, instead of blowing out his brains, or drowning himself, set to work, an hour after the news reached him, to bring up fresh troops, to re-arm the men, and to prepare to meet the swedes again, as soon as the snow is off the ground. "if james of england had been peter of russia, he would be ruling over ireland now, and england and scotland, too. "but now, i must be off. don't you worry about your head. i have seen as bad a clip given by a blackthorn. i have got to go round now and see the wounded, and watch some operations being done, but i will come in again this evening. don't eat any more of their messes, if they bring them in. you and i will have a snug little dinner together. i might get you put into a more dacent chamber, but the general is one of the old pig-headed sort. we don't pull together, so i would rather not ask any favours from him. "the czar may come any day--he is always flying about. i will speak to him when he comes, and see that you have better entertainment." chapter : exchanged. late in the afternoon, doctor kelly came in again to the cell. "come along," he said; "i have got lave for you to have supper with me, and have given my pledge that you won't try to escape till it is over, or make any onslaught on the garrison, but will behave like a quiet and peaceable man." "you are quite safe in giving the pledge, doctor," charlie laughed. "come along then, me boy, for they were just dishing up when i came to fetch you. it is cold enough outside, and there is no sinse in putting cold victuals into one in such weather as this." they were not long in reaching a snugly-furnished room, where a big fire was burning. another gentleman was standing, with his back to it. he was a man of some seven or eight and twenty, with large features, dark brown hair falling in natural curls over his ears, and large and powerful in build. "this is my friend, charlie carstairs," the doctor said. "this, carstairs, is peter michaeloff, a better doctor than most of those who mangle the czar's soldiers." "things will better in time," the other said, "when your pupils begin to take their places in the army." "i hope so," the doctor said, shrugging his shoulders. "there is one comfort, they can't be much worse." at this moment a servant entered, bearing a bowl of soup and three basins. they at once seated themselves at the table. "so you managed to get yourself captured yesterday," doctor michaeloff said to charlie. "i have not had the pleasure of seeing many of you gentlemen here." "we don't come if we can help it," charlie laughed. "but the cossacks were so pressing, that i could not resist. in fact, i did not know anything about it, until i was well on the way." "i hope they have made you comfortable," the other said, sharply. "i can't say much for the food," charlie said, "and still less for the cell, which was bitterly cold. still, as the doctor gave me two rugs to wrap myself up in, i need not grumble." "that is not right," the other said angrily. "i hear that the king of sweden treats our prisoners well. "you should have remonstrated, kelly." the irishman shrugged his shoulders. "i ventured to hint to the general that i thought an officer had a right to better treatment, even if he were a prisoner, but i was told sharply to mind my own business, which was with the sick and wounded. i said, as the prisoner was wounded, i thought it was a matter that did come to some extent under my control." "what did the pig say?" "he grumbled something between his teeth, that i did not catch, and, as i thought the prisoner would not be kept there long, and was not unaccustomed to roughing it, it was not worthwhile pressing the matter further." "have you heard that an officer has been here this afternoon, with a flag of truce, to treat for your exchange?" doctor michaeloff said, turning suddenly to charlie. "no, i have not heard anything about it," charlie said. "he offered a captain for you, which you may consider a high honour." "it is, no doubt," charlie said, with a smile. "i suppose his majesty thought, as it was in his special service i was caught, he was bound to get me released, if he could." "it was a hunting party, was it not?" "yes. there was only the king with four of his officers there, and my company of foot, and fifty horse. i don't think i can call it an escort, for we went principally as beaters." "rustoff missed a grand chance there, kelly. "what regiment do you belong to?" and he again turned to charlie. "the malmoe regiment. the company is commanded by an english gentleman, who is a neighbour and great friend of my father. his son is an ensign, and my greatest friend. the men are all either scotch or english, but most of them scotch." "they are good soldiers, the scotch; none better. there are a good many in the russian service, also in that of austria and france. they are always faithful, and to be relied upon, even when native troops prove treacherous. and you like charles of sweden?" "there is not a soldier in his army but likes him," charlie said enthusiastically. "he expects us to do much, but he does more himself. all through the winter, he did everything in his power for us, riding long distances from camp to camp, to visit the sick and to keep up the spirits of the men. if we live roughly, so does he, and, on the march, he will take his meals among the soldiers, and wrap himself up in his cloak, and sleep on the bare ground, just as they do. and as for his bravery, he exposes his life recklessly--too recklessly, we all think--and it seemed a miracle that, always in the front as he was, he should have got through narva without a scratch." "yes, that was a bad bit of business, that narva," the other said thoughtfully. "why do you think we were beaten in the horrible way we were?--because the russians are no cowards." "no; they made a gallant stand when they recovered from their surprise," charlie agreed. "but in the first place, they were taken by surprise." "they ought not to have been," the doctor said angrily. "they had news, two days before, brought by the cavalry, who ought to have defended that pass, but didn't." "still, it was a surprise when we attacked," charlie said, "for they could not suppose that the small body they saw were going to assail them. then, we had the cover of that snowstorm, and they did not see us, until we reached the edge of the ditch. of course, your general ought to have made proper dispositions, and to have collected the greater part of his troops at the spot facing us, instead of having them strung out round that big semicircle, so that, when we made an entry they were separated, and each half was ignorant of what the other was doing. still, even then they might have concentrated between the trenches and the town. but no orders had been given. the general was one of the first we captured. the others waited for the orders that never came, until it was too late. if the general who commanded on the left had massed his troops, and marched against us as we were attacking the position they held on their right, we should have been caught between two fires." "it was a badly managed business, altogether," doctor michaeloff growled; "but we shall do better next time. we shall understand charles's tactics better. we reckoned on his troops, but we did not reckon on him. "kelly tells me that you would not care to change service." "my friends are in the swedish army, and i am well satisfied with the service. i daresay, if russia had been nearer england than sweden is, and we had landed there first, we should have been as glad to enter the service of the czar as we were to join that of king charles. everyone says that the czar makes strangers welcome, and that he is a liberal master to those who serve him well. as to the quarrel between them, i am not old enough to be able to give my opinion on it, though, as far as i am concerned, it seems to me that it was not a fair thing for russia to take advantage of sweden's being at war with denmark and augustus of saxony, to fall upon her without any cause of quarrel." "nations move less by morality than interest," doctor michaeloff said calmly. "russia wants a way to the sea--the turks cut her off to the south, and the swedes from the baltic. she is smothered between them, and when she saw her chance, she took it. that is not good morality. i admit that it is the excuse of the poor man who robs the rich, but it is human nature, and nations act, in the long run, a good deal like individuals." "but you have not told me yet, doctor," charlie said, turning the conversation, "whether the proposal for an exchange was accepted." "the general had no power to accept it, carstairs. it had to be referred to the czar himself." "i wish his majesty could see me, then," charlie laughed. "he would see that i am but a lad, and that my release would not greatly strengthen the swedish army." "but then the czar may be of opinion that none of his officers, who allowed themselves to be captured by a handful of men at narva, would be of any use to him," doctor michaeloff laughed. "that may, doubtless, be said of a good many among them," charlie said, "but, individually, none of the captains could be blamed for the mess they made of it." "perhaps not, but if all the men had been panic stricken, there were officers enough to have gathered together and cut their way through the swedes." "no doubt there were; but you must remember, doctor michaeloff, that an officer's place is with his company, and that it is his duty to think of his men, before thinking of himself. supposing all the officers of the left wing, as you say, had gathered together and cut their way out, the czar would have had a right to blame them for the capture of the whole of the men. how could they tell that, at daybreak, the general would not have given orders for the left wing to attack the swedes? they were strong enough still to have eaten us up, had they made the effort, and had the czar been there in person, i will warrant he would have tried it." "that he would," doctor michaeloff said warmly. "you are right there, young sir. the czar may not be a soldier, but at least he is a man, which is more than can be said for the officer who ordered sixty thousand men to lay down their arms to eight thousand." "i am sure of that," charlie said. "a man who would do as he has done, leave his kingdom, and work like a common man in dockyards, to learn how to build ships, and who rules his people as he does, must be a great man. i don't suppose he would do for us in england, because a king has no real power with us, and peter would never put up with being thwarted in all his plans by parliament, as william is. but for a country like russia, he is wonderful. of course, our company being composed of scotchmen and englishmen, we have no prejudices against him. we think him wrong for entering upon this war against sweden, but we all consider him a wonderful fellow, just the sort of fellow one would be proud to serve under, if we did not serve under charles of sweden. "well, doctor kelly, when do you think the czar will be here?" the doctor did not reply, but michaeloff said quietly: "he arrived this afternoon." "he did!" charlie exclaimed excitedly. "why did you not tell me before, doctor kelly? has he been asked about my exchange, and is the swedish officer still here?" "he is here, and you will be exchanged in the morning. "i have other things to see about now, and must say goodnight; and if you should ever fall into the hands of our people again, and doctor kelly does not happen to be near, ask for peter michaeloff, and he will do all he can for you." "then i am really to be exchanged tomorrow, doctor?" charlie said, as doctor michaeloff left the room. "it seems like it." "but did not you know?" "no, i had heard nothing for certain. i knew the czar had come, but i had not heard of his decision. i congratulate you." "it is a piece of luck," charlie said. "i thought it might be months before there was an exchange. it is very good of the king to send over so quickly." "yes; and of the czar to let you go." "well, i don't see much in that, doctor, considering that he gets a captain in exchange for me; still, of course, he might have refused. it would not have been civil, but he might have done it." "what did you think of my friend, charlie?" "i like him. he has a pleasant face, though i should think he has got a temper of his own. he has a splendid figure, and looks more like a fighting man than a doctor. i will write down his name, so as not to forget it, as he says he might be able to help me if i am ever taken prisoner again, and you did not happen to be with the army. it is always nice having a friend. look at the difference it has made to me, finding a countryman here." "yes, you may find it useful, carstairs; and he has a good deal of influence. still, i think it probable that if you ever should get into a scrape again, you will be able to get tidings of me, for i am likely to be with the advanced division of our army, wherever it is, as i am in charge of its hospitals. "you had better turn in now, for i suppose you will be starting early, and i have two or three patients i must visit again before i go to bed. this is your room, next to mine. i managed, after all, to get it changed." "that is very good of you, doctor, but it really would not have mattered a bit for one night. it does look snug and warm, with that great fire." "yes, the stoves are the one thing i don't like in russia. i like to see a blazing fire, and the first thing i do, when i get into fresh quarters, is to have the stove opened so that i can see one. this is a second room of mine. there were three together, you see, and as my rank is that of a colonel, i was able to get them, and it is handy, if a friend comes to see me, to have a room for him." an hour later, just as charlie was dozing off to sleep, the doctor put his head in to the door. "you are to start at daybreak, carstairs. my servant will call you an hour before that. i shall be up. i must put a fresh bandage on your head before you start." "thank you very much, doctor. i am sorry to get you up so early." "that is nothing. i am accustomed to work at all hours. good night." at eight o'clock, having had a bowl of broth, charlie descended to the courtyard in charge of an officer and two soldiers, the doctor accompanying him. here he found a swedish officer belonging to the king's personal staff. the russian handed the lad formally over to his charge, saying: "by the orders of the czar, i now exchange ensign carstairs for captain potoff, whom you, on your part, engage to send off at once." "i do," the swede said; "that is, i engage that he shall be sent off, as soon as he can be fetched from revel, where he is now interned, and shall be safely delivered under an escort; and that if, either by death, illness, or escape, i should not be able to hand him over, i will return another officer of the same rank." "i have the czar's commands," the russian went on, "to express his regret that, owing to a mistake on the part of the officer commanding here, ensign carstairs has not received such worthy treatment as the czar would have desired for him, but he has given stringent orders that, in future, any swedish officers who may be taken prisoners shall receive every comfort and hospitality that can be shown them." "goodbye, doctor kelly," charlie said, as he mounted his horse, which had been saddled in readiness for him. "i am greatly obliged to you for your very great kindness to me, and hope that i may some day have an opportunity of repaying it." "i hope not, carstairs. i trust that we may meet again, but hope that i sha'n't be in the position of a prisoner. however, strange things have happened already in this war, and there is no saying how fortune may go. goodbye, and a pleasant journey." a russian officer took his place by the side of the swede, and an escort of twenty troopers rode behind them, as they trotted out through the gate of the convent. "it was very kind of the king to send for me," charlie said to the swede, "and i am really sorry that you should have had so long a ride on my account, captain pradovich." "as to that, it is a trifle," the officer said. "if i had not been riding here, i should be riding with the king elsewhere, so that i am none the worse. but, in truth, i am glad i came, for yesterday evening i saw the czar himself. i conversed with him for some time. he expressed himself very courteously with respect to the king, and to our army, against whom he seems to bear no sort of malice for the defeat we inflicted on him at narva. he spoke of it himself, and said, 'you will see that, some day, we shall turn the tables upon you.' "the king will be pleased when i return with you, for we all feared that you might be very badly hurt. all that we knew was that some of your men had seen you cut down. after the battle was over, a search was made for your body. when it could not be found, questions were asked of some of our own men, and some wounded russians, who were lying near the spot where you had been seen to fall. "our men had seen nothing, for, as the russians closed in behind your company as it advanced, they had shut their eyes and lay as if dead, fearing that they might be run through, as they lay, by the cossack lances. the russians, however, told us that they had seen two of the cossacks dismount, by the orders of one of their officers, lift you on to a horse, and ride off with you. there was therefore a certainty that you were still living, for the russians would assuredly not have troubled to carry off a dead body. his majesty interested himself very much in the matter, and yesterday morning sent me off to inquire if you were alive, and if so, to propose an exchange. "i was much pleased, when i reached plescow yesterday, to learn that your wound is not a serious one. i saw the doctor, who, i found, was a countryman of yours, and he assured me that it was nothing, and made some joke that i did not understand about the thickness of north country skulls. "the czar arrived in the afternoon, but i did not see him until late in the evening, when i was sent for. i found him with the general in command, and several other officers, among whom was your friend the doctor. the czar was, at first, in a furious passion. he abused the general right and left, and i almost thought, at one time, that he would have struck him. he told him that he had disgraced the russian name, by not treating you with proper hospitality, and especially by placing you in a miserable cell without a fire. "'what will the king of sweden think?' he said. 'he treats his prisoners with kindness and courtesy, and after narva gave them a banquet, at which he himself was present. the duke of croy writes to me, to say he is treated as an honoured guest rather than as a prisoner, and here you disgrace us by shutting your prisoner in a cheerless cell, although he is wounded, and giving him food such as you might give to a common soldier. the swedes will think that we are barbarians. you are released from your command, and will at once proceed to moscow and report yourself there, when a post will be assigned to you where you will have no opportunity of showing yourself ignorant of the laws of courtesy. "'doctor,' he went on, 'you will remember that all prisoners, officers and men, will be henceforth under the charge of the medical department, and that you have full authority to make such arrangements as you may think necessary for their comfort and honourable treatment. i will not have russia made a byword among civilized peoples.' "then he dismissed the rest of them, and afterwards sat down and chatted with me, just as if we had been of the same rank, puffing a pipe furiously, and drinking amazing quantities of wine. indeed, my head feels the effects of it this morning, although i was quite unable to drink cup for cup with him, for, had i done so, i should have been under the table long before he rose from it, seemingly quite unmoved by the quantity he had drank. i have no doubt he summoned me especially to hear his rebuke to the general, so that i could take word to the king how earnest he was, in his regrets for your treatment." "there was nothing much to complain of," charlie said; "and, indeed, the cell was a palace after the miserable huts in which we have passed the winter. i am glad, however, the czar gave the general a wigging, for he spoke brutally to me on my arrival. you may be sure, now, that any prisoners that may be taken will be well treated; for doctor kelly, who has been extremely kind to me, will certainly take good care of them. as to my wound, it is of little consequence. it fell on my steel cap, and i think i was stunned by its force, rather than rendered insensible by the cut itself." after three hours' riding they came to a village. as soon as they were seen approaching, there was a stir there. a man riding ahead waved the white flag that he carried, and, when they entered the village, they found a party of fifty swedish cavalry in the saddle. the russian escort, as soon as the swedish officer and charlie had joined their friends, turned and rode off. a meal was in readiness, and when charlie, who was still feeling somewhat weak from the effects of his wound, had partaken of it, the party proceeded on their way, and rode into marienburg before nightfall. two or three miles outside the town, they met harry jervoise. two soldiers had been sent on at full speed, directly charlie reached the village, to report that he had arrived there and was not seriously wounded, and, knowing about the time they would arrive, harry had ridden out to meet his friend. "you are looking white," he said, after the first hearty greeting. "i am feeling desperately tired, harry. the wound is of no consequence, but i lost a good deal of blood, and it is as much as i can do to keep my saddle, though we have been coming on quietly on purpose. however, i shall soon be all right again, and i need hardly say that i am heartily glad to be back." "we have all been in a great way about you, charlie, for we made sure that you were very badly wounded. i can tell you, it was a relief when the men rode in three hours ago, with the news that you had arrived, and were not badly hurt. the men seemed as pleased as we were, and there was a loud burst of cheering when we told them the news. cunningham and forbes would have ridden out with me; but cunningham is on duty, and forbes thought that we should like to have a chat together." on his arrival, charlie was heartily welcomed by captain jervoise and the men of the company, who cheered lustily as he rode up. "you are to go and see the king at once," captain jervoise said as he dismounted. "i believe he wants to hear, especially, how you were treated. make the best of it you can, lad. there is no occasion for the feeling of charles against the russians being embittered." "i understand," charlie said. "i will make things as smooth as i can." he walked quickly to the little house where the king had taken up his quarters. there was no sentry at the door, or other sign that the house contained an occupant of special rank. he knocked at the door, and hearing a shout of "enter," opened it and went in. "ah, my young ensign; is it you?" the king said, rising from a low settle on which he was sitting by the fire, talking with colonel schlippenbach. "hurt somewhat, i see, but not badly, i hope. i was sure that you would not have been taken prisoner, unless you had been injured." "i was cut down by a blow that clove my helmet, your majesty, and stunned me for some time; but, beyond making a somewhat long gash on my skull, it did me no great harm." "that speaks well for the thickness of your skull, lad, and i am heartily glad it is no worse. now, tell me, how did they treat you?" "it was a somewhat rough cell into which i was thrown, sir, but i was most kindly tended by an irish doctor high in the czar's service, and, when the czar himself arrived, and learned that i had not been lodged as well as he thought necessary, i hear he was so angered that he disgraced the general, deprived him of his command, and sent him to take charge of some fortress in the interior of russia; and i was, by his orders, allowed to occupy the doctor's quarters, and a bedroom was assigned to me next to his. i heard that the czar spoke in terms of the warmest appreciation of your treatment of your prisoners, and said that any of your officers who fell into his hands should be treated with equal courtesy." charles looked gratified. "i am glad to hear it," he said. "in the field, if necessary, blood must flow like water, but there is no reason why we should not behave towards each other with courtesy, when the fighting is over. you know nothing of the force there, at present?" "no, sir, i heard nothing. i did not exchange a word with anyone, save the doctor and another medical man; and as the former treated me as a friend, rather than as an enemy, i did not deem it right to question him, and, had i done so, i am sure that he would have given me no answer." "well, you can return to your quarters, sir. your company did me good service in that fight, and colonel schlippenbach did not speak in any way too warmly in their favour. i would that i had more of these brave englishmen and scotchmen in my service." charlie's head, however, was not as hard as he had believed it to be; and the long ride brought on inflammation of the wound, so that, on the following morning, he was in a high state of fever. it was a fortnight before he was convalescent, and the surgeon then recommended that he should have rest and quiet for a time, as he was sorely pulled down, and unfit to bear the hardships of a campaign; and it was settled that he should go down with the next convoy to revel, and thence take ship for sweden. he was so weak, that although very sorry to leave the army just as spring was commencing, he himself felt that he should be unable to support the fatigues of the campaign, until he had had entire rest and change. a few hours after the decision of the surgeon had been given, major jamieson and captain jervoise entered the room where he was sitting, propped up by pillows. "i have a bit of news that will please you, charlie. the king sent for the major this morning, and told him that he intended to increase our company to a regiment, if he could do so. he had heard that a considerable number of scotchmen and englishmen had come over, and were desirous of enlisting, but, from their ignorance of the language, their services had been declined. he said that he was so pleased, not only with the conduct of the company in that fight, but with its discipline, physique, and power of endurance, that he had decided to convert it into a regiment. he said he was sorry to lose its services for a time; but, as we lost twenty men in the fight, and have some fifteen still too disabled to take their places in the ranks, this was of the less importance. "so we are all going to march down to revel with you. major jamieson is appointed colonel, and i am promoted to be major. the king himself directed that cunningham and forbes shall have commissions as captains, and you and harry as lieutenants. the colonel has authority given him to nominate scotch and english gentlemen of good name to make up the quota of officers, while most of our own men will be appointed non-commissioned officers, to drill the new recruits. the king has been good enough, at colonel jamieson's request, to say that, as soon as the regiment is raised and organized, it shall be sent up to the front." "that is good news, indeed," charlie said, with more animation than he had evinced since his illness. "i have been so accustomed to be attended to, in every way, that i was quite looking forward with dread to the journey among strangers. still, if you are all going, it will be a different thing altogether. i don't think you will be long in raising the regiment. we only were a week in getting the company together, and, if they have been refusing to accept the services of our people, there must be numbers of them at gottenburg." early on the following morning, charlie and the men unable to march were placed in waggons, and the company started on its march to revel. it was a heavy journey, for the frost had broken up, and the roads were in a terrible state from the heavy traffic passing. there was no delay when they reached the port, as they at once marched on board a ship, which was the next day to start for sweden. orders from the king had already been received that the company was to be conveyed direct to gottenburg, and they entered the port on the fifth day after sailing. the change, the sea air, and the prospect of seeing his father again greatly benefited charlie, and, while the company was marched to a large building assigned to their use, he was able to make his way on foot to his father's, assisted by his soldier servant, jock armstrong. "why, charlie," sir marmaduke carstairs exclaimed as he entered, "who would have thought of seeing you? you are looking ill, lad; ill and weak. what has happened to you?" charlie briefly related the events that had brought about his return to gottenburg, of which sir marmaduke was entirely ignorant. postal communications were rare and uncertain, and captain jervoise had not taken advantage of the one opportunity that offered, after charlie had been wounded, thinking it better to delay till the lad could write and give a good account of himself. "so jervoise, and his son, and that good fellow jamieson are all back again? that is good news, charlie; and you have been promoted? that is capital too, after only a year in the service. and you have been wounded, and a prisoner among the russians? you have had adventures, indeed! i was terribly uneasy when the first news of that wonderful victory at narva came, for we generally have to wait for the arrival of the despatches giving the lists of the killed and wounded. i saw that the regiment had not been in the thick of it, as the lists contained none of your names. i would have given a limb to have taken part in that wonderful battle. when you get as old as i am, my boy, you will feel a pride in telling how you fought at narva, and helped to destroy an entire russian army with the odds ten to one against you. "of course, you will stay here with me. i suppose you have leave at present?" "yes, father, colonel jamieson told me that my first duty was to get strong and well again, and that i was to think of no other until i had performed that. and how have you been getting on, father?" "very well, lad. i don't pretend that it is not a great change from lynnwood, but i get along very well, and thank heaven, daily, that for so many years i had set aside a portion of my rents, little thinking that the time would come when they would prove my means of existence. my friends here have invested the money for me, and it bears good interest, which is punctually paid. with the english and scotch exiles, i have as much society as i care for, and as i find i am able to keep a horse--for living here is not more than half the cost that it would be in england--i am well enough contented with my lot. "there is but one thing that pricks me. that villain john dormay has, as he schemed for, obtained possession of my estates, and has been knighted for his distinguished services to the king. i heard of this some time since, by a letter from one of our jacobite friends to whom i wrote, asking for news. he says that the new knight has no great cause for enjoyment in his dignity and possessions, because, not only do the jacobite gentry turn their backs upon him, when they meet him in the town, but the better class of whigs hold altogether aloof from him, regarding his elevation, at the expense of his wife's kinsman, to be disgraceful, although of course they have no idea of the evil plot by which he brought about my ruin. there is great pity expressed for his wife, who has not once stirred beyond the grounds at lynnwood since he took her there, and who is, they say, a shadow of her former self. ciceley, he hears, is well. that cub of a son is in london, and there are reports that he is very wild, and puts his father to much cost. as to the man himself, they say he is surrounded by the lowest knaves, and it is rumoured that he has taken to drink for want of better company. it is some comfort to me to think that, although the villain has my estates, he is getting no enjoyment out of them. "however, i hope some day to have a reckoning with him. the stuarts must come to their own, sooner or later. until then i am content to rest quietly here in sweden." chapter : the passage of the dwina. a few hours after charlie's arrival home, major jervoise and harry came round to the house. "i congratulate you, jervoise, on your new rank," sir marmaduke said heartily, as he entered; "and you, too, harry. it has been a great comfort to me, to know that you and charlie have been together always. at present you have the advantage of him in looks. my lad has no more strength than a girl, not half the strength, indeed, of many of these sturdy swedish maidens." "yes, charlie has had a bad bout of it, carstairs," major jervoise said cheerfully; "but he has picked up wonderfully in the last ten days, and, in as many more, i shall look to see him at work again. i only wish that you could have been with us, old friend." "it is of no use wishing, jervoise. we have heard enough here, of what the troops have been suffering through the winter, for me to know that, if i had had my wish and gone with you, my bones would now be lying somewhere under the soil of livonia." "yes, it was a hard time," major jervoise agreed, "but we all got through it well, thanks principally to our turning to at sports of all kinds. these kept the men in health, and prevented them from moping. the king was struck with the condition of our company, and he has ordered that, in future, all the swedish troops shall take part in such games and amusements when in winter quarters. of course, charlie has told you we are going to have a regiment entirely composed of scots and englishmen. i put the scots first, since they will be by far the most numerous. there are always plenty of active spirits, who find but small opening for their energy at home, and are ready to take foreign service whenever the chance opens. besides, there are always feuds there. in the old days, it was chief against chief. now it is religion against religion; and now, as then, there are numbers of young fellows glad to exchange the troubles at home for service abroad. there have been quite a crowd of men round our quarters, for, directly the news spread that the company was landing, our countrymen flocked round, each eager to learn how many vacancies there were in the ranks, and whether we would receive recruits. their joy was extreme when it became known that jamieson had authority to raise a whole regiment. i doubt not that many of the poor fellows are in great straits." "that i can tell you they are," sir marmaduke broke in. "we have been doing what we can for them, for it was grievous that so many men should be wandering, without means or employment, in a strange country. but the number was too great for our money to go far among them, and i know that many of them are destitute and well-nigh starving. we had hoped to ship some of them back to scotland, and have been treating with the captain of a vessel sailing, in two or three days, to carry them home." "it is unfortunate, but they have none to blame but themselves. they should have waited until an invitation for foreigners to enlist was issued by the swedish government, or until gentlemen of birth raised companies and regiments for service here. however, we are the gainers, for i see that we shall not have to wait here many weeks. already, as far as i can judge from what i hear, there must be well-nigh four hundred men here, all eager to serve. "we will send the news by the next ship that sails, both to scotland and to our own country, that men, active and fit for service, can be received into a regiment, specially formed of english-speaking soldiers. i will warrant that, when it is known in the fells that i am a major in the regiment, and that your son and mine are lieutenants, we shall have two or three score of stout young fellows coming over." the next day, indeed, nearly four hundred men were enlisted into the service, and were divided into eight companies. each of these, when complete, was to be two hundred strong. six scottish officers were transferred, from swedish regiments, to fill up the list of captains, and commissions were given to several gentlemen of family as lieutenants and ensigns. most of these, however, were held over, as the colonel wrote to many gentlemen of his acquaintance in scotland, offering them commissions if they would raise and bring over men. major jervoise did the same to half a dozen young jacobite gentlemen in the north of england, and so successful were the appeals that, within two months of the return of the company to gottenburg, the regiment had been raised to its full strength. a fortnight was spent in drilling the last batch of recruits, from morning till night, so that they should be able to take their places in the ranks; and then, with drums beating and colours flying, the corps embarked at gottenburg, and sailed to join the army. they arrived at revel in the beginning of may. the port was full of ships, for twelve thousand men had embarked, at stockholm and other ports, to reinforce the army and enable the king to take the field in force; and, by the end of the month, the greater portion of the force was concentrated at dorpt. charlie had long since regained his full strength. as soon as he was fit for duty, he had rejoined, and had been engaged, early and late, in the work of drilling the recruits, and in the general organization of the regiment. he and harry, however, found time to take part in any amusement that was going on. they were made welcome in the houses of the principal merchants and other residents of gottenburg, and much enjoyed their stay in the town, in spite of their longing to be back in time to take part in the early operations of the campaign. when they sailed into the port of revel, they found that the campaign had but just commenced, and they marched with all haste to join the force with which the king was advancing against the saxons, who were still besieging riga. their army was commanded by marshal steinau, and was posted on the other side of the river dwina, a broad stream. charles the twelfth had ridden up to colonel jamieson's regiment upon its arrival, and expressed warm gratification at its appearance, when it was paraded for his inspection. "you have done well, indeed, colonel," he said. "i had hardly hoped you could have collected so fine a body of men in so short a time." at his request, the officers were brought up and introduced. he spoke a few words to those he had known before, saying to charlie: "i am glad to see you back again, lieutenant. you have quite recovered from that crack on your crown, i hope. but i need not ask, your looks speak for themselves. you have just got back in time to pay my enemies back for it." the prospect was not a cheerful one, when the swedes arrived on the banks of the dwina. the saxons were somewhat superior in force, and it would be a desperate enterprise to cross the river, in the teeth of their cannon and musketry. already the king had caused a number of large flat boats to be constructed. the sides were made very high, so as to completely cover the troops from musketry, and were hinged so as to let down and act as gangways, and facilitate a landing. charlie was standing on the bank, looking at the movements of the saxon troops across the river, and wondering how the passage was to be effected, when a hand was placed on his shoulder. looking round, he saw it was the king, who, as was his custom, was moving about on foot, unattended by any of his officers. "wondering how we are to get across, lieutenant?" "that is just what i was thinking over, your majesty." "we want another snowstorm, as we had at narva," the king said. "the wind is blowing the right way, but there is no chance of such another stroke of luck, at this time of year." "no, sir; but i was thinking that one might make an artificial fog." "how do you mean?" the king asked quickly. "your majesty has great stacks of straw here, collected for forage for the cattle. no doubt a good deal of it is damp, or if not, it could be easily wetted. if we were to build great piles of it, all along on the banks here, and set it alight so as to burn very slowly, but to give out a great deal of smoke, this light wind would blow it across the river into the faces of the saxons, and completely cover our movements." "you are right!" the king exclaimed. "nothing could be better. we will make a smoke that will blind and half smother them;" and he hurried away. an hour later, orders were sent out to all the regiments that, as soon as it became dusk, the men should assemble at the great forage stores for fatigue duty. as soon as they did so, they were ordered to pull down the stacks, and to carry the straw to the bank of the river, and there pile it in heavy masses, twenty yards apart. the whole was to be damped, with the exception of only a small quantity on the windward side of the heaps, which was to be used for starting the fire. in two hours, the work was completed. the men were then ordered to return to their camps, have their suppers, and lie down at once. then they were to form up, half an hour before daybreak, in readiness to take their places in the boats, and were then to lie down, in order, until the word was given to move forward. this was done, and just as the daylight appeared the heaps of straw were lighted, and dense volumes of smoke rolled across the river, entirely obscuring the opposite shore from view. the saxons, enveloped in the smoke, were unable to understand its meaning. those on the watch had seen no sign of troops on the bank, before the smoke began to roll across the water, and the general was uncertain whether a great fire had broken out in the forage stores of the swedes, or whether the fire had been purposely raised, either to cover the movements of the army and enable them to march away and cross at some undefended point, or whether to cover their passage. the swedish regiments, which were the first to cross, took their places at once in the boats, the king himself accompanying them. in a quarter of an hour the opposite bank was gained. marshal steinau, an able general, had called the saxons under arms, and was marching towards the river, when the wind, freshening, lifted the thick veil of smoke, and he saw that the swedes had already gained the bank of the river, and at once hurled his cavalry against them. the swedish formation was not complete and, for a moment, they were driven back in disorder, and forced into the river. the water was shallow, and the king, going about among them, quickly restored order and discipline, and, charging in solid formation, they drove the cavalry back and advanced across the plain. steinau recalled his troops and posted them in a strong position, one flank being covered by a marsh and the other by a wood. he had time to effect his arrangements, as charles was compelled to wait until the whole of his troops were across. as soon as they were so, he led them against the enemy. the battle was a severe one, for the swedes were unprovided with artillery, and the saxons, with the advantages of position and a powerful artillery, fought steadily. three times marshal steinau led his cavalry in desperate charges, and each time almost penetrated to the point where charles was directing the movements of his troops; but, at last, he was struck from his horse by a blow from the butt end of a musket; and his cuirassiers, with difficulty, carried him from the field. as soon as his fall became known, disorder spread among the ranks of the saxons. some regiments gave way, and, the swedes rushing forward with loud shouts, the whole army was speedily in full flight. this victory laid the whole of courland at the mercy of the swedes, all the towns opening their gates at their approach. they were now on the confines of poland, and the king, brave to rashness as he was, hesitated to attack a nation so powerful. poland, at that time, was a country a little larger than france, though with a somewhat smaller population, but in this respect exceeding sweden. with the poles themselves he had no quarrel, for they had taken no part in the struggle, which had been carried on solely by their king, with his saxon troops. the authority of the kings of poland was much smaller than that of other european monarchs. the office was not a hereditary one; the king being elected at a diet, composed of the whole of the nobles of the country, the nobility embracing practically every free man; and, as it was necessary, according to the constitution of the country, that the vote should be unanimous, the difficulties in the way of election were very great, and civil wars of constant occurrence. charles was determined that he would drive augustus, who was the author of the league against him, from the throne; but he desired to do this by means of the poles themselves, rather than to unite the whole nation against him by invading the country. poland was divided into two parts, the larger of which was poland proper, which could at once place thirty thousand men in the field. the other was lithuania, with an army of twelve thousand. these forces were entirely independent of each other. the troops were for the most part cavalry, and the small force, permanently kept up, was composed almost entirely of horsemen. they rarely drew pay, and subsisted entirely on plunder, being as formidable to their own people as to an enemy. lithuania, on whose borders the king had taken post with his army, was, as usual, harassed by two factions, that of the prince sapieha and the prince of oginski, between whom a civil war was going on. the king of sweden took the part of the former, and, furnishing him with assistance, speedily enabled him to overcome the oginski party, who received but slight aid from the saxons. oginski's forces were speedily dispersed, and roamed about the country in scattered parties, subsisting on pillage, thereby exciting among the people a lively feeling of hatred against the king of poland, who was regarded as the author of the misfortunes that had befallen the country. from the day when charlie's suggestion, of burning damp straw to conceal the passage of the river, had been attended with such success, the king had held him in high favour. there was but a few years' difference between their ages, and the suggestion, so promptly made, seemed to show the king that the young englishman was a kindred spirit, and he frequently requested him to accompany him in his rides, and chatted familiarly with him. "i hate this inactive life," he said one day, "and would, a thousand times, rather be fighting the russians than setting the poles by the ears; but i dare not move against them, for, were augustus of saxony left alone, he would ere long set all poland against me. at present, the poles refuse to allow him to bring in reinforcements from his own country; but if he cannot get men he can get gold, and with gold he can buy over his chief opponents, and regain his power. if it costs me a year's delay, i must wait until he is forced to fly the kingdom, and i can place on the throne someone who will owe his election entirely to me, and in whose good faith i can be secure. "that done, i can turn my attention to russia, which, by all accounts, daily becomes more formidable. narva is besieged by them, and will ere long fall; but i can retake narva when once i can depend upon the neutrality of the poles. would i were king of poland as well as of sweden. with eighty thousand polish horse, and my own swedish infantry, i could conquer europe if i wished to do so. "i know that you are as fond of adventure as i am, and i am thinking of sending you with an envoy i am despatching to warsaw. "you know that the poles are adverse to business of all kinds. the poorest noble, who can scarcely pay for the cloak he wears, and who is ready enough to sell his vote and his sword to the highest bidder, will turn up his nose at honest trade; and the consequence is, as there is no class between the noble and the peasant, the trade of the country is wholly in the hands of jews and foreigners, among the latter being, i hear, many scotchmen, who, while they make excellent soldiers, are also keen traders. this class must have considerable power, in fact, although it be exercised quietly. the jews are, of course, money lenders as well as traders. large numbers of these petty nobles must be in their debt, either for money lent or goods supplied. "my agent goes specially charged to deal with the archbishop, who is quite open to sell his services to me, although he poses as one of the strongest adherents of the saxons. with him, it is not a question so much of money, as of power. being a wise man, he sees that augustus can never retain his position, in the face of the enmity of the great body of the poles, and of my hostility. but, while my agent deals with him and such nobles as he indicates as being likely to take my part against augustus, you could ascertain the feeling of the trading class, and endeavour to induce them, not only to favour me, but to exert all the influence they possess on my behalf. as there are many scotch merchants in the city, you could begin by making yourself known to them, taking with you letters of introduction from your colonel, and any other scotch gentleman whom you may find to have acquaintanceship, if not with the men themselves, with their families in scotland. i do not, of course, say that the mission will be without danger, but that will, i know, be an advantage in your eyes. what do you think of the proposal?" "i do not know, sire," charlie said doubtfully. "i have no experience whatever in matters of that kind." "this will be a good opportunity for you to serve an apprenticeship," the king said decidedly. "there is no chance of anything being done here, for months, and as you will have no opportunity of using your sword, you cannot be better employed than in polishing up your wits. i will speak to colonel jamieson about it this evening. count piper will give you full instructions, and will obtain for you, from some of our friends, lists of the names of the men who would be likely to be most useful to us. you will please to remember that the brain does a great deal more than the sword, in enabling a man to rise above his fellows. you are a brave young officer, but i have many a score of brave young officers, and it was your quick wit, in suggesting the strategy by which we crossed the dwina without loss, that has marked you out from among others, and made me see that you are fit for something better than getting your throat cut." the king then changed the subject with his usual abruptness, and dismissed charlie, at the end of his ride, without any further allusion to the subject. the young fellow, however, knew enough of the king's headstrong disposition to be aware that the matter was settled, and that he could not, without incurring the king's serious displeasure, decline to accept the commission. he walked back, with a serious face, to the hut that the officers of the company occupied, and asked harry jervoise to come out to him. "what is it, charlie?" his friend said. "has his gracious majesty been blowing you up, or has your horse broken its knees?" "a much worse thing than either, harry. the king appears to have taken into his head that i am cut out for a diplomatist;" and he then repeated to his friend the conversation the king had had with him. harry burst into a shout of laughter. "don't be angry, charlie, but i cannot help it. the idea of your going, in disguise, i suppose, and trying to talk over the jewish clothiers and cannie scotch traders, is one of the funniest things i ever heard. and do you think the king was really in earnest?" "the king is always in earnest," charlie said in a vexed tone; "and, when he once takes a thing into his head, there is no gainsaying him." "that is true enough, charlie," harry said, becoming serious. "well, i have no doubt you will do it just as well as another, and after all, there will be some fun in it, and you will be in a big city, and likely to have a deal more excitement than will fall to our lot here." "i don't think it will be at all the sort of excitement i should care for, harry. however, my hope is, that the colonel will be able to dissuade him from the idea." "well, i don't know that i should wish that if i were in your place, charlie. undoubtedly, it is an honour being chosen for such a mission, and it is possible you may get a great deal of credit for it, as the king is always ready to push forward those who do good service. look how much he thinks of you, because you made that suggestion about getting up a smoke to cover our passage." "i wish i had never made it," charlie said heartily. "well, in that case, charlie, it is likely enough we should not be talking together here, for our loss in crossing the river under fire would have been terrible." "well, perhaps it is as well as it is," charlie agreed. "but i did not want to attract his attention. i was very happy as i was, with you all. as for my suggestion about the straw, anyone might have thought of it. i should never have given the matter another moment's consideration, and i should be much better pleased if the king had not done so, either, instead of telling the colonel about it, and the colonel speaking to the officers, and such a ridiculous fuss being made about nothing." "my dear charlie," harry said seriously, "you seem to be forgetting that we all came out here, together, to make our fortune, or at any rate to do as well as we could till the stuarts come to the throne again, and our fathers regain their estates, a matter concerning which, let me tell you, i do not feel by any means so certain as i did in the old days. then, you know, all our friends were of our way of thinking, and the faith that the stuarts would return was like a matter of religion, which it was heresy to doubt for an instant. well, you see, in the year that we have been out here one's eyes have got opened a bit, and i don't feel by any means sanguine that the stuarts will ever come to the throne of england again, or that our fathers will recover their estates. "you have seen here what good soldiers can do, and how powerless men possessing but little discipline, though perhaps as brave as themselves, are against them. william of orange has got good soldiers. his dutch troops are probably quite as good as our best swedish regiments. they have had plenty of fighting in ireland and elsewhere, and i doubt whether the jacobite gentlemen, however numerous, but without training or discipline, could any more make head against them than the masses of muscovites could against the swedish battalions at narva. all this means that it is necessary that we should, if possible, carve out a fortune here. so far, i certainly have no reason to grumble. on the contrary, i have had great luck. i am a lieutenant at seventeen, and, if i am not shot or carried off by fever, i may, suppose the war goes on and the army is not reduced, be a colonel at the age of forty. "now you, on the other hand, have, by that happy suggestion of yours, attracted the notice of the king, and he is pleased to nominate you to a mission in which there is a chance of your distinguishing yourself in another way, and of being employed in other and more important business. all this will place you much farther on the road towards making a fortune, than marching and fighting with your company would be likely to do in the course of twenty years, and i think it would be foolish in the extreme for you to exhibit any disinclination to undertake the duty." "i suppose you are right, harry, and i am much obliged to you for your advice, which certainly puts the matter in a light in which i had not before seen it. if i thought that i could do it well, i should not so much mind, for, as you say, there will be some fun to be got out of it, and some excitement, and there seems little chance of doing anything here for a long time. but what am i to say to the fellows? how can i argue with them? besides, i don't talk polish." "i don't suppose there are ten men in the army who do so, probably not five. as to what to say, count piper will no doubt give you full instructions as to the line you are to take, the arguments you are to use, and the inducements you are to hold out. that is sure to be all right." "well, do not say anything about it, harry, when you get back. i still hope the colonel will dissuade the king." "then you are singularly hopeful, charlie, that is all i can say. you might persuade a brick wall to move out of your way, as easily as induce the king of sweden to give up a plan he has once formed. however, i will say nothing about it." at nine o'clock, an orderly came to the hut with a message that the colonel wished to speak to lieutenant carstairs. harry gave his friend a comical look, as the latter rose and buckled on his sword. "what is the joke, harry?" his father asked, when charlie had left. "do you know what the colonel can want him for, at this time of the evening? it is not his turn for duty." "i know, father; but i must not say." "the lad has not been getting into a scrape, i hope?" "nothing serious, i can assure you; but really, i must not say anything until he comes back." harry's positive assurance, as to the impossibility of changing the king's decision, had pretty well dispelled any hopes charlie might before have entertained, and he entered the colonel's room with a grave face. "you know why i have sent for you, carstairs?" "yes, sir; i am afraid that i do." "afraid? that is to say, you don't like it." "yes, sir; i own that i don't like it." "nor do i, lad, and i told his majesty so. i said you were too young for so risky a business. the king scoffed at the idea. he said, 'he is not much more than two years younger than i am, and if i am old enough to command an army, he is old enough to carry out this mission. we know that he is courageous. he is cool, sharp, and intelligent. why do i choose him? has he not saved me from the loss of about four or five thousand men, and probably a total defeat? a young fellow who can do that, ought to be able to cope with jewish traders, and to throw dust in the eyes of the poles. "i have chosen him for this service for two reasons. in the first place, because i know he will do it well, and even those who consider that i am rash and headstrong, admit that i have the knack of picking out good men. in the next place, i want to reward him for the service he has done for us. i cannot, at his age, make a colonel of him, but i can give him a chance of distinguishing himself in a service in which age does not count for so much, and count piper, knowing my wishes in the matter, will push him forward. moreover, in such a mission as this, his youth will be an advantage, for he is very much less likely to excite suspicion than if he were an older man.' "the king's manner did not admit of argument, and i had only to wait and ask what were his commands. these were simply that you are to call upon his minister tomorrow, and that you would then receive full instructions. "the king means well by you, lad, and on turning it over, i think better of the plan than i did before. i am convinced, at any rate, that you will do credit to the king's choice." "i will do my best, sir," charlie said. "at present, it all seems so vague to me that i can form no idea whatever as to what it will be like. i am sure that the king's intentions are, at any rate, kind. i am glad to hear you say that, on consideration, you think better of the plan. then i may mention the matter to major jervoise?" "certainly, carstairs, and to his son, but it must go no farther. i shall put your name in orders, as relieved from duty, and shall mention that you have been despatched on service, which might mean anything. come and see me tomorrow, lad, after you have received count piper's instructions. as the king reminded me, there are many scotchmen at warsaw, and it is likely that some of them passed through sweden on the way to establish themselves there, and i may very well have made their acquaintance at gottenburg or stockholm. "once established in the house of one of my countrymen, your position would be fairly safe and not altogether unpleasant, and you would be certainly far better off than a swede would be engaged on this mission. the swedes are, of course, regarded by the poles as enemies, but, as there is no feeling against englishmen or scotchmen, you might pass about unnoticed as one of the family of a scottish trader there, or as his assistant." "i don't fear its being unpleasant in the least, colonel. nor do i think anything one way or the other about my safety. i only fear that i shall not be able to carry out properly the mission intrusted to me." "you will do your best, lad, and that is all that can be expected. you have not solicited the post, and as it is none of your choosing, your failure would be the fault of those who have sent you, and not of yourself; but in a matter of this kind there is no such thing as complete failure. when you have to deal with one man you may succeed or you may fail in endeavouring to induce him to act in a certain manner, but when you have to deal with a considerable number of men, some will be willing to accept your proposals, some will not, and the question of success will probably depend upon outside influences and circumstances over which you have no control whatever. i have no fear that it will be a failure. if our party in poland triumph, or if our army here advances, or if augustus, finding his position hopeless, leaves the country, the good people of warsaw will join their voices to those of the majority. if matters go the other way, you may be sure that they will not risk imprisonment, confiscation, and perhaps death, by getting up a revolt on their own account. the king will be perfectly aware of this, and will not expect impossibilities, and there is really no occasion whatever for you to worry yourself on that ground." upon calling upon count piper the next morning, charlie found that, as the colonel had told him, his mission was a general one. "it will be your duty," the minister said, "to have interviews with as many of the foreign traders and jews in warsaw as you can, only going to those to whom you have some sort of introduction from the persons you may first meet, or who are, as far as you can learn from the report of others, ill disposed towards the saxon party. here is a letter, stating to all whom it may concern, that you are in the confidence of the king of sweden, and are authorized to represent him. "in the first place, you can point out to those you see that, should the present situation continue, it will bring grievous evils upon poland. proclamations have already been spread broadcast over the country, saying that the king has no quarrel with the people of poland, but, as their sovereign has, without the slightest provocation, embarked on a war, he must fight against him and his saxon troops, until they are driven from the country. this you will repeat, and will urge that it will be infinitely better that poland herself should cast out the man who has embroiled her with sweden, than that the country should be the scene of a long and sanguinary struggle, in which large districts will necessarily be laid waste, all trade be arrested, and grievous suffering inflicted upon the people at large. "you can say that king charles has already received promises of support from a large number of nobles, and is most desirous that the people of the large towns, and especially of the capital, should use their influence in his favour. that he has himself no ambition, and no end to serve save to obtain peace and tranquillity for his country, and that it will be free for the people of poland to elect their own monarch, when once augustus of saxony has disappeared from the scene. "in this sealed packet you will find a list of influential citizens. it has been furnished me by one well acquainted with the place. the jews are to be assured that, in case of a friendly monarch being placed on the throne, charles will make a treaty with him, insuring freedom of commerce to the two countries, and will also use his friendly endeavours to obtain, from the king and diet, an enlargement of the privileges that the jews enjoy. to the foreign merchants you will hold the same language, somewhat altered, to suit their condition and wants. "you are not asking them to organize any public movement, the time has not yet come for that; but simply to throw the weight of their example and influence against the party of the saxons. of course our friends in warsaw have been doing their best to bring round public opinion in the capital to this direction, but the country is so torn by perpetual intrigues, that the trading classes hold aloof altogether from quarrels in which they have no personal interest, and are slow to believe that they can be seriously affected by any changes which will take place. "our envoy will start tomorrow morning. his mission is an open one. he goes to lay certain complaints, to propose an exchange of prisoners, and to open negotiations for peace. all these are but pretences. his real object is to enter into personal communication with two or three powerful personages, well disposed towards us. "come again to me this evening, when you have thought the matter over. i shall then be glad to hear any suggestion you may like to make." "there is one thing, sir, that i should like to ask you. it will evidently be of great advantage to me, if i can obtain private letters of introduction to scotch traders in the city. this i cannot do, unless by mentioning the fact that i am bound for warsaw. have i your permission to do so, or is it to be kept a close secret?" "no. i see no objection to your naming it to anyone you can implicitly trust, and who may, as you think, be able to give you such introductions, but you must impress upon them that the matter must be kept a secret. doubtless the saxons have in their pay people in our camp, just as we have in theirs, and were word of your going sent, you would find yourself watched, and perhaps arrested. we should, of course wish you to be zealous in your mission, but i would say, do not be over anxious. we are not trying to get up a revolution in warsaw, but seeking to ensure that the feeling in the city should be in our favour; and this, we think, may be brought about, to some extent, by such assurances as you can give of the king's friendship, and by such expressions of a belief in the justice of our cause, and in the advantages there would be in getting rid of this foreign prince, as might be said openly by one trader to another, when men meet in their exchanges or upon the street. so that the ball is once set rolling, it may be trusted to keep in motion, and there can be little doubt that such expressions of feeling, among the mercantile community of the capital, will have some effect even upon nobles who pretend to despise trade, but who are not unfrequently in debt to traders, and who hold their views in a certain respect." "thank you, sir. at what time shall i come this evening?" "at eight o'clock. by that time, i may have thought out farther details for your guidance." chapter : in warsaw. upon leaving the quarters of count piper, charlie returned to the camp, and, after discussing the matter with major jervoise, proceeded with him to the colonel's hut. "well, you look brighter this morning, carstairs. are you better pleased, now you have thought the matter over?" "yes, sir. what you said last night has been quite confirmed by count piper, and the matter does not really seem so difficult. i am merely, as a foreigner in the employment of the king of sweden, to talk with foreigners in warsaw, to assure them that the king is sincere in his desire to avoid war with poland, and will gladly make a lasting peace between the two countries, to urge upon them to show themselves favourable to his project for securing such a peace, by forcing augustus to resign the crown, and to use what influence they can in that direction, both upon their fellow traders and upon the poles." "there is nothing very difficult about that," colonel jamieson said cheerfully, "as it happens to be quite true; and there can be no real question as to the true interest of poland, and especially of the trading classes in the great towns, from whom heavy contributions towards the expenses of war are always exacted by their own rulers, and who have to pay a ruinous ransom in case of their city being captured by the enemy. the traders of warsaw will need no reminder of such well-known facts, and will be only too glad to be assured that, unless as a last resource, our king has no intention of making war upon poland, and they will certainly be inclined to bestir themselves to avert such a possibility. you have, i suppose, a list of names of the people with whom you had best put yourself into communication?" "yes, sir. here is a list. there are, i see, ten scotchmen, fifteen frenchmen, and about as many jews." "i know nothing of the frenchmen, and less of the jews," the colonel said, taking the list; "but i ought to know some of the scotchmen. they will hail from dundee and glasgow, and, it may be, dumfries." he ran his eye down the list. "aha! here is one, and we need go no further. allan ramsay; we were lads together at the high school of glasgow, and were classmates at the college. his father was a member of the city council, and was one of the leading traders in the city. allan was a wild lad, as i was myself, and many a scrape did we get into together, and had many a skirmish with the watch. allan had two or three half brothers, men from ten to twenty years older than himself, and, a year or two after i came out to sweden and entered the army as an ensign, who should i meet in the streets of gottenburg, but allan ramsay. "we were delighted to see each other, and he stopped with me nearly a week. he had, after leaving the college, gone into his father's business, but when the old man died he could not get on with his half brothers, who were dour men, and had little patience with allan's restlessness and love of pleasure. so, after a final quarrel, they had given him so much money for his share of the business, and a letter of introduction to a trader in poland, who had written to them saying that he wanted a partner with some capital; and allan was willing enough to try the life in a strange country, for he was a shrewd fellow, with all his love of fun. "five years afterwards, he came through gottenburg again. i did not see him, for my regiment was at stockholm at the time, but he wrote me a letter saying that he had been in scotland to marry and bring back one janet black, the daughter of a mercer, whom i remember well enough as an old flame of his. "he reported that he was doing well, and that the poles were not bad fellows to live among, though less punctual in their payments than might be wished. he said he did not suppose that, as a swedish officer, i should ever be in poland, unless sweden produced another gustavus adolphus; but if i was, he would be delighted to welcome me, and that anyone i asked in warsaw would direct me to his shop. i wonder that i did not think of him before; but that is ten years ago, and it had altogether passed out of my mind, till i saw his name here. unless he is greatly changed, you may be sure of a hearty welcome from allan ramsay, for my sake. we need not trouble about the other names. he will know all about them, and will be able to put you in the way of getting at them." this was a great relief to charlie, who felt that it would be an immense advantage to have the house of someone, from whom he might expect a welcome, to go to on his arrival in warsaw; and he was able, during the day, to talk over the prospects of the journey, with harry jervoise, with a real sense of interest and excitement in his mission. in the evening, he again went to the house of the minister. the latter, a close observer of men, saw at once that the young officer was in much better spirits than he had been in the morning. "have you obtained information respecting any of the persons whose names i gave you?" he asked. "yes, sir. it seems that, most fortunately, the trader named allan ramsay is an old friend of colonel jamieson, and the colonel has given me a letter to him which will, he assures me, procure me a hearty welcome." "and have you thought anything more of your best plan of action?" "yes, sir. it seems to me that i had better dress myself in an attire such as might be worn by a young scotchman, journeying through the country to place himself with a relation established in business. i could ride behind the royal envoy, as if i had received permission to journey under the protection of his escort, and could drop behind a few miles from the capital, and make my way in alone. i could not, of course, inquire for allan ramsay in polish, but i know enough french to ask for him at any shop having a french name over it, if i did not happen to light upon one kept by a scotchman." "yes, that plan will do very well. but you will have no difficulty in finding the house, as i have arranged that a man shall accompany you as servant. he is a lithuanian, and is the grandson of a soldier of gustavus adolphus, who married and settled there. his grandfather kept up his connection with his native country, and the young fellow speaks swedish fairly, and, of course, polish. for the last three weeks i have employed him in various matters, and find him shrewd and, i believe, faithful. such a fellow would be of great use to you, and could, if necessary, act as your interpreter in any interviews you may have with polish jews, although you will find that most of these men speak other languages besides their own." he touched a bell, and on a servant entering, said: "bring stanislas bistron here." an active, well-built young fellow of some four and twenty years of age entered the room a minute later. his fair hair and blue eyes showed that he took after his swedish ancestors. "this is the gentleman, stanislas, that you are to accompany to warsaw, as his servant. you will obey him, in all respects, as if he had hired you in his service, and, should he arrive at any situation of danger or difficulty, i trust that you will not be found wanting." the man had looked closely at charlie. "i will do my best, sir, and i doubt not that the gentleman's service will suit me. he has the look of one who would be kind to his servants." "wait at the outside door," the count said. "captain carstairs will speak to you as he leaves." the man bowed and went out, and the count then said, with a smile at the look of surprise on charlie's face: "it was not a slip of the tongue. here is a commission, signed by his majesty, appointing you to the rank of captain, as he has long considered that you had well won your promotion, by your suggestion which enabled him to cross the dwina without loss; but he thought there would be a difficulty in placing you over the heads of so many officers senior to yourself. this inconvenience no longer exists, now that you have what may be considered a staff appointment, and the rank may, moreover, add to your weight and influence in your interviews with persons at warsaw. "you will need money. here is a purse for your expenses. you may meet with some of these men, especially among the jewish traders, who may need a bribe. bribery is common, from the highest to the lowest, in poland. you will find, in this letter of instructions, that you are authorized to promise sums of money to men whose assistance may be valuable. it is impossible to fix the sums. these must depend upon the position of the men, and the value of their services; and i can only say do not be lavish, but at the same time do not hesitate to promise a sum that will secure the services of useful men. your best plan will be to find out, if you are able, what each man expects, and to make what abatement you can. the only limit placed is that you must not commit the royal treasury to a total sum exceeding ten thousand crowns. you will, i hope, find a smaller sum suffice. "the envoy will start at six tomorrow morning. i do not know that there are any further instructions to give you. you will find details, in these written instructions, as to the manner in which you are to communicate, from time to time, the result of your mission, and you will receive orders when to return." outside the house, charlie saw his new servant waiting him. "you have a horse, stanislas?" "yes, sir, i have been provided with one. i have also a brace of pistols, and a sword." "i hope you will not have to use them, but in these disturbed times they are necessaries." "i have better clothes than these, sir, if you wish me to look gay." "by no means," charlie replied. "i am going in the character of a young scotchman, on my way to join a relative in business in warsaw, and you accompany me in the capacity of guide and servant. as i should not be in a position to pay high wages, the more humble your appearance, the better. we start at six in the morning. the envoy will leave the royal quarters at that hour, and we travel with his escort. join me a quarter of an hour before that at my hut. you had better accompany me there now, so that you may know the spot. i shall not require your services before we start, as my soldier servant will saddle my horse, and have all in readiness." harry came to the door of the hut, as he saw his friend approaching. "well, charlie, is all satisfactorily settled? "yes, quite satisfactorily, i think. that is my new servant. count piper has appointed him. he speaks swedish and polish." "that will be a great comfort to you, charlie. jock armstrong, who has not picked up ten words of swedish since he joined, would have been worse than useless." "i have another piece of news, harry, that i am in one way very glad of, and in another sorry for. i had always hoped that we should keep together, and that, just as we joined together, and were made lieutenants at the same time, it would always be so." "you have got another step?" harry exclaimed. "i am heartily glad of it. i thought very likely you might get it. indeed, i was surprised that you did not get it, at once, after our fight with the saxons. i am sure you deserved it, if ever a fellow did, considering what it saved us all." "of course it is for that," charlie replied, "though i think it is very absurd. count piper said the king would have given it to me at once, only it would have taken me over the heads of so many men older than myself; but he considered that, now i am going on a sort of staff work, away from the regiment, i could be promoted, and he thought, too, that the title of captain would assist me in my mission." "of course it will," harry said, warmly. "that is just what i told you, you know. this business was not quite to your liking, but it was a good long step towards making your fortune. don't you think that i shall be jealous of your going ahead, for i am not in the least. i am sorry you are going away, for i shall miss you terribly; but i am quite content to be with the regiment, and to work my way up gradually. as it is, i am senior lieutenant in the regiment, and the first battle may give me my company; though i don't expect it, for i do not think my father would wish the colonel to give me the step, if it occurred, for all the other lieutenants are older than we are, though they are junior to us in the regiment, and i feel sure that he would prefer me to remain for another two or three years as lieutenant. in fact, he said as much to me, a short time ago. still, when i am fit to command a company, there is no doubt i shall get it. "of course, i am sorry you are going, very sorry, charlie; but, even if you go altogether on to the staff, i shall see a good deal of you, for, as the king is always with the army, this must be your headquarters still. "i wonder how long you will be away. i like the look of the fellow who is going with you. it was an honest, open sort of face, as far as i saw it. at any rate, it is a comfort to think that you won't be absolutely alone, especially among people whose language you don't know. mind, if you are sending letters to count piper, be sure you send a few lines, by the same messenger, to let me know how you are going on. not long letters, you know; i expect you will have your hands pretty well full; but just enough to give me an idea of how you are, and what you are doing." the following morning, charlie started. he had said goodbye to no one, except the colonel, major jervoise, and harry, as it was not considered advisable that his departure with the envoy for warsaw should be talked about. he only joined the party, indeed, after they had ridden out of the camp. he had laid aside his uniform, and was dressed in clothes which major jervoise had procured for him, from one of the last-joined recruits who had but just received his uniform. the lieutenant commanding the escort of twenty troopers rode up to him, as he joined the party. "baron seckers informs me that he has given permission to a young scotchman and his servant, travelling to warsaw, to ride under his protection. are you the person in question, sir?" "it is all right, lieutenant eberstein," charlie said, with a smile. "don't you recognize me?" "of course--lieutenant carstairs. i was at the hunt where you were taken prisoner; but i did not expect to see you in this garb." "i am going on duty," charlie said, "and am dressed according to orders. do not address me by my name. i am at present sandy anderson, going to join a relation in warsaw." "ah, ah! is that so? going to put your head into the den of the lion augustus. well, i rather envy you, for it is likely, by all accounts, to be dull work here for some time. it is hard to be sitting idle, while the russian guns are thundering round narva. now, i must join the baron again. where would you rather ride--after us, or behind the escort?" "behind the escort. i think it will be more natural, and i can chat more freely with my servant. he is a lithuanian, but speaks swedish, and i hope to get some information from him." the lieutenant rode on, and, as he passed the troopers, he told them that the two men behind had the baron's permission to ride with them, in order that they might have protection from the bands of pillagers who were roaming through the country. "now, stanislas," charlie said. "we can talk freely together. do you know warsaw?" "i have been there several times, sir, but i never stopped there long. still, i can find my way about the town." "when were you there last?" "some two months ago. it was just before i entered the swedish service." "and what do the people say about the war?" "they are bitterly opposed to it. the king entered upon it without consulting the diet, which was altogether contrary to the constitution. it is true that the king may do so, in cases of emergency, and obtain the sanction of the diet afterwards. there was no urgency here, and the king made his agreement with the czar and the king of denmark without anyone knowing of it. he certainly obtained a sort of sanction from the diet afterwards, but everyone knows how these things are worked. he has a strong party, of course, because it is the interest of a great many people to retain him in power, as no one can say who would be chosen to succeed him. but among the people in general, the traders and the peasants, he is hated, and so are his saxon soldiers. "suppose he had gained a slice of swedish territory. it would not have benefited them; while, as it is, all sorts of misfortunes and troubles have come upon the country, and none can say how much greater may ensue. "poland is always split up into parties. they used to unite against the turk, and they would unite again against the swedes, if their country was invaded; but as long as king charles keeps his army beyond the frontier, they are too deeply engaged in their own quarrels to think of anything else." "then, even if i were known, in the city, to be in the swedish service, there would be little danger, stanislas?" "i do not say that, at all," the man said gravely. "in the first place, warsaw is held by saxon soldiers, who would show you but scant mercy, were you known to be a swedish officer; and, in the second place, the lower classes are ever ready to make tumults; and, if worked upon by the archbishop, or the nobles of the king's party, they would readily enough tear a stranger to pieces. "going as you do as a scotchman, there is, i hope, little danger, especially if you are received into a scottish household." the journey passed without incident, until they were within a few miles of warsaw, when charlie, after formally thanking baron seckers for the protection his escort had afforded him, fell behind with his servant. several parties of armed men had been met with, but they knew better than to interfere with the little body of swedish cavalry; while, in the towns through which they passed, the baron was respectfully received as the envoy of the dreaded king of sweden. "is there another gate to the city, on this side of the town, beside that by which the swedes will enter? if so, it would be as well to use it, so that there should seem to be no connection between us and them," said charlie. there was another gate, and by this they rode into warsaw, at that time a city of far greater importance than it is at present. the gate was unguarded, and they passed through without question. the citizens were talking excitedly in groups, evidently discussing the question of the arrival of the swedish envoy, and the chances of peace; and no attention was paid to the travellers, whose appearance denoted them to be persons of no importance. richly-attired nobles, in costumes of almost oriental magnificence, galloped through the streets on splendid horses, scattering the groups of citizens, and paying no attention whatever to the angry murmurs that followed them. charlie stopped at a small inn, and there the horses were put up. stanislas made inquiries for the shop of allan ramsay, mentioning that his employer was a relation of the scottish merchant, and had come out to be with him, until he had learned the language. "the scots know their business," the landlord grumbled. "they and the french and the jews, together, have their hand in everyone's pocket. they buy the cattle and grain of the peasants, for what they choose to give for them, and send them out of the country, getting all the profits of the transaction; while, as to the nobles, there is scarce one who is not deep in their books." "still, you could not do without them," stanislas said. "there must be somebody to buy and to sell, and as the nobles won't do it, and the peasants can't, i don't see that the foreigners are to be blamed for coming in and taking the trade." "that is true enough," the landlord admitted reluctantly. "still, there is no doubt the country is kept poor, while, between them, these men gather up the harvest." "better that than let it rot upon the ground," stanislas said unconcernedly; and then, having obtained the name of the street where several of the scottish traders had places of business, he and charlie started on foot. they were not long in finding the shop with the sign of the merchant swinging over the door. "you had better wait outside, stanislas, while i go in and see the master. no; if he is not in the shop, his men will not understand me, so come in with me till you see that i have met him, and then go back to the inn for the night. whether i join you there will depend upon the warmth of my welcome." two or three young poles were in the shop. stanislas asked them for allan ramsay, and they replied that he was taking his evening meal upstairs, whereupon charlie produced the letter from colonel jamieson, and stanislas requested one of them to take it up to the merchant. three minutes later the inner door opened, and a tall man with a ruddy face and blue eyes entered, holding the open letter in his hand. charlie took a step forward to meet him. "so you are sandy anderson," he said heartily, with a merry twinkle in his eye, "my connection, it seems, and the friend of my dear classmate jamieson? come upstairs. who is this scotch-looking lad with you?" "he is my servant and interpreter. his grandfather was a swede, and to him he owes his fair hair and complexion. he is a lithuanian. he is to be trusted, i hope, thoroughly. he was sent with me by--" "never mind names," the scotchman said hastily. "we will talk about him afterwards. now come upstairs. your letter has thrown me quite into a flutter. "never say anything in english before those poles," he said, as he left the shop; "the fellows pick up languages as easily as i can drink whisky, when i get the chance. one of them has been with me two years, and it is quite likely he understands, at any rate, something of what is said. "here we are." he opened a door, and ushered charlie into a large room, comfortably furnished. his wife, a boy eight years of age, and a girl a year older, were seated at the table. "janet," the merchant said, "this is captain carstairs, alias sandy anderson, a connection of ours, though i cannot say, for certain, of what degree." "what are you talking of, allan?" she asked in surprise; for her husband, after opening and partly reading the letter, had jumped up and run off without saying a word. "what i say, wife. this gentleman is, for the present, sandy anderson, who has come out to learn the business and language, with the intent of some day entering into partnership with me; also, which is more to the point, he is a friend of my good friend jock jamieson, whom you remember well in the old days." "i am very glad, indeed, to see any friend of jock jamieson," janet ramsay said warmly, holding out her hand to charlie, "though i do not in the least understand what my husband is talking about, or what your name really is." "my name is carstairs, madam. i am a captain in the swedish service, and am here on a mission for king charles. colonel jamieson, for he is now colonel of the regiment to which i belong--" "what!" the merchant exclaimed. "do you mean to say that our jock jamieson is a colonel? well, well, who would have thought he would have climbed the tree so quickly?" "it is a regiment entirely of scotch and englishmen," charlie said; "and he was promoted, to take its command, only a short time since." "well, please to sit down and join us," mrs. ramsay said. "it is bad manners, indeed, to keep you talking while the meat is getting cold on the table. when you have finished, it will be time enough to question you." while the meal was going on, however, many questions were asked as to colonel jamieson, the regiment, and its officers. "as soon as matters are more settled," the merchant said, "i will give myself a holiday, and janet and i will go and spend a few days with jock. many of the names of the officers are well known to me, and two or three of the captains were at glasgow college with jock and myself. it will be like old times, to have four or five of us talking over the wild doings we had together." the supper over, the children were sent off to bed. allan ramsay lit a long pipe. a bottle of wine and two glasses were placed on the table, and mrs. ramsay withdrew, to see after domestic matters, and prepare a room for charlie. "now, lad, tell me all about it," allan ramsay said. "jock tells me you are here on a mission, which he would leave it to yourself to explain; but it is no business of mine, and, if you would rather keep it to yourself, i will ask no questions." "there is no secret about it, as far as you are concerned, mr. ramsay, for it is to you and to other merchants here that i have come to talk it over;" and he then went fully into the subject. the scotchman sat, smoking his pipe in silence, for some minutes after he had concluded. "we do not much meddle with politics here. we have neither voice nor part in the making of kings or of laws, and, beyond that we like to have a peace-loving king, it matters little to us whom the diet may set up over us. if we were once to put the tips of our fingers into polish affairs, we might give up all thought of trade. they are forever intriguing and plotting, except when they are fighting; and it would be weary work to keep touch with it all, much less to take part in it. it is our business to buy and to sell, and so that both parties come to us, it matters little; one's money is as good as the other. if i had one set of creditors deeper in my books than another, i might wish their party to gain the day, for it would, maybe, set them up in funds, and i might get my money; but, as it is, it matters little. there is not a customer i have but is in my debt. money is always scarce with them; for they are reckless and extravagant, keeping a horde of idle loons about them, spending as much money on their own attire and that of their wives as would keep a whole scotch clan in victuals. but, if they cannot pay in money, they can pay in corn or in cattle, in wine or in hides. "i do not know which they are fondest of--plotting, or fighting, or feasting; and yet, reckless as they are, they are people to like. if they do sell their votes for money, it is not a scotchman that should throw it in their teeth; for there is scarce a scotch noble, since the days of bruce, who has not been ready to sell himself for english gold. our own highlanders are as fond of fighting as the poles, and their chiefs are as profuse in hospitality, and as reckless and spendthrift. "but the poles have their virtues. they love their country, and are ready to die for her. they are courteous, and even chivalrous, they are hospitable to an excess, they are good husbands and kindly masters, they are recklessly brave; and, if they are unduly fond of finery, i, who supply so many of them, should be the last to find fault with them on that score. they are proud, and look down upon us traders, but that does not hurt us; and, if they were to take to trading themselves, there would be no place for us here. but this has nothing to do with our present purpose. "certainly, if it was a question of polish affairs, neither the foreign nor the jewish merchants here would move a finger one way or the other. we have everything to lose, and nothing to gain. suppose we took sides with one of the parties, and the other got the upper hand. why, they might make ordinances hampering us in every way, laying heavy taxes on us, forbidding the export of cattle or horses, and making our lives burdensome. true, if they drove us out they would soon have to repeal the law, for all trade would be at an end. but that would be too late for many of us. "however, i do not say that, at the present time, many would not be disposed to do what they could against augustus of saxony. we are accustomed to civil wars; and, though these may cause misery and ruin, in the districts where they take place, they do not touch us here in the capital. but this is a different affair. augustus has, without reason or provocation, brought down your fiery king of sweden upon us; and, if he continues on the throne, we may hear the swedish cannon thundering outside our walls, and may have the city taken and sacked. therefore, for once, politics become our natural business. "but, though you may find many well wishers, i doubt if you can obtain any substantial aid. with saxon troops in the town, and the nobles divided, there is no hope of a successful rising in warsaw." "the king did not think of that," charlie said. "his opinion was, that were it evident that the citizens of warsaw were strongly opposed to augustus of saxony, it would have a great moral effect, and that, perhaps, they might influence some of the nobles who, as you say, are deeply in their books, or upon whose estates they may hold mortgages, to join the party against the king." "they might do something that way," allan ramsay agreed. "of course, i have no money out on mortgages. i want badly enough all the money i can lay hands on in my own business. giving credit, as we have to, and often very long credit, it requires a large capital to carry on trade. but the jews, who no doubt do hold large mortgages on the land, cannot exert much power. they cannot hold land themselves, and, were one of them to venture to sell the property of any noble of influence, he would be ruined. the whole class would shrink from him, and, like enough, there would be a tumult got up, his house would be burned over his head, and he and his family murdered. "still, as far as popular opinion goes, something might be done. at any rate, i will get some of my friends here tomorrow, and introduce you to them and talk it over. but we must be careful, for augustus has a strong party here, and, were it suspected that you are a swedish officer, it would go very hard with you. "tomorrow you must fetch your servant here. i have already sent round to the inn, and you will find your valises in your room. you said you could rely thoroughly upon him?" "yes, he was handed over to me by count piper himself; and moreover, from what i have seen of him, i am myself confident that he can be trusted. he is of swedish descent, and is, i think, a very honest fellow." for a fortnight, charlie remained at allan ramsay's, and then, in spite of the pressing entreaties of his host and hostess, took a lodging near them. he had, by this time, seen a good many of the leading traders of the town. the scotch and frenchmen had all heartily agreed with his argument, that it was for the benefit of poland, and especially for that of warsaw, that augustus of saxony should be replaced by another king, who would be acceptable to charles of sweden; but all were of opinion that but little could be done, by them, towards bringing about this result. with the jewish traders his success was less decided. they admitted that it would be a great misfortune, were warsaw taken by the swedes, but, as poles, they retained their confidence in the national army, and were altogether sceptical that a few thousand swedes could withstand the host that could be put in the field against them. several of them pointedly asked what interest they had in the matter, and, to some of these, charlie was obliged to use his power of promising sums of money, in case of success. there were one or two, however, of whom he felt doubtful. chief among these was ben soloman muller, a man of great influence in the jewish community. this man had placed so large a value upon his services, that charlie did not feel justified in promising him such a sum. he did not like the man's face, and did not rely upon the promises of silence he had given, before the mission was revealed to him. it was for this reason, principally, that he determined to go into lodgings. should he be denounced, serious trouble might fall upon allan ramsay, and it would at least minimize this risk, were he not living at his house when he was arrested. ramsay himself was disposed to make light of the danger. "i believe myself that ben soloman is an old rogue, but he is not a fool. he cannot help seeing that the position of the king is precarious, and, were he to cause your arrest, he might get little thanks and no profit, while he would be incurring the risk of the vengeance of charles, should he ever become master of the town. did he have you arrested, he himself would be forced to appear as a witness against you, and this he could hardly do without the matter becoming publicly known. "i do not say, however, that, if he could curry favour with the king's party by doing you harm, without appearing in the matter, he would hesitate for a moment. "even if you were arrested here, i doubt whether any great harm would befall me, for all the scotch merchants would make common cause with me, and, although we have no political power, we have a good deal of influence one way or another, and augustus, at this time, would not care to make fresh enemies. however, lad, i will not further dispute your decision. were i quite alone, i would not let you leave me, so long as you stop in this city, without taking great offence; but, with a wife and two children, a man is more timid than if he had but himself to think of." charlie therefore moved into the lodging, but every day he went for three or four hours to the shop, where he kept up his assumed character by aiding to keep the ledgers, and in learning from the polish assistants the value of the various goods in the shop. one evening, he was returning after supper to his lodging, when stanislas met him. "i observed three or four evil-looking rascals casting glances at the house today, and there are several rough-looking fellows hanging about the house this evening. i do not know if it means anything, but i thought i would let you know." "i think it must be only your fancy, stanislas. i might be arrested by the troops, were i denounced, but i apprehend no danger from men of the class you speak of. however, if we should be interfered with, i fancy we could deal with several rascals of that sort." at the corner of his street, three or four men were standing. one of them moved, as he passed, and pushed rudely against him, sending his hat into the gutter. then, as his face was exposed, the fellow exclaimed: "it is he, death to the swedish spy!" they were the last words he uttered. charlie's sword flew from its scabbard, and, with a rapid pass, he ran the man through the body. the others drew instantly, and fell upon charlie with fury, keeping up the shout of, "death to the swedish spy!" it was evidently a signal--for men darted out of doorways, and came running down the street, repeating the cry. "go, stanislas!" charlie shouted, as he defended himself against a dozen assailants. "tell ramsay what has happened; you can do no good here." a moment later, he received a tremendous blow on the back of the head, from an iron-bound cudgel, and fell senseless to the ground. chapter : in evil plight. when charlie recovered his senses, he found himself lying bound in a room lighted by a dim lamp, which sufficed only to show that the beams were blackened by smoke and age, and the walls constructed of rough stone work. there was, so far as he could see, no furniture whatever in it, and he imagined that it was an underground cellar, used perhaps, at some time or other, as a storeroom. it was some time before his brain was clear enough to understand what had happened, or how he had got into his present position. gradually the facts came back to him, and he was able to think coherently, in spite of a splitting headache, and a dull, throbbing pain at the back of his head. "i was knocked down and stunned," he said to himself, at last. "i wonder what became of stanislas. i hope he got away. "this does not look like a prison. i should say that it was a cellar, in the house of one of the gang that set upon me. it is evident that someone has betrayed me, probably that jew, ben soloman. what have they brought me here for? i wonder what are they going to do with me." his head, however, hurt him too much for him to continue the strain of thought, and, after a while, he dozed off to sleep. when he awoke, a faint light was streaming in through a slit, two or three inches wide, high up on the wall. he still felt faint and dizzy, from the effects of the blow. parched with thirst, he tried to call out for water, but scarce a sound came from his lips. gradually, the room seemed to darken and become indistinct, and he again lapsed into insensibility. when he again became conscious, someone was pouring water between his lips, and he heard a voice speaking loudly and angrily. he had picked up a few words of polish from stanislas--the names of common things, the words to use in case he lost his way, how to ask for food and for stabling for a horse, but he was unable to understand what was said. he judged, however, that someone was furiously upbraiding the man who was giving him water, for the latter now and then muttered excuses. "he is blowing the fellow up, for having so nearly let me slip through their fingers," he said to himself. "probably they want to question me, and find out who i have been in communication with. they shall get nothing, at present, anyhow." he kept his eyes resolutely closed. presently, he heard a door open, and another man come in. a few words were exchanged, and, this time, wine instead of water was poured down his throat. then he was partly lifted up, and felt a cooling sensation at the back of his head. some bandages were passed round it, and he was laid down again. there was some more conversation, then a door opened and two of the men went out; the third walked back to him, muttering angrily to himself. charlie felt sure that he had been moved from the place in which he had been the evening before. his bonds had been loosed, and he was lying on straw, and not on the bare ground. opening his eyelids the slightest possible degree, he was confirmed in his belief, by seeing that there was much more light than could have entered the cellar. he dared not look farther, and, in a short time, fell into a far more refreshing sleep than that he before had. the next time he woke his brain was clearer, though there was still a dull sense of pain where he had been struck. without opening his eyes, he listened attentively. there was some sound of movement in the room, and, presently, he heard a faint regular breathing. this continued for some time, and he then heard a sort of grunt. "he is asleep," he said to himself, and, opening his eyes slightly looked round. he was in another chamber. it was grimy with dirt, and almost as unfurnished as the cellar, but there was a window through which the sun was streaming brightly. he, himself, lay upon a heap of straw. at the opposite side of the room was a similar heap, and upon this a man was sitting, leaning against the wall, with his chin dropped on his chest. the thought of escape at once occurred to charlie. could he reach the window, which was without glass and a mere opening in the wall, without awakening his guard, he could drop out and make for allan ramsay's. as soon as he tried to move, however, he found that this idea was for the present impracticable. he felt too weak to lift his head, and, at the slight rustle of straw caused by the attempt, the man opposite roused himself with a start. he gave another slight movement, and then again lay quiet with his eyes closed. the man came across and spoke, but he made no sign. some more wine was poured between his lips, then the man returned to his former position, and all was quiet. as he lay thinking his position over, charlie thought that those who had set his assailants to their work must have had two objects--the one to put a stop to his efforts to organize an agitation against the king, the second to find out, by questioning him, who were those with whom he had been in communication, in order that they might be arrested, and their property confiscated. he could see no other reason why his life should be spared by his assailants, for it would have been easier, and far less troublesome, to run him through as he lay senseless on the ground, than to carry him off and keep him a prisoner. this idea confirmed the suspicion he had first entertained, that the assault had been organized by ben soloman. he could have no real interest in the king, for he was ready to join in the organization against him, could he have obtained his own terms. he might intend to gain credit with the royal party, by claiming to have stopped a dangerous plot, and at the same time to benefit himself, by bringing about the expulsion or death of many of his foreign trade rivals. for this end, the jew would desire that he should be taken alive, in order to serve as a witness against the others. "he will not get any names from me," he said. "besides, none of them have promised to take any active measures against augustus. i did not ask them to do so. there is no high treason in trying to influence public opinion. still, it is likely enough that the jew wants to get me to acknowledge that an insurrection was intended, and will offer me my freedom, if i will give such testimony. as i am altogether in his power, the only thing to do is to pretend to be a great deal worse than i am, and so to gain time, till i am strong enough to try to get away from this place." all this was not arrived at, at once, but was the result of half-dreamy cogitation extending over hours, and interrupted by short snatches of sleep. he was conscious that, from time to time, someone came into the room and spoke to his guard; and that, three or four times, wine was poured between his lips. once he was raised up, and fresh cloths, dipped in water, and bandages applied to his head. in the evening, two or three men came in, and he believed that he recognized the voice of one of them as that of ben soloman. one of the men addressed him suddenly and sharply in swedish. "how are you feeling? are you in pain? we have come here to give you your freedom." charlie was on his guard, and remained silent, with his eyes closed. "it is of no use," ben soloman said in his own language. "the fellow is still insensible. the clumsy fool who hit him would fare badly, if i knew who he was. i said that he was to be knocked down, silenced, and brought here; and here he is, of no more use than if he were dead." "he will doubtless come round, in time," another said in an apologetic tone. "we will bring him round, if you will have patience, ben soloman." "well, well," the other replied, "a few days will make no difference; but mind that he is well guarded, directly he begins to gain strength. i will get him out of the town, as soon as i can. allan ramsay has laid a complaint, before the mayor, that his countryman has been attacked by a band of ruffians, and has been either killed or carried off by them. it is a pity that servant of his was not killed." "we thought he was dead. two or three of us looked at him, and i could have sworn that life was out of him." "well, then, you would have sworn what was not true, for he managed to crawl to ramsay's, where he lies, i am told, dangerously ill, and an official has been to him, to obtain his account of the fray. it was a bungled business, from beginning to end." "we could not have calculated on the fellows making such a resistance," the other grumbled. "this one seemed but a lad, and yet he killed three of our party, and the other killed one. a nice business that; and you will have to pay their friends well, ben soloman, for i can tell you there is grumbling at the price, which they say was not enough for the work, which you told them would be easy." "it ought to have been," the jew said sullenly. "fifteen or twenty men to overpower a lad. what could have been more easy? however, i will do something for the friends of the men who were fools enough to get themselves killed, but if i hear any grumbling from the others, it will be worse for them; there is not one i could not lay by the heels in jail. "well, as to this young fellow, i shall not come again. i do not want to be noticed coming here. keep a shrewd lookout after him." "there is no fear about that," the man said. "it will be long ere he is strong enough to walk." "when he gets better, we will have him taken away to a safe place outside the town. once there, i can make him say what i like." "and if he does not get well?" "in that case, we will take away his body and bury it outside. i will see to that myself." "i understand," the other sneered. "you don't want anyone to know where it is buried, so as to be able to bring it up against you." "you attend to your own business," the jew said angrily. "why should i care about what they say? at any rate, there are some matters between you and me, and there is no fear of your speaking." "not until the time comes when i may think it worth my while to throw away my life, in order to secure your death, ben soloman." "it is of no use talking like that," the jew said quietly. "we are useful to each other. i have saved your life from the gibbet, you have done the work i required. between us, it is worse than childish to threaten in the present matter. i do not doubt that you will do your business well, and you know that you will be well paid for it; what can either of us require more?" charlie would have given a good deal to understand the conversation, and he would have been specially glad to learn that stanislas had escaped with his life; for he had taken a great fancy to the young lithuanian, and was grieved by the thought that he had probably lost his life in his defence. three days passed. his head was now clear, and his appetite returning, and he found, by quietly moving at night, when his guard was asleep, that he was gaining strength. the third day, there was some talking among several men who entered the room; then he was lifted, wrapt up in some cloths, and put into a large box. he felt this being hoisted up, it was carried downstairs, and then placed on something. a minute afterwards he felt a vibration, followed by a swaying and bumping, and guessed at once that he was on a cart, and was being removed, either to prison or to some other place of confinement. the latter he considered more probable. the journey was a long one. he had no means of judging time, but he thought that it must have lasted two or three hours. then the rumbling ceased, the box was lifted down, and carried a short distance, then the lid was opened and he was again laid down on some straw. he heard the sound of cart wheels, and knew that the vehicle on which he had been brought was being driven away. he was now so hungry that he felt he could no longer maintain the appearance of insensibility. two men were talking in the room, and when, for a moment, their conversation ceased, he gave a low groan, and then opened his eyes. they came at once to his bedside, with exclamations of satisfaction. "how do you feel?" one asked in swedish. "i do not know," he said in a low tone. "where am i, how did i get here?" "you are with friends. never mind how you got here. you have been ill, but you will soon get well again. someone hit you on the head, and we picked you up and brought you here." "i am weak and faint," charlie murmured. "have you any food?" "you shall have some food, directly it is prepared. take a drink of wine, and see if you can eat a bit of bread while the broth is preparing." charlie drank a little of the wine that was put to his lips, and then broke up the bread, and ate it crumb by crumb, as if it were a great effort to do so, although he had difficulty in restraining himself from eating it voraciously. when he had finished it, he closed his eyes again, as if sleep had overpowered him. an hour later, there was a touch on his shoulder. "here is some broth, young fellow. wake up and drink that, it will do you good." charlie, as before, slowly sipped down the broth, and then really fell asleep, for the jolting had fatigued him terribly. it was evening when he awoke. two men were sitting at a blazing fire. when he moved, one of them brought him another basin of broth, and fed him with a spoon. charlie had been long enough in the country to know, by the appearance of the room, that he was in a peasant's hut. he wondered why he had been brought there, and concluded that it must be because allan ramsay had set so stringent a search on foot in the city, that they considered it necessary to take him away. "they will not keep me here long," he said to himself. "i am sure that i could walk now, and, in another two or three days, i shall be strong enough to go some distance. that soup has done me a deal of good. i believe half my weakness is from hunger." he no longer kept up the appearance of unconsciousness, and, in the morning, put various questions, to the man who spoke swedish, as to what had happened and how he came to be there. this man was evidently, from his dress and appearance, a jew, while the other was as unmistakably a peasant, a rough powerfully-built man with an evil face. the jew gave him but little information, but told him that in a day or two, when he was strong enough to listen, a friend would come who would tell him all about it. on the third day, he heard the sound of an approaching horse, and was not surprised when, after a conversation in a low tone outside, ben soloman entered. charlie was now much stronger, but he had carefully abstained from showing any marked improvement, speaking always in a voice a little above a whisper, and allowing the men to feed him, after making one or two pretended attempts to convey the spoon to his mouth. "well, master englishman," ben soloman said, as he came up to his bedside, "what do you think of things?" "i do not know what to think," charlie said feebly. "i do not know where i am, or why i am here. i remember that there was a fray in the street, and i suppose i was hurt. but why was i brought here, instead of being taken to my lodgings?" "because you would be no use to me in your lodging, and you may be a great deal of use to me here," ben soloman said. "you know you endeavoured to entrap me into a plot against the king's life." charlie shook his head, and looked wonderingly at the speaker. "no, no," he said, "there was no plot against the king's life. i only asked if you would use your influence among your friends to turn popular feeling against augustus." "nothing of the kind," the jew said harshly. "you wanted him removed by poison or the knife. there is no mistake about that, and that is what i am going to swear, and what, if you want to save your life, you will have to swear too; and you will have to give the names of all concerned in the plot, and to swear that they were all agreed to bring about the death of the king. now you understand why you were brought here. you are miles away from another house, and you may shout and scream as loud as you like. you are in my power." "i would die rather than make a false accusation." "listen to me," the jew said sternly. "you are weak now, too weak to suffer much. this day week i will return, and then you had best change your mind, and sign a document i shall bring with me, with the full particulars of the plot to murder the king, and the names of those concerned in it. this you will sign. i shall take it to the proper authorities, and obtain a promise that your life shall be spared, on condition of your giving evidence against these persons." "i would never sign such a villainous document," charlie said. "you will sign it," ben soloman said calmly. "when you find yourself roasting over a slow charcoal fire, you will be ready to sign anything i wish you to." so saying, he turned and left the room. he talked for some time to the men outside, then charlie heard him ride off. "you villain," he said to himself. "when you come, at the end of a week, you will not find me here; but, if i get a chance of having a reckoning with you, it will be bad for you." charlie's progress was apparently slow. the next day he was able to sit up and feed himself. two days later he could totter across the room, and lie down before the fire. the men were completely deceived by his acting, and, considering any attempt to escape, in his present weak state, altogether impossible, paid but little heed to him, the peasant frequently absenting himself for hours together. looking from his window, charlie saw that the hut was situated in a thick wood, and, from the blackened appearance of the peasant's face and garments, he guessed him to be a charcoal burner, and therefore judged that the trees he saw must form part of a forest of considerable extent. the weather was warm, and his other guard often sat, for a while, outside the door. during his absence, charlie lifted the logs of wood piled beside the hearth, and was able to test his returning strength, assuring himself that, although not yet fully recovered, he was gaining ground daily. he resolved not to wait until the seventh day; for ben soloman might change his mind, and return before the day he had named. he determined, therefore, that on the sixth day he would make the attempt. he had no fear of being unable to overcome his jewish guard, as he would have the advantage of a surprise. he only delayed as long as possible, because he doubted his powers of walking any great distance, and of evading the charcoal burner, who would, on his return, certainly set out in pursuit of him. moreover, he wished to remain in the hut nearly up to the time of the jew's return, as he was determined to wait in the forest, and revenge himself for the suffering he had caused him, and for the torture to which he intended to put him. the evening before the day on which he decided to make the attempt, the charcoal burner and the jew were in earnest conversation. the word signifying brigand was frequently repeated, and, although he could not understand much more than this, he concluded, from the peasant's talk and gestures, that he had either come across some of these men in the forest, or had gathered from signs he had observed, perhaps from their fires, that they were there. the jew shrugged his shoulders when the narration was finished. the presence of brigands was a matter of indifference to him. the next day, the charcoal burner went off at noon. "where does he go to?" charlie asked his guard. "he has got some charcoal fires alight, and is obliged to go and see to them. they have to be kept covered up with wet leaves and earth, so that the wood shall only smoulder," the man said, as he lounged out of the hut to his usual seat. charlie waited a short time, then went to the pile of logs, and picked out a straight stick about a yard long and two inches in diameter. with one of the heavier ones he could have killed the man, but the fellow was only acting under the orders of his employer, and, although he would doubtless, at ben soloman's commands, have roasted him alive without compunction, he had not behaved with any unkindness, and had, indeed, seemed to do his best for him. taking the stick, he went to the door. he trod lightly, but in the stillness of the forest the man heard him, and glanced round as he came out. seeing the stick in his hand he leaped up, exclaiming, "you young fool!" and sprang towards him. he had scarce time to feel surprise, as charlie quickly raised the club. it described a swift sweep, fell full on his head, and he dropped to the ground as if shot. charlie ran in again, seized a coil of rope, bound his hands and feet securely, and dragged him into the hut. then he dashed some cold water on his face. the man opened his eyes, and tried to move. "you are too tightly bound to move, pauloff," he said. "i could have killed you if i had chosen, but i did not wish to. you have not been unkind to me, and i owe you no grudge; but tell your rascally employer that i will be even with him, someday, for the evil he has done me." "you might as well have killed me," the man said, "for he will do so when he finds i let you escape." "then my advice to you is, be beforehand with him. you are as strong a man as he is, and if i were in your place, and a man who meant to kill me came into a lonely hut like this, i would take precious good care that he had no chance of carrying out his intentions." charlie then took two loaves of black bread and a portion of goat's flesh from the cupboard; found a bottle about a quarter full of coarse spirits, filled it up with water and put it in his pocket, and then, after taking possession of the long knife his captive wore in his belt, went out of the hut and closed the door behind him. he had purposely moved slowly about the hut, as he made these preparations, in order that the jew should believe that he was still weak; but, indeed, the effort of dragging the man into the hut had severely taxed his strength, and he found that he was much weaker than he had supposed. the hut stood in a very small clearing, and charlie had no difficulty in seeing the track by which the cart had come, for the marks of the wheels were still visible in the soft soil. he followed this until, after about two miles' walking, he came to the edge of the wood. then he retraced his steps for a quarter of a mile, turned off, and with some difficulty made his way into a patch of thick undergrowth, where, after first cutting a formidable cudgel, he lay down, completely exhausted. late in the afternoon he was aroused from a doze by the sound of footsteps, and, looking through the screen of leaves, he saw his late jailers hurrying along the path. the charcoal burner carried a heavy axe, while the jew, whose head was bound up with a cloth, had a long knife in his girdle. they went as far as the end of the forest, and then retraced their steps slowly. they were talking loudly, and charlie could gather, from the few words he understood, and by their gestures, something of the purport of their conversation. "i told you it was of no use your coming on as far as this," the jew said. "why, he was hardly strong enough to walk." "he managed to knock you down, and afterwards to drag you into the house," the other said. "it does not require much strength to knock a man down with a heavy club, when he is not expecting it, conrad. he certainly did drag me in, but he was obliged to sit down afterwards, and i watched him out of one eye as he was making his preparations, and he could only just totter about. i would wager you anything he cannot have gone two hundred yards from the house. that is where we must search for him. i warrant we shall find him hidden in a thicket thereabouts." "we shall have to take a lantern then, for it will be dark before we get back." "our best plan will be to leave it alone till morning. if we sit outside the hut, and take it in turns to watch, we shall hear him when he moves, which he is sure to do when it gets dark. it will be a still night, and we should hear a stick break half a mile away. we shall catch him, safe enough, before he has gone far." "well, i hope we shall have him back before ben soloman comes," the charcoal burner said, "or it will be worse for both of us. you know as well as i do he has got my neck in a noose, and he has got his thumb on you." "if we can't find this swede, i would not wait here for any money. i would fly at once." "you would need to fly, in truth, to get beyond ben soloman's clutches," the charcoal burner said gruffly. "he has got agents all over the country." "then what would you do?" "there is only one thing to do. it is our lives or his. when he rides up tomorrow, we will meet him at the door as if nothing had happened, and, with my axe, i will cleave his head asunder as he comes in. if he sees me in time to retreat, you shall stab him in the back. then we will dig a big hole in the wood, and throw him in, and we will kill his horse and bury it with him. "who would ever be the wiser? i was going to propose it last time, only i was not sure of you then; but, now that you are in it as deep as i am--deeper, indeed, for he put you here specially to look after this youngster--your interest in the matter is as great as mine." the jew was silent for some time, then he said: "he has got papers at home which would bring me to the gallows." "pooh!" the other said. "you do not suppose that, when it is found that he does not return, and his heirs open his coffers, they will take any trouble about what there may be in the papers there, except such as relate to his money. i will warrant there are papers there which concern scores of men besides you, for i know that ben soloman likes to work with agents he has got under his thumb. but, even if all the papers should be put into the hands of the authorities, what would come of it? they have got their hands full of other matters, for the present, and with the swedes on their frontier, and the whole country divided into factions, who do you think is going to trouble to hunt up men for affairs that occurred years ago? even if they did, they would not catch you. they have not got the means of running you down that ben soloman has. "i tell you, man, it must be done. there is no other way out of it." "well, conrad, if we cannot find this fellow before ben soloman comes, i am with you in the business. i have been working for him on starvation pay for the last three years, and hate him as much as you can." when they reached the hut they cooked a meal, and then prepared to keep alternate watch. charlie slept quietly all night, and, in the morning, remained in his hiding place until he heard, in the distance, the sound of a horse's tread. then he went out and sat down, leaning against a tree by the side of the path, in an attitude of exhaustion. presently he saw ben soloman approaching. he got up feebly, and staggered a few paces to another tree, farther from the path. he heard an angry shout, and then ben soloman rode up, and, with a torrent of execrations at the carelessness of the watchers, leapt from his horse and sprang to seize the fugitive, whom he regarded as incapable of offering the slightest resistance. charlie straightened himself up, as if with an effort, and raised his cudgel. "i will not be taken alive," he said. ben soloman drew his long knife from his girdle. "drop that stick," he said, "or it will be worse for you." "it cannot be worse than being tortured to death, as you said." the jew, with an angry snarl, sprang forward so suddenly and unexpectedly that he was within the swing of charlie's cudgel before the latter could strike. he dropped the weapon at once, and caught the wrist of the uplifted hand that held the knife. the jew gave a cry of astonishment and rage, as they clasped each other, and he found that, instead of an unresisting victim, he was in a powerful grasp. for a moment there was a desperate struggle. the jew would, at ordinary times, have been no match for charlie, but the latter was far from having regained his normal strength. his fury at the treatment he had received at the man's hands, however, enabled him, for the moment, to exert himself to the utmost, and, after swaying backwards and forwards in desperate strife for a minute, they went to the ground with a crash, ben soloman being undermost. the jew's grasp instantly relaxed, and charlie, springing to his feet and seizing his cudgel, stood over his fallen antagonist. the latter, however, did not move. his eyes were open in a fixed stare. charlie looked at him in surprise for a moment, thinking he was stunned, then he saw that his right arm was twisted under him in the fall, and at once understanding what had happened, turned him half over. he had fallen on the knife, which had penetrated to the haft, killing him instantly. "i didn't mean to kill you," charlie said aloud, "much as you deserve it, and surely as you would have killed me, if i had refused to act as a traitor. i would have broken your head for you, but that was all. however, it is as well as it is. it adds to my chance of getting away, and i have no doubt there will be many who will rejoice when you are found to be missing. "now," he went on, "as your agents emptied my pockets, it is no robbery to empty yours. money will be useful, and so will your horse." he stooped over the dead man, and took the purse from his girdle, when suddenly there was a rush of feet, and in a moment he was seized. the thought flashed through his mind that he had fallen into the power of his late guardians, but a glance showed that the men standing round were strangers. "well, comrade, and who are you?" the man who was evidently the leader asked. "you have saved us some trouble. we were sleeping a hundred yards or two away, when we heard the horseman, and saw, as he passed, he was the jew of warsaw, to whom two or three of us owe our ruin, and it did not need more than a word for us to agree to wait for him till he came back. we were surprised when we saw you, still more so when the jew jumped from his horse and attacked you. we did not interfere, because, if he had got the best of you, he might have jumped on his horse and ridden off, but directly he fell we ran out, but you were so busy in taking the spoil that you did not hear us. "i see the jew is dead; fell on his own knife. it is just as well for him, for we should have tied him to a tree, and made a bonfire of him, if we had caught him." charlie understood but little of this, but said when the other finished: "i understand but little polish." "what are you then--a russian? you do not look like one." "i am an englishman, and am working in the house of allan ramsay, a scotch trader in warsaw." "well, you are a bold fellow anyhow, and after the smart way in which you disposed of this jew, and possessed yourself of his purse, you will do honour to our trade." "i hope you will let me go," charlie said. "my friends in warsaw will pay a ransom for me, if you will let me return there." "no, no, young fellow. you would of course put down this jew's death to our doing, and we have weight enough on our backs already. he is a man of great influence, and all his tribe would be pressing on the government to hunt us down. you shall go with us, and the purse you took from ben soloman will pay your footing." charlie saw that it would be useless to try and alter the man's decision, especially as he knew so little of the language. he therefore shrugged his shoulders, and said that he was ready to go with them, if it must be so. the jew's body was now thoroughly searched. various papers were found upon him, but, as these proved useless to the brigands, they were torn up. "shall we take the horse with us?" one of the men asked the leader. "no, it would be worse than useless in the forest. leave it standing here. it will find its way back in time. then there will be a search, and there will be rejoicing in many a mansion throughout the country, when it is known that ben soloman is dead. they say he has mortgages on a score of estates, and, though i suppose these will pass to others of his tribe, they can hardly be as hard and mercenary as this man was. "i wonder what he was doing in this forest alone? let us follow the path, and see where he is going. "honred, you have a smattering of several languages, try then if you can make our new comrade understand." the man tried in russian without success, then he spoke in swedish, in which language charlie at once replied. "where does this pathway lead to?" "to a hut where a charcoal burner lives. i have been imprisoned there for the last fortnight. it was all the jew's doing. it was through him that i got this knock here;" and he pointed to the unhealed wound at the back of his head. "well, we may as well pay them a visit," the chief said, when this was translated to him. "we are short of flour, and they may have some there, and maybe something else that will be useful." chapter : with brigands. the man who had spoken to charlie drew the long knife from the back of the jew, wiped it on the grass, and handed it to him. "that ought to be your property," he said. "it has done you good service." not sorry to have a weapon in addition to his cudgel, charlie placed it in his belt, and then started with the bandits. he would not have cared to face the charcoal burner alone; but now that the band regarded him as enrolled among their number, he felt no uneasiness respecting him. when they issued from the trees, the jew was seen standing at the door of the hut. he at once ran in on seeing them, and came out again, accompanied by the charcoal burner, who carried his axe on his shoulder. the jew started, on catching sight of charlie among the ranks of the brigands, and said a word or two to his companion. "well, master charcoal burner," the leader of the party said, "how is it that honest woodmen consort with rogues of the town?" "i don't know that they do so, willingly," the man said gruffly. "but some of us, to our cost, have put our heads into nooses, and the rogues of the town have got hold of the other end of the ropes, and we must just walk as we are told to." "well, that is true enough," the brigand said. "and you, jew, what are you doing here?" "i am like conrad," he replied, sulkily. "it is not only countrymen who have their necks in a noose, and i have to do what i am ordered." "by a bigger rogue than yourself?" "that is so; bigger and cleverer." "you are expecting him here now, our new comrade tells us. well, you need expect him no longer. he will not come. if you will go along the path, you will come upon his body, and may bury him if you like to take the trouble." an exclamation of satisfaction broke from the two men. "you have done us a service, indeed," the charcoal burner said. "we had thought to do it for ourselves, this morning, for after the escape of him you call your new comrade, he would have shown us no mercy." "you may thank our new comrade, and not us," the brigand said. "we only arrived on the spot when it was all over." the jew looked at charlie in astonishment. "what! did he kill ben soloman?" "that did he; or rather, the jew killed himself. there was a grapple hand to hand, and a wrestle. the jew fell undermost, and was pierced with his own knife." "but the lad is but just out of a sickbed, and has no strength for a struggle, and ben soloman, though past middle life, was strong and active." "neither strong enough nor active enough," the man laughed. "you have been nicely taken in. who would have thought that two jews and a pole would have been cheated by an english lad? his face shows that he has been ill, and doubtless he has not yet recovered his full strength, but he was strong enough, anyhow, to overthrow ben soloman. "now, what have you in the hut? we are in need of provisions." the hut was ransacked; the flour, two bottles of spirits, and a skin of wine seized, and the meat cut up and roasted over the fire. after the meal was eaten, the captain called upon charlie to tell his story more fully, and this he did, with the aid of the man who spoke swedish; starting, however, only at the point when he was attacked in the street, as he felt it better to remain silent as to his connection with the swedish army. "but what was the cause of ben soloman's hostility to you?" "there are some in warsaw who are of opinion that augustus of saxony has done much harm to poland, in engaging without cause in the war against charles of sweden, and who think that it would be well that he should be dethroned, and some other prince made king in his place. to this party many of the traders belong, and the jew had reason to think that i was acquainted with the design, and could give the names of those concerned in it. there was really no plot against augustus, but it was only intended that a popular demonstration against his rule should be made. but soloman wanted me to give evidence that there was a conspiracy against the king's life, so that he might gain great credit by exposing it, and might at the same time rid himself of many of his rivals in the trade." "he was an artful fox," the leader of the brigands said, when this had been translated to him. "but where is the jew he put over you?" three or four of the men sprang to their feet and ran out, but the jew was nowhere to be seen. the captain was furious, and abused his men right and left, while his anger was in no way mitigated when one of them told him that, if he had wanted the jew kept, he should have given one of them orders to look after him. this was so evident that the chief was silenced for a moment. "how long is it since any of you saw him last?" "he went round with the wineskin, and filled our cups just as we sat down to breakfast," one of the men said. "i have not noticed him since." nor had any of the others. "then it will be no use to pursue. he has had more than half an hour's start, and long before this he will have mounted ben soloman's horse, and have ridden off. "well, comrade," he said, turning to charlie, "this settles your movements. i was but half in earnest before as to your joining us; but it is clear now that there's nothing else for you to do, for the present. this fellow will, directly he gets to warsaw, denounce you as the murderer of his master. that he is sure to do to avert suspicion from himself, and, if you were to return there, it would go hard with you. so, for a time, you must throw in your lot with us." when this was translated to charlie, he saw at once the force of the argument. he could not have denied that the jew had fallen in a hand-to-hand struggle with himself, and, were he to appear in warsaw, he might be killed by the co-religionists of ben soloman; or, if he escaped this, might lie in a dungeon for months awaiting his trial, and perhaps be finally executed. there was nothing for him now but to rejoin the swedes, and it would be some time, yet, before he would be sufficiently recovered to undertake such a journey. "i should not mind, if i could send a letter to allan ramsay, to tell him what has befallen me. he will be thinking i am dead, and will, at any rate, be in great anxiety about me." "i have taken a liking to you, young fellow," the leader said, "and will send in one of my men to warsaw with a letter; that is, if you can write one." "yes, i can write. fortunately there are paper, pen, and an ink horn on that shelf. ben soloman brought them the last time he came, to write down the lies he wanted me to testify to. i am greatly obliged to you, and will do it at once." as he had, only the day before he was attacked, sent off a messenger to count piper, telling him all he had done the previous week, there was no occasion to repeat this, and he had only to give an account of his capture, and the events that had since occurred. "you see," he said, "i cannot return to warsaw. the jew who was here unfortunately heard that it was in a struggle with me ben soloman was killed, and he will, of course, denounce me as his murderer, though the deed was done in fair fight. i should have all his tribe against me, and might be imprisoned for months awaiting trial. i am still very weak, and could not attempt the journey to the frontier. i am, however, gaining strength, and, as soon as i am quite recovered, i shall take the first opportunity of leaving the men i am with, and making for the swedish camp. please forward this news by a sure hand to count piper, and express my sorrow that my mission has not been completed, although, indeed, i do not think that my further stay at warsaw would have been any great service, for it is clear that the great majority of the traders will not move in the matter until the swedes advance, and, from their point of view, it is not to their interest to do so. "i know but little of the men i am with at present, beyond the fact that they are bandits, nor can i say whether they are disbanded soldiers, or criminals who have escaped from justice; but at any rate they show me no ill will. i have no doubt i shall be able to get on fairly with them, until i am able to make my escape. i wish i had poor stanislas with me. only one of the men here speaks swedish, and he does not know very much of the language. i cannot say, at present, whether the twenty men here are the whole of the band, or whether they are only a portion of it. nor do i know whether the men subsist by plundering the peasants, or venture on more serious crimes. thanking you for your great kindness during my stay at warsaw, i remain, yours gratefully-- "charlie carstairs." while he was occupied in writing this letter, an animated conversation was going on between the bandits. charlie gathered that this related to their future operations, but more than this he could not learn. in a postscript to the letter, he requested allan ramsay to hand over to the bearer some of the clothes left in his lodgings, and to pay him for his trouble. "as to the money i left in your hands, i do not think it worth while for you to send it. however much these men may consider me a comrade, i have not sufficient faith in their honesty to believe that money would reach me safely; but, if you send me a suit of clothes, two or three gold pieces might be wrapped up in a piece of cloth and shoved into the toe of a shoe. the parcel must be a small one, or there would be little chance of the man carrying it far. i will ask him, however, to bring me a sword, if you will buy one for me, and my pistols." he folded up the letter and gave it to the captain. there was no means of fastening it, but this mattered little, because, being written in english, there was no chance of its being read. the captain handed it to one of the men, with instructions for its delivery. the messenger started at once. the others, after remaining a short time in the hut, set out through the forest. after an hour's walking, charlie was unable to go further. the captain, seeing this, ordered four of the men to stop with him, and to follow the next morning. as soon as he had gone on with the rest of the band, the men set about collecting sticks and making a fire. charlie, who was utterly exhausted, threw himself on the ground, and was not long before he fell sound asleep. when he awoke, the shades of evening were already falling, and the men were sitting over the fire, roasting a portion of a goat, one of a flock they had fallen in with in the wood, where large numbers roamed about in a semi-wild state. the man who could speak swedish was one of those who had remained with him, and, from him, he learnt that the present headquarters of the band were some six miles farther away. this distance was performed next morning, frequent halts being made to enable him to sit down and rest; and it was not till five hours after the start that they arrived. overgrown as it now was, with trees and undergrowth, he could see that a village once stood there. it must, however, have been abandoned a very long time, as trees of considerable size grew among the low walls and piles of stones that marked where cottages had stood. the place occupied by the brigands had, in former times, been a castellated building of some strength, standing on a knoll in the middle of the village, which had probably been inhabited by the retainers of its owner. part of the wall had fallen, but a large arched room, that had doubtless been the banqueting hall of the castle, remained almost intact, and here the brigands had established themselves. several fires burned on the flagged floors, the smoke finding its way out through holes and crevices in the roof. some fifty men were gathered round these, and were occupied in cooking their midday meal. "i am glad to see that you have arrived," the captain said, coming across to charlie. "i expected you two hours ago, and intended, as soon as we had finished our meal, to send out another four men to meet you and help to carry you in." "thank you," charlie said. "it is not the men's fault we are late, but the last part of the way we came on very slowly. i was getting so exhausted that i had to stop every few hundred yards." "well, you had better eat something, and then lie down for a sleep. meat is plentiful with us, for there are thousands of goats in the forest, and occasionally we get a deer or wild boar. if we had but bread and wine we should live like nobles. our supplies, however, are low at present, and we shall have to make an expedition, tomorrow or next day, to replenish them." charlie ate a few mouthfuls of meat, and then lay down and slept, for some hours, on a bed of leaves. he was awoke by loud and excited talking among the men, and learnt from honred that one of the men, who had been left on watch at the mouth of the path by which he had entered the forest, had just brought in the news that a party of a hundred infantry, led by the jew, had arrived with a cart. in this the body of ben soloman had been sent off, while the troops had established themselves in the little clearing round the hut. "this comes of letting that jew escape," the captain said. "no doubt he told the story his own way, and the jewish traders went to the governor and asked that troops should be sent to root us out. well, they are far enough away at present, and i have sent off to have their movements watched. it is a good nine miles, from here to the hut, and they may look for a week before they find this place, unless that rascally jew has heard of it from the woodman, or they get hold of the fellow himself, though i should think they will hardly do that. i fancy he has some cause of quarrel with the authorities, and will not put himself in the way of being questioned closely, if he can help it." the next morning when charlie awoke, two men were standing beside him. his eyes first fell on the one who had been to the town, and who held a large bundle in his hand. then he turned his eyes to the other, and gave an exclamation of pleasure, as he saw that it was stanislas. he looked pale and weak, and was evidently just recovering from a severe illness. "why, stanislas!" he exclaimed. "this is a pleasure, indeed. i never for a moment dreamt of seeing you. i heard from the jew who guarded me that you got away, but i was afraid that you had been badly wounded. why, my brave fellow, what brings you here?" "i have come to be with your honour," the man said. "it was, of course, my duty to be by your side. i was very ill for a week, for i had half a dozen wounds, but i managed, after the assailants left me, to crawl back to mr. ramsay's to tell him what had happened. i don't remember much about the next few days. since then i have been mending rapidly. none of the wounds were very serious, and it was more loss of blood, than anything else, that ailed me. mr. ramsay searched high and low for you, and we had all given you up for dead, till a few hours before this man arrived with your letter. "we heard you had killed ben soloman. i had a long talk with your messenger, who received a handsome present from mr. ramsay, and he agreed to conduct me here, upon my solemn promise that, if the captain would not receive me, i would not give any information, on my return, as to the whereabouts of the band. mr. ramsay hired a light cart, and that brought us yesterday far into the forest. we camped there, and i had not more than a couple of miles to walk to get here this morning." "have you seen the captain?" charlie asked eagerly. "yes. i was stopped by some sentries, a quarter of a mile away, and was kept there while my guide came on and got permission of the captain for me to be brought in. when i met him, i had no great difficulty in persuading him to let me stop, for mr. ramsay had given me fifty rix-dollars to give him; and so, your honour, here i am, and here is a letter from mr. ramsay himself." "i cannot tell you how glad i am to have you, stanislas. i am getting better, but i am so weak that i took five hours, yesterday, to get six miles. now i have got you to talk to, i shall pick up strength faster than i have been doing, for it has been very dull work having no one who could understand me. there is only one man here who understands a word of swedish." "we will soon get you round, sir, never fear. i have brought with me four casks of wine. they were left at the place where the cart stopped last night, but the captain has sent off men already to bring them in. you will be all the better for a suit of clean clothes." "that i shall. it is a month now since i had a change, and my jerkin is all stained with blood. i want a wash more than anything; for there was no water near the hut, and the charcoal burner used to bring in a small keg from a spring he passed on his way to his work. that was enough for drinking, but not enough for washing--a matter which never seemed to have entered into his head, or that of the jew, as being in the slightest degree necessary." "there is a well just outside," stanislas said. "i saw them drawing water in buckets as we came in. i suppose it was the well of this castle, in the old time." "i will go and have a wash, and change my clothes the first thing," charlie said. "mr. ramsay's letter will keep till after that." they went out to the well together. "so you heard the story, that i had killed ben soloman, before you left?" "yes; before your letter arrived, mr. ramsay sent for me, and told me a jewish trader had just informed him that news had come that ben soloman had been murdered, and the deed had been done by the young scotchman who had been with him. mr. ramsay did not believe the story in the slightest. he admitted that ben soloman might have been murdered, and even said frankly that, hated as he was, it was the most natural end for him to come to; but that you should have done so was, he said, absurd. in the first place, he did not think that you were alive; and in the second, it was far more probable that you had been murdered by ben soloman, than that he should have been murdered by you. "however, even before your letter came, three or four hours later, there seemed no longer any doubt that you had killed the jew. by that time, there was quite an uproar among his people. he was the leader of their community, and had dealings with so many nobles that his influence was great; and, although he was little liked, he was regarded as an important person, and his loss was a very heavy one to the jewish community. a deputation went to the governor, and we heard that troops would be at once sent out to capture you, and the band of brigands you had joined. mr. ramsay told me that it was fortunate, indeed, that you had not returned to the city. but, no doubt, he has told you all that in the letter." "i feel quite another man, stanislas," charlie said, when he had changed his garments. "now i can read the letter you brought me." after expressing the great satisfaction he felt, at the news that charlie was alive, mr. ramsay went on to say that, even were he well, he could not return to warsaw in the present state of public feeling. "your story that you were attacked, grievously wounded, and, after being confined here for some days, carried away and confined in the wood, by order of ben soloman, and that he visited you there, would be treated with derision. the version given by the man who brought in the story of the jew's death was that he himself was staying in the cottage of a charcoal burner, an acquaintance of his, and that a party of brigands, of whom you were one, arrived there, and that they were boasting of having caused the death of ben soloman, who had fallen by your hand. he managed to escape from the brigands, and on the road found the dead body of his employer, who was, he knew, that morning coming out to give him some instructions. my opinion, and that of my friends who knew you, was that the fellow had himself killed and robbed his master; but your letter, of course, showed that his account was true to some extent--that ben soloman had fallen in a struggle with you, and that you yourself were a prisoner in the hands of these bandits. still, as it would be next to impossible for you to prove the truth of your story, and as the jews of the place, who are numerous and influential, are dead against you, your life would certainly be forfeited were you to be captured. "i know your story to be true, but it would appear wildly improbable, to others, that this wealthy jew should have conspired, in the first place, to cause an attack to be made upon an unknown young stranger, still less that he should have had him carried off to the forest, and should have gone to visit him there. the explanation that you were a swedish officer in disguise would not benefit you in any way, while it would involve us who knew you in your danger, and would cause the jew to be regarded as a man who had lost his life in endeavouring to unmask a plot against poland. therefore, i think it is extremely fortunate that you are, for the present, safe in the hands of these brigands, and should certainly advise you to make no attempt to leave them, until you are perfectly well and strong. "i have, as you directed me, hidden a few pieces of gold in your shoe, and have handed the rest of your money to your man, who is starting to join you. he will conceal it about him. i have just heard that a body of troops are starting at once for the forest, and that orders have been sent to other towns, to send detachments into it at different points, so it is evident the authorities are determined to catch you, if possible. if you had killed half a dozen traders in a smaller way, they would have cared little about it; but just at present, pressed as the king is by want of money, he is bound to do everything he can to please the jewish traders, as it is upon them that he must rely for loans for the payment of his troops. "in this matter, then, he will leave no stone unturned to gratify them, and i should strongly advise your band to move away from the neighbourhood, at any rate for a time. they may plunder whole villages with impunity, but what is regarded as the murder of the richest citizen of warsaw, a man mixed up in business and politics with half the principal nobles of the land, is a different matter altogether. do not think of trying to traverse the country until you are perfectly strong. it will be a dangerous business at the best, but with your man with you, to bear the brunt of replying to questions, i have every confidence that you will succeed in making your way through. as to this, i can give no advice, as there is no saying as to the point from which you may start, or the directions in which you may travel. "should you, at any time, find yourself in a town in which there are any of my countrymen established in trade, and you will find them nearly everywhere, use my name. i think it is pretty generally known to scotchmen in poland. you will see i have inclosed a note that will be useful to you." the inclosure contained only a few words: "i, allan ramsay, merchant of warsaw, do declare the bearer of this note to be my friend, and beg any countrymen of mine, to whom he may present himself, to assist him in every way, and, should he require money, to furnish him with it, i undertaking to make myself responsible for the same, and to pay all monies and other charges that he may incur." "the first thing to do," charlie said, as he placed the letters in his doublet, "is to let the leader of our band know that other bodies of troops, besides that at the hut, are about to enter the forest. he may decide that it is necessary to march away at once." as soon, indeed, as the outlaw received the tidings, he issued orders for the band to prepare for instant departure. "a party of five or six men together," he said to charlie, "might hide in this forest for years. but a band of fifty is too large to be long concealed. to begin with, they must get food, and must either buy it or hunt for it; and in the second, there are a considerable number of men living in the forest, charcoal burners and herders of goats and swine, and any of these, if questioned by the troops, might mention that they had seen a considerable number of men passing. as it is, we will break up into parties of seven or eight, and appoint a rendezvous where we may meet again." the band was speedily mustered, for, with the exception of those who were watching the forest through which the troops at the hut must march to reach them, the whole were close at hand. a messenger was sent off to call in the scouts. then the booty that had been taken during their late excursions was brought out, and emptied on the ground. it consisted of money and jewellery. it was divided into equal portions, of which each member took one, the lieutenants of the band two, and the captain three. "you don't share this time," the latter said to charlie; "but next time, of course, you and your comrade will each have your portion." when this was done, the men were told off in parties of six or seven, and instructions given as to the point of rendezvous. each band chose its own leader, and, in an hour from the reception of the news, the place was deserted, and the parties were making their way in different directions through the forest. charlie and stanislas formed part of the captain's own force, which numbered ten in all. "do you think they will all turn up at the meeting place?" charlie asked the leader, whose name he now ascertained was ladislas koffski. "they may," he said. "but it is seldom that bands, when they once disperse like this, ever come together again. it is impossible to content everyone, and any man who is chosen leader of a party may, if he is dissatisfied, persuade those with him to join some other band. even if they do not go in a body, many are sure to break off and make for their homes, to enjoy the booty they have gathered. "but, upon the other hand, as we go we shall gather up fresh recruits. with so many disbanded soldiers and discontented men roaming the country, there is no difficulty in getting as many men as one cares to keep together. "fifty is the outside that is advisable, for with more, even if one makes a good haul, it comes to so little, a head, that the men are dissatisfied. of course they work in small parties, but this does not succeed so well as when a small band are under a single leader." "how long have you been at this work?" "since last autumn." "and you find it pay?" "we do not get much in money. as you saw, there were but four rix dollars a head, and that is the result of a month's work. still, that is not bad for men who might otherwise starve. sometimes we do worse and sometimes better, but that is about the average. still, the life is a pleasant one, and unless we disbanded soldiers took to it, what would there be for us to do? if government would keep us on regular pay, there would soon be no brigands left, except the men who have escaped from justice. but the treasury is empty, and, even at the best of times, the troops are badly and irregularly paid, and are forced to plunder to keep life together. they are almost in rags, and though we poles do not mind fighting, there is generally a difficulty in getting sufficient infantry. as for the cavalry, they are nobles, and draw no pay. "how do you feel today?" "better. the night's rest, and a wash and change of clothes this morning, have made me feel another man. how far do you intend to march?" "we shall go slowly for a day or two. the other parties have all pushed on ahead fast, but by taking matters quietly, and by keeping a sharp lookout, we need have no great fear of being surprised. i know the forest well, and its thickest hiding places, so we can afford to travel slowly, and as you become accustomed to it you will be able to make longer journeys." for ten days they travelled through the forest, increasing their distance daily, as charlie regained his strength. the last day or two they did not make less than twenty miles a day. their faces were turned steadily east. occasionally they passed large tracts of cleared land, villages, and cultivated fields. at some of these they stopped and replenished their stock of flour, which they took without paying for it, but did no farther damage. of meat they had abundance. two or three men started each day as soon as they halted, and, in a short time, returned with a goat or young pig. "we are now close to the bug river," ladislas said at their last halting place. "tomorrow we shall meet some, at least, of our comrades. i do not expect a great many, for we were pretty equally divided as to the direction we should travel in. practically, we were safe from pursuit when we had gone fifteen miles, for the forest there spreads out greatly, and those in search of us would know that further pursuit would be useless. many of my men did not care about going farther, but all this part of the country has been so harried, for the last two or three years, that we thought it best to try altogether new ground. when we have crossed the bug we shall be beyond the forest, but there are great swamps and morasses, and hills with patches of wood. many streams take their rise there, all meeting farther on, and forming the dnieper. we must keep north of that river, for to the south the country is thinly populated, and we should have difficulty in maintaining ourselves." charlie made no comment, but he was glad to hear that the band intended to keep to the north of the dnieper, for that river would have formed a serious obstacle to his making his way to rejoin the swedes. the next day, they reached the bank of the bug, and, following the river down, came after an hour's walking upon a great fire, round which fifteen men were stretched. these, as the captain's party approached, rose to their feet with a shout of welcome. "that is better than i expected," ladislas said, as they came up to them. "five and twenty is quite enough for work here. in the forests one can do with more, but, moving steadily on, as we mean to do, till we get pretty near the eastern frontier, five and twenty is ample. it is enough, when together, to surprise a village; and it is not too many, travelling in twos and threes, to attract attention. things always go on better, too, after a dispersal. many who are discontented, or who want to command a band of their own, break off, and one starts fresh, with just the men one likes best to keep." "we had begun to give you up, captain," one of the men said, as he joined the other party. "we have been here six days." "we travelled but slowly, at first, and it is only the last two days we have really made fair journeys; but there was no reason for any great haste. the world is all our own, and, at any rate, as long as we were in the forest, there was no fear of wanting food. "so i see some of our comrades have left us." "we can do very well without them, captain. there were thirty of us here two days ago. essos and polinski quarrelled, and essos was killed. then polinski wanted us to elect him captain, and to move away at once. four or five, who have always been grumblers, joined him at once, and persuaded some of the others, till we were about equally divided. it came pretty nearly to a fight; but neither liked to begin, and they moved away." "there are quite enough of us left," ladislas said. "as to essos and polinski, i am heartily glad that they have gone. i know they have both been scheming for the leadership for some time. most of the others can be very well spared, too. there are plenty of us here for travel. there is no doubt, as we agreed before starting, that there is not much more to be done in this part of the country. what with the civil wars, and the bands of soldiers without a leader, and others like ourselves who do not mean to starve, the peasants have been wrought up into a state of desperation. they have little left to lose, but what they have got they are ready to fight to the death for, and, lately, at the first alarm they have sounded the bells and assembled for miles round, and, equipped with scythes and flails, routed those who meddled with them. we had more than one hot fight, and lost many good men. besides, many of the nobles who have suffered have turned out, with their followers, and struck heavy blows at some of the bands; so that the sooner we get out of this country, which is becoming a nest of hornets, the better, for there is little booty and plenty of hard blows to be got. "we will go on, as we agreed, till near the eastern frontier. the country is well covered with forest there, and we can sally out on which side we like, for, if there is not much gold to be had in the russian villages, there is plenty of vodka, and sometimes things worth taking in their churches. the priests and headmen, too, have generally got a little store, which can be got at with the aid of a few hot coals, or a string twisted tight enough round a thumb. at any rate we sha'n't starve; but we must move on pretty fast, for we shall have to get up a warm hut in the forest, and to lay in a stock of provisions before the winter sets in. so we must only stop to gather a little plunder when a good opportunity offers." chapter : treed by wolves. charlie and stanislas were, that evening, sitting apart from the rest, at a short distance from the fire, talking over the future. they agreed that it would be comparatively easy to withdraw from the band as they journeyed forward, if, as seemed likely, they travelled in very small parties. if, indeed, they found themselves with two others, they could leave openly, for these would scarcely care to enter upon a desperate struggle, merely for the sake of retaining two unwilling companions in the band. the difficulties would only begin when they started alone. as they were talking, the captain came across to them. "i can guess," he said, "that you are talking together as to the future. i like you, young englishman, and i like your companion, who seems an honest fellow, but i would not keep you with me by force. i understand that you are not placed as we are. we have to live. most of us would live honestly if we could, but at present it is the choice of doing as we do, or starving. we occasionally take a few crowns, if we come across a fat trader, or may ease a rich farmer of his hoard, but it is but seldom such a chance comes in our way. as a rule, we simply plunder because we must live. it is different with you. your friends may be far away, but if you can get to them you would have all that you need. therefore, this life, which is hard and rough, to say nothing of its danger, does not suit you; but for all that, you must stay with us, for it would be madness for you to attempt to escape. "as i told you, the peasants are maddened, and would kill any passing stranger as they would a wild beast. they would regard him as a spy of some band like ours, or of a company of disbanded soldiers, sent forward to discover which houses and villages are best worth plundering. in your case, you have other dangers to fear. you may be sure that news has been sent from warsaw to all the different governors, with orders for your arrest for killing ben soloman, and these orders will be transmitted to every town and village. your hair and eyes would at once betray you as strangers, and your ignorance of the language would be fatal to you. if, therefore, you escaped being killed as a robber by the peasants, you would run the risk of arrest at the first town or village you entered. "translate that to him, stanislas. he is learning our language fast, but he cannot understand all that." "that is just what we were talking about," charlie said, when stanislas had repeated the captain's speech, "and the danger seems too great to be risked. think you, that when we get farther to the east, we shall be able to make our way more easily up into livonia?" "much more easily, because the forest is more extensive there; but not until the winter is over. the cold will be terrible, and it would be death to sleep without shelter. besides, the forests are infested with wolves, who roam about in packs, and would scent and follow and devour you. but when spring comes, you can turn your faces to the north, and leave us if you think fit, and i promise you that no hindrance shall be thrown in your way. i only ask you not to risk your lives by trying now to pass through poland alone." "i think you are right, ladislas, and i promise you that we will not attempt to leave you during our journey east. as you say, it would be impossible for us to travel after winter had once set in. it is now the end of september." "and it will be november before we reach our destination. we shall not travel fast. we have no motive for doing so. we have to live by the way, and to gather a little money to help us through the winter. we may shoot a bear or an elk sometimes, a few deer, and hares, but we shall want two or three sacks of flour, and some spirits. for these we must either get money, or take the goods. the first is the best, for we have no means of dragging heavy weights with us, and it would not do to infuriate the peasants by plundering any of them within twenty miles of the place where we mean to winter. that would set them all against us." "i tell you frankly, ladislas, that we shall not be willing to aid in any acts of robbery. of course, when one is with an army one has to plunder on a large scale, and it has often gone terribly against the grain, when i have had to join parties sent out to forage. but it has to be done. i would rather not join men in taking food, yet i understand that it may be necessary. but as to taking money, i will have nothing to do with it. at the same time, i understand that we cannot share your food, and be with you, without doing something. stanislas has brought me a little money from warsaw, and i shall be ready to pay into the common treasury a sum sufficient to pay for our share of the food. as to money taken, we shall not expect any share of it. if you are attacked, we shall of course fight, and shall be ready to do our full share in all work. so, at any rate, you will not be losers by taking us with you." "that is fair enough," the captain said, when stanislas had translated what charlie said, suppressing, however, his remarks about foraging with the army, as the brigands were ignorant that charlie and he had any connection with the swedes, or that he was not, as he had given out, a young englishman come out to set up as a trader. the band now journeyed slowly on, keeping near the north bank of the dnieper. they went by twos and threes, uniting sometimes and entering a village or surrounding a farmhouse at night, and taking what they wanted. the people were, however, terribly poor, and they were able to obtain but little beyond scanty supplies of flour, and occasionally a few gold or silver trinkets. many other bands of plunderers had passed along, in the course of the summer, and the robbers themselves were often moved to pity by the misery that they everywhere met with. when in small parties they were obliged to avoid entering any villages, for once or twice furious attacks were made upon those who did so, the women joining the men in arming themselves with any weapon that came to hand, and in falling upon the strangers. only once did they succeed in obtaining plunder of value. they had visited a village, but found it contained nothing worth taking. one of the women said: "why do you trouble poor people like us? there is the count's chateau three miles away. they have every luxury there, while we are starving." after leaving the village, the man to whom she had spoken repeated what she had said, and it was agreed to make the attempt. at the first cottage they came to they made further inquiries, and found that the lord of the soil was very unpopular; for, in spite of the badness of the times, he insisted on receiving his rents without abatement, and where money was not forthcoming, had seized cattle and horses, assessing them at a price far below what they would have fetched at the nearest market. they therefore marched to the house. it was a very large one. the captain thoughtfully placed charlie and stanislas among the six men who were to remain without, to prevent any of the inmates leaving the chateau. with the rest, he made a sudden attack on the great door of the house, and beat it down with a heavy sledge hammer. just as it gave way, some shots were fired from the inside, but they rushed in, overpowered the servants, and were soon masters of the place. in half an hour they came out again, laden with booty. each man carried half a dozen bottles of choice wine, from the count's cellar, slung at his belt. on their shoulders they carried bundles containing silver cups and other valuables; while six of them had bags of silver money, that had been extracted from the count by threats of setting fire to the chateau, and burning him and his family. a halt was made two or three miles away, when the silver was divided into shares as usual, the men being well satisfied when they learned that charlie and his companion claimed no part of it. some of the provisions they had also taken were eaten. each man had a flask of wine, with which the count's health was derisively drunk. "this has been a good night's work," the leader said, "and you have each sixty rix dollars in your pockets, which is more than you have had for months past. that will keep us in provisions and spirits all through the winter; but mind, although we took it without much trouble, we have not heard the last of the business. no doubt, by this time, the count has sent off a messenger to the nearest town where there are troops, and, for a day or two, we shall have to march fast and far. it is one thing to plunder villages, and another to meddle with a rich nobleman." for the next forty-eight hours they marched by night instead of by day, keeping always together, and prepared to resist an attack. one morning they saw, from their hiding place among some high reeds near the river, a body of about sixty horsemen ride past at a distance. they were evidently searching for something, for parties could be seen to break off several times, and to enter woods and copses, the rest halting till they came out again. as the band had with them enough food for another three days, they remained for thirty-six hours in their hiding place, and then, thinking the search would by that time be discontinued, went on again. the next day they killed two or three goats from a herd, the boy in charge of them making off with such speed that, though hotly pursued and fired at several times, he made his escape. they carried the carcasses to a wood, lit a fire, and feasted upon them. then, having cooked the rest of the flesh, they divided it among the band. by this time the wine was finished. the next day they again saw horsemen in the distance, but remained in hiding till they had disappeared in the afternoon. they then went into a village, but scarcely had they proceeded up the street when the doors were opened, and from every house men rushed out armed with flails, clubs, and axes, and fell upon them furiously, shouting "death to the robbers!" they had evidently received warning that a band of plunderers were approaching, and everything had been prepared for them. the band fought stoutly, but they were greatly outnumbered, and, as but few of them carried firearms, they had no great advantage in weapons. charlie and stanislas, finding that their lives were at stake, were forced to take part in the fray, and both were with the survivors of the band, who at last succeeded in fighting their way out of the village, leaving half their number behind them, while some twenty of the peasants had fallen. reduced now to twelve men and the captain, they thought only of pushing forward, avoiding all villages, and only occasionally visiting detached houses for the sake of obtaining flour. the country became more thinly populated as they went on, and there was a deep feeling of satisfaction when, at length, their leader pointed to a belt of trees in the distance, and said: "that is the beginning of the forest. a few miles farther, and we shall be well within it." by nightfall they felt, for the first time since they had set out on their journey, that they could sleep in safety. a huge fire was lit, for the nights were now becoming very cold, and snow had fallen occasionally for the last four or five days, and in the open country was lying some inches deep. the next day they journeyed a few miles farther, and then chose a spot for the erection of a hut. it was close to a stream, and the men at once set to work, with axes, to fell trees and clear a space. it was agreed that the captain and two of the men, of the most pacific demeanour, should go to the nearest town, some forty miles away, to lay in stores. they were away five days, and then returned with the welcome news that a cart, laden with flour and a couple of barrels of spirits, was on a country track through the forest a mile and a half away. "how did you manage, captain?" charlie asked. "we went to the house of a well-to-do peasant, about a mile from the borders of the wood. i told him frankly that we belonged to a band who were going to winter in the forest, that we would do him no harm if he would give us his aid, but that if he refused he would soon have his place burnt over his head. as we said we were ready to pay a fair sum for the hire of his cart, he did not hesitate a moment about making the choice. the other two remained at his cottage, so as to keep his family as hostages for his good faith, and i went with him to the town, where we bought six sacks of good flour and the two barrels of spirits. we got a few other things--cooking pots and horns, and a lot of coarse blankets, and a thick sheepskin coat for each man. they are all in the car. i see that you have got the hut pretty nearly roofed in, so, in a day or two, we shall be comfortable." they went in a body to the place where the cart had been left, but it required two journeys before its contents were all transported to the hut. another three days and this was completed. it was roughly built of logs, the interstices being filled in with moss. there was no attempt at a door, an opening being left four feet high and eighteen inches wide for the purpose of an entry. the skin of a deer they had shot, since they arrived, was hung up outside; and a folded rug inside. there was no occasion for windows. a certain amount of light made its way in by an orifice, a foot square, that had been left in the roof for the escape of smoke. the hut itself consisted of one room only, about eighteen feet square. when this was finished, all hands set to work to pile up a great stack of firewood, close to the door, so as to save them from the necessity of going far, until snow had ceased falling, and winter had set in in earnest. the cart had brought six carcasses of sheep, that had been purchased from a peasant; these were hung up outside the hut to freeze hard, and the meat was eaten only once a day, as it would be impossible to obtain a fresh supply, until the weather became settled enough to admit of their hunting. the preparations were but just finished when the snow began to fall heavily. for a week it came down without intermission, the wind howled among the trees, and even charlie, half stifled as he was by the smoke, felt no inclination to stir out, except for half an hour's work to clear away the snow from the entrance, and to carry in wood from the pile. the time passed more cheerfully than might have been expected. he had by this time begun to talk polish with some facility, and was able to understand the stories that the men told, as they sat round the fire; sometimes tales of adventures they themselves had gone through, sometimes stories of the history of poland, its frequent internal wars, and its struggles with the turks. making bread and cooking occupied some portion of the time, and much was spent in sleep. at the end of a week the snow ceased falling and the sun came out, and all were glad to leave the hut and enjoy the clear sky and the keen air. while they had been confined to the hut, two of the men had made a large number of snares for hares, and they at once started into the forest, to set these in spots where they saw traces of the animals' passage over the snow. the rest went off in parties of twos and threes in search of other game. with the exception of charlie, all were accustomed to the woods; but, as stanislas had much less experience than the others, the captain decided to go with them. "it is easy for anyone to lose his way here," he said. "in fact, except to one accustomed to the woods, it would be dangerous to go far away from the hut. as long as it is fine, you will find your way back by following your own tracks, but if the weather changed suddenly, and it came on to snow, your case would be hopeless. one of the advantages of placing our hut on a stream is that it forms a great aid to finding one's way back. if you strike it above, you follow it down; if below, upwards, until you reach the hut. of course you might wander for days and never hit it, still it is much more easy to find than a small object like the hut, though even when found, it would be difficult to decide whether it had been struck above or below the hut. "now, there is one rule if, at any time, you get lost. don't begin to wander wildly about, for, if you did, you would certainly walk in a circle, and might never be found again. sit down quietly and think matters over, eat if you have got any food with you; then examine the sky, and try to find out from the position of the sun, or the direction in which the clouds are going, which way the hut ought to lie. always take with you one of your pistols; if you fire it three times, at regular intervals, it will be a signal that you want help, and any of us who are within hearing will come to aid you." with the exception of hares, of which a good many were snared, the hunting was not productive. tracks of deer were seen not unfrequently, but it was extremely difficult, even when the animals were sighted, to get across the surface of the snow to within range of the clumsy arquebuses that two or three of the men carried. they did, however, manage to shoot a few by erecting a shelter, just high enough for one man to lie down under, and leaving it until the next snowstorm so covered it that it seemed but a knoll in the ground, or a low shrub bent down and buried under the weight of the snow. these shelters were erected close to paths taken by the deer, and, by lying patiently all day in them, the men occasionally managed to get a close shot. several bears were killed, and two elks. these afforded food for a long time, as the frozen flesh would keep until the return of spring. holes were made in the ice on the stream, and baited hooks being set every night, it was seldom that two or three fish were not found fast on them in the morning. altogether, therefore, there was no lack of food; and as, under the teaching of the captain, charlie in time learnt to be able to keep his direction through the woods, he was often able to go out, either with stanislas or alone, thus keeping clear of the close smoky hut during the hours of daylight. upon the whole he found the life by no means an unpleasant one. among the articles purchased by the captain were high boots, lined with sheepskin, coming up to the thigh. with these and the coats, which had hoods to pull over the head, charlie felt the cold but little during the day; while at night he found the hut often uncomfortably warm, sleeping, as they all did, in the same attire in which they went out. in february the weather became excessively severe, more so, the peasants and charcoal burners they occasionally met with declared, than they ever remembered. the wild animals became tamer, and in the morning when they went out, they frequently found tracks of bears that had been prowling round the hut in search of offal, or bones thrown out. they were now obliged to hang their supply of meat, by ropes, from boughs at some distance from the ground, by which means they were enabled to prevent the bears getting at it. they no longer dared to venture far from the hut, for large packs of wolves ranged through the forest, and, driven by hunger, even entered villages, where they attacked and killed many women and children, made their entrance into sheds, and tore dogs, horses, and cattle to pieces, and became at last so dangerous that the villagers were obliged to keep great fires burning in the streets at night, to frighten them away. several times the occupants of the hut were awakened by the whining and snarling of wolves outside. but the walls and roof were alike built of solid timber, and a roughly-made door of thick wood was now fastened, every night, against the opening, and so stoutly supported by beams behind it as to defy assault. beyond, therefore, a passing grumble at being awakened by the noise, the men gave themselves no trouble as to the savage animals outside. "if these brutes grow much bolder," the captain said one day, "we shall be prisoners here altogether. they must have come down from the great forest that extends over a large part of russia. the villages are scarce there, and the peasants take good care to keep all their beasts in shelter, so no doubt they are able to pick up more at the edge of the forest here." "how far are we from the russian frontier?" "i do not think anyone could tell you. for aught i know, we may be in russia now. these forests are a sort of no man's land, and i don't suppose any line of frontier has ever been marked. it is russia to the east of this forest, some thirty miles away, and it is poland to the west of it. the forest is no good to anyone except the charcoal burners. i have met both russians and poles in the wood, and, as there is plenty of room for all--ay, and would be were there a thousand to every one now working in it--they are on friendly terms with each other, especially as the two nations are, at present, allied against sweden." in spite of the wolves, charlie continued his walks in the forest, accompanied always by stanislas. both carried axes and pistols, and, although charlie had heard many tales of solitary men, and even of vehicles, being attacked by the wolves in broad daylight, he believed that most of the stories were exaggerations, and that the chances of two men being attacked in daylight were small, indeed. he had found that the track, by which the cart had brought the stores, was a good deal used, the snow being swept away or levelled by the runners of sledges, either those of peasants who came into the forest for wood or charcoal, or of travellers journeying between russia and poland. he generally selected this road for his walk, both because it was less laborious than wading through the untrodden snow, and because there was here no fear of losing his way, and he was spared the incessant watchfulness for signs that was necessary among the trees. at first he had frequently met peasants' carts on the road, but, since the cold became more severe and the wolves more numerous and daring, he no longer encountered them. he had indeed heard, from some of the last he saw, that they should come no more, for that the charcoal burners were all abandoning their huts, and going into the villages. one afternoon, when they had, on their return, nearly reached the spot where they left the road to strike across the forest to the hut, they heard a noise behind them. "that is a pack of wolves, in full cry!" stanislas exclaimed. "you had better get up into a tree. they are after something." they hastily clambered into a tree, whose lower branches were but six or seven feet from the ground. a moment later two horses, wild with fright, dashed past, while some twenty yards behind them came a pack of fifty or sixty wolves. they were almost silent now, with their red tongues hanging out. "the brutes have been attacking a sledge," stanislas said in a low tone. "you saw the horses were harnessed, and their broken traces were hanging by their side. it is easy to read the story. the sledge was attacked; the horses, mad with fear, broke their traces and rushed off, or perhaps the driver, seeing at the last moment that escape was impossible, slashed the ropes with his knife, so as to give the horses a chance. i expect they got a start, for the wolves would be detained a little at the sledge." "do you think the poor beasts will get safe out of the forest, stanislas?" "i don't think so, but they may. the chase has evidently been a long one, and the wolves have tired themselves with their first efforts to come up to them. it did not seem to me that they were gaining when they passed us. it is simply a question of endurance, but i fancy the wolves will last longest. "see, here is a party of stragglers. i suppose they stopped longer at the sledge." "it seems to me they are on our scent, stanislas. do you see, they are coming along at the side of the road where we walked, with their heads down." "i am afraid they are. well, we shall soon see. yes, they are leaving the road where we did." a moment later a dozen wolves ran up to the trunk of the tree, and there gathered snuffing and whining. presently one caught sight of the two figures above them, and with an angry yelp sprang up in the air, and immediately all were growling, snarling, and leaping. charlie laughed out loud at their impotent efforts. "it is no laughing matter, sir," stanislas said gravely. "they cannot climb up here, stanislas." "no, but they can keep us here. it will be dark in an hour, and likely enough they will watch us all night." "then we had better shoot two of them, and jump down with our hatchets. keeping back to back, we ought to be able to face ten wolves." "yes, if that were all; but see, here come three or four more, and the dozen will soon swell to a score. no, we shall have to wait here all night, and probably for some time tomorrow, for the men are not likely to find us very early, and they will hardly hear our pistols unless some of them happen to come in this direction." "do you think, if we shoot two or three of them, the rest will go?" "certainly not. it will be all the worse. their comrades would at once tear them to pieces and devour them, and the scent of blood would very soon bring others to the spot." "well, if we have got to wait here all night, stanislas, we had better choose the most comfortable place we can, at once, before it gets dark. we must mind we don't go to sleep and tumble off." "there will be no fear of our sleeping," stanislas said. "the cold will be too great for that. we shall have to keep on swinging our hands and feet, and rubbing our noses, to prevent ourselves from getting frostbitten." "well, i have never felt the cold in these clothes," charlie said. "no, sir, but you have never been out at night, sitting cramped on a tree." hour after hour passed. even in the darkness they could see the wolves lying in the snow below them, occasionally changing their position, keeping close together for warmth, and often snarling or growling angrily, as one or two shifted their position, and tried to squeeze in so as to get into a warm spot. the cold was intense and, in spite of swinging his legs and arms, charlie felt that his vital heat was decreasing. "this is awful, stanislas. i do not think we can last on till morning." "i begin to have doubts myself, sir. perhaps it would be better to leap down and make a fight of it." "we might shoot some of them first," charlie said. "how many charges have you?" "i have only two, besides one in the barrel." "and i have only three," charlie said. "powder has run very short. the captain was saying, yesterday, that we must send to the village and try to get some more. still, six shots will help us." "not much, sir. there must be thirty or forty of them now. i have seen some come from the other way. i suppose they were part of the pack that followed the horses." charlie sat for some time thinking. then he exclaimed: "i think this is a dead tree." "it is, sir. i noticed it when we climbed up. the head has gone, and i think it must have been struck with lightning last summer." "then i think we can manage." "manage what, sir?" the man asked in surprise. "manage to make a fire, stanislas. first of all, we will crawl out towards the ends of the branches as far as we can get, and break off twigs and small boughs. if we can't get enough, we can cut chips off, and we will pile them all where these three big boughs branch off from the trunk. we have both our tinderboxes with us, and i see no reason why we should not be able to light a fire up here." "so we might," stanislas said eagerly. "but if we did, we might set the whole tree on fire." "no bad thing, either," charlie rejoined. "you may be sure the fire will keep the wolves at a respectful distance, and we could get down and enjoy the heat without fear." "i believe your idea will save our lives, sir. ten minutes ago i would not have given a crown for our chances." they at once crawled out upon two of the great branches, and a renewed chorus of snarls from below showed that their foes were watchful. the snapping of the small branches excited a certain amount of uneasiness among them, and they drew off a short distance. in ten minutes charlie and his companion worked themselves back to the main trunk, each carrying an armful of twigs. they first cut off a number of small dry chips, and made a pile of these at the junction of one of the branches with the trunk. they then got out their tinderboxes and bunches of rags, shook a few grains of powder from one of the horns among the chips, and then got the tinder alight. a shred of rag, that had been rubbed with damp powder, was applied to the spark and then placed among the shavings. a flash of light sprang up, followed by a steady blaze, as the dried chips caught. one by one at first, and then, as the fire gained strength, several sticks at a time were laid over the burning splinters, and in five minutes a large fire was blazing. charlie and his companion took their seats where the other two big branches shot out from the trunk. these were two or three feet higher than that on which the fire had been lighted, and, ere long, a sensation of genial warmth began to steal over them. fresh sticks were lighted as the first were consumed, and before long the trunk, where the flames played on it, began to glow. light tongues of flame rose higher and higher, until the trunk was alight ten or twelve feet up. "the wolves are all gone," charlie said, looking down. "i don't suppose they have gone very far, sir. but when the tree once gets fairly alight, you may be sure they won't venture anywhere near it." they had already been forced to move some little distance away from the trunk, by the heat, and as the flames rose higher and higher, embracing in the course of half an hour the whole of the trunk and upper branches, they felt that it was perfectly safe to drop off into the snow beneath them. blazing brands soon began to fall. they stood a short distance away, so as to be beyond the risk of accident, but, at charlie's suggestion, they ran in from time to time, gathered up the brands and laid them at the foot of the trunk, and in a short time a second fire was kindled here. the tree was now a pyramid of fire, lighting up the snow for a long distance round. outside this circle the wolves could be heard whining and whimpering, occasionally uttering a long-drawn howl. "they know that they are baulked of their prey," stanislas said. "we shall have some of the big branches falling soon, and shall be able to keep up a roaring fire, that will last until daylight. i should think by that time the wolves will be tired of it, and will make off; but if not, the captain will be sure to send men out to search for us. he will guess we have been treed by wolves, and we have only to get into another tree, and fire our pistols, to bring them in this direction." "but they may be attacked, too," charlie remarked. "there are ten of them, and they are sure to come armed with axes and swords. they ought to be able to fight their way through a good-sized pack. besides, the wolves will be so cowed by this great fire, that i don't think they will have the courage to meddle with so strong a party." one by one the arms of the tree fell, burnt through at the point where they touched the trunk. they would have been far too heavy to be dragged, but three or four of them fell across the lower fire, and there lay blazing. not knowing which way the tree itself would fall, charlie and his companion were obliged to remain at some distance off, but the heat there was amply sufficient for them. at last the trunk fell with a crash, and they at once established themselves as near the fire as they could sit, without being scorched, and there chatted until morning began to break. they felt sure that some, at least, of the wolves were around them, as they occasionally caught sight of what looked like two sparks among the undergrowth; these being, as they knew, the reflection of the fire in the eyes of a wolf. there was a tree hard by in which they could, if necessary, take refuge, and they therefore resolved to stay near the fire. fortunately the night had been perfectly still, and, as the tree they had fired was a detached one, the flames had not spread, as charlie had at one time been afraid they would do. half an hour after daylight had fairly broken, they discharged three shots at regular intervals with their pistols, then they waited half an hour. "shall we fire again?" "no. not until we hear shots from them," charlie replied. "we have but four charges left, and if the wolves made a sudden rush, we might want to use them." after a time, both thought they heard the distant report of a musket. stanislas looked at charlie inquiringly. the latter shook his head. "no, no! stanislas. that gun would be heard twice as far as one of these pistols. let us wait until we are pretty sure that they are near. i don't like leaving ourselves without other protection than our axes." chapter : a rescued party. after a considerable pause, a gun was again fired, this time much nearer to them. charlie drew out his pistol and was about to reply, when his companion touched his arm. "look!" he said. charlie turned in time to see several gray forms flit rapidly between the bushes. he stepped to the edge of the road, and saw some wolves spring out through the bushes, and go straight along the road. "what can have scared them?" he asked, in surprise. "the gun was not near enough for that." "no, besides they would have fled deeper into the forest, instead of taking to the road. perhaps they hear something coming." almost at the same moment, two shots were heard in the direction towards which the wolves were making. "that is it!" charlie excitedly exclaimed. "another body of wolves have attacked a passing traveller. heap the wood on, stanislas. if we make a great fire, and they get as far as this, possibly they could spring off and take refuge here. at any rate, the brands will be better weapons even than our axes." the ends of such branches as they were able to move were brought together, and a few blows with their axes speedily broke off several of the outer ends of charred wood. these were thrown on, and the fire soon blazed up high again. two more shots were heard, this time close at hand. they ran into the road. a sledge, with several figures in it, was coming along at full speed. it was almost surrounded by wolves, and, as they looked, two of them sprang at the horses' heads; but two shots again rung out, and they dropped backwards among their companions, many of whom threw themselves at once upon their bodies, while the sledge continued on its headlong course. "here! here!" charlie shouted at the top of his voice, waving his hands to show the direction which they were to take. a moment later the sledge dashed past them, and swept up to the fire. "seize the blazing brands!" charlie shouted, as those in the sledge threw themselves out. he and stanislas rolled the two first wolves over with their pistols, and then joined the others. the driver had run at once to the horses, and had muffled them, by throwing his coat over the head of one, and a rug over the head of the other, and, though snorting and trembling in every limb, they stood quiet until he had thrown a head rope round each of their necks, and fastened them to the heaviest of the branches. then he seized a handful of fallen leaves, which were exposed by the melting of the snow above them, and threw them into the fire, whence a dense smoke poured out. the wolves had again stopped to devour the two animals that had been shot, and this gave time to the men, by their united efforts, to move a heavy branch and place it across two others, whose ends lay in the fire, so as to form with them a sort of triangular breastwork, the face of which, next to them, was manned by the two travellers, their servants, charlie, and stanislas, with blazing brands. charlie and his companion hastily loaded their pistols again. the two gentlemen had each rifles and a brace of pistols, as had their servants. a lady and child had been lifted from the sledge, and these crouched down at the angle by the fire. the sledge and the two horses protected one of the faces of the position, and the driver, at his master's orders, took his position on the front seat again, so as to shoot down any wolf that might try to attack the flank of the outside horse. the wolves looked doubtful at the appearance of the dense smoke rising up, but, after a little hesitation, they rushed to the attack. four were rolled over by bullets from the rifles, and, as they came within a few yards, the pistols cracked out in rapid succession. as soon as these were all emptied, the six men caught up the blazing brands, and struck full in the faces of the wolves, shouting loudly as they did so. seized with a momentary panic, the animals turned and fled, and then a fierce fight took place between the injured wolves and their companions. there was but just time to recharge the rifles and pistols, when they came on again. although the fire of the defenders was as deadly as before, the wolves seemed this time determined to get at their victims. in vain were blows showered on their heads, while those who first sprang on the tree were stabbed with the knives the defenders held in their left hands. the contest could have had but one termination, when suddenly two shots were heard, and then, with loud shouts, a party of men burst through the forest, and with pistol and axe fell on the wolves. this unexpected onslaught had a decisive effect, and, with loud howls and yelps, the wolves turned and fled. up to this time, not a word had been exchanged by the defenders, beyond charlie's first shout of "lay this branch across those two," and the order of one of the gentlemen to the coachman to take his place in the sledge--where he had done his work well, for four wolves lay dead by the flank of the outside horse. several of those that had sprung at the heads of the horses had been shot or cut down by the master, who had placed himself close to them, and the horses' thick mufflings had saved them from any serious injury. as soon as the wolves fled, the gentleman turned to charlie, and, flinging down his weapons, threw his arms round his neck. "you have preserved us from death, sir. you have saved my wife and child from being torn to pieces. how can i express my thanks to you?" "it was fortunate that we happened to be here," charlie said, "and that we had this fire handy." a cry from the child called off the gentleman's attention, and he ran to his wife, who had sunk fainting on the ground; and charlie, not a little pleased at this diversion, turned to ladislas and his men, who were looking on with the most intense astonishment at the scene. charlie leapt over the branch, and grasped ladislas by the hand. "you have arrived at the nick of time, ladislas. another three minutes, and it would have been all over with us." "yes, i could see it was a close thing as soon as i caught sight of you. we have been wondering all night what became of you, and set out as soon as it was light. we fired a shot occasionally, but we listened in vain for your three shots." "we fired them half an hour after daylight," charlie said; "but, as we had then only five charges left between us, and there were wolves all round, we dared not waste them." "we heard firing at last," the captain went on. "first two shots faintly, then two nearer, and a minute later two others. we knew then that you must be engaged with wolves, and we were running as hard as we could in the direction of the shots, when we heard a number fired close together. of course we could make nothing of it, but on we ran. then there was another outbreak of firing, this time quite close. a moment later we caught sight of a confused mass. there was a fire, and a sledge with two horses, and a man standing up in it shooting; and we could see a desperate fight going on with the wolves in front, so alexander and hugo fired their pieces into the thick of them. we set up a yell, and went at them with our axes, yet i did not feel by any means sure that they would not be too many for us. "but what on earth does it all mean? and how is it that you have lived through the night? we had no expectation of finding you alive. however, that fire tells its own tale, as though nothing less than burning up a big tree would content you." "i will tell you all, presently. it is too long a story now. let us help these travellers to go their way, before the wolves rally again." "they will not do that," the captain said confidently. "if it was night, they might hang about the neighbourhood, but they are cowardly beasts in the daytime, and easily scared. they are still going away at their best pace, i will be bound." while charlie was speaking to ladislas, one of the travellers had been talking to stanislas, who, in answer to his question, had informed him that he was in charlie's service, and that the latter was an english gentleman, who had, from a variety of circumstances, especially the suspicion with which all strangers were regarded, been unable to travel through the country, and had therefore been passing the winter hunting, with this company of disbanded soldiers who had so opportunely arrived to their assistance. the other traveller had, by this time, carried his wife beyond the heat of the fire, and had applied some snow to her forehead, pouring a little brandy from the flask between her lips. she had now begun to revive, and, leaving her, he approached the party. his brother met him, and in a few words told him what he had learned from stanislas. "my friends," he said, "my brother tells me that you are a party of discharged soldiers, who are passing the winter in a hut here in the forest, supporting yourselves by shooting and fishing. i have to thank providence for the thought that sent you here. i have to thank you for your prompt assistance, to which we are indebted for our lives. "i am count nicholas staroski, and can at least make a substantial return for the service you have done me. my estates lie some sixty miles to the north. you will have no difficulty in finding me. present yourselves there at easter. i shall certainly be at my chateau then. i will then talk over what can be done for you. those who like to settle down on land shall have land, those who would like employment in my household shall have it, those who would prefer money to go their own way and settle in their own villages shall each have a heavy purse." then he turned to charlie. "you, sir, as my brother has learned from your brave follower here, are an english gentleman. to you i owe far heavier obligation than to these soldiers, for you and your man incurred a terrible risk, and well-nigh sacrificed your lives for ours. i pray you come with us, and stay with us for a time. i shall then hear your plans, and your object in visiting this country, and if i can in any way further them, you may be sure i will do so to the utmost; for the present, i can promise you at least excellent hunting, and the heartiest welcome." "i thank you very heartily, count staroski, and accept gladly your invitation; but i must first speak to the captain of these men, to whom i am much beholden for the kindness he has shown me." he went across to ladislas, who had heard what was said. "you will not think it ungrateful for me to quit you so suddenly, ladislas," he said in a low voice. "assuredly not. you have done us a service, indeed, in thus enabling us to obtain favour with the count. he is one of our richest and most powerful nobles, and our fortunes are as good as made." "i will introduce you to him personally," charlie said. "this, count, is the leader of the party. he has shown me very great kindness, and has proved a true friend. from what i have seen of him, i have no doubt whatever that, in spite of certain acts of lawlessness to which he and his friends have been driven of late, you will find him, in any position you may be good enough to give him, an honest and thoroughly trustworthy man." "i will bear it in mind," the count said. "now, the sooner we are off, the better. how far is it to the next village?" "about seven miles, count." the count gave orders for the sledge to be taken on to the road again. "one moment," the captain said, taking charlie aside. "pray tell us, in a few words, what has happened. the burning of the tree is a mystery to us, and we shall die of curiosity if we have to remain here for another two months with the matter unexplained." in as few words as possible, charlie related to the men the story of the preceding night, which was greeted with exclamations of surprise and admiration. "truly, you have your wits about you," the captain said. "i should have been frozen to death, if i had been in your position, for i should certainly never have thought of lighting a fire up in a tree. "well, goodbye, if we do not see you again, may all good fortune attend you, and may the saints protect you from all danger." charlie shook hands with the men all round, and then hurried down to the sledge. the coachman was already in the front seat, the countess and her child had taken their places, and the two armed servants and stanislas were standing behind, in readiness to jump on to a board fastened above the runners. "i must apologize for keeping you waiting, countess," charlie said as he ran up. "i had to explain to my friends, in a few words, how this had all come about." "we are also longing to know," the count said. "but i have not yet introduced you to my wife, nor have i learned the name of the gentleman to whom i owe so much." "ah, sir," the young countess said, holding out her hand after charlie had given his name, "what do we not owe you? i shall never forget it all, never." "we will talk when we have started, feodora. let us get out of this forest as soon as we can." he took his place beside his wife, and set the child on his knees; his brother and charlie sitting opposite to him. the servants spread a bearskin rug over their knees, and then jumped into their places, as the driver cracked his whip, and the horses started. "you must think us almost mad to be driving through the forest, at this time of the year," the count said to charlie. "but the countess is a russian. we have been staying two months at her father's place, a hundred miles to the east. my two youngest children are at home, and two days since a message arrived, saying that one of them was dangerously ill. we had heard, of course, many tales of the numbers and fierceness of the wolves, but we hoped that, by travelling only by day and with excellent horses, there was not much to fear, especially as we were five armed men. "we fell in with a few wolves yesterday, but beat them off easily enough. last night, we stopped at a little village in the forest. they certainly made me feel uneasy there, with their tales about the wolves, but there was no help for it. we started as soon as day broke, and had driven some fifteen miles, before we came up to you. we had not gone five when the wolves began to show themselves. "at first, they kept well behind us, but presently we came upon a large number, who joined in near where we saw an overturned sledge, with the snow stained with blood all round it. from there we kept up a running fight, and must have killed a score; but their numbers increased, rather than diminished, and when a fresh pack came up from ahead, a quarter of a mile before we saw you, it looked as if our case was hopeless; for the horses, which had been going at the top of their speed from the time we started, were beginning to flag, while the wolves were fast closing in upon us, and were just beginning to attack the horses, when i saw you in the road. "and now, pray tell us how you came to be there so opportunely, and how it was that you had that great fire blazing." charlie gave the full history of the previous night's adventure. "wonderful!" the count and his brother exclaimed; and the former went on: "i have heard many stories of escapes from wolves, but never one like yours. it was an admirable thought, indeed, that of at once obtaining heat and frightening the wolves away, by setting the tree on fire. that thought saved our lives as well as your own, for our fate would have been the same as those unfortunate travellers, whose horses you saw, and who brought the wolves upon you. "and now, sir, would it be impertinent to ask for what purpose you have come to poland? believe me, i only put the question in order to see if i can in any way be of assistance to you." "i do not know, count, whether my avowal will affect you unfavourably, but i know that it will make no difference in your conduct towards me. i am, as my servant told you, an englishman by birth; but i and my father were obliged, in consequence of political opinions, to leave the country, and i am now a captain in the service of charles of sweden." exclamations of surprise broke from his hearers. "well, sir," the count said, smiling, "as his majesty king charles, although not yet one-and-twenty, is one of the greatest generals in europe, i cannot consider it strange that you, who appear to me to be no older, should be a captain in his service. but i own that i pictured, to myself, that the officers of these wonderful soldiers were fierce-looking men, regular iron veterans." "i am but eighteen," charlie said, "and i myself feel it absurd that i should be a captain. it is but two years since i was appointed an ensign, and the king happening to be with my company, when we had a sharp fight with the russians, he rewarded us by having us made into a regiment; so each of us got promotion. i was appointed captain last may, as a reward for a suggestion that turned out useful." "may i ask what it was, captain carstairs, for it seems to me that you are full of happy ideas?" "king charles, as you may have heard, speaks freely to officers and soldiers as he moves about the camp. i was standing on the edge of the river, looking across at the saxons, on the day before we made the passage, when the king came up and spoke to me. he said there was no hope of our passage being covered--as our advance against the russians at narva had been--by a snowstorm; and i said that, as the wind was at our backs, if we were to set fire to the great straw stacks the smoke would hide our movements from the saxons. the idea was a very simple one, and would no doubt have occurred to the king himself; however, he put it into execution with success, and was good enough, afterwards, to promote me to the rank of captain." "so it was owing to you that our army--or rather the saxon army, for but few poles were engaged in the battle--was defeated," the count said, smiling. "well, sir, it will do you no harm with us, for personally we are entirely opposed to augustus of saxony. but you have not yet explained how you, an officer in the swedish service, came to be here." "i was sent by king charles to warsaw, to ascertain the feeling of the trading classes there. i had an introduction to a scottish merchant, and i passed as a countryman of his, who had come out to enter his business. one of the objects of my mission was to endeavour to induce the foreign merchants in warsaw to do what they could to promote a feeling in favour of peace with the swedes, and the substitution of another king in place of augustus." "it is not very clear, captain carstairs, how you can be fulfilling that object by passing your winter with a party of robbers--for i suppose your disbanded soldiers were little better--in a forest on the confines of russia." charlie laughed. "it is rather a long story, count. perhaps you will kindly tell me the news about public affairs, first." "by no means," the count said. "that is a long story, too, and my wife would much rather hear yours than listen to it. she has not yet recovered from the events of this morning. but we will wait until we are at the village. we have left the forest behind us, and another half hour will take us to stromoff, where we can get pretty good accommodation." the horses, a splendid pair of animals, had, during their passage through the forest, shown every sign of fear; starting nervously, swerving, and going in sharp, sudden rushes, and always needing a constant strain on the reins to keep them from bolting. once away from the trees, however, they settled down into a fast trot, and the seven miles to stromoff were done in less than half an hour. no sooner did the landlord of the inn learn the name of his guest, than he, his wife, and sons bustled about in the greatest haste to make things comfortable for them. huge fires were lighted in the guest rooms, and the common room was cleared of the other customers, until the chamber should be sufficiently warmed for occupation; while in the kitchen preparations were made for a meal, to which, in half an hour from their arrival, the party in the sledge sat down. when this was over, settles were placed round the fire, and charlie then gave a full account of his adventures, from the time he was attacked in the streets of warsaw. "so it was you, captain carstairs, after whom there was so keen a search in september. the death of ben soloman made a great stir, and i can assure you that there are a great many people who owe you a debt of gratitude. the man had no sons, and all his property passed to his widow, whom he had, it seems, treated harshly during his lifetime. she was from holland, and wished to return to her people, so, as his means were very large, she made the easiest terms with all those on whose estates her husband had held mortgages, in order to wind up her affairs as soon as possible. thus, his death was the subject of wide rejoicings. however, if you had been caught at the time, i fear it would have gone hard with you; for the jews were all very keen about it--as the man, rascal though he was, was one of the chief heads of their religion--and were you to fall into their hands in any of the towns, they would either kill you or send you to warsaw." "and now, sir, will you tell me what has taken place since september?" "things have moved slowly. augustus endeavoured, after his defeat on the dwina, to make peace with charles on his own account, and without the knowledge of the diet, but charles refused to give audience to any of his agents, and would not even see the beautiful countess of konigsmark, who is, you know, herself a swede, and whom augustus sent, thinking that her blandishments might win over the young king. it was useless. charles maintained the ground that he took up from the first--namely, that he would treat with the diet, but would have nothing whatever to say to augustus. so the diet sent an embassy of four senators. "instead of receiving them with every pomp and ceremony, as they expected, the king met them on horseback. he demanded that, as a first condition, they should dethrone augustus. parties in the diet were pretty equally divided; but the proposal was rejected, for even those most hostile to augustus resented the proposal that we, a free and unconquered people, should be ordered by a foreign prince to change our king. so nothing came of it. "the swedish army advanced a certain distance into poland, and there were a great number of skirmishes, but there has been no serious fighting, nor is there much chance of any, until the snow has gone and the country dried up in the spring. at present, augustus is quarrelling with the diet, who still set themselves against the importation of more saxon troops. but doubtless, before the campaign begins in earnest, he will have settled matters with the senators, and will have his own way in that respect. there is, however, little chance of the diet agreeing to call out the whole forces of the country, and the next battle will, like the last, be between the swedes and the saxons, who may have with them perhaps a few thousand poles, belonging to the king's party." "you don't belong to the king's party, count?" "no. i, like the majority of our nobles, have no interest whatever in the war, for we were never consulted before it began. it is an affair between saxony and the swedes. let them fight it out. it would be a bad day for poland, if augustus and the russians were to overcome and despoil sweden. we want no addition of territory, for that would be to strengthen our kings against us. we see the trouble caused by augustus having saxony at his command, and if he had other territory, the country would be divided into two parts, one of which would have nothing in common with the other. "still less do we wish to see russia gain territory to the north of us. hitherto we have thought but little of the muscovites, but this war has shown that they can put great armies into the field, and the czar is making them into a nation which may some day be formidable to us. "charles has sent every assurance that he has no ill will towards poland, and is an enemy not of the country but of its king--who had formed a coalition against him in a time of profound peace--and that his hostility will altogether cease with the overthrow and expulsion of augustus. so you see, we who live at a distance from the capital, and hold ourselves altogether aloof from the intrigues of court, look on at the fray as if it were one in which we have no part or lot. if augustus drives out the swedes, we shall probably have trouble with him afterwards. if charles drives out augustus, we shall have a fresh king, and shall no doubt choose one upon the recommendation of charles, who will then march away again, leaving us to manage our own affairs. therefore, we have no animosity whatever against you as a swedish officer, but for comfort's sake it is better that nothing should be said of this, and that i should introduce you to my friends simply as an english gentleman, who has rendered me the greatest possible service." the countess retired to bed, a short time after they had finished their meal, and the others sat up talking until late in the evening. charlie learnt that the country was still in a greatly disturbed state. parties of disbanded soldiers and others, rendered desperate by cold and hardship, were everywhere plundering the peasantry, and many encounters had taken place between them and the nobles, who, with their retainers, had marched against them. travel would be dangerous for a long time to come. "therefore, until the spring, you must not think of moving," the count said. "indeed, i think that your best plan, when you start, will be to work due north, and join the swedish forces near narva. it will be shorter as well as less dangerous. still, we can talk of that later on." the next morning they started early, and arrived in the afternoon at the chateau of the count. it was not a fortified building, for the poles differed from the western nations, abstaining from fortifying their towns and residences, upon the ground that they were a free people, capable of defending their country from foreign invasion, and therefore requiring no fortified towns, and that such places added to the risks of civil war, and enabled factions to set the will of the nation at defiance. the building was a large one, but it struck charlie as being singularly plain and barn-like in comparison with the residences of country gentlemen in england. a number of retainers ran out as they drove up into the courtyard, and exclamations of surprise and dismay rose, as the wounds on the horses' flanks and legs were visible; and when, in a few words, the count told them that they had been attacked by wolves, and had been saved principally by the english gentleman and his follower, the men crowded round charlie, kissed his hands, and in other ways tried to show their gratitude for his rescue of their master and mistress. "come along," the count said, taking his arm and leading him into the house. "the poor fellows mean well, and you must not be vexed with them." the countess's first question had been for her child, and with an exclamation of thankfulness, when she heard that it was better, she had at once hurried into the house. as soon as they had entered, the count left charlie in charge of his brother, and also hurried away. he was not long before he returned. "the child is doing well," he said, "and now that it has got its mother again, it will, i think, improve rapidly. the doctor said this morning that he considered it out of danger, but that it needed its mother sorely, to cheer and pet it." in a very short time the tables were laid. the count, his brother, and charlie sat at an upper table, and the hall was filled with the various officers and retainers. the count's arrival was expected, for a horseman had been sent forward on their arrival at the inn the evening before. the dinner had therefore been cooked in readiness, and charlie was astonished at the profusion with which it was served. fish, joints, great pies, and game of many kinds were placed on the table in unlimited quantities; the drink being a species of beer, although excellent wine was served at the high table. he could now understand how often the polish nobles impoverished themselves by their unbounded hospitality and love of display. "i suppose, for tomorrow, you will like to remain quiet," the count said, "but after that we will try to amuse you. there is game of all sorts to be shot, or if you have had enough sport, lately, there will be a sledge and horses at your disposal, whenever you choose to ride or drive, and in a few days we will give an entertainment, in honour at once of our return, your visit, and the child's restoration to health. then you will have an opportunity of seeing our national dances." charlie had had enough shooting, but he greatly enjoyed the drives in the sledges, behind the spirited horses. the entertainment came off a fortnight after his arrival at the chateau. the guests, for the most part, arrived early in the afternoon, many having driven in from great distances. the preparations had been on an immense scale, and the scene at night was a brilliant one. never had charlie seen anything like the magnificence of the dresses, not of the ladies only, but also of the gentlemen; the poles having the true oriental love for rich costumes, a taste that their national dress permitted them to gratify to the utmost. next to the splendour of the dresses, charlie was surprised at the grace and spirit of the dancing, which was far more vivacious than that of western nations. the poles were long considered to be the best dancers in the world. it was their great national amusement; and all danced, from noble to peasant, entering into it with spirit and enthusiasm, and uniting the perfection of rhythmical motion with the grace and ease peculiar to them, and to their kinsmen the hungarians. the dancing was kept up, with unflagging energy, during the whole night; and then, after a substantial breakfast, the men and women were muffled up in furs, and took their places in the sledges. the count would gladly have had charlie remain with him until spring began, but he was anxious to rejoin the army; and, seeing that this was so, the count did everything in his power to facilitate his journey, which, after talking it over, had been decided should be direct towards the royal camp. the count's brother insisted upon accompanying him on the journey, as in this way many of the difficulties would be avoided. two sledges were prepared, the one for the use of charlie and count john, and the other for the two servants and baggage. both were horsed by the fastest animals in the count's stables. charlie himself had been loaded with presents, which he had been obliged somewhat reluctantly to accept, as he saw that a refusal would hurt and mortify his kind hosts. he had, on his arrival, been provided with an ample wardrobe of clothes of all kinds, and to these were now added dolmans, cloaks, rugs, and most costly furs. a splendid gun, pistols, and a sword, with the hilt studded with gems, completed his outfit; while stanislas had been presented with a heavy purse of money. the whole of the retainers of the castle were assembled to see them start, and the count and countess, at parting, made him promise to come and pay them another visit, if the fortune of war should bring him within the possibility of reaching them. the journey was a delightful one. each night they put up at the chateau of some nobleman. to many of these count john staroski was personally known; at the others, his name secured at once a hearty welcome for himself and his companion. travelling only by day, and at the full speed of the horses, they escaped interruption by the marauding bands, and in fourteen days after starting they drove into the town where charles of sweden had his headquarters, after being twice stopped and questioned by bodies of swedish horse. the town was crowded with troops, and they had some difficulty in finding a lodging for themselves, and stabling for the horses. as soon as this was done, charlie proceeded alone to the quarters of count piper. chapter : the battle of clissow. charlie sent in his name, and was shown in at once. "i am glad, indeed, to see you, captain carstairs," the minister said, as he entered. "we had given you up for lost. we heard first that you had been murdered in the streets of warsaw. a month later, a man brought a letter to me from your scotch friend ramsay, to say that you were accused of the murder of a jew trader, a man, it seems, of some importance in warsaw. ramsay said that you were in the company of a band of brigands, and that the man who went with you as your servant had joined you, and had taken you some money. he forwarded the letter you had sent him explaining your position, and said he thought that, upon the whole, it was the best thing you could have done, as a vigorous search had been set on foot, at the instance of the jews, and there would have been but little chance of your making your way through the country alone. he added that he felt confident that, if alive, you would manage somehow to rejoin us before the campaign opened in the spring. "i am glad that you have been able to do so, but your appearance, at present, is rather that of a wealthy polish noble, than of a companion of brigands." "i was able to do some service to count staroski, as, when travelling with his wife and child, and his brother, count john, he was attacked by a pack of wolves. i have been staying with him for some weeks, and his brother has now had the kindness to accompany me here. he has thereby made my passage through the country easy, as we have travelled with fast horses in his sledge, and have always put up at the chateaux of nobles of his acquaintance. i have, therefore, avoided all risk of arrest at towns. in the letter forwarded to you i explained the real circumstances of the death of the jew." "yes, we quite understood that, captain carstairs. you had a very narrow escape from death at his hands, and, as the danger was incurred purely in the king's service, it will not be forgotten. up to the time when the jew organized the attack upon you in warsaw, i was well satisfied with your reports of your work. so far nothing has come of it, as augustus has been too strong for any movement against him, but we hope, ere long, to defeat him so decisively that our friends will be able to declare against him. i will inform the king of your return, and i have no doubt he will be glad to hear your story from your own lips. he loves tales of adventure, and time hangs somewhat heavily on hand, as, until the frost breaks, nothing can be done in the field." on the following day, indeed, charlie was sent for to the royal quarters, and had to recount the story of his adventures in full to the king, who was highly interested in them, and at the conclusion requested him to introduce count john staroski, in order that he might express to him his obligation for the service he had rendered to one of his officers. this done, charlie drove out with the count to the village where colonel jamieson's regiment was quartered, and where his return was received with delight by harry, and with great pleasure by major jervoise and his fellow officers. he was obliged to give a short outline of what he had been doing since he left, but put off going into details for a future occasion. "and are you coming back to us now, charlie?" harry asked. "certainly. my success in the diplomatic way was not sufficiently marked for them to be likely to employ me in that line again. we must return this afternoon, as the king has invited us both to sup with him tonight." two days later, count john staroski started upon his return journey, much pleased with the reception he had met with from the king of sweden, and determined to work vigorously, among the nobles of his acquaintance, to bring about the dethronement of augustus of saxony. charlie had already seen count piper, who had told him that, although the king and himself were both well satisfied with the work he had done, there was not at present any mission of the same sort on which he could be employed. indeed, it was evident that, until the saxons had been decisively defeated, political action would be useless, and that, therefore, for the present he could either remain at headquarters, or rejoin his regiment. charlie at once chose the latter alternative. "very well, captain carstairs, you can rejoin when you like, but remember i may claim your services again. you see, now that you have acquired a knowledge of polish, your value for this sort of work is largely increased." as soon as the frost had broken, the swedish army commenced its advance. skirmishes frequently took place, but augustus had, as yet, no army with which he could meet them in the field, and he summoned a diet at warsaw, in hopes of persuading the poles to decide upon calling out the whole national force. in this he failed altogether. the citizens, led by the foreign traders, were already openly opposed to him, and their attitude so encouraged his opponents in the diet, that many of these rose and openly denounced the government, and the conduct of the king, that had brought the country into its present difficulties. as the swedish army advanced, they were joined by the duke of holstein, and, in spite of the efforts of a considerable body of the enemy, under prince wisniowiski, progressed steadily, crossed the river memel, and, when near grodno, were met by an embassy sent by the diet, to endeavour to persuade charles not to advance further. an interview took place between the king, the poles, and his ministers, the conversation on both sides being in latin. but as the ambassadors had no definite plans to propose, and their leaders were wholly devoted to augustus, the king refused to allow his advance to be arrested, and continued his march. when near praga they crossed the plain where charles gustavus, king of sweden, had defeated the polish army in a great battle, that had lasted for three days. the city was occupied, and a contribution of , crowns imposed upon it, in addition to food for the army while it remained there. plundering, however, was strictly forbidden, and, as the king issued a proclamation declaring that he was no enemy of the polish republic, but simply of their king, the inhabitants were, on the whole, well satisfied with the conduct of the invaders. a halt was made here for some time, and a bridge was thrown across the vistula, while the army rested after the long and fatiguing marches it had made. a fresh attempt was made to arrest the advance of the swedes, and the cardinal primate, himself, met the king; but nothing came of the negotiations, and the army entered warsaw. here they were warmly received, and great entertainments were given to the king. towards the end of june, they again advanced to meet the force that augustus had gathered, and on the th of july the swedes arrived within a few miles of clissow. the next day some reinforcements arrived, and the king decided to give battle on the following day, which was the anniversary of the victory on the dwina, the previous year. his army was twelve thousand strong, while that of augustus was nearly double that strength, and was very strongly posted, his camp being surrounded by morasses, although situated on rising ground which commanded the whole of the country round it. the bogs in the front were found to be so impassable, that the swedes were forced to make a circuit to the left, where the ground was firmer. this movement obliged the enemy also to change front, a movement that caused considerable confusion, as they themselves were forced to traverse boggy ground, to take up a new position facing that by which the swedes would now advance. the attack was commenced by the division commanded by the duke of holstein, but, scarcely had he set his troops in motion than he was mortally wounded, by a ball from a falconet. his troops, however, pushed forward vigorously. the polish division opposed to them resisted the two first assaults bravely, but gave way at the third attack, and were driven from the ground, in such confusion that they took no further part in the engagement. while this was going on, the saxon cavalry had been repulsed by that of charles, and, passing in their retreat under the fire of three infantry regiments, suffered so heavily that they left the field. the swedish foot now advanced all along the line, and in the centre destroyed several battalions of saxons. but the swedish right was attacked so vigorously by the saxon left, under field marshal steinau, that for a time the conflict was doubtful. the swedish horse guards and other cavalry, however, charged with such determination that the saxon horse on this flank were also defeated, and driven off the field, while the swedish infantry, advancing without firing, drove several battalions of saxon foot into a village, where, being surrounded, almost all were killed or taken prisoners. the saxon horse, gathering once more, attempted bravely to retrieve the fate of the day, and engaged the swedish horse with such desperate valour, that a considerable portion of the saxon infantry were enabled, under cover of the conflict, to draw off, cross the morasses, and make their escape. the battle lasted four hours, and had been, throughout, severely contested. the saxons lost four thousand killed and wounded, and three thousand taken prisoners, while the swedes had eleven hundred killed and wounded. forty-eight cannon were captured by the victors, together with all the baggage and waggons. the death of the duke of holstein, a gallant prince who was exceedingly popular with the army, and beloved by the king, cast a gloom over this great victory, which virtually laid poland at the feet of the victors, and insured the fulfilment of the object for which charles had persisted in the war. jamieson's regiment had been on the left wing, but, as it had been held in reserve, to strengthen the line at any point at which it might give way, the scotch had taken but a small share in the fighting, and had but thirty men killed and wounded by the shot and bullets that passed over the heads of the fighting line. the captain of one of the companies was among those killed, and charlie, who had, since he rejoined the regiment, been doing duty as lieutenant, now took the vacant place. the army still advanced. augustus sent in several proposals for peace, but these were all rejected. the saxons had speedily rallied after the battle, but were not in a position to oppose the advance of the victorious swedes, who occupied cracow without meeting with any resistance. seeing that augustus would not be strong enough to hazard another pitched battle, charles had, on the morning after the victory, ordered three of his regiments, of which jamieson's was one, to march with all speed to reinforce major general schlippenbach, who had sent an urgent request for aid, as he heard that the russian army, fifty thousand strong, was preparing to cross the frontier; and as he had but six thousand, he could not hope to oppose their advance successfully. as the king's orders enjoined the troops to march with the greatest possible speed, they performed the journey back to warsaw in four days, although the distance exceeded a hundred miles. mounted messengers had been sent on before them, and, on reaching the town, they found boats already prepared to take them down the river to danzic, where orders had already been sent for ships to be in readiness to convey them to revel. the fatigues since the campaign opened had been severe, and the troops all enjoyed the long days of rest, while the craft that conveyed them dropped quietly down the vistula. then came the short sea passage. on their arrival at revel, bad news met them. they had come too late. on the th of july the russian army had passed the frontier, and the swedes had tried to oppose them at the passage of the river embach; but the water was low, from the effects of a long drought, and the russians were enabled to ford it at several points. the swedes fell upon those who first crossed, and for two hours repulsed their attacks, obtaining at some points considerable advantage, and capturing some guns, but, as fresh reinforcements poured across the river, the tide of battle turned. the russian cavalry drove back the swedish horse, who, as they retreated, rode through the infantry and threw them into disorder. these were attacked by the russians before they could recover from their confusion, and were almost entirely destroyed or taken prisoners. the general, and many of the mounted officers, effected their escape, rallied the broken cavalry, and fell back towards revel. the russians spread over the country and plundered it, burning the little town of valk, murdering its inhabitants, and carrying off into slavery the whole of the population who fell into their hands. the arrival of the three regiments was hailed with much satisfaction by the people of revel, who feared that the russians might besiege the town. they did not, however, approach within many miles, but, after completely wasting the country, retired across the frontier. the victory that had been gained over the swedes at embach, and the destruction of the greater part of general schlippenbach's force, enabled the czar to turn his arms against ingria, the extreme eastern province of sweden, which included the shores of lake ladoga and the whole of the coast of the baltic between narva and finland. urgent messages were sent by the governor of that province to general schlippenbach, requesting him to send him aid, as he had not even sufficient men to garrison the walled towns. the general was, however, afraid that narva would be again besieged, and he therefore dared not reduce his small force to any considerable degree, but drew one company from each of the three regiments, and embarked them on board a ship for the mouth of the neva. as there seemed little prospect of service, for a time, near revel, all the officers were eager that their company should be chosen for the service in ingria. colonel jamieson therefore said: "i do not wish to choose one company more than another; all can equally be depended upon. therefore, i think the fairest way will be to draw lots as to which shall go." the lot fell upon charlie's company, which therefore formed part of the expedition. on reaching the mouth of the neva, they heard that the town of notteburg, situated at the point where the neva issues from the lake, was already besieged by the russians, and that the swedish vessels on the lake had been obliged to come down the river. a fort had been raised by the russians on the bank, to prevent succour being conveyed into the town, and two thousand men had crossed the river and occupied a small redoubt on the northern side, so that the town was completely invested. the newly-arrived force was ordered to march, at once, with a hundred horse and four field pieces, the whole under the command of major sion, who was well acquainted with the country. "what do you think of this expedition, captain carstairs?" his lieutenant, john bowyer, asked him. "i would rather be back with king charles," charlie replied. "of course, i don't know the geography of the place, but if the russians keep their eyes at all open, i don't see how a force like ours, with cavalry and guns, can hope to enter the town unnoticed. the addition of the horsemen seems to me altogether ridiculous, as they could be no good whatever, if they did enter the town. as for those four field pieces, they will hamper our march; and as they say the russians have already some forty cannon in position about the town, those little pieces would be useless. "four hundred infantry, making the attempt at night under good guidance, might manage to slip into the place, but this procession of ours is, to my mind, tempting destruction, for we certainly cannot hope to cut our way, by force, through the whole russian army. "but even if we do get inside the town, our plight can be no better. the russians' cannon are bombarding it, night and day, and more batteries are in course of erection, and schlippenbach the governor, who is, i believe, a brother of the general, has but a few pieces to reply to them. "were there an army advancing to the relief of the place, it would be different altogether, for our reinforcement might be of vital importance in repelling assaults, until aid arrived. but there is no hope of aid. the king's army is some nine hundred miles away, and his hands are full. general schlippenbach has sent as many men as he could spare. they say there are at least twenty thousand russians round the town, and where is an army to come from that can compel them to raise the siege? to my mind, we shall either be destroyed making our way into the town, or, if we do get in, shall be made prisoners of war, if not massacred--for the russians have but vague ideas as to giving quarter--when the town falls, which may be a fortnight hence." "it seems a bad lookout, altogether," the lieutenant remarked. "very much so. the best possible thing that could befall us would be for the russians to make us out, before we get too far into their lines, in which case we may be able to fall back before they can gather in overwhelming strength, and may thus draw off without any very great loss." major sion called the captains of the infantry companies, and the troop of horse, to a sort of council of war, when the little force halted for an hour at three o'clock in the afternoon. "we have another ten miles to march, gentlemen, and i should like to ask your opinion as to whether it would be best to try to force our way in as soon as we get there, or to halt at a distance of three or four miles from the russians, and make our effort at daybreak before they are fairly afoot." the other three officers gave their opinion in order of seniority, and all advocated the plan of falling upon the muscovites at daybreak. "and what do you think, captain carstairs?" major sion asked charlie. "i regret to say, major, that my opinion differs from that of the other gentlemen, and this for several reasons. in the first place, if we halt so near the russians, our presence in their neighbourhood may be betrayed by a peasant, and we may be surprised in the night. if no such mishap should take place, we should have to be on foot two hours before sunrise. i in no way doubt your knowledge of the road, but it is at all times difficult to make out a mere track, like that we are following, at night, and in the morning we might well find ourselves involved in the russian intrenchments, from which we could not extricate ourselves before a large force had gathered round us, in which case we must be all either killed or taken prisoners. my own suggestion would be that we should remain here another two hours, and then continue our march so as to reach the spot, where we are to endeavour to break through their line, about sunset. should we be observed, as we most likely should be, we might at that hour be taken for a freshly-arrived body of russian troops. there would be no risk of losing our way, and we might hope to be close upon them before we were discovered to be enemies. if we succeed, as i trust we shall, in breaking our way through and reaching the town, well and good. if, on the other hand, we find greater obstacles than we expect, and are forced to fall back fighting, we shall have the advantage that darkness will be setting in. the russians, the greater part of whom will be ignorant of our strength, will lose time before they move, fearing they may be assaulted in other quarters, and in the darkness we might be able to make good our escape, which it is certain none of us would do, should we meet with a repulse at daybreak." "your reasons are very just, captain carstairs. though certainly my opinion was in accordance with that given by your fellow officers, i am bound to say that your argument seems unanswerable. "what say you, gentlemen? i have two objects in view--the first to reinforce the garrison of notteburg, the second to save the troops under my command, if i should fail in doing so. i know the country well, but its features will be considerably altered. trees will have been cut down, houses levelled, intrenchments thrown up, camps scattered here and there, and i own that in the dark, i might, as captain carstairs says, very easily miss my way. i think his proposal therefore unites the greatest chances of getting through their line and entering the town, with a possibility of drawing off the troops without great loss, in case of failure." the other three officers at once agreed, and orders were issued for the men to lie down until five o'clock and rest themselves before pursuing their march. it was past that hour before they were in motion again. major sion, with a peasant from the neighbourhood of notteburg, rode ahead. then came the troop of cavalry, with the guns close behind them, followed by the infantry. as they approached the russian lines, the peasant several times went on in advance, and presently a trooper rode down the line, with the order that the troops with firearms were to light their matches, and the spearmen to keep in a compact body. they were now not far from the russian lines, and the destruction that had been wrought during the last ten days was visible to them. every tree and bush had been felled, for use in the intrenchments or for the erection of shelters. a few blackened walls alone showed where houses had stood. gardens had been destroyed, and orchards levelled. light smoke could be seen rising at many points from the russian fires, and, when the troops were halted, they were but half a mile from the intrenchments. word was passed down that the rapid swedish march was to be moderated, and that they were to move carelessly and at a slow rate, as if fatigued by a long march, and that the spears were to be carried at the trail, as they were so much longer than those used by the russians that their length would, if carried erect, at once betray the nationality of the troops. there was no attempt at concealment, for the cavalry would be visible for a considerable distance across the flat country. considerable bodies of men could be seen, gathered round fires at a distance of not more than a quarter of a mile on either hand, but, as the column passed between them, there was no sign of any stir. in a short time, the order was passed for the troops to form from column into line, and the cavalry officer who brought it said that there was a russian battery erected right across the road, a little more than a quarter of a mile ahead. "things look better, captain carstairs," the lieutenant said, as the company, which happened to be leading, fell into line. "yes, i have no doubt we shall take their battery, coming down, as we do, upon its rear. the question is, are there any intrenchments ahead? major sion told us, when we halted, that the peasant assured him that there were no works beyond it, and that it was the weakest point of the line; but it is three days since he came out from notteburg, and, working hard as the russians evidently do, they may have pushed on their intrenchments far in advance of the battery by this time." the force halted for a moment. the guns were unlimbered, turned round, and loaded. then the line of cavalry opened right and left, the four pieces poured a discharge of grape into the russians, clustered thickly in the battery four hundred yards away, and then, with a shout, the swedish cavalry charged, the infantry coming on at a run behind them. the surprise was complete. with cries of terror, the russians for the most part leapt from the battery and fled, and the few who attempted to defend their guns were sabred by the cavalry. "there are other works ahead!" major sion exclaimed, as, sitting on his horse, he looked over the parapet, "and bodies of troops scattered all about. push forward, men, at a double, and do you, captain sherlbach, cut a way for us with your cavalry." the sun had set a few minutes before the guns were fired, and charlie, as he led his men over the earthwork, and saw the russian lines in front, congratulated himself upon the fact that, in another half hour, it would be quite dark. as they approached the next line of works, a scattering fire of musketry opened upon them, but the aim was wide, and without loss they reached the work. the russians, though inferior in numbers, defended themselves obstinately, and continually received reinforcements of bodies of men, running up from all sides. in five minutes the swedes cleared the works of them, but, as they prepared to advance again, they saw a large body of horse riding down to bar their advance, while numbers of footmen were running to occupy some intrenchments ahead of them. trumpets were sounding to the right, left, and rear. "we cannot force our way farther," the major said to charlie. "we knew nothing of these works, and they are fatal to our enterprise. we must retreat while we can. do you not think so?" "yes, sir, i think the enterprise is quite hopeless." the order was given. the troops faced about, formed into closer order, and at the double retraced their steps, the spearmen of each company forming its front line, and the musketeers the second. already it was growing dusk. the cavalry, riding ahead, scattered the small bodies of men who threw themselves in their way, and the battery they had first taken was entered without loss. there was a momentary halt here, for the men to recover their wind. then the musketeers poured a volley into a dark line advancing upon them, the horsemen charged in among them, the long pikes of the front line cleared the way, and, with a shout, the swedes passed through their foes and pressed forward. but more troops were gathering to bar their way, and the major changed the line of march sharply to the right, sweeping along by the side of the force through which they had just cut their way, the musketeers on the flank firing into them as they passed. the movement was an adroit one, for in the gathering darkness the enemy in front would not be able to distinguish friends from foes, or to perceive the nature of the movement. for a few minutes they were unmolested, then the course was again changed, and charlie was beginning to think that, in the darkness, they would yet make their escape, when a dull heavy sound was heard in their rear. "that's the russian cavalry, bowyer. take the musketeers on with you, and keep close to the company ahead. i will break them up with the pikemen. if they do come up to you, give them a volley and then continue your retreat with the rest." while the captains of the other two companies had placed their pikemen in the front line, charlie had placed his in the rear, in order to repel any attack of cavalry from that direction. he now formed them in a close clump, taking his place among them. the russian squadrons came along with a deep roll like that of thunder. they were but thirty yards away when they perceived the little cluster of men with levelled lances. a few, unable to check their horses, rushed upon the points, but most of them reined in their little steeds in time. in a moment, the swedes were surrounded by a wall of yelling horsemen, some of whom tried to break through the hedge of spears, while others discharged their pistols. charlie listened anxiously for the roll of a volley of musketry, but no sound came, and he felt sure that the whole body of cavalry had halted round him, and that his movement had saved the rest, who would now, if fortunate, be able to make their way off in the darkness. but the men were falling now from the pistol fire of the cossacks, and, feeling that the work had been done, he determined to make one effort to save the men with him. "level your spears, and charge through them shoulder to shoulder," he said. "it is your only chance. once through, throw away your spears, and break up in the darkness. most of you may escape. "now!" with a shout, the swedes rushed forward in a body. horses and riders went down before them. there was a rush from behind. charlie shouted to the rear rank, to face about, but in the confusion and din his words were unheard. there was a brief struggle in the darkness. charlie emptied his pistols, and cut down more than one of his opponents, then a sword fell on his shoulder, while at the same moment he was ridden over by a cossack, and was stunned by the force of his fall. when he recovered consciousness, several men with torches were moving about him, and, at the orders of an officer, were examining the bodies of the fallen. he saw them pass their swords through the bodies of three of his own men, who were lying near him, and as they came up to him he closed his eyes, expecting a similar fate. "this is an officer, captain," one of the torch bearers said in russian. "very well. carry him to the camp, then. if he is alive, the general may want to question him." seeing that he breathed, four of the russian soldiers took him upon their shoulders, and carried him away. the pain of his wound, caused by the movement, was acute, but he retained consciousness until, after what seemed to him a journey of immense length, he was again laid down on the ground, close to a large fire. several officers stood round him, and he asked, first in polish and then in swedish, for water, and at the orders of one who seemed of superior rank to the others, some was at once brought to him. "your king treats his prisoners well," the officer said. "we will do everything we can for you." half an hour later, a doctor came to his side, and cutting open his coat, applied a bandage to his shoulder. "is it a serious wound?" charlie asked in swedish. "it might be worse, but it will be a troublesome one; it is a sabre cut, and has cleft right through your shoulder bone. are you hurt anywhere else?" "no, i do not think so. i was knocked down in the dark, and i believe stunned, though i have a sort of recollection of being trampled on, and i feel sore all over." the surgeon felt his ribs and limbs, repeatedly asking him if it hurt him. when he finished the examination, he said: "you are doubtless badly bruised, but i don't think anything is broken. our cossack horses are little more than ponies. had they been heavy horse, they would have trod your life out." a few moments later there was a sound of trampling horses. they halted close by. the officers drew back, and a moment later marshal scheremetof, the commander of the russian army, came up to charlie's side. "which of you speaks swedish?" he asked the officers, and one of them stepped forward. "ask him what force was this that attacked us, and with what object." as charlie saw no reason for concealment, he replied that it was a body of four hundred swedish infantry, and a troop of horse, with four guns, and that their object was to enter the town. "they must have been mad to attempt to cut their way through our whole army," the general said, when the answer was translated to him; "but, by saint paul, they nearly succeeded. the swedes are mad, but this was too much even for madmen. ask him whence the force came. it may be that a large reinforcement has reached vyburg, without our knowing it." "we arrived two days since," charlie replied, when the question was put to him. "we came in a ship together from revel." "did others come with you?" was next asked, at the general's dictation. "no other ship but ours has arrived." "but others are coming?" as charlie had no doubt that great efforts would be made to send further reinforcements, he replied: "many more troops are coming, but i cannot say when they will arrive." "will it be soon?" "that i cannot say, but i don't think they will come from revel. there was a talk of large reinforcements, but whether from sweden or from the king's army, i cannot say." "are you a swede?" the general asked. "i am an englishman in the swedish service, general." "we have many of your countrymen with us," the general said. "it would have been better for you, had you come to the czar. "see that he is well treated," he said to the officers, and then mounted and rode away. chapter : an old acquaintance. the next morning charlie was placed in a tent, in which lay several officers who had been wounded, either the night before or by shots from the town. he learned with great pleasure, upon questioning the doctor, that the swedes had got off safely in the darkness. some eight or ten men only had straggled and been made prisoners, and not more than twenty had been left dead on the field. he had the satisfaction, therefore, of knowing that the defence made by his own pikemen had been the means of saving the whole force. in other respects he had nothing to complain of, for he was well attended to, and received the same treatment as the russians. for another ten days the roar of the cannon continued, some seventy guns keeping up an incessant fire on the town. at the end of that time the governor capitulated, and was allowed to march out with the honours of war. only forty out of the brave garrison remained unwounded at the end of the siege. they, as well as such of their comrades as were strong enough to travel, passed through the lines of the russians, and marched to vyburg. three weeks after being made a prisoner, charlie's wound was so far healed that the surgeon pronounced him able to sit a horse, and, under the escort of an officer and four cossacks, he was taken by easy stages to bercov, a prison fortress a short distance from moscow. he had inquired from the surgeon who attended him for doctor kelly. the doctor knew him, but said that he was not with the army, but was, he believed, away visiting some towns on the volga, where a serious pestilence was raging. charlie remained but a short time at bercov. his wound was healing rapidly, and the surgeon who attended him assured him that there was every prospect of his making a complete cure, if he would but keep his arm, for some weeks, in a sling. he had nothing to complain of, either as to his comfort or food. the governor, who spoke a little polish, visited him every day, and asked many questions as to his native country. on one of these visits he said to him: "you asked me yesterday if i knew doctor kelly, one of the chief surgeons of the army, who, as you had heard, was at present on the volga. you mentioned that he was a friend of yours, and that you had made his acquaintance, when you were unlucky enough before to be a prisoner in our hands. i am sorry to say that i have today seen an official report, in which his name appears among the list of those who have fallen victims to the pestilence." "i am sorry to hear that," charlie exclaimed; "both because he was very kind to me, and i liked him much, and because, in the second place, i was sure that he would have used his influence, with the czar, to obtain my exchange as soon as possible." "it is very unfortunate," the governor said, "especially as these exchanges are of rare occurrence. a few officers may be taken prisoners on each side in the skirmishes, but the numbers are too small to make the loss of any importance, either to russia or sweden, and it is months since either have taken any steps to bring about exchanges. i myself have no influence. my appointment here is a sort of punishment, for having offended the czar by not having brought up my regiment in time to take part in the fight, when you attacked us at narva. i saved the regiment, but that was not regarded as any excuse for having been three days longer on the march than the czar expected; so i was sent here, as a sort of dismissal from active service. "you know no one else who could move in your matter?" "no one. the governor of the castle at plescow was a surly fellow, and was reprimanded by the czar, at least so i heard, for not having treated me sufficiently well. i was only three or four days there, and the only officer i saw besides doctor kelly was a friend of his, another doctor. he was at the table when i dined with kelly. he seemed to me to be a fine fellow, and, by the by, he did say jokingly that, if i was ever made prisoner again, i was to ask for him, and that he would do anything he could for me." "what was his name?" the governor asked. "peter michaeloff. "do you know him?" he added, as he saw a look of surprise in the governor's face. "i know one of that name," the governor said doubtfully, "i don't know that he is a doctor; though he may be, for he knows something of many things." "oh, he was a doctor," charlie said confidently. "i know kelly said he could take off a limb as well as he could do it, himself." "what sort of man was he?" "he was a tall, strong man, with black hair and gray eyes. he has rather a positive way of talking, and seemed to have very strong opinions about things. he looked good tempered, but i should say that he could be passionate enough, if he were put out." "that might be the peter michaeloff i know," the governor said. "you are sure he said that you were to ask for him, if you were a second time taken prisoner?" "i am quite certain he said so, though i don't know whether the promise meant much. but he certainly spoke as if he thought he might be able to help me, and, though it did not seem likely that i could have such bad luck twice, i think he meant at the time what he said, and i should think he was the sort of man who would keep his word." "i will make some inquiries," the governor said, "and find out, if i can, where he is at present. yes, i should think that he would be able to assist you, if he chose to interest himself in the matter." ten days later, the governor came into charlie's room. "an officer has arrived, with an order for your removal," he said. "you are to be taken up again to notteburg." "i am very sorry," charlie said. "i have been very comfortable here. you have been very kind to me, and i feel sure the change will not be for the better. besides, we are nearly into september now, and in that marshy country round the lake and river, the winter will be even more severe than it is here. the only thing i can think of is that the swedes at vyburg may have taken a russian captain prisoner, and that they are going to exchange us." the governor shook his head. "there are no longer any swedes at vyburg. all ingria is in our hands and the swedes have retired into finland. it may be that it is the work of your friend. i sent a message to peter michaeloff, should he be found in that neighbourhood, by an officer who was going there, telling him that you were here, and that, having met him when a prisoner at plescow, you relied on his good offices. should the officer have found him there, and have given him my message, he may probably have begged the field marshal to order you to be taken to the prison there, where he could be near you, and visit you sometimes." "your doctors must have a good deal more influence in your army than they have among the swedes," charlie remarked, "if that is how it has come about." "it would be a matter of favour," the governor said. "if michaeloff is acquainted with the field marshal, or had attended him when unwell, he could ask a little favour of that sort. if the field marshal sent you here, he could send for you again without more trouble than signing his name to the order." "well, if it is michaeloff who has done this," charlie grumbled; "no doubt he meant it kindly, but i would much rather that he left me here. a ride of two hundred and fifty miles, in august, is not pleasant to begin with, and the thought of winter in those swamps is enough to make one shiver." "with a comfortable room and a warm stove, you will not find much to complain of, captain carstairs," the governor said with a smile; "and, no doubt, michaeloff may be enabled to obtain leave for you to go out with him on parole. i was about myself to ask you, now that you are strong and well again, whether you would like to give your parole, and offer you the use of my horse for a ride, when inclined for it." "thank you, governor. if michaeloff can do that, it will certainly be a boon, but i am not disposed to agree that the change can be his work. in the first place, we don't know that he is there. in the second, i can hardly think that he could have managed it; and, most of all, i do not see he could possibly have had a hand in the matter, for, even supposing the officer had found him directly he arrived, and then given him the message, and he had acted upon it at once, there would have been no time for the order to get here. it would have needed a messenger riding night and day, with frequent relays of horses, to have got to notteburg and back since the day i spoke to you about the matter. "when am i to start?" "as soon as you have eaten your breakfast. the order says 'send at once,' and field marshals expect their orders to be attended to promptly." on descending to the courtyard after breakfast, charlie was surprised to see that, instead of a horse as he had expected, a well-appointed carriage, with an ample supply of rugs, was standing there. the governor was there to see him off. "well, sir," charlie said. "if this is the way in which you convey prisoners from one place to another in russia, i shall certainly be able, when i meet king charles, to report to him most favourably as to the treatment of his officers who have fallen into the czar's hands. this will make the journey a very much more pleasant one than i had expected." "i am glad you are pleased," the governor said, "and that you have no unpleasant recollection of your stay here." a minute later, the carriage dashed out through the gate of the prison. an officer was seated by charlie's side, two cossacks galloping in front, while two others rode behind. "it was worth making the change, if only for this drive," charlie thought cheerfully, as the dust flew up in a cloud before the horses' hoofs, and he felt a sense of exhilaration from the keen air that blew in his face. the journey was performed with great rapidity. one of the cossacks galloped ahead, as soon as they arrived at the station where they changed horses, and had fresh ones in readiness at the next post house. the cossacks themselves were changed at every other station, fresh relays from the men stationed there taking their place. excellent meals were served three times a day, and each night a comfortable bed was provided, at the last post house where they stopped. the officer was a pleasant fellow, but he spoke nothing except russian, and, although charlie fancied he understood him to some extent when he spoke to him in polish, he shook his head and gave no answers in that language. late in the evening of the third day, they arrived at notteburg. the building at which the carriage stopped was of considerable size. it stood in the heart of the town, and had no outward appearance of a prison. it was apparently at a side entrance at which they stopped. on the officer knocking at the door, it was opened by two cossacks, who, after exchanging a few words in russian with the officer, led charlie along a passage and up a narrow staircase, which led into a somewhat spacious corridor. they opened a door, and he found himself in a comfortable room. a table laid for dinner with handsome silver and appointments stood in the middle of the room, which was carpeted with tartar rugs. one of the cossacks opened an inner door, which led into a bedroom, snugly furnished. "it must be the doctor, after all," charlie murmured to himself, in great surprise. "i see now that there was plenty of time for a letter to come up here and have gone back again, and i suppose the good fellow has got leave for me to stay for a night in his quarters, before i am handed over to the prison. well, for the last three days i have travelled like a prince, and this is the closing act of it." he enjoyed a good wash, then returned to the other room, and sat down in a comfortable chair to wait for his host. he was on the point of dozing off, when the door opened, and peter michaeloff entered. charlie sprang to his feet. "well, captain carstairs," the russian said, holding out his hand, "so it seems you had bad luck again. you must have quite an affection for our prisons." "i shall have, at least, a pleasant remembrance of the kindness shown to me as a prisoner," charlie said; "and i am sure it is you that i have to thank for my transfer here, and for the pleasant journey i have had. i could not have travelled more comfortably, if i had been a russian grandee." "well, i am glad to meet you again," the doctor said heartily. "let me see, it is some twenty months since we supped together last at kelly's quarters. poor fellow! i shall miss him greatly. you have heard of his death?" "the governor of bercov told me of it, a fortnight ago. i was indeed sorry to hear it. i shall never forget his kindness to me." "yes, he was a good man, skilful in his profession, and full of zeal and energy. the blood runs faster somehow, in the veins of you islanders, than of us sluggish muscovites. if we could but at one sweep banish every russian official, from the highest to the lowest, and fill their places with men from your islands, what progress we should make, what work could we get done, what reforms could be carried out! "however, at present," he went on, changing the subject abruptly, "the point is supper. i am as hungry as a bear, for i have been at work since daylight, and have eaten nothing since i broke my fast." he rang a handbell placed on the table. two cossacks entered bearing dishes, and the doctor and his guest at once fell to on the supper, which was excellent. "hard work deserves good food," the russian said, in reply to a remark of charlie's as to the excellence both of the food and wine. "your charles does not think so, i hear, and lives on the roughest of food. what will be the consequence? he will wear himself out. his restless activity will exhaust his powers, and weaken his judgment. i can eat rough food if i can get no better, but i take the best, when opportunity offers. "what have you been doing ever since you left plescow? i inquired after you the other day, when our troops broke up schlippenbach's force on the embach. i found you were not among the prisoners, and i wondered if you were among the killed." "i was not in livonia at the time. i was with the king's army at warsaw. three regiments were sent off, the day after the battle of clissow, by boats down the vistula, and then by ship to revel. mine was one of them, but we arrived a fortnight too late." "then you were present at charles' third victory? how that young fellow handles his troops, and what wonderful troops they are! now we will get into our easy chairs again, and you shall tell me something about what you have been doing, since we last met." charlie gave a sketch of his adventures. "so you fought at the dwina, too? you have had luck in going through three battles without a wound." when charlie stated that he had gone to warsaw on a private mission, whose nature was immaterial to the story, the doctor broke in: "you need not tell me what it was, it was of course something to do with augustus. the way charles is hunting down that unfortunate king is shocking, it is downright malignity. why, he has wasted fifteen months over it already, and it has cost him ingria. he could have made any terms with poland he liked, after his victory on the dwina, and would then have been free to use all his forces against us. as it is, he has wasted two summers, and is likely to waste another, and that not for any material advantage, but simply to gratify his hatred against augustus; and he has left us to take ingria almost without a blow, and to gain what russia has wanted for the last hundred years, a foothold on the baltic. he may be a great general, but he is no politician. no real statesman would throw away solid advantages in order to gratify personal pique." "he considers augustus the author of this league against him," charlie said. "he and the czar had no grounds at all of quarrel against him." "we talked over that, the last time we met," the doctor said with a laugh, "and i told you then that a foothold on the baltic was so necessary to russia, that she would have accepted the alliance of the prince of darkness himself to get it. as to augustus, i don't defend him. he was ambitious, as i suppose most of us are. he thought he saw an opportunity of gaining territory. he has found that he has made a mistake, and will of course lose a province. but charles' persecution of him goes beyond all bounds. never before did a sovereign insist upon a nation consenting to dethrone its king at his dictation. "but go on with your story." he listened without remark, until charlie concluded. "i wish you had been in our service," he said, "instead of that of sweden. you would have mounted fast. you have all the requisites for success, above all, promptitude of decision and quickness of invention. you did well in getting away from that jewish scoundrel in the hut, and in killing his master, but it was your adventure with the wolves that showed your quality. that idea of setting fire to the tree in which you were sitting, in order at once to warm yourself and to frighten away the wolves, would never have occurred to a russian, and the quickness with which you formed, with three logs, a redoubt against the wolves, showed a quick military eye, and the ability to think and act in a moment of danger. "now tell me how it was that you were the only officer captured the other day." charlie briefly related how he, with the pikemen of his company, had stayed behind to check the pursuit of the russian horse, and to gain time for the main body to lose themselves in the darkness. the russian struck his fist on the arm of his chair. "it was well done," he said. "there is the difference. a russian captain would have done it, if he had been ordered, and he and his men would, without a question, have sacrificed themselves to cover the retreat of the rest, but he would never have done it on his own initiative. the idea would never have struck him. he would have plodded along until the enemy's cavalry came up and annihilated them all. by the way, why did you not ask for me at once?" "i had asked for doctor kelly the day after i was taken prisoner, and was told that he had gone to the volga. i thought that he would be back before long, and it was only when i heard of his death that it occurred to me to endeavour to find one who had kindly promised, after a few hours' acquaintance only, to befriend me should i ever find myself in a similar scrape." "it would have saved you the journey down to moscow. i heard, of course, that a swedish captain had been made prisoner that night, but i was myself at moscow at the time, and did not happen to notice the name of the officer taken. were you well treated at bercov?" "the governor there was most kind, and all the arrangements of the prison seem excellent. i had no reason whatever to complain. the governor was good enough to come frequently himself to talk to me. he is a fine soldierly man, and though he did not say much, i think he is eating his heart out at being laid on the shelf there, instead of aiding to fight the battles of his country." the russian took out a pocketbook and made a note, then he rose. "it is time for bed," he said. "i am up at daybreak." "i hope i shall see you often in the prison," charlie said. "i suppose i shall go in there tomorrow morning. i am indebted to you, indeed, for the very great kindness you have shown me." "no, you will not go in early. i have got leave for you for another day, and i am going to take you for a drive in the morning. you will be called an hour before sunrise. take your breakfast as soon as you are dressed. do not wait for me. i have work to do before i start, and shall breakfast elsewhere." as soon as charlie had breakfasted the next morning, a cossack told him that the carriage was below, and he followed him to the door where he had entered on the previous evening. the carriage was a simple one, but the three horses harnessed abreast to it were magnificent animals. charlie stood admiring them for some little time. "i should think," he said to himself, "the doctor must be a man of large property, and most likely of noble family, who has taken up his profession from pure love of it. he is evidently full of energy, and has an intense desire to see russia greater and higher in the rank of nations. i suppose that, like kelly, he is one of the principal medical officers in the army. certainly he must be a man of considerable influence to obtain my transfer here so easily, and to see that i travelled so comfortably. i wonder where he is going to take me this morning." four or five minutes later charlie's friend appeared at the door. he was evidently out of temper. he sprung hastily into the vehicle, as if he had altogether forgotten that he had asked charlie to accompany him. then, as his eye fell on him, he nodded and said briefly, "jump in." a little surprised at the unceremonious address, charlie sprang into the seat beside him without hesitation, seeing that his companion was evidently so much out of temper that he was not thinking of what he was doing at the moment. the coachman cracked his whip, and the spirited horses went off, at a rate of speed that threatened danger to persons traversing the narrow streets of the town. the cracking of the coachman's whip, and an occasional loud shout and the jangling of the bells, gave, however, sufficient warning of their approach. charlie smiled at the alacrity with which every one sprang out of the way, and either leapt into doorways or squeezed themselves against the wall. he was surprised, however, to see that not only did the townspeople show no resentment, at the reckless pace at which the carriage was driven, but that the soldiers, officers as well as men, cleared out as quickly, and without any expression of indignation or anger. indeed, most of them, as soon as they gained a place of safety, saluted his companion. "these russians have evidently a higher respect for their doctors than have the swedes," he said to himself. "i am sure that not even the chief surgeon of the army would be treated with anything like the same respect, and, indeed, no one would recognize him at all, if he were not in uniform." the doctor seemed to pay no attention to what was passing round him, but was muttering angrily to himself. it was not until they dashed out into the open country that he seemed to remember charlie's presence at his side. "these people are enough to vex one of the saints, by their stupidity," he said. "unless they have some one standing behind them with a whip, they cannot be trusted to do what they are told. it is not that they are not willing, but that they are stupid. no one would believe that people could be so stupid. they drive me well nigh to madness sometimes, and it is the more irritating because, against stupidity, one is powerless. beating a man or knocking him down may do him good if he is obstinate, or if he is careless, but when he is simply stupid it only makes him more stupid than before. you might as well batter a stone wall. "you slept well and breakfasted well, captain carstairs?" "excellently well, thank you. what superb horses you have, doctor." "yes. i like travelling fast. life is too short to throw away time in travelling. a busy man should always keep good horses." "if he can afford to do so," charlie said with a laugh. "i should say that every one, busy or not, would like to sit behind such horses as these, and, as you say, it would save a good deal of time to one who travelled much. but three such horses as these would only be in the reach of one with a very long purse." "they were bred here. their sire was one of three given by the king of england to the czar. the dams were from the imperial stables at vienna. so they ought to be good." charlie guessed that the team must have been a present from the czar, and, remembering what doctor kelly had said of the czar's personal communications with him, he thought that the ruler of russia must have a particular liking for doctors, and that the medical profession must be a more honoured and profitable one in russia than elsewhere. after driving with great rapidity for upwards of an hour along the banks of the neva, charlie saw a great number of people at work on an island in the middle of the river, some distance ahead, and soon afterwards, to his surprise, observed a multitude on the flat, low ground ahead. "this is what i have brought you to see," his companion said. "do you know what they are doing?" "it seems to me that they are building a fortress on that island." "you are right. we have got a footing on the sea, and we are going to keep it. while charles of sweden is fooling away his time in poland, in order to gratify his spite against augustus, we are strengthening ourselves here, and never again will sweden wrest ingria from our hands." "it is marvellous how much has been done already," charlie said, as he looked at the crowd of workmen. "everything was prepared," his companion said. "while the army was invading livonia, and driving the remnant of the swedes into revel, thousands of carts laden with piles of wood, stone, and cement were moving towards ingria. tens of thousands of workmen and peasants were in motion from every part of russia towards this point, and, the day after notteburg surrendered, they began their work here. it was the opportunity in the lifetime of a nation, and we have seized it. the engineers who had, in disguise, examined it months ago, had reported that the island was covered at high tides, and was unfit to bear the foundations of even the slightest buildings. piles are being driven in, as close as they will stand, over every foot of ground in it. over this a coating of concrete many feet thick will be laid, and on this the fortress, which is to be the centre and heart of russia, will rise. in the fort will stand a pile, which will be the tomb of the future czars of russia, and there in front of us, where you see fifty thousand peasants at work, shall be the future capital of the empire." "but it is a swamp," charlie said in astonishment, alike at the vastness of the scheme, and the energy with which it was being prosecuted. "nature has made it a swamp," his companion said calmly, "but man is stronger than nature. the river will be embanked, the morass drained, and piles driven everywhere, as has been done in the island, and the capital will rise here. the fort has already been named the fortress of saint peter and saint paul. the capital will be named alike after the patron saint and its founder--petersburg." they had now reached the spot. the carriage stopped and they alighted. charlie saw, with astonishment, that a wide deep cut had been driven, between the road and the river, in a straight line. looking down into it, he saw that it was paved with the heads of piles, and that carts were already emptying loads of concrete down upon it. "every bag of cement, every stone that you see, has been brought from a great distance," his companion said. "there is not a stone to be had within fifty miles of this spot. the work would seem well-nigh impossible, but it is the work of a nation. in another month, there will be a hundred and fifty thousand peasants at work here, and well nigh as many carts, bringing materials for the work and provisions for the workers." "it is stupendous! but it will take years to complete, and it will surely be terribly unhealthy here?" "i calculate the work will occupy ten years, and will cost a hundred thousand, maybe two hundred thousand lives," the other said calmly; "but what is that to the making of a nation? before, russia was stifled, she could not grow. now we have a communication with the world. the island that lies at the mouth of the neva will be fortified, and become a great naval arsenal and fort. along the walls which will rise here will be unloaded the merchandise of europe, and in exchange the ships will carry away our products. some day we shall have another port on the south, but for the present this must suffice. you will say that this is dangerously near our frontier, but that will soon be remedied. as we have pushed the swedes out of ingria, so in time shall we drive them from livonia on the west, and from finland on the north. "but i must to work." and he motioned to a group of five or six officers, who had been standing a short distance away, to approach him. charlie was struck with the air of humility with which they saluted his companion, who at once asked a number of questions as to the supplies that had arrived, the progress that had been made, at a point where they had met with a deep slough into which the piles had penetrated without meeting with any firm ground, the number of huts that had been erected during the past three days for the reception of labourers, the state of stocks of meat and flour, and other particulars. to each he gave short, sharp orders. when they had left, he turned to charlie. "you guess who i am, i suppose?" "i guess now, your majesty," charlie said respectfully, "but until now the idea that my kind friend was the czar himself never entered my mind. i understood, from doctor kelly, that you were a surgeon." "i don't think he said so," the czar replied. "he simply said that i could perform an amputation as well as he could, which was not quite true. but i studied surgery for a time in holland, and performed several operations under the eyes of the surgeons there. "i saw that you did not recognize my name. it is known to every russian, but doubtless you never heard of me save as peter the czar. directly you mentioned it to the commandant at bercov, and described my appearance, he knew who it was you were speaking of, and despatched a messenger at once to me. he will be here in the course of a week or so. upon your report of the state of the prison, i at once despatched an order for him to hand over his command to the officer next in rank, and to proceed hither at once. he is evidently a good administrator, and heaven knows i have need of such men here. "i was pleased with you, when i saw you with my friend doctor kelly. it was pleasant not to be known, and hear a frank opinion such as you gave me, and as you know, i sent you back on the following morning. i certainly told kelly, at the time, not to mention who i was, but i did not intend that he should keep you in ignorance of it after i had left, and it was not until i heard, from your jailer at bercov, that you were ignorant that peter michaeloff was the czar, that i knew that he had kept you in ignorance of it until the end. "i should have liked to have kept you as my guest for a time, but winter comes on early and suddenly, and if you did not go now you might be detained here until the spring. i have therefore given orders that one of the swedish vessels we captured on the lake should be got in readiness, and its crew placed on board again. you shall embark in an hour, and it shall carry you to any port in sweden you may choose. the wind is from the east, and you have every chance of a quick run thither." charlie expressed his warm thanks to the czar for his thoughtful kindness. "i have much to do now," the czar said, "and must hand you over to the care of one of my officers. he will accompany you, in my carriage, to the spot where the vessel is lying, near the mouth of the river, and will there see you on board. should the fortune of war again throw you into our hands, do not lose an hour in sending a message to peter michaeloff." so saying, the czar shook hands with charlie, beckoned an officer to him and gave him instructions, and then moved away among the workmen, while charlie, with his conductor, took their places in the vehicle and drove rapidly off. an hour later, he was on board the swedish vessel, whose master and crew were delighted at their sudden and unlooked for release. the former was overjoyed, for the vessel was his own property. "you will find your things in your cabin, sir," he said. "they were sent on board this morning, together with food and wine sufficient for a month's voyage, whereas, with this wind, we ought not to be more than four days. at which port will you land?" "i would rather go to gottenburg, captain, though it is farther for you than stockholm." "it shall be gottenburg, sir. it is thanks to you that i have got my liberty and my ship, and a day or two can make no difference to me." charlie, indeed, had thought the matter over as he drove along. he would not be able to rejoin the army until it had gone into winter quarters, and therefore decided that he would go to gottenburg, apply for six months' leave, and spend the winter with his father. somewhat puzzled at the mention of his things having gone on board, he went into the cabin, and found there a handsome pelisse trimmed with costly furs, two robes composed of valuable skins, and a change of clothes. the wind held fair, blowing strongly, and four days later he arrived at gottenburg. chapter : in england again. charlie was received with delight by his father, whom he had not seen since the spring of the previous year. "then you got my letter, charlie?" sir marmaduke asked, when the first greetings were over. "and yet, i do not see how you could have done so. it is little over a fortnight since i wrote, and i had not looked for you for another month yet." "i have certainly received no letter, father. a fortnight ago i was in a russian prison, and my arrival here, in so short a time, seems to me almost miraculous;" and he then briefly related his singular experiences. "now about the letter, father," he said, as he concluded. "i suppose you must have written to ask me to get leave for a time, as it seems that you were expecting me shortly. i suppose you felt that you would like me with you, for a time." "so i should, lad, of that you may be sure, but i should not have called you away for that. no, i had this letter the other day from old banks. you know he writes to me once a year. his letters have been only gossip so far, for you know my precious cousin kicked him out of the house, as soon as he took possession; but this is a different matter. read it for yourself." charlie took the letter, and with some trouble spelt through the crabbed handwriting. it began: "honoured sir and master, i hope that this finds you and captain charles both well in health. i have been laid up with rhematis in the bones, having less comfort in my lodgings than i used to have at lynnwood. your honour will have heard that king william has fallen from his horse, and broken his collarbone, and died. may the lord forgive him for taking the place of better men. anne has come to the throne, and there were some hopes that she would, of herself, step aside and let him to whom the throne rightly belongs come to it. such, however, has not been the case, and those who know best think that things are no forwarder for william's death, rather indeed the reverse, since the princess anne is better liked by the people than was her sister's husband. "there is no sure news from lynnwood. none of the old servants are there; and i have no one from whom i can learn anything for certain. things however are, i hear, much worse since young mr. dormay was killed in the duel in london, of which i told you in my last letter. "dame celia and mistress ciceley go but seldom abroad, and when seen they smile but little, but seem sad and downcast. the usurper has but small dealing with any of the gentry. there are always men staying there, fellows of a kind with whom no gentleman would consort, and they say there is much drinking and wild going on. as captain charles specially bade me, i have done all that i could to gather news of nicholson. till of late i have heard nothing of him. he disappeared altogether from these parts, just after your honour went away. news once came here from one who knew him, and who had gone up to london on a visit to a kinsman, that he had met him there, dressed up in a garb in no way according with his former position, but ruffling it at a tavern frequented by loose blades, spending his money freely, and drinking and dicing with the best of them. "a week since he was seen down here, in a very sorry state, looking as if luck had gone altogether against him. benjamin haddock, who lives, as you know, close to the gate of lynnwood, told me that he saw one pass along the road, just as it was dusk, whom he could swear was that varlet nicholson. he went to the door and looked after him to make sure, and saw him enter the gate. next day nicholson was in lancaster. he was spending money freely there, and rode off on a good horse, which looked ill assorted with his garments, though he purchased some of better fashion in the town. it seemed to me likely that he must have got money from the usurper. i do not know whether your honour will deem this news of importance, but i thought it well to write to you at once. any further news i may gather, i will send without fail. "your humble servant, "john banks." "there is no doubt that this is of importance," charlie said, when he had read the letter through. "it is only by getting hold of this villain that there is any chance of our obtaining proof of the foul treachery of which you were the victim. hitherto, we have had no clue whatever as to where he was to be looked for. now, there can be little doubt that he has returned to his haunts in london. i understand now, father, why you wanted me to get leave. you mean that i shall undertake this business." "that was my thought, charlie. you are now well-nigh twenty, and would scarce be recognized as the boy who left four years ago. the fellow would know me at once, and i might be laid by the heels again under the old warrant; besides being charged with breaking away from the custody of the soldiers. besides, in this business youth and strength and vigour are requisite. i would gladly take the matter in my own hands, but methinks you would have a better chance of bringing it to a favourable issue. now that anne is on the throne, she and her advisers will look leniently upon the men whose only fault was devotion to her father; and if we can once get this foul charge of assassination lifted from our shoulders, i and jervoise and the others who had to fly at the same time, may all be permitted to return, and obtain a reversal of the decree of the act of confiscation of our estates. "i have no friends at court, but i know that jervoise was a close acquaintance, years ago, of john churchill, who is now duke of marlborough, and they say high in favour with anne. i did not think of it when i wrote to you, but a week later it came to my mind that his intervention might be very useful, and i took advantage of an officer, leaving here for the army, to send by him a letter to jervoise, telling him that there was now some hope of getting at the traitor who served as john dormay's instrument in his plot against us. i said that i had sent for you, and thought it probable you would take the matter in hand; and i prayed him to send me a letter of introduction for you to the duke, so that, if you could by any means obtain the proof of our innocence of this pretended plot, he might help you to obtain a reversal of the act of confiscation against us all. i have asked him to write at once, and i will send the letter after you, as soon as i get it. "i know nothing of london, but i have heard of the bull's head, in fenchurch street, as being one frequented by travellers from the country. you had best put up there, and thither i will forward the note from jervoise." "the letter will be a useful one, indeed, father, when i have once wrung the truth from that villain nicholson. it will be an expedition after my own heart. there is first the chance of punishing the villain, and then the hope of restoring you to your place at dear old lynnwood." "you must be careful, charlie. remember it would never do to kill the rascal. that would be the greatest of misfortunes; for, with his death, any chance of unmasking the greater villain would disappear." "i will be careful, father. i cannot say how i shall set about the matter, yet. that must depend upon circumstances; but, as you say, above all things i must be careful of the fellow's life. when is there a ship sailing, father?" "the day after tomorrow, charlie. you will want that time for getting clothes, suitable to a young gentleman of moderate condition, up from the country on a visit to london. you must make up your mind that it will be a long search before you light on the fellow, for we have no clue as to the tavern he frequents. as a roistering young squire, wanting to see london life, you could go into taverns frequented by doubtful characters, for it is probably in such a place that you will find him. "however, all this i must leave to you. you showed yourself, in that polish business, well able to help yourself out of a scrape, and if you could do that among people of whose tongues you were ignorant, you ought to be able to manage on english soil." "at any rate, i will do my best, father, of that you may be sure. i have the advantage of knowing the fellow, and am pretty certain that he will not know me." "not he, charlie," his father said confidently. "even in the last two years, since you were here with jervoise and the others, you have changed so much that i, myself, might have passed you in the street without knowing you. "now, you had better go off and see about your things. there is no time to be lost. i have drawn out a hundred guineas of my money, which will, i should say, serve you while you are away; but don't stint it, lad. let me know if it runs short, and i will send you more." "i have money, too, father. i have four months' pay due, besides money i have in hand, for there was but little need for us to put our hands in our pockets." ten days later, charlie arrived in the port of london, and took up his abode at the bull's head, where he found the quarters comfortable, indeed, after the rough work of campaigning. the next morning he took a waiter into his confidence. "i have come to london to see a little life," he said, "and i want to be put into the way of doing it. i don't want to go to places where young gallants assemble. my purse is not deep enough to stand such society. i should like to go to places where i shall meet hearty young fellows, and could have a throw of the dice, or see a main fought by good cocks, or even sally out and have a little fun with the watch. my purse is fairly lined, and i want some amusement--something to look back upon when i go home again. what is the best way to set about it?" "well, sir, if that is your humour, i have a brother who is one of the mayor's tipstaffs. he knows the city well, ay, and westminster, too, and the purlieus of saint james's, and whether you want to meet young gallants or roistering blades, or to have a look in at places where you can hire a man to cut another's throat for a few crowns, he can show you them. he will be on duty now, but i will send him a message to come round this evening, and i warrant me he will be here. he has showed young squires from the country over the town before this, and will guess what is on hand when he gets my message." having nothing to do, charlie sauntered about the town during the day, looking into the shops, and keeping a keen eye on passers by, with the vague hope that he might be lucky enough to come across his man. after he had finished his supper, the waiter came up and told him that his brother was outside. "i have spoken to him, sir, and he warrants that he can take you into the sort of society you want to meet, whatever it may be." charlie followed him out. a man was standing under the lamp that swung before the door. "this is the gentleman i was speaking to you of, tony." as the man took off his cap, charlie had a good view of his face. it was shrewd and intelligent. "you understand what i want?" he asked, as the waiter ran into the house again, to attend to his duties. "yes, sir. so far as i understood him, you wish to go to taverns of somewhat inferior reputations, and to see something of that side of london life. if you will pardon my boldness, it is somewhat of a dangerous venture. in such places brawls are frequent, and rapiers soon out. "you look to me like one who could hold his own in a fray," he added, as his eye ran over the athletic figure before him, "but it is not always fair fighting. these fellows hang together, and while engaged with one, half a dozen might fall upon you. as to your purse, sir, it is your own affair. you will assuredly lose your money, if you play or wager with them. but that is no concern of mine. neither, you may say, is your life; but it seems to me that it is. one young gentleman from the country, who wanted, like you, to see life, was killed in a brawl, and i have never forgiven myself for having taken him to the tavern where he lost his life. thus, i say that, though willing enough to earn a crown or two outside my own work, i must decline to take you to places where, as it seems to me, you are likely to get into trouble." "you are an honest fellow, and i like you all the more, for speaking out frankly to me," charlie said, "and were i, as i told your brother, thinking of going to such places solely for amusement, what you say would have weight with me. but, as i see that you are to be trusted, i will tell you more. i want to find a man who did me and mine a grievous ill turn. i have no intention of killing him, or anything of that sort, but it is a matter of great importance to lay hand on him. all i know of him is that he is a frequenter of taverns here, and those not of the first character. just at present he is, i have reason to believe, provided with funds, and may push himself into places where he would not show himself when he is out of luck. still, it is more likely he is to be found in the lowest dens, among rascals of his own kidney. i may lose a little money, but i shall do so with my eyes open, and solely to obtain a footing at the places where i am most likely to meet him." "that alters the affair," the man said gravely. "it will add to your danger; for as you know him, i suppose he knows you, also." "no. it is four years since we met, and i have so greatly changed, in that time, that i have no fear he would recognize me. at any rate, not here in london, which is the last place he would suspect me of being in." "that is better. well, sir, if that be your object, i will do my best to help you. what is the fellow's name and description?" "he called himself nicholson, when we last met; but like enough that is not his real name, and if it is, he may be known by another here. he is a lanky knave, of middle height; but more than that, except that he has a shifty look about his eyes, i cannot tell you." "and his condition, you say, is changeable?" "very much so, i should say. i should fancy that, when in funds, he would frequent places where he could prey on careless young fellows from the country, like myself. when his pockets are empty, i should say he would herd with the lowest rascals." "well, sir, as you say he is in funds at present, we will this evening visit a tavern or two, frequented by young blades, some of whom have more money than wit; and by men who live by their wits and nothing else. but you must not be disappointed, if the search prove a long one before you run your hare down, for the indications you have given me are very doubtful. he may be living in alsatia, hard by the temple, which, though not so bad as it used to be, is still an abode of dangerous rogues. but more likely you may meet him at the taverns in westminster, or near whitehall; for, if he has means to dress himself bravely, it is there he will most readily pick up gulls. "i will, with your permission, take you to the better sort to begin with, and then, when you have got more accustomed to the ways of these places, you can go to those a step lower, where, i should think, he is more likely to be found; for such fellows spend their money freely, when they get it, and unless they manage to fleece some young lamb from the country, they soon find themselves unable to keep pace with the society of places where play runs high, and men call for their bottles freely. besides, in such places, when they become unable to spend money freely, they soon get the cold shoulder from the host, who cares not to see the money that should be spent on feasting and wine diverted into the pockets of others. "i shall leave you at the door of these places. i am too well known to enter. i put my hand on the shoulder of too many men, during the year, for me to go into any society without the risk of someone knowing me again." they accordingly made their way down to westminster, and charlie visited several taverns. at each he called for wine, and was speedily accosted by one or more men, who perceived that he was a stranger, and scented booty. he stated freely that he had just come up to town, and intended to stay some short time there. he allowed himself to be persuaded to enter the room where play was going on, but declined to join, saying that, as yet, he was ignorant of the ways of town, and must see a little more of them before he ventured his money, but that, when he felt more at home, he should be ready enough to join in a game of dice or cards, being considered a good hand at both. after staying at each place about half an hour, he made his way out, getting rid of his would-be friends with some little difficulty, and with a promise that he would come again, ere long. for six days he continued his inquiries, going out every evening with his guide, and taking his meals, for the most part, at one or other of the taverns, in hopes that he might happen upon the man of whom he was in search. at the end of that time, he had a great surprise. as he entered the hotel to take supper, the waiter said to him: "there is a gentleman who has been asking for you, in the public room. he arrived an hour ago, and has hired a chamber." "asking for me?" charlie repeated in astonishment. "you must be mistaken." "not at all, sir. he asked for mr. charles conway, and that is the name you wrote down in the hotel book, when you came." "that must be me, sure enough, but who can be asking for me i cannot imagine. however, i shall soon know." and, in a state of utter bewilderment as to who could have learnt his name and address, he went into the coffee room. there happened, at the moment, to be but one person there, and as he rose and turned towards him, charlie exclaimed in astonishment and delight: "why, harry, what on earth brings you here? i am glad to see you, indeed, but you are the last person in the world i should have thought of meeting here in london." "you thought i was in a hut, made as wind tight as possible, before the cold set in, in earnest. so i should have been, with six months of a dull life before me, if it had not been for sir marmaduke's letter. directly my father read it through to me he said: "'get your valises packed at once, harry. i will go to the colonel and get your leave granted. charlie may have to go into all sorts of dens, in search of this scoundrel, and it is better to have two swords than one in such places. besides, as you know the fellow's face you can aid in the search, and are as likely to run against him as he is. his discovery is as important to us as it is to him, and it may be the duke will be more disposed to interest himself, when he sees the son of his old friend, than upon the strength of a letter only.' "you may imagine i did not lose much time. but i did not start, after all, until the next morning, for when the colonel talked it over with my father, he said: "'let harry wait till tomorrow. i shall be seeing the king this evening. he is always interested in adventure, and i will tell him the whole story, and ask him to write a few lines, saying that harry and carstairs are young officers who have borne themselves bravely, and to his satisfaction. it may help with the duke, and will show, at any rate, that you have both been out here, and not intriguing at saint germains.' "the colonel came in, late in the evening, with a paper, which the king had told count piper to write and sign, and had himself put his signature to it. i have got it sewn up in my doublet, with my father's letter to marlborough. they are too precious to lose, but i can tell you what it is, word for word: "'by order of king charles the twelfth of sweden. this is to testify, to all whom it may concern, that captain charles carstairs, and captain harry jervoise--'" "oh, i am glad, harry!" charlie interrupted. "it was horrid that i should have been a captain, for the last year, and you a lieutenant. i am glad, indeed." "yes, it is grand, isn't it, and very good of the king to do it like that. now, i will go on-- "'have both served me well and faithfully during the war, showing great valour, and proving themselves to be brave and honourable gentlemen, as may be seen, indeed, from the rank that they, though young in years, have both attained, and which is due solely to their deserts.' "what do you think of that?" "nothing could be better, harry. did you see my father at gottenburg?" "yes. the ship i sailed by went to stockholm, and i was lucky enough to find there another, starting for england in a few hours. she touched at gottenburg to take in some cargo, and i had time to see sir marmaduke, who was good enough to express himself as greatly pleased that i was coming over to join you." "well, harry, i am glad, indeed. before we talk, let us go in and have supper, that is, if you have not already had yours. if you have, i can wait a bit." "no; they told me you had ordered your supper at six, so i told them i would take mine at the same time; and, indeed, i can tell you that i am ready for it." after the meal, charlie told his friend the steps he was taking to discover nicholson. "do you feel sure that you would know him again, harry?" "quite sure. why, i saw him dozens of times at lynnwood." "then we shall now be able to hunt for him separately, harry. going to two or three places, of an evening, i always fear that he may come in after i have gone away. now one of us can wait till the hour for closing, while the other goes elsewhere." for another fortnight, they frequented all the places where they thought nicholson would be most likely to show himself; then, after a consultation with their guide, they agreed that they must look for him at lower places. "like enough," the tipstaff said, "he may have run through his money the first night or two after coming up to town. that is the way with these fellows. as long as they have money they gamble. when they have none, they cheat or turn to other evil courses. now that there are two of you together, there is less danger in going to such places; for, though these rascals may be ready to pick a quarrel with a single man, they know that it is a dangerous game to play with two, who look perfectly capable of defending themselves." for a month, they frequented low taverns. they dressed themselves plainly now, and assumed the character of young fellows who had come up to town, and had fallen into bad company, and lost what little money they had brought with them, and were now ready for any desperate enterprise. still, no success attended their search. "i can do no more for you," their guide said. "i have taken you to every house that such a man would be likely to use. of course, there are many houses near the river frequented by bad characters. but here you would chiefly meet men connected, in some way, with the sea, and you would be hardly likely to find your man there." "we shall keep on searching," charlie said. "he may have gone out of town for some reason, and may return any day. we shall not give it up till spring." "well, at any rate, sirs, i will take your money no longer. you know your way thoroughly about now, and, if at any time you should want me, you know where to find me. it might be worth your while to pay a visit to islington, or even to go as far as barnet. the fellow may have done something, and may think it safer to keep in hiding, and in that case islington and barnet are as likely to suit him as anywhere." the young men had, some time before, left the inn and taken a lodging. this they found much cheaper, and, as they were away from breakfast until midnight, it mattered little where they slept. they took the advice of their guide, stayed a couple of nights at islington, and then went to barnet. in these places there was no occasion to visit the taverns, as, being comparatively small, they would, either in the daytime or after dark, have an opportunity of meeting most of those living there. finding the search ineffectual, charlie proposed that they should go for a long walk along the north road. "i am tired of staring every man i meet in the face, harry. and i should like, for once, to be able to throw it all off and take a good walk together, as we used to do in the old days. we will go eight or ten miles out, stop at some wayside inn for refreshments, and then come back here for the night, and start back again for town tomorrow." harry at once agreed, and, taking their hats, they started. they did not hurry themselves, and, carefully avoiding all mention of the subject that had occupied their thoughts for weeks, they chatted over their last campaign, their friends in the swedish camp, and the course that affairs were likely to take. after four hours' walking they came to a small wayside inn, standing back twenty or thirty yards from the road. "it is a quiet-looking little place," charlie said, "and does but a small trade, i should say. however, no doubt they can give us some bread and cheese, and a mug of ale, which will last us well enough till we get back to barnet." the landlord placed what they demanded before them, and then left the room again, replying by a short word or two to their remarks on the weather. "a surly ill-conditioned sort of fellow," harry said. "it may be, harry, that badness of trade has spoiled his temper. however, so long as his beer is good, it matters little about his mood." they had finished their bread and cheese, and were sitting idly, being in no hurry to start on their way back, when a man on horseback turned off from the road and came up the narrow lane in which the house stood. as charlie, who was facing that way, looked at him he started, and grasped harry's arm. "it is our man," he said. "it is nicholson himself! to think of our searching all london, these weeks past, and stumbling upon him here." the man stopped at the door, which was at once opened by the landlord. "all right, i suppose, landlord?" the man said, as he swung himself from his horse. "there is no one here except two young fellows, who look to me as if they had spent their last penny in london, and were travelling down home again." he spoke in a lowered voice, but the words came plainly enough to the ears of the listeners within. another word or two was spoken, and then the landlord took the horse and led it round to a stable behind, while its rider entered the room. he stopped for a moment at the open door of the taproom, and stared at the two young men, who had just put on their hats again. they looked up carelessly, and harry said: "fine weather for this time of year." the man replied by a grunt, and then passed on into the landlord's private room. "that is the fellow, sure enough, charlie," harry said, in a low tone. "i thought your eyes might have deceived you, but i remember his face well. now what is to be done?" "we won't lose sight of him again," charlie said. "though, if we do, we shall know where to pick up his traces, for he evidently frequents this place. i should say he has taken to the road. there were a brace of pistols in the holsters. that is how it is that we have not found him before. well, at any rate, there is no use trying to make his acquaintance here. the first question is, will he stay here for the night or not--and if he does not, which way will he go?" "he came from the north," harry said. "so if he goes, it will be towards town." "that is so. our best plan will be to pay our reckoning and start. we will go a hundred yards or so down the road, and then lie down behind a hedge, so as to see if he passes. if he does not leave before nightfall, we will come up to the house and reconnoitre. if he does not leave by ten, he is here for the night, and we must make ourselves as snug as we can under a stack. the nights are getting cold, but we have slept out in a deal colder weather than this. however, i fancy he will go on. it is early for a man to finish a journey. if he does, we must follow him, and keep him in sight, if possible." two hours later they saw, from their hiding place, nicholson ride out from the lane. he turned his horse's head in their direction. "that is good," charlie said. "if he is bound for london, we shall be able to get into his company somehow; but if he had gone up to some quiet place north, we might have had a lot of difficulty in getting acquainted with him." as soon as the man had ridden past they leapt to their feet, and, at a run, kept along the hedge. he had started at a brisk trot, but when, a quarter of a mile on, they reached a gate, and looked up the road after him, they saw to their satisfaction that the horse had already fallen into a walk. "he does not mean to go far from barnet," charlie exclaimed. "if he had been bound farther, he would have kept on at a trot. we will keep on behind the hedges as long as we can. if he were to look back and see us always behind him, he might become suspicious." they had no difficulty in keeping up with the horseman. sometimes, when they looked out, he was a considerable distance ahead, having quickened his pace; but he never kept that up long, and by brisk running, and dashing recklessly through the hedges running at right angles to that they were following, they soon came up to him again. once, he had gone so far ahead that they took to the road, and followed it until he again slackened his speed. they thus kept him in sight till they neared barnet. "we can take to the road now," harry said. "even if he should look round, he will think nothing of seeing two men behind him. we might have turned into it from some by-lane. at any rate, we must chance it. we must find where he puts up for the night." chapter : the north coach. barnet was then, as now, a somewhat straggling place. soon after entering it, the horseman turned off from the main road. his pursuers were but fifty yards behind him, and they kept him in sight until, after proceeding a quarter of a mile, he stopped at a small tavern, where he dismounted, and a boy took his horse and led it round by the side of the house. "run to earth!" harry said exultantly. "he is not likely to move from there tonight." "at any rate, he is safe for a couple of hours," charlie said. "so we will go to our inn, and have a good meal. by that time it will be quite dark, and we will have a look at the place he has gone into; and if we can't learn anything, we must watch it by turns till midnight. we will arrange, at the inn, to hire a horse. one will be enough. he only caught a glimpse of us at that inn, and certainly would not recognize one of us, if he saw him alone. the other can walk." "but which way, charlie? he may go back again." "it is hardly likely he came here merely for the pleasure of stopping the night at that little tavern. i have no doubt he is bound for london. you shall take the horse, harry, and watch until he starts, and then follow him, just managing to come up close to him as he gets into town. i will start early, and wait at the beginning of the houses, and it is hard if one or other of us does not manage to find out where he hides." they had no difficulty in arranging with the landlord for a horse, which was to be left in a stable he named in town. they gave him a deposit, for which he handed them a note, by which the money was to be returned to them by the stable keeper, on their handing over the horse in good condition. after the meal they sallied out again, and walked to the tavern, which was a small place standing apart from other houses. there was a light in the taproom, but they guessed that here, as at the other stopping place, the man they wanted would be in a private apartment. passing the house, they saw a light in a side window, and, noiselessly opening a little wicket gate, they stole into the garden. going a short distance back from the window, so that the light should not show their faces, they looked in, and saw the man they sought sitting by the fire, with a table on which stood a bottle and two glasses beside him, and another man facing him. "stay where you are, harry. i will steal up to the window, and find out whether i can hear what they are saying." stooping close under the window, he could hear the murmur of voices, but could distinguish no words. he rejoined his companion. "i am going to make a trial to overhear them, harry, and it is better that only one of us should be here. you go back to the inn, and wait for me there." "what are you going to do, charlie?" "i am going to throw a stone through the lower part of the window. then i shall hide. they will rush out, and when they can find no one, they will conclude that the stone was thrown by some mischievous boy going along the road. when all is quiet again i will creep up to the window, and it will be hard if i don't manage to learn something of what they are saying." the plan was carried out, and charlie, getting close up to the window, threw a stone through one of the lowest of the little diamond-shaped panes. he heard a loud exclamation of anger inside, and then sprang away and hid himself at the other end of the garden. a moment later he heard loud talking in the road, and a man with a lantern came round to the window; but in a few minutes all was quiet again, and charlie cautiously made his way back to the window, and crouched beneath it. he could hear plainly enough, now, the talk going on within. "what was i saying when that confounded stone interrupted us?" "you were saying, captain, that you intended to have a week in london, and then to stop the north coach." "yes, i have done well lately, and can afford a week's pleasure. besides, jerry skinlow got a bullet in his shoulder, last week, in trying to stop a carriage on his own account, and jack mercer's mare is laid up lame, and it wants four to stop a coach neatly. jack ponsford is in town. i shall bring him out with me." "i heard that you were out of luck a short time ago." "yes, everything seemed against me. my horse was shot, and, just at the time, i had been having a bad run at the tables and had lost my last stiver. i was in hiding for a fortnight at one of the cribs; for they had got a description of me from an old gentleman, who, with his wife and daughter, i had eased of their money and watches. it was a stupid business. i dropped a valuable diamond ring on the ground, and in groping about for it my mask came off, and, like a fool, i stood up in the full light of the carriage lamp. so i thought it better, for all reasons, to get away for a month or so, until things quieted down. i wanted to visit my banker, and it was a good many miles to tramp." "oh, you have got a banker, captain?" "i have one who is just as good, though i cannot say he shells out his money willingly--in fact he was rude enough to say, when i called this time, that if i ever showed my face to him again he would shoot me, even if he were hung for it. bad taste, wasn't it? at any rate, i mustn't call on him again too soon." "you haven't settled on the night yet, i suppose, captain?" "about the end of next week. friday will be a full moon, i think, and i like a moon for the work. it gives light enough to see what you are doing, and not light enough for them to see much of you. so i suppose i may as well fix friday. i will send up a message for jack mercer and jerry skinlow to be here on thursday evening. i will be here that afternoon, and settle matters with them as to where they shall meet me, and what each man shall do. then i will ride back to town, and come out again just as it gets dark, with jack ponsford." "i suppose you will do it north of here?" "no, i will do it a mile or two out of town. the road north of this is getting rather a bad reputation, and in going out of barnet the guard now looks to his blunderbuss, and the passengers get their pistols ready. it isn't once in a hundred times they have pluck enough to use them, but they always think they will, until the time comes. near town we shall take them by surprise, and stop them before they have time to think of getting out their arms. "confound that window. shove something into the hole, johnson. i can feel the cold right down my back." a cloth was pushed into the broken pane, and charlie could hear no more of what was said inside. he had heard, indeed, enough for his purpose, but he had hoped to gather the name of the place at which the man would put up in london. however, he was well satisfied with his success, and at once made his way back to the inn. "well, charlie, how have you succeeded?" harry asked, as he sat down at the table. "could not be better, harry, though i did not find out where he puts up in london. however, that is of small consequence. in the first place, i found out that our suspicions were right, and that the fellow is a highwayman, and seems to be captain of a gang consisting anyhow of three, and perhaps of more, fellows like himself. in the second place, he intends, with his three comrades, to attack the coach on friday week, two or three miles out of town. nothing could better suit our purpose, even if we had planned the affair ourselves. of course, we will be there. if we can capture him while engaged in that work, we can get anything out of him. he has either got to confess or be hanged." "that is a stroke of good luck, indeed," harry exclaimed. "it will be rather difficult to manage, though. the fellows will be sure to be masked; and, if we were to shoot him instead of one of the others, it would be fatal." "yes, that would be awkward. besides," charlie said, "even if we did recognize him and shot his horse, he might jump up behind one of the other men, or might make off across the country, and we might lose sight of him before we could get down from the top of the coach to pursue." "it might be better if we were mounted, instead of being on the coach." "better in some ways, harry; but if they heard two mounted men coming along beside the coach, they would probably take the alarm and not attack at all; while, if we were to keep a bit behind, and ride up as soon as we heard the firing--for they generally shoot one of the horses to bring the coach to a standstill--they might ride off as soon as they heard the sound of the horses on the road. those fellows are splendidly mounted. their lives depend upon it, and nothing we should be able to hire would be likely to have a chance with them." "well, we shall have plenty of time to think this over, charlie. i suppose we shall carry out our plan tomorrow, as we arranged." "certainly. it is as important to find out where he lives in london as it was before, for if he gets away, we can then look him up there. we may as well go to bed at once, for i shall start at four, so as to get to town before him, however early he may be off. but as we know, now, he is going up on pleasure and not on business, i don't suppose he will be in any hurry in the morning." charlie arrived in town about eight o'clock, and, having breakfasted at the first tavern he came to, walked along for some distance, to decide upon the spot where he should take up his position. as nicholson was going up, as he said, to enjoy himself, it was not likely that he would put up at islington, but would take up his quarters in the centre of the town. he therefore decided to walk on, until he came to some junction of important roads; and there wait, as the man might make either for the city or westminster, though the latter appeared the more probable direction. here he walked up and down for an hour, and then, entering a tavern, took his place at the window, where he could see up the street, called for a stoup of wine, and prepared for a long wait. it was not, indeed, until three o'clock that he saw nicholson coming along. he was more gaily dressed than he had been on the previous day. he had on a green cloth coat with gold braid round the cuffs, an embroidered waistcoat, yellow breeches, top boots, and three-cornered hat. he was riding at foot pace. charlie went to the door as soon as he passed, and saw that, as he expected, he took the road to westminster. looking round, he saw harry riding about a hundred yards behind. charlie had no difficulty in keeping up with nicholson, and traced him to a house in a quiet street lying behind the abbey. a boy came out and held the horse, while its rider dismounted, and then led it away to the stable of an inn a short distance away. charlie turned at once, and joined harry. "i need not have taken all the trouble i have, harry, still there was no knowing. evidently the fellow has no fear of being detected, and is going to pass, for a week, as a gentleman from the country. i suppose he is in the habit of stopping at that house whenever he comes up with his pockets lined, and is regarded there as a respectable gentleman by the landlord. now you had better take your horse to the stable, where you agreed to hand it over, and we will meet at our lodgings and plan what to do next." the discussion did not lead to much. there did not seem, to them, anything to do until the day when the coach was to be attacked, but they agreed it would be well to take the advice of their friend the tipstaff. hitherto, they had not told him more of their motive for desiring to find nicholson, than charlie had said at his first interview with him. they thought it would be better, now, to make him more fully acquainted with the facts, for they had found him shrewd, and eager to assist them to the best of his power. they therefore sent a boy with a note to him, at the court, and at seven o'clock he came to their lodgings. "we have found our man," charlie said as he entered. "i am very glad to hear it, gentlemen. i had quite given up all hopes that you would be able to do so, and thought he must have left town altogether for a time." "sit down and take a glass of wine. we want your advice in this matter, and unless you know how much there is at stake, you will not be able to enter fully into the affair. "some four years ago, this fellow was concerned in a plot by which six gentlemen, among whom were our friends, were brought to ruin. they were in the habit of meeting together, being all of similar political opinions, and advantage was taken of this by a man, who hoped to profit largely by their ruin, especially by that of my father. in order to bring this about, he recommended this fellow we are in search of to my father, who happened, at the time, to be in want of a servant. "the fellow undoubtedly acted as a spy, for i once caught him at it. but spying alone would have been of no use, for there was nothing at any time said that would have brought harm upon them. they simply discussed what thousands of other people have discussed, the measures that should be taken on behalf of the stuarts, if one of them came over from france supported by a french force. the fellow, however, swore that the object of these meetings was to arrange for an assassination of william. he gave full details of the supposed plot, and in order to give substance to his statements, he hid, in a cabinet of my father's, a number of compromising papers, professing to be letters from abroad. "these were found by the officers sent to arrest my father. he and his five friends managed to escape, but their estates were forfeited. of course, what we want to prove is the connection between this spy and his employer, who, for his services in bringing this supposed plot to light, received as a reward my father's estates. there is no way of doing this, unless this man can be brought to confess his own villainy in the matter of the letters, and to denounce the scoundrel whose agent he was. probably, by this time, he has got nearly all he can expect from his employer, and will at least feel no scruples in exposing him, if by so doing he can save his own neck. "now, we have not only discovered the man, but have found out that he is a notorious highwayman, and the leader of a gang; but more, i have found out the day and hour on which he proposes to stop and rob the north coach." "well, mr. carstairs, if you have done that," the man said, "you have done marvels. that you should find the man might be a piece of good luck, but that you should have learned all this about him seems to me wonderful." "it was a lucky accident, altogether. we saw him, watched him, and managed to overhear a conversation from which we gathered these facts. it was all simple enough. of course, our idea is that we should, if possible, catch him in the act of robbing the coach, bind and take charge of him, saying that we should hand him over to justice, when the coachman and passengers would, of course, appear to testify against him. instead of doing this, we should take him somewhere, and then give him the option of either making a clean breast of the whole story, and remaining in our custody until called upon to testify to his statement in a court of justice, whenever required; or of being handed over to the authorities, to be tried and hung as a highwayman. "one of our greatest difficulties is how to effect his capture. the attack will be made at night on the coach, and in the darkness we might shoot him, or he might get away. he is at present in london, at a lodging in a street behind the abbey, where, doubtless, his real profession is altogether unsuspected by the people of the house. "now you know the whole affair. let us have your opinion as to the manner in which we had best set about the business." the man sat for some time, in silence. "i can think of no better plan than yours, sir, and yet it seems to me that there is scarcely any chance of your catching him at the coach. of course, it would be easy enough if you did not care whether you killed or caught him. all you would have to do would be to get half a dozen stout fellows, armed with pistols, on the coach with you instead of passengers, and then you would be pretty certain to kill some of them, perhaps all; but, as you can't do that, and are afraid to shoot lest you should kill him, it seems to me that you have a very small chance of catching him that way." charlie and his friend so thoroughly saw this, that they sat silent when he ceased speaking. "we could not arrest him now, i suppose?" harry said at last. "well, you see, you have got nothing against him. he may have been a knight of the road for the last five years, but you have no witnesses to prove it, and it is not much use to accuse him of intending to rob the north mail. you have no proofs, even of that. it is only your word against his. "there is no doubt that, after they have robbed the coach, they will separate. they may go away in twos, or singly. now, you see, we know three of this fellow's hiding places. he would hardly choose the one at barnet. it is too close. it is more likely he would choose the next place, the little inn in which you saw him first; but i think it more likely still that he and his mates will divide the plunder, half a mile or so from the place where they stopped the coach, and will then separate, and i am inclined to think his most likely course is to strike off from the main road, make a long round, and come down before morning to where he is now. he may take his horse into its stable, or, more likely, he may leave it at some place he may know of on the road leading out through putney, and then arrive at his lodgings just about daybreak. he would explain he had been at a supper, and had kept it up all night, and no one would even have a suspicion he had been engaged in the affair with the coach. i am sure that is his most likely plan." "then, what would you do?" harry asked. "what i should do is this. i will get two sharp active boys. i know of two who would just do, they have done jobs for us before now. i will give them the exact description of those two taverns, and send them down the day before the coach is to be attacked, and tell them that, that night, they are each to keep watch over one of them, see who goes in, watch till they come out, and then follow them, for days if necessary, and track them down. then they can send word up by the guard of the coach, each day; so that, if we find our man does not come back here by saturday morning, we shall have news that will put us on his track again, before long. "however, i think he is sure to come back here. you had better point out to me, this evening, where he lodges, and i shall be able to find out, before long, whether they are respectable people, or whether they are likely to be pals of his. "if they are respectable, i will see them on friday evening, show them my badge, and tell them that the man who has been lodging here is a notorious highwayman, and that i am going to arrest him. to prevent any chance of a mistake, i will put three or four of my mates round the house, to see that no one goes out to give him the alarm. i will come down and open the door for you, at two o'clock in the morning. you can then come up with me into his bedroom, and as he comes in, i will nab him. "if, on the other hand, i find the people of the house have a doubtful reputation in the neighbourhood, we must simply hide in doorways, make a rush upon him as he goes up to the house, and overpower him there. if one stands in his doorway, and leaps out on him as he comes up, he won't have much chance of using a pistol. i will have a cart ready, close by. we will truss him up tightly, gag him and put him into it, and i will have some place ready for us to drive him to, if you think that plan is as good as any other." "i think it is an excellent plan, and could not be better," charlie exclaimed, and his friend heartily agreed with him. "i think you will be able to get anything out of him, when you get him there," said the tipstaff. "he is sure to have some of the swag about him, and, even if none of the passengers of the coach are able to swear to him, that and the talk you overheard would be sufficient to hang him." "can those boys you speak of write?" "not they, sir." "there might be a difficulty about a verbal message." "the guard will give it, all right, if he gets half a crown with it. you need not trouble about that, sir. i will have a man to meet each coach, as it comes in. "and now we have arranged matters, sir, i will go with you to see the house, and will send a sharp fellow down tomorrow, to make inquiries about the people of the place." when they returned, the friends sat for a long time, talking together. the suggested plan looked so hopeful that they felt confident of its success. "i think, charlie," harry said, "it would be a good thing for us to present ourselves to the duke of marlborough. then we shall see if he is disposed to take an interest in us, and help us. if he is, he will tell us what had best be done towards getting nicholson's statement made in the presence of some sort of official who will act on it. if he gives us the cold shoulder, we shall have to do as best we can in some other direction, and it will be well to have the matter settled, if possible, before we catch the fellow." "i think that will be a very good plan, harry. i know where he lives. i inquired directly i came over. tomorrow morning we can go there and inquire, at the door, at what hour he receives callers." the next day at eleven o'clock the young men, dressed in their best attire, called at the duke's. they were informed that the great man was at home, and would be as likely to see them then as at any other hour. accordingly they entered, and were shown into an anteroom, and sent their names in by a footman. he returned with a request that they would follow him, and were shown into a library, where a singularly handsome man, in the prime of life, was sitting at a desk. he looked at them in some surprise. "is there not some mistake, young gentlemen?" he asked. "my servant gave the names as captain jervoise, and captain carstairs. i do not recall the names as those of officers in her majesty's service." "no, my lord, we have the honour to be captains in the service of king charles of sweden, as this document, signed both by his minister, count piper, and by the king himself, will testify." the duke took the paper, and read it. "the king of sweden speaks very highly of you both, gentlemen," he said cordially. "it is no mean credit to have gained such warm praise from the greatest general of his time. what can i do for you? do you wish to be transferred from the service of sweden to that of her majesty? we have need of good officers, and i can promise that you shall receive the same rank that you now hold, and it is likely that, before long, you will have an opportunity of seeing some service under your national flag." "i thank you warmly for your kindness, my lord, but it is not with that view that we have now come to you, though i am sure that we both should prefer to fight under our own flag, rather than under that of a foreign king, however kindly he may be disposed to us, personally. we have called upon a private matter, and i am the bearer of this letter from my father, who had once the honour of your lordship's friendship." "jervoise," the duke repeated, as he took the letter. "not mat jervoise, surely?" "that is my father's name, sir." "do i remember him? why, he was one of my closest friends when i was a lad, and i once stayed with him at his father's place, for a fortnight, on a journey i took to the north. but i will read his letter-- "what changes happen," he said, as he laid it down. "to think that mat jervoise should be an exile, his old home in the hands of strangers, and he a major in the swedish service; and that i should never have heard a word about it! "well, young sir," and he held out his hand to harry, "i can promise you my aid and protection, to the utmost, in whatever matter you may be concerned. i seem to remember the name of your companion, too." "his father, sir marmaduke, was a neighbour of ours. there has always been great friendship between the two families." "of course, i remember him now. he was some fifteen or twenty years older than your father. i remember that i went over with your father and grandfather, and dined at his place. he is still alive and well, i hope?" "he is both, sir," charlie said; "but, like major jervoise, an exile." "you amaze me, but i will not ask you to tell me more, now. i have to be at saint james's at twelve. "let me see, this evening i shall be engaged. come tomorrow morning, at half past eight, and i shall then be able to give you an hour, or maybe two, if necessary, and will then hear the whole story fully." the young men, on presenting themselves the next morning, at the hour named, were at once ushered in. "now, let us lose no time," the duke said, after shaking hands heartily. "which of you will tell the story?" "carstairs will do so, my lord," harry replied. "the mischief was hatched in his house, and my father, and six other gentlemen, were the victims of the treachery of a kinsman of his." charlie told the story of the events that had brought about the ruin of his father and friends. "it is monstrous!" the duke exclaimed indignantly, when he had brought this part of his story to a conclusion. "that my old friend, mat jervoise, should be concerned in a plot for assassination, is, i would pledge my life, untrue; and sir marmaduke carstairs was, i know, an honourable gentleman, who would be equally incapable of such an act. that they were both jacobites, i can well believe, for the jacobites are strong everywhere in the north, but, as half of us are or have been jacobites, that can scarcely be counted as an offence. at any rate, a stuart is upon the throne now, and, as long as she reigns, there is no fear that a civil war will be set up by another of the race. the story, as you have told it, sir, is, i doubt not for a moment, true, but at present it is unsupported; and though, on my assurance of their loyalty, i think i can promise that her majesty would extend a pardon to the gentlemen who have been so unjustly accused, i fear that she could not, by her own act, restore the estates that have been confiscated, unless you can bring some proof that this fellow you speak of was suborned to get up false evidence against them." "that, sir, is what i shall have the honour to inform you now." and charlie then related the story of their quest for the man nicholson, and its result. "rarely devised and carried out," the duke said warmly. "do you lay the knave by the heels, and frighten him into confessing the truth, and i will see to the rest of the matter. i do not know that i ought to let the north coach be robbed, after the information you have given me, but, as we will hunt down all the other fellows, and shall probably recover the booty they carry off, the passengers will have no reason to grumble. "well, young sirs, the king of sweden has given you a testimonial as to your bravery and conduct. if necessary, i will give you one for your ingenuity in planning and carrying out a difficult scheme. "so you have both been with the swedes through their campaign against the russians and poles. i envy you. king charles' service is a grand school for soldiers, and that victory of narva is the most extraordinary one ever seen. had you the honour of any personal intercourse with the king?" "only during three days, when our company formed part of his escort at a hunting expedition," harry, whom he addressed, replied. "but carstairs spoke to him more frequently. he has been a captain nearly two years, while i only had my promotion two months ago. we were in the same regiment, and of the same rank, but carstairs was promoted by the king, after the battle at the passage of the dwina, as a reward for the suggestion he made in conversation with him, that the passage might be made under the screen of smoke caused by the lighting of the forage stacks." "i must have a long talk with you both. it is certain that, next spring, the campaign with france will re-open, and your experience in the field will be very useful to me. the swedes are wonderful soldiers. the muscovites, at present, are little better than barbarians carrying european arms, but the saxons are good troops, and the swedes have twice beaten them heavily, and they evidently retain the fighting qualities that, under gustavus adolphus, shook the imperial power to its centre. "the trouble is to find time. i am pestered with men desirous of employment in the army, with persons who want favours at court, with politicians of both parties, with people with schemes and intrigues of all kinds. i have to be in attendance at the palace, and to see into the whole details of the organization of the army. i have no doubt that, at present, my antechamber is crowded with people who want to see me." he looked at his tablets. "next wednesday evening i am free, except for a reception at lord godolphin's, but i can look in there late. i will not ask you here, because i want you to myself. i will have a private room at parker's coffee house in covent garden. we will sup at seven. when you go there, ask for mr. church's room, and make yourself comfortable there until i come, for i can never answer for my own hours. in that way, we shall be free from all chance of interruption, and i can pick your brains undisturbed. you will remember the day and hour. should there be any change in this private matter of yours, do not hesitate to come to me here." tony peters, their guide and adviser, reported favourably as to the people with whom the highwayman was lodging. "the house is kept by the widow of an usher at the palace. she entertains gentlemen from the country, who come up on business at the courts of justice, or with people of influence at court. i have ascertained that our man passes as a well-to-do trader of salisbury, who comes up, two or three times a year, to transact business, and to enjoy for a short time the pleasures of town. he is liberal in his payments, and is held in high respect by the woman, whose only objection to him, as a lodger, is the late hours he keeps. he is a crafty fellow this, for by always going to the same house, and comporting himself with moderation, he secures a place of retirement, where, however close the quest after him, there will be no suspicion whatever, as to his profession, on the part of the people he is with. "my man found out all these matters from the servant wench. we shall have no difficulty in taking him quietly. the woman will be so terrified, when i tell her what he is wanted for, that she will do anything rather than have a scandal that would damage the reputation of the house." he assured charlie that he need give the matter no further thought. all the arrangements would be made, and, unless he heard farther from him, he and harry would only have to present themselves, at the door of the house in question, at two o'clock on the morning of saturday. the evening with the duke passed off pleasantly. the general's questions turned, not so much upon the actual fighting, as upon the organization of the swedes, their methods of campaigning, of victualling the army, of hutting themselves in winter, the maintenance of discipline in camp, and other military points that would be of service to him in his next campaign. "your king is very wise, in so strictly repressing all plundering and violence," he said. "only so can a general maintain an army in an enemy's country. if the peasantry have confidence in him, and know that they will get a fair price for their produce, they will bring it into the market gladly, in spite of any orders their own government may issue to the contrary. i am determined that, if i again lead an english army in the field, i will follow king charles' example; though i shall find it more difficult to enforce my orders than he does, for he is king as well as general, and his swedes are quiet, honest fellows, while my army will be composed of ne'er-do-wells--of men who prefer to wear the queen's uniform to a prison garment, of debtors who wish to escape their creditors, and of men who find village life too quiet for them, and prefer to see the world, even at the risk of being shot, to honest labour on the farms. it requires a stern hand to make a disciplined army out of such materials, but when the time of fighting comes, one need wish for no better." before parting with them, the duke inquired farther into their arrangements for the arrest of the highwayman, and said he should expect to see them on saturday, and that, if he heard that all had gone well, he would at once take steps for bringing the matter before a court that would deal with it. the young men felt restless, as the day approached. they had seen no more of tony, but they felt complete confidence in him, and were sure that they would hear if any difficulties arose; but though, throughout friday, they did not quit their lodging, no message reached them. chapter : a confession. at the appointed hour, as the clock of the abbey was striking, they gave three gentle knocks at the door of the house. it was immediately opened by tony, who held a candle in his hand, closed the door quietly behind them, and then led them into a parlour. "well, tony, i suppose all has gone well, as we have not heard from you." "there was nothing to tell you, sir, and, indeed, i have been mightily busy. in the first place, i got two days' leave from the courts, and went down myself, in a light cart, with the boys and two men. that way i made sure that there should be no mistake as to the houses the boys were to watch. the two men i sent on, ten miles beyond the farthest tavern there to watch the road, and if any horseman goes by tonight, to track him down. "this evening i came here. i brought with me one of my comrades from the courts, and we told the good woman the character of the lodger we had seen leave the house a quarter of an hour before. she almost fainted when we showed her our badges, and said we must arrest him, on his return, as a notorious highwayman and breaker of the laws. she exclaimed that her house would be ruined, and it took some time to pacify her, by saying that we would manage the job so quietly that no one in the house need know of it, and that we would, if possible, arrange it so that the place of his arrest should not be made public. "at that, she at once consented to do all that we wished her. we searched his room carefully, and found some watches, rings, and other matters, that answered to the description of those stolen from a coach that was stopped near dorking, three weeks ago. my mate has taken them away. as she was afraid that a scuffle in the bedroom might attract the attention of the four other gentlemen who are lodging here, i arranged that it should be done at the door. in that case, if there was any inquiry in the morning, she could say that it was some drunken fellow, who had come to the house by mistake, and had tried to force his way in. "so she put this parlour at our disposal, and, as i have got the shutters up and the curtains drawn, there is no fear of his noticing the light, for, as we may have some hours to wait, it is more pleasant to have a candle, than to sit in the dark." "does she come down to let him in?" harry asked. "no, sir, the door is left on the latch. she says he finds his way up to his room, in the dark, and the candle and a tinderbox are always placed handy for him there. we will take our shoes off presently, and, when we hear footsteps come up to the door and stop, we will blow out the candle and steal out into the passage, so as to catch him directly he closes the door. i have got handcuffs here, some rope, and a gag." "very well, then. i will undertake the actual seizing of him," charlie said. "you slip on the handcuffs, and you, harry, if you can find his throat in the dark, grip it pretty tightly, till tony can slip the gag into his mouth. then he can light the candle again, and we can then disarm and search him, fasten his legs, and get him ready to put in the cart." the hours passed slowly, although tony did his best to divert them, by telling stories of various arrests and captures in which he had been concerned. the clock had just struck five, when they heard a step coming up the quiet street. "that is likely to be the man," tony said. "it is about the hour we expected him." he blew out the candle and opened the door quietly, and they went out into the passage. a moment later the step stopped at the door, the latch clicked, and it was opened. a man entered, and closed the door behind him. as he did so charlie, who had marked his exact position, made a step forward and threw his arms round him. the man gave an exclamation of surprise and alarm, and then struggled fiercely, but he was in the hands of one far stronger than himself. a moment later, he felt that his assailant was not alone, for he was grasped by the throat, and at the same time he felt something cold close round his wrists. there was a sharp click, and he knew that he was handcuffed. then a low voice said, "i arrest you, in the name of the queen, for being concerned in the robbery of the portsmouth coach at dorking." then a gag was forced between his teeth. bewildered at the suddenness of the attack, he ceased to struggle, and remained quiet, in the grasp of his captors, till there was the sound of the striking of flint and steel hard by. then tony came out of the parlour with a lighted candle, the highwayman was lifted into the room, and the door was shut. he then saw that his captors were three in number. there were two young gentlemen, and a smaller man, who, as he looked at him, held out a badge, and showed that he was an officer of the law. his pistols and sword were removed, then his pockets were searched, and two watches and three purses, with some rings and bracelets, were taken out and laid on the table. "it came off, you see," tony said to charlie. "well, master nicholson, to use one of your aliases, of which you have, no doubt, a score or more, you may consider yourself under arrest, not only for the robbery of the portsmouth coach three weeks ago, but of the north coach last evening." the prisoner started. it seemed impossible to him that that affair should be known yet, still less his connection with it. "you know what that means?" tony went on grimly. "tyburn. now i am going to make you a little safer still. you have been a hard bird to catch, and we don't mean to let you slip through our fingers again." so saying, he bound his arms closely to his side with a rope, and then, with a shorter piece, fastened his ankles securely together. "now i will fetch the cart." he had been gone but five minutes, when they heard a vehicle stop at the door. the others lifted the highwayman by his shoulders and feet, carried him out, and laid him in the cart. tony closed the door quietly behind them, and then jumped up by the side of the driver, who at once started the horse at a brisk trot. they crossed westminster bridge, and, after another ten minutes' drive, stopped at a small house standing back from the road, in a garden of its own. "we will carry him in, tony," charlie said, "if you will get the door open." they carried him in through the door, at which a woman was standing, into a room, where they saw, to their satisfaction, a blazing fire. the prisoner was laid down on the ground. leaving him to himself, charlie and his friends sat down to the table, which was laid in readiness. two cold chickens, and ham, and bread had been placed on it. "now, tony, sit down. you must be as hungry as we are." "thank you, gentlemen. i am going to have my breakfast in the kitchen, with my wife." as he spoke, the woman came in with two large tankards full of steaming liquid, whose odour at once proclaimed it to be spiced ale. "well, wife, we have done a good night's work," tony said. "a good night's work for all of us," charlie put in. "your husband has done us an immense service, mrs. peters, and, when our fathers come to their own again, they will not forget the service he has rendered us." when they had made a hearty meal, tony was called in again. "now, tony, we will proceed to business. you have got pen and ink and paper, i suppose?" "i have everything ready, sir. i will clear away this table, so as to have all in order." when this was done, the highwayman was lifted up and placed in a chair, and the gag removed from his mouth. "you don't remember us, i suppose, my man?" charlie began. "the last time i saw you was when i brought my stick down on your head, when you were listening outside a window at lynnwood." an exclamation of surprise broke from the prisoner. "yes, i am charlie carstairs, and this gentleman is harry jervoise. by the way, i have made a mistake. i have seen you twice since then. the first time was in a wayside tavern, some twelve miles beyond barnet, nine days ago. the second time was at another tavern in barnet. you will remember that a mischievous boy threw a stone, and broke one of the lattice panes of the window, where you were sitting talking over this little affair of the north coach." a deep execration broke from the lips of the highwayman. "now you see how we know all about it," charlie went on. "now, it entirely depends on yourself whether, in the course of another hour, we shall hand you over to a magistrate, as the leader of the gang who robbed the north coach, and took part in the robbery near dorking--we have found some of the watches and other plunder in your bedroom--or whether you escape trial for these offences. you may be wanted for other, similar affairs." "yes, sir," tony put in. "now i see him, he answers exactly to the description of a man the officers have been in search of, for a long time. he goes by the name of dick cureton, and has been engaged in at least a dozen highway robberies, to my knowledge." "you see," charlie went on, "there is no doubt whatever what will happen, if we hand you over to the officers. you will be hung at tyburn, to a moral certainty. there is no getting out of that. "now, on the other hand, you have the alternative of making a clean breast of your dealings with john dormay, of how he put you at lynnwood to act as a spy, how you hid those two letters he gave you in my father's cabinet, and how he taught you the lying story you afterwards told before the magistrates at lancaster. after having this story written down, you will sign it in the presence of this officer and his wife, and you will also repeat that story before any tribunal before which you may be brought. "i don't know whether this is a hanging matter, but, at any rate, i can promise that you shall not be hung for it. the duke of marlborough has taken the matter in hand, and will, i have no doubt, be able to obtain for you some lesser punishment, if you make a clean breast of it. i don't say that you will be let free. you are too dangerous a man for that. but, at any rate, your punishment will not be a heavy one--perhaps nothing worse than agreeing to serve in the army. you understand that, in that case, nothing whatever will be said as to your being dick cureton, or of your connection with these last coach robberies. you will appear before the court simply as robert nicholson, who, having met captain jervoise and myself, felt constrained to confess the grievous wrong he did to our fathers, and other gentlemen, at the bidding of, and for money received from, john dormay." "i do not need any time to make up my mind," the highwayman said. "i am certainly not going to be hung for the advantage of john dormay, who has paid me poorly enough, considering that it was through me that he came into a fine estate. i take it that you give me your word of honour, that if i make a clean breast of it, and stick to my story afterwards, this other business shall not be brought up against me." "yes, we both promise that on our word of honour." "very well then; here goes." the story he told was in precise accordance with the suspicions that his hearers had entertained. he had been tramping through the country, sometimes pilfering, sometimes taking money as a footpad. he had, one day, met john dormay and demanded his money. he was armed only with a heavy cudgel, and thought dormay was defenceless. the latter, however, produced a pistol from his pocket, and compelled him to drop his stick; and then, taking him by the collar, made him walk to his house. he had asked him questions as to his previous life, and had then given him the choice of going to jail, or of acting under his instructions, in which case he would be well rewarded. naturally, he had chosen the second alternative. and, having him completely under his thumb, john dormay had made him sign a paper, acknowledging his attempt at highway robbery upon him. the rest of the story was already known to his hearers. he had, several times, overheard the conversations in the dining room, but had gathered nothing beyond talk of what would be done, if the pretender came over. john dormay had taught him the story of the assassination plot, and had given him the letters to hide. he now swore that the whole story was false, and had been told entirely at the dictation of john dormay, and from fear of the consequence to himself, if he refused to obey his orders. when he had finished, tony's wife was called in, and she made her mark, and her husband signed his name, as witnesses to the signature of robert nicholson. "now, i hope i may have something to eat," the man said, recklessly. "i am ready to tell my story to whomsoever you like, but am not ready to be starved." "give him food, tony," charlie said, "and keep a sharp lookout after him. we will go across, and show this paper to the duke." "i will bring the matter, at once, before the council," the general said, when charlie gave him the document, and briefly stated its contents. "there is a meeting at three o'clock today. i shall see the queen previously, and will get her to interest herself in the matter, and to urge that justice shall be done without any delay. i will arrange that the man shall be brought before the council, at the earliest date possible. if you will come here this evening, i may be able to tell you more. come at eight. i shall be in then to dress, as i take supper at the palace, at nine." "i have ventured to promise the man that he shall not be hung, my lord." "you were safe in doing so. the rogue deserves the pillory or branding, but, as he was almost forced into it, and was the mere instrument in the hands of another, it is not a case for hanging him. he might be shipped off to the plantations as a rogue and a vagabond. "what are you smiling at?" "i was thinking, sir, that, as you said there were a good many of that class in the army, the man might have the option of enlisting given him." "and so of getting shot in the netherlands, instead of getting hung at tyburn, eh? well, i will see what i can do." at eight o'clock, they again presented themselves. the duke looked at them critically. "you will do," he said. "put your cloaks on again, and come with me. where do you suppose that you are going?" "before the council, sir," harry suggested. "bless me, you don't suppose that your business is so pressing, that ministers have been summoned in haste to sit upon it. no, you are going to sup with the queen. i told her your story this afternoon. she was much interested in it, and when i informed her that, young as you both were, you had fought behind charles of sweden, in all his desperate battles, and that he had not only promoted you to the rank of captain, but that he had, under his own hand, given you a document expressing his satisfaction at your conduct and bravery, she said that i must bring you to supper at the palace. i told her that, being soldiers, you had brought with you no clothes fit for appearance at court; but, as at little gatherings there is no ceremony, she insisted that i should bring you as you are. "my wife sarah went on half an hour ago, in her chair. there will probably be two others, possibly godolphin and harley, but more likely some courtier and his wife. "you do not feel nervous, i hope? after being accustomed to chat with charles of sweden, to say nothing of the czar of russia, carstairs, you need not feel afraid of queen anne, who is good nature itself." nevertheless, both the young men felt nervous. after being conducted up some private stairs, the duke led them into an oak-panelled room, of comparatively small size, lighted by numerous tapers, which displayed the rich hangings and furniture. a lady was sitting by the fire. a tall, handsome woman, with a somewhat imperious face, stood on the rug before her, talking to her, while a pleasant-looking man, who by his appearance and manner might have been taken for a country squire, was sitting opposite, playing with the ears of a spaniel lying on his knee. the tall lady moved aside, as they entered, and charlie noticed a little glance of affectionate welcome pass between her and the duke--for the pair were devotedly attached to each other--then he bowed to the seated lady. "madam," he said, "allow me to present to you the two young officers, of whose bravery charles of sweden has written so strongly, and whose parents have, with other gentlemen, been driven from the land by villainy." the young men bowed deeply. anne held out her hand, and each in turn, bending on one knee, raised it to his lips. "there," she said, "let that be the beginning and end of ceremony. this is not a court gathering, but a family meeting. i want to hear your stories, and i want you, for the time, to forget that i am anne of england. i know that your fathers have always been faithful to our house, and i hope that their sons will, ere long, do as good service for me as they have done for a foreign prince. "you have not seen these gentlemen yet, sarah?" "no, my husband has kept them to himself." "i have had but little time to give them, sarah, and wanted it all, to question them on the swedish modes of warfare." "and you thought i should be an interruption? "i am glad to meet you both, nevertheless. since my husband likes you, i am sure to do so;" and she smiled pleasantly, as she gave a hand to each. they were then introduced to the prince consort, george of denmark. at this moment, supper was announced. the queen and the duchess went in together, followed by the four gentlemen. "lord godolphin and mr. harley were to have been of the party tonight," the queen said, as she took her seat at table, "but i put them off till tomorrow, as i wanted to hear these gentlemen's story." during the meal, the conversation was gay. as soon as the last dish was removed, the party returned to the other room. then the queen called upon the young men to tell their story. charlie began, and related up to the time when he had aided in the rescue of his father from the hands of his escort. harry told the story of their military experiences, and then charlie related his narrow escape at warsaw, his adventure with the brigands, and the fight with the wolves. "that is the most exciting of all," the queen said. "i think that even you, general, would rather have gone through the battle of narva, than have spent that night among the wolves." "that would i, indeed, madam, and i doubt if i should have got as well through it as captain carstairs did. i am sure, madam, you will agree with me, that these young gentlemen ought to be fighting under our flag, rather than that of sweden. there is no blame to them, for they were most unjustly driven from the country; but i hope that, by monday at this time, i shall have the pleasure of presenting a document for your majesty's signature, stating that, in the opinion of the council, a very grave miscarriage of justice has taken place; and that the gentlemen, whose estates were four years ago confiscated, are proved to be innocent of the crime of which they were accused, and are true and faithful subjects of your majesty; and that the proceedings against them are hereby quashed, and their estates restored to them. "i had the honour of relating to you, this afternoon, the manner in which these gentlemen have succeeded in bringing the truth to light." shortly afterwards, the party broke up, the queen speaking most graciously to each of the young men. on monday morning, they received a summons to appear before the council, at two o'clock in the afternoon, and to produce one robert nicholson, whose evidence was required in a matter of moment. they hired a carriage, and took the highwayman with them to saint james's, and were conducted to the council chamber; where they found lord godolphin, the marquis of normanby, mr. harley, and the duke of marlborough, together with two judges, before whom the depositions, in the case of sir marmaduke carstairs and his friends, had been laid. lord normanby, as privy seal, took the chair, and briefly said that, having heard there had been a grievous miscarriage of justice, he had summoned them to hear important evidence which was produced by captains carstairs and jervoise, officers in the service of the king of sweden. "what have you to say, captain carstairs?" "i have, sir, only to testify that this man, who stands beside me, is robert nicholson, who was in my father's employment for two years, and was, i believe, the principal witness against him. captain jervoise can also testify to his identity. i now produce the confession, voluntarily made by this man, and signed in the presence of witnesses." he handed in the confession, which was read aloud by a clerk standing at the lower end of the table. a murmur of indignation arose from the council, as he concluded. "you have acted the part of a base villain," lord normanby said to nicholson. "hanging would be too good for such a caitiff. what induced you to make this confession?" "i have long repented my conduct," the man said. "i was forced into acting as i did, by john dormay, who might have had me hung for highway robbery. i would long ago have told the truth, had i known where to find the gentlemen i have injured; and, meeting them by chance the other day, i resolved upon making a clean breast of it, and to take what punishment your lordships may think proper; hoping, however, for your clemency, on account of the fact that i was driven to act in the way i did." one of the judges, who had the former depositions before him, asked him several questions as to the manner in which he had put the papers into sir marmaduke's cabinet. he replied that he found the key in a vase on the mantel, and after trying several locks with it, found that it fitted the cabinet. "his statement agrees, my lords," the judge said, "with that made by sir marmaduke carstairs in his examinations. he then said that he could not account for the papers being in his cabinet, for it was never unlocked, and that he kept the key in a vase on the mantel, where none would be likely to look for it." in a short time, all present were requested to withdraw, but in less than five minutes they were again called in. "gentlemen," lord normanby said to the young officers, "i have pleasure in informing you, that the council are of opinion that the innocence of your fathers and friends, of the foul offence of which they were charged, is clearly proven; and that they have decided that the sentence passed against them, in their absence, shall be quashed. they will also recommend, to her majesty, that the sentence of confiscation against them all shall be reversed. "as to you, sir, seeing that you have, however tardily, endeavoured to undo the evil you have caused, we are disposed to deal leniently, and, at the request of the duke of marlborough, we have agreed, if you are ready to leave the country and enlist at once, as a soldier in the army of flanders, and there to expiate your fault by fighting in the service of your country, we will not recommend that any proceedings shall be taken against you. but if, at any time, you return hither, save as a soldier with a report of good conduct, this affair will be revived, and you will receive the full punishment you deserve. "for the present you will be lodged in prison, as you will be needed to give evidence, when the matter of john dormay comes up for hearing." nicholson was at once removed in custody. the two young officers retired, an usher bringing them a whispered message, from marlborough, that they had better not wait to see him, as the council might sit for some time longer; but that, if they would call at his house at five o'clock, after his official reception, he would see them. "this is more than we could have hoped for," harry said, as they left saint james's. "a fortnight ago, although i had no intention of giving up the search, i began to think that our chances of ever setting eyes on that rascal were of the slightest; and now everything has come right. the man has been found. he has been made to confess the whole matter. the case has been heard by the council. our fathers are free to return to england, and their estates are restored to them; at least, the council recommends the queen, and we know the queen is ready to sign. so that it is as good as done." "it seems too good to be true." "it does, indeed, charlie. they will be delighted across the water. i don't think my father counted, at all, upon our finding nicholson, or of our getting him to confess; but i think he had hoped that the duke would interest himself to get an order, that no further proceedings should be taken in the matter of the alleged plot. that would have permitted them to return to england. he spoke to me, several times, of his knowledge of the duke when he was a young man; but churchill, he said, was a time server, and has certainly changed his politics several times; and, if a man is fickle in politics, he may be so in his friendships. it was a great many years since they had met, and marlborough might not have been inclined to acknowledge one charged with so serious a crime. "but, as he said to me before i started, matters have changed since the death of william. marlborough stands far higher, with anne, than he did with william. his leanings have certainly been, all along, jacobite, and, now that he and the tories are in power, and the whigs are out of favour, marlborough could, if he chose, do very much for us. it is no longer a crime to be a jacobite, and indeed, they say that the tories are intending to upset the act of succession, and bring in a fresh one, making james stuart the successor to anne. "still, even if we had succeeded so far, by marlborough's influence, that our fathers could have returned to england without fear of being tried for their lives, i do not think that either of them would have come, so long as the charge of having been concerned in an assassination plot was hanging over them. "now that they are cleared, and can come back with honour, it will be different, altogether. it will be glorious news for them. of course, we shall start as soon as we get the official communication that the estates are restored. we shall only have to go back to them, for, as you know, yours is the only estate that has been granted to anyone else. the others were put up for sale, but no one would bid for them, as the title deeds would have been worth nothing if king james came over. so they have only been let to farmers, and we can walk straight in again, without dispossessing anyone." "i don't know what to do about john dormay," charlie said. "there is no doubt that, from what the judge said, they will prosecute him." "so they ought to," harry broke in. "he has striven, by false swearing, to bring innocent men to the scaffold. why, it is worse than murder." "i quite agree with you, harry, and, if i were in your place, i would say just as strongly as you do that he ought to be hung. but you see, i am differently situated. the man is a kinsman of ours by marriage. my cousin celia has been always most kind to me, and is my nearest relative after my father. she has been like an aunt, and, indeed, did all she could to supply the place of a mother to me; and i am sure my little sweetheart ciceley has been like a sister. this must have been a most terrible trial to them. it was a bad day for cousin celia when she married that scoundrel, and i am sure that he has made her life a most unhappy one. still, for their sake, i would not see his villainy punished as it deserves, nor indeed for our own, since the man is, to a certain extent, our kinsman. "besides, harry, as you must remember well enough, ciceley and i, in boy and girl fashion, used to say we should be some day husband and wife, and i have never since seen anyone whom i would so soon marry as my bonny little cousin; and if ciceley is of the same mind, maybe some day or other she may come to lynnwood as its mistress; but that could hardly be, if her father were hung for attempting to swear away the life of mine." "no, indeed, charlie. i know how fond you were of your cousin." "indeed, harry, there was a talk between my father and cousin celia, a few months before the troubles came, of a formal betrothal between us, and, had it not been for the coolness between our fathers, it would have taken place." "yes, i remember now your telling me about it, charlie. "well, what is to be done? for i agree with you that, if possible, john dormay must escape from the punishment he deserves. but how is it to be done?" "well, harry, a week or two will make no difference to our fathers. they will have no expectation of hearing from us, for a long time to come. i should say it were best that i should go down and warn him, and i shall be glad if you will go with me." "of course i will go," harry said. "indeed, it were best that the warning came from me. the man is a villain, and a reckless one; and in his passion, when he hears that his rascality is known, the prize for which he schemed snatched from him, and his very life in danger, might even seek to vent his rage and spite upon you. now it is clear, charlie, that you could not very well kill a man, and afterwards marry his daughter. the thing would be scarce seemly. but the fellow is no kinsman of mine. he has grievously injured us, and i could kill him without the smallest compunction, and thereby rid the world of a scoundrel, and you of a prospective father-in-law of the most objectionable kind." charlie laughed. "no, harry; we will have no killing. we will go down and see him together. we will let him know that the orders are probably already on the road for his arrest, and that he had best lose not an hour, but at once cross the water. i should not think that he would wish to encumber himself with women, for i never thought he showed the least affection to either his wife or daughter. at any rate, we will see that he does not take them with him. i will tell him that, if he goes, and goes alone, i will do my best to hush up the matter; and that, so long as he remains abroad, the tale of his villainy shall never be told; but that, if he returns, the confession of nicholson shall be published throughout the country, even if no prosecution is brought against him." when they called upon the duke, he shook them warmly by the hand. "this parchment is the royal assent to the decision of the council, that the estates of those inculpated in the alleged plot for the assassination of the late king should be forthwith restored to them, it having been clearly proved that they have been falsely accused of the said crime, and that her majesty is satisfied that these gentlemen are her true and loyal subjects. "i think i may say," the duke continued with a smile, "that no affair of state has ever been so promptly conducted and carried through." "we feel how deeply indebted we are, for our good fortune, to your kindness, your grace," charlie said. "we know that, but for you, months might have elapsed, even years, before we could have obtained such a result, even after we had the confession of nicholson in our hands." "i am glad, in every way, to have been able to bring this about," the duke said. "in the first place, because i have been able to right a villainous piece of injustice; in the second, because those injured were loyal gentlemen, with no fault save their steadfast adherence to the cause of the stuarts; and lastly, because one of these gentlemen was my own good friend, mat jervoise, of whose company i have so many pleasant recollections. "i hope that, as soon as you have informed your fathers that their names are cleared, and their property restored, you will think of what i said, and will decide to quit the service of sweden, and enter that of your queen. "an officer fighting for a foreign monarch is, after all, but a soldier of fortune, however valiantly he fights. he is fighting for a cause that is not his own, and, though he may win rewards and honours, he has not the satisfaction that all must feel who have risked their lives, not for gold, but in the service of their country. but i do not want any answer from you on that head now. it is a matter for you to decide upon after due thought. i only say that i shall go out, early in the spring, to take command of the army; and that, if you present yourselves to me before i leave, i shall be glad to appoint you on my personal staff, with the same rank you now hold. "you can now leave the country without any farther trouble. as to the affair of the man dormay, a messenger has been sent off, this afternoon, with an order to the magistrates at lancaster, to arrest him on the charge of suborning false evidence, by which the lives of some of her majesty's subjects were endangered; and of forging letters whereby such evil designs might be furthered. i do not suppose i shall see you again before you sail, for tomorrow we go down to our country place, and may remain there some weeks. i may say that it was the desire to get your affair finished, before we left town, that conduced somewhat to the speed with which it has been carried through." after again thanking the duke most warmly for his kindness, and saying that they would lay his offer before their fathers, and that their own inclinations were altogether in favour of accepting it, the young men took their leave. "it is unfortunate about dormay." "most unfortunate," harry said. "i think, if we start tomorrow morning, harry, we shall be in time. there is no reason why the messenger should travel at any extraordinary speed, and, as he may be detained at lancaster, and some delay may arise before officers are sent up to lynnwood to make the arrest, we may be in time. "we must take a note of the date. it is one we shall remember all our lives. it is the th of november, and we will keep it up as a day of festivity and rejoicing, as long as we live." "that will we," harry agreed. "it shall be the occasion of an annual gathering of those who got into trouble from those suppers at sir marmaduke's. i fancy the others are all in france, but their friends will surely be able to let them know, as soon as they hear the good news. "i think we shall have a stormy ride tomorrow. the sky looks very wild and threatening." "it does, indeed; and the wind has got up very much, in the last hour.'' "yes, we are going to have a storm, beyond all doubt." the wind got up hourly, and when, before going to bed, they went to pass an hour at a tavern, they had difficulty in making their way against it. several times in the night they were awoke by the gusts, which shook the whole house, and they heard the crashing of falling chimney pots above the din of the gale. they had arranged to start as soon as it was light, and had, the evening before, been to a posting inn, and engaged a carriage with four horses for the journey down to lancashire. "there is no starting today, gentlemen," the landlord said, as they went down to breakfast by candlelight. "i have looked out, and the street is strewn with chimney pots and tiles. never do i remember such a gale, and hour by hour it seems to get worse. why, it is dangerous to go across the street." "well, we must try," charlie said, "whatever the weather. it is a matter of almost life and death." "well, gentlemen, you must please yourselves, but i am mistaken if any horse keeper will let his animals out, on such a day as this." as soon as they had eaten their breakfasts, they wrapped themselves up in their cloaks, pressed their hats over their heads, and sallied out. it was not until they were in the streets that they realized how great was the force of the gale. not only were the streets strewn with tiles and fragments of chimney pots, but there was light enough for them to see that many of the upper windows of the houses had been blown in by the force of the wind. tiles flew about like leaves in autumn, and occasionally gutters and sheets of lead, stripped from the roofs, flew along with prodigious swiftness. "this is as bad as a pitched battle, charlie. i would as lief be struck by a cannonball as by one of those strips of lead." "well, we must risk it, harry. we must make the attempt, anyhow." it was with the greatest difficulty that they made their way along. although powerful young fellows, they were frequently obliged to cling to the railings, to prevent themselves from being swept away by the gusts, and they had more than one narrow escape from falling chimneys. although the distance they had to traverse was not more than a quarter of a mile, it took them half an hour to accomplish it. the post master looked at them in surprise, as they entered his office flushed and disordered. "why, gentlemen, you are not thinking of going on such a day as this? it would be a sheer impossibility. why, the carriage would be blown over, and if it wasn't, no horses would face this wind." "we would be willing to pay anything you may like to ask," charlie said. "it ain't a question of money, sir. if you were to buy the four horses and the carriage, you would be no nearer, for no post boy would be mad enough to ride them; and, even supposing you got one stage, which you never would do, you would have to buy horses again, for no one would be fool enough to send his animals out. you could not do it, sir. why, i hear there are half a dozen houses, within a dozen yards of this, that have been altogether unroofed, and it is getting worse instead of better. if it goes on like this, i doubt if there will be a steeple standing in london tomorrow. "listen to that!" there was a tremendous crash, and, running out into the street, they saw a mass of beams and tiles lying in the roadway--a house two doors away had been completely unroofed. they felt that, in such a storm, it was really impossible to proceed, and accordingly returned to their lodgings, performing the distance in a fraction of the time it had before taken them. for some hours the gale continued to increase in fury. not a soul was to be seen in the streets. occasional heavy crashes told of the damage that was being wrought, and, at times, the house shook so that it seemed as if it would fall. never was such a storm known in england. the damage done was enormous. the shores were strewn with wrecks. twelve ships of the royal navy, with fifteen hundred men, were lost; and an enormous number of merchant vessels. many steeples, houses, and buildings of all kinds were overthrown, and the damage, in london alone, was estimated at a million pounds. there were few who went to bed that night. many thought that the whole city would be destroyed. towards morning, however, the fury of the gale somewhat abated, and by nightfall the danger had passed. the next morning the two friends started, and posted down to lancashire. the journey was a long one. in many places the road was completely blocked by fallen trees, and sometimes by the ruins of houses and barns. in the former case, long detours had often to be made through villainous roads, where the wheels sank almost to their axles, and, in spite of the most liberal bribes to post boys and post masters, the journey occupied four days longer than the usual time. at last, they reached the lodge gate of lynnwood. a man came out from the cottage. he was the same who had been there in sir marmaduke's time. charlie jumped out of the post chaise. "why, norman, don't you know me?" the man looked hard at him. "no, sir, i can't say as i do." "what, not charlie carstairs?" "bless me, it is the young master!" the man said. "to think of my not knowing you. but you have changed wonderful. why, sir, i have been thinking of you often and often, and most of all the last three days, but i never thought of you like this." "why the last three days, norman?" "haven't you heard the news, sir?" "no, i have heard nothing. captain jervoise and i--my old friend, you know, norman--have posted all the way from london, and should have been here six days ago, if it had not been for the storm." "well, sir, there is bad news; at least, i don't know whether you will consider it bad. most of the folk about here looks at it the other way. but the man in there shot hisself, three days ago. a magistrate, with some men from lancaster, came over here. they say it was to arrest him, but i don't know the rights of the case. anyhow, it is said they read some paper over to him, and then he opened a drawer at the table where he was sitting, and pulled out a pistol, and shot hisself before anyone could stop him. "there have been bad goings here of late, mr. charles, very bad, especially for the last year. he was not friends with his son, they say, but the news of his death drove him to drink, worse than before; and besides, there have been dicing, and all sorts of goings on, and i doubt not but that the ladies have had a terrible time of it. there were several men staying in the house, but they all took themselves off, as soon as it was over, and there are only the ladies there now. they will be glad enough to see you, i will be bound." charlie was shocked; but at the same time, he could not but feel that it was the best thing that could happen, and harry freely expressed himself to that effect. "we won't take the carriage up to the house," charlie said, after a long pause. "take the valises out, and bring them up to the house presently, norman." he paid the postilion who had brought them from lancaster, and stood quiet until the carriage had driven off. "i hope sir marmaduke is well, sir. we have missed him sorely here." "he was quite well when i saw him, ten weeks ago. i hope he will be here before long. i am happy to say that his innocence of the charge brought against him has been proved, and his estates, and those of mr. jervoise and the other gentlemen, have been restored by the queen." "that is good news, indeed, sir," the man exclaimed. "the best i have heard for many a long year. everyone about here will go wild with joy." "then don't mention it at present, norman. any rejoicings would be unseemly, while john dormay is lying dead there." "shall i go up with you, charlie, or will you go alone?" harry asked. "of course, there are some horses here, and you could lend me one to drive over to our own place." "you shall do that presently, harry, and tell them the news. but come in now. you know my cousin and ciceley. it will be all the better that you should go in with me." his cousin received charlie with a quiet pleasure. she was greatly changed since he had seen her last, and her face showed that she had suffered greatly. ciceley had grown into a young woman, and met him with delight. both were pleased to see harry. "we were talking of you but now, charlie," mrs. dormay said. "ciceley and i agreed that we would remove at once to our old place, and that this should be kept up for you, should you at any time be able to return. now that queen anne is on the throne, and the tories are in power, we hoped that you, at least, would ere long be permitted to return. how is your dear father?" "he is well, cousin, and will, i trust, be here ere long. our innocence of the charge has been proved, the proceedings against us quashed, and the act of confiscation against my father, mr. jervoise, and the others reversed." "thank god for that," mrs. dormay said earnestly, and ciceley gave an exclamation of pleasure. "that accounts, then, for what has happened here. "i do not want to talk about it, charlie. you may imagine how ciceley and i have suffered. but he was my husband, spare him for my sake." "i will never allude to the subject again, cousin," charlie said. "but i must tell you that harry and i have posted down from london, in hopes of being in time to warn him, and enable him to escape. i need not say we did so because he was your husband, and ciceley's father." harry then turned the subject, by a remark as to the effects of the storm. then ciceley asked questions as to their life abroad, and there was so much to tell, and to listen to, that even mrs. dormay's face brightened. harry willingly allowed himself to be persuaded to remain for the night, and to ride over to his place in the morning. the funeral took place two days later. charlie went as sole mourner. "he was my kinsman," he said to harry, "and, though i can pretend no sorrow at his death, my attendance at the funeral will do something towards stopping talk, and will make it easier for my cousin." the next day, mrs. dormay and ciceley returned to rockley, whose tenant had fortunately left a few weeks before. charlie and harry both went over with them, and stayed for three or four days, and they were glad to see that mrs. dormay seemed to be shaking off the weight of her trouble, and was looking more like her old self. they then rode to lancaster, and returned to london by coach. they crossed to gottenburg by the first vessel that was sailing, and sir marmaduke was delighted to hear the success of their mission, and that he was at liberty to return at once, as master of lynnwood. "luck favoured you somewhat, charlie, in throwing that vagabond in your way, but for all else we have to thank you both, for the manner in which you have carried the affair out, and captured your fox. as for john dormay, 'tis the best thing that could have happened. i have often thought it over, while you have been away, and have said to myself that the best settlement of the business would be that you, harry, when you obtained proofs, should go down, confront him publicly, and charge him with his treachery, force him to draw, and then run him through the body. charlie would, of course, have been the proper person, in my absence, so to settle the matter, but he could not well have killed my cousin's husband, and it would have added to the scandal. "however, the way it has turned out is better altogether. it will be only a nine days' wonder. the man has been cut by all the gentry, and when it is known that he shot himself to escape arrest, many will say that it was a fit ending, and will trouble themselves no more concerning him. "you are coming back with me, i hope, charlie. i have seen but little of you for the last four years, and if you are, as you say, going with the duke of marlborough to the war in the spring, i don't want to lose sight of you again till then. you can surely resign your commission here without going back to the army, especially as you have leave of absence until the end of march." charlie hesitated. "i think so, too," harry said. "i know that the colonel told the king the whole story, when he asked for leave for me and obtained that paper. he told my father that the king was greatly interested, and said: 'i hope the young fellows will succeed, though i suppose, if they do, i shall lose two promising young officers.' so he will not be surprised when he hears that we have resigned. "as for me, i shall, of course, go on at once. my father will, i am sure, be delighted to return home. the hardships have told upon him a good deal, and he has said several times, of late, how much he wished he could see his way to retiring. i think, too, he will gladly consent to my entering our own service, instead of that of sweden. he would not have done so, i am sure, had william been still on the throne. now it is altogether different." "well, harry, if you do see the king, as it is possible you may do, or if you do not, you might speak to the colonel, and ask him, in my name, to express to charles my regret at leaving his service, in which i have been so well treated, and say how much i feel the kindly interest that his majesty has been pleased to take in me. if there had been any chance of the war coming to an end shortly, i should have remained to see it out; but, now that the polish business may be considered finished, it will be continued with russia, and may go on for years, for the czar is just as obstinate and determined as charles himself." accordingly, the next morning, charlie sent in the formal resignation of his commission to the war minister at stockholm, and harry left by ship for revel. sir marmaduke placed his business affairs in the hands of a scotch merchant at gottenburg, with instructions to call in the money he had lent on mortgage, and, two days later, took passage with charlie for hull, whence they posted across the country to lancaster, and then drove to lynnwood. as soon as the news spread that sir marmaduke had returned, the church bells rang a joyous peal, bonfires were lighted, the tenants flocked in to greet him, and the gentry for miles round rode over to welcome and congratulate him. the next morning he and charlie rode over to rockley. "oh, marmaduke," cried celia, "i am happy indeed to know that you are back again. i have never known a day's happiness since you went." "well, don't let us think any more about it, celia," sir marmaduke said, as he kissed her tenderly. "let us look on it all as an ugly dream. it has not been without its advantages, as far as we are concerned. it has taken me out of myself, and broadened my view of things. i have not had at all an unpleasant time of it in sweden, and shall enjoy my home all the more, now that i have been away from it for a while. as to charlie, it has made a man of him. he has gained a great deal of credit, and had opportunities of showing that he is made of good stuff; and now he enters upon life with every advantage, and has a start, indeed, such as very few young fellows can have. he enters our army as a captain, under the eye of marlborough himself, with a reputation gained under that of the greatest soldier in europe. "so we have no reason to regret the past, cousin, and on that score you have no cause for grief. as to the future, i trust that it will be bright for both of us, and i think," he added meaningly, "our former plans for our children are likely to be some day realized." four years later, indeed, the union that both parents had at heart took place, during one of the pauses of the fierce struggle between the british forces under marlborough, and the french. at blenheim, ramillies, and oudenarde, and in several long and toilsome sieges, charlie had distinguished himself greatly, and was regarded by marlborough as one of the most energetic and trustworthy of his officers. he had been twice severely wounded, and had gained the rank of colonel. harry jervoise--who had had a leg shot away, below the knee, by a cannonball at ramillies, and had then left the army with the rank of major--was, on the same day as his friend, married to the daughter of one of the gentlemen who had been driven into exile with his father. in the spring charlie again joined the army, and commanded a brigade in the desperate struggle on the hill of malplaquet, one of the hardest fought battles in the history of war. peace was made shortly afterwards, and, at the reduction of the army that followed, he went on half pay, and settled down for life at lynnwood, where tony peters and his wife had, at the death of the former occupant of the lodge, been established. when harry jervoise returned to the swedish headquarters, with the news that his father was cleared, he was the bearer of a very handsome present from charlie to his faithful servant stanislas, who had, on their return from poland, been at once employed by count piper on other service. when, years afterwards, the young pretender marched south with the highland clans, neither charlie nor harry were among the gentlemen who joined him. he had their good wishes, but, having served in the british army, they felt that they could not join the movement in arms against the british crown; and indeed, the strong jacobite feelings of their youth had been greatly softened down by their contact with the world, and they had learned to doubt much whether the restoration of the stuarts would tend, in any way, to the benefit or prosperity of britain. they felt all the more obliged to stand aloof from the struggle, inasmuch as both had sons, in the army, that had fought valiantly against the french at dettingen and fontenoy. the families always remained united in the closest friendship, and more than one marriage took place between the children of charlie carstairs and harry jervoise. transcribers' notes this e-book contains the text of _andré_, extracted from representative plays by american dramatists: vol , - . comments and background to all the plays and the other plays are available at project gutenberg. spelling as in the original has been preserved. andrÉ _by_ william dunlap [illustration: william dunlap] william dunlap: father of the american theatre ( - ) the life of william dunlap is full of colour and variety. upon his shoulders very largely rests the responsibility for whatever knowledge we have of the atmosphere of the early theatre in america, and of the personalities of the players. for, as a boy, his father being a loyalist, there is no doubt that young william used to frequent the play-house of the red coats, and we would like to believe actually saw some of the performances with which major andré was connected. he was born at perth amboy, then the seat of government for the province of new jersey, on february , (where he died september , ), and, therefore, as an historian of the theatre, he was able to glean his information from first hand sources. yet, his monumental work on the "history of the american theatre" was written in late years, when memory was beginning to be overclouded, and, in recent times, it has been shown that dunlap was not always careful in his dates or in his statements. george seilhamer, whose three volumes, dealing with the american theatre before the year , are invaluable, is particularly acrimonious in his strictures against dunlap. nevertheless, he has to confess his indebtedness to the father of the american theatre. dunlap was many-sided in his tastes and activities. there is small reason to doubt that from his earliest years the theatre proved his most attractive pleasure. but, when he was scarcely in the flush of youth, he went to europe, and studied art under benjamin west. throughout his life he was ever producing canvases, and designing, and his interest in the art activity of the country, which connects his name with the establishment of the new york academy of design, together with his writing on the subject, make him an important figure in that line of work. on his return from europe, as we have already noted, he was fired to write plays through the success of royall tyler, and he began his long career as dramatist, which threw him upon his own inventive resourcefulness, and so closely identified him with the name of the german, kotzebue, whose plays he used to translate and adapt by the wholesale, as did also charles smith. the pictures of william dunlap are very careful to indicate in realistic fashion the fact that he had but one eye. when a boy, one of his playmates at school threw a stone, which hit his right eye. but though he was thus early made single-visioned, he saw more than his contemporaries; for he was a man who mingled much in the social life of the time, and he had a variety of friends, among them charles brockden brown, the novelist, and george frederick cooke, the tragedian. he was the biographer for both of them, and these volumes are filled with anecdote, which throws light, not only on the subjects, but upon the observational taste of the writer. there are those who claim that he was unjust to cooke, making him more of a drunkard than he really was. and the effect the book had on some of its readers may excellently well be seen by lord byron's exclamation, after having finished it. as quoted by miss crawford, in her "romance of the american theatre," he said: "such a book! i believe, since 'drunken barnaby's journal,' nothing like it has drenched the press. all green-room and tap-room, drams and the drama. brandy, whiskey-punch, and, latterly, toddy, overflow every page. two things are rather marvelous; first, that a man should live so long drunk, and next that he should have found a sober biographer." dunlap's first play was called "the modest soldier; or, love in new york" ( ). we shall let him be his own chronicler: as a medium of communication between the playwriter and the manager, a man was pointed out, who had for a time been of some consequence on the london boards, and now resided under another name in new york. this was the dubellamy of the english stage, a first singer and _walking-gentleman_. he was now past his meridian, but still a handsome man, and was found sufficiently easy of access and full of the courtesy of the old school. a meeting was arranged at the city tavern, and a bottle of madeira discussed with the merits of this first-born of a would-be author. the wine was praised, and the play was praised--the first, perhaps, made the second tolerable--that must be good which can repay a man of the world for listening to an author who reads his own play. in due course of time, the youthful playwright reached the presence of the then all-powerful actors, hallam and henry, and, after some conference with them, the play was accepted. but though accepted, it was not produced, that auspicious occasion being deferred whenever the subject was broached. at this time, young dunlap was introduced to the stony paths of playwriting. he had to alter his manuscript in many ways, only to see it laid upon the shelf until some future occasion. and, according to his confession, the reason the piece did not receive immediate production was because there was no part which henry, the six-foot, handsome idol of the day, could see himself in to his own satisfaction. dunlap's next play was "the father; or, american shandy-ism,"[ ] which was produced on september , . it was published almost immediately, and was later reprinted, under the title of "the father of an only child." most historians call attention to the fact that to dunlap belongs the credit of having first introduced to the american stage the german dialect of the later comedian. even as we look to tyler's "the contrast" for the first yankee, to samuel low's "politician out-witted" for an early example of negro dialect, so may we trace other veins of american characteristics as they appeared in early american dramas. but it is to "darby's return,"[ ] the musical piece, that our interest points, because it was produced for the benefit of thomas wignell, at the new-york theatre (november , ), and probably boasted among its first-nighters george washington. writes dunlap: the eyes of the audience were frequently bent on his countenance, and to watch the emotions produced by any particular passage upon him was the simultaneous employment of all. when wignell, as _darby_, recounts what had befallen him in america, in new york, at the adoption of the federal constitution, and the inauguration of the president, the interest expressed by the audience in the looks and the changes of countenance of this great man became intense. and then there follows an indication by dunlap of where washington smiled, and where he showed displeasure. and, altogether, there was much perturbation of mind over every quiver of his eye-lash. the fact of the matter is, as a playgoer, the father of our country figured quite as constantly as the father of our theatre. when the seat of government changed from new york to philadelphia, president washington's love of the theatre prompted many theatrical enterprises to follow in his wake, and we have an interesting picture, painted in words by seilhamer (ii, ), of the scene at the old southwark on such an occasion. he says: [the president] frequently occupied the east stage-box, which was fitted up expressly for his reception. over the front of the box was the united states coat-of-arms and the interior was gracefully festooned with red drapery. the front of the box and the seats were cushioned. according to john [_sic_] durang, washington's reception at the theatre was always exceedingly formal and ceremonious. a soldier was generally posted at each stage-door; four soldiers were placed in the gallery; a military guard attended. mr. wignell, in a full dress of black, with his hair elaborately powdered in the fashion of the time, and holding two wax candles in silver candle-sticks, was accustomed to receive the president at the box-door and conduct washington and his party to their seats. even the newspapers began to take notice of the president's contemplated visits to the theatre. this is the atmosphere which must have attended the performance of dunlap's "darby's return." the play which probably is best known to-day, as by william dunlap, is his "andré,"[ ] in which washington figures as the general, later to appear under his full name, when dunlap utilized the old drama in a manuscript libretto, entitled "the glory of columbia--her yeomanry" ( ). the play was produced on march , , after dunlap had become manager of the new park theatre, within whose proscenium it was given. professor matthews, editing the piece for the dunlap society (no. , ), claims that this was the first drama acted in the united states during washington's life, in which he was made to appear on the stage of a theatre. but it must not be forgotten that in "the fall of british tyranny," written in , by leacock, washington appears for the first time in any piece of american fiction. dunlap writes of the performance (american theatre, ii, ): the receipts were dollars, a temporary relief. the play was received with warm applause, until mr. cooper, in the character of a young american officer, who had been treated as a brother by andré when a prisoner with the british, in his zeal and gratitude, having pleaded for the life of the spy in vain, tears the american cockade from his casque, and throws it from him. this was not, perhaps could not be, understood by a mixed assembly; they thought the country and its defenders insulted, and a hiss ensued--it was soon quieted, and the play ended with applause. but the feeling excited by the incident was propagated out of doors. cooper's friends wished the play withdrawn, on his account, fearing for his popularity. however, the author made an alteration in the incident, and subsequently all went on to the end with applause. a scene from the last act of "andré"[ ] was produced at an american drama matinée, under the auspices of the american drama committee of the drama league of america, new york centre, on january nd and rd, . there are many arnold and andré plays, some of which have been noted by professor matthews.[ ] another interesting historical study is the stage popularity of nathan hale. we might go on indefinitely, narrating incidents connected with dunlap as citizen, painter, playwright, author, and theatrical manager, for within a very short time he managed the john street and new park theatres, retiring for a while in . but this is sufficient to illustrate the pioneer character of his work and influence. inaccurate he may have been in his "history of the american theatre," but the atmosphere is there, and he never failed to recognize merit, and to give touches of character to the actors, without which our impression of the early theatre in this country would be the poorer. the name of william dunlap is intimately associated with the beginnings of american painting, american literary life and the american theatre. it is for these he will ever remain distinguished. as a playwright, he wrote so rapidly, and so constantly utilized over and over again, not only his own material, but the materials of others, that it is not surprising to find him often in dispute with dramatic authors of the time. a typical disagreement occurred in the case of the actor john hodgkinson ( - ), whose drama, "the man of fortitude; or, the knight's adventure," given at the john street theatre, on june , , was, according to dunlap, based on his own one-act verse play, "the knight's adventure," submitted to the actor some years before. only the play, based on the edition, is here reproduced. the authentic documents are omitted. footnotes: [ ] the/father;/or,/american shandy-ism./a comedy,/as performed at the new-york theatre,/by the/old american company./written in the year ./with what fond hope, through many a blissful hour,/we give the soul to fancy's pleasing pow'r./conquest of canaan./new-york:/printed by hodge, allen & campbell./ m, dcc, lxxxix./ [ ] darby's return:/a comic sketch,/as performed at the new-york theatre,/ november , ,/for the benefit of mr. wignell. written by william dunlap./ new-york:/printed by hodge, allen and campbell./and sold at their respective bookstores,/and by berry and rogers./m, dcc, lxxxix./ [ ] andré;/a tragedy, in five acts:/as performed by the old american company,/ new-york, march , ./to which are added,/authentic documents/respecting/ major andré;/consisting of/letters to miss seward,/the/cow chace,/proceedings of the court martial, &c./copy right secured./new-york:/printed by t. & j. swords, no. pearl-street./ ./ [ ] one of dunlap's best-known tragedies was "leicester," published by david longworth in . [ ] freneau began a play, "the spy" (pattee, "poems of philip freneau"), in which andré was a character. [illustration: andre; a _tragedy_, in five acts: as performed by the old american company, new-york, march , . to which are added authentic documents respecting _major andre;_ consisting of letters to miss seward, the cow chace, proceedings of the court martial, &c. _copy right secured._ new-york: printed by t. & j. swords. no. pearl-street. -- .-- fac-simile title-page of the first edition] preface more than nine years ago the author made choice of the death of major andré as the subject of a tragedy, and part of what is now offered to the public was written at that time. many circumstances discouraged him from finishing his play, and among them must be reckoned a prevailing opinion that recent events are unfit subjects for tragedy. these discouragements have at length all given way to his desire of bringing a story on the stage so eminently fitted, in his opinion, to excite interest in the breasts of an american audience. in exhibiting a stage representation of a real transaction, the particulars of which are fresh in the minds of many of the audience, an author has this peculiar difficulty to struggle with, that those who know the events expect to see them _all_ recorded; and any deviation from what they remember to be fact, appears to them as a fault in the poet; they are disappointed, their expectations are not fulfilled, and the writer is more or less condemned, not considering the difference between the poet and the historian, or not knowing that what is intended to be exhibited is a free poetical picture, not an exact historical portrait. still further difficulties has the tragedy of andré to surmount, difficulties independent of its own demerits, in its way to public favour. the subject necessarily involves political questions; but the author presumes that he owes no apology to any one for having shewn himself an american. the friends of major andré (and it appears that all who knew him were his friends) will look with a jealous eye on the poem, whose principal incident is the sad catastrophe which his misconduct, in submitting to be an instrument in a transaction of treachery and deceit, justly brought upon him: but these friends have no cause of offence; the author has adorned the poetical character of andré with every virtue; he has made him his hero; to do which, he was under the necessity of making him condemn his own conduct, in the one dreadfully unfortunate action of his life. to shew the effects which major andré's excellent qualities had upon the minds of men, the author has drawn a generous and amiable youth, so blinded by his love for the accomplished briton, as to consider his country, and the great commander of her armies, as in the commission of such horrid injustice, that he, in the anguish of his soul, disclaims the service. in this it appears, since the first representation, that the author has gone near to offend the veterans of the american army who were present on the first night, and who not knowing the sequel of the action, felt much disposed to condemn him: but surely they must remember the diversity of opinion which agitated the minds of men at that time, on the question of the propriety of putting andré to death; and when they add the circumstances of andré's having saved the life of this youth, and gained his ardent friendship, they will be inclined to mingle with their disapprobation, a sentiment of pity, and excuse, perhaps commend the poet, who has represented the action without sanctioning it by his approbation. as a sequel to the affair of the cockade, the author has added the following lines, which the reader is requested to insert, page , between the th and th lines, instead of the lines he will find there, which were printed before the piece was represented.[ ]-- bland. noble m'donald, truth and honour's champion! yet think not strange that my intemperance wrong'd thee: good as thou art! for, would'st thou, canst thou, think it? my tongue, unbridled, hath the same offence, with action violent, and boisterous tone, hurl'd on that glorious man, whose pious labours shield from every ill his grateful country! that man, whom friends to adoration love, and enemies revere.--yes, m'donald, even in the presence of the first of men did i abjure the service of my country, and reft my helmet of that glorious badge which graces even the brow of washington. how shall i see him more!-- m'donald. alive himself to every generous impulse, he hath excus'd the impetuous warmth of youth, in expectation that thy fiery soul, chasten'd by time and reason, will receive the stamp indelible of godlike virtue. to me, in trust, he gave this badge disclaim'd, with power, when thou shouldst see thy wrongful error, from him, to reinstate it in thy helm, and thee in his high favour. [_gives the cockade._ bland [_takes the cockade and replaces it_]. shall i speak my thoughts of thee and him? no:--let my actions henceforth shew what thou and he have made me. ne'er shall my helmet lack again its proudest, noblest ornament, until my country knows the rest of peace, or bland the peace of death! [_exit._ this alteration, as well as the whole performance, on the second night, met the warm approbation of the audience. to the performers the author takes this opportunity of returning his thanks for their exertions in his behalf; perfectly convinced, that on this, as on former occasions, the members of the old american company have anxiously striven to oblige him. if this play is successful, it will be a proof that recent events may be so managed in tragedy as to command popular attention; if it is unsuccessful, the question must remain undetermined until some more powerful writer shall again make the experiment. the poem is now submitted to the ordeal of closet examination, with the author's respectful assurance to every reader, that as it is not his interest, so it has not been his intention, to offend any; but, on the contrary, to impress, through the medium of a pleasing stage exhibition, the sublime lessons of truth and justice upon the minds of his countrymen. w. dunlap. _new-york, april th, ._ prologue spoken by mr. martin. a native bard, a native scene displays, and claims your candour for his daring lays: daring, so soon, in mimic scenes to shew, what each remembers as a real woe. who has forgot when gallant andrÉ died? a name by fate to sorrow's self allied. who has forgot, when o'er the untimely bier, contending armies paus'd, to drop a tear. our poet builds upon a fact tonight; yet claims, in building, every poet's right; to choose, embellish, lop, or add, or blend, fiction with truth, as best may suit his end; which, he avows, is pleasure to impart, and move the passions but to mend the heart. oh, may no party-spirit blast his views, or turn to ill the meanings of the muse: she sings of wrongs long past, men as they were, to instruct, without reproach, the men that are; then judge the story by the genius shewn, and praise, or damn, it, for its worth alone. characters general, _dress, american staff uniform, blue, faced with buff, large gold epaulets, cocked hat, with the black and white cockade, indicating the union with france, buff waistcoat and breeches, boots,_ mr. hallam. m'donald, _a man of forty years of age, uniform nearly the same of the first,_ mr. tyler. seward, _a man of thirty years of age, staff uniform,_ mr. martin. andrÉ, _a man of twenty-nine years of age, full british uniform after the first scene,_ mr. hodgkinson. bland, _a youthful but military figure, in the uniform of a captain of horse--dress, a short blue coat, faced with red, and trimmed with gold lace, two small epaulets, a white waistcoat, leather breeches, boots and spurs; over the coat, crossing the chest from the right shoulder, a broad buff belt, to which is suspended a manageable hussar sword; a horseman's helmet on the head, decorated as usual, and the union cockade affixed,_ mr. cooper. melville, _a man of middle age, and grave deportment; his dress a captain's uniform when on duty; a blue coat, with red facings, gold epaulet, white waistcoat and breeches, boots and cocked hat, with the union cockade,_ mr. williamson. british officer, mr. hogg. american officer, mr. miller. children, master stockwell and miss hogg. american sergeant, mr. seymour. american officers and soldiers, &c. mrs. bland, mrs. melmoth. honora, mrs. johnson. scene, the village of tappan, encampment, and adjoining country. time, ten hours. andrÉ act i. scene i. _a wood seen by starlight; an encampment at a distance appearing between the trees._ _enter melville._ melville. the solemn hour, "when night and morning meet," mysterious time, to superstition dear, and superstition's guides, now passes by; deathlike in solitude. the sentinels, in drowsy tones, from post to post, send on the signal of the passing hour. "all's well," sounds through the camp. alas! all is not well; else, why stand i, a man, the friend of man, at midnight's depth, deck'd in this murderous guise, the habiliment of death, the badge of dire, necessitous coercion. 't is not well. --in vain the enlighten'd friends of suffering man point out, of war, the folly, guilt, and madness. still, age succeeds to age, and war to war; and man, the murderer, marshalls out his hosts in all the gaiety of festive pomp, to spread around him death and desolation. how long! how long!---- --methinks i hear the tread of feet this way. my meditating mood may work me woe. [_draws._ stand, whoso'er thou art. answer. who's there? _enter bland._ bland. a friend. melville. advance and give the countersign. bland. hudson. melville. what, bland! bland. melville, my friend, you _here_? melville. and _well_, my brave young friend. but why do you, at this dead hour of night, approach the camp, on foot, and thus alone? bland. i have but now dismounted; and, from yon sequester'd cot, whose lonely taper through the crannied wall sheds its faint beams, and twinkles midst the trees, have i, adventurous, grop'd my darksome way. my servant, and my horses, spent with toil, there wait till morn. melville. why waited not yourself? bland. anxious to know the truth of those reports which, from the many mouths of busy fame, still, as i pass'd, struck varying on my ear, each making th' other void. nor does delay the colour of my hasteful business suit. i bring dispatches for our great commander; and hasted hither with design to wait his rising, or awake him with the sun. melville. you will not need the last, for the blest sun ne'er rises on his slumbers; by the dawn we see him mounted gaily in the field, or find him wrapt in meditation deep, planning the welfare of our war-worn land. bland. prosper, kind heaven! and recompense his cares. melville. you're from the south, if i presume aright? bland. i am; and, melville, i am fraught with news? the south teems with events; convulsing ones: the briton, there, plays at no mimic war; with gallant face he moves, and gallantly is met. brave spirits, rous'd by glory, throng our camp; the hardy hunter, skill'd to fell the deer, or start the sluggish bear from covert rude; and not a clown that comes, but from his youth is trained to pour from far the leaden death, to climb the steep, to struggle with the stream, to labour firmly under scorching skies, and bear, unshrinking, winter's roughest blast. this, and that heaven-inspir'd enthusiasm which ever animates the patriot's breast, shall far outweigh the lack of discipline. melville. justice is ours; what shall prevail against her? bland. but as i past along, many strange tales, and monstrous rumours, have my ears assail'd: that arnold had prov'd false; but he was ta'en, and hung, or to be hung--i know not what. another told, that all our army, with their much lov'd chief, sold and betray'd, were captur'd. but, as i nearer drew, at yonder cot, 't was said, that arnold, traitor like, had fled; and that a briton, tried and prov'd a spy, was, on this day, as such, to suffer death. melville. as you drew near, plain truth advanced to meet you. 't is even as you heard, my brave young friend. never had people on a single throw more interest at stake; when he, who held for us the die, prov'd false, and play'd us foul. but for a circumstance of that nice kind, of cause so microscopic, that the tongues of inattentive men call it the effect of chance, we must have lost the glorious game. bland. blest, blest be heaven! whatever was the cause! melville. the blow ere this had fallen that would have bruis'd the tender plant which we have striven to rear, crush'd to the dust, no more to bless this soil. bland. what warded off the blow? melville. the brave young man, who this day dies, was seiz'd within our bounds, in rustic garb disguis'd. he offer'd bribes to tempt the band that seiz'd him; but the rough farmer, for his country arm'd, that soil defending which his ploughshare turn'd, those laws, his father chose, and he approv'd, cannot, as mercenary soldiers may, be brib'd to sell the public-weal for gold. bland. 't is well. just heaven! o, grant that thus may fall all those who seek to bring this land to woe! all those, who, or by open force, or dark and secret machinations, seek to shake the tree of liberty, or stop its growth, in any soil where thou hast pleas'd to plant it. melville. yet not a heart but pities and would save him; for all confirm that he is brave and virtuous; known, but till now, the darling child of honour. bland [_contemptuously_]. and how is call'd this--honourable spy? melville. andré's his name. bland [_much agitated_]. andré! melville. aye, major andré. bland. andré! oh no, my friend, you're sure deceiv'd-- i'll pawn my life, my ever sacred fame, my general's favour, or a soldier's honour, that gallant andré never yet put on the guise of falsehood. oh, it cannot be! melville. how might i be deceiv'd? i've heard him, seen him, and what i tell, i tell from well-prov'd knowledge; no second tale-bearer, who heard the news. bland. pardon me, melville. oh, that well-known name, so link'd with circumstances infamous!-- my friend must pardon me. thou wilt not blame when i shall tell what cause i have to love him: what cause to think him nothing more the pupil of honour stern, than sweet humanity. rememberest thou, when cover'd o'er with wounds, and left upon the field, i fell the prey of britain? to a loathsome prison-ship confin'd, soon had i sunk, victim of death, a death of aggravated miseries; but, by benevolence urg'd, this best of men, this gallant youth, then favour'd, high in power, sought out the pit obscene of foul disease, where i, and many a suffering soldier lay, and, like an angel, seeking good for man, restor'd us light, and partial liberty. me he mark'd out his own. he nurst and cur'd, he lov'd and made his friend. i liv'd by him, and in my heart he liv'd, till, when exchang'd, duty and honour call'd me from my friend.-- judge how my heart is tortur'd.--gracious heaven! thus, thus to meet him on the brink of death-- a death so infamous! heav'n grant my prayer. [_kneels._ that i may save him, o, inspire my heart with thoughts, my tongue with words that move to pity! [_rises._ quick, melville, shew me where my andré lies. melville. good wishes go with you. bland. i'll save my friend. [_exeunt._ scene, _the encampment, by starlight._ _enter the general, m'donald and seward._ general. 't is well. each sentinel upon his post stands firm, and meets me at the bayonet's point; while in his tent the weary soldier lies, the sweet reward of wholesome toil enjoying; resting secure as erst within his cot he careless slept, his rural labour o'er; ere britons dar'd to violate those laws, those boasted laws by which themselves are govern'd, and strove to make their fellow-subjects slaves. seward. they know to whom they owe their present safety. general. i hope they know that to themselves they owe it: to that good discipline which they observe, the discipline of men to order train'd, who know its value, and in whom 't is virtue: to that prompt hardihood with which they meet or toil or danger, poverty or death. mankind who know not whence that spirit springs, which holds at bay all britain's boasted power, gaze on their deeds astonish'd. see the youth start from his plough, and straightway play the hero; unmurmuring bear such toils as veterans shun; rest all content upon the dampsome earth; follow undaunted to the deathful charge; or, when occasion asks, lead to the breach, fearless of all the unusual din of war, his former peaceful mates. o patriotism! thou wond'rous principle of god-like action! wherever liberty is found, there reigns the love of country. now the self-same spirit which fill'd the breast of great leonidas, swells in the hearts of thousands on these plains, thousands who never heard the hero's tale. 't is this alone which saves thee, o my country! and, till that spirit flies these western shores, no power on earth shall crush thee! seward. 't is wond'rous! the men of other climes from this shall see how easy 't is to shake oppression off; how all resistless is an union'd people: and hence, from our success (which, by my soul, i feel as much secur'd, as though our foes were now within their floating prisons hous'd, and their proud prows all pointing to the east), shall other nations break their galling fetters, and re-assume the dignity of man. m'donald. are other nations in that happy state, that, having broke coercion's iron yoke, they can submit to order's gentle voice, and walk on earth self-ruled? i much do fear it. as to ourselves, in truth, i nothing see, in all the wond'rous deeds which we perform, but plain effects from causes full as plain. rises not man for ever 'gainst oppression? it is the law of life; he can't avoid it. but when the love of property unites with sense of injuries past, and dread of future. is it then wonderful, that he should brave a lesser evil to avoid a greater? general [_sportively_]. 't is hard, quite hard, we may not please ourselves, by our great deeds ascribing to our virtue. seward. m'donald never spares to lash our pride. m'donald. in truth i know of nought to make you proud. i think there's none within the camp that draws with better will his sword than does m'donald. i have a home to guard. my son is--butcher'd-- seward. hast thou no nobler motives for thy arms than love of property and thirst of vengeance? m'donald. yes, my good seward, and yet nothing wond'rous. i love this country for the sake of man. my parents, and i thank them, cross'd the seas, and made me native of fair nature's world, with room to grow and thrive in. i have thriven; and feel my mind unshackled, free, expanding, grasping, with ken unbounded, mighty thoughts, at which, if chance my mother had, good dame, in scotia, our revered parent soil, given me to see the day, i should have shrunk affrighted. now, i see in this new world a resting spot for man, if he can stand firm in his place, while europe howls around him, and all unsettled as the thoughts of vice, each nation in its turn threats him with feeble malice. one trial, now, we prove; and i have met it. general. and met it like a man, my brave m'donald. m'donald. i hope so; and i hope my every act has been the offspring of deliberate judgment; yet, feeling second's reason's cool resolves. oh! i could hate, if i did not more pity, these bands of mercenary europeans, so wanting in the common sense of nature, as, without shame, to sell themselves for pelf, to aid the cause of darkness, murder man-- without inquiry murder, and yet call their trade the trade of honour--high-soul'd honour-- yet honour shall accord in act with falsehood. oh, that proud man should e'er descend to play the tempter's part, and lure men to their ruin! deceit and honour badly pair together. seward. you have much shew of reason; yet, methinks what you suggest of one, whom fickle fortune, in her changeling mood, hath hurl'd, unpitying, from her topmost height to lowest misery, tastes not of charity. andré, i mean. m'donald. i mean him, too; sunk by misdeed, not fortune. fortune and chance, oh, most convenient words! man runs the wild career of blind ambition, plunges in vice, takes falsehood for his buoy, and when he feels the waves of ruin o'er him, curses, in "good set terms," poor lady fortune. general [_sportively to seward_]. his mood is all untoward; let us leave him. tho' he may think that he is bound to rail, we are not bound to hear him. [_to m'donald._ grant you that? m'donald. oh, freely, freely! you i never rail on. general. no thanks for that; you've courtesy for office. m'donald. you slander me. general. slander that would not wound. worthy m'donald, though it suits full well the virtuous man to frown on all misdeeds; yet ever keep in mind that man is frail; his tide of passion struggling still with reason's fair and favourable gale, and adverse driving his unstable bark upon the rocks of error. should he sink thus shipwreck'd, sure it is not virtue's voice that triumphs in his ruin. i must seek rest. adieu! [_exeunt general and seward._ m'donald. both good and great thou art: first among men: by nature, or by early habit, grac'd with that blest quality which gives due force to every faculty, and keeps the mind in healthful equipoise, ready for action; invaluable temperance--by all to be acquired, yet scarcely known to any. [_exit._ _end of the first act._ act ii. scene, _a prison._ _andrÉ, discovered in a pensive posture, sitting at a table; a book by him and candles: his dress neglected, his hair dishevelled: he rises and comes forward._ andrÉ. kind heaven be thank'd for that i stand alone in this sad hour of life's brief pilgrimage! single in misery; no one else involving, in grief, in shame, and ruin. 't is my comfort. thou, my thrice honour'd sire, in peace went'st down unto the tomb, nor knew to blush, nor knew a pang for me! and thou, revered matron, couldst bless thy child, and yield thy breath in peace! no wife shall weep, no child lament, my loss. thus may i consolation find in what was once my woe. i little thought to joy in not possessing, as i erst possest, thy love, honora! andré's death, perhaps, may cause a cloud pass o'er thy lovely face; the pearly tear may steal from either eye; for thou mayest feel a transient pang, nor wrong a husband's rights: more than a transient pang o mayest thou never feel! the morn draws nigh to light me to my shame. frail nature shrinks.-- and _is_ death then so fearful? i have brav'd him, fearless, in the field, and steel'd my breast against his thousand horrors; but his cool, his sure approach, requires a fortitude which nought but conscious rectitude can give. [_retires, and sits leaning._ _enter bland unperceived by andrÉ._ bland. and is that andré! oh, how chang'd! alas! where is that martial fire, that generous warmth, which glow'd his manly countenance throughout, and gave to every look, to every act, the tone of high chivalrous animation?-- andré, my friend! look up. andrÉ. who calls _me_ friend? bland. young arthur bland. andrÉ [_rising_]. that name sounds like a friend's. [_with emotion._ i have inquir'd for thee--wish'd much to see thee-- i prithee take no note of these fool's tears-- my heart was full--and seeing thee-- bland [_embracing him_]. o andré!-- i have but now arrived from the south-- nor heard--till now--of this--i cannot speak. is this a place?--oh, thus to find my friend! andrÉ. still dost thou call me friend? i, who dared act against my reason, my declared opinion; against my conscience, and a soldier's fame? oft in the generous heat of glowing youth, oft have i said how fully i despis'd all bribery base, all treacherous tricks in war: rather my blood should bathe these hostile shores, and have it said, "he died a gallant soldier," than with my country's gold encourage treason, and thereby purchase gratitude and fame. bland. still mayest thou say it, for thy heart's the same. andrÉ. still is my heart the same: still may i say it: but now my deeds will rise against my words; and should i dare to talk of honest truth, frank undissembling probity and faith, memory would crimson o'er my burning cheek, and actions retrospected choke the tale. still is my heart the same. but there has past a day, an hour--which ne'er can be recall'd! unhappy man! tho' all thy life pass pure; mark'd by benevolence thy every deed; the out-spread map, which shews the way thou'st trod, without one devious track, or doubtful line; it all avails thee nought, if in one hour, one hapless hour, thy feet are led astray;-- thy happy deeds, all blotted from remembrance; cancel'd the record of thy former good. is it not hard, my friend? is 't not unjust? bland. not every record cancel'd--oh, there are hearts, where virtue's image, when 't is once engrav'd, can never know erasure. andrÉ. generous bland! [_takes his hand._ the hour draws nigh which ends my life's sad story. i should be firm-- bland. by heaven thou shalt not die! thou dost not sure deserve it. betray'd, perhaps-- condemn'd without due circumstance made known? thou didst not mean to tempt our officers? betray our yeoman soldiers to destruction? silent. nay, then 't was from a duteous wish to serve the cause thou wast in honour bound-- andrÉ. kind is my bland, who to his generous heart, still finds excuses for his erring friend. attentive hear and judge me.-- pleas'd with the honours daily shower'd upon me, i glow'd with martial heat, my name to raise above the vulgar herd, who live to die, and die to be forgotten. thus i stood, when, avarice or ambition arnold tempted, his country, fame, and honour to betray; linking his name to infamy eternal. in confidence it was to be propos'd, to plan with him the means which should ensure thy country's downfall. nothing then i saw but confidential favour in the service, my country's glory, and my mounting fame; forgot my former purity of thought, and high-ton'd honour's scruples disregarded. bland. it was thy duty so to serve thy country. andrÉ. nay, nay; be cautious ever to admit that duty can beget dissimulation. on ground, unoccupied by either part, neutral esteem'd, i landed, and was met. but ere my conference was with arnold clos'd, the day began to dawn: i then was told that till the night i must my safety seek in close concealment. within your posts convey'd, i found myself involv'd in unthought dangers. night came. i sought the vessel which had borne me to the fatal spot; but she was gone. retreat that way cut off, again i sought concealment with the traitors of your army. arnold now granted passes, and i doff'd my martial garb, and put on curs'd disguise! thus in a peasant's form i pass'd your posts; and when, as i conceiv'd, my danger o'er, was stopt and seiz'd by some returning scouts. so did ambition lead me, step by step, to treat with traitors, and encourage treason; and then, bewilder'd in the guilty scene, to quit my martial designating badges, deny my name, and sink into the spy. bland. thou didst no more than was a soldier's duty, to serve the part on which he drew his sword. thou shalt not die for this. straight will i fly-- i surely shall prevail-- andrÉ. it is in vain. all has been tried. each friendly argument-- bland. all has not yet been tried. the powerful voice of friendship in thy cause, has not been heard. my general favours _me_, and loves my father-- my gallant father! would that he were here! but he, perhaps, now wants an andré's care, to cheer his hours--perhaps, now languishes amidst those horrors whence thou sav'd'st his son! the present moment claims my thought. andré-- i fly to save thee!-- andrÉ. bland, it is in vain. but, hold--there is a service thou may'st do me. bland. speak it. andrÉ. oh, think, and as a soldier think, how i must die--the _manner_ of my death-- like the base ruffian, or the midnight thief, ta'en in the act of stealing from the poor, to be turn'd off the felon's--murderer's cart, a mid-air spectacle to gaping clowns:-- to run a short, an envied course of glory, and end it on a gibbet.---- bland. damnation!! andrÉ. such is my doom. oh! have the manner changed, and of mere death i'll think not. dost thou think--? perhaps thou canst gain _that_----? bland [_almost in a frenzy_]. thou shalt not die! andrÉ. let me, oh! let me die a soldier's death, while friendly clouds of smoke shroud from all eyes my last convulsive pangs, and i'm content. bland [_with increasing emotion_]. thou shalt not die! curse on the laws of war!-- if worth like thine must thus be sacrificed, to policy so cruel and unjust, i will forswear my country and her service: i'll hie me to the briton, and with fire, and sword, and every instrument of death or devastation, join in the work of war! what, shall worth weigh for nought? i will avenge thee! andrÉ. hold, hold, my friend; thy country's woes are full. what! wouldst thou make me cause another traitor? no more of this; and, if i die, believe me, thy country for my death incurs no blame. restrain thy ardour--but ceaselessly intreat, that andré may at least die as he lived, a soldier. bland. by heaven thou shalt not die!-- [_bland rushes off: andrÉ looks after him with an expression of love and gratitude, then retires up the stage. scene closes._] scene, _the general's quarters._ _enter m'donald and seward, in conversation._ m'donald [_coming forward_]. three thousand miles the atlantic wave rolls on, which bathed columbia's shores, ere, on the strand of europe, or of afric, their continents, or sea-girt isles, it chafes.-- seward. oh! would to heaven that in mid-way between these sever'd worlds, rose barriers, all impassable to man, cutting off intercourse, till either side had lost all memory of the other! m'donald. what spur now goads thy warm imagination? seward. then might, perhaps, one land on earth be found, free from th' extremes of poverty and riches; where ne'er a scepter'd tyrant should be known, or tyrant lordling, curses of creation;-- where the faint shrieks of woe-exhausted age, raving, in feeble madness, o'er the corse of a polluted daughter, stained by lust of viand-pamper'd luxury, might ne'er be heard;-- where the blasted form of much abused beauty, by villainy seduced, by knowledge all unguarded, might ne'er be view'd, flitting obscene, 'tween lamp and lamp, i' th' midnight street of all defiling city; where the child---- m'donald. hold! shroud thy raven imagination! torture not me with images so curst! seward. soon shall our foes, inglorious, fly these shores. peace shall again return. then europe's ports shall pour a herd upon us, far more fell than those, her mercenary sons, who, now, threaten our sore chastisement. m'donald. prophet of ill, from europe shall enriching commerce flow, and many an ill attendant; but from thence shall likewise flow blest science. europe's knowledge, by sharp experience bought, we should appropriate; striving thus to leap from that simplicity, with ignorance curst, to that simplicity, by knowledge blest; unknown the gulf between. seward. mere theoretic dreaming! m'donald. blest wisdom seems, from out the chaos of the social world, where good and ill, in strange commixture, float, to rise, by strong necessity, impell'd; starting, like love divine, from womb of night, illuming all, to order all reducing; and shewing, by its bright and noontide blaze, that happiness alone proceeds from justice. seward. dreams, dreams! man can know nought but ill on earth. m'donald. i'll to my bed, for i have watch'd all night; and may my sleep give pleasing repetition of these my waking dreams! virtue's incentives. [_exit._ seward. folly's chimeras rather: guides to error. _enter bland, preceded by a sergeant._ sergeant. pacquets for the general. [_exit._ bland. seward, my friend! seward. captain! i'm glad to see the hue of health sit on a visage from the sallow south. bland. the lustihood of youth hath yet defied the parching sun, and chilling dew of even. the general--seward--? seward. i will lead you to him. bland. seward, i must make bold. leave us together, when occasion offers. 't will be friendly. seward. i will not cross your purpose. [_exeunt._ scene, _a chamber._ _enter mrs. bland._ mrs. bland. yes, ever be this day a festival in my domestic calendar. this morn will see my husband free. even now, perhaps, ere yet aurora flies the eastern hills, shunning the sultry sun, my bland embarks. already, on the hudson's dancing wave, he chides the sluggish rowers, or supplicates for gales propitious; that his eager arms may clasp his wife, may bless his little ones. oh! how the tide of joy makes my heart bound, glowing with high and ardent expectation! _enter two children._ st child. here we are, mama, up, and dress'd already. mrs. bland. and why were ye so early? st child. why, did not you tell us that papa was to be home to-day? mrs. bland. i said, perhaps. nd child [_disappointed_]. perhaps! st child. i don't like perhaps's. nd child. no, nor i neither; nor "may be so's." mrs. bland. we make not certainties, my pretty loves; i do not like "perhaps's" more than you do. nd child. oh! don't say so, mama! for i'm sure i hardly ever ask you anything but you answer me with "may be so," "perhaps,"--or "very likely." "mama, shall i go to the camp to-morrow, and see the general?" "may be so, my dear." hang "may be so," say i. mrs. bland. well said, sir pertness. st child. but i am sure, mama, you said, that, to-day, papa would have his liberty. mrs. bland. so, your dear father, by his letters, told me. nd child. why, then, i _am sure_ he will be here to-day. when he can come _to us_, i'm sure he will not stay among those strange englishmen and hessians. i often wish'd that i had wings to fly, for then i would soon be with him. mrs. bland. dear boy! _enter servant and gives a letter to mrs. bland._ servant. an express, madam, from new-york to headquarters, in passing, delivered this. nd child. papa's coming home to-day, john. [_exeunt servant and children._ mrs. bland. what fears assail me! oh! i did not want a letter now! [_she reads in great agitation, exclaiming, while her eyes are fixed on the paper._] my husband! doom'd to die! retaliation! [_she looks forward with wildness, consternation and horror._ to die, if andré dies! he dies to-day!-- my husband to be murdered! and to-day! to-day, if andré dies! retaliation! o curst contrivance!--madness relieve me! burst, burst, my brain!--yet--andré is not dead: my husband lives. [_looks at the letter._] "one man has power." i fly to save the father of my children! [_rushes out._ _end of the second act._ act iii. scene, _the general's quarters._ _the general and bland come forward._ general [_papers in his hand_]. captain, you are noted here with honourable praises. depend upon that countenance from me, which you have prov'd yourself so richly meriting. both for your father's virtues, and your own, your country owes you honour-- the sole return the poor can make for service. bland. if from my country ought i've merited, or gain'd the approbation of her champion, at any other time, i should not dare, presumptuously, to shew my sense of it; but now, my tongue, all shameless, dares to name the boon, the precious recompense, i wish, which, granted, pays all service, past or future, o'erpays the utmost i can e'er achieve. general. brief, my young friend, briefly, your purpose. bland. if i have done my duty as a soldier; if i have brav'd all dangers for my country; if my brave father has deserved ought; call all to mind--and cancel all--but grant my one request--mine, and humanity's. general. be less profuse of words, and name your wish; if fit, its fitness is the best assurance that not in vain you sue; but, if unjust, thy merits, nor the merits of thy race, cannot its nature alter, nor my mind, from its determined opposition change. bland. you hold the fate of my most lov'd of friends; as gallant soldier as e'er faced a foe, bless'd with each polish'd gift of social life, and every virtue of humanity. to me, a saviour from the pit of death, to me, and many more my countrymen. oh! could my words portray him what he is; bring to your mind the blessings of his deeds, while thro' the fever-heated, loathsome holds, of floating hulks, dungeons obscene, where ne'er the dewy breeze of morn, or evening's coolness, breath'd on our parching skins, he pass'd along, diffusing blessings; still his power exerting, to alleviate the woes which ruthless war, perhaps, thro' dire necessity, heap'd on us; surely, the scene would move you to forget his late intent--(tho' only serving then, as duty prompted)--and turn the rigour of war's iron law from him, the best of men, meant only for the worst. general. captain, no more. bland. if andré lives, the prisoner finds a friend; else helpless and forlorn-- all men will bless the act, and bless thee for it. general. think'st thou thy country would not curse the man, who, by a clemency ill-tim'd, ill-judg'd, encourag'd treason? that _pride_ encourag'd, which, by denying us the rights of nations, hath caus'd those ills which thou hast now portray'd? our prisoners, brave and generous peasantry, as rebels have been treated, not as men. 't is mine, brave yeomen, to assert your rights; 't is mine to teach the foe, that, though array'd in rude simplicity, ye, yet, are men, and rank among the foremost. oft their scouts, the very refuse of the english arms, unquestion'd, have our countrymen consign'd to death, when captur'd, mocking their agonies. bland. curse them! [_checking himself._] yet let not censure fall on andré. oh, there are englishmen as brave, as good, as ever land on earth might call its own; and gallant andré is among the best! general. since they have hurl'd war on us, we must shew that by the laws of war we will abide; and have the power to bring their acts for trial, to that tribunal, eminent 'mongst men, erected by the policy of nations, to stem the flood of ills, which else fell war would pour, uncheck'd, upon the sickening world, sweeping away all trace of civil life. bland. to pardon him would not encourage ill. his case is singular: his station high; his qualities admired; his virtues lov'd. general. no more, my good young friend: it is in vain. the men entrusted with thy country's rights have weigh'd, attentive, every circumstance. an individual's virtue is, by them, as highly prized as it can be by thee. i know the virtues of this man, and love them. but the destiny of millions, millions yet unborn, depends upon the rigour of this moment. the haughty briton laughs to scorn our armies and our councils. mercy, humanity, call loudly, that we make our now despised power be felt, vindictive. millions demand the death of this young man. my injur'd country, he his forfeit life must yield, to shield thy lacerated breast from torture. [_to bland._] thy merits are not overlook'd. promotion shall immediately attend thee. bland [_with contemptuous irony_]. pardon me, sir, i never shall deserve it. [_with increasing heat._] the country that forgets to reverence virtue; that makes no difference 'twixt the sordid wretch, who, for reward, risks treason's penalty, and him unfortunate, whose duteous service is, by mere accident, so chang'd in form, as to assume guilt's semblance, i serve not: scorn to serve. i have a soldier's honour, but 't is in union with a freeman's judgment, and when i act, both prompt. thus from my helm i tear, what once i proudly thought, the badge of virtuous fellowship. [_tears the cockade from his helmet._] my sword i keep. [_puts on his helmet._] would, andré, thou hadst never put thine off! then hadst thou through opposers' hearts made way to liberty, or bravely pierc'd thine own! [_exit._ general. rash, headstrong, maddening boy! had not this action past without a witness, duty would ask that thou shouldst rue thy folly-- but, for the motive, be the deed forgotten. [_exit._ scene, _a village._ _at a distance some tents. in front muskets, drums, and other indications of soldiers' quarters._ _enter mrs. bland and children, attended by melville._ melville. the general's doors to you are ever open. but why, my worthy friend, this agitation? our colonel, your husband---- mrs. bland [_in tears, gives him the letter_]. read, melville. st child. do not cry, mama, for i'm sure if papa said he would come home to-day he will come yet: for he always does what he says he will. mrs. bland. he cannot come, dear love; they will not let him. nd child. why, then, they told him lies. oh, fie upon them! melville [_returning the letter_]. fear nothing, madam, 't is an empty threat: a trick of policy. they dare not do it. mrs. bland. alas! alas! what dares not power to do? what art of reasoning, or what magic words, can still the storm of fears these lines have rais'd? the wife's, the mother's fears? ye innocents, unconscious on the brink of what a perilous precipice ye stand, unknowing that to-day ye are cast down the gulf, poor babes, ye weep from sympathy. children of sorrow, nurst, nurtur'd, midst camps and arms; unknowing man, but as man's fell destroyer; must ye now, to crown your piteous fate, be fatherless? o, lead me, lead me to him! let me kneel, let these, my children, kneel, till andré, pardon'd, ensures to me a husband, them a father. melville. madam, duty forbids further attendance. i am on guard to-day. but see your son; to him i leave your guidance. good wishes prosper you! [_exit melville._ _enter bland._ mrs. bland. my arthur, o my arthur! bland. my mother! [_embracing her._ mrs. bland. my son, i have been wishing for you---- [_bursts into tears, unable to proceed._ bland. but whence this grief, these tears, my mother? why are these little cheeks bedew'd with sorrow? [_he kisses the children, who exclaim_, brother, brother! have i done ought to cause a mother's sadness? mrs. bland. no, my brave boy! i oft have fear'd, but never sorrow'd for thee. bland. high praise!--then bless me, madam; for i have pass'd through many a bustling scene since i have seen a father or a mother. mrs. bland. bless thee, my boy! o bless him, bless him, heaven! render him worthy to support these babes! so soon, perhaps, all fatherless--dependent.-- bland. what mean'st thou, madam? why these tears? mrs. bland. thy father---- bland. a prisoner of war--i long have known it-- but made so without blemish to his honour, and soon exchang'd, returns unto his friends, to guard these little ones, and point and lead, to virtue and to glory. mrs. bland. never, never! his life, a sacrifice to andré's _manes_,[ ] must soon be offer'd. even now, endungeon'd, like a vile felon, on the earth he lies, his death expecting. andré's execution gives signal for the murder of thy father-- andré now dies!-- bland [_despairingly_]. my father and my friend!! mrs. bland. there is but one on earth can save my husband-- but one can pardon andré. bland. haste, my mother! thou wilt prevail. take with thee in each hand an unoffending child of him thou weep'st. save--save them both! this way--haste--lean on me. [_exeunt._ scene, _the general's quarters._ _enter the general and m'donald._ general. _here_ have i intimation from the foe, that still they deem the spy we have condemn'd, merely a captive; by the laws of arms from death protected; and retaliation, as they term it, threaten, if we our purpose hold. bland is the victim they have singled out, hoping his threaten'd death will andré save. m'donald. if i were bland i boldly might advise my general how to act. free, and in safety, i will now suppose my counsel needless. _enter an american officer._ officer. another flag hath from the foe arriv'd, and craves admittance. general. conduct it hither. [_exit officer._ let us, unwearied hear, unbias'd judge, whate'er against our martial court's decision, our enemies can bring. _enter british officer, conducted by the american officer._ general. you are welcome, sir. what further says sir henry? british officer. this from him. he calls on you to think what weighty woes you now are busy bringing on your country. he bids me say, that, if your sentence reach the prisoner's life (prisoner of arms he deems him, and no spy), on him alone it falls not. he bids me loud proclaim it, and declare, if this brave officer, by cruel mockery of war's stern law, and justice's feign'd pretence, be murder'd; the sequel of our strife, bloody, unsparing and remorseless, _you_ will make. think of the many captives in our power. already one is mark'd; for andré mark'd;-- and when his death, unparallel'd in war, the signal gives, then colonel bland must die. general. 't is well, sir; bear this message in return. sir henry clinton knows the laws of arms: he is a soldier, and, i think, a brave one. the prisoners he retains he must account for. perhaps the reckoning's near. i, likewise, am a soldier; entrusted by my country. what i shall judge most for that country's good, that shall i do. when doubtful, i consult my country's friends; never her enemies. in andré's case there are no doubts: 't is clear: sir henry clinton knows it. british officer. weigh consequences. general. in strict regard to consequence i act; and much should doubt to call that action right, however specious, whose apparent end was misery to man. that brave officer whose death you threaten, for himself drew not his sword--his country's wrongs arous'd his mind; her good alone his aim; and if his fall can further fire that country to resistance, he will, with smiles, yield up his glorious life, and count his death a gain; and tho' columbians will lament his fall, they will lament in blood. [_general walks up the stage._ m'donald. hear this! hear this, mankind! british officer. thus am i answered? _enter a sergeant with a letter._ sergeant. express from colonel bland. [_delivers it and exit._ general. with your permission. [_opens it._ british officer. your pleasure, sir. it may my mission further. m'donald. o, bland! my countryman, surely i know thee! general. 't is short: i will put form aside, and read it. [_reads._] "excuse me, my commander, for having a moment doubted your virtue: but you love me. if you waver, let this confirm you. my wife and children, to you and my country. do _your_ duty." report this to your general. british officer. i shall, sir. [_bows, and exit with american officer._ general. o, bland! my countryman! [_exit with emotion._ m'donald. triumph of virtue! like him and thee, still be americans. then, tho' all-powerful europe league against us, and pour in arms her legions on our shores; who is so dull would doubt their shameful flight? who doubt our safety, and our glorious triumph? scene, _the prison._ _enter bland._ bland. lingering, i come to crush the bud of hope my breath has, flattering, to existence warm'd. hard is the task to friendship! hard to say, to the lov'd object there remains no hope, no consolation for thee; thou _must_ die; the worst of deaths; no circumstance abated. _enter andrÉ in his uniform, and dress'd._ andrÉ. is there that state on earth which friendship cannot cheer? bland. little _i_ bring to cheer thee, andré. andrÉ. i understand. 't is well. 't will soon be past. yet, 't was not much i ask'd. a soldier's death. a trifling change of form. bland. of that i spoke not. by vehemence of passion hurried on, i pleaded for thy precious life alone; the which denied, my indignation barr'd all further parley. but strong solicitation now is urg'd to gain the wish'd-for favour. andrÉ. what is 't o'clock? bland. 't is past the stroke of nine. andrÉ. why, then, 't is almost o'er. but to be hung-- is there no way to escape that infamy? what then _is_ infamy?--no matter--no matter. bland. our general hath received another flag. andrÉ. soliciting for me? bland. on thy behalf. andrÉ. i have been ever favour'd. bland. threat'nings, now; no more solicitations. harsh, indeed, the import of the message: harsh, indeed. andrÉ. i am sorry for it. would that i were dead, and all was well with those i leave behind. bland. such a threat! is it not enough, just heaven, that i must lose this man? yet there was left one for my soul to rest on. but, to know that the same blow deprives them both of life-- andrÉ. what mean'st thou, bland? surely my general threats not retaliation. in vengeance, dooms not some better man to die for me? bland. the best of men. andrÉ. thou hast a father, captive-- i dare not ask-- bland. that father dies for thee. andrÉ. gracious heaven! how woes are heap'd upon me! what! cannot one, so trifling in life's scene, fall, without drawing such a ponderous ruin? leave me, my friend, awhile--i yet have life-- a little space of life--let me exert it to prevent injustice:--from death to save thy father, thee to save from utter desolation. bland. what mean'st thou, andré? andrÉ. seek thou the messenger who brought this threat. i will my last entreaty send by him. my general, sure, will grant it. bland. to the last thyself! [_exit._ andrÉ. if, at this moment, when the pangs of death already touch me, firmly my mind against injustice strives, and the last impulse to my vital powers is given by anxious wishes to redeem my fellowmen from pain; surely my end, howe'er accomplished, is not infamous. [_exit._ _end of the third act._ act iv. scene, _the encampment._ _enter m'donald and bland._ bland. it doth in truth appear, that as a--spy-- detested word!--brave andré must be view'd. his sentence he confesses strictly just. yet sure a deed of mercy, from _thy_ hand, could never lead to ill. by such an act, the stern and blood-stain'd brow of war would be disarm'd of half its gorgon horrors; more humanized customs be induced; and all the race of civilized man be blest in the example. be it thy suit: 't will well become thy character and station. m'donald. trust me, young friend, i am alone the judge of what becomes my character and station: and having judg'd that this young briton's death, even 'though attended by thy father's murder, is necessary, in these times accurs'd, when every thought of man is ting'd with blood, i will not stir my finger to redeem them. nay, much i wonder, bland, having so oft the reasons for this necessary rigour enforced upon thee, thou wilt still persist in vain solicitations. imitate thy father! bland. my father knew not andré. i know his value; owe to him my life; and, gratitude, that first, that best of virtues,-- without the which man sinks beneath the brute,-- binds me in ties indissoluble to him. m'donald. that man-created virtue blinds thy reason. man owes to man all love; when exercised, he does no more than duty. gratitude, that selfish rule of action, which commands that we our preference make of men, not for their worth, but that they did _us_ service, misleading reason, casting in the way of justice stumbling-blocks, cannot be virtue. bland. detested sophistry!--'t was andré sav'd me! m'donald. he sav'd thy life, and thou art grateful for it. how self intrudes, delusive, on man's thoughts! he sav'd thy life, yet strove to damn thy country; doom'd millions to the haughty briton's yoke; the best, and foremost in the cause of virtue, to death, by sword, by prison, or the halter: his sacrifice now stands the only bar between the wanton cruelties of war, and our much-suffering soldiers: yet, when weigh'd with gratitude, for that he sav'd _thy_ life, these things prove gossamer, and balance air:-- perversion monstrous of man's moral sense! bland. rather perversion monstrous of all good, is thy accurs'd, detestable opinion. cold-blooded reasoners, such as thee, would blast all warm affection; asunder sever every social tie of humanized man. curst be thy sophisms! cunningly contriv'd the callous coldness of thy heart to cover, and screen thee from the brave man's detestation. m'donald. boy, boy! bland. thou knowest that andré's not a spy. m'donald. i know him one. thou hast acknowledg'd it. bland. thou liest! m'donald. shame on thy ruffian tongue! how passion mars thee! i pity thee! thou canst not harm, by words intemperate, a virtuous man. i pity thee! for passion sometimes sways my older frame, through former uncheck'd habit: but when i see the havoc which it makes in others, i can shun the snare accurst, and nothing feel but pity. bland [_indignantly_]. pity me! [_approaches him, and speaks in an under voice._ thou canst be cool, yet, trust me, _passion_ sways thee. _fear_ does not _warm_ the blood, yet 't is a _passion_. hast thou no feeling? i have call'd thee liar! m'donald. if thou could'st make me one, i then might grieve. bland. thy coolness goes to freezing: thou'rt a coward. m'donald. thou knowest thou tell'st a falsehood. bland. thou shalt know none with impunity speaks thus of me. that to rouse thy courage. [_touches him gently, with his open hand, in crossing him. m'donald looks at him unmoved._] dost thou not yet feel? m'donald. for _thee_ i feel. and tho' another's acts cast no dishonour on the worthy man, i still feel for thy father. yet, remember, i may not, haply, ever be thus guarded; i may not always the distinction make. however just, between the blow intended to provoke, and one that's meant to injure. bland. hast thou no sense of honour? m'donald. truly, yes: for i am honour's votary. honour, with me, is worth: 't is truth; 't is virtue; 't is a thing, so high pre-eminent, that a boy's breath, or brute's, or madman's blow, can never reach it. my honour is so much, so truly mine, that none hath power to wound it, save myself. bland. i will proclaim thee through the camp a coward. m'donald. think better of it! proclaim not thine own shame. bland. i'll brand thee--damnation! [_exit._ m'donald. o, passion, passion! a man who values fame, far more than life; a brave young man; in many things a good; utters vile falsehood; adds injury to insult; striving with blood to seal such foul injustice; and all from impulse of unbridled feeling.-- [_pause._ here comes the mother of this headstrong boy, severely rack'd--what shall allay her torture? for common consolation, _here_, is insult. _enter mrs. bland and children._ mrs. bland. o my good friend! m'donald [_taking her hand_]. i know thy cause of sorrow. art thou now from our commander? mrs. bland [_drying her tears, and assuming dignity_]. i am. but vain is my entreaty. all unmov'd he hears my words, he sees my desperate sorrow. fain would i blame his conduct--but i cannot. strictly examin'd, with intent to mark the error which so fatal proves to _me_, my scrutiny but ends in admiration. thus when the prophet from the hills of moab, look'd down upon the chosen race of heaven, with fell intent to curse; ere yet he spake, truth all resistless, emanation bright from great adonai, fill'd his froward mind, and chang'd the curses of his heart to blessings. m'donald. thou payest high praise to virtue. whither now?-- mrs. bland. i still must hover round this spot until my doom is known. m'donald. then to my quarters, lady, there shall my mate give comfort and refreshment: one of your sex can best your sorrows soothe. [_exeunt._ scene, _the prison._ _enter bland._ bland. where'er i look cold desolation meets me. my father--andré--and self-condemnation! why seek i andré now? am _i_ a man, to soothe the sorrows of a suffering friend? the weather-cock of passion! fool inebriate! who could with ruffian hand strive to provoke hoar wisdom to intemperance! who could lie! aye, swagger, lie, and brag!--liar! damnation!! o, let me steal away and hide my head, nor view a man, condemn'd to harshest death, whose words and actions, when by mine compar'd, shew white as innocence, and bright as truth. i now would shun him; but that his shorten'd thread of life, gives me no line to play with. he comes, with smiles, and all the air of triumph; while i am sinking with remorse and shame: yet _he_ is doom'd to death, and _i_ am free! _enter andrÉ._ andrÉ. welcome, my bland! cheerly, a welcome hither! i feel assurance that my last request will not be slighted. safely thy father shall return to thee. [_holding out a paper._] see what employment for a dying man. take thou these verses; and, after my decease, send them to her whose name is woven in them; whose image hath controul'd my destiny. such tokens are rather out of date. fashions there are in love as in all else; they change as variously. a gallant knight, erewhile, of coeur de lion's day, would, dying, send his heart home to its mistress; degenerate soldier i, send but some blotted paper. bland. if 't would not damp thy present cheerfulness, i would require the meaning of thy words. i ne'er till now did hear of andré's mistress. andrÉ. mine is a story of that common kind, so often told, with scanty variation, that the pall'd ear loaths the repeated tale. each young romancer chooses for his theme the woes of youthful hearts, by the cold hand of frosty age, arm'd with parental power, asunder torn. but i long since have ceas'd to mourn; well satisfied that she i love, happy in holy union with another, shares not my wayward fortunes. nor would i now these tokens send, remembrance to awaken, but that i know her happy: and the happy can think on misery and share it not. bland [_agitated_]. some one approaches. andrÉ. why, 't is near the time. but tell me, bland, say--is the manner chang'd? bland. i hope it--but i yet have no assurance. andrÉ. well, well! honora [_without_]. i must see him. andrÉ. whose voice was that? my senses!--do i dream--? [_leans on bland._ _enter honora._ honora. where is he? andrÉ. 't is she!! [_starts from bland and advances towards honora; she rushes into his arms._] honora. it is enough! he lives, and _i_ shall save him. [_she faints in the arms of andrÉ._ andrÉ. she sinks--assist me, bland! o, save her, save her! [_places her in a chair, and looks tenderly on her._ yet, why should she awake from that sweet sleep! why should she open her eyes--[_wildly._]--to see me hung! what does she here? stand off--[_tenderly._]--and let her die. how pale she looks! how worn that tender frame!-- she has known sorrow! who could injure her? bland. she revives--andré--soft, bend her forward. [_andrÉ kneels and supports her._ honora. andré--! andrÉ. lov'd excellence! honora. yes, it is andré! [_rises and looks at him._ no more deceived by visionary forms, by him supported-- [_leans on him._ andrÉ. why is this? thou dost look pale, honora--sick and wan-- languid thy fainting limbs-- honora. all will be well. but was it kind to leave me as thou didst--? so rashly to desert thy vow-link'd wife?-- andrÉ. when made another's both by vows and laws-- honora [_quitting his support_]. what meanest thou? andrÉ. didst thou not marry him? honora. marry! andrÉ. didst thou not give thy hand away from me? honora. o, never, never! andrÉ. not married? honora. to none but thee, and but in will to thee. andrÉ. o blind, blind wretch!--thy father told me---- honora. thou wast deceived. they hurried me away, spreading false rumours to remove thy love-- [_tenderly._] thou didst too soon believe them. andrÉ. thy father-- how could i but believe honora's father? and he did tell me so. i reverenced age, yet knew, age was not virtue. i believed his snowy locks, and yet they did deceive me! i have destroy'd myself and thee!--alas! ill-fated maid! why didst thou not forget me? hast thou rude seas and hostile shores explor'd for this? to see my death? witness my shame? honora. i come to bless thee, andré; and shall do it. i bear such offers from thy kind commander, as must prevail to save thee. thus the daughter may repair the ills her cruel sire inflicted. my father, dying, gave me cause to think that arts were us'd to drive thee from thy home; but what those arts i knew not. an heiress left, of years mature, with power and liberty, i straight resolv'd to seek thee o'er the seas. a long-known friend who came to join her lord, yielded protection and lov'd fellowship.-- indeed, when i did hear of thy estate it almost kill'd me:--i was weak before-- andrÉ. 't is i have murder'd thee!-- honora. all shall be well. thy general heard of me, and instant form'd the plan of this my visit. i am strong, compar'd with what i was. hope strengthens me; nay, even solicitude supports me now; and when thou shalt be safe, _thou_ wilt support me. andrÉ. support thee!--o heaven! what!--and must i die? die!--and leave her _thus_--suffering--unprotected!-- _enter melville and guard._ melville. i am sorry that my duty should require service, at which my heart revolts; but, sir, our soldiers wait in arms. all is prepar'd---- honora. to death!--impossible! has my delay, then, murder'd him?--a momentary respite-- melville. lady, i have no power. bland. melville, my friend, this lady bears dispatches of high import, touching this business:--should they arrive too late---- honora. for pity's sake, and heaven's, conduct me to him; and wait the issue of our conference. oh, 't would be murder of the blackest dye, sin execrable, not to break thy orders-- inhuman, thou art not. melville. lady, thou say'st true; for rather would i lose my rank in arms, and stand cashier'd for lack of discipline, than, gain 'mongst military men all praise, wanting the touch of sweet humanity. honora. thou grantest my request? melville. lady, i do. retire! [_soldiers go out._ bland. i know not what excuse, to martial men, thou canst advance for this; but to thy heart thou wilt need none, good melville. andrÉ. o, honora! honora. cheer up, i feel assur'd. hope wings my flight, to bring thee tidings of much joy to come. [_exit honora, with bland and melville._ andrÉ. eternal blessings on thee, matchless woman!-- if death now comes, he finds the veriest coward that e'er he dealt withal. i cannot think of dying. void of fortitude, each thought clings to the world--the world that holds honora! [_exit._ _end of the fourth act._ act v. scene, _the encampment._ _enter bland._ bland. suspense--uncertainty--man's bane and solace! how racking now to me! my mother comes. forgive me, o my father! if in this war, this wasting conflict of my wildering passions, memory of thee holds here a second place! m'donald comes with her. i would not meet him: yet i will do it. summon up some courage-- confess my fault, and gain, if not _his_ love, at least the approbation of _my_ judgment. _enter mrs. bland and children with m'donald._ bland. say, madam, is there no change of counsel, or new determination? mrs. bland. _nought new_, my son. the tale of misery is told unheard. the widow's and the orphans' sighs fly up, unnoted by the eye of man, and mingle, undistinguish'd, with the winds. my friend [_to m'donald._], attend thy duties. i must away. nd child. you need not cry, mama, the general will do it, i am sure; for i saw him cry. he turn'd away his head from you, but i saw it. mrs. bland. poor thing! come let us home and weep. alas! i can no more, for war hath made men rocks. [_exeunt mrs. bland and children._ bland. colonel, i used thee ill this morning. m'donald. no! thyself thou used'st most vilely, i remember. bland. myself sustained the injury, most true; but the intent of what i said and did was ill to thee alone: i'm sorry for it. seest thou these blushes? they proceed from warmth as honest as the heart of man e'er felt;-- but not with shame unmingled, while i force this tongue, debased, to own, it slander'd thee, and utter'd--i could curse it--utter'd falsehood. howe'er misled by passion, still my mind retains that sense of honest rectitude which makes the memory of an evil deed a troublesome companion. i was wrong. m'donald. why, now this glads me; for thou _now_ art right. oh, may thy tongue, henceforward, utter nought but truth's sweet precepts, in fair virtue's cause! give me thy hand. [_takes his hand._] ne'er may it grasp a sword but in defense of justice. bland. yet, erewhile, a few short hours scarce past, when this vile hand attempted on _thee_ insult; and was raised against thy honour; ready to be raised against thy life. if this my deep remorse-- m'donald. no more, no more. 't is past. remember it but as thou would'st the action of another, by thy enlighten'd judgment much condemn'd; and serving as a beacon in the storms thy passions yet may raise. remorse is vice: guard thee against its influence debasing. say to thyself, "i am not what i was; i am not _now_ the instrument of vice; i'm changed; i am a man; virtue's firm friend; sever'd for ever from my former self; no link, but in remembrance salutary." bland. [how[ ] all men tower above me! m'donald. nay, not so. above what once thou wast, some few do rise; none above what thou art. bland. it shall be so. m'donald. it is so. bland. then to prove it. for i must yet a trial undergo, that will require a consciousness of virtue. [_exit._ m'donald. oh, what a temper doth in man reside! how capable of yet unthought perfection!] [_exit._ scene, _the general's quarters._ _enter general and seward._ general. ask her, my friend, to send by thee her pacquets. [_exit seward._ oh, what keen struggles must i undergo! unbless'd estate! to have the power to pardon; the court's stern sentence to remit;--give life;-- feel the strong wish to use such blessed power; yet know that circumstances strong as fate forbid to obey the impulse. oh, i feel that man should never shed the blood of man! _enter seward._ seward. nought can the lovely suitor satisfy, but conference with thee, and much i fear refusal would cause madness. general. yet to admit, to hear, be tortur'd, and refuse at last-- seward. sure never man such spectacle of sorrow saw before. motionless the rough-hewn soldiers silent view her, or walk aside and weep. general [_after a pause_]. admit her. [_seward goes out._] oh, for the art, the precious art, to reconcile the sufferer to his sorrows! [_honora rushes in, and throws herself wildly on her knees before him; he endeavours to raise her._ honora. nay, nay, here is my place, or here, or lower, unless thou grant'st his life. all forms away! thus will i clasp thy knees, thus cling to thee.-- i am his wife--'tis i have ruin'd him-- oh, save him! give him to me! let us cross the mighty seas, far, far--ne'er to offend again.-- [_the general turns away, and hides his eyes with his hand._ _enter seward and an officer._ general. seward, support her--my heart is torn in twain. [_honora as if exhausted, suffers herself to be raised, and leans on seward._ officer. this moment, sir, a messenger arrived with well confirm'd and mournful information, that gallant hastings, by the lawless scouts of britain taken, after cruel mockery with shew of trial and condemnation, on the next tree was hung. honora [_wildly_]. oh, it is false! general. why, why, my country, did i hesitate? [_exit._ [_honora sinks, faints, and is borne off by seward and officer._ scene, _the prison._ _andrÉ meeting bland._ andrÉ. how speeds honora? [_pause._] art thou silent, bland? why, then i know my task. the mind of man, if not by vice debas'd, debilitated, or by disease of body quite unton'd, hath o'er its thoughts a power--energy divine! of fortitude the source and every virtue-- a godlike power, which e'en o'er circumstance its sov'reignty exerts. now, from my thoughts, honora! yet she is left alone--expos'd-- bland. o, andré, spurn me, strike me to the earth; for what a wretch am i, in andré's mind, that he can think he leaves his love alone, and i retaining life! andrÉ. forgive me, bland, my thoughts glanc'd not on thee. imagination pictur'd only, then, her orphan state, helpless; her weak and grief-exhausted frame. alas! this blow will kill her! bland [_kneeling_]. here do i myself devote, my fortune consecrate, to thee, to thy remembrance, and honora's service!-- andrÉ. enough! let me not see her more--nor think of her-- farewell! farewell, sweet image! now for death. bland. yet that you shouldst the felon's fate fulfill-- damnation! my blood boils. indignation makes the current of my life course wildly through its round, and maddens each emotion. andrÉ. come, come, it matters not. bland. i do remember, when a boy, at school, in our allotted tasks, we, by our puny acts, strove to portray the giant thoughts of otway. i was pierre.-- o, thou art pierre's reality! a soldier, on whose manly brow sits fortitude enamour'd! a mars, abhorring vice, yet doom'd to die a death of infamy; thy corse expos'd to vulgar gaze--halter'd--distorted--oh!! [_pauses, and then adds in a low, hollow voice._ pierre had a friend to save him from such shame-- and so hast thou. andrÉ. no more, as thou dost love me. bland. i have a sword, and arm, that never fail'd me. andrÉ. bland, such an act would justly thee involve, and leave that helpless one thou sworest to guard, expos'd to every ill. oh! think not of it. bland. if thou wilt not my aid--take it thyself. [_draws and offers his sword._ andrÉ. no, men will say that cowardice did urge me. in my mind's weakness, i did wish to shun that mode of death which error represented infamous: now let me rise superior; and with a fortitude too true to start from mere appearances, shew your country, that she, in me, destroys a man who might have liv'd to virtue. bland [_sheathing his sword_]. i will not think more of it; i was again the sport of erring passion. andrÉ. go thou and guide honora from this spot. honora [_entering_]. who shall oppose his wife? i will have way! they, cruel, would have kept me from thee, andré. say, am i not thy wife? _wilt_ thou deny me? indeed i am not dress'd in bridal trim. but i have travel'd far:--rough was the road-- rugged and rough--that must excuse my dress. [_seeing andrÉ's distress._] thou art not glad to see me. andrÉ. break my heart! honora. indeed, i feel not much in spirits. i wept but now. _enter melville and guard._ bland [_to melville_]. say nothing. andrÉ. i am ready. honora [_seeing the guard_]. are _they_ here? _here_ again!--the _same_--but they shall not harm me-- i am with _thee_, my andré--i am safe-- and _thou_ art safe with me. is it not so? [_clinging to him._ _enter mrs. bland._ mrs. bland. where is this lovely victim? bland. thanks, my mother. mrs. bland. m'donald sent me hither. my woes are past. thy father, by the foe releas'd, already is in safety. this be forgotten now; and every thought be turn'd to this sad scene. come, lady, home with me. honora. go home with thee? art thou my andré's mother? we will home and rest, for thou art weary--very weary. [_leans on mrs. bland._ [_andrÉ retires to the guard, and goes off with them, looking on her to the last, and with an action of extreme tenderness takes leave of her. melville and bland accompany him._ honora. now we will go. come, love! where is he? all gone!--i do remember--i awake-- they have him. murder! help! oh, save him! save him! [_honora attempts to follow, but falls. mrs. bland kneels to assist her. scene closes._ scene, _the encampment._ _procession to the execution of andrÉ. first enter pioneers--detachment of infantry--military band of music--infantry. the music having passed off, enter andrÉ between melville and american officer; they sorrowful, he cheerfully conversing as he passes over the stage._ andrÉ. it may in me be merely prejudice, the effect of young-opinion deep engraved upon the tender mind by care parental; but i must think your country has mistook her interests. believe me, but for this i should not willingly have drawn a sword against her. [_they bow their heads in silence._ opinion must, nay ought, to sway our actions; therefore-- _having crossed the stage, he goes out as still conversing with them. another detachment of infantry, with muffled and craped drums, close the procession: as soon as they are off--_ _scene draws and discovers the distant view of the encampment._ _procession enters in same order as before, proceeds up the stage, and goes off on the opposite side._ _enter m'donald, leading bland, who looks wildly back._ bland. i dare not _thee_ resist. yet why, o, why thus hurry me away--?-- m'donald. would'st thou behold---- bland. oh, name it not! m'donald. or would'st thou, by thy looks and gestures wild, o'erthrow that manly calmness which, or assum'd or felt, so well becomes thy friend? bland. what means that cannon's sound? m'donald [_after a pause_]. signal of death appointed. andré, thy friend, is now no more! bland. farewell, farewell, brave spirit! o, let my countrymen, henceforward, when the cruelties of war arise in their remembrance; when their ready speech would pour forth torrents in their foe's dispraise, think on this act accurst, and lock complaint in silence. [_bland throws himself on the earth._ m'donald. such are the dictates of the heart, not head. oh, may the children of columbia still be taught by every teacher of mankind, each circumstance of calculative gain, or wounded pride, which prompted our oppressors: may every child be taught to lisp the tale: and may, in times to come, no foreign force, no european influence, tempt to misstate, or awe the tongue of eloquence to silence. still may our children's children deep abhor the motives, doubly deep detest the actors; ever remembering, that the race who plan'd, who acquiesced, or did the deeds abhor'd, has pass'd from off the earth; and, in its stead, stand men who challenge love or detestation but from their proper, individual deeds. never let memory of the sire's offence descend upon the son. _curtain drops._ footnotes: [ ] see p. . [ ] spirit of the dead; shade. [ ] insert the lines which were substituted after the first night for the lines here put in brackets. they are given in the preface, page . transcribers' notes variable hyphenation of god(-)like has been preserved as in the original. inconsistent inconclusion of acute accent on andrÉ as in the original. generously made available by the kentuckiana digital library) the blue and the gray--afloat two colors cloth emblematic dies illustrated price per volume $ . taken by the enemy within the enemy's lines on the blockade stand by the union fighting for the right a victorious union the blue and the gray--on land two colors cloth emblematic dies illustrated price per volume $ . brother against brother in the saddle a lieutenant at eighteen on the staff at the front an undivided union any volume sold separately lee and shepard publishers boston [illustration: mulgrum and the engineer.] the blue and the gray series [illustration] by oliver optic on the blockade _the blue and the gray series_ on the blockade by oliver optic author of "the army and navy series" "young america abroad" "the great western series" "the woodville stories" "the starry flag series" "the boat-club stories" "the onward and upward series" "the yacht-club series" "the lake shore series" "the riverdale series" "the boat-builder series" "taken by the enemy" "within the enemy's lines" etc. boston lee and shepard publishers copyright, , by lee and shepard _all rights reserved._ on the blockade. to my son-in-law, sol smith russell, of the united states of america, though residing in minneapolis, minnesota, who is always "on the blockade" against melancholy, "the blues," and all similar maladies, this volume is affectionately dedicated. preface "on the blockade" is the third of "the blue and the gray series." like the first and second volumes, its incidents are dated back to the war of the rebellion, and located in the midst of its most stirring scenes on the southern coast, where the naval operations of the united states contributed their full share to the final result. the writer begs to remind his readers again that he has not felt called upon to invest his story with the dignity of history, or in all cases to mingle fiction with actual historic occurrences. he believes that all the scenes of the story are not only possible, but probable, and that just such events as he has narrated really and frequently occurred in the days of the rebellion. the historian is forbidden to make his work more palatable or more interesting by the intermixture of fiction with fact, while the story-writer, though required to be reasonably consistent with the spirit and the truth of history, may wander from veritable details, and use his imagination in the creation of incidents upon which the grand result is reached. it would not be allowable to make the rebellion a success, if the writer so desired, even on the pages of romance; and it would not be fair or just to ignore the bravery, the self-sacrifice, and the heroic endurance of the southern people in a cause they believed to be holy and patriotic, as almost universally admitted at the present time, any more than it would be to lose sight of the magnificent spirit, the heroism, the courage, and the persistence, of the northern people in accomplishing what they believed then, and still believe, was a holy and patriotic duty in the preservation of the union. incidents not inconsistent with the final result, or with the spirit of the people on either side in the great conflict are of comparatively little consequence. that general lee or general grant turned this or that corner in reaching appomattox may be important, but the grand historical tableau is the christian hero, noble in the midst of defeat, disaster, and ruin, formally rendering his sword to the impassible but magnanimous conqueror as the crowning event of a long and bloody war. the details are historically important, though overshadowed by the mighty result of the great conflict. many of the personages of the preceding volumes have been introduced in the present one, and the central figure remains the same. the writer is willing to admit that his hero is an ideal character, though his lofty tone and patriotic spirit were fully paralleled by veritable individuals during the war; and he is not prepared to apologize for the abundant success which attended the career of christy passford. those who really struggled as earnestly and faithfully deserved his good fortune, though they did not always obtain it. dorchester, mass., april , . contents page chapter i. the united states steamer bronx chapter ii. a dinner for the confederacy chapter iii. the intruder at the cabin door chapter iv. a deaf and dumb mystery chapter v. a confidential steward chapter vi. a mission up the foremast chapter vii. an interview on the bridge chapter viii. important information, if true chapter ix. a volunteer captain's clerk chapter x. the unexpected orders chapter xi. another reading of the sealed orders chapter xii. a sail on the starboard bow chapter xiii. the steamer in the fog chapter xiv. the confederate steamer scotian chapter xv. the scotian becomes the ocklockonee chapter xvi. captain passford's final orders chapter xvii. a couple of astonished conspirators chapter xviii. a triangular action with great guns chapter xix. on the deck of the arran chapter xx. the new commander of the bronx chapter xxi. an expedition in the gulf chapter xxii. a night expedition in the boats chapter xxiii. the visit to a shore battery chapter xxiv. captain lonley of the steamer havana chapter xxv. the new engineer of the prize steamer chapter xxvi. the battle with the soldiers chapter xxvii. the innocent captain of the garrison chapter xxviii. the bearer of despatches chapter xxix. the new commander of the vixen chapter xxx. the action with a privateer steamer chapter xxxi. a short visit to bonnydale on the blockade chapter i the united states steamer bronx "she is a fine little steamer, father, without the possibility of a doubt," said lieutenant passford, who was seated at the table with his father in the captain's cabin on board of the bronx. "i don't feel quite at home here, and i don't quite like the idea of being taken out of the bellevite." "you are not going to sea for the fun of it, my son," replied captain passford. "you are not setting out on a yachting excursion, but on the most serious business in the world." "i know and feel all that, father, but i have spent so many pleasant days, hours, weeks, and months on board of the bellevite, that i am very sorry to leave her," added christy passford, who had put on his new uniform, which was that of master in the united states navy; and he was as becoming to the uniform as the uniform was to him. "you cannot well help having some regrets at leaving the bellevite; but you must remember that your life on board of her was mostly in the capacity of a pleasure-seeker, though you made a good use of your time and of your opportunities for improvement; and that is the reason why you have made such remarkable progress in your present profession." "i shall miss my friends on board of the bellevite. i have sailed with all her officers, and paul vapoor and i have been cronies for years," continued christy, with a shade of gloom on his bright face. "you will probably see them occasionally, and if your life is spared you may again find yourself an officer of the bellevite. but i think you have no occasion to indulge in any regrets," said captain passford, imparting a cheerful expression to his dignified countenance. "allow me to call your attention to the fact that you are the commander of this fine little steamer. here you are in your own cabin, and you are still nothing but a boy, hardly eighteen years old." "if i have not earned my rank, it is not my fault that i have it," answered christy, hardly knowing whether to be glad or sorry for his rapid advancement. "i have never asked for anything; i did not ask or expect to be promoted. i was satisfied with my rank as a midshipman." "i did not ask for your promotion, though i could probably have procured for you the rank of master when you entered the navy. i do not like to ask favors for a member of my own family. i have wished you to feel that you were in the service of your country because it needs you, and not for glory or profit." "and i have tried to feel so, father." "i think you have felt so, my son; and i am prouder of the fact that you are a disinterested patriot than of the rank you have nobly and bravely won," said captain passford, as he took some letters from his pocket, from which he selected one bearing an english postage stamp. "i have a letter from one of my agents in england, which, i think, contains valuable information. i have called the attention of the government to these employes of mine, and they will soon pass from my service to that of the naval department. the information sent me has sometimes been very important." "i know that myself, for the information that came from that source enabled the bellevite to capture the killbright," added christy. "the contents of the letter in my hand have been sent to the secretary of the navy; but it will do no harm for you to possess the information given to me," continued captain passford, as he opened the letter. "but i see a man at work at the foot of the companion way, and i don't care to post the whole ship's company on this subject." "that is pink mulgrum," said christy with a smile on his face. "he is deaf and dumb, and he cannot make any use of what you say." "don't be sure of anything, christy, except your religion and your patriotism, in these times," added captain passford, as he rose and closed the door of the cabin. "i don't think there is much danger from a deaf mute, father," said the young commander of the bronx laughing. "perhaps not; but when you have war intelligence to communicate, it is best to believe that every person has ears, and that every door has a keyhole. i learn from this letter that the scotian sailed from glasgow, and the arran from leith. the agent is of the opinion that both these steamers are fitted out by the same owners, who have formed a company, apparently to furnish the south with gunboats for its navy, as well as with needed supplies. in his letter my correspondent gives me the reason for this belief on his part." "does your agent give you any description of the vessels, father?" asked christy, his eyes sparkling with the interest he felt in the information. "not a very full description, my son, for no strangers were allowed on board of either of them, for very obvious reasons; but they are both of less than five hundred tons burthen, are of precisely the same model and build, evidently constructed in the same yard. both had been pleasure yachts, though owned by different gentlemen. both sailed on the same day, the scotian from greenock and the arran from leith, march ." christy opened his pocket diary, and put his finger on the date mentioned, counting up the days that had elapsed from that time to the present. captain passford could not help smiling at the interest his son manifested in the intelligence he had brought to him. the acting commander of the bronx went over his calculation again. "it is fourteen days since these vessels sailed," said he, looking at his father. "i doubt if your information will be of any value to me, for i suppose the steamers were selected on account of their great speed, as is the case with all blockade runners." "undoubtedly they were chosen for their speed, for a slow vessel does not amount to much in this sort of service," replied captain passford. "i received my letter day before yesterday, when the two vessels had been out twelve days." "if they are fast steamers, they ought to be approaching the southern coast by this time," suggested christy. "this is a windy month, and a vessel bound to the westward would encounter strong westerly gales, so that she could hardly make a quick passage. then these steamers will almost certainly put in at nassau or the bermudas, if not for coal and supplies, at least to obtain the latest intelligence from the blockaded coast, and to pick up a pilot for the port to which they are bound. the agent thinks it is possible that the scotian and arran will meet some vessel to the southward of the isle of wight that will put an armament on board of them. he had written to another of my agents at southampton to look up this matter. it is a quick mail from the latter city to new york, and i may get another letter on this subject before you sail, christy." "my orders may come off to me to-day," added the acting commander. "i am all ready to sail, and i am only waiting for them." "if these two steamers sail in company, as they are likely to do if they are about equal in speed, and if they take on board an armament, it will hardly be prudent for you to meddle with them," said captain passford with a smile, though he had as much confidence in the prudence as in the bravery of his son. "what shall i do, father, run away from them?" asked christy, opening his eyes very wide. "certainly, my son. there is as much patriotism in running away from a superior force as there is in fighting an equal, for if the government should lose your vessel and lose you and your ship's company, it would be a disaster of more or less consequence to your country." "i hardly think i shall fall in with the scotian and the arran, so i will not consider the question of running away from them," said christy laughing. "you have not received your orders yet, but they will probably require you to report at once to the flag-officer in the gulf, and perhaps they will not permit you to look up blockade runners on the high seas," suggested captain passford. "these vessels may be fully armed and manned, in charge of confederate naval officers; and doubtless they will be as glad to pick up the bronx as you would be to pick up the scotian or the arran. you don't know yet whether they will come as simple blockade runners, or as naval vessels flying the confederate flag. whatever your orders, christy, don't allow yourself to be carried away by any quixotic enthusiasm." "i don't think i have any more than half as much audacity as captain breaker said i had. as i look upon it, my first duty is to deliver my ship over to the flag-officer in the gulf; and i suppose i shall be instructed to pick up a confederate cruiser or a blockade runner, if one should cross my course." "obey your orders, christy, whatever they may be. now, i should like to look over the bronx before i go on shore," said captain passford. "i think you said she was of about two hundred tons." "that was what they said down south; but she is about three hundred tons," replied christy, as he proceeded to show his father the cabin in which the conversation had taken place. the captain's cabin was in the stern of the vessel, according to the orthodox rule in naval vessels. of course it was small, though it seemed large to christy who had spent so much of his leisure time in the cabin of the florence, his sailboat on the hudson. it was substantially fitted up, with little superfluous ornamentation; but it was a complete parlor, as a landsman would regard it. from it, on the port side opened the captain's state room, which was quite ample for a vessel no larger than the bronx. between it and the pantry on the starboard side, was a gangway leading from the foot of the companion way, by which the captain's cabin and the ward room were accessible from the quarter deck. crossing the gangway at the foot of the steps, christy led the way into the ward room, where the principal officers were accommodated. it contained four berths, with portières in front of them, which could be drawn out so as to inclose each one in a temporary state room. the forward berth on the starboard side was occupied by the first lieutenant, and the after one by the second lieutenant, according to the custom in the navy. on the port side, the forward berth belonged to the chief engineer, and the after one to the surgeon. forward of this was the steerage, in which the boatswain, gunner, carpenter, the assistant engineers, and the steward were berthed. each of these apartments was provided with a table upon which the meals were served to the officers occupying it. the etiquette of a man-of-war is even more exacting than that of a drawing room on shore. captain passford was then conducted to the deck where he found the officers and seamen engaged in their various duties. besides his son, the former owner of the bellevite was acquainted with only two persons on board of the bronx, sampson, the engineer, and flint, the acting first lieutenant, both of whom had served on board of the steam yacht. christy's father gave them a hearty greeting, and both were as glad to see him as he was to greet them. captain passford then looked over the rest of the ship's company with a deeper interest than he cared to manifest, for they were to some extent bound up with the immediate future of his son. it was not such a ship's company as that which manned the bellevite, though composed of much good material. the captain shook hands with his son, and went on board of his boat. two hours later he came on board again. chapter ii a dinner for the confederacy christy passford was not a little surprised to see his father so soon after his former visit, and he was confident that he had some good reason for coming. he conducted him at once to his cabin, where captain passford immediately seated himself at the table, and drew from his pocket a telegram. "i found this on my desk when i went to my office," said he, opening a cable message, and placing it before christy. "'mutton, three veal, four sea chickens,'" christy read from the paper placed before him, laughing all the time as he thought it was a joke of some sort. "signed 'warnock.' it looks as though somebody was going to have a dinner, father. mutton, veal, and four sea chickens seem to form the substantial of the feast, though i never ate any sea chickens." "perhaps somebody will have a dinner, but i hope it will prove to be indigestible to those for whom it is provided," added captain passford, amused at the comments of his son. "the message is signed by warnock. i don't happen to have the pleasure of his acquaintance, and i don't see why he has taken the trouble to send you this bill of fare," chuckled the commander of the bronx. "this bill of fare is of more importance to me, and especially to you, than you seem to understand." "it is all greek to me; and i wonder why warnock, whoever he may be, has spent his money in sending you such a message, though i suppose you know who is to eat this dinner." "the expense of sending the cablegram is charged to me, though the dinner is prepared for the confederate states of america. of course i understand it, for if i could not, it would not have been sent to me," replied captain passford, assuming a very serious expression. "you know warnock, for he has often been at bonnydale, though not under the name he signs to this message. my three agents, one in the north, one in the south, and one in the west of england, have each an assumed name. they are otis, barnes, and wilson, and you know them all. they have been captains or mates in my employ; and they know all about a vessel when they see it." "i know them all very well, and they are all good friends of mine," added christy. "warnock is captain barnes, and this message comes from him. captain otis signs himself bixwell in his letters and cablegrams, and mr. wilson, who was formerly mate of the manhattan, uses the name of fleetley." "i begin to see into your system, father; and i suppose the government will carry out your plan." "very likely; for it would hardly be proper to send such information as these men have to transmit in plain english, for there may be spies or operators bribed by confederate agents to suppress such matter." "i see. i understand the system very well, father," said christy. "it is simple enough," added his father, as he took a paper from his pocket-book. "if you only understand it, it is simple enough." "i can interpret the language of this message, and there is not another person on the western continent that can do so. now, look at the cablegram, christy," continued captain passford, as he opened the paper he held in his hand. "what is the first word?" "mutton," replied the commander. "mutton means armed; that is to say the scotian and the arran took an armament on board at some point south of england, as indicated by the fact that the intelligence comes from warnock. in about a week the mail will bring me a letter from him in which he will explain how he obtained this information." "he must have chartered a steamer and cruised off the isle of wight to pick it up," suggested christy. "he is instructed to do that when necessary. what is the next word?" "'three,'" replied christy. "one means large, two medium, and three small," explained his father. "three what, does it say?" "'three veal.'" "veal means ship's company, or crew." "putting the pieces together, then, 'three veal' means that the scotian and the arran have small crews," said christy, intensely interested in the information. "precisely so. read the rest of the message," added captain passford. "'four sea chickens,'" the commander read. "'four' means some, a few, no great number; in other words, rather indefinite. very likely warnock could not obtain exact information. 'c' stands for confederate, and 'sea' is written instead of the letter. 'chickens' means officers. 'four sea chickens,' translated means 'some confederate officers.'" christy had written down on a piece of paper the solution of the enigma, as interpreted by his father, though not the symbol words of the cablegram. he continued to write for a little longer time, amplifying and filling in the wanting parts of the message. then he read what he had written, as follows: "'the scotian and the arran are armed; there are some confederate officers on board, but their ship's companies are small.' is that it, father?" "that is the substance of it," replied captain passford, as he restored the key of the cipher to his pocket-book, and rose from his seat. "now you know all that can be known on this side of the atlantic in regard to the two steamers. the important information is that they are armed, and even with small crews they may be able to sink the bronx, if you should happen to fall in with them, or if your orders required you to be on the lookout for them. there is a knock at the door." christy opened the door, and found a naval officer waiting to see him. he handed him a formidable looking envelope, with a great seal upon it. the young commander looked at its address, and saw that it came from the navy department. with it was a letter, which he opened. it was an order for the immediate sailing of the bronx, the sealed orders to be opened when she reached latitude ° n. the messenger spoke some pleasant words, and then took his leave. christy returned to the cabin, and showed the ponderous envelope to his father. "sealed orders, as i supposed you would have," said captain passford. "and this is my order to sail immediately on receipt of it," added christy. "then i must leave you, my son; and may the blessing of god go with you wherever your duty calls you!" exclaimed the father, not a little shaken by his paternal feelings. "be brave, be watchful; but be prudent under all circumstances. bravery and prudence ought to be twin sisters, and i hope you will always have one of them on each side of you. i am not afraid that you will be a poltroon, a coward; but i do fear that your enthusiasm may carry you farther than you ought to go." "i hope not, father; and your last words to me shall be remembered. when i am about to engage in any important enterprise, i will recall your admonition, and ask myself if i am heeding it." "that satisfies me. i wish you had such a ship's company as we had on board of the bellevite; but you have a great deal of good material, and i am confident that you will make the best use of it. remember that you are fighting for your country and the best government god ever gave to the nations of the earth. be brave, be prudent; but be a christian, and let no mean, cruel or unworthy action stain your record." captain passford took the hand of his son, and though neither of them wept, both of them were under the influence of the strongest emotions. christy accompanied his father to the accommodation ladder, and shook hands with him again as he embarked in his boat. his mother and his sister had been on board that day, and the young commander had parted from them with quite as much emotion as on the present occasion. the members of the family were devotedly attached to each other, and in some respects the event seemed like a funeral to all of them, and not less to christy than to the others, though he was entering upon a very exalted duty for one of his years. "pass the word for mr. flint," said christy, after he had watched the receding boat that bore away his father for a few minutes. "on duty, captain passford," said the first lieutenant, touching his cap to him a few minutes later. "heave short the anchor, and make ready to get under way," added the commander. "heave short, sir," replied mr. flint, as he touched his cap and retired. "pass the word for mr. giblock." mr. giblock was the boatswain of the ship, though he had only the rank of a boatswain's mate. he was an old sailor, as salt as a barrel of pickled pork, and knew his duty from keel to truck. in a few moments his pipe was heard, and the seamen began to walk around the capstan. "cable up and down, sir," said the boatswain, reporting to the second lieutenant on the forecastle. mr. lillyworth was the acting second lieutenant, though he was not to be attached to the bronx after she reached her destination in the gulf. he repeated the report from the boatswain to the first lieutenant. the steamer was rigged as a topsail schooner; but the wind was contrary, and no sail was set before getting under way. the capstan was manned again, and as soon as the report came from the second lieutenant that the anchor was aweigh, the first lieutenant gave the order to strike one bell, which meant that the steamer was to go "ahead slow." the bronx had actually started on her mission, and the heart of christy swelled in his bosom as he looked over the vessel, and realized that he was in command, though not for more than a week or two. all the courtesies and ceremonies were duly attended to, and the steamer, as soon as the anchor had been catted and fished, at the stroke of four bells, went ahead at full speed, though, as the fires had been banked in the furnaces, the engine was not working up to its capacity. in a couple of hours more she was outside of sandy hook, and on the broad ocean. the ship's company had been drilled to their duties, and everything worked to the entire satisfaction of the young commander. the wind was ahead and light. all hands had been stationed, and at four in the afternoon, the first dog watch was on duty, and there was not much that could be called work for any one to do. mr. lillyworth, the second lieutenant, had the deck, and christy had retired to his cabin to think over the events of the day, especially those relating to the scotian and the arran. he had not yet read his orders, and he could not decide what he should do, even if he discovered the two steamers in his track. he sat in his arm chair with the door of the cabin open, and when he saw the first lieutenant on his way to the ward room, he called him in. "well, mr. flint, what do you think of our crew?" asked the captain, after he had seated his guest. "i have hardly seen enough of the men to be able to form an opinion," replied flint. "i am afraid we have some hard material on board, though there are a good many first-class fellows among them." "of course we can not expect to get such a crew as we had in the bellevite. how do you like mr. lillyworth?" asked the commander, looking sharply into the eye of his subordinate. "i don't like him," replied flint, bluntly. "you and i have been in some tight places together, and it is best to speak our minds squarely." "that's right, mr. flint. we will talk of him another time. i have another matter on my mind just now," added christy. he proceeded to tell the first lieutenant something about the two steamers. chapter iii the intruder at the cabin door before he said anything about the scotian and the arran, christy, mindful of the injunction of his father, had closed the cabin door, the portière remaining drawn as it was before. when he had taken this precaution, he related some of the particulars which had been given to him earlier in the day. "it is hardly worth while to talk about the matter yet awhile," added christy. "i have my sealed orders, and i can not open the envelope until we are in latitude , and that will be sometime to-morrow forenoon." "i don't think that captain folkner, who expected to be in command of the teaser, as she was called before we put our hands upon her, overestimated her speed," replied lieutenant flint, consulting his watch. "we are making fifteen knots an hour just now, and mr. sampson is not hurrying her. i have been watching her very closely since we left sandy hook, and i really believe she will make eighteen knots with a little crowding." "what makes you think so, flint?" asked christy, much interested in the statement of the first lieutenant. "i suppose it is natural for a sailor to fall in love with his ship, and that is my condition in regard to the bronx," replied flint, with a smile which was intended as a mild apology for his weakness. "i used to be in love with the coasting schooner i owned and commanded, and i almost cried when i had to sell her." "i don't think you need to be ashamed of this sentiment, or that an inanimate structure should call it into being," said the young commander. "i am sure i have not ceased to love the bellevite; and in my eyes she is handsomer than any young lady i ever saw. i have not been able to transfer my affections to the bronx as yet, and she will have to do something very remarkable before i do so. but about the speed of our ship?" "i have noticed particularly how easily and gracefully she makes her way through the water when she is going fifteen knots. why that is faster than most of the ocean passenger steamers travel." "very true; but like many of these blockade runners and other vessels which the confederate government and rich men at the south have purchased in the united kingdom, she was doubtless built on the clyde. not a few of them have been constructed for private yachts, and i have no doubt, from what i have seen, that the bronx is one of the number. the scotian and the arran belonged to wealthy britishers; and of course they were built in the very best manner, and were intended to attain the very highest rate of speed." "i shall count on eighteen knots at least on the part of the bronx when the situation shall require her to do her best. by the way, captain passford, don't you think that a rather queer name has been given to our steamer? bronx! i am willing to confess that i don't know what the word means, or whether it is fish, flesh or fowl," continued flint. "it is not fish, flesh or fowl," replied christy, laughing. "my father suggested the name to the department, and it was adopted. he talked with me about a name, as he thought i had some interest in her, for the reason that i had done something in picking her up." "done something? i should say that you had done it all," added flint. "i did my share. the vessels of the navy have generally been named after a system, though it has often been varied. besides the names of states and cities, the names of rivers have been given to vessels. the bronx is the name of a small stream, hardly more than a brook, in west chester county, new york. when i was a small boy, my father had a country place on its banks, and i did my first paddling in the water in the bronx. i liked the name, and my father recommended it." "i don't object to the name, though somehow it makes me think of a walnut cracked in your teeth when i hear it pronounced," added flint. "now that i know what it is and what it means, i shall take more kindly to it, though i am afraid we shall get to calling her the bronxy before we have done with her, especially if she gets to be a pet, for the name seems to need another syllable." "young men fall in love with girls without regard to their names." "that's so. a friend of mine in our town in maine fell in love with a young lady by the name of leatherbee; but she was a very pretty girl and her name was all the objection i had to her," said flint, chuckling. "but that was an objection which your friend evidently intended to remove at no very distant day," suggested christy. "very true; and he did remove it some years ago. what was that noise?" asked the first lieutenant, suddenly rising from his seat. christy heard the sounds at the same moment. he and his companion in the cabin had been talking about the scotian and the arran, and what his father had said to him about prudence in speaking of his movements came to his mind. the noise was continued, and he hastened to the door of his state room, and threw it open. in the room he found dave hard at work on the furniture; he had taken out the berth sack, and was brushing out the inside of the berth. the noise had been made by the shaking of the slats on which the mattress rested. davis talbot, the cabin steward of the bronx, had been captured in the vessel when she was run out of pensacola bay some months before. as he was a very intelligent colored man, or rather mulatto, though they were all the same at the south, the young commander had selected him for his present service; and he never had occasion to regret the choice. dave had passed his time since the teaser arrived at new york at bonnydale, and he had become a great favorite, not only with christy, but with all the members of the family. "what are you about, dave?" demanded christy, not a little astonished to find the steward in his room. "i am putting the room in order for the captain, sir," replied dave with a cheerful smile, such as he always wore in the presence of his superiors. "i found something in this berth i did not like to see about a bed in which a gentleman is to sleep, and i have been through it with poison and a feather; and i will give you the whole southern confederacy if you find a single redback in the berth after this." "i am very glad you have attended to this matter at once, dave." "yes, sir; captain folkner never let me attend to it properly, for he was afraid i would read some of his papers on the desk. he was willing to sleep six in a bed with redbacks," chuckled dave. "well, i am not, or even two in a bed with such companions. how long have you been in my room, dave?" added christy. "more than two hours, i think; and i have been mighty busy too." "did you hear me when i came into the cabin?" "no, sir, i did not; but i heard you talking with somebody a while ago." "what did i say to the other person?" "i don't know, sir; i could not make out a word, and i didn't stop in my work to listen. i have been very busy, captain passford," answered dave, beginning to think he had been doing something that was not altogether regular. "don't you know what we were talking about, dave?" "no, sir; i did not make out a single word you said," protested the steward, really troubled to find that he had done something wrong, though he had not the least idea what it was. "i did not mean to do anything out of the way, captain passford." "i have no fault to find this time, dave." "i should hope not, sir," added dave, looking as solemn as a sleepy owl. "i would jump overboard before i would offend you, massa christy." "you need not jump overboard just yet," replied the captain, with a pleasant smile, intended to remove the fears of the steward. "but i want to make a new rule for you, dave." "thank you, sir; if you sit up nights to make rules for me, i will obey all of them; and i would give you the whole state of florida before i would break one of them on purpose, massa christy." "massa christy!" exclaimed the captain, laughing. "massa captain passford!" shouted dave, hastening to correct his over-familiarity. "i don't object to your calling me christy when we are alone, for i look upon you as my friend, and i have tried to treat you as a gentleman, though you are a subordinate. but are you going to be a nigger again, and call white men 'massa?' i told you not to use that word." "i done forget it when i got excited because i was afraid i had offended you," pleaded the steward. "your education is vastly superior to most people of your class, and you should not belittle yourself. this is my cabin; and i shall sometimes have occasion to talk confidentially with my officers. do you understand what i mean, dave?" "perfectly, captain passford: i know what it is to talk confidently and what it is to talk confidentially, and you do both, sir," replied the steward. "but i am sometimes more confidential than confident. now you must do all your work in my state room when i am not in the cabin, and this is the new rule," said christy, as he went out of the room. "i know that i can trust you, dave; but when i tell a secret i want to know to how many persons i am telling it. you may finish your work now;" and he closed the door. christy could not have explained why he did so if it had been required of him, but he went directly to the door leading out into the companion way, and suddenly threw it wide open, drawing the portière aside at the same time. not a little to his surprise, for he had not expected it, he found a man there; and the intruder was down on his knees, as if in position to place his ear at the keyhole. this time the young commander was indignant, and without stopping to consider as long as the precepts of his father required, he seized the man by the collar, and dragged him into the cabin. "what are you doing there?" demanded christy in the heat of his indignation. the intruder, who was a rather stout man, began to shake his head with all his might, and to put the fore finger of his right hand on his mouth and one of his ears. he was big enough to have given the young commander a deal of trouble if he had chosen to resist the force used upon him; but he appeared to be tame and submissive. he did not speak, but he seemed to be exerting himself to the utmost to make himself understood. flint had resumed his seat at the table, facing the door, and in spite of himself, apparently, he began to laugh. "that is pink mulgrum, captain passford," said he, evidently to prevent his superior from misinterpreting the lightness of his conduct. "as you are aware, he is deaf and dumb." [illustration: mulgrum at the captain's door.] "i see who he is now," replied christy, who had just identified the man. "he may be deaf and dumb, but he seems to have a great deal of business at the door of my cabin." "i have no doubt he is as deaf as the keel of the ship, and i have not yet heard him speak a word," added the first lieutenant. "but he is a stout fellow, very patriotic, and willing to work." "all that may be, but i have found him once before hanging around that door to-day." at this moment mulgrum took from his pocket a tablet of paper and a pencil, and wrote upon it, "i am a deaf mute, and i don't know what you are talking about." christy read it, and then wrote, "what were you doing at the door?" he replied that he had been sent by mr. lillyworth to clean the brasses on the door. he was then dismissed. chapter iv a deaf and dumb mystery as he dismissed mulgrum, christy tore off the leaf from the tablet on which both of them had written before he handed it back to the owner. for a few moments, he said nothing, and had his attention fixed on the paper in his hand, which he seemed to be studying for some reason of his own. "that man writes a very good hand for one in his position," said he, looking at the first lieutenant. "i had noticed that before," replied flint, as the commander handed him the paper, which he looked over with interest. "i had some talk with him on his tablet the day he came on board. he strikes me as a very intelligent and well-educated man." "was he born a deaf mute?" asked christy. "i did not think to ask him that question; but i judged from the language he used and his rapid writing that he was well educated. there is character in his handwriting too; and that is hardly to be expected from a deaf mute," replied flint. "being a deaf mute, he can not have been shipped as a seaman, or even as an ordinary steward," suggested the captain. "of course not; he was employed as a sort of scullion to be worked wherever he could make himself useful. mr. nawood engaged him on the recommendation of mr. lillyworth," added flint, with something like a frown on his brow, as though he had just sounded a new idea. "have you asked mr. lillyworth anything about him?" "i have not; for somehow mr. lillyworth and i don't seem to be very affectionate towards each other, though we get along very well together. but mulgrum wrote out for me that he was born in cherryfield, maine, and obtained his education as a deaf mute in hartford. i learned the deaf and dumb alphabet when i was a schoolmaster, as a pastime, and i had some practice with it in the house where i boarded." "then you can talk in that way with mulgrum." "not a bit of it; he knows nothing at all about the deaf and dumb alphabet, and could not spell out a single word i gave him." "that is very odd," added the captain musing. "so i thought; but he explained it by saying that at the school they were changing this method of communication for that of actually speaking and understanding what was said by observing the vocal organs. he had not remained long enough to master this method; in fact he had done all his talking with his tablets." "it is a little strange that he should not have learned either method of communication." "i thought so myself, and said as much to him; but he told me that he had inherited considerable property at the death of his father, and he was not inclined to learn new tricks," said flint. "he is intensely patriotic, and said that he was willing to give himself and all his property for the salvation of his country. he had endeavored to obtain a position as captain's clerk, or something of that sort, in the navy; but failing of this, he had been willing to go to the war as a scullion. he says he shall fight, whatever his situation, when he has the opportunity; and that is all i know about him." christy looked on the floor, and seemed to be considering the facts he had just learned. he had twice discovered mulgrum at the door of his cabin, though his presence there had been satisfactorily explained; or at least a reason had been given. this man had been brought on board by the influence of mr. lillyworth, who had been ordered to the gulf for duty, and was on board as a substitute for mr. flint, who was acting in christy's place, as the latter was in that of mr. blowitt, who outranked them all. flint had not been favorably impressed with the acting second lieutenant, and he had not hesitated to speak his mind in regard to him to the captain. though christy had been more reserved in speech, he had the feeling that mr. lillyworth must establish a reputation for patriotism and fidelity to the government before he could trust him as he did the first lieutenant, though he was determined to manifest nothing like suspicion in regard to him. at this stage of the war, that is to say in the earlier years of it, the government was obliged to accept such men as it could obtain for officers, for the number in demand greatly exceeded the supply of regularly educated naval officers. there were a great many applicants for positions, and candidates were examined in regard to their professional qualifications rather than their motives for entering the service. if a man desired to enter the army or the navy, the simple wish was regarded as a sufficient guaranty of his patriotism, especially in connection with his oath of allegiance. with the deaf mute's leaf in his hand christy was thinking over this matter of the motives of officers. he was not satisfied in regard to either lillyworth or mulgrum, and besides the regular quota of officers and seamen permanently attached to the bronx, there were eighteen seamen and petty officers berthed forward, who were really passengers, though they were doing duty. "where did you say this man mulgrum was born, mr. flint?" asked the captain, after he had mused for quite a time. "in cherryfield, maine," replied the first lieutenant; and he could not help feeling that the commander had not been silent so long for nothing. "you are a maine man, flint: were you ever in this town?" "i have been; i taught school there for six months; and it was the last place i filled before i went to sea." "i am glad to hear it, for it will save me from looking any further for the man i want just now. if this deaf mute was born and brought up in cherryfield, he must know something about the place," added christy as he touched a bell on his table, to which dave instantly responded. "do you know mulgrum, dave?" asked the captain. "no, sir; never heard of him before," replied the steward. "you don't know him! the man who has been cleaning the brass work on the doors?" exclaimed christy. "oh! pink, we all call him," said the steward. "his name is pinkney mulgrum," flint explained. "yes, sir; i know him, though we never had any long talks together," added dave with a rich smile on his face. "go on deck, and tell mulgrum to come into my cabin," said christy. "if i tell him that, he won't hear me," suggested dave. "show him this paper," interposed the first lieutenant, handing him a card on which he had written the order. dave left the cabin to deliver the message, and the captain immediately instructed flint to question the man in regard to the localities and other matters in cherryfield, suggesting that he should conduct his examination so as not to excite any suspicion. pink mulgrum appeared promptly, and was placed at the table where both of the officers could observe his expression. then flint began to write on a sheet of paper, and passed his first question to the man. it was: "don't you remember me?" mulgrum wrote that he did not. then the inquisitor asked when he had left cherryfield to attend the school at hartford; and the date he gave placed him there at the very time when flint had been the master of the school for four months. on the question of locality, he could place the church, the schoolhouse and the hotel; and he seemed to have no further knowledge of the town. when asked where his father lived, he described a white house next to the church; but flint knew that this had been owned and occupied by the minister for many years. "this man is a humbug," was the next sentence the first lieutenant wrote, but he passed it to the captain. christy wrote under it: "tell him that we are perfectly satisfied with his replies, and thank him for his attendance;" which was done at once, and the captain smiled upon him as though he had conducted himself with distinguished ability. "mulgrum has been in cherryfield; but he could not have remained there more than a day or two," said flint, when the door had closed behind the deaf mute. the captain made a gesture to impose silence upon his companion. "mulgrum is all right in every respect," said he in a loud tone, so that if the subject of the examination had stopped at the keyhole of the door, he would not be made any the wiser for what he heard there. "he knows cherryfield as well as he knows the deck of the bronx, and as you say, captain passford, he is all right in every respect," added the first lieutenant in the same loud tone. "mulgrum is a well educated man, captain, and you will have a great deal of writing to do: i suggest that you bring him into your cabin, and make him your clerk." "that is a capital idea, mr. flint, and i shall consider it," returned the commander, making sure that the man at the door should hear him, if mulgrum lingered there. "i have a number of letters sent over from england relating to blockade runners that i wish to have copied for the use of any naval officers with whom i may fall in; and i have not the time to do it myself." "mulgrum writes a very handsome hand, and no one could do the work any better than he." christy thought enough had been said to satisfy the curiosity of mulgrum if he was still active in seeking information, and both of the officers were silent. the captain had enough to think of to last him a long while. the result of the inquiry into the auditory and vocal powers of the scullion, as flint called him, had convinced him that the deaf mute was a fraud. he had no doubt that he could both speak and hear as well as the rest of the ship's company. but the puzzling question was in relation to the reason why he pretended to be deaf and dumb. if he was desirous of serving his country in the navy, and especially in the bronx, it was not necessary to pretend to be deaf and dumb in order to obtain a fighting berth on board of her. it looked like a first class mystery to the young commander, but he was satisfied that the presence of mulgrum meant mischief. he could not determine at once what it was best to do to solve the mystery; but he decided that the most extreme watchfulness was required of him and his first lieutenant. this was all he could do, and he touched his bell again. "dave," said he when the cabin steward presented himself before him, "go on deck and ask mr. lillyworth to report to me the log and the weather." "the log and the weather, sir," replied dave, as he hastened out of the cabin. christy watched him closely as he went out at the door, and he was satisfied that mulgrum was not in the passage, if he had stopped there at all. his present purpose was to disarm all the suspicions of the subject of the mystery, but he would have been glad to know whether or not the man had lingered at the door to hear what was said in regard to him. he was not anxious in regard to the weather, or even the log, and he sent dave on his errand in order to make sure that mulgrum was not still doing duty as a listener. "wind south south west, log last time fifteen knots and a half," reported dave, as he came in after knocking at the door. "i can not imagine why that man pretended to be deaf and dumb in order to get a position on board of the bronx. he is plainly a fraud," said the captain when dave had gone back to his work in the state room. "i don't believe he pretended to be a deaf mute in order to get a place on board, for that would ordinarily be enough to prevent him from getting it. i should put it that he had obtained his place in spite of being deaf and dumb. but the mystery exists just the same." the captain went on deck, and the first lieutenant to the ward room. chapter v a confidential steward the wind still came from the southward, and it was very light. the sea was comparatively smooth, and the bronx continued on her course. at the last bi-hourly heaving of the log, she was making sixteen knots an hour. the captain went into the engine room, where he found mr. gawl, one of the chief's two assistants, on duty. this officer informed him that no effort had been made to increase the speed of the steamer, and that she was under no strain whatever. the engine had been thoroughly overhauled, as well as every other part of the vessel, and every improvement that talent and experience suggested had been made. it now appeared that the engine had been greatly benefited by whatever changes had been made. these improvements had been explained to the commander by mr. sampson the day before; but christy had not given much attention to the matter, for he preferred to let the speed of the vessel speak for itself; and this was what it appeared to be doing at the present time. christy walked the deck for some time, observing everything that presented itself, and taking especial notice of the working of the vessel. though he made no claims to any superior skill, he was really an expert, and the many days and months he had passed in the companionship of paul vapoor in studying the movements of engines and hulls had made him wiser and more skilful than it had even been suspected that he was. he was fully competent for the position he was temporarily filling; but he had made himself so by years of study and practice. christy had not yet obtained all the experience he required as a naval officer, and he was fully aware that this was what he needed to enable him to discharge his duty in the best manner. he was in command of a small steamer, a position of responsibility which he had not coveted in this early stage of his career, though it was only for a week or less, as the present speed of the bronx indicated. he had ambition enough to hope that he should be able to distinguish himself in this brief period, for it might be years before he again obtained such an opportunity. his youth was against him, and he was aware that he had been selected to take the steamer to the gulf because there was a scarcity of officers of the proper grade, and his rank gave him the position. the motion of the bronx exactly suited him, and he judged that in a heavy sea she would behave very well. he had made one voyage in her from the gulf to new york, and the steamer had done very well, though she had been greatly improved at the navy yard. certainly her motion was better, and the connection between the engine and the inert material of which the steamer was constructed, seemed to be made without any straining or jerking. there was very little shaking and trembling as the powerful machinery drove her ahead over the quiet sea. there had been no very severe weather during his first cruise in the bronx, and she had not been tested in a storm under his management, though she had doubtless encountered severe gales in crossing the atlantic in a breezy season of the year. while christy was planking the deck, four bells were struck on the ship's great bell on the top-gallant forecastle. it was the beginning of the second dog watch, or six o'clock in the afternoon, and the watch which had been on duty since four o'clock was relieved. mr. flint ascended the bridge, and took the place of mr. lillyworth, the second lieutenant. under this bridge was the pilot-house, and in spite of her small size, the steamer was steered by steam. the ship had been at sea but a few hours, and the crew were not inclined to leave the deck. the number of men on board was nearly doubled by the addition of those sent down to fill vacancies in other vessels on the blockade. christy went on the bridge soon after, more to take a survey inboard than for any other purpose. mr. lillyworth had gone aft, but when he met mulgrum coming up from the galley, he stopped and looked around him. with the exception of himself nearly the whole ship's company were forward. the commander watched him with interest when he stopped in the vicinity of the deaf mute, who also halted in the presence of the second lieutenant. then they walked together towards the companion way, and disappeared behind the mainmast. christy had not before noticed any intercourse between the lieutenant and the scullion, though he thought it a little odd that the officer should set the man at work cleaning the brasses about the door of the captain's cabin, a matter that belonged to the steward's department. he had learned from flint that mulgrum had been recommended to the chief steward by lillyworth, so that it was evident enough that they had been acquainted before either of them came on board. but he could not see them behind the mast, and he desired very much to know what they were doing. flint had taken his supper before he went on duty on the bridge, and the table was waiting for the other ward room officers who had just been relieved. it was time for lillyworth to go to the meal, but he did not go, and he seemed to be otherwise engaged. after a while, christy looked at his watch, and found that a quarter of an hour had elapsed since the second lieutenant had left the bridge, and he had spent nearly all this time abaft the mainmast with the scullion. the commander had become absolutely absorbed in his efforts to fathom the deaf and dumb mystery, and fortunately there was nothing else to occupy his attention, for flint had drilled the crew, including the men for other vessels, and had billeted and stationed them during the several days he had been on board. everything was working as though the bronx had been at sea a month instead of less than half a day. christy was exceedingly anxious to ascertain what, if anything, was passing between lillyworth and mulgrum; but he could see no way to obtain any information on the subject. he had no doubt he was watched as closely as he was watching the second lieutenant. if he went aft, that would at once end the conference, if one was in progress. he could not call upon a seaman to report on such a delicate question without betraying himself, and he had not yet learned whom to trust in such a matter, and it was hardly proper to call upon a foremast hand to watch one of his officers. the only person on board besides the first lieutenant in whom he felt that he could repose entire confidence was dave. he knew him thoroughly, and his color was almost enough to guarantee his loyalty to the country and his officers, and especially to himself, for the steward possessed a rather extravagant admiration for the one who had "brought him out of bondage," as he expressed it, and had treated him like a gentleman from first to last. he could trust dave even on the most delicate mission; but dave was attending to the table in the ward room, and he did not care to call him from his duty. at the end of another five minutes, christy saw mulgrum come from abaft the mainmast, and descend the ladder to the galley. he saw no more of lillyworth, and he concluded that, keeping himself in the shadow of the mast, he had gone below. he remained on the bridge a while longer considering what he should do. he said nothing to flint, for he did not like to take up the attention of any officer on duty. the commander thought that dave could render him the assistance he required better than any other person on board, for being only a steward and a colored man at that, less notice would be taken of him than of one in a higher position. he was about to descend from the bridge when flint spoke to him in regard to the weather, though he could have guessed to a point what the captain was thinking about, perhaps because the same subject occupied his own thoughts. "i think we shall have a change of weather before morning, captain passford. the wind is drawing a little more to the southward, and we are likely to have wind and rain," said the first lieutenant. "wind and rain will not trouble us, and i am more afraid that we shall be bothered with fog on this cruise," added christy as he descended the ladder to the main deck. he walked about the deck for a few minutes, observing the various occupations of the men, who were generally engaged in amusing themselves, or in "reeling off sea yarns." then he went below. at the foot of the stairs in the companion way, the door of the ward room was open, and he saw that lillyworth was seated at the table. he sat at the foot of it, the head being the place of the first lieutenant, and the captain could see only his back. he was slightly bald at the apex of his head, for he was an older man than either the captain or the first lieutenant, but inferior to them in rank, though all of them were masters, and seniority depended upon the date of the commissions; and even a single day settled the degree in these days of multiplied appointments. christy went into his cabin, where the table was set for his own supper. the commander looked at his barometer, and his reading of it assured him that flint was correct in regard to his prognostics of the weather. but the young officer had faced the winter gales of the atlantic, and the approach of any ordinary storm did not disturb him in the least degree. on the contrary he rather liked a lively sea, for it was less monotonous than a calm. he did not brood over a storm, therefore, but continued to consider the subject which had so deeply interested him since he discovered mulgrum on his knees at the door, with a rag and a saucer of rottenstone in his hands. he had a curiosity to examine the brass knob of his door at that moment, and it did not appear to have been very severely rubbed. "quarter of seven, sir," said dave, presenting himself at the door while christy was still musing over the incidents already detailed. "all right, dave; i will have my supper now," replied christy, indifferently, for though he was generally blessed with a good appetite the mystery was too absorbing to permit the necessary duty of eating to drive it out of his mind. dave retired, and soon brought in a tray from the galley, the dishes from which he arranged on the table. it was an excellent supper, though he had not given any especial orders in regard to its preparation. he seated himself and began to eat in a rather mechanical manner, and no one who saw him would have mistaken him for an epicure. dave stationed himself in front of the commander, so that he was between the table and the door. he watched christy, keeping his eyes fixed on him without intermitting his gaze for a single instant. once in a while he tendered a dish to him at the table, but there was but one object in existence for christy at that moment. "dave," said the captain, after he had disposed of a portion of his supper. "here, sir, on duty," replied the steward. "open the door behind you, quick!" dave obeyed instantly, and threw the door back so that it was wide open, though he seemed to be amazed at the strangeness of the order. "all right, dave; close it," added christy, when he saw there was no one in the passage; and he concluded that mulgrum was not likely to be practising his vocation when there was no one in the cabin but himself and the steward. dave obeyed the order like a machine, and then renewed his gaze at the commander. "are you a freemason, dave?" asked christy. "no, sir," replied the steward with a magnificent smile. "a knight of pythias, of pythagoras, or anything of that sort?" "no, sir; nothing of the sort." "then you can't keep a secret?" "yes, sir, i can. if i have a secret to keep, i will give the whole alabama river to any one that can get it out of me." christy felt sure of his man without this protestation. chapter vi a mission up the foremast christy spent some time in delivering a lecture on naval etiquette to his single auditor. probably he was not the highest authority on the subject of his discourse; but he was sufficiently learned to meet the requirements of the present occasion. "you say you can keep a secret, dave?" continued the commander. "i don't take any secrets to keep from everybody, captain passford; and i don't much like to carry them about with me," replied the steward, looking a little more grave than usual, though he still wore a cheerful smile. "then you don't wish me to confide a secret to you?" "i don't say that, captain passford. i don't want any man's secrets, and i don't run after them, except for the good of the service. i was a slave once, but i know what i am working for now. if you have a secret i ought to know, captain passford, i will take it in and bury it away down at the bottom of my bosom; and i will give the whole state of louisiana to any one that will dig it out of me." "that's enough, dave; and i am willing to trust you without any oath on the bible, and without even a quaker's affirmation. i believe you will be prudent, discreet, and silent for my sake." "certainly i will be all that, captain passford, for i think you are a bigger man than jeff davis," protested dave. "that is because you do not know the president of the confederate states, and you do know me; but mr. davis is a man of transcendent ability, and i am only sorry that he is engaged in a bad cause, though he believes with all his heart and soul that it is a good cause." "he never treated me like a gentleman, as you have, sir." "and he never treated you unkindly, i am very sure." "he never treated me any way, for i never saw him; and i would not walk a hundred miles barefooted to see him, either. i am no gentleman or anything of that sort, massa-- captain passford, but if i ever go back on you by the breadth of a hair, then the alabama river will run up hill." "i am satisfied with you, dave; and here is my hand," added christy, extending it to the steward, who shook it warmly, displaying a good deal of emotion as he did so. "now, dave, you know mulgrum, or pink, as you call him?" "well, sir, i know him as i do the rest of the people on board; but we are not sworn friends yet," replied dave, rather puzzled to know what duty was required of him in connection with the scullion. "you know him; that is enough. what do you think of him?" "i haven't had any long talks with him, sir, and i don't know what to think of him." "you know that he is dumb?" "i expect he is, sir; but he never said anything to me about it," replied dave. "he never told me he couldn't speak, and i never heard him speak to any one on board." "did you ever speak to him?" "yes, sir; i spoke to him when he first came on board; but he didn't answer me, or take any notice of me when i spoke to him, and i got tired of it." "open that door quickly, dave," said the captain suddenly. the steward promptly obeyed the order, and christy saw that there was no one in the passage. he told his companion to close the door, and dave was puzzled to know what this movement could mean. "i beg your pardon, captain passford, and i have no right to ask any question; but i should like to know why you make me open that door two or three times for nothing," said dave, in the humblest of tones. "i told you to open it so that i could see if there was anybody at the door. this is my secret, dave. i have twice found mulgrum at that door while i was talking to the first lieutenant. he pretended to be cleaning the brass work." "what was he there for? when a man is as deaf as the foremast of the ship what would he be doing at the door?" "he was down on his knees, and his ear was not a great way from the keyhole of the door." "but he could not hear anything." "i don't know: that is what i want to find out. the mission i have for you, dave, is to watch mulgrum. in a word, i have my doubts in regard to his deafness and his dumbness." "you don't believe he is deaf and dumb, captain passford!" exclaimed the steward, opening his eyes very wide, and looking as though an earthquake had just shaken him up. "i don't say that, my man. i am in doubt. he may be a deaf mute, as he represents himself to be. i wish you to ascertain whether or not he can speak and hear. you are a shrewd fellow, dave, i discovered some time ago; in fact the first time i ever saw you. you may do this job in any manner you please; but remember that your mission is my secret, and you must not betray it to mulgrum, or to any other person." "be sure i won't do that, captain passford." "if you obtain any satisfactory information, convey it to me immediately. you must be very careful not to let any one suspect that you are watching him, and least of all to let mulgrum know it. do you understand me perfectly, dave?" "yes, sir; perfectly. nobody takes any notice of me but you, and it won't be a hard job. i think i can manage it without any trouble. i am nothing but a nigger, and of no account." "i have chosen you for this mission because you can do it better than any other person, dave. don't call yourself a nigger; i don't like the word, and you are ninety degrees in the shade above the lower class of negroes in the south." "thank you, sir," replied the steward with an expansive smile. "there is one thing i wish you to understand particularly, dave. i have not set you to watch any officer of the ship," said christy impressively. "no, sir; i reckon pink mulgrum is not an officer any more than i am." "but you may discover, if you find that mulgrum can speak and hear, that he is talking to an officer," added the captain in a low tone. "what officer, captain passford?" asked the steward, opening his eyes to their utmost capacity, and looking as bewildered as an owl in the gaslight. "i repeat that i do not set you to watch an officer; and i leave it to you to ascertain with whom mulgrum has any talk, if with any one. now i warn you that, if you accomplish anything in this mission, you will do it at night and not in the daytime. that is all that need be said at the present time, dave, and you will attend to your duty as usual. if you lose much sleep, you may make it up in the forenoon watch." "i don't care for the sleep, captain passford, and i can keep awake all night." "one thing more, dave; between eight bells and eight bells to-night, during the first watch, you may get at something, but you must keep out of sight as much as you can," added christy, as he rose from his armchair, and went into his state room. dave busied himself in clearing the table, but he was in a very thoughtful mood all the time. loading up his tray with dishes, he carried them through the steerage to the galley, where he found mulgrum engaged in washing those from the ward room, which he had brought out some time before. the steward looked at the deaf mute with more interest than he had regarded him before. he was a supernumerary on board, and any one who had anything to do called pink to do it. another waiter was greatly needed, and mr. nawood, the chief steward, had engaged one, but he had failed to come on board before the steamer sailed. pink had been pressed into service for the steerage; but he was of little use, and the work seemed very distasteful, if not disgusting, to him. he carried in the food, but that was about all he was good for. dave watched him for a few minutes as he washed and wiped the dishes, and saw that he was very awkward at it; it was plain to him that he was not an experienced hand at the business. but he was doing the steward's work, and dave took hold and helped him. pink was as solemn as an owl, and did his work in a very mechanical manner, and without the slightest interest in it. the cabin steward had a mission, and he was profoundly interested in its execution. by the side of the galley, or range, was a sink at which they were at work. dave thought he might as well begin then and there to test the hearing powers of his companion. picking up one of the large blowers of the range, he placed himself so that pink could not see what he was about, and then banged the sheet iron against the cast iron of the great stove. he kept his eye fixed all the time on the scullion. the noise was enough for the big midship gun on deck, or even for a small earthquake. pink was evidently startled by the prodigious sound, and turned towards the steward, who was satisfied that he had heard it; but the fellow was cunning, and realizing that he had committed himself, he picked up one of his feet, and began to rub it as though he had been hit by the falling blower. at the same time, he pretended to be very angry, and demonstrated very earnestly against his companion. dave felt that he had made a point, and he did not carry his investigation of the auditory capacity of the scullion any farther that night. he finished his work below, and then went on deck. he lounged about in a very careless manner till eight bells were struck. mr. flint on the bridge was relieved by mr. lillyworth, and the port watch came on duty for the next four hours, or until midnight. this was the time the captain had indicated to dave as a favorable one for the discharge of his special duty. taking advantage of the absence of any person from the vicinity of the foremast, he adroitly curled himself up in the folds of the foresail, which was brailed up to the mast. he had his head in such a position that he could see without being seen by any casual passer-by. he waited in this position over an hour, and during that time pink went back and forth several times, and seemed to be looking up at the bridge, which was just forward of the foremast. on the top-gallant forecastle were two men on the lookout; in the waist was a quartermaster, who was doing the duty that belonged to the third lieutenant, if the scarcity of officers had permitted the bronx to have one. the body of the port watch were spinning yarns on the forecastle, and none of them were very near the foremast. after a while, as pink was approaching the forecastle, dave saw the second lieutenant gesticulating to him very earnestly to come on the bridge. the supernumerary ascended the ladder, and the officer set him at work to lace on the sailcloth to the railing of the bridge, to shelter those on duty there from the force of the sea blast. dave listened with all his ears for any sound from the bridge; but he soon realized that if there was any, he was too far off to hear it. with the aid of the lashings of the foresail, he succeeded in climbing up on the mast to a point on a level with the bridge, and at the same time to make the mast conceal him from the eyes of mr. lillyworth and the scullion. the latter pretended to be at work, and occasionally the second lieutenant "jawed" at him for his clumsiness in lacing the sailcloth. between these growls, they spoke together in a low tone, but dave was near enough to hear what they said. though he had never heard the voice of pink mulgrum before, he knew that of the second lieutenant, and he was in no danger of confounding the two. pink used excellent language, as the steward was capable of judging, and it was plain enough that he was not what he had appeared to be. [illustration: lillyworth and mulgrum on the bridge.] chapter vii an interview on the bridge although mr. lillyworth knew very well that pink mulgrum was deaf and dumb, he "jawed" at him as though his hearing was as perfect as his own, doubtless forgetting for the moment his infirmity. "draw up the bight, and lace it tighter," exclaimed the second lieutenant, intermixing an expletive at each end of the sentence. "oh, you can't hear me!" he shouted, as though the fact that the scullion could not hear him had suddenly come to his mind. "well, it is a nice thing to talk to a deaf man!" dave could see that mulgrum also seemed to forget that his ears were closed to all sounds, for he redoubled his efforts to haul the screen into its place. "i could not hear anything that was of any consequence," the steward heard the deaf mute say in a lower tone than his companion used. "couldn't you hear anything?" asked mr. lillyworth, making a spring at the canvas as though he was disgusted with the operations of his companion on the bridge. "only what i have just told you," replied mulgrum. "but you were at the door when the captain and the first lieutenant were talking together in the cabin," continued the officer in a low tone. "but they were talking about me, as i told you before," answered the scullion, rather impatiently, as though he too had a mind of his own. "wasn't anything said about the operations of the future?" demanded mr. lillyworth. "not a word; but you know as well as i do that the captain has sealed orders which he will not see before to-morrow. i heard him tell his father that he was to open the envelope in latitude ," said the supernumerary. "you must contrive some way to hear the captain when he reads his orders," continued the second lieutenant. "he will be likely to have mr. flint with him when he opens the envelope." "it will be difficult," replied mulgrum, and dave could imagine that he saw him shake his head. "the captain has found me cleaning the brasses on his door twice, and it will hardly do to be found at the door again." "isn't there any place in his cabin where you can conceal yourself?" inquired mr. lillyworth. "i don't know of any place, unless it is his state room; and the cabin steward has been at work there almost all the time since we got under way. dave seems to be a sort of confidant of the captain," suggested mulgrum; and it looked as though the deaf mute had not held his tongue and kept his ears open for nothing; but the steward could not understand how he had got this idea into his head, for he had received his instructions while the commander was at supper, and he was sure, as he had thrown the door open several times, that the scullion was not on the other side of it. "a nigger for his confidant!" exclaimed the second lieutenant, as he interpolated a little jaw for the benefit of the seamen and petty officers within earshot of him. "what can we expect when a mere boy is put in command of a steamer like this one?" "i think you need not complain, pawcett, for you are on board of this vessel, and so am i, because she is under the command of a boy. but he is a tremendous smart boy, and he is older than many men of double his age," added mulgrum. dave realized that the supernumerary was well informed in regard to current history in connection with naval matters, and he was willing to believe that he was quite as shrewd as the officer at his side. "the boy is well enough, though he is abominably overrated, as you will see before i have done with him," said mr. lillyworth contemptuously. "it is galling for one who has seen some service to touch his cap to this boy and call him captain." "i hope you are not forgetting yourself, pawcett--" "don't mention my name on board of this vessel, hungerford," interposed the officer. "and you will not mention mine," added the scullion promptly. "we are both careless in this matter, and we must do better. i think i ought to caution you not to neglect any outside tokens of respect to the captain. you can have your own opinions, but i think you do not treat him with sufficient deference." "perhaps i don't, for it is not an easy thing to do," replied the second lieutenant. "but i think the captain has no cause to complain of me. we must find out something about these orders, and you must be on the lookout for your chances at meridian to-morrow. if you can stow yourself away under the captain's berth in his state room, you may be able to hear him read them to the first lieutenant, as he will be sure to do." "i don't believe in doing that," replied mulgrum. "if i am discovered, no explanation could be made as to why i was concealed there." "but we must take some risks," persisted mr. lillyworth. "after what you told me in the first of our talk, it may not be necessary to conceal yourself. i shall say something to the captain on the subject at which you hinted as soon as i get a chance. you may be in a situation to hear all that is said without danger." dave wondered what could be meant by this remark, for he had not heard the conversation between the captain and the first lieutenant which was intended as a "blind" to the listener, known to be at the door. "i am willing to take any risk that will not ruin our enterprise," mulgrum responded to the remark of his companion. "at noon to-morrow i shall come on deck in charge, and the first lieutenant will be relieved, so that he will be at liberty to visit the captain in his cabin. that will be your time, and you must improve it." "but i shall meet you again to-morrow, and i will look about me, and see what can be done," said mulgrum, as he made a new demonstration at the canvas screen. "i will keep my eyes open, and you must do the same. how is it with our men forward?" asked the officer. "i have had no chance to speak with any of them, for they are all the time in the midst of the rest of the seamen," replied the deaf mute. "but i have no doubt they are all right." "but you must have some way to communicate with them, or they might as well be on shore. as there are six of them, i should say you might get a chance to speak to one of them whenever you desire." "i have had nothing to say to them so far, and i have not considered the matter of communicating with them." "it is time to know how you can do so." "i can manage it in some way when the time comes," replied mulgrum confidently. "i am sure the captain and the first lieutenant have no suspicion that i am not what i seem to be. the executive officer put me through a full examination, especially in regard to cherryfield, where i told him i used to live. i came off with flying colors, and i am certain that i am all right now." dave knew nothing about the examination to which mr. flint had subjected the deaf mute. it is evident that mulgrum took an entirely different view of the result of the test from that taken by the examiner and the captain; but both of the latter had taken extreme pains to conceal their opinion from the subject of the test. "i think we had better not say anything more to-night, and you have been on the bridge long enough," said mr. lillyworth, walking to the windward end of the bridge, and peering out into the gloom of the night. he had hardly looked in the direction of the deaf mute while he was on the bridge, but had busied himself with the lashing of the screen, and done everything he could to make it appear that he was not talking to his companion. mulgrum, overhauling the screen as he proceeded, made his way to the steps by the side of the foremast. but he did not go down, as he had evidently intended to do, and waited till the second lieutenant came over to the lee side of the vessel. "perhaps the man at the wheel has been listening to our conversation," said the deaf mute, plainly alarmed at the situation. "i did not think of him." "i did," replied mr. lillyworth; "but it is all right, and the man at the wheel is spoors, one of our number." "all right," added mulgrum, and he descended the steps. dave kept his place in the folds of the foresail, and hardly breathed as the scullion passed him. with the greatest caution, and after he had satisfied himself that no one was near enough to see him, he descended to the deck. he wandered about for a while, and saw that the supernumerary went to the galley, where, in the scarcity of accommodations for the extra persons on board, he was obliged to sleep on the floor. he was not likely to extend his operations any farther that night, and dave went to the companion way, descended the steps, and knocked at the door of the captain's cabin. "come in," called the occupant, who had been writing at his desk in the state room, though the door was open. dave presented himself before the commander, who was very glad to see him. christy wiped the perspiration from his forehead, for he had evidently been working very hard all the evening. four bells had just struck, indicating that it was ten o'clock in the evening. flint's prediction in regard to the weather seemed to be in the way of fulfilment, for the bronx had been leaping mildly on a head sea for the last hour. but everything was going well, and the motion of the vessel was as satisfactory to the commander in rough water as it had been in a smooth sea. "i am glad to see you, dave," said christy, as the steward presented himself at the door of the state room. "i suppose from your coming to-night that you have something to tell me." "yes, sir; i have; and i will give you the whole gulf of mexico if it isn't a big thing," replied dave with his most expansive smile. "you done get into a hornet's nest, captain passford." "not so bad as that, i hope," replied christy, laughing. "bad enough, sir, at any rate," added dave. "pink mulgrum has been talking and listening to the second lieutenant all the evening." "then he is not a deaf mute, i take it." "not a bit of it; he can talk faster than i can, and he knows all about his grammar and dictionary. you have just eight traitors on board of the bronx, captain passford," said dave very impressively. "only eight?" "that's all i know about; and i think that is enough for one cruise in a yankee ship." "eight will do very well, dave; but who are they?" asked the captain with interest. "i know just three of them. one is the second lieutenant; pink mulgrum is another, and spoors, one of the quartermasters, is the third. they didn't mention any more of them." "all right, dave; now sit down on that stool, and tell me the whole story," said christy, pointing to the seat. the steward, believing that he had done a "big thing" that evening, did not hesitate to seat himself in the presence of the commander, and proceeded at once to relate all that he had done, and all that he had seen and heard on the bridge. when dave had finished his story, and answered the questions put to him, the commander was willing to believe that he had done a big thing; though he said nothing beyond a few words of general commendation to the steward. then he dismissed him, and, locking his desk, he went on deck. after taking an observation of the weather he mounted the bridge. chapter viii important information, if true "good evening, mr. lillyworth," said captain passford, when he reached the bridge. "good evening, captain passford," replied the second lieutenant, as he touched his cap to his superior, galling as the act was, according to his own statement. "it looks as though we should have some wind," added the captain. "yes, sir; and we shall have a nasty time of it across the gulf stream." "if there is any decided change in the weather during your watch, you will oblige me by having me called," added the captain; "i think i am tired enough to turn in, for i have been very busy all the evening, copying letters and papers. i think i need a clerk almost as much as the captain of a frigate." "i think you ought to have one, sir," added mr. lillyworth, manifesting a deep interest in this matter. "as the matter now stands i have to use a good deal of my time in copying documents. by the way, if we fall in with any united states man-of-war, i wish to communicate with her." "of course i shall report to you, sir, if one comes in sight during my watch," replied the second lieutenant, with a greater manifestation of zeal than he had before displayed in his relations with his commander, evidently profiting by the suggestion made to him by pink mulgrum. "but i hope we shall not fall in with one before day after tomorrow, for i have not copied all the letters i desire to use if such an occasion offers," said captain passford, who was really playing out a baited hook for the benefit of the second lieutenant, in regard to whose intentions he had no doubt since the revelations of the steward. "by the way, captain passford, what you say in regard to the amount of writing imposed upon you reminds me that there is a man on board who might afford you some relief from this drudgery. possibly you may have noticed this man, though he is doing duty as a mere scullion." "do you mean the man i have seen cleaning brass work about the cabin?" asked christy, glad to have the other take hold of the baited hook. "that is the one; he is deaf and dumb, but he has received a good education, and writes a good hand, and is rapid about it," added the second lieutenant, with some eagerness in his manner, though he tried to conceal it. "but my writing is of a confidential nature," replied the captain. "i have known this man, whose name is pink mulgrum, for some time. he is deaf and dumb, and you must have noticed him." "oh, yes; i have seen him, and he had an interview with mr. flint in my presence. i observed that he wrote a good hand, and wrote very rapidly." "i am very confident that you can trust him with your papers, captain passford. he could not go into the service as a soldier or a sailor on account of his infirmity; but he desired to do something for his country. he was determined to go to the war, as he called it, in any capacity, even if it was as a scullion. he wrote me a letter to this effect, and mr. nawood consented to take him as a man of all work. if he ever gets into an action, you will find that he is a fighting character." "that is the kind of men we want, and at the present time, when we are hardly in a fighting latitude, perhaps i can use him as a copyist, if he will agree to make no use whatever of any information he may obtain in that capacity. i will speak to mr. nawood about the matter." "thank you, captain passford. mulgrum is a very worthy man, patriotic in every fibre of his frame, and in every drop of his blood. i should be glad to obtain some permanent occupation for him in the service of his country, for nothing else will suit him in the present exciting times. perhaps when you have tested his qualifications, this will make an opening for him." "i will consider the subject tomorrow," said christy, as he descended from the bridge. the commander was satisfied that the portion of the conversation which had taken place between the aspirant for the position of captain's clerk and the second lieutenant and which had been finished before the steward had reached his perch on the foremast, related to this matter. mulgrum had heard the conversation between the first lieutenant and himself, which was intended to blind the listener, and he had reported it to his confederate. it was only another confirmation, if any were needed, in regard to the character of the conspirators. christy had no doubt in regard to the disloyalty of these two men; but nothing in respect to their ultimate intentions had yet been revealed. they had brought six seamen on board with them, and they appeared to have influence enough in some quarter to have had these men drafted into the bronx. eight men, even if two of them were officers, was an insignificant force, though he was willing to believe that they intended to obtain possession of the vessel in some manner. the captain returned to his cabin, and resumed his work in the state room. though christy had spent several hours at his desk, he had really produced but a single letter, and had not yet finished it. when he heard eight bells strike, he left his state room, and seated himself at the table in the middle of his cabin. the door was open into the companion way. mr. flint presently appeared, and went on deck to relieve the second lieutenant, who came below a few minutes later, though the captain did not allow himself to be seen by him. then he closed the cabin door, and turned in, for he began to realize that he needed some rest. he went to sleep at once, and he did not wake till four bells struck in the morning. the bronx was pitching heavily, though she still maintained her reputation as an easy-going ship in spite of the head sea. he dressed himself, and seated himself at his desk at once, devoting himself to the letter upon which he had been engaged the evening before. the second lieutenant was on duty at this time, and the first was doubtless asleep in his berth, but he had been below six hours during the night, and, calling dave with his bell, he sent him for mr. flint, who presented himself a few minutes later. "good morning, captain passford; you have turned out early, sir," said the first lieutenant. "not very early, and i am sorry to wake you so soon. i did not turn in till after you had gone on deck to take the midwatch. i have been very busy since we parted, and i need your advice and assistance," replied the commander. "i have got at something." "indeed! i am glad to hear it," added mr. flint. without the loss of any time, the captain called dave, who was at work in the ward room, and told him to see that no one came near the door of his cabin. the steward understood him perfectly, and christy resumed his place at the table with the executive officer, and proceeded to detail to him as briefly as he could all the information he had obtained through dave, and the manner of obtaining it. it required some time to do this, and the first lieutenant was intensely interested in the narrative. "i am not greatly surprised so far as lillyworth is concerned, for there has been something about him that i could not fathom since both of us came on board," said mr. flint. "of course these men are on board for a purpose, though i acknowledge that i cannot fathom this purpose, unless it be treason in a general sense; but i am inclined to believe that they have some specific object," added the captain. "of course you will be willing to believe that both of these men are sailing under false colors." "undoubtedly. it has occurred to me that the second lieutenant invented the name that represents him on the ship's books. lillyworth is a little strained; if he had called himself smith or brown, it would have been less suspicious." "in the conversation to which dave listened on the bridge, both of them blundered, and let out their real names, though each of them reproved the other for doing so. the second lieutenant's real name is pawcett, and that of the deaf mute is hungerford." "the last is decidedly a southern name, and the other may be for aught i know. hungerford, hungerford," said mr. flint, repeating the name several times. "it means something to me, but i can't make it out yet." the first lieutenant cudgelled his brains for a minute or two as though he was trying to connect the name with some event in the past. the captain waited for him to sound his memory; but it was done in vain; flint could not place him. he was confident, however, that the connection would be made in his mind at some other moment. "the interesting question to us just now is to determine why these men, eight in number, are on board of the bronx at all, and why they are on board at the present time," said the captain. "i happen to know that lillyworth was offered a better position than the one he now fills temporarily; but my father says he insisted on going in the bronx." "certainly he is not here on a fool's errand. he has business on board of this particular steamer," replied flint, speaking out of his musing mind. "ah! now i have it!" he suddenly exclaimed. "hungerford was the executive officer of the killbright, or the yazoo, as they called her afterwards. i had a very slight inkling that i had seen the face of the deaf mute before; but he has shaved off his beard, and stained his face, so that it is no wonder i did not identify him; but the name satisfies me that he was the first officer of the yazoo." "that means then that he is a regular officer of the confederate navy," suggested the captain; "and probably lillyworth is also. the only other name dave was able to obtain was that of spoors, one of the quartermasters; and very likely he is also another." "we have almost a double crew on board, captain passford, and what can eight men do to capture this vessel?" asked flint. "i don't know what they intend to do, and i must give it up. now i want to read a letter to you that i have written; and you can tell me what you think of it." the commander then read as follows from the sheet in his hand, upon which appeared no end of changes and corrections: "to the commander of any united states ship of war, _sir_:-- the undersigned, master in the united states navy, in temporary command of the united states steamer bronx, bound to the gulf of mexico, respectfully informs you that he has information, just received, of the approach to the coast of the southern states of two steamers, the scotian and the arran, believed to be fitted out as cruisers for the confederate navy. they will be due in these waters about march . they are of about five hundred tons each. a letter from the confidential agent of my father, captain horatio passford, an agent in whom he has perfect confidence, both on account of his loyalty to his country undivided, and because of his skill as a shipmaster, contains this statement, which is submitted to you for your guidance: 'i have put twelve loyal american seamen, with an officer, on board of each of the steamers mentioned above; and they comprise about one-half of the crew of each vessel; and they will take possession of each of the two steamers when supported by any united states man-of-war. warnock.' respectfully yours, christopher passford, _master commanding_." "i beg your pardon, captain passford, but what under the canopy is that letter for?" asked flint, not a little excited. "it is for pink mulgrum to copy," replied the captain. "that is all the use i intend to make of it." flint leaned back in his chair and laughed heartily, and the commander could not help joining him. chapter ix a volunteer captain's clerk mr. flint was really amused at the plan of the commander of the bronx, as indicated in the letter he had just read, and he was not laughing out of mere compliment to his superior officer, as some subordinates feel obliged to do even when they feel more like weeping. perhaps no one knew christy passford so well as his executive officer, not even his own father, for flint had been with him in the most difficult and trying ordeals of his life. he had been the young leader's second in command in the capture of the teaser, whose cabin they now occupied, and they had been prisoners together. he had been amazed at his young companion's audacity, but he had always justified his action in the end. they had become excellent friends as well as associates in the navy, and there was a hearty sympathy between them. christy laughed almost in spite of himself, for he had been giving very serious attention to the situation on board of the bronx. in the ship's company were at least two officers on the other side of the great question of the day, both of them doubtless men of great experience in their profession, more mature in years than their opponent on this chess-board of fate, and they had come on board of the steamer to accomplish some important purpose. the game at which they were engaged had already become quite exciting, especially as it looked as if the final result was to be determined by strategy rather than hard fighting, for pawcett and hungerford could hardly expect to capture the bronx with only a force of eight men. "mulgrum is to copy this letter," said flint, suppressing his laughter. "i have written the letter in order to have something for him to copy, and at the same time to give him and his confederate something to think about," replied christy; and he could hardly help chuckling when he thought of the effect the contents of the letter would produce in the minds of those for whom the missive was really intended. "do you think they will swallow this fiction, captain passford?" asked the first lieutenant. "why shouldn't they swallow it, hook, bait, and sinker? they are confederate agents beyond the possibility of a doubt; and they are looking for a ship in which they intend to ravage the commerce of the united states," replied christy; and the question had done something to stimulate his reasoning powers. "they want a vessel, and the bronx would suit them very well." "but they will not attempt to capture her under present circumstances, i am very confident. they know that we have about twenty seamen extra on board." "they know that certainly; but possibly they know some things in this connection that we do not know," added christy, as he put his hand on his forehead, and leaned over the table, as though his mind were strongly exercised by some serious question he was unable to answer satisfactorily to himself. "what can they know that we don't know in regard to this vessel?" demanded flint, looking quite as serious as the commander. "whether our extra men are loyal or not," answered christy, dropping his hand, and looking his companion full in the face. "do you think there is any doubt in regard to them?" "i confess that i have not had a doubt till this moment," said the captain, wiping the perspiration from his brow, for the terrible possibility that any considerable portion of the extra men were in the employ of the two confederates had almost overcome him. for a few moments he was silent as he thought of this tremendous idea. it was appalling to think of going into action with the scotian or the arran, or both of them, and have a part of his own force turn against him on his own deck. this was possible, but he could hardly believe it was probable. dave had reported very faithfully to him all the details of the conversation between the confederates, and they had claimed only six men. if they had any hold on the extra men on board, they would have been likely to say so, or at least to speak more indefinitely than they had of their expectations. "have you any friends on board, mr. flint, among the crew?" asked christy suddenly, as though a solution of the difficult question of the loyalty of the men had suggested itself to him. "i have at least half a dozen whom i worked hard to have drafted into the bronx, for i know that they are good and true men, though they may not be able to pass the technical examination of the naval officers," replied the first lieutenant promptly. "i can trust every one of them as far as i could trust myself. one of them was the mate of my vessel at the time i sold her, and he has since been in command of her." "who is he?" "his name is baskirk; and he is a quartermaster now. i wrote to him, and promised to do the best i could to advance him. he is not a graduate of a college, but he is a well-informed man, well read, sober, honest, and a man of good common-sense." "the others?" "mcspindle was a classmate of mine in college, and he is a capital fellow. unfortunately, he got into the habit of drinking more than was good for him, and spoiled his immediate future. he has made two foreign voyages, and he is a good seaman. he came home second mate of an indiaman, promoted on his merit. he is also a quartermaster," said flint, who was evidently very deeply interested in the persons he described. "any more?" "luffard is a quartermaster, for i selected the best men i had for these positions. he is a young fellow, and the son of a rich man in portland. he is a regular water bird, though he is not over eighteen years old." "his age is no objection," added christy with a smile. "i suppose not; but i have taken luffard on his bright promise rather than for anything he has ever done, though i have seen him sail a forty-footer in a race and win the first prize. the other men i happen to think of just now have been sailors on board of my coaster. they are good men, and i can vouch for their loyalty, though not for their education. they are all petty officers." "i have a mission for your men, to be undertaken at once, and i shall be likely to want the first three you named for important positions, if my orders do not fetter me too closely," said christy. "as the matter stands just now, mr. flint, it would hardly be expedient for us to capture a schooner running the blockade for the want of an officer to act as prize master." "the three quartermasters i named are competent for this duty, for they are navigators, and all of them have handled a vessel." "i am glad to hear it; we are better off than i supposed we were. my father told me that several vessels had been sent to the south short of officers, and we are no worse off than some others, though what you say makes us all right." "i can find three officers on board who are as competent as i am, though that is not saying much," added flint. "i can ask no better officers, then. but to return to this letter. i have spent a considerable part of my time at bonnydale in talking with my father. he is in the confidence of the naval department." "he ought to be, for he gave to the navy one of its best steamers, to say the least." "i don't want to brag of my father," suggested christy, laughing; "i only wanted to show that he is posted. coming to the point at once, putting this and that together of what i learned on shore, and of what i have discovered on board of the bronx, i am inclined to believe that pawcett and hungerford have their mission on board of this steamer in connection with the scotian and the arran. i will not stop now to explain why i have this idea, for i shall obtain more evidence as we proceed. at any rate, i thought i would put the ghost of a stumbling-block in the path of these conspirators; and this is the reason why i have put thirteen american seamen on board of each of the expected steamers. if my conjectures are wrong the stumbling-block will be nothing but a ghost; if i am right, it will make our men somewhat cautious as to what they do if we should be so fortunate as to fall in with the two vessels." "i understand you perfectly, captain passford. you said that you had something for my men to do at once; but you did not explain what this duty was," said flint. "if you require their services at once, i will instruct them." "i did not explain, for i have so many irons in the fire that i am afraid i am getting them mixed, and i forgot to tell you what they were to do. but i shall leave the details to be settled in your own way. i want to know who are loyal men and who are not. there are at least six men, according to the report of dave, who are followers of pawcett and hungerford. we don't know who they are; but doubtless they have been selected for their shrewdness. probably they will be looking for information among the men. spoors is one of them, and by watching him some clew may be obtained to the others." "i am confident my men can find out all you want to know," added the first lieutenant. "it should be done as soon as possible," replied the commander. "not a moment shall be lost. i have the deck at eight this morning, and one of the quartermasters will be at the wheel. i will begin with him." mr. flint left the cabin, for his breakfast was waiting for him in the ward room. christy walked through to the steerage, where he found mulgrum attending to the wants of the warrant officers as well as he could. he looked at this man with vastly more interest than before he had listened to dave's report. it was easy to see that he was not an ordinary man such as one would find in menial positions; but it was not prudent for him to make a study of the man, for his quick eye was taking in everything that occurred near him. eight bells struck, and mr. flint hastened on deck to relieve the second lieutenant. christy took his morning meal at a later hour, and when he had finished it, he sent for pink mulgrum. of course the conversation had to be written, and the captain placed the scullion opposite himself at the table. "i learn from mr. lillyworth that you are a good writer, and that you are well educated," christy wrote on a piece of paper, passing it to the deaf mute. mulgrum read the sentence, and nodded his head with something like a smile. if christy was a judge of his expression, he was certainly pleased, evidently to find that his confederate's plan was working well. "i have a letter of which i desire several copies. can i trust you to make these copies?" christy wrote. the man read and nodded his head eagerly. "will you promise on your honor as a man that you will not reveal what you write to any person whatever?" christy proceeded. mulgrum read, and nodded his head earnestly several times. the commander procured paper and other writing materials for him, and placed them before him. then he seated himself again opposite the copyist, and fixed his gaze upon him; unfolding the letter, of which he had made a fair copy himself, he placed it under the eyes of the deaf mute. mulgrum had retained his smile till this moment. he had arranged his paper and taken a pen in his hand. then he began to read; as he proceeded the smile deserted his face. he was plainly startled. chapter x the unexpected orders christy sat for some minutes watching the expression of mulgrum as he read the letter he was to copy. like a careful man, he was evidently taking a glance at it as a whole. the interested observer could see that he fixed his gaze upon the last part of the letter, the extract from the missive of warnock, relating to the twelve loyal american seamen and their officer. in fact, he seemed to be paralyzed by what he read. the commander was satisfied with what he had seen, and he rose from his chair. his movement seemed to restore the self-possession of the deaf mute, and he began to write very rapidly. christy went into his state room, where he kept all his important papers in his desk. he gave himself up to a consideration of the situation in which he was placed. he had partly closed the door. but he had not been in the room half an hour before he heard a knock. "come in," said he, supposing the caller was dave. the door was pushed open, and mulgrum came in with his tablet in his hand. the deaf mute had certainly heard his reply to the knock, for he had heeded it instantly, and he smiled at the manner in which the conspirator had "given himself away." the scullion presented his tablet to the captain with a very deferential bow. "there is an error in the copy of the letter you gave me--in the extract. if you will give me the original letter from mr. warnock, i will correct the mistake," christy read on the tablet. it was not impossible that he had made a mistake in copying his letter; but the object of mulgrum in desiring to see the original of the letter from england was sufficiently apparent. "bring me my copy of the letter," he wrote on the tablet, and handed it back to the owner. the captain took from his desk a bundle of letters and selected one, which he opened and laid on the table, though not where his copyist could see it. mulgrum returned and presented him the letter, pointing out the mistake he had discovered. he looked at the blind letter, and then at the other. there was certainly an error, for his letter said "and they comprise about one of crew of each vessel." this was nonsense, for he had accidentally omitted the word "half" after "one." he inserted the word above the line in its proper place, and gave it back to the copyist. it was clear enough that mulgrum was disappointed in the result of this interview; but he took the letter and returned to the table. at the end of another quarter of an hour, he brought the first copy of the letter. he knocked as before, and though christy told him in a loud tone to come in, he did not do so. he repeated the words, but the conspirator, possibly aware of the blunder he had made before, did not make it again. then he wrote on his tablet, after the captain had approved his work, that he found the table very uncomfortable to write upon while the ship was pitching so smartly, and suggested that he should be allowed to make the rest of the copies on the desk in the state room, if the captain did not desire to use it himself. unfortunately for the writer, he did desire to use it himself, and he could not help smiling at the enterprise of the deaf mute in his attempt to obtain an opportunity to forage among the papers in his drawers. mulgrum certainly did his work nicely and expeditiously, for he had finished it at three bells in the forenoon watch. he was dismissed then, for his presence was not particularly agreeable to the commander. christy locked his desk and all the drawers that contained papers, not as against a thief or a burglar, but against one who would scorn to appropriate anything of value that did not belong to him, for he had no doubt now that mulgrum was a gentleman who was trying to serve what he regarded as his country, though it was nothing but a fraction of it. in fact, inheriting, as it were, the broad and generous policy of his father, christy had no personal prejudices against this enemy of his country, and he felt just as he would if he had been sailing a boat against him, or playing a game of whist with him. he was determined to beat him if he could. but he was not satisfied with locking his papers up; he called dave, and set him as a watch over them. if the conspirator overhauled his papers, he would have been more concerned about what he did not find than in relation to what he did find, for the absence of the original of warnock's letter would go far to convince him that the extract from it was an invention. when he had taken these precautions he went on deck. the wind was blowing a moderate gale; but the bronx was doing exceedingly well, lifting herself very lightly over the foaming billows, and conveying to one walking her deck the impression of solidity and strength. the captain went to the bridge after a while, though not till he had noticed that something was going on among the crew; but he was not disposed to inquire into the matter, possibly regarding it as beneath the dignity of a commander to do so. christy mounted the steps to the bridge. this structure is hardly a man-of-war appendage. it had been there, and it had been permitted to remain. the first shot in action might carry it away, and this contingency had been provided for, as she was provided with a duplicate steam-steering apparatus, as well as a hand wheel at the stern. the proper position of the officer of the watch, who is practically in command for the time being, is on the quarter deck, though he is required during his watch to visit all parts of the deck. on board of the bronx this officer was placed on the bridge, where he could overlook all parts of the ship. the first lieutenant, who had the forenoon watch, saluted him, but there was nothing of interest to report. christy asked the meaning of the movement he had observed among the seamen and petty officers, and was told that baskirk was getting up an association on board, the first requirement to which was for all who wished to become members to sign the oath of allegiance to the united states government, "as represented by and presided over by the president at washington." it was to be a secret society, and flint added that it was really a branch of the union league. christy did not think it wise to ask any more questions, but he understood that this was really a movement to ascertain the sentiments of the members of the ship's company as to the extent of their duty in supporting the government. "mr. flint, i am not a little dissatisfied with the manner in which we are compelled to carry on our duty on board of the bronx, though no blame is to be attached to the naval department on account of it," said christy, after he had walked the bridge for a time. "is anything going wrong, captain passford?" asked the first lieutenant anxiously. "oh, no: i have no fault to find with any one, and least of all with you," added the captain promptly. "the trouble is that we are short of officers, though all that could be spared for this vessel were sent on board of her. as the matter now stands, dr. spokeley and i are the only idlers on board in the cabin and ward room. the first lieutenant has to keep a watch, which is not at all regular, and i foresee that this arrangement will be a very great disadvantage to me. it could not be helped, and the bronx was evidently regarded as of no great importance, for she is little more than a storeship just now, though the flag officer in the gulf will doubtless make something more of her." "we have a big crew for this vessel, but we are short of officers," added flint. "from the best calculations i have been able to make, with my father to help me, we ought to fall in with the scotian and the arran; and in view of such an event, i propose to prepare for the emergency by appointing a temporary third lieutenant." "i think that would be a very wise step to take," added flint very cordially. "of the men you mentioned to me, who is the best one for this position?" asked christy. "i have no hesitation in saying that baskirk is the right man for the position." "very well; he shall be appointed," added christy, as he left the bridge. but in a few minutes he returned, and handed an order to the first lieutenant. baskirk was sent for, and the captain had a long talk with him. he found that the candidate had more knowledge of naval discipline than he had supposed, and he was pleased with the man. he was the leading quartermaster in rank, having been appointed first. after another talk with flint, the latter gave the order to pass the word for mr. giblock, who was the acting boatswain, though in rank he was only a boatswain's mate. he was directed to call all hands. when the ship's company were assembled on the forward deck, though this is not the usual place for such a gathering, the first lieutenant read the order of the commander appointing george baskirk as acting third lieutenant of the bronx, and directing that he should be respected and obeyed as such. a smart cheer followed the announcement, though the second lieutenant, who had taken a place on the bridge, looked as though he did not approve the step the captain had taken. the officer of the deck next appointed thomas mclinn a quartermaster. the ship's company were then dismissed. just before noon by the clocks, lieutenant baskirk appeared on the bridge, dressed in a brand-new uniform, with a sextant in his hands. christy, who did not depend upon his pay for the extent of his wardrobe, had not less than three new suits, and he had presented one of them to the newly appointed officer, for there was no material difference in the size of the two persons. all the officers who kept watches were required to "take the sun," and at the moment the meridian was crossed, the captain gave the word to "make it noon," and the great bell sounded out eight bells. the officers proceeded to figure up the results of the observations. the longitude and latitude were entered on the log slate, to be transferred to the log book. baskirk was directed to take the starboard watch, and he was formally presented to the second lieutenant by the captain; and whatever his feeling or opinions in regard to the step which had just been taken, he accepted the hand of the new officer and treated him with proper courtesy. "latitude ° '," said the captain significantly, as he led the way down from the bridge, attended by the first and third lieutenants. they followed him to the captain's cabin. christy gave them seats at the table, and then went into his state room for the ponderous envelope which contained his orders. he seated himself between his two officers; but before he broke the great seal, he discovered dave in the passageway making energetic signs to him. he hastened to him, and followed him into the ward room. "pink is under your berth in the state room," whispered the steward in the most impressive manner. "all right, dave; you have been faithful to your duty," said christy, as he hastened back into his cabin. resuming his place at the table, he broke the seal of the huge envelope. he unfolded the inclosed instructions, and ran over them without speaking a word. "we have nothing to do on this cruise," said he, apparently taking his idea from the paper in his hand. "i will read the material parts of it," he continued in a much louder tone than the size of the cabin and the nearness of his auditors seemed to demand. "'you will proceed with all reasonable despatch to the gulf of mexico, and report to the flag officer, or his representative, of the eastern gulf squadron. you will attempt no operations on your passage, and if an enemy appears you will avoid her if possible with honor.' that's all, gentlemen." the two listeners seemed to be utterly confounded. chapter xi another reading of the sealed orders christy finished the reading of the orders, folded up the document, and put it in his pocket. but he immediately took it out and unfolded it again, as though a new thought had struck him. flint watched him with the utmost attention, and he realized that the bearing of the commander was quite different from his usual manner; but he attributed it to the very unexpected nature of the orders he had just read. he was distinctly directed to attempt no operations on the passage, and to proceed to the destination indicated with all reasonable despatch. the wording of the order was rather peculiar, and somewhat clumsy, flint thought; but then he had been a schoolmaster, and perhaps he was inclined to be over-critical. but the meaning of the first clause could not be mistaken, however, though the word "operations" seemed to indicate something on a grander scale and more prolonged than an encounter with a blockade-runner, or a confederate man-of-war; something in the nature of a campaign on shore, or a thorough scouring of the ocean in search of the vessels of the enemy. but any such interpretation of the order was rendered impossible by what followed. the commander was distinctly forbidden to engage the enemy if such an encounter could be avoided "with honor." the first lieutenant knew that a combat could be easily avoided simply by not following up any suspicious craft, unless a fully manned and armed confederate cruiser presented herself, and then it might be honorable to run away from her. there was no mistaking the meaning of the orders, and there was no chance to strain a point, and fall upon one or both of the expected steamers. the captain was strictly enjoined from meddling with them, even if they came in his way. if they chased the bronx, she would be justified in defending herself under the orders; and that was the most she could do. flint was terribly disappointed, and he regarded the commander with the deepest interest to learn what interpretation he would give to the orders, though there seemed to him to be no room even to take advantage of any fortunate circumstance. the appearance of the commander did not throw any new light upon the contents of the document. after he had finished the reading of the paper, christy sat in his chair, apparently still looking it over, as though he did not fully comprehend its meaning. but he made no sign and indulged in no remark of any kind, and in a few moments folded the order and put it back into his pocket. undoubtedly he was thinking very energetically of something, but he did not reveal the nature of his reflections. flint concluded that he was utterly dissatisfied with his orders, and even regarded them as a slight upon himself as the commander of the steamer for the time being. it was not customary to direct captains to avoid the enemy under all circumstances that were likely to be presented. the first lieutenant began to realize the disadvantage of sailing with a captain so young, for it looked to him as though the strange order had been issued on account of the youth of the commander. when christy had restored the paper to his pocket, he rose from his seat, and thus indicated that there was to be no consultation with the officers in regard to the unusual instructions. the two officers rose at the same time, and closely observed the face of the commander; but this time flint could find nothing there as serious as he had observed before; in fact, there was a twinkle in his eye that looked promising. "gentlemen, it is dinner time in the ward room, and i will not detain you any longer," said christy, as politely as he usually spoke to his officers, though the opera of "pinafore" had not been written at that time. flint bowed to his captain, and left the cabin; and his example was followed by baskirk. christy certainly did not look as though he were embarrassed by his orders, or as if he were disappointed at the restrictions they imposed upon him. he left the cabin so that dave could prepare his table for dinner as he had the time to do so. he left the cabin; but in the passage he called the steward to him, and whispered a brief sentence to him. he then ascended to the deck, and proceeded to take a "constitutional" on the windward side of the quarter deck. the gale had moderated very sensibly, though the wind was still from the southward. the sea was still quite rough, though it was likely to subside very soon. after the captain had walked as long as he cared to do, he mounted the bridge. "what do you think of the weather, mr. lillyworth?" he asked of the officer of the deck, after he had politely returned his salute. "i don't believe we shall have any more wind today," replied the second lieutenant, as he looked wisely at the weather indications the sky presented. "but it don't look much like fairing off, and i shall look for fog as long as the wind holds where it is." "i have been expecting to be buried in fog," added the captain, as he took a survey of the deck beneath him. "i see by the log slate that we are making fifteen knots an hour, and we certainly are not driving her." "there can be no doubt that this is a very fast vessel," said mr. lillyworth. "well, she ought to be, for i understand that she was built for a nobleman's yacht, and such men want speed, and are willing to pay for it." "by tomorrow, we shall be in the latitude of the bermudas, and most of the blockade runners put in there, or some more southern port, to get the news, and obtain a pilot, if they don't happen to have one on board." "that seems to be the way they do it." "this fog is favorable to blockade runners if they have a skilful pilot on board; and they all contrive to have such a one," added the captain, as he moved towards the steps to the deck. "i suppose you have opened your sealed orders, captain passford," said the second lieutenant, who seemed to be interested in this subject. "we have crossed the thirty-eighth parallel." "yes; i have opened the envelope, and found the orders very peculiar and very disappointing," replied the captain as he took a step on the ladder. "but you will excuse me now from speaking of them, for i have another matter on my mind." christy thought pink mulgrum might as well tell him about the orders and he could at least save his breath if he had no other motive for leaving the second lieutenant in the dark for the present. he went to the deck, and then down into the cabin. his breakfast was ready, but dave was not there, and he walked forward into the ward room, from which he saw mulgrum replenishing the table in the steerage. he had evacuated his place under the berth in the state room, and the captain went to his breakfast in his cabin. dave soon appeared with the hot dishes from the galley, for he had seen christy take his place at the table. "what's the news, dave?" asked the captain. "no news, sir, except that i gave pink a chance to get out of that state room," replied the steward, spreading out his broadest smile. "i spoke out loud just like i was calling to some one in the ward room, 'no, sir, i can't go now; i have to go to the galley for the dishes.' then i left the cabin, and went forward; when i came back, i looked under your berth, sir, and pink wasn't there then." "how did you know he was under the berth in the first place, dave?" "just before eight bells i saw him cleaning the brasses on the door. i think he will wear those door knobs all out before the cruise is up. i knew he was up to something, and i just watched him. he went out of sight and i did not know where he was. then i took the feather duster, and worked about the cabin; but i couldn't find him. then i dusted the state room, and then i did find him." "you have rendered good service, dave, and i shall not forget it," added christy. "where are mr. flint and mr. baskirk?" "in the ward room, sir." "give my compliments to them, and say that i wish to see them in my cabin in about ten minutes," continued the captain. dave left the cabin, and christy devoted himself to his breakfast; and in his haste to meet the officers indicated, he hurried the meal more than was prudent for the digestion. the steward reported that he had delivered the message, and christy finished his hasty collation. the table was hurriedly cleared by the steward, and the captain paid a visit to his state room, during which he did not fail to look under his berth. he had a trunk there, and he saw that it had been moved to the front of the space, so that there was room enough for the conspirator to conceal his body behind it, though his was a good-sized body. returning to the cabin, he took his usual seat at the table, facing the door. in a few minutes more mr. flint and mr. baskirk came to the door and were invited to come in. dave had returned from the galley, and he was instructed to watch that door as he was told to close it. [illustration: dave finds mulgrum under the berth.] flint took the seat assigned to him, and baskirk was placed opposite to him. the first lieutenant appeared to be a great deal more dissatisfied than the captain; but then he was a poor man, and next to his duty to his country, he was as anxious as the average officer to make all the money he could out of the prizes captured by his ship. it looked to him as though all his chances had slipped beyond his reach for the present. flint had taken no little stock in the two steamers that were expected on the coast at this time, and in spite of the treachery anticipated he had counted upon a share in at least one of them. he knew very well that the commander, from sharp experience at his side some months before, would not pass by an opportunity to strike a blow, even in the face of any reasonable risk. but now, as he looked at it, the wings of the young captain had been clipped by the authorities at washington, in the sealed orders. "i am glad to meet you again, gentlemen; indeed i may say that i am particularly glad to see you," said christy in his most cheerful tones, as he looked about the cabin, and especially at the ports, to see if there was a spy looking in at one of them. the thought came to him then and there that it was possible for a man to hang over the rail, and place one of his ears at an opening and listen to what was going on; and besides there were, besides mulgrum, six others who were capable of doing such a thing. he sent mr. baskirk on deck to see that no man was at work over the side. he returned and reported that no one was in a position to hear what was said in the cabin. flint did not seem to be as much interested in the proceedings as on former occasions, for he had had time to consider the effect of the orders, and he saw no way to evade them. they might pick up some cotton schooners, but no such prizes as the scotian and the arran were likely to be taken when the steamer reached her station, wherever it might be, and the whole squadron shared the proceeds of the captures. "you listened to the orders i read this noon," began christy, with a pronounced twinkling of his eyes. "yes, sir; and, captain passford, i have felt as if the gates of honor and profit had been closed against the bronx," added flint. "perhaps a second reading of the orders will put a different aspect on the gates," said the captain with a significant smile, the force of which, however, the first lieutenant failed to comprehend. "under these orders there seems to be no alternative but to hasten to the gulf of mexico, and run away from any blockade runner we may happen to see," growled flint. "you are not as amiable as usual, mr. flint." "how can one be amiable under such orders?" added flint, trying to smile. "i will read them over again, now that we have not as many auditors as before," said the captain. christy proceeded to read the document as it was written. chapter xii a sail on the starboard bow before captain passford had read two lines of the document in his hands, a noise as of a scuffle was heard in the passage way to the ward room. mr. baskirk was sent to ascertain the cause of the disturbance, and he threw the door wide open. dave was there, blocking the passage way, and pink mulgrum was trying to force his way towards the cabin door. the steward declared that no one must go to the cabin; it was the order of the captain himself. mulgrum found it convenient not to hear on this occasion. the moment baskirk appeared, the deaf mute exhibited a paper, which he passed to the new lieutenant, evidently satisfied that he could get no nearer to the door. when he had delivered the paper, he hastened up the ladder to the deck. dave came into the cabin and explained that mulgrum had tried to force him out of the way, and he had resisted. the intruder did not exhibit any paper till the third lieutenant appeared at the door. "that man is very persevering in his efforts to procure information," said christy, as he unfolded the paper. "'the fog is very dense ahead, and we shall soon be shut in by it,'" he read from the paper. "mr. lillyworth might have found a man that could speak for his messenger," he continued, "but of course he wanted to assist his confederate to obtain more information." "i don't see what he wants to know now, for mulgrum has told him the contents of the sealed envelope before this time, and he knows that the gates are closed against us," added flint. "it is plain enough that they have had their heads together." "certainly they have; but mr. lillyworth may not be any better satisfied with his information than you are, mr. flint," replied the captain, with an expressive smile, though he felt that his fellow officer had been tantalized long enough by the circumstances. "i have read and studied my orders very attentively. they direct me to proceed with all reasonable despatch to the gulf of mexico, and report to the flag officer of the eastern gulf squadron, or his representative." "'but information has been received,'" continued christy, reading what he had not read before, "'that two steamers, probably fitted out for service in the confederate navy, are approaching the coast of the southern states, and it is very important that they should be intercepted. both of these vessels are reported to have small crews, but they are said to be fast. the department regrets that it has not a suitable steamer available to send in search of these two vessels; but relying upon your well-known patriotism and the excellent record you have already made, you are instructed to intercept them, even if you are delayed a week or more by any hopeful circumstances.' that is the material portion of my orders," added christy, as he read the last sentence. "but i beg you to bear in mind that i did not write the commendatory expressions in the paper." "but they are as true as the holy gospels!" exclaimed flint, springing out of his chair in the heat of the excitement which the new reading of the orders produced in his mind. "but i thought you had read the sealed orders to us before, captain passford." "i read but a very small part of them before; and as i had to improvise the greater part of what i read, or rather did not read, but simply uttered, the language was not all well chosen," replied christy, laughing in spite of all his attempts to maintain his dignity. "the fact is, mr. flint, i had too many listeners when i read the paper before." "there was no one in the cabin but mr. baskirk and myself, and dave had been stationed at the door; or at least he was there, for he beckoned you out into the gangway just as you were beginning to read the orders," argued flint. "possibly i should have understood the first reading better if i had not seen for myself that you had taken all precautions against any listener. you went out when dave called you; but you were not gone half a minute; and that was not long enough for the steward to spin any long yarn." "but it was long enough for dave to tell me that pink mulgrum was under my berth, with the state room door open," replied christy. "just so; i comprehend the whole matter now," said flint, joining the captain in the laugh. "now you know what my instructions are, gentlemen," continued the commander, "and i hope and believe that mr. lillyworth and his right hand man do not know them. i think you have been already posted, mr. baskirk, in regard to the anomalous state of affairs on board of the bronx," added the captain. "not fully, captain passford; but mr. flint has told me something about the situation," replied the third lieutenant. "it may not be necessary, gentlemen, that i should say it, but not a word of what passes in my cabin is to be repeated in any other part of the ship; not even in the ward room when you believe you are entirely alone," said the captain, very earnestly and impressively. "if the doors and keyholes do not have ears, there may be ears behind them, as some of us have learned to our entire satisfaction." "not a word from me, captain passford," added baskirk. "and not one from me," repeated flint. "unquestionably the curiosity of mr. lillyworth and his confederate are and will continue to be excited to the highest pitch," continued christy. "i shall have occasion to change the course of the ship, and head her more to the eastward. of course the second lieutenant will observe this, and will understand that i am not following the orders reported to him by mulgrum. you are my only confidants on board, and it will be necessary for you to refer mr. lillyworth to me when he asks for further information." "perfectly understood," replied flint, who was now in most excellent humor. "now, gentlemen, i will leave you in my cabin that mr. baskirk may be more fully instructed in regard to the matters which have passed between mr. flint and myself. i have great expectations in regard to you, mr. baskirk, and i am confident that you will realize them." saying this, christy bowed to his companions, and left the cabin, retiring to his state room and closing the door. he had on board a full supply of charts and nautical instruments of his own, in addition to those belonging to the ship. spreading out the chart of the south atlantic on the desk, he went to work with his dividers and parallel rule. he made his figures on a piece of paper, and then laid off a course on the chart with a pencil, to be deepened in red ink at another time. writing "southeast by east" on a slip of paper, he restored his charts and instruments to their places and left the state room. the two lieutenants were still in his cabin, but he did not disturb them and went on deck. before he reached the bridge, six bells struck, or three o'clock in the afternoon. he then ascended the ladder to the bridge. the fog which the second lieutenant had predicted had not yet enveloped the ship; on the contrary, it looked more like clearing off, and some patches of blue sky could be seen. "mr. lillyworth, you will make the course southeast by east," said christy, looking at the officer of the deck. "southeast by east!" exclaimed the second lieutenant; and his remark needed an exclamation point after it, for though it was customary to repeat an order to make sure that it was understood, he did so in such a tone and in such a manner as to manifest very clearly his astonishment at the nature of the order. the former course had been south by west. one thing was fully evident from this surprise--that the officer of the deck gave full faith to the bogus instructions which had been imparted to him by mulgrum. he believed that the bronx was to hasten to the gulf, as the former course indicated. it was plain enough to lillyworth that the captain was disregarding his instructions; but his lips were sealed in regard to this disobedience, for he could not indicate in any manner that he knew the purport of the sealed orders; and doubtless it did not occur to him that the deaf mute had been blinded, in addition to his other infirmities. the course was given out to the quartermaster at the wheel. the steamer promptly fell off, and began to ride quartering over the smart billows, brought out by the wind from the south-southwest, as it had blown for the last hour or more. christy believed that he had put everything in train for accomplishing the mission of the bronx on the new course he had just ordered. there were no more orders to be read, and he did not see that the conspirators could do anything more to derange the plans of the loyal officers and seamen on board. all they had attempted so far was to obtain information in regard to the movements of the vessel; and christy had taken care that they should receive all the information they wanted, though not as reliable as it might have been. he was satisfied with the situation as it must remain till some decided event should call for energetic action. the captain and the two ward-room officers in his confidence were obliged to conduct themselves with the utmost caution and discretion in order not to undo anything which had been done in blinding the eyes of the conspirators. christy had an abundance of writing to do, and it was of a kind that would not betray any of his secrets; he called upon mulgrum to do this work, in order to keep up appearances. he did not call any more conferences with his friends in the cabin, for there was no need of any, and entire silence was the more prudent. the bronx proceeded on the course the captain had given out until the twentieth of the month, when the steamer was a little to the southward of the bermudas. she had not been near enough to the islands to be made out from the shore. on this day, when the bronx was three days from sandy hook, the fog which mr. lillyworth had been predicting settled down on the steamer, not as dense as it might be, but thick enough to prevent those on board of her from seeing anything at any great distance from her. the second lieutenant, in charge of the deck, suggested to the captain that the whistle should be blown; but christy answered very emphatically that no whistles were to be blown; though he ordered the lookouts to be doubled, and the steamer to proceed at half speed. in the middle of the second dog watch, in charge of mr. baskirk, the lookout on the topsail yard made himself heard, and the others aloft repeated the call. "sail on the starboard bow, sir!" said the first lookout from the yard, hailing the bridge. captain passford heard the hail from aloft, for he was planking the deck with the first lieutenant. both of them rushed forward at a pace rather undignified for a commander. "silence, aloft!" shouted the captain. "we have made her out. mr. flint, you will take the deck, and call all hands without any unnecessary noise." this order was given to giblock, the boatswain, and in a minute or two every man on board was in his station. the first lieutenant remained on the bridge, but the second took his place in the waist, and the third forward, though this arrangement of the officers was not sanctioned by ancient usage. silence was commanded, and the engine, working at half speed, made hardly any noise. the captain had spoken to sampson, the chief engineer, and he had done his best to avoid all noise in his department. the captain and the first lieutenant remained on the bridge, anxiously sighting in the direction in which the sail had been reported to be. as the captain had instructed the engineer to do, he had caused the fires to be reduced and a change of fuel used so that the smokestack of the bronx was just beginning to send up volumes of black smoke. the bunkers contained a small portion of soft coal for this purpose. chapter xiii the steamer in the fog the bronx was slowly approaching the steamer in the fog, which appeared to have stopped her propeller, and to be resting motionless on the long swells, hardly disturbed by a breath of air. by this time the smokestack of the bronx was vomiting forth dense clouds of black smoke. the steamers of the navy used anthracite coal, which burns without any great volume of smoke, and blockade runners had already begun to lay in whatever stock of it they were able to procure to be used as they approached the coast where they were to steal through the national fleet. the attention of the naval department of the united states had already been given to this subject, and the first steps had been taken to prevent the sale of this comparatively smokeless coal where it could be obtained by the blockade runners. christy had been on the blockade; and he had been in action with a steamer from the other side of the ocean; and he knew that this black smoke of the soft coal, exclusively used by english steamers, was a telltale in regard to such vessels. it had been an idea of his own to take in a supply of this kind of fuel, for while its smoke betrayed the character of vessels intending to run the blockade, the absence of it betrayed the loyalty of the national steamers to the blockade runners. it was a poor rule that would not work both ways, and the commander of the bronx had determined to adopt the scheme he had now put in force on board of his vessel. although the craft on the starboard bow could hardly be distinguished in the fog, christy had sent a trusty seaman aloft to report on the color of the smoke that issued from her funnel. this man had reported by swinging his cap in the air, as the captain had instructed him to do if he found that the smoke was that of soft coal. if there was no black smoke, he was to return to the deck without making any sign. the moment therefore that the man had been able to see the quality of the smoke, the commander was made as wise as though he had seen it himself. the information left him no doubt that the steamer was intended to run the blockade; but whether or not she was one of the expected pair, of course he could form no opinion, for already this part of the ocean had begun to swarm with vessels in this service. "i am beginning to make her out a little better," said flint, who had been straining his eyes to the utmost capacity, as everybody else on board was doing, to obtain the best and earliest information in regard to the stranger on the starboard bow. "what do you make out, mr. flint?" asked christy, who was too busily employed in watching the movements of the officers and seamen on his own deck to give especial attention to the character of the other steamer. "i can't see well enough yet to say anything in regard to details," replied the first lieutenant. "i can only make out her form and size; and she seems to be as nearly like the bronx as one pea is like another, though i should say that she was longer." "is she in motion?" asked the captain with interest. "she appears to be at rest, though it is possible that she is moving very slowly; but if she has not stopped her screw, she is not going more than four knots." "you say that she is built like the bronx, mr. flint?" asked christy anxiously. "just like her; i should say that both hulls came out of the same mould." "that very nearly settles the question in my mind. probably she was designed by the same naval architect, and constructed by the same builders, as the bronx," replied christy, gazing intently at the dim outlines of the steamer in the fog. "when a designer has made a great reputation for fast ships, men with piles of money, like the former owners of the bronx, the scotian, and the arran, employ him to furnish the plans for their steam yachts. from what we have learned so far, though it is very little indeed, i feel reasonably sure that this steamer ahead of us is the scotian or the arran, and i don't care much which it is. but why has she stopped her screw, or reduced her speed to four knots?" "that is a question that can only be answered an hour or two hence, if ever," replied the first lieutenant. "but it is a very important question all the same," added christy. "i doubt if the bronx is making four knots at the present moment," said flint, as he went to the end of the bridge, and looked down into the water. "in changing the fires in the furnaces, mr. sampson had been obliged to clear them out in part, and that has reduced the pressure of steam; but we shall soon have the usual head," said christy, as he went to the speaking tube and communicated with the chief engineer. he was informed that his explanation was correct in regard to the coal, and that in a very short time the boilers would have a full head of steam. christy spent the next few minutes in an earnest study of the scarcely perceptible outline of the steamer in the fog. he was hardly wiser when he had finished his examination than before. the hull and lower masts of the vessel could be indistinctly made out, and that was all. sampson informed him that he had not been using all the steam he had, and that the screw was hardly turning at all. he ordered him to stop it entirely. impatient as he was to follow up the discovery that had been made, he realized that it would be very imprudent to expose his ship to possible danger when he had not steam enough to work her to the best advantage. he could only wait; but he was satisfied that he had done the best possible thing in changing the coal, for the black smoke would effectually blind the officers of the other vessel. they were not engaged in a chase, and the exciting question could be settled a few hours hence as well as at the present time. "if the steamer ahead is the scotian or the arran, as i fully believe she is, probably her consort is somewhere in these waters," said the commander. "probably she lost sight of her in this fog," added flint. "but, captain passford, we are in the face of something, though we do not yet know precisely what. i suppose you have your eye on mr. lillyworth?" "i have kept him in sight all the time. he is on the quarter deck now, as he has been since all hands were called," replied christy, who had not failed to look at him for a full minute since the discovery of the sail on the starboard. "he seems to be perplexed by the situation, and his time for action, if he intends to act, has not yet come." "i don't see pink mulgrum anywhere about the deck." "i saw him a few minutes since," added christy. "he passed several times quite near mr. lillyworth, and very likely something was said between them; but they had no long talk." christy had charged dave to watch mulgrum if he went below, and to follow him up closely; but the deaf mute had been on deck most of the time. there was nothing that he could do, and nothing that the second lieutenant could do, to embarrass the operations of the ship while she remained at rest. the captain then descended to the deck, and personally looked into the condition of everything. in the course of his round he came to the quarter deck where the second lieutenant was stationed. he could see that he was nervous and uneasy about something, and it was not difficult to divine what perplexed him. he could hardly see the black smoke from the funnel of the steamer in the fog, for his place on the deck did not permit him to obtain as good a view of her as could be had from the bridge, and especially from aloft. "do you make out what that vessel is, captain passford?" asked lillyworth, as christy passed near him. "not yet, mr. lillyworth," replied the captain, not caring to converse with the conspirator. "the fog does not seem to be very dense, and i should think the vessel might be made out from aloft," added the second lieutenant, evidently very anxious to know more about the sail ahead. "not very clearly," replied christy, as he went forward to the engine hatch. he descended to the engine room, and while he was listening to the roar of the flames in the furnaces, so different from the action of anthracite coal, sampson came up from the fire room. "we shall have a sufficient head of steam in a few minutes to justify you in going ahead, captain passford," said the engineer without waiting to be questioned. "i am glad to hear it, though we are in no special hurry at present, in spite of our impatience to know what is before us," replied the captain. "do you know the man who passes under the name of mulgrum, mr. sampson?" "you mean pink, the deaf mute? mr. nawood pointed him out to me, and i have seen him about the deck or in the steerage several times." "has he been in the engine room at any time since we sailed?" asked christy. "he may have been; but i have not noticed him anywhere in my department," replied sampson. "you will not allow him in the engine or fire room," continued the captain. "send him out, drive him out, if necessary, at once." "being deaf and dumb, i should suppose he were harmless wherever he happened to be. is he--" "never mind what he is just now, mr. sampson," interposed christy. "be very particular to obey my order in regard to him to the letter; that's all now. inform me at once when you are ready to go ahead, and i shall be on the bridge." the order which christy had just given to the engineer was the result of his reflection since he came down from the bridge. he had been cudgelling his brains to determine what the conspirators could possibly do when the decisive moment came, if it should happen to come as he neared the steamer in the fog, to derange the operations on board. it seemed to him before that all they could do was to leap on board of the enemy, if it came to boarding her, and reinforce her crew. he had talked over this matter with flint and baskirk, and there were three who would be ready to shoot either of them the instant their treachery should be apparent. before it would be possible to board, a man as intelligent as mulgrum, who had served as executive officer, could easily disable the engine. this idea had but just come to the commander, who thought before that he had closed every opening against the conspirators. he went on deck as soon as he had settled this matter. the fog seemed to be rather more dense than before, and when he went on the bridge, it was reported that the stranger could no longer be made out. "i have just received the roster of the 'bronx association,'" said flint, as the captain joined him. "it is signed by every man on board, including the supernumeraries forward, except spoors, blocker, veering, packer, pickford, and runyon. i inquired why these men would not join, but could not learn that they had any reason except that they did not wish to be members. i have seen mr. lillyworth talking to all of these men, and i think we can be certain now who is white and who is black." "on the bridge!" came from the speaking tube, at this moment, and the captain was near enough to hear it. mr. sampson reported that he had steam enough to make at least ten knots an hour. the commander then instructed the first lieutenant to see that both divisions of boarders were armed with cutlass and revolver, in readiness for action. the second lieutenant was to attend to the working of the broadside guns, mr. baskirk was to lead the first division of boarders, and mr. giblock, the boatswain, the second. flint went below to the deck to execute his orders, and the captain ordered the quartermaster to ring one bell. chapter xiv the confederate steamer scotian one bell sounded on the gong in the engine room, and the bronx began to go ahead. christy felt that the most tremendous hour of his lifetime had come, and he struggled to keep down the excitement which agitated him; and he succeeded so far that he appeared to be the coolest man on board of the ship. when flint came in the vicinity of the bridge, he called to him to join him. the men were procuring their revolvers and cutlasses, and he had a moment to spare. the captain instructed him to conceal the boarders so that they could not be seen on board the steamer in the fog when the bronx came up with her. he added some other details to his orders. "if possible, i wish you to keep as near lillyworth as you can," continued christy, "for i shall not have the opportunity to watch him. this war cannot be conducted on peace principles, and if that man attempts to defeat my orders in any manner, don't hesitate to put a ball from your revolver through his heart. use reasonable care, mr. flint, but bear in mind that i am not to be defeated in the capture of that steamer, if she proves to be what i suppose she is, by the treachery of one who accepted a position as an officer on board of the bronx." the commander was firm and decided in his manner, and flint had served with him enough to know that he meant what he said. "i will obey your orders to the letter, captain passford, using all reasonable precautions in the discharge of my duty," replied flint. "mr. lillyworth was in a state of mutiny just now, and spoke to me." "what did he say?" "he declared that he was second lieutenant of the ship, and it was his right to command the first division of boarders. he wouldn't stand it. i told him he was to be in command of the guns. he insisted that you did not intend to fire a gun if you could help it. i replied that we should not board the vessel either if we could help it. but i had no time to argue with him, and referred him to the captain. then he moved towards the ladder of the bridge, and i forbade him to leave his station. that is the whole of it. i have seen him speak to each of the six men we now know to be his friends, to say nothing of mulgrum. i left him then." "all right so far, mr. flint. return to the deck, if you please, and be sure that the boarders are kept out of sight from this moment," added christy. "quartermaster, ring four bells," he added, turning to the pilot house. "four bells, sir," repeated mcspindle, who was at the wheel. the bronx soon began to feel the effect of this order, and the smoke poured out in increased volume from the smokestack, affected by the stronger draught produced by the additional speed. "on the topsail yard!" called the captain, directing his speaking trumpet aloft. "on the bridge, sir!" replied the man. "can you make out the steamer?" "no, sir; only her topmasts and fore rigging." "how does she lie from the bronx?" "still on the starboard bow, sir." "port the helm, quartermaster," added the captain. "port, sir," replied mcspindle. for about five minutes more, the bronx went ahead at full speed, and christy was confident that she was again making fifteen knots. "on the bridge, sir!" called the man on the fore yard. "aloft!" "i make her out now; she has the confederate flag at the peak." "all right!" exclaimed christy to himself, though he spoke out loud. the steamer had set her colors, and there was no longer any doubt in regard to her character. the flag also indicated that she was not a blockade runner in the ordinary sense of the word, but a confederate man-of-war. warnock reported that she had taken her armament on board from another vessel at some point south of england, and the colors also assured christy that the steamer was one of the pair expected. still the bronx went ahead at full speed, and presently a gun was heard from the direction in which she lay, though the captain was unable to decide what it meant. it might be a signal of distress, but the man on the yard had not reported the colors as union down; and it might be simply a defiance. it was probable that the scotian and arran had put in at st. george, and it was more than possible that they had shipped a reinforcement to her reported small crew. "aloft!" called the captain again. "on the bridge, sir!" replied the lookout. "is the steamer under way?" "i think not, sir; but i can't make out her wake, it is so low." "starboard a little, quartermaster." "starboard, sir." christy heard, or thought he heard, for he was not sure about it, the sound of a bell. a minute later the quartermaster in the pilot house struck seven bells, which was repeated on the top-gallant forecastle of the bronx, and he was confident this was what he had heard on board of the stranger. "quartermaster, strike one bell," he added. "one bell, sir;" and the gong resounded from the engine room, and the speed of the bronx was immediately reduced. a minute later christy obtained a full view of the steamer. she was headed to the southwest, and her propeller was not in motion. as the lookout had reported, she was the counterpart of the bronx, though she was a larger vessel. he gave some further orders to the quartermaster at the wheel, for he had decided to board the steamer on her port side. the boarders had been concealed in proper places under this arrangement, and the captain had directed the course of the bronx so that a shot from her could hardly do any harm, if she took it into her head to fire one. "arran, ahoy!" shouted a hoarse voice through a speaking trumpet from the steamer. "on board the scotian!" replied christy through his trumpet. after the vessel had hailed the arran, the captain had no difficulty in deciding that the other craft was the scotian; and he was especially glad that the officer of that vessel had hailed him in this particular form. the single word spoken through that trumpet was the key to the entire enigma. every possible doubt was removed by it. he was now assured, as he had not been before, that he had fallen in with one of the two vessels of which his father had given him information, and which his sealed orders required him to seek, even if he was detained a week or more. christy spent no time in congratulating himself on the situation, but the tremendous idea passed through his whole being in an instant. "we are disabled!" shouted the officer on board of the scotian through his trumpet. "please send your engineer on board." "all right!" replied christy. "go ahead a little faster, mr. sampson. we are very near the steamer." the young commander cast his eyes over the deck of his vessel to assure himself that everything was ready for the important moment, though the situation did not indicate that a very sharp battle was to be fought. everything was in order, and the first lieutenant was planking the deck, looking as though he felt quite at home, for he was as cool as a jersey cucumber. farther aft was lillyworth, as uneasy as a caged tiger, for no doubt he realized that the scotian was to fall a victim to the circumstances that beset her, rather than as the result of a spirited chase or a sharply fought battle. he looked about him for a moment, and the instant he turned his head, mulgrum came out from behind the mast, and passed quite near him. the captain could not tell whether the second lieutenant had spoken to the deaf mute or not, but the latter hastened to the engine hatch, and descended to the engine room. the bronx was within less than a cable's length of the scotian, whose name could now be read on her stern, when mulgrum, apparently ordered by lillyworth to do so, had hastened to the engine hatch. even on the bridge the noise of a scuffle could be heard in the engine room, and the captain was sure that sampson had been obedient to his orders. another minute or two would determine in what manner the scotian was to be captured, and christy hastened down the ladder to the deck. as soon as his foot pressed the planks, he hastened to the engine hatch. calling to the engineer, he learned that the deaf mute had been knocked senseless by sampson, and lay on the sofa. he waited to hear no more, but went forward where there were bell pulls on the deck, and rang two bells to stop her. then he gave some orders to the quartermaster, and rang three bells to back her. the bronx came alongside of the scotian as handsomely as though she had been a river steamer making one of her usual landings. the hands who had been stationed for the purpose immediately used their grappling irons, and the two vessels were fast to each other. "boarders!--" the first lieutenant shouted at a sign from the captain; but before he could complete the order, pawcett, for we may now call him by his right name, leaped on the bulwarks of the bronx. "this is a united states"--he began to say, but he was allowed to proceed no farther, for the first lieutenant raised the revolver he carried in his left hand, doubtless for this very purpose, and fired. pawcett did not utter another word, but fell back upon the deck of the bronx; where no one took any further notice of him. "boarders, away!" shouted the first lieutenant. this time the sentence was finished, and the order was promptly executed. hardly a half minute had been lost by the attempt of pawcett to prepare the officers of the scotian to do their duty; but he had said enough to enable the ship's company to understand what he would have said if he had finished his announcement. the officers and seamen were both surprised, and there was a panic among the latter, though the former rallied them in a moment. but they had lost all their chances, and after an insignificant struggle, the deck of the steamer was in possession of the boarders. the crew were driven forward by the victorious "bronxies" as giblock called them. "do you surrender?" said mr. baskirk to the officer he took for the captain. "i do not see that i have any other alternative," replied the commander of the scotian, politely enough, but it was evident that he was sorely afflicted, and even ashamed of himself. "i understand now that i am the victim of a yankee trick." "allow me to introduce you to captain passford, commander of the united states steamer bronx," continued mr. baskirk, as christy came on board of the prize. the captain of the scotian retreated a pace as christy stepped up in front of him, and gracefully lifted his cap to the unfortunate commander. "i beg your pardon, sir, but did i understand you to say that this young gentleman is the commander of the steamer alongside?" demanded the captain, looking at christy from head to foot. "he is the commander, sir; captain passford," added baskirk. "may i be allowed to ask whom i have the honor to address?" christy began, lifting his cap again, as did the other also. "captain dinsmore, at your service." "i sincerely regret your personal misfortune while i rejoice at the result of this action, as a loyal citizen of the united states," replied christy. then he invited the captain to his cabin. chapter xv the scotian becomes the ocklockonee as he went to the deck of the bronx, the young commander sent the first lieutenant on board of the prize to superintend the arrangements for disposing of the ship's company. captain dinsmore was requested to produce his papers, and christy conducted him to his cabin. as his father had advised him always to be on such occasions, he was studiously polite, as in fact he was at all times. whether the other captain was usually so or not, he was certainly courteous in every respect, though, with the heavy misfortune which had befallen him, it was vastly more difficult for him to control his feelings, and conduct himself in a gentlemanly manner. captain passford desired to understand in what capacity the scotian was approaching the american coast before he made his final arrangements. after giving his guest, as he regarded him, or rather treated him, a chair in his cabin, christy called dave, who had followed him below. "will you excuse me a moment or two while i attend to a necessary duty?" said he, turning to captain dinsmore, as he seated himself at the table. "certainly, captain; i am not so much in a hurry as i have been at other times," replied the other with a rather sickly smile. "keep a sharp lookout for the arran," christy wrote on a piece of paper, and handed it to the steward. "give that to mr. flint." captain passford had observed when he visited the deck of the scotian that she was well armed, and he had no doubt that her consort was similarly provided for the business of war. it was therefore of the highest importance that the arran should not come unexpectedly upon the bronx at a time when she was hardly in condition to meet an enemy. "now, captain dinsmore, may i trouble you for your papers?" he continued, turning to his guest, as he preferred to regard him. "i admit your right to examine them under present circumstances," replied captain dinsmore, as he delivered the package to him. "perhaps we may simplify and abbreviate this examination to some extent, sir, if you are so disposed," added christy, as he looked the other full in the face. "i shall be happy to have you do so, captain passford," replied the visitor in the cabin, with something like eagerness in his manner. "you conduct yourself like a gentleman, sir, and i am not at all disposed to embarrass you unnecessarily." "thank you, sir; i appreciate your courtesy." "i am afraid it is not so much courtesy as it is desperation, for if i should act in accordance with my feelings, i should blow my brains out without any delay," said captain dinsmore. "i should not say as much as this to any but a generous enemy; but i feel that i am ruined, and that there is nothing more in the future for me." christy really sympathized with him, and could not help thinking how he should feel if the situations were reversed. he realized that the commander of the scotian had been very careless in the discharge of his duty in permitting any vessel to come alongside of her without considering that she might be an enemy. this inefficiency was doubtless the cause of his distress. christy had kept uppermost in his mind the advice of his father at the last moment before he sailed, and he asked himself if, while the prisoner was thus exciting his sympathy and compassion, the latter was not expecting the arran would appear and reverse the fortunes of war. "i am sorry you take such a severe view of your situation," added the captain of the bronx. "but my first duty is to ascertain the character of the vessel which you surrender." "you shall have no doubt in regard to that, captain passford," answered the commander of the scotian, proudly. "i am not a dickering merchant, trying to make money out of the situation of my country. the scotian, as you call her, is the confederate steamer ocklockonee, and here is my commission as a lieutenant in the confederate navy," he added as he took the document from his pocket and tendered it to his captor. christy looked at the paper, and then examined the other papers in the packet. they left no doubt in his mind as to the character of the ocklockonee, if he had had any before. he folded up the commission and politely returned it to the owner. the examination was completed so far as he was concerned; but captain dinsmore did not seem to be satisfied, though he made no complaint that anything was wrong in the proceedings. he was evidently a very proud and high-strung man, and appeared to be unable to reconcile himself to the situation. "i am a ruined man!" he exclaimed several times; and when he looked at the commander of the bronx, measuring him from head to foot, as he had already done several times, it seemed to increase his distress of mind, and make him more nervous than before. "while i regret that a brave man like yourself, captain, should be at war with the government which i honor and love, i hope that personally your future will be as bright as i am sure your merit deserves," said christy. "if it had been a square and well-fought action, i should not feel as i do about it. you will pardon me, and understand that i mean no disrespect to you, captain, but i look upon myself as the victim of a yankee trick," said captain dinsmore, bitterly. "but please to consider that i do not charge any blame or treachery upon you, sir." "i think i can understand your feelings, sir; but i cannot see that in resorting to strategy to save my men, my conduct has been in any manner dishonorable," replied christy, holding his head a little higher than usual. "i should hold that i had been guilty of misconduct if i had failed to take advantage of the circumstances under which i have captured the ocklockonee." "i quite agree with you, captain passford. i should have done the same thing myself if the opportunity had been presented to me," the guest hastened to say. "but that does not in the least degree relieve me from the consequences of my own negligence. when you are more at leisure, i hope you will permit me to make an explanation of the situation in which i was placed." "i shall be happy to listen to anything you may desire to say to me when i have the leisure to hear you." "thank you, sir." christy hastened on deck to attend to the many duties required of him. the first sight that presented itself when he reached the head of the companion way was the form of the second lieutenant, which remained as it had fallen from the rail. he sent for dr. spokely, and directed him to ascertain whether or not pawcett was dead. while the surgeon was examining him, mr. sampson came up from below with a bolt in his hand, and touched his cap to the commander. "you are at work on the engine of the ocklockonee, are you?" asked christy, and this inquiry was one of the duties which had been on his mind before he left the cabin. "yes, sir; and i have already examined her engine; i suppose you mean the scotian, for that is the name on her stern, they tell me," replied the chief engineer. "her new name is the ocklockonee." "i have examined the engine," replied sampson. "is the damage very serious?" asked the captain anxiously. "far from it; she has broken a bolt which disables her, and she ought to have had one to replace it without more than five minutes' delay, but it appears that they have not one on board; at least none could be found when it was wanted, and they were at work forging one when the bronx came alongside." "all right; repair the damage as soon as possible. i heard a scuffle in the engine room just as we were running alongside the ocklockonee," said the captain, looking inquiringly at the engineer. "yes, sir; there was a scuffle there. pink mulgrum was rushing down the ladder when i stopped him. he tried to push by me when i made signs to him to return to the deck. then he gave a spring at my throat, and as i saw that he had a revolver in his hand, i did not hesitate to hit him on the head with a bar of iron i had in my hand. he dropped on the deck. i put his revolver in my pocket, and stretched him out on the sofa. he did not move, and i left him there." "i will send the surgeon to him," added the captain, as he went on board of the prize, followed by sampson. the first lieutenant had been busy on the deck of the vessel, but he had been able to accomplish but little in the absence of definite instructions from the captain. all the seamen were held in the forward part of the deck, and there were twenty-four of them, including the petty officers, but not the stokers, as the firemen were called. the engineers and all connected with their department remained below so far as could be learned. two officers remained seated on the quarter deck; but they did not appear to be so thoroughly cast down as the captain, doubtless because they were not called upon to bear the responsibility of the capture. "have you set a sharp lookout, mr. flint?" asked the captain. "the lookout remains the same on board of the bronx, though i have cautioned the quartermaster on the fore yard to keep his eyes wide open; and i have stationed four men on board of the scotian." "very well; we are all right so far; but if the other vessel is as well armed as this one she is capable of giving us a great deal of trouble," replied the captain. "i only hope we may find her," added flint heartily. "we shall look for her at any rate. but we must get things regulated on board of both vessels at once, for i judge that the arran cannot be far off, for the officers hailed us as the arran when we were approaching, which shows that they were confident in regard to her identity, or they would not have given themselves away so readily." "we have made a lucky hit, and i hope we shall be able to reap the full benefit of it," added flint. "we must provide for the immediate future without any delay," continued christy. "our first duty will be to search for the arran, and we can use the ocklockonee, which the captain says is her present name, to assist in the chase, for we have force enough to man both vessels, though we are not oversupplied with officers." "there are two more quartermasters who are nearly as good men as baskirk," replied the first lieutenant. "i ask no better officer than baskirk has proved himself to be. i shall retain him on board of the bronx, and for the present i shall ask you to take command of the ocklockonee; and you may select your own officers. the probability is that, if we find the arran, we shall have a fight with her." "then i shall make mcspindle my first lieutenant, and luffard my second," added flint, evidently pleased with the idea of having even a temporary command. "i shall appoint baskirk in your place on board of the bronx; but i need one more." "i recommend amblen, though he is not as well qualified as the others i have named." "send for these men at once," added the captain. one of them was on the topsail yard of the bronx, but all of them soon appeared in the waist of the prize. they were informed of the honor which had been conferred upon them, and were immediately assigned to duty. the crew of the ocklockonee were divided between the two steamers, and were put under guard below. chapter xvi captain passford's final orders a tolerable state of order and regularity had been brought out of the confusion that prevailed on board of the ocklockonee, and the newly appointed officers went to the stations where they belonged. sampson reported the engine of the steamer as in good order, and ready for service. "who is the chief engineer of the ocklockonee, mr. sampson?" asked captain passford, after he had listened to the report. "his name is bockburn; he is a scotchman, and appears to be a very good fellow," replied the engineer of the bronx. "does he talk at all about what has just happened on board of his steamer?" asked the captain, deeply interested, for he had some difficulty in arranging the engineer's department on board of the prize, as he considered the new order of things. "yes, sir; he talks at the rate of twenty knots an hour, and if his steamer can get ahead as well as his tongue, she is a fast one," replied sampson, laughing. "well, what does he say? i want to know how he stands affected by the present condition of affairs," continued the captain rather impatiently, for he was too busy to enjoy the humor of the engineer. "he is a thrifty scotchman; and i don't believe he has any interest in anything under the sun except his wages; and he is a little sour on that account to find that his cruise is finished, as he puts it." "send for him and his assistants, mr. sampson." the engineer went to the engine hatch, and called the men below. "now send for mr. gawl," added the captain. "he is your first assistant; is he a competent man to run an engine?" "as competent as i am myself; and the engine of this steamer is exactly like that of the bronx, so that he can have no trouble with it, if you think of retaining him on board of the ocklockonee," replied sampson. "i propose to make him chief engineer of her." "you could not find a better man," said sampson, as he went to summon gawl. the three engineers of the prize came on deck, and the captain took the chief aside. "mr. bockburn, i believe, the chief engineer of the ocklockonee?" said christy. "of the scotian, sir; for i know nothing of the jaw-cracking names that the officers in the cabin have given her," replied the engineer, shrugging his shoulders, and presenting a dissatisfied air. "are you an engineer in the confederate navy, sir?" asked christy, bringing the business to a head at once. "no, sir, i am not," answered the engineer very decidedly. "you see, captain, that the scotian was sold to come across the water, and i was out of a job, with a family to support. they did not say anything about the service in which the scotian was to be engaged, but i understood it. when they spoke to me about it, i was glad to keep my place as long as she did not make war on the united kingdom. in truth, i may say that i did not care a fig about the quarrel in the states, and was as ready to run an engine on one side as the other as long as i got my wages, and was able to support my family handsomely, as, thank god, i have always done. i am not a student of politics, and i only read enough in the newspapers to know what is going on in the world. i always find that i get ahead better when i mind my own business, and it can't be said that andy bockburn ever--" "precisely so, mr. bockburn; but i will hear the rest of your story at another time," interposed the captain when he found that the man was faithful to the description sampson had given of his talking powers. "you understand perfectly what has transpired on board of the scotian as you choose still to call her; in a word, that she is a prize to the united states steamer bronx?" "i understand it all as clearly as though i read it in a book; and it was all on account of the want of a bolt that i was sure i put on board of the vessel before she sailed; and i am just as sure of it now as i ever was. but then, you see, captain, a man can't always be sure of the men under him, though he may be sure of himself. i have no doubt--" "short yarns, if you please, mr. bockburn. you understand the situation, and i will add that i intend to use this vessel as well as the bronx in the service of my government. are you willing to do duty on board of her in any capacity in which i may place you in the engineer department, provided you receive the same wages as before?" "i am, sir; and i was paid a month in advance, so that i shall not lose anything," chuckled the careful scotchman. "if you are regularly appointed, though i can only give you a temporary position, in addition to your wages, you will be entitled to your share in any prize we may hereafter capture." "then i will take any position you will please to give me," answered the engineer, apparently delighted with the prospect thus held out to him. "i shall appoint you first assistant engineer of the bronx," continued the captain, not a little to the astonishment of flint, who wondered that he was not assigned to the ocklockonee. "i am quite satisfied, captain," replied bockburn, bowing and smiling, for wages were more than rank to him. "i will bring up my kit at once, sir. you see, captain, when a man has a family he--" "precisely as you say, mr. bockburn," interrupted the captain. "you will report to mr. sampson in the engine room of the bronx for further orders." "thank you, sir; i supposed i was out of a job from this out, and i was feeling--" "feel your way to the engine room of the bronx. mr. gawl," the captain proceeded. "on duty, sir," replied the first assistant engineer of the bronx, touching his cap as respectfully as though the commander had been forty years old. "you are appointed temporarily as chief engineer of the ocklockonee, and you will take your place in the engine room as soon as possible," said the captain, as brusquely as though favors cost nothing. mr. gawl was taken to the engine room and introduced to the first and second assistants, rowe and leeds, and was kindly received by them, for, like their late chief, the question of wages was the only one that affected them. they promised to be faithful to the government they were to serve, and to discharge their duties faithfully under the direction of the new chief. the two officers on the quarter deck had watched all these proceedings with interest. they were the only persons remaining on board who had not been disposed of in some manner. christy approached them while captain flint, as he was now to be called by courtesy, was making his final arrangements with the crew that had been assigned to the prize. both of the officers bowed civilly to the commander as he presented himself on the quarter deck. they were older men than captain dinsmore, though neither was over forty-five. christy suspected that they were not confederate officers as soon as he had a chance to look them over. "may i ask, gentlemen, if you are officers of the confederate navy?" asked christy, as he looked from one to the other of the men. "we are not, sir," replied the senior of them. "of course you are aware that you are serving in a confederate man-of-war?" added christy. "i should say that was hardly true up to date. the captain holds a commission in the confederate navy, but the ship has never been into a confederate port, captain passford," replied the senior, who had learned the commander's name. "as you call me by name, perhaps you will enable me to do as much with you," added christy. "my name is farley lippard; i shipped as first officer of the scotian," replied the senior. "and mine is edward sangston; and i shipped as second officer of the steamer." "we shipped only for the voyage, and were told that we could not retain our situations after the ship's company was fully organized," added mr. lippard. "then i hope you were paid in advance, as the engineers were," said christy with a smile. "we were, sir, thank you," added the first officer. "though we were told that we could not obtain any rank in the navy because there were more officers than ships, the agent said we should find plenty of employment on board of blockade runners coming out with cotton." "i suppose you are englishmen?" said the captain. "scotchmen, sir, but british subjects." "i cannot put you on shore and i may not have an opportunity to ship you to your homes by another vessel. i shall leave you on board of the ocklockonee, and the acting commander will assign to you such quarters in the cabin as may be at his command," continued christy. "it is only necessary that i should say i expect you to remain neutral, whatever occurs on board of the steamer." "that is understood," replied mr. lippard. "you will be regarded as passengers; but of course if you commit any act hostile to the government of the united states, you will be considered as enemies, and treated as prisoners of war," christy proceeded. "i hope the situation is clearly understood." "certainly, sir; we have no interest in the quarrel in the states, and we are not in the pay of the confederacy, as they call it," replied mr. lippard. "then there will be no trouble. captain flint," called the commander. flint, who had been very busy appointing petty officers and organizing the new crew, came at the call and was introduced to the late officers of the prize. the understanding which had just been reached in regard to them was repeated for the benefit of the new captain. he was quite as pliable as his superior had always been, and there was no indication that any friction would result from their presence on board of the prize, now temporarily put into the service of the navy. "have you made all your arrangements, captain flint?" asked christy when he was all ready to return to the bronx. "i have very nearly completed them, captain passford; and i can easily finish them after we get under way," replied flint. "all i need before we part is my orders." "from all that i can learn, the arran must be to the eastward of the ocklockonee," said christy, who had given this subject all the thought his time would permit. "the officers of the prize hailed the bronx coming from that direction, and that indicates that she was expected from that quarter. our coming from that way seems to have made captain dinsmore confident that the bronx was the arran. i shall lay the course of my ship to the northeast, while you will proceed to the southwest. after you have gone fifty miles in that direction, you will make a course due east, as i shall also after i have made the same distance. having run due east twenty miles, you will run to the northeast, as i shall to the southwest. if you discover the arran fire your midship gun, and i will do the same." christy shook hands with flint, and went on board of the bronx. the order was given on board of both vessels to cast off the grapnels; the gong bell sounded in each engine room, and both vessels went ahead, the bronx coming about to her new course. chapter xvii a couple of astonished conspirators the fog had been very variable in its density, and had been lifting and settling at times during the day of the capture. by the time the two vessels were ready to get under way, it had become more solid than before. the night had come, and the darkness with it, at about the same time. the lookouts were still in their places; but so far as seeing anything was concerned they might as well have been in the hold. if the arran was still in the vicinity, as no doubt she was, the bronx might run into her. wherever she was, it was well assured that her officers knew nothing of the capture of the ocklockonee, for not a great gun had been discharged, and the combat had been so quickly decided that there had been very little noise of any kind. everything worked without friction on board of the bronx; and captain passford felt even more elastic than usual. doubtless the capture he had just made afforded him a good deal of inspiration; but the fact that the mystery of the deaf mute and the second lieutenant had been solved, and the unfathomable catastrophe which their presence on board threatened had been escaped was a great source of relief. the two conspirators were disabled and confined to the sick bay, and they were not likely to make any trouble at present. if they had had any definite plan on which they intended to act, they had certainly lost their opportunities, for the visit of hungerford to the engine room of the bronx, no doubt for the purpose of disabling the machinery, and the effort of pawcett to warn the officers of the prize, had been simply acts of desperation, adopted after they had evidently failed in every other direction. pawcett was not really a loyal officer, and his expression and manners had attracted the attention of both the captain and the first lieutenant. the deaf mute had been brought on board in order to obtain information, and he had been very diligent in carrying out his part of the programme. as christy thought the matter over, seated at his supper in his cabin, he thought he owed more to the advice of his father at their parting than to anything else. he had kept his own counsel in spite of the difficulties, and had done more to blind the actors in the conspiracy than to enlighten them. he had hoped before he parted with the prize for the present to obtain some information in regard to the arran; but he had too much self-respect to ask the officers of the ocklockonee in regard to such matters. the seamen who had been spotted as adherents of the late second lieutenant had done nothing, for there had been nothing that they could do under the circumstances. spoors and two others of them had been drafted into the other vessel, while the other three remained on board of the bronx. they were not regarded as very dangerous enemies, and they were not in condition to undertake anything in the absence of their leaders. christy had inquired in regard to the condition of pawcett and hungerford before he went to his cabin, and dr. spokeley informed him that neither of them would be in condition to do duty on either side for a considerable period. they were in no danger under careful treatment, but both of them were too seriously injured to trouble their heads with any exciting subjects. "good evening, captain dinsmore," christy said, when he went into his cabin, after he had attended to all the duties that required present attention. "i hope you are feeling better this evening." "hardly better, captain passford, though i am trying to reconcile myself to my situation," replied the late captain of the ocklockonee. "supper is all ready, sir," interposed dave, as he passed by the captain, after he had brought in the dishes from the galley. "take a seat at the table, captain dinsmore," continued christy, placing a chair for him, and looking over the table to see what cheer he had to offer to his guest. it looked as though the cook, aware that the commander had a guest, or thinking that he deserved a better supper than usual after the capture of a prize, had done his best in honor of the occasion. the broiled chickens looked especially inviting, and other dishes were quite tempting to a man who was two hours late at the meal. "thank you, captain," replied the guest, as he took the seat assigned to him. "i can't say that i have a very fierce appetite after the misfortune that has befallen me; but i am none the less indebted to you for your courtesy and kindness." "i acknowledge that i am in condition to be very happy this evening, captain dinsmore, and i can hardly expect to be an agreeable companion to one with a burden on his mind; but i can assure you of my personal sympathy." "you are very kind, captain. i should like to ask if many of the officers of the old navy are young gentlemen like yourself?" inquired the guest, looking at his host very curiously. "there are a great many young officers in the navy at the present time, for the exigency has pushed forward the older ones, and there are not enough of them to take all the positions. but we shall all of us grow older," replied christy good-naturedly, as he helped the officer to a piece of the chicken, which had just come from the galley fire. "perhaps you are older than you appear to be," suggested the guest. "i should judge that you were not over twenty, or at least not much more." "i am eighteen, sir, though, unlike a lady, i try to make myself as old as i can." "eighteen!" exclaimed captain dinsmore. but christy told something of his experience on board of the bellevite which had prepared him for his duties, and his case was rather exceptional. "you have physique enough for a man of twenty-five," added the guest. "and you have been more fortunate than i have." "and i have been as unfortunate as you are, for i have seen the inside of a confederate prison, though i concluded not to remain there for any length of time," added christy, laughing. "you are a fortunate young man, and i do not belong to that class," said captain dinsmore, shaking his head. "i have lost my steamer, and i suppose that will finish my career." "perhaps not;" but christy was satisfied that he had lost his vessel by a want of care, and he could not waste any compliments upon him, though he had profited by the other's carelessness. "i was confident when the bronx approached the ocklockonee that she was another vessel," continued the guest. "what vessel did you take her to be?" "you will excuse me if i decline to go into particulars. i can only say that i was sure your steamer was another, and i had no suspicion that i was wrong till that man mounted the rail of the bronx, and began to tell us to the contrary," replied captain dinsmore. "a bolt in the engine was broken, and the engineer could not find another on board. we expected to obtain one when the bronx approached us. i was deceived; and that is the reason why i am here instead of in the cabin of my own ship." the guest seemed to feel a little better after he had made this explanation, though it contained nothing new to the commander of the bronx. possibly the excellent supper, of which he had partaken heartily in spite of his want of appetite, had influenced his mind through the body. he had certainly become more cheerful, though his burden was no lighter than when he came on board of the bronx. christy was also light-hearted, not alone because he had been so successful, but because he felt that he was no longer compelled to watch the conspirators. "i am sorry to be obliged to impose any restrictions upon you, captain dinsmore," said christy, as he rose from the supper table. "the circumstances compel me to request you to remain in my cabin." "of course i am subject to your will and pleasure, captain passford," replied the guest. "you are a gentleman, sir, and if you will simply give me your word to remain here, there will be no occasion for any unpleasantness. it is possible that we may go into action at any time; and in that case you can remain where you please below." "i give you my word that i will remain below until i notify you of my intention to do otherwise," replied the prisoner, though christy preferred to regard him as his guest. "i am entirely satisfied. i shall be obliged to berth you in the ward room, and you are at liberty to pass your time as you please in these two apartments. i shall be happy to introduce you to the first lieutenant," added the captain, as he led the way to the ward room. mr. baskirk received the prisoner very politely, a berth was assigned to him, and christy went on deck. it was as dark as egypt there, but mr. amblen, the new acting second lieutenant, on the bridge, said the wind was hauling to the westward, and he thought there would be a change of weather before morning. mr. baskirk had made all his appointments of petty officers rendered necessary by sending a portion of the seamen to the ocklockonee. everything was in good order on deck, and christy next went down to the sick bay, where hungerford and pawcett were the only occupants. he found dr. spokeley there, and inquired in regard to the condition of the wounded men. the surgeon described the wounds of his patients, and pointed them out to the captain. "does mr. hungerford talk any now?" asked christy. "who is mr. hungerford?" asked the doctor. "he is the deaf mute. he was the first officer of the confederate steamer yazoo when we captured her in the bellevite last year," replied the captain, upon whom the eyes of the wounded man were fixed all the time. "he has not spoken yet in my hearing, though i have thought that he could hear." "his duty on board of the bronx was to obtain information, and he procured a good deal of it, though not all of it was as reliable as it might have been." "indeed! then he was a traitor," added the surgeon. "he is a gentleman in spite of the role he has been playing, and i am sorry he has been injured, though mr. sampson obeyed my order when he struck him down in the engine room." "struck me from behind like an assassin," added hungerford feebly. "did you expect to arrange a duel with him at such a time, mr. hungerford?" asked christy. "you went into the engine room to disable the machine when you found you could do nothing else. if you had returned to the deck when the engineer told you to do so, he would not have disabled you. you crowded past him, and then he did his duty." "i have been in the habit of serving with men who were square and above board," muttered hungerford. "was that where you learned to listen at my cabin door, and to conceal yourself under the berth in my state room?" asked christy, rather sharply for him. "is that the reason why mr. pawcett wished to have you do the copying of my papers?" "i can only say that i tried to do my duty to my country and i have failed," added hungerford, as he turned over in his berth, and showed his back to the captain. "may i ask, captain passford, who told you my name?" asked the late second lieutenant, who seemed to be confounded by what he had heard. "you called mr. hungerford by his real name, and he called you by yours, in the interview you had with him the first night out from new york. i have known you from the first," replied christy. pawcett was as disgusted as the other had been, and he turned his face to the ceiling of his berth. christy was satisfied that these men would give him no more trouble at present. chapter xviii a triangular action with great guns when mr. baskirk went on deck to take his watch at midnight, the fog had disappeared, and a fresh breeze was blowing from the westward. this change was reported to the captain, and he went on deck. no sail had been seen since the fog cleared off, and christy returned to his state room, where he was soon asleep again. he was called, as he had directed, at four in the morning, but no change in the weather was reported, and no sail had been seen. at four bells in the morning watch two sails were reported to him, one dead ahead, and the other on the port beam. he hastened to the deck, and found mr. amblen using his spyglass, and trying to make out the distant sails. the one at the northeast of the bronx was making a long streak of black smoke on the sky, and there was no such appearance over the other. both were steamers. "the one ahead of us is the ocklockonee," said captain passford, after he had used the spyglass. "i have no doubt the other is the arran. probably she has a new name by this time, but i have not heard it yet. pass the word for mr. ambleton." this was the gunner, and he was directed to fire a single shot, blank, from the midship gun. this was immediately done, and was the signal agreed upon with flint if either discovered the arran. it was promptly answered by a similar discharge on board of the ocklockonee, indicating that she had seen the steamer in question. "now, make her course southeast, mr. amblen," said christy, after the two signals had been made. "southeast, sir," responded the second lieutenant, giving the course to the quartermaster at the wheel. the commander of the ocklockonee changed his course as soon as the bronx had done so. both steamers were headed directly towards the sail in the southeast, and both were running for the apex of the triangle where the third steamer was located. the captain visited every part of the vessel, and gave orders to have breakfast served at once, for he expected there would be lively times before many hours. everything was overhauled, and put in order. at eight bells, when mr. baskirk took the deck, the captain did not care how soon the battle began. everything was ready and waiting, and he went below for his breakfast. from delicacy or some other motive captain dinsmore spent most of his time in the ward room; but he was called to breakfast with the commander. both captains were as polite to each other as they had been the evening before, but it was evident to christy that his guest was quite uneasy, as though he had discovered what had transpired on deck; and the movements there were quite enough to inform him without a word from any one. he had not asked a question of any person on board; and it was impossible for him to know that a sail supposed to be the arran was in sight. "i have heard some firing this morning, captain passford," said he as he seated himself at the table, and watched the expression of his host's countenance. "merely a couple of signals; the distant shot came from the ocklockonee," replied christy lightly. "i thought it possible that you had fallen in with another steamer," added the guest. "i have considered it more than possible, and within the limits of probability, that we should fall in with another steamer ever since we ran so opportunely upon the scotian, as she was formerly called." "opportunely for you, but very inopportunely for me," added captain dinsmore with a faint smile. "i am happy to inform you that we have passed beyond both possibility and probability, and come into the region of fact," continued christy. "then you have made out a sail?" asked the guest anxiously. "we have; a steamer on our port beam; and i am reasonably confident it is the vessel you supposed was coming alongside the ocklockonee last evening." "indeed?" added the guest, as though he did not know just what to say, and did not mean to commit himself. "in other words, i am almost sure this steamer is the arran, though doubtless you have changed her name," said christy, as he helped the other from the choicest dish on the table. "the arran?" repeated captain dinsmore, manifesting but not expressing his surprise that his companion in a different service from his own knew this name. "perhaps you can give me her later name, as i have no doubt she is or will be called after some southern river, which is quite proper, and entirely patriotic. perhaps she is called the perdido, which is not very far from perdition, where i shall do my best to send her unless she surrenders within a reasonable time, or runs away from me," said captain passford lightly. "is your coffee quite right, captain dinsmore?" "it is very good indeed, captain, thank you." "perhaps it is too strong for you, like the united states navy, and you would prefer it weaker," suggested christy. "it is quite right as it is, and, like the united states navy of which you speak, it will be used up in a short time," replied the guest as pleasantly as the captain of the bronx. "that is yet to be settled," laughed christy. "well, captain, the coffee is settled, and that is more than can be said of our navy, which will be as clear as this in due time." "i thought it best to inform you that we might be in action in the course of a couple of hours, and you were to notify me in case you wished to change your status on board," added christy more seriously. "i am much obliged to you, captain passford, for your courtesy and kindness, but i see no reason to change my position. i will still confine myself to the cabin and ward room. i cannot wish you success in the action in which you are about to engage, for it would break my heart to have the arran, as you call her, captured," added the guest. "i think you may fairly count upon such a result," replied christy confidently. "you must excuse me, captain passford, but i think you are reckoning without your host, and therein your youth makes its only manifestation," said the guest, shaking his head. "i can only say that, when you are a prisoner on board of the escambia, i shall do my best to have you as handsomely treated as i have been in your cabin." "thank you, captain; i assure you i shall appreciate any courtesy and kindness extended to me. the escambia is her name then. that is not so near perdition as the word i suggested, and i am glad it is not so long as the name you gave the scotian. i shall expect to come across an apalachicola in due time. they are all very good names, but we shall be compelled to change them when they fall into our hands," said christy. "i have plenty of spare time on my hands just now, and perhaps i had better think up a new name for the bronx; and apalachicola would be as good as any other. i wonder you did not call her the nutcracker, for her present name rather suggests that idea." "i have heard a similar remark before; but she is not big enough for such a long name as the one you suggest, and you would have to begin to pronounce it before breakfast in order to get it out before the dog watches," said christy, as he rose from the table and went on deck. the first thing he noticed when he came on the bridge was that the ocklockonee was headed to intercept the bronx. captain flint signalled that he wished to speak to him, and he changed his course to comply with the request. at the end of another hour they came together, the arran being still at least four miles distant, going very slowly if she was moving at all. christy had written out his orders for captain flint in full. so far as he had been able to judge of the speed of the other steamer, it appeared to be about the same as that of the bronx. he had directed the ocklockonee to get to the southward of the arran. a boat was sent to her with the orders, and flint immediately proceeded to obey them. the bronx slowed down her engines to enable the other to gain her position; but the arran did not seem to be willing to permit her to do this, and gave chase to her at once. the commander of the bronx met this change by one on his own part, and went ahead with all the speed he could get out of her. the confederate steamer was farther to the eastward than either of the other two, and after the changes of position which christy had brought about in speaking the ocklockonee, the arran was nearly southeast of both of the others. flint went directly to the south, and christy ran for the enemy. all hands had been beaten to quarters on board of the bronx, and the captain was on the bridge, watching with the most intense interest the progress of the other two vessels. it was soon apparent to him that the ocklockonee could not get into the position to which she had been ordered under present circumstances, for the enemy was giving his whole attention to her. "there goes a gun from the enemy!" exclaimed mr. amblen, as a puff of smoke rose from the forward deck of the arran. "the shot struck in the water," added christy a moment later; "but the two vessels are within range. there is the first shot from the ocklockonee! captain flint is not asleep." the firing was done on both vessels with the heavy midship guns, and doubtless the calibre of the pieces was the same; but flint was the more fortunate of the two, for his shot struck the smokestack of the enemy, or partly upset it. christy thought it was time for him to take a hand in the game, and he ordered the midship gun to be fired, charged as it was with a solid shot. the gunner aimed the piece himself, and the shot was seen to tear up the water alongside of the enemy. he discharged the piece four times more with no better result. evidently he had not got the hang of the gun, though he was improving at every trial. three steamers were rushing towards each other with all the fury steam could give them, for the overthrow of the funnel of the enemy did not disable her, though it probably diminished the draught of her furnaces. through the glass it could be seen that they were making an effort to restore the fallen smokestack to its position. all three of the steamers were delivering the fire of their midship guns very regularly, though with little effect, the distance was so great. the gunner of the bronx was evidently greatly nettled at the number of solid shots he had wasted, though the gun of the ocklockonee had done little better so far as could be seen. the three vessels were not much more than half a mile from each other, and the enemy had begun to use his broadside guns. "good!" shouted mr. amblen suddenly after the gunner had just let off the great gun. "that shot overturned the midship piece of the arran. ambleton has fully redeemed himself." the announcement of the effect of this last shot sent up a volley of cheers from the crew. the bronx and her consort had set the american flag at the beginning of the action, and the confederate had promptly displayed her ensign, as though she scorned to go into action without having it fully understood what she was. she did not claim to be a blockade runner, and do her best to escape, but "faced the music," even when she realized that she had two enemies instead of one. christy had evidently inherited some of the naval blood on his mother's side, and he was not satisfied with the slow progress of the action, for the shots from the broadside guns of the enemy were beginning to tell upon the bronx, though she had received no serious injury. he caused the signal to prepare to board to be set as agreed upon with captain flint. the orders already given were to be carried out, and both vessels bore down on the arran with all speed. chapter xix on the deck of the arran captain passford had carried out the programme agreed upon with captain flint, and the latter had been working to the southward since the bronx came into the action, and as soon as the order to get ready to board was given, the ocklockonee went ahead at full speed, headed in that direction. she had reached a position dead ahead of the arran, so that she no longer suffered from the shots of the latter's broadside guns, and the bronx was getting the entire benefit of them. both vessels had kept up a full head of steam, and the coal passers were kept very busy at just this time. the arran's midship gun had been disabled so that she could not make any very telling shots, but her crew had succeeded in righting her funnel, which had not gone entirely over, but had been held by the stays. yet it could be seen that there was a big opening near the deck, for the smoke did not all pass through the smokestack. the broadside guns of the arran were well served, and they were doing considerable mischief on board of the bronx. christy was obliged to hold back until her consort was in position to board the arran on the port hand, and he manoeuvred the steamer so as to receive as little damage as possible from her guns. he was to board on the starboard hand of the enemy, and he was working nearer to her all the time. mr. ambleton the gunner had greatly improved his practice, and the commander was obliged to check his enthusiasm, or there would have been nothing left of the arran in half an hour more. christy considered the final result as fully assured, for he did not believe the present enemy was any more heavily manned than her consort had been, and he could throw double her force upon her deck as soon as the two steamers were in position to do so. "are you doing all you can in the engine room, mr. sampson?" asked christy, pausing at the engine hatch. "everything, captain passford, and i think we must be making sixteen knots," replied the chief engineer. "is mr. bockburn on duty?" "he is, sir; and if he were a connecticut yankee he could not do any better, or appear to be any more interested." "he seems to be entirely impartial; all he wants is his pay, and he is as willing to be on one side as the other if he only gets it," said christy. "has any damage been done to the engine?" "none at all, sir; a shot from one of those broadside guns went through the side, and passed just over the top of one of the boilers," replied the engineer. "bockburn plugged the shot hole very skilfully, and said it would not be possible for a shot to come in low enough to hit the boilers. he knows all about the other two vessels, and has served as an engineer on board of the arran on the other side of the atlantic." just at that moment a shot from the arran struck the bridge and a splinter from the structure knocked two men over. one of them picked himself up, but said he was not much hurt, and refused to be sent below. the other man was veering; he seemed to be unable to get up, and was carried down by order of the boatswain. this man was one of the adherents of hungerford and pawcett, though so far he had been of no service to them. christy hastened forward to ascertain the extent of the damage done to the bridge. it was completely wrecked, and was no longer in condition to be occupied by an officer. but the pilot house was still in serviceable repair, and the quartermaster had not been disturbed. by this time, the ocklockonee had obtained a position on the port bow of the arran, and the commander directed the quartermaster at the wheel to run directly for the other side of the enemy. the time for decisive and final action had come. mr. baskirk placed the boarders in position to be thrown on board of the arran. he was to command the first division himself, and mr. amblen the second. the ocklockonee was rushing at all the speed she could command to the work before her. [illustration: the captain of the arran.] for some reason not apparent the arran had stopped her screw, though she had kept in motion till now, doing her best to secure the most favorable position for action. possibly her commander believed a collision between the vessels at a high rate of speed would be more fatal to him than anything that could result from being boarded. it was soon discovered that she was backing, and it was evident then that her captain had some manoeuvre of his own in mind, though it was possible that he was only doing something to counteract the effect of a collision. doubtless he thought the two vessels approaching him at such a rapid rate intended to crush the arran between them, and that they desired only to sink him. he was not allowed many minutes more to carry out his policy, whatever it was, for the ocklockonee came up alongside of the arran, the grapnels were thrown out, and the whole boarding force of the steamer was hurled upon her decks. but the commander was a plucky man, however he regarded the chances for or against him, and his crew proceeded vigorously to repel boarders. christy had timed the movements of the bronx very carefully, and the ocklockonee had hardly fastened to the arran on one side before he had his steamer grappled on the other. "boarders, away!" he shouted at the top of his lungs, and flourishing his sword over his head, not however with the intention of going into the fight himself, but as a demonstration to inspire the men. baskirk and amblen rushed forward with cutlasses in their hands, leaping upon the deck of the enemy. the crew was found to equal in numbers about the force that the ocklockonee had brought to bear upon them. the boarders from the bronx attacked them in the rear while they were fully occupied with the boarders in front of them. the officers of the enemy behaved with distinguished gallantry, and urged their men forward with the most desperate enthusiasm. they struck hard blows, and several of the boarders belonging to the consort had fallen, to say nothing of wounds that did not entirely disable others. some of the men belonging to the arran, doubtless shipped on the other side of the ocean or at the bermudas, were disposed to shirk their duty, though their officers held them well up to the work. one of the brave officers who had done the boarders a good deal of mischief fell at a pistol shot from mr. amblen; this loss of his leadership caused a sensible giving way on the part of his division, and his men began to fall back. the other officers, including the captain, who fought with a heavy cutlass, held out for a short time longer; but christy saw that it was slaughter. the captain of the arran was the next to go down, though he was not killed. this event practically ended the contest for the deck of the steamer. the boarders crowded upon the crew and drove them to the bow of the vessel, where they yielded the deck, and submitted to the excess of numbers. "don't butcher my men!" cried the captain of the arran, raising himself partially from his place where he had fallen. "i surrender, for we are outnumbered two to one." but the fighting had ceased forward. mr. baskirk was as earnest to save any further slaughter as he had been to win the fight. christy came on board of the prize, not greatly elated at the victory, for it had been a very unequal affair as to numbers. the arran was captured; that was all that could be said of it. she had been bravely defended; and the "honors were even," though the fortunes of the day were against the arran and her ship's company. "allow me to introduce myself as the commander of the united states steamer bronx," said christy, approaching the fallen captain of the arran. "i sincerely hope that you are not seriously injured, sir." "who under the canopy are you?" demanded the commander of the prize, as he looked at the young officer with something like contempt in his expression. "i have just informed you who under the canopy i am," replied christy, not pleased with the manner of the other. "to be a little more definite, i am captain christopher passford, commander of the united states steamer bronx, of which the arran appears to be a prize." "the captain!" exclaimed the fallen man. "you are nothing but a boy!" "but i am old enough to try to be a gentleman. you are evidently old enough to be my father, though i have no comments to make," added christy. "i beg your pardon, captain passford," said the captain of the arran, attempting to rise from the deck, in which he was assisted by christy and by mr. baskirk, who had just come aft. "i beg your pardon, captain passford, for i did not understand what you said at first, and i did not suspect that you were the captain." "i hope you are not seriously injured, sir," added christy. "i don't know how seriously, but i have a cut on the hip, for which i exchanged one on the head, parrying the stroke so that it took me below the belt." "have you a surgeon on board, captain ---- i have not the pleasure of knowing your name, sir." "captain richfield, lieutenant in the confederate navy. we have a surgeon on board, and he is below attending to the wounded," replied the captain. "allow me to assist you to your cabin, captain richfield," continued christy, as he and baskirk each took one of the wounded officer's arms. "thank you, sir. i see that you have been doubly fortunate, captain passford, and you have both the escambia and the ocklockonee. i did the best i could to save my ship, but the day has gone against me." "and no one could have done any more than you have done. your ship has been ably and bravely defended; but it was my good fortune to be able to outnumber you both in ships and in men." captain richfield was taken to his state room, and assisted into his berth. a steward was sent for the surgeon, and christy and his first lieutenant retired from the cabin. the captured seamen of the arran were all sent below, and everything was done that the occasion required. christy asked captain flint to meet him in the cabin of the bronx for a consultation over the situation, for the sealed orders of the commander had been carried out to the letter so far as the two expected steamers were concerned, and it only remained to report to the flag officer of the eastern gulf squadron. but with two prizes, and a considerable number of prisoners, the situation was not without its difficulties. "i hope you are quite comfortable, captain dinsmore," said christy as he entered his cabin, and found his guest reading at the table. "quite so, captain passford. i have heard a great deal of firing in the last hour, and i am rather surprised to find that you are not a prisoner on board of the escambia, or perhaps you have come to your cabin for your clothes," replied the guest cheerfully. "i have not come on any such mission; and i have the pleasure of informing you that the confederate steamer escambia is a prize to the bronx," replied christy quite as cheerfully. "i am sorry to add that captain richfield was wounded in the hip, and that mr. berwick, the first lieutenant, was killed." the confederate officer leaped out of his chair astonished at the news. he declared that he had confidently expected to be released by the capture of the bronx. christy gave a brief review of the action; and captain dinsmore was not surprised at the result when informed that the ocklockonee had taken part in the capture. the commander then requested him to retire to the ward room, and flint came in. they seated themselves at the table, and proceeded to figure up their resources and consider what was to be done. mr. baskirk was then sent for to assist in the conference. chapter xx the new commander of the bronx "captain flint, the first question to be settled is in regard to the engineer force," said christy, as the three officers seated themselves at the table. "i think we shall have no difficulty on that score, captain passford, for i have already sounded those on board of the arran, or the escambia, as her officers call her. as long as their wages are paid, they don't care which side they serve. mr. pivotte is the chief, and he is as willing to go one way as the other." "very well; then he shall retain his present position, and bockburn shall be restored to the ocklockonee. of course the arrangements made after the capture of the first vessel were only temporary, and i propose to report to the flag officer with everything as nearly as possible in the condition in which we left new york," continued christy. "of course i expected to resume my former position on board of the bronx as soon as we had disposed of the two steamers; and i can say that i shall not be sorry to do so," said flint with a pleasant smile, as though he did not intend to grieve over the loss of his command. "in a few days more, we shall move down a peg, and i shall cease to have a command as well as yourself," added christy. "and i suppose i shall be relegated to my position as a quartermaster," said baskirk; "but i shall be satisfied. i don't care to wear any spurs that i have not won, though i shall be glad to have a higher rank when i deserve it." "you deserve it now, mr. baskirk, and if you don't receive it, it will not be on account of any weakness in my report of the events of the last twenty-four hours," added christy heartily. "thank you, captain; i suppose i could have procured a better position than that of able seaman, but i preferred to work my way up." "it was wise not to begin too high up, and you have already won your spurs. now, mr. baskirk, i shall ask you to take the deck, relieving mr. amblen," added christy, who wished to talk with flint alone. "i shall be really glad to get back into the bronx, for i feel at home here with you, captain," said flint. "you will be back to your berth here very soon. now we have to send these two steamers to new york. they are fine vessels, and will be needed. we want two prize masters, and we must have able men. have you any suggestion to make, mr. flint? i first thought of sending you as the principal one; but i cannot spare you, and the service in the gulf needs you." "i am entirely willing to go where my duty calls me, without regard to personal preferences," replied flint. "i have a suggestion to make: which is that baskirk take one of the steamers." "that is exactly my own idea; from what i have seen of him, there is no more devoted officer in the service." "i have known him for many years, and i believe in him. mcspindle is almost as good, and has had a better education than baskirk. i don't think you could find two better men in the navy for this duty." "very well; then i will appoint them both." flint was instructed to communicate their appointment to baskirk and mcspindle, and make all the preparations for the departure of the escambia and the ocklockonee. christy went to his state room, and wrote his report of the capture of the two steamers, in which he commended the two officers who were to go as prize masters, and then wrote a letter to his father, with a strong appeal in their favor. then he wrote very careful instructions for the government of the officers to be sent away, in which he directed them to use all necessary precautions in regard to the prisoners. in a couple of hours after the capture of the escambia, the two prizes sailed for new york. captain dinsmore expressed his thanks very warmly to captain passford for his courtesy and kindness at parting. christy had visited every part of the two steamers, and talked with the officers and men, and especially with the engineers, and he discovered no elements of discord on board of either. hungerford and pawcett were transferred to the escambia, and committed to the care of the surgeon of the ship. both of them were suffering from fever, and they were not likely to give the prize master any trouble during the passage, which could only be three or four days in duration. baskirk and mcspindle were required to make all the speed they could consistent with safety, though christy hardly thought they would encounter any confederate rover on the voyage, for they were not very plenty at this stage of the war. it seemed a little lonesome on board of the bronx after the two steamers had disappeared in the distance, and the number of the crew had been so largely reduced by the drafts for the prizes. the steamer was hardly in condition to engage an enemy of any considerable force, and sampson was directed to hurry as much as possible. christy had heard of the bellevite twice since he left her off pensacola bay. she had been sent to other stations on duty, and had captured two schooners loaded with cotton as prizes; but at the last accounts she had returned to the station where the bronx had left her. christy was not so anxious as he had been before the recent captures to fall in with an enemy, for with less than twenty seamen it would not be prudent to attack such a steamer as either of those he had captured, though he would not have objected to chase a blockade runner if he had discovered one pursued by the gunboats. it was a quiet time on board of the bronx compared with the excitement of the earlier days of the voyage. in the very beginning of the trip, he had discovered the deaf mute at the cabin door, and his thought, his inquiries, and his action in defeating the treachery of the second lieutenant had kept him busy night and day. now the weather was fine most of the time, and he had little to do beyond his routine duties. but he did a great deal of thinking in his cabin, though most of it was in relation to the events which had transpired on board of the bronx. he had captured two valuable prizes; but he could not feel that he was entitled to any great credit for the achievements of his vessel, since he had been warned in the beginning to look out for the scotian and the arran. he had taken the first by surprise, and the result was due to the carelessness of her commander rather than to any great merit on his own part. the second he had taken with double the force of the enemy in ships and men; and the latter was not precisely the kind of a victory he was ambitious to win. at the same time, his self-respect assured him that he had done his duty faithfully, and that it had been possible for him to throw away his advantage by carelessness. if he had fallen in with both the scotian and the arran at the same time, the result might have been different, though he was sure that he should have fought his ship as long as there was anything left of her. in that case there would have been more room for manoeuvring and strategy, for he did not admit to himself that he should have been beaten. amblen continued to hold his place as second lieutenant, and mclinn was appointed acting third lieutenant. the carpenter repaired the bridge, though christy would not have been very sorry if it had been so thoroughly smashed as to be beyond restoration, for it was hardly a naval institution. the men who had been only slightly wounded in the action with the escambia were progressing finely under the care of dr. spokeley, and when the bronx was off the southern cape of florida, they were able to return to duty. the latest information located the flag officer off pensacola, and in due time christy reported to him. the bellevite was still there, and the commander went on board of her, where he received an ovation from the former officers and seamen with whom he had sailed. he did not take any pains to recite his experience, but it was soon known throughout the fleet. "christy, i shall hardly dare to sail in command of a ship of which you are the executive officer," said lieutenant blowitt, who was to command the bronx, with a laugh. "why not? is my reputation so bad as that?" asked christy. "bad! no, it is so good. the fact of it is, you are such a tremendous fellow, there will be no room for any other officer to shine in the same sky." "i have been in command for a few days, hardly more than a week, but i assure you that i can and shall obey the orders of my commander to the very letter," added christy. "but you took two steamers, each of them of nearly twice the tonnage of your own ship, in mid ocean." "but i took them one at a time. if i had fallen in with both at the same time, the affair might have gone the other way. we captured the first one by accident, as it were, and the second with double the force of the enemy. i don't take much credit to myself for that sort of thing. i don't think it was half as much of an affair as bringing out the teaser, for we had to use some science on that occasion," replied christy quietly. "science, is it?" laughed mr. blowitt. "perhaps you can assist me to some of your science, when it is required." "i shall obey my superior officer, and not presume to advise him unless he asks me to do so." "well, christy, i think you are the most audacious young fellow i ever met," added the future commander of the bronx. "i haven't anything about me that i call audacity, so far as i understand myself. when i am told to do any duty, i do it if it is possible; and whether it is possible often depends upon whether you think it is or not." "i should say that it was audacious for you to think of capturing two steamers, fitted out for war purposes, and twice the size of your own ship, with the bronx," added mr. blowitt, still laughing, to take off the edge of his criticism. "why did the navy department instruct me in my sealed orders to look out for these steamers, if i was to do so in a pickwickian sense?" demanded christy earnestly. "what would you have done, mr. blowitt?" "perhaps i should have been as audacious as you were, christy, if such had been my orders." this conversation took place on the deck of the bellevite where christy had come to see his friends; and it was interrupted by a boat from the flag ship which brought a big envelope for mr. blowitt. it instructed him to go on board of the bronx, to the command of which he had been appointed. another order required him to proceed to a point on the western coast of florida, where the enemy were supposed to be loading vessels with cotton, and break up the depot established for the purpose, where it could be supplied by the florida railroad. the new commander packed his clothing, and he was sent with christy in one of the bellevite's boats to the bronx. they went on board, where the late acting commander had already removed his own property to the ward room, and captain blowitt was conducted to his cabin and state room, of which he took formal possession. he seemed to be very much pleased with his accommodations since the government had put the vessel in order, though he had been on board of her, and fought a battle on her deck, while she was still the teaser. "i am sure i could not ask for anything better than this cabin," said he, after he had invited his first lieutenant to come in. "i found it very comfortable," added christy. "flint is second lieutenant, and sampson chief engineer; and that is all there are of those who were in the bellevite. i will introduce you to the acting third lieutenant, mr. amblen, and you can retain him or not as you please." mr. amblen was called in and presented to the captain, and then flint was ordered to get under way. chapter xxi an expedition in the gulf the bronx had been three days on the station, christy had made his report in full on her arrival, and the flag officer had visited the vessel in person, in order to ascertain her fitness for several enterprises he had in view. the confederates were not sleepy or inactive, and resorted to every expedient within their means to counteract both morally and materially the efficiency of the blockade. the bronx was admirably adapted to service in the shoal waters where the heavier vessels of the investing squadron could not go, and her arrival solved several problems then under consideration. captain blowitt and christy had been sent for, and the late commander of the bronx was questioned in regard to the steamer, her draught, her speed, and her ship's company. the damage done to her in the conflict with the escambia had been fully repaired by the carpenter and his gang, and the steamer was in as good condition as when she sailed from new york. "in regard to the present officers, mr. passford, excepting present company, of course, they are excellent," said captain mckeon, the flag officer. "for the service in which the bronx is to be engaged, its success will depend upon the officers, though it is hardly exceptional in this respect. i understand that you sailed from new york rather short-handed abaft the mainmast." "yes, sir, we did; but fortunately we had most excellent material of which to make officers, and we made them," replied christy. "i should like to know something about them; i mean apart from captain blowitt and yourself, for you have already made your record, and yours, mr. passford, is rather a dazzling reputation for one so young." "i am willing to apologize for it, sir," replied christy, blushing like a maiden, as he was in duty bound to do, for he could not control the crimson that rose to his browned cheeks. "quite unnecessary," replied captain mckeon, smiling. "as long as you do your duty nobody will be jealous of you, and you will be a fit officer for all our young men to emulate. you were the acting commander on the voyage of the bronx from new york. your executive officer is the present second lieutenant. is he qualified for the peculiar duty before you?" "no one could be more so, sir," replied christy with proper enthusiasm. "i can fully indorse this opinion of mr. passford," added captain blowitt. "in the capture and bringing out of the teaser, mr. flint was the right hand man of the leader of the enterprise." "and i gave him the command of the ocklockonee, after her capture, and she took an active part in the affair with the escambia, sir," said christy. "then we will consider him the right man in the right place," replied the flag officer. "who is the present third lieutenant?" "mr. amblen is acting in that capacity at present, and he is a very good officer, though he holds no rank," answered christy. "then i can hardly confirm him as second lieutenant," added captain mckeon. "in my report of the affairs with the ocklockonee and the escambia, i have strongly recommended him and three other officers for promotion, for all of them are fitted by education and experience at sea to do duty on board of such vessels as the bronx." "have you any officer in mind who would acceptably fill the vacant place, captain blowitt?" "i know of no one at present who holds the rank to entitle him to such a position, and i shall appeal to mr. passford," replied the new commander. "you have named mr. amblen, mr. passford; is he just the officer you would select if the matter were left to you?" asked the flag officer. "no, sir, though he would do very well. mr. baskirk, who served as executive officer while mr. flint was away in the ocklockonee, is better adapted for the place," said christy. "he commanded the first division of boarders on board of the escambia, and he fought like a hero and is a man of excellent judgment. i am confident that he will make his mark as an officer. i am willing to admit that i wrote a letter to my father especially requesting him to do what he could for the immediate promotion of mr. baskirk." "then he will be immediately promoted," added captain mckeon with an expressive smile. "i may add also that i was presumptive enough to suggest his appointment as third lieutenant of the bronx," continued christy. "then he will be the third lieutenant of the bronx; and what you say would have settled the matter in the first place as well as now," said the flag officer, as much pleased with the reticence of the young officer as with his modesty. "amblen may remain on board till his commission comes, and you can retain him as third lieutenant, captain blowitt, if you are so disposed. i have ordered a draft of twelve seamen to the bronx, which will give you a crew of thirty, and i cannot spare any more until more men are sent down. i may add that i have taken some of them from the bellevite." "i am quite satisfied, sir, with the number, though ten more would be acceptable," replied the commander of the bronx. the two officers were then dismissed and ordered on board of their ship. a little later the draft of seamen was sent on board, and among them christy was not sorry to see boxie, the old sheet-anchor man of the bellevite, who had made him a sort of pet, and had done a great deal to instruct him in matters of seamanship, naval customs, and traditions not found in any books. the commander and the executive officer paid their final visit to the bellevite the next day, and the order was given to weigh anchor. when all hands were called, christy thought he had never seen a better set of men except on board of the bellevite, and the expedition, whatever it was, commenced under the most favorable auspices. the bronx sailed in the middle of the forenoon, and the flag officer was careful not to reveal the destination of the steamer to any one, for with the aid of the telegraph, the object of the expedition might reach the scene of operations in advance of the arrival of the force. at four o'clock in the afternoon captain blowitt opened his envelope in presence of the executive officer. he looked the paper through before he spoke, and then handed it to christy, who read it with quite as much interest as the commander had. "cedar keys," said the captain, glancing at his associate. "that is not a long run from the station," added christy. "we are very likely to be there before to-morrow morning." "it is about two hundred and eighty statute miles, i had occasion to ascertain a week ago when something was said about cedar keys," replied captain blowitt. "we have been making about fifteen knots, for the bronx is a flyer, and we ought to be near our destination at about midnight. that would be an excellent time to arrive if we only had a pilot." "perhaps we have one," added christy with a smile. "are you a pilot on this coast, mr. passford?" asked the commander, mistaking the smile. "no, sir, i am not; but i remember a conversation mr. flint and i had with mr. amblen, who was engaged in some sort of a speculation in florida when the war came on. he was so provoked at the treatment he received that he shipped in the navy at once. i only know that he had a small steamer in these waters." "send for mr. amblen at once!" exclaimed the commander, who appeared to have become suddenly excited. "there will be no moon to-night in these parts, and we may be able to hurry this matter up if we have a competent pilot." christy called dave, and sent him for the acting third lieutenant, for he knew that mr. flint had had the watch since four o'clock. mr. amblen was sunning himself on the quarter deck, and he promptly obeyed the summons. "i am glad to see you, mr. amblen, and i hope you will prove to be as useful a person as i have been led to believe you may be," said the captain. "i shall endeavor to do my duty, sir," replied the third lieutenant, who was always very ambitious to earn the good opinion of his superiors. "i mean to do the best i can to make myself useful, captain blowitt." "i know that very well; but the question now is what you know rather than what you can do as an officer. mr. passford informs me that you were formerly engaged in some kind of a speculation on the west coast of florida." "hardly a speculation, sir, for i was engaged in the fish business," replied mr. amblen, laughing at the name which had been given to his calling. "when i sold a small coaster that belonged to me, i got in exchange a tug boat. i had been out of health a few years before; i spent six months at cedar keys and tampa, and got well. fish were plenty here, and of a kind that bring a good price farther north. i loaded my tug with ice, and came down here in her. i did a first-rate business buying from boats and in catching fish myself, and for a time i made money, though ice was so dear that i had to sell in the south." "did you have a pilot on board of your tug?" asked the captain. "no, sir; i was my own pilot. i had the charts, and i studied out the bottom, so that i knew where i was in the darkest night." "then you are just the person we want if you are a pilot in these waters." "what waters, sir? we are now off cape st. blas and apalachicola bay. i have been into the bay, but i am not a pilot in those waters, as you suggest." "i have just opened my orders, and i find we are ordered to cedar keys," interposed the commander. "that is quite another thing, sir; and there isn't a foot of bottom within five miles of the keys to which i have not been personally introduced. when i was down here for my health i was on the water more than half of the time, and i learned all about the bay and coast; and i have been up the suwanee river, which flows into the gulf eighteen miles north of the keys." "i am exceedingly glad to find that we have such an excellent pilot on board. i am informed in my orders that schooners load with cotton at this place, and make an easy thing of getting to sea," added captain blowitt. "i should say that it was a capital port for the confederates to use for that sort of business. small steamers can bring cotton down the suwanee river, the railroad from fernandina terminates at the key, and this road connects with that to jacksonville and the whole of western florida as far as tallahassee." "we may find a steamer or two there." "you may, though not one any larger than the bronx, for there is only eleven feet of water on the bar. probably no blockaders have yet been stationed off the port, and it is a good place to run out cotton." "i am much obliged to you, mr. amblen, for the information you have given me, and your services will probably be in demand this very night," added the commander, rising from his chair. "i am ready for duty at all times, sir," replied mr. amblen, as he retired from the cabin. the charts were then consulted, and sundry calculations were made. at one o'clock that night the bronx was off cedar keys. chapter xxii a night expedition in the boats during the evening captain blowitt had consulted his officers, and arranged his plans for operations, or at least for obtaining information in regard to the situation inside of north key, where the landing place is situated. he had already arranged to give the command of the boat expedition to christy, with the second lieutenant in another boat, mr. amblen being with the executive officer in the first. "now, mr. passford, i do not expect you to capture the whole state of florida, and if you should return without accomplishing anything at all, i shall not be disappointed, but i shall feel that you have done everything that could be done," said the captain, with a very cheerful smile, when all had been arranged. "i shall endeavor to obey my orders, captain blowitt, if i can do so in the exercise of a reasonable prudence," replied christy, who took in all that his superior looked, as well as all that he said. "a reasonable prudence is decidedly good, coming from you, mr. passford," said the captain, laughing outright. "why is it decidedly good from me rather than from anybody else?" asked christy, somewhat nettled by the remark. "you objected once on board of the bellevite when i mildly hinted that you might sometimes, under some circumstances, with a strong temptation before you, be just a little audacious," said the captain, still laughing, as though he were engaged in a mere joke. "that statement is certainly qualified in almost all directions, if you will excuse me for saying so, captain," replied christy, who was fully determined not to take offence at anything his superior might say, for he had always regarded him as one of his best friends. "if i remember rightly the mild suggestion of a criticism which you gently and tenderly applied to me was after we had brought out the teaser from pensacola bay." "that was the time. captain breaker sent you to ascertain, if you could, where the teaser was, and you reported by bringing her out, which certainly no one expected you would do, and i believe this part of the programme carried out on that excursion was not mentioned in your orders." "it was not; but if i had a good chance to capture the steamer, was it my duty to pass over that chance, and run the risk of letting the vessel get out?" "on the contrary, it was your duty, if you got a good chance, to capture the steamer." "and that is precisely what i did. i did not lose a man, or have one wounded in the expedition; and i have only to be penitent for being audacious," laughed christy; and he was laughing very earnestly, as though the extra cachinnation was assumed for a purpose. "i suppose i ought to dress myself in ash cloth and sashes, shut myself up in my state room always when off duty, and shed penitential tears from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, and during the lone watches of the night, and in fortifying my soul against the monstrous sin of audacity. i will think of it." "i hope you have no feeling about this matter, mr. passford," said the captain, rising from his chair and taking christy by the hand. "not a particle, captain blowitt. i am absolutely sure that you would have done precisely what i did, if you had been in my situation," protested christy. "about the last thing my father talked about to me when we parted in this cabin in new york harbor was the necessity of prudence and discretion in the discharge of my duties; and i am sure his advice saved me from falling into the traps set for me by hungerford and pawcett, and enabled me to capture two of the enemy's crack steamers." "i will never use the word audacity or the adjective audacious to you again, christy. i see that it nettles you, to say the least," added the captain, pressing his hand with more earnestness. "i am perfectly willing you should apply both words to me when i deserve it. audacity means boldness, impudence, according to stormonth. audacious means very bold, daring, impudent. it may have been bold to run out the teaser, and the enemy would even call it impudent, for the meaning of a word sometimes depends upon which side you belong to. my father was quite as impudent as i was when he ran the bellevite out of mobile bay, under the guns of fort morgan. he was audacious, wasn't he?" "we should hardly apply that word to him." "why not? simply because my father was forty-five years old when he told captain breaker to do it. if i were only thirty years old i should not be audacious. i am a boy, and therefore anything that i do is daring, audacious, impudent, imprudent." "i rather think you are right, mr. passford, and it is your age more than the results of your actions that is the basis of our judgment," said captain blowitt. "i wish to add seriously, captain, as a friend and not as an officer, i do not claim that the command of this expedition should be given to me because i am first lieutenant of the bronx, or for any other reason," added christy with an earnest expression. "perhaps it would be better to give the command to the second lieutenant; and if you do so, i assure you, upon my honor, that it will not produce a particle of feeling in my mind. i shall honor, respect, and love you as i have always, captain blowitt." "my dear fellow, you are entirely misunderstanding me," protested the commander, as earnestly as his subordinate had spoken. "i give you the command of this expedition because i honestly and sincerely believe you are the very best person on board to whom i can commit such a responsibility." "that is enough, captain, and a great deal more than you were under any obligations to say to me; and i shall obey my orders with all the prudence and discretion i can bring to bear upon them," said christy, taking the captain's offered hand. "if i fail it will not be because i do not try to be prudent." "there is such a thing as being too prudent, and i hope that nothing which has been said to you by your father or by me will drive you to the other extreme." though this conversation had at times been very animated, christy was glad that it had taken place, for it gave him a better insight into his own standing than he had before. he did not look upon it as a very great affair to command a couple of boats, in a night expedition, for he had recently commanded two steamers, and brought them off victorious. he had it in mind to ask the captain to send flint in command of the expedition, though it would compel him, on account of his rank, to remain inactive on board of the bronx; but he could not do this, after what had been said, without leaving some evidence that he was disaffected by what the commander had said to him about audacity. it was found after a calculation of the run very carefully made that the bronx would arrive too soon at her destination, and she was slowed down as the evening came on. in the ward room, of which christy was now the occupant of the forward berth on the starboard side, he studied the chart with amblen a good part of the waiting hours, and the executive officer obtained all the information he could from the third lieutenant. there were three principal keys, or cays, one of which, called the north key, was the nearest to the mainland, and was set in the mouth of a bay. this was the nearest to the peninsula at the end of which the railroad terminates. about southwest of it is the seahorse key, on which there is a light in peaceful times. to the south of the point is the snake key, and between the last two is the main channel to the port, which twists about like the track of a snake. there is a town, or rather a village, near the landing. six bells struck on deck, and all the officers, including the captain, adjourned to the bridge, which was a useful institution on such occasions as the present. a sharp watch had been kept by lieutenant flint in charge; but though the night was clear, nothing had been made out in the direction of the shore. all lights on board had been put out, and the bronx went along in the smooth sea as quietly as a lady on a fashionable promenade, and it was not believed that anything could be seen of her from the shore. about midnight the lookout man aloft reported that he could see a twinkling light. it was promptly investigated by mr. amblen, who went aloft for the purpose. he was satisfied that it was a light in some house in the village, probably in the upper story. it soon disappeared, and it was thought to be occasioned by the late retiring of some person. "i should say, captain blowitt, that we are not more than five miles outside of seahorse key," said mr. amblen, after he had interpreted the meaning of the light. "it is after midnight, and these people are not in the habit of sitting up so late." "if they are shipping much cotton from this port, it is not improbable that there is a force here to protect the vessels, whatever they are," added the commander. "of that, of course, i can know nothing; but i shall expect to find a confederate battery somewhere on the point, and i know about where to look for it." "the place has never been of any great importance, and you can hardly expect to find a very strong force in it," added the captain. it has since become a place of more note, both as a resort for invalids and pleasure-seekers, and as the termination of the railroad from fernandina and jacksonville, and steamers have run regularly from the port to havana and new orleans. "if you will excuse me, captain blowitt, i should say that it was not advisable to take the bronx nearer than within about four miles of the seahorse key," suggested mr. amblen. "i was just thinking that we had gone as far as it is prudent to go. do you think you could take the bronx up to the landing?" added the captain. "i am very sure that i could, for i have been in many a time on a darker night than this." "we will not go in to-night, but perhaps we may have occasion to do so to-morrow. we shall know better what to do when we get a report of the state of things in the place," replied the captain, as he gave the word through the speaking tube to stop the steamer. christy had been given full powers to make all preparations for the boat expedition, and was allowed ten men to each of the quarter boats. he had selected the ones for his own boat, and had required flint to pick his own crew for the other. the oars had been carefully muffled by the coxswains, for it was desirable that no alarm should be given in the place. the starboard quarter boat was the first cutter, pulled by six oars, and this was for christy and mr. amblen, with the regular coxswain and three hands in the bow. the second cutter was in charge of mr. flint, and followed the other boat, keeping near enough to obtain her course in the twists of the channel. it was a long pull to the seahorse key, and a moderate stroke was taken as well not to tire the men as to avoid all possible noise. when the first cutter was abreast of the key, the pilot pointed out the dark outline of the peninsula, which was less than a mile distant. no vessel could be seen; but the pilot thought they might be concealed by the railroad buildings on the point. christy asked where the battery was which the pilot thought he could locate, and the spot was indicated to him. christy wanted a nearer view of it, and the cutter was headed in that direction. chapter xxiii the visit to a shore battery the first cutter reached the seahorse key closely followed by the second. it was within an hour of high tide, the ordinary rise and fall of which was two and a half feet. on the key was a light house, and a cottage for the keeper of it; but the former was no longer illuminated, and the house was as dark as the head of the tower. so far as could be discovered there was no one on the key, though the boats did not stop to investigate this matter. the crews still pulled a moderate stroke with their muffled oars, the men were not allowed to talk, and everything was as silent as the inside of a tomb. the pilot stood up in the stern sheets of the cutter, gazing intently in the direction of the point nearly a mile ahead. the outlines of the buildings could be discerned, and amblen soon declared that he could make out the tops of the masts of several vessels to the westward of the point with which the peninsula terminated. this looked hopeful, and indicated that the information upon which the expedition had been sent out was correct. christy began to think he should have a busy night before him when amblen said there were at least three vessels at the port. the battery was first to be visited and cared for if there was one, and it was not probable that a place so open to the operations of the blockading force would be without one, especially if the people were actually engaged in loading cotton, as the masts of the vessels indicated, though the hulls could not yet be seen. as the first cutter approached nearer to the place the outlines became more distinct, and soon embodied themselves into definite objects. both officers in the stern sheets watched with the most anxious vigilance for any moving object denoting the presence of life and intelligence. as the boats came nearer to the shore, a breeze sprang up, and cooled the air, for early as it was in the season, the weather was very warm, and it was not uncommon for the thermometer to rise above ninety. these breezes were usually present to cool the nights, and doubtless the inhabitants slept the sounder for the one which had just begun to fan the cheeks of the officers and seamen of the expedition. "there is a battery there, mr. passford," said the pilot in a very low tone. "i can make it out now, and it is just where i supposed it would be." "i can see something that seems like an earthwork at the right of the buildings," added christy. "can you make out anything that looks like a sentinel?" "i can see nothing that denotes the presence of a man. if there were a sentinel there, he would be on the top of the earthwork, or on the highest ground about it, so that he could see out into the bay, for there can be no danger from the land side of the place," added amblen. "i can hardly imagine such a thing as a battery without a sentinel to give warning if anybody should try to carry it off. there must be a sentry somewhere in the vicinity." "i can't say there isn't, though i can't make out a man, or anything that looks like one," replied the pilot. "very likely we shall soon wake him up, mr. amblen; and in that case it will be necessary for us to find a safer place than in front of the guns of the battery, for i do not feel at liberty to expose the men to the fire of the works, whatever they are." "all you have to do is to pull around to the other side of the point into the bay, where the vessels are. i am confident there is no battery on that side, and there can hardly be any need of one, for this one commands the channel, the only approach to the place for a vessel larger than a cutter." "i fancy this battery does not amount to much, and is probably nothing more than an earthwork, with a few field guns behind it. suppose we should wake it up, and have to make for the bay, can we get out of it without putting the boats under the guns of the battery?" "without any difficulty at all, sir. we have only to pull around the north key, and pass out to the gulf, beyond the reach of any field gun that can be brought to bear on us," replied mr. amblen. "if they have one or two field batteries here, they may hitch on the horses, and follow us," suggested christy, who, in spite of the audacity with which he had been mildly charged, was not inclined to run into any trap from which he could not readily withdraw his force. "we shall have the short line, and if they pursue us with the guns, we can retire by the way of the channel, which they will leave uncovered." "we are getting quite near the shore," continued christy. "how is the water under us?" "the bottom is sandy, and we shall take the ground before we reach the shore if we don't manage properly. but we can tell something by the mangroves that fringe the land," replied the pilot; "and i will go into the bow of the cutter and look out for them." mr. amblen made his way to the fore sheets, and asked boxie, who was there, for the boathook, with which he proceeded to sound. when he had done so, he raised both his hands to a level with his shoulders, which was the signal to go ahead, and the men pulled a very slow stroke. he continued to sound, after he had selected the point for landing. when the first cutter was within three lengths of the shore, he elevated both his hands above his head, which was the signal to cease rowing, though the two bow oarsmen kept their oars in the water instead of boating them as the others did. mr. amblen continued to feel the way, and in a few minutes more, aided by the shoving of the two bow oarsmen, he brought the boat to the shore. then he gave his attention to the second cutter, bringing it to the land alongside of the first. stepping out on the sand himself, he was followed by all the crew, with cutlass in hand, and revolvers in readiness for use. the men were placed in order for an advance, and then required to lie down on the sand, so that they could not readily be seen if any stroller appeared on the ground. leaving the force in charge of mr. flint, christy and amblen walked towards the battery, crouching behind such objects as they could find that would conceal them in whole or in part. the earthwork was semicircular in form, and was hardly more than a rifle pit. no sentinel could be discovered, and getting down upon the sand, the two officers crept cautiously towards the heaps of sand which formed the fort. christy climbed up the slope with some difficulty, for the dry sand afforded a very weak foothold. on the top of it, which was about six feet wide, they found a solid path which had evidently been a promenade for sentinels or other persons. behind it, on a wooden platform, were four field guns, with depressions in the earthwork in front of the muzzles. christy led the way down the slope on the inside to the pieces, which were twelve-pounders. at a little distance from the platform was a sort of casemate, which might have been constructed for a magazine, or for a place of resort for the gunners if the fort should be bombarded. not a man could be seen, and if there was any garrison for the place, they were certainly taking things very comfortably, for they must have been asleep at this unseemly hour for any ordinary occupation. not far from the battery was a rude structure, hardly better than a shanty, which christy concluded must be the barracks of the soldiers if there were any there. he walked over to it; but there was not a human being to be seen in the vicinity. it was half past one at night, when honest people ought to be abed and asleep, and the first lieutenant of the bronx concluded that the garrison, if this shanty was their quarters, must be honest people. christy walked very cautiously to the side of the building, for the entrance was at the end nearest to the fort, and found several windows there, from which the sashes seemed to have been removed, if there had ever been any. the bottom of each opening was no higher than his head, and he went to one of them and looked in. extending along the middle of the interior was a row of berths. it was very dark inside, and he could not make out whether or not these bunks were occupied. the windows on the other side of the shanty enabled him to see that there were two rows of berths, each backing against the other. there were two in each tier, and he judged that the barrack would accommodate forty-eight men. he retained his place at the window in order to discover any movement made by a sleeper that would inform him whether or not the berths were occupied. if there were any soldiers there, they were as quiet as statues; but while he was watching for a movement, he heard a decided snore. there was at least one man there, and he continued to hear his sonorous breathing as long as he remained at the window, which was the first on the side of the shanty. [illustration: christy walked the whole length of the shanty.] christy decided to push the investigation still farther, and he went to a window in the middle of the building. he regarded the berths with attention for a few minutes, but he could perceive no movement. he could hear two snorers who seemed to be competing with each other to see who could make the most noise. if the berths were all occupied, three snorers were not a very great proportion in forty-eight. he was very anxious to ascertain if this was the number of soldiers in the place, but it was too dark in the shanty for him to determine whether or not the bunks were all in use. it was too many for him to encounter with his force of twenty men and three officers in the open field. christy returned to the end of the building, and tried the door. it was not locked, and he decided to make use of a little of the audacity of which he was accused of having a good deal. taking off his shoes, and passing his sword to mr. amblen, he entered the barrack on tiptoe. the boards of the floor began to creak under his weight; he stooped down and felt till he found the nail holes; then he knew that he was on a timber, and he walked the whole length of the shanty, returning on the opposite side, counting the occupied berths, for he passed within three feet of all of them. the count gave seventeen men as the number of sleepers, though this might not be all the force at the place. he had ascertained all he wished to know, and he walked back to the shore where the men were concealed. apart from the men, he had a conference with flint and amblen, giving them the details of what he had discovered. then he stated his plan, and the men were marched silently to the battery, and were posted behind the breastwork. not a man was allowed to move, and christy and flint went to the casemate, which looked like a mound of sand. it was locked, but taking a bar of iron they found with some tools for digging, they tore off the padlock. a lantern had been brought from the steamer, which was lighted. the structure was found to be for the protection of the artillerists in the first instance; but the apartment was connected with the magazine, the lock of which was removed. amblen was sent for ten men, and all the ammunition they could carry was removed. the rest of it was thrown into a pool of water made by recent rains. the powder, solid shot, and shells were carried to the boats. the rest of the men drew the four guns to the shore, where one was placed, with its carriage, in each of the cutters, and the other two put where they could be carried to the bronx, or thrown overboard in deep water, as occasion might require. the seventeen soldiers, reinforced by any that might be in the town, were thus deprived of the power to do any mischief except in a hand-to-hand fight. if the place was not actually captured, it was practically lost to the enemy. the next business of the expedition was to examine the bay, and ascertain what vessels were at the landing place. the boats shoved off, and pulled around the point. chapter xxiv captain lonley of the steamer havana the two twelve-pounders in each boat were believed to weigh about six hundred pounds each, while the ordinary bronze boat gun of the same calibre weighs seven hundred and sixty pounds. the four guns, therefore, were rather too heavy a burden for the size of the cutters. but christy was unwilling to throw the two without carriages overboard, for the water in this locality was so clear that they could have been seen at a depth of two or three fathoms. they were useless for the duty in which the expedition was engaged, and the commander of the expedition decided to land them on the seahorse key till he had completed his operations in the bay, when they could be taken off and transported to the bronx as trophies, if for nothing better. mr. flint was disposed to object to this plan, on account of the time it would require; but he yielded the point when christy informed him that it was only half past two, as he learned from the repeater he carried for its usefulness on just such duty as the present expedition. the guns and all that belonged to them were landed on the key, and the boats shoved off, the lieutenants happy in the thought that they were no longer embarrassed by their weight, while they could not be brought to bear upon them. the boats had hardly left the little island behind them when the noise of paddle wheels ahead was reported by one of the trio in the bow of the first cutter. christy listened with all his ears, and immediately heard the peculiar sounds caused by the slapping of the paddle wheels of a steamer upon the water. "we are in for something," said he to the pilot, as he listened to the sounds. "what might that be?" "it is a steamer without any doubt coming around the point, and she will be in sight in a moment or two," replied mr. amblen. "it may be a river steamer that has brought a load of cotton down the suwanee, and is going out on this tide." "then we may need those guns we have left on the key," suggested christy. "if she is a river steamer, there is not much of a force on board of her," replied the pilot. "we might return to the island, and use the two guns with carriages there." "if she is a river steamer, we shall not need great guns to capture her." christy had ordered the men to cease rowing, and the two cutters lay motionless on the full sea, for the tide was at its height by this time. even in the darkness they could make out whether the approaching vessel was a river or a sea steamer as soon as she could be seen. "whatever she is, we must capture her," said christy, very decidedly. "if she is a river steamer, she will be of no use to the government," added mr. amblen. "of none at all." replied christy. "in that case i shall burn her, for it would not be safe to send good men in such a craft to a port where she could be condemned. the next question is, shall we take her here, or nearer to the shore." "the farther from the shore the better, i should say, mr. passford. after she passes the seahorse key, she will be in deep water for a vessel coming out of that port; and until she gets to the key, she will move very slowly, and we can board her better than when she is going at full speed," said mr. amblen. "you are doubtless quite right, mr. amblen, and i shall adopt your suggestion," replied christy. "there she comes, and she is no river steamer." she had not the two tall funnels carried by river steamers, and that point was enough to settle her character. there could be no doubt she would have been a blockade runner, if there had been any blockade to run at the entrance to the port. christy decided to board the steamer between the two keys, the channel passing between snake and seahorse. the first cutter fell back so that christy could communicate with mr. flint, and he instructed him to take a position off the snake key, where his boat could not be discovered too soon, and board the steamer on the port side, though he did not expect any resistance. each cutter took its position and awaited in silence the approach of the blockade runner. the only thing christy feared was that she would come about and run back to the port, though this could only delay her capture. the steamer, as well as the officers could judge her in the distance, was hardly larger than the bronx. they concluded that she must be loaded with cotton, and at this time it was about as valuable a cargo as could be put on board of her. she would be a rich prize, and the masts of the schooners were still to be seen over the tops of the buildings. she must have chosen this hour of the night to go out, not only on account of the tide, but because the darkness would enable her to get off the coast where a blockader occasionally wandered before the blockade was fully established. her paddle wheels indicated that she had not been built very recently, for very nearly all sea steamers, including those of the united states, were propelled by the screw. as mr. amblen had predicted the steamer moved very slowly, and it was all of a quarter of an hour before she came to the seahorse key. at the right time christy gave the word to the crew to "give way lively!" and the first cutter shot out from the concealment of the little island, while flint did the same on the other side of the channel. almost in the twinkling of an eye the two boats had made fast to her, and seven men from each boat leaped on the deck of the steamer, cutlass in hand. no guns were to be seen, and the watch of not more than half a dozen men were on the forecastle; and perhaps this was the entire force of the sailing department. "what does all this mean?" demanded a man coming from the after part of the vessel, in a voice which christy recognized as soon as he had heard half of the sentence. "good morning, captain lonley," said christy, in the pleasantest of tones. "you are up early, my friend, but i think we are a little ahead of you on this occasion." "who are you, sir?" demanded lonley; and christy had at once jumped to the conclusion that he was the captain of the steamer. "i have heard your voice before, but i cannot place you, sir." "fortunately for me, it is not necessary that you should place me this time," replied christy. "it is equally fortunate that i am not compelled to place you again, as i felt obliged to do, on board of the judith in mobile bay." "passford!" exclaimed captain lonley, stepping back a pace in his astonishment. "passford, late of the bellevite, and now executive officer of the united states steamer bronx, formerly the teaser, privateer," answered christy, in his usual cheerful tones. "may i inquire the name of this steamer?" "this steamer is the havana," replied captain lonley. "may i ask you, mr. passford, in regard to your business on board of her?" "i have a little affair on board of her, and my duty compels me to demand her surrender as a prize to the bronx." "caught again!" exclaimed captain lonley, stamping violently on the deck in his disgust at his misfortune, and it was the third time that christy had thrown him "out of a job." "the way of the transgressor is hard, captain lonley," added the commander of the expedition. "transgressor, sir!" ejaculated the captain of the havana. "what do you mean by that, mr. passford?" "well, captain, you are in arms against the best government that the good god ever permitted to exist for eighty odd years; and that is the greatest transgression of which one can be guilty in a patriotic sense." "i hold no allegiance to that government." "so much the worse for you, captain lonley; but we will not talk politics. do you surrender?" "this is not an armed steamer, and i have no force to resist; i am compelled to surrender," replied the captain as he glanced at the cutlasses of the men from the bronx. "that is a correct, though not a cheerful view of the question on your part. i am very happy to relieve you from any further care of the havana, and you may retire to your cabin, where i shall have the honor to wait upon you later." "one word, mr. passford, if you please," said captain lonley, taking christy by the arm and leading him away from the rest of the boarding party. "this steamer and the cotton with which she is loaded are the property of your uncle, homer passford." "indeed?" was all that christy thought it necessary to say in reply. "you have already taken from him one valuable cargo of cotton; and it would be magnanimous in you, as well as very kind of a near relative, to allow me to pass on my way with the property of your uncle." "would it have been kind on the part of a near relative to allow his own brother to pass out of mobile bay in the bellevite?" "that would have been quite another thing, for the bellevite was intended for the federal navy," protested the confederate captain. "it would have been sacrificing his country to his fraternal feelings. this is not a confederate vessel, and is not intended as a war steamer," argued lonley. "every pound of cotton my uncle sells is so much strength added to the cause he advocates; and i hope, with no unkind thoughts or feelings in regard to him, i shall be able to capture every vessel he sends out. that is my view of the matter, and i am just as strong on my side of the question as uncle homer is on his side. i would cut off my right hand before i would allow your vessel or any other to escape, for i have sworn allegiance to my government, and when i fail to do my duty at any sacrifice of personal feeling, it will be when i have lost my mind; and my uncle would do as much for his fractional government. we need not discuss such a subject as you suggest, captain." captain lonley said no more, and retired to his cabin. christy was ready for the next question in order. accompanied by mr. flint, he looked the steamer over. the mate had lighted his pipe and seated himself on a water cask; and he seemed to be the only officer besides the captain on board. the engineers were next visited. there were two of them, but they were red hot for the confederacy, and nothing was said to them except to order them on deck, where they were placed with the crew, and a guard of seamen set over them. the firemen were negroes, and they were willing to serve under the new master, and doubtless were pleased with the change. the crew of the bronx on board of the havana were canvassed to find a man who had run an engine, but not one of them had any experience. "that's bad," said flint, when they had finished the inquiry. "we have not an engineer on board, and we shall have to send off to the bronx for one." "not so bad as that, mr. flint," replied christy. "there is one loyal engineer on board, and i am the one. you will take the deck, and mr. amblen will go into the pilot house. i am not quite ready to go off to the bronx yet, for there are two or three cotton schooners in this port, and we are so fortunate as to have a steamer now to tow them out." "very likely those soldiers have waked up by this time," said flint. "let them fire those guns at us, if they can find them," laughed christy. then he took mr. amblen into the engine room with him. chapter xxv the new engineer of the prize steamer while enthusiastically pursuing his studies as an engineer, christy had visited a great many steamers with paul vapoor for the purpose of examining the engines, so that he could hardly expect to find one with whose construction he was not familiar, whether it was an american or a foreign built machine. at the first glance after he entered the engine room of the havana, he knew the engine, and was ready to run it without spending any time in studying it. he had brought the pilot with him in order to come to an understanding in regard to the bells, for in the navy the signals differ from those in the commercial marine. "this steamer is provided with a gong and a jingling bell," said christy, as he pointed them out to his companion. "my little steamer on this coast was run with just such bells," replied mr. amblen. "and so was the bellevite, so that i am quite accustomed to the system of signals; but it is well to be sure that we understand each other perfectly if we expect to get this vessel out of the bay after we go up to the port," added christy. "i agree with you entirely, sir. a single strong stroke on the gong is to start or to stop her according to the circumstances," said the pilot. "precisely so; and two strokes are to back her," continued christy. "going at full speed, the jingler brings the engine down to half speed, or at half speed carries it up to full speed." "that is my understanding of the matter," replied mr. amblen. "then we understand each other to a charm," continued the temporary engineer. "report to mr. flint that we are ready to go ahead." christy found a colored man who was on duty as an oiler, and four others in the fire room, who seemed to be engaged in an earnest discussion of the situation, for the capture of the havana was a momentous event to all of them. the oiler was at work, and had thoroughly lubricated the machinery, as though he intended that any failure of the steamer should not be from any fault on his part. the new official set two of the firemen at work, though the boilers had a good head of steam. the gong bell gave one sharp stroke, and christy started the engine. the havana was headed out to sea when she was captured, and in the slack water she had not drifted at all. he went ahead slowly, and soon had the bell to stop her; but he expected this, for the channel was narrow, and it required considerable manoeuvring to get the steamer about. then he happened to think of the guns on the seahorse key, and through the speaking tube he passed the word to mr. flint to have him land there in order to take the guns and ammunition on board. after a great deal of backing and going ahead, the havana was headed for the key, where she was stopped as near to it as the depth of water would permit. the guns and other material were brought off, two of the firemen, the oiler, and other colored men of the crew of the havana assisting in the work. the two guns that were provided with carriages were mounted, and placed on the forecastle. they were loaded and prepared for service by the trained gunners of the crew. christy had directed all this to be done on account of the delay which had attended the good fortune of the expedition, for he might not get out of the bay before the daylight came to reveal the presence of the force he commanded to the people on the shore. the gong rang again when all these preparations had been made, and the havana steamed slowly up the channel towards the bay. the oiler appeared to have finished his work for the present. he was a more intelligent man than the others of his color on board, and seemed to understand his duties. christy spoke to him, for he said nothing unless he was spoken to, and he had learned that the commander of the expedition was doing duty as engineer in the absence of any other competent person. "how many schooners are there at the landing place at the keys?" asked christy. "only two schooners, sir," replied the man very respectfully. "are they loaded, --what is your name?" asked the engineer. "my name is dolly, sir." "dolly? that is a girl's name." "my whole name is adolphus, sir; but everybody calls me dolly, and i can't help myself," replied the oiler soberly, as though he had a real grievance on account of the femininity of his nickname. "the two schooners are not quite loaded, sir, but they are very nearly full. they had some trouble here, among the hands." "had some trouble, did they? i should think there were soldiers enough here to keep everything straight. how many artillerists or soldiers do they keep here?" added christy. "they had about forty, but they don't have half that number now." "what has become of them?" "they were sent away to look for the hands that took to the woods. one of the officers and about half of the men were sent off yesterday," replied dolly, who seemed willing to tell all he knew. "why did the men run off?" asked christy curiously. "they brought about fifty hands, all slaves, down here to load the steamer and the schooners. they set them at work yesterday morning, and they had nearly put all the cotton into the schooners at dinner time. to make the niggers work harder, they gave them apple jack." "what is that?" asked the engineer, who never heard the name before. "it is liquor made out of apples, and it is very strong," answered dolly; and he might have added that it was the vilest intoxicant to be found in the whole world, not even excepting russian vodka. "and this liquor made the hands drunk, i suppose." "they did not give them enough for that, sir; but it made them kind of crazy, and they wanted more of it. that made the trouble; the hands struck for liquor before dinner, and when they didn't get it, they took to the woods, about fifty of them. the soldiers had to get their dinner before they would start out after them; and that is the reason the schooners are not full now, sir, and not a bale had been put into this steamer." "but she seems to be fully loaded now." "yes, sir; captain lonley paid the soldiers that were left to load the havana. they worked till eleven in the evening; they were not used to that kind of work, and they got mighty tired, i can tell you," said dolly, with the first smile christy had seen on his yellow face, for he appeared to enjoy the idea of a squad of white men doing niggers' work. "that was what made them sleep so soundly, and leave the battery on the point to take care of itself," said christy. "where were the officers?" "two of them have gone on the hunt for the hands, and i reckon the captain is on a visit to a planter who has a daughter, about forty miles from here." "the soldiers were sleeping very soundly in the barrack about two this morning; and perhaps they were also stimulated with apple jack," added christy. "did you drink any of it, dolly?" "no, sir, i never drink any liquor, for i am a preacher," replied the oiler, with a very serious and solemn expression on his face. "how do you happen to be a greaser on a steamer if you are a preacher?" "i worked on a steamer on the alabama river before i became a preacher, and i took it up again. i was raised in a preacher's family, and worked in the house." he talked as though he had been educated, but he could neither read nor write, and had picked up all his learning by the assistance of his ears alone. but christy had ascertained all he wished to know in regard to the schooners, and he was prepared to carry out his mission in the bay. at the fort it appeared that all the commissioned officers were absent from the post, and the men, after exhausting themselves at work to which they were unaccustomed, had taken to their bunks and were sleeping off the fatigue, and perhaps the effects of the apple jack. while he was thinking of the matter, the gong struck, and christy stopped the engine. "do you know anything about an engine, dolly?" he asked, turning to the oiler. "yes, sir; i run the engine of the havana over here from mobile," replied dolly. "i can do it as well as any one, if they will only trust me." "then stand by the machine, and obey the bells if they are struck," added christy, as he went on deck. he found the second and third lieutenants standing on the rail engaged in examining the surroundings. the day was just beginning to show itself in the east, though it was not yet light enough to enable them to see clearly on shore. by the side of the railroad building was a pier, at which the two schooners lay. they could hear the sounds of some kind of a stir on shore, but were unable to make out what it meant. "we are losing time," said christy, as he took in at a glance all he deemed it necessary to know in regard to the situation. "i was about to report to you, mr. passford; but mr. amblen wished to ascertain whether or not there is a battery on this side of the point," said flint. "do you find anything, mr. amblen?" "no, sir; i can see nothing that looks like a battery," replied the pilot. "then run in, and we will make fast to these schooners and haul them out," added christy in hurried tones. the pilot went to the wheel, and rang one bell on the gong. dolly started the engine before christy could reach the machine. he said nothing to the oiler, but seated himself on the sofa, and observed his movements. a few minutes later came the bell to stop her, and then two bells to back her. dolly managed the machine properly and promptly, and seemed to be at home in the engine room. the color of his skin was a sufficient guaranty of his loyalty, but christy remained below long enough to satisfy himself that dolly knew what he was about, and then went on deck. by this time the noise on shore had become more pronounced, and he saw the dark forms of several persons on the wharf. flint and amblen were making fast to the nearest schooner, and a couple of seamen had been sent on shore to cast off the fasts which held her to the wharf. this was the work of but a moment, and the two men returned to the steamer; but they were closely followed by two men, one of whom stepped on the deck of the schooner. "what are you about here?" demanded the foremost of the men, in a rude and impertinent manner. "about our business," replied christy, with cool indifference. "who are you, young man?" demanded the one on the deck. "i am yours truly; who are you?" "none of your business who i am! i asked you a question, and you will answer it if you know when you are well off," blustered the man, who was rather too fat to be dangerous; and by this time, christy discovered that he wore something like a uniform. "i will try to find out when i am well off, and then i will answer you," replied christy. "all fast, sir," reported flint. the commander of the expedition, turning his back to the fat man, went forward to the pilot house. chapter xxvi the battle with the soldiers mr. amblen went to the pilot house, and rang two bells. dolly responded properly by starting the engine on the reverse, and the schooner alongside began to move away from the wharf, for the stern of the havana pointed out into the bay. "stop, there! what are you about?" shouted the fat man on the deck of the schooner. "about going," replied christy. "these vessels are the property of a citizen of the confederate states, and i command you to stop," yelled the fat man with all the voice he could muster. "all right," replied christy, as the gong sounded to stop her. "now, mr. flint, cast off the fasts, and let the schooner go astern," he added to the second lieutenant. "all clear, sir," replied flint a moment later, and after the steamer lost her headway, the vessel continued to back, though the havana was checked by the engine. the fat man went adrift in the schooner, but christy gave no further attention to him. the steamer was started ahead again; her bow was run alongside of the other vessel at the wharf, and flint proceeded in the same manner as with the first one. "orderly!" shouted the fat man, evidently addressing the man who had come to the schooner with him, and had retreated to the wharf when the vessel began to move. "captain rowly!" replied the man, who was doubtless the orderly sergeant of the company. "go to the barracks and have the men haul the four field pieces over to the wharf," yelled the fat captain. "all right, little one! have them hauled over by all means," said christy, as the men made fast to the other schooner, and cast off the fasts. but it was soon evident that the sleepy soldiers had been roused from their slumbers by some other agency than the orderly, though it was not quite possible for them to haul over the four guns, as they happened to be on the forward deck of the havana. but the men were armed with muskets, and were capable of doing a great deal of mischief with them. christy hurried up the men at the fasts, but they had about finished their task. "all clear, mr. passford," called mr. flint, as the soldiers double-quicked across the railroad to the wharf, upon which there was still a huge pile of bales of cotton. "back her, mr. amblen," said christy, as he hastened aft to avoid a collision with the other schooner. but the tide had begun to recede, and had carried the first vessel to a safe distance from the wharf. the soldiers reached the edge of the wharf, and were probably under the command of the orderly by this time. at any rate they marched farther down the pier, where they could be nearer to the havana as she backed away. then the troops fired a volley at the steamer; but in the darkness they did no serious injury to the party, though two seamen were slightly wounded. "cast off the fasts!" shouted christy, when he realized that some of his men were in a fair way to be shot down before they could get the two schooners alongside and properly secured for the trip to the bronx, and the order was promptly obeyed. "now, check her, mr. amblen;" and two bells were sounded on the gong, after one to stop her. the second schooner kept on her course out into the bay to join the first one cast loose; but christy feared that they might get aground, and give them trouble. the seventeen soldiers whom he had counted in their bunks appeared to have been reinforced either by the return of the absent party, or by the civilians in the place, for they presented a more formidable front than the smaller number could make. whatever the number of the defenders of the place, they could harass the expedition while the men were preparing for the final departure. "with what were those two guns charged, mr. flint?" asked christy. "with solid shot, sir," replied the second lieutenant. "open fire on the wharf, and then load with the shrapnel," added christy. the two guns, which had been placed in proper position for use on the top-gallant forecastle, were aimed by flint himself, and discharged. the report shook the steamer, and christy, who retained his position on the quarter deck, heard a scream of terror, coming from a female, issue from the companion way, at the head of which a seaman had been placed as a sentinel over the officers below. "what was that, neal?" asked the commander of the expedition. "it was the scream of a lady, sir, and that is all i know about it," replied the man. "i haven't seen any lady, sir, and i think she must have been asleep so far. the captain tried to come on deck a while ago, but i sent him back, sir." by this time the two field pieces had been loaded again, and they were discharged. christy watched the effect, and he had the pleasure of seeing the whole troop on the wharf retire behind the great pile of bales of cotton. a random fire was kept up from this defence, but the soldiers were safe behind their impenetrable breastwork. flint continued to fire into it. at the report of the guns, nearly together, which made the havana shake, and everything on board of her rattle, for she was not built to carry a battery of guns, another scream came forth from the companion way. a moment later, christy saw a female form ascending the stairs. the sentinel placed his cutlass across the passage; but the lieutenant told him to let her come on deck if she desired to do so. it was light enough for the gallant young officer to see that she was young and fair, though she had evidently dressed herself in great haste. she looked around her with astonishment, perhaps to find that the steamer was no longer at the wharf. the guns on the forecastle were again discharged, and she shrunk back at the sound. "do not be alarmed, miss," said christy, in his gentlest tones. "but i must say that you will be safer in the cabin than on deck." "will you please to tell me what has happened, sir, or what is going to happen?" asked the lady; and the listener thought he had never heard a sweeter voice, though he might not have thought so if he had heard it at bonnydale, or anywhere else except in the midst of the din of pealing guns and the rattling of musketry. "i can tell you what has happened; but as i am not a prophet, i cannot so accurately inform you in regard to what is going to happen," he replied. "but what has occurred on board of the havana?" she interposed, rather impatiently. "the havana has been captured by an expedition, of which i have the honor to be in command, from the united states gunboat bronx. just now we are defending ourselves from an attack of the soldiers in the place. as to the future, miss, i have no reasonable doubt that we shall be able to get the steamer and two schooners we have also captured alongside the bronx, where all the prizes will be subject to the order of her commander. permit me to advise you to retire to the cabin, miss, and later, i shall be happy to give you all the information in my power," said christy, touching his cap to her, and pointing to the companion way. she accepted the advice, and went down the steps. the young officer had no time then to wonder who and what she was, for he realized that there was little hope of stopping the desultory firing from behind the cotton pile; and perhaps by this time the soldiers realized what had become of their four field pieces, for they knew that the havana had not been armed when they loaded her with cotton. christy went forward to set the officers at work in picking up the two prizes, and as he stopped to look down into the engine room, he felt his cap knocked off his head, and heard the whizzing of a bullet unpleasantly near his ears. he picked up his cap, and found a bullet hole through the top of it. if it had gone an inch or two lower, mr. flint would have succeeded to the command of the expedition without any ceremonies. though there was no reason for it, this incident seemed to provoke him, for it assured him that he could not pick up his prizes without exposing his men to this nasty firing for some time longer. it was now light enough for him to make out the situation of the breastwork of cotton, and he saw that it was a long and narrow pile, probably near a siding of the railroad where the bales had been unloaded from the cars. another glance at the surroundings in regard to the point enabled him to make up his mind what to do, and he did not lose a moment in putting his plan into execution. the firing of shot and shrapnel at the cotton pile seemed to produce no adequate effect, and he ordered flint to cease his operations. "back her, mr. amblen," he added to the pilot. "back her at full speed." the schooners were doing very well; instead of wandering off into the bay, they had fallen into the channel, and were drifting with the tide. several persons appeared on the deck of each of them, and it was plain that a portion of the crews had been asleep on board of them. while he was observing them, he discovered two boats coming out from behind the point, and making for the two vessels. this movement indicated an attempt to recapture the prizes. "port the helm, mr. amblen, and circle around till the bow points in the direction of those boats coming out from beyond the point," said christy. "mr. flint, man your guns again at once, and drop some solid shot into those boats." the havana continued to back till the guns would bear on the boats, and then flint delivered his fire. the headmost of the boats was smashed, and was a wreck on the bay. the other hastened to pick up the crew, and then pulled for the shore with all possible speed, though not till two other boats, apparently filled with soldiers, were discovered approaching the retreating boat. christy did not wait to dispose of these, but mounted the top-gallant forecastle, and ordered the guns to be loaded with shells. then he waited till the steamer reached a point off the end of the peninsula, when he gave the order to stop and back her. sighting the first gun himself, he directed the man at the lockstring to fire. he waited a moment for the smoke to clear away, and then, with his glass, he saw several forms lying on the wharf by the side of the cotton pile. he had fired so as to rake the rear of this breastwork, and before the soldiers there understood what he was doing. those who had not dropped before the fire were picking up their wounded companions, and retreating with all practicable haste. it was not necessary to discharge the other gun, and it was swung round and brought to bear on the two boats advancing towards the prizes, the men in which were pulling with the most desperate haste. flint took careful aim this time, and the gun was discharged. the shrapnel with which it was charged did not knock the boat to pieces as a solid shot might have done, but two of the oars were seen to drop into the water, and both boats began to retreat, which was quite a proper thing for them to do in face of such a destructive fire. there was nothing more to detain the expedition at the place, and the two prizes were picked up, made fast, one on each side of the havana, and then the bell to go ahead was sounded. the pilot then informed christy that he had made out the bronx approaching at a distance of not more than three miles beyond the seahorse key. probably captain blowitt had heard the guns, and was coming in to assist in the fight. chapter xxvii the innocent captain of the garrison the firing of the musketry was continued from the end of the point by a small squad of soldiers, though the most of them seemed to have gone over to the other side of the peninsula to take part in the attempt to recapture the schooners with boats, which had utterly failed. it was now fairly light, the battle had been fought, and the boat expedition had done all and more than all it had been expected to accomplish. christy had hardly expected to do anything more than obtain information that would enable the bronx to capture the schooners, and nothing had been said about the steamer that had been found there. it appeared from the statement of captain lonley that the havana was the property of his uncle homer passford; and doubtless he had chosen cedar keys as a safer place, at this stage of the war, to send out his cotton than the vicinity of his plantation. christy certainly had no desire to capture the property of his father's brother rather than that of any other confederate planter, for he had had no knowledge of his operations in florida. but he was quite as patriotic on his own side as his uncle was on the other side, and as it was his duty to take or destroy the goods of the enemy, he was not sorry he had been so fortunate, though he did regret that homer passford had been the principal sufferer from the visit of the bronx to this coast. the planter had now lost three schooners and one steamer loaded with cotton; but christy was satisfied that this would not abate by one jot or tittle his interest in the cause he had espoused. the young man did not think of such a thing as punishing him for taking part in the rebellion, for he knew that homer would be all the more earnest in his faith because he had been a financial martyr on account of his devotion to it. the havana, with one of the schooners on each side of her, was steaming slowly down the channel, and the bronx was approaching at a distance of not more than three miles. for the first time since he obtained possession of the prizes, he had an opportunity to look them over, and collect his thoughts. from the very beginning of the enterprise he had been extremely anxious in regard to the result. his orders had been to obtain all the information he could in regard to the position of the vessels that were reported to be at this port, and to do anything the circumstances would permit without incurring too much risk. the adventure had been full of surprises from first to last. something new and sometimes something strange had been continually exposed to him, and it looked to him just as though all the preparations to accomplish the result he had achieved had been made for his coming. before the boats went around into the bay, he had been satisfied with the finding and carrying off of the twelve-pounders. he had hardly expected to do anything more, and he knew that captain blowitt would be amused as well as pleased at this rather singular feat. the removal of the four field pieces had rendered the capture of the schooners possible and even easy, as it would not have been if the order of captain rowly to drag them over to the wharf could have been carried out. the taking of the havana had been rather a side incident, hardly connected with the rest of the affair. everything had favored the young commander of the expedition, and he had made good use of his opportunities, though he had embraced some of them blindly, without being able to foresee the consequences of his action at the time it was taken. he had time now to review the events of the morning, and the result was in the highest degree pleasing to him. on board of the two schooners the crew had put in an appearance; but when he inquired of the negroes he learned that the captains of the vessels were not on board. the mate of each was on deck, and they were the only white men. on the rail of the one on the port side sat the fat captain of the garrison of the place. thus far he had said nothing, and he appeared to be sitting figuratively on the stool of repentance, for he had not been faithful to the trust reposed in him. dolly had said he had gone to visit a planter who had a daughter; but this statement did not appear to be true, for he had put in an appearance early, as the havana was making fast to the first prize. he had left his men in the barrack to sleep off their fatigue and apple jack after their unaccustomed labor in loading the steamer. he had not so much as posted a sentinel, who might have enabled him to defeat the invaders of the port, even with his diminished force. if homer passford had been on the spot, his faith in the providence that watched over his holy cause might have been shaken. "good morning, captain rowly," said christy cheerfully, as he walked up to the disconsolate captain. "i hope you are feeling quite well." "not very well; things are mixed," replied the fat officer, looking down upon the planks of the deck. "mixed, are they?" added christy. "i can't see how it all happened," mused the military gentleman. "how what happened, captain rowly?" inquired christy. "all the vessels in the place captured, and carried off!" exclaimed the late commander of the garrison. "i don't discover the least difficulty in explaining how it all happened. you were so very obliging as to allow your men to go to sleep in the barrack without even posting a sentinel at the battery. that made the whole thing as easy as tumbling off a sawhorse," replied the leader of the expedition, without trying to irritate the repentant captain of the forces. "and, like an infernal thieving yankee, you went into the fort and stole the guns!" exclaimed captain rowly, beginning to boil with rage as he thought of his misfortune. "well, it did not occur to me that i ought to have waked you and told you what i was about before taking the guns." "it was a nasty yankee trick!" roared the soldier. "i suppose it was, captain; but we yankees cannot very well help what was born in our blood; and i have heard that some of your honest and high-toned people have made bigger steals than this one. while i have carried off only four twelve-pounders, your folks have taken entire forts, including scores of guns of all calibres," replied christy, amused at the view the fat gentleman took of his operations. "our people took nothing that did not belong to them, for the forts were within our territory," retorted the soldier. [illustration: captain rowly protests.] "that was just my case. i have the honor to be an officer of the united states navy, and as these guns happened to be within the territory of our government, of course it was all right that i should take them." "you stole the vessels after i ordered you to stop," muttered captain rowly. "precisely so; but, being in a hurry just then, i hadn't time to stop," laughed christy. "where are you going now? you knew i was on the deck of this schooner, and you have brought me off here where i didn't want to come. i am not used to the water, and i am afraid i shall get sea-sick," continued the fat officer. "perhaps we may be able to provide a nurse for you if you are very sick." "why don't you answer my question, and tell me where you are going?" demanded the soldier. "we are going out here a mile or two farther, just to take the air and get up an appetite for breakfast." "but i object!" "do you indeed?" "and i protest!" "against what?" "against being carried off in this way. you knew i was on board of the schooner." "i confess that i did know you were on board, though i must add that it was your own fault." "i had a right on board of the vessel." "i don't deny it. you have a sword at your side; but as you neglected to use it, you will excuse me if i ask you to give it to me," added christy, reaching out for the weapon. "give you my sword!" exclaimed captain rowly. "it is a formality rather insisted upon on such occasions as the present." "i don't see it." "you don't? then i must say that i think you are rather obtuse, captain rowly, and i shall be under the painful necessity of helping you to see it. as a prisoner of war--" "as what?" demanded the soldier. "i regard you as a prisoner of war, and i must trouble you to give me your sword in token of your surrender." "i was not taken in a battle." "very true; your men fought the battle after you had left them. i have no more time to argue the question. will you surrender your sword, or will you have the battle now? two or three of my men will accommodate you with a fight on a small scale if you insist upon it." "don't you intend to send me back to the keys?" asked the captain, whose military education appeared to have been neglected, so that his ideas of a state of war were very vague. "i have not the remotest idea of doing anything of the sort. your sword, if you please." "this sword was presented to me by the citizens of my town--" "here, boxie and lanon, relieve this gentleman of his sword," added christy, as he saw the young lady coming up the companion way. "oh, i will give it up, if you really say so; but this is a queer state of things when my sword, presented to me by my fellow-citizens, is to be taken from me without any warrant of law," said captain rowly, as he handed the sword to christy, who returned it when it had done its duty as a token of submission. the prisoner was marched to the forecastle of the havana, and put under guard. christy walked towards the young lady, who had evidently dressed herself for the occasion. she was not only young, but she was beautiful, and the young commander of the expedition was strongly impressed by her grace and loveliness. he had heard her speak in the gloom of the early morning, and she had a silvery voice. he could not but wonder what she was doing on board of a blockade runner. "good morning, miss ---- i have not the pleasure of being able to call you by name," christy began as he touched his cap to her, and bowed his involuntary homage. "miss pembroke," she added. "i trust you are as comfortable as the circumstances will permit, miss pembroke. i hope you have ceased to be alarmed, as you were when i saw you before." "i am not alarmed, but i am exceedingly anxious in regard to the future, mr. ----" "mr. passford." "i only wish to know what is to become of us, mr. passford." "you speak in the plural, miss pembroke, as though you were not alone." "i am not alone, sir; my father, who is an invalid, is in the cabin. the excitement of this morning has had a bad effect upon him." "i am sorry to hear it. i suppose you embarked in this steamer with the desire to reach some other place?" "we reside in the state of new york, and all that remain of our family are on board of this steamer, and all we desire is to get home. we have lived two years in southern georgia for my father's health." christy thought they would be able to reach new york. chapter xxviii the bearer of despatches christy had assured himself that the father of the beautiful young lady was a loyal citizen, and then he pointed out to her in what manner they might reach their home, which was at newburgh on the hudson. mr. pembroke was not a wealthy man, though he had the means of supporting what was left of his family comfortably. but christy had to ask to be excused, as the bronx was but a short distance from the havana. he directed mr. amblen to stop her, so as to permit the gunboat to come alongside of her. as the bronx came within hailing distance of the steamer towing the schooners, a hearty cheer burst from the crew on the forecastle of the former, for the prizes alongside of the havana indicated the success of the expedition. the sea was smooth, and the naval steamer came alongside of the port schooner, and christy, who had put himself in position to do so as soon as he understood her intention, sprang lightly on board of her. captain blowitt was on the quarter deck, and the commander of the expedition hastened into his presence. of course christy could not help realizing that he had been successful, however the circumstances had aided him, and he felt sure of his welcome. the commander of the bronx was a man that weighed two hundred pounds, and his fat cheeks were immediately distended with laughter as soon as he saw his executive officer hastening towards him. he almost doubled himself up in his mirth as he looked into the young man's sober face, for christy was struggling to appear as dignified as the importance of the occasion seemed to require of him. but the commander restrained himself as much as he could, and extended his hand to the first lieutenant, which the young man accepted, and received a pressure that was almost enough to crush his feebler paw. in spite of himself, he could not help laughing in sympathy with his superior. "i am sorry you did not bring it all off with you, mr. passford," said captain blowitt, as soon as he was able to speak, for his risibles seemed to have obtained complete control of him. "i have brought it all off with me, captain," replied christy, though he had not yet got at the point of the joke, and spoke at a venture. "what, the whole state of florida!" exclaimed the commander. "no, sir; i did not bring it all off with me, for i did not think it would be quite safe to do this, for it might set the gulf stream to running in a new course, and derange navigation by making all our charts useless," replied christy, smoothing down the muscles of his face so that he looked as sober as before. "i thought from the appearance that you had brought it all off," added captain blowitt. "did i instruct you to bring it off?" "no, sir; you were considerate enough to say that you did not expect me to capture the whole state, and therefore i have not done it." "but we heard heavy guns this morning," continued the commander, putting on his sober face, for he could be as serious as a judge, though his adipose structure compelled him to be a great joker at suitable times. "you had no boat guns." "no, sir; but we picked up four twelve-pounder field pieces, which you see, two of them on carriages, on the forecastle of that steamer. we found the garrison asleep, and we carried off the four guns with which the battery was mounted. we put them on the seahorse key, and went into the bay to see what was there, sir. we found two schooners, and on the way we took the steamer. when we were hauling out the two schooners, the garrison woke up, and attempted to drive us off with musketry. we beat them off and sunk two boats with the field pieces. this is my report in brief." "and a very good report it is, mr. passford. i did not expect you to do anything more than bring off full information in regard to the situation at the port," added captain blowitt. "but you ordered me to do anything i could to prepare the way for a visit from the bronx," suggested christy. "and you have prepared the way by bringing off everything at the port, so that there is nothing for the bronx to do there," said the commander with a smile. "when i found that the garrison were all asleep, i thought it was my duty not to lose the opportunity that was thus presented to me. everything was in our favor, and i was led to do one thing after another till there was nothing more to do. i found that captain lonley, the worthy gentleman who had made prisoners of mr. flint and myself on santa rosa island, was in command of the steamer. he was not glad to see me; and from him i learned that the havana, which is her name, belonged to my uncle homer; and so did the schooners." "then your uncle has a heavy charge against you, for you have now taken four of his vessels." "possibly the confederate government is behind him in this operation. i don't know; but i am sure that the loss of every dollar he has in the world would not change his views in regard to the justice of his cause. but, captain blowitt, there are on board of the havana a gentleman and his daughter, who reside in newburgh. he is an invalid and a loyal citizen," continued christy, as he happened to see miss pembroke on the quarter deck of the steamer. "they wish to go home, i suppose, and there will soon be an opportunity for them to do so," replied the captain, as he went with his lieutenant to take a look at the prizes. he gave particular attention to the havana, which it was said had been built to run between cedar keys and the port for which she had been named, in connection with the railroad. she appeared to be a good vessel of about four hundred tons, which was as large as the navigation of the channel to the port would permit. she was not fit for war purposes in her present condition, and captain blowitt decided to send her to new york. most of the hands on board of the three prizes were negroes, who were too happy to go to the north. "sail, ho!" shouted the lookout on board of the bronx, while the commander was still discussing his plans with christy. "where away?" demanded the captain. "coming down from the northwest," reported a quartermaster. captain blowitt hastened on board of the bronx, for it did not yet appear whether the vessel was a friend or an enemy. she was a steamer, and she left a thin streak of black smoke in the sky, which indicated that her coal came from british territory. the havana and the schooners were left in charge of mr. amblen, after the prisoners had been properly disposed of in safe places. mr. spinnet, the second assistant engineer, was sent on board of her, for the commander had not full confidence in dolly, though he permitted him to remain as assistant. the boats used by the expedition were hoisted up to the davits, and the first and second lieutenants were ordered to return to the bronx, and only six seamen were left on board to guard the prisoners, of whom lonley was the only dangerous one, at all likely to make trouble. the bronx steamed off at her best speed in the direction of the approaching steamer, which appeared to be fast, and to be of that peculiarly rakish class of vessels of which there were so many engaged in the business of blockade running. she was examined by the officers with their glasses; but they were unable to make her out. her ensign was set on a stern pole; but they could not see whether it was the american or the confederate flag. "what do you make of her, mr. passford?" asked the captain, as they watched her advance over the smooth sea. "she is or has been a blockade runner, and that is all i can make out of her," replied christy. "she may have run the blockade, fitted in mobile or some other port as a cruiser, and come out to do what mischief she can. we may have to fight for our prizes, but the splinters will fly before she gets them away from us," said captain blowitt, who watched the steamer with an anxious look on his face, resolute as he was in the discharge of his duty. "she is considerably larger than the bronx." "as i make her out, she looks something like the ocklockonee and the escambia, which we sent to new york, though they had but one smokestack each while this one has two. they were about five hundred tons; and i should think this vessel was of very nearly the same size," added christy. "flies the american flag, sir," reported a quartermaster who had been sent into the main rigging to observe her. "that may be a trick," said the captain, "though i hardly think it is, for she is larger than the bronx, and need not resort to tricks." a little later, she began to hoist her signals on the foremast where they could be plainly seen. mr. flint made them out to the effect that the steamer had orders for the bronx. this settled the question, and there was no more anxiety in regard to her, and there was to be no sea fight for the possession of the prizes. in less than half an hour the two steamers were within hailing distance of each other, and the stranger sent off a boat with an officer as soon as both vessels had stopped their screws and lost their headway. as christy watched the approaching boat, he recognized the chief engineer of the bellevite in the stern sheets. it was paul vapoor, his old friend and crony, who waved his cap as soon as he discovered the first lieutenant. the boat came to the side, and paul mounted the accommodation ladder. he was a demonstrative young man, and he embraced christy as though he had been a frenchman, as soon as he reached the deck. he touched his cap to captain blowitt, and then delivered several huge envelopes to him, and also a despatch bag. "bearer of despatches, sir," said the chief engineer of the bellevite. "i see you are, mr. vapoor. if you will make yourself at home on board of the bronx, i will read these papers in my cabin," said the captain, as he went below. "i think mr. passford and i shall not waste any time while you are engaged, captain," replied mr. vapoor. certain personal and social matters had to be spoken of, and paul had to ask about florry passford first, and christy's father and mother afterwards, though there was no news to tell. "what are those vessels off there, christy?" asked paul, pointing to the havana and the schooners. "they are our prizes," replied the first lieutenant. "did you have to fight for them?" "a little, not much. what steamer is that in which you came, paul?" "our prize," replied paul, with a smile as though he knew more than he was permitted to tell. "we had an awful fight to get her; but we got her all the same. poor mr. dashington was badly wounded, and he may not get over it." "i am sorry to hear that. where was the fight?" asked christy. "about a hundred miles off the entrance to mobile bay. we were sent to look out for her on account of our speed. she came out, and seemed to think she was going to have her own way. we overhauled her, and captured her by boarding." "captain blowitt wishes to see lieutenant passford and mr. vapoor in his cabin," said dave, coming up to them at this moment; and both of them hastened to obey the summons. "take seats, gentlemen," said the commander, as he pointed to chairs at the table at which he was seated. "i am ordered back to the bellevite as first lieutenant, for poor dashington has been seriously wounded. mr. passford is ordered to new york in the vixen, which brings these despatches, for she must be condemned. mr. flint is ordered to the temporary command of the bronx, though i am unable to understand why it is made temporary. you are to convoy several vessels at key west in the vixen, which is fully armed, and has a sufficient crew." christy was never more astonished in all his life. chapter xxix the new commander of the vixen "have i done anything to offend the flag-officer, or has he no confidence in me?" asked christy, who heard in utter surprise that he was ordered to new york in command of the vixen. "certainly not, mr. passford," replied captain blowitt, with a deprecatory smile which was almost enough to satisfy the young officer. "what could have put such an idea as that into your head?" "it looked to me just as though i was sent away simply as a prize-master because my services were not needed down here where there is fighting, and is likely to be a great deal more of it," added christy, not yet quite satisfied. "perhaps i am banished for the crime of audacity." "that is a little too bad, christy," said the commander, shaking his head. "i promised not to use that word again, and you ought not to twit me for it, for it was only a pleasantry on my part." "it was the farthest thing in the world from my mind to twit you for the word; i was only afraid that they considered me an imprudent officer on board of the flagship. i beg your pardon, captain blowitt, and i will never again remind you of the conversation we had on the subject of audacity," answered christy, rising from his chair and taking the commander by the hand. "it is all right, christy, my dear fellow," replied the captain, coming down from the dignified manner of the navy. "i think we understand each other perfectly, and i don't wish to part with the shadow of a shadow between us. we have sailed together too long to be anything but the best of friends; and the fate of poor dashington reminds me that we may never meet again in this world." "whatever you say and whatever you do, captain blowitt, we can never be anything but the best of friends, and, so far as you are concerned, i never had an instant of doubt or suspicion." "now, christy," interposed paul vapoor, "you entirely mistake the motive which has led to your appointment to the vixen, for i happen to know something about it. you are not sent simply as a prize-master to new york, but you are put in temporary command of the vixen because an able, vigilant, courageous officer was required." "then i wonder all the more that i was selected," added christy. "you wonder!" exclaimed paul, looking intently into the brown face of the young officer, apparently to discover if there was not some affectation in this manifestation of modesty. there was nothing like affectation in the composition of christy passford, and whatever he had done to distinguish himself, he had done strictly in the line of his duty, and from the purest of patriotic motives. it was the most difficult thing in the world to make him believe that he had done "a big thing," though all others on board of his ship believed it with all their might. paul vapoor knew what everybody thought of his friend, and he was surprised that he should be so innocent and ignorant of the great reputation he had won. "i do wonder," replied christy, earnestly and honestly. "i believe i am about the youngest officer in the fleet, and if this service requires an able officer, it seems very strange to me that i should have been selected." "captain breaker was consulted in regard to you, though he was not asked to name a commander, for the flag-officer had thought of you himself, and no doubt he had just been reading your report of your voyage to the gulf in the bronx," said paul, laughing. "i don't see how he could do otherwise than select you, christy." "you are chaffing me, paul, as you do sometimes," said christy with a smile. "then the expression of my honest opinion, which is also the opinion of every other officer in the ship, is chaffing you," retorted the engineer. "i am satisfied; and i am sorry i said a word," added the subject of all these remarks. "it is a very important and responsible situation to which you are ordered, mr. passford," said captain blowitt, putting on his dignity again. "not a few steamers fitted up in part for service as confederate men-of-war, in spite of neutrality treaties, are expected on the coast. you have diminished the number by two, and i hope you will be able to make a still further reduction of that fleet. we have three vessels to send on for condemnation, and your orders will inform you that there are several others, including another steamer, at key west; and a confederate armed steamer could easily recapture the whole of them. you will have to protect a fleet of at least seven vessels; and this command ought to satisfy your ambition. you will also have charge of a despatch bag, to be forwarded to washington at once; and this must not fall into the hands of the enemy. sink or burn it if you are captured." "i don't intend to be captured," added christy with a smile. "i remember that you were taken by the enemy on one occasion, and misfortunes may come to the best of officers. you must get ready to sail at once; but you must write your report of your expedition before you leave," added captain blowitt, as he rose from his chair, and the trio left the cabin. christy gaped several times during the latter part of the interview, for he had not slept a wink during the preceding night. he went to the ward room and began to write his report, while the bronx and the vixen proceeded towards the three vessels which had been captured. it was well that they did so, for as they approached the havana and her consorts they discovered quite a fleet of boats coming out from behind the seahorse key, evidently intending to recapture the prizes in the absence of the gunboat. they retired at once as she approached. christy was a rapid writer, and his report was soon finished, for the subject was still very fresh in his mind, and he never attempted to do any "fine writing." he had packed his valises, and he took an affectionate farewell of the captain, flint, and sampson, as well as the ship's company in a more general way, though he said he expected to be back again in a few weeks. the vixen's boat was waiting for him, and he embarked in it with paul vapoor. in a few minutes he ascended to the deck of the steamer, and the side was manned at his appearance. he was presented to the officers of the ship by the engineer, and all three of them were older men than christy, though he was their senior in rank, for his commission had been dated back to his enlistment in the navy. every one of the officers was a stranger to christy, though there were a few men who had served in the bellevite, but not in her original crew. with the customary proceedings he took command of the vixen, and he found from sundry remarks made to him or dropped in his hearing that his reputation was already established on board. he directed the executive officer to follow the bronx. in a short time the screw was stopped in the vicinity of the prizes. the bronx reclaimed the men left on board of the havana, and captain lonley was sent on board of the vixen. christy had been down into his cabin, and taken a hasty glance at the ward room. in addition to his own apartments like those on board of the bronx, though they were larger, he found a state room opening from the foot of the companion way, and another from the passage way leading to his principal cabin. these two rooms he appropriated to the use of mr. pembroke and his daughter, though they were very well provided for on board of the havana. they were invited on board, and gratefully accepted the accommodations tendered to them. mr. amblen was to retain the place assigned to him as prize-master, and two competent men were found to take charge of the schooners. all the arrangements were completed in a couple of hours, and the prizes of the bronx were started at once. the negroes were employed in transferring the deckload of the havana to the holds of the schooners, which were not quite full. the engineer of the bellevite was to return to her in the bronx, and he shook hands at parting with christy, giving him a letter to miss florry passford; and even her brother could not help seeing that he was greatly interested in her. three rousing cheers went up from the bronx as the screw of the vixen began to turn, and she started on her voyage. the new commander, though he was very sleepy, gave his first moments to an examination of the vessel. the carpenter and his gang were still engaged in repairing the damage done to her in the engagement with the bellevite. she was about the size of the two steamers captured by the bronx, and coming out of the small steamer, she seemed quite large. she carried a midship gun of heavy calibre, and four broadside pieces. she had a crew of sixty men, besides those employed in the engineer's department, selected from the fleet, for the mission of the steamer was regarded as a very important one. "your machine looks well, mr. caulbolt," said christy, as he went to the engine room in making his round with the executive officer. "i fancy it is as good as can be built on the other side of the water," replied the chief engineer. "do you know anything in regard to the speed of the vixen, for that may be a very important matter with us?" asked the commander. "i do not know very much yet, sir, but i think she is a fast steamer. mr. vapoor told me that the bellevite made twenty-two knots in chasing her, and that no other vessel in the navy could have overhauled her. he gave me the figures," added mr. caulbolt, taking a paper from his pocket. "i think she is good for eighteen knots when driven hard." "i dare say that will do," replied christy, finishing his examination and retiring to his cabin. he found mr. pembroke and his daughter there. the young lady presented him to her father, who appeared to be about fifty years of age. he was very gentlemanly in his manners, and thanked the captain heartily for the courtesy and kindness with which he had been treated. later in the voyage he learned that mr. pembroke's wife and son had been killed some years before in a railroad accident, and that the money recovered from the corporation was about his only fortune. miss bertha, as her father called her, had been educated to become a teacher, but when his health failed, she had devoted herself wholly to him. they had gone to georgia just before the war, and had lived in the pine woods nearly two years. "my health is very much improved, and the genial climate just suited my case; but in the present situation, i had rather die at home than live in the south," said the invalid in conclusion. "father is ever so much better than when we came to georgia," added bertha. christy looked at her, and he had never seen a young lady before who made such a decided impression upon him. of course the reason for this was that she was so dutiful and devoted to her sick father, for not every young and beautiful maiden would have been so entirely unselfish as she was. the commander could not help looking at her till he made her blush by the intensity of his gaze, and after all, it is possible that christy was as human as other young men of his age. he had never been so affected before, and he hardly knew what to make of it; but he concluded that it was not because she was so pretty, but because she was so good, and so devoted to her father. in due time the vixen and her convoy reached key west. he found only two schooners and a steamer, all loaded with cotton, awaiting his coming, for two others had been sent with another steamer. christy went on board of them, and as the sea was smooth, he arranged them as he had the others, though tow lines were ready in case of need, and the fleet sailed for the north. chapter xxx the action with a privateer steamer christy had made up his lost sleep. on the first day out he had taken captain lonley's word that he would not interfere with anything on board, and had then given him a berth in the ward room, where he messed with the officers. captain rowly had also been taken on board, and as he was a captain in the confederate army, innocent as he was, he demanded similar accommodations. his request was granted, but christy decided to leave him at key west, for the ward room was full. the fleet continued on its voyage after the call at the florida port, and was soon in the gulf stream. it was an exceedingly quiet time in the little fleet of vessels, though the drill on board of the vixen was closely followed up. on the second day they had a mild gale, and the schooners were cast off, and towed astern, one behind the other. then the weather was fine again, though the sea was still too rough for the havana and the aleppo to tow the prizes alongside. christy observed the drill a great deal of the time, and bertha pembroke was often his companion. he told her all about vessels in the navy, explained actions at sea, but hoped she would not be permitted to see one. then he related to her the experience of the bellevite as a yacht and _as_ a naval vessel, and no one ever had a more attentive listener. he could not conceal it from himself that he was deeply interested in the young lady, and observers would have said that she was not less interested in him. on the fifth day out from key west, while they were thus agreeably occupied, there was a hail from the fore rigging. "sail, ho!" shouted the lookout on the fore crosstrees, where the prudence of the commander required a hand to be stationed at all times, day and night. "where away?" called scopfield, the third lieutenant, who was the officer of the deck. "broad on the starboard bow," replied the lookout. "can you make it out?" "a steamer, sir; black smoke behind her," responded the lookout. mr. fillbrook had joined the third lieutenant by this time, and the former reported to the captain. christy had heard all that had passed, and he immediately began to feel a heavy anxiety in regard to the sail. "what do you think of her, mr. fillbrook?" he asked, after the executive officer had reported to him. "there are so many steamers coming over from british ports about this time, bound to confederate ports, that it is not very difficult to guess what she is," replied the first lieutenant. "she is either a blockade runner, or a steamer fitted out to prey upon the commerce of the united states." "that seems to be plain enough; and from the position in which we find her, she has come out of the bermudas, or is bound there," added the commander. "bring my glass from my state room," he continued to his cabin steward, who was sunning himself on the deck. when it was brought, the captain and the executive officer went forward and mounted the top-gallant forecastle. mr. fillbrook procured a glass from the pilot house, and both of them looked long and earnestly at the speck in the distance. the steamer was hull down, and they soon agreed that she was bound to the eastward. "we have no business with her at present," said christy, as he shut up his glass. "but i have no doubt she has already run the blockade, and came out of wilmington or savannah. if that is the case, she must be loaded with cotton, which contains a fortune at the present time within a small compass," replied mr. fillbrook, who had not been as fortunate as some others in the matter of prizes. "very likely," replied christy, rather coldly, his companion thought. "i do not think i should be justified in giving chase to her, which could only be done by abandoning the convoy." "could we not pick up the convoy after we had captured the steamer?" asked the first lieutenant. "yes, if some confederate cruiser does not pick it up in our absence," replied christy, with a significant smile. mr. fillbrook was evidently very much disappointed, not to say disgusted, with the decision of captain passford; but he was too good an officer to make a complaint, or utter a comment. the ship's company had become somewhat excited when it was announced that a sail, with black smoke painting a long streak on the blue sky, was made out. if it was a blockade runner, with a cargo of cotton, it meant a small fortune to each officer, seaman, and others on board. the new commander had a reputation as a daring leader, and the hopes of the officers and men ran high. they waited eagerly to have the steamer headed to the eastward; but no such order was given, and the chins of all hands began to drop down. christy had no interest in the money value of a prize, and yet he could understand the feeling of his ship's company. he was an heir of a millionaire, and he had no occasion to trouble his head about the profits of a capture. he looked at the question from a purely patriotic point of view, and every prize secured was so much taken from the resources of the enemy. he saw the disappointment painted on the face of the first lieutenant, and he went to his cabin to consider his duty again, and review the reasoning that had influenced him; but he came to the conclusion he had reached in the beginning. he was in charge of six vessels loaded with cotton, and the ship's company of the bronx and other vessels had an interest in their cargoes. the vixen was less than a hundred and fifty miles from the coast, and a tug boat, with a bow gun and a crew of twenty-five, could come out and capture the whole fleet without the least difficulty. the risk was too great, and the commander was as firm as a rock. the next morning, before it was daylight, mr. bangs the second lieutenant, who had the mid watch, sent a messenger to the commander to inform him that a sail was made out, which appeared to be a steamer, on the starboard bow, very broad, nearly on the beam. christy dressed himself in a great hurry, and hastened on deck. it was beginning to be a little light, and the steamer appeared to be about five miles to the eastward of the vixen, and was headed towards her. christy at once concluded that the vessel meant mischief, and he promptly gave the order to beat to quarters. he thought it must be the steamer seen the day before, as she could hardly be a blockade runner for the reason that she was headed towards the fleet. if she desired to break through the blockading squadron, she would be likely to keep as far as possible from anything that might be an armed vessel. christy went to his state room to write an order for mr. amblen in the havana, which was hardly a cable's length from the vixen on the port side, the aleppo being ahead of her. he had already given his general orders to the prize masters, but this was a special one. in the cabin he found bertha, who had been awakened by the tramping of the men on deck. "pray what is the matter, captain passford?" she asked, evidently somewhat alarmed. "nothing is the matter yet, miss pembroke, but something may be the matter within an hour or two, for there is a sail making for us," replied christy with the smile he always wore when she spoke to him, or he to her. "in other words there may be an action, for i must defend my convoy." "is there any danger?" she inquired. "of course there is, for a shot may come through the side of the ship anywhere and at any time. but i have thought of this matter, and i propose to put you and your father on board of the havana until after the danger is passed. be kind enough to get ready as soon as possible." christy wrote his order, and hastened on deck with it. hailing the havana, he ordered the prize-master to send a boat on board. when it came the two passengers were embarked in it and the order sent. the commander did not wait a moment to watch the receding form of the maiden, but immediately directed his attention to the steamer approaching the vixen. "run for that steamer, mr. fillbrook," said he, after his first glance. "make the course east by north, mr. bangs," added the first lieutenant. "east by north," repeated the quartermaster at the wheel when the order reached him. "i have just been aloft, and she flies the confederate flag, captain passford," said mr. fillbrook. "she is a large steamer, and she is by no means as jaunty as the vixen." both steamers were going at full speed, and it required but a short time to bring them near enough together for something to happen. she was well down in the water, and appeared as though she might be loaded with something besides the appliances of a man-of-war. she looked as though she might be twice as large as the vixen, and it was soon evident that her speed was nothing to boast of. she certainly was not one of the high-flyer yachts which had been bought up for service in the confederate navy. when the two vessels were not more than a mile apart, a column of smoke rose from her waist, as she swung around so that her great gun could be brought to bear, and a shot dropped into the water at least an eighth of a mile short of the vixen. "thank you, sir!" exclaimed christy. "half speed, if you please, mr. fillbrook." the commander went to the long english gun in the waist, to which he had already given a great deal of study, and sighted along the heavy piece. he had not forgotten when he pointed the gun on board of the bellevite, the shot from which had disabled the vampire, and he had some confidence in his ability to put a shot where he wished it to go, for he had brought all his mathematics and all his physics to bear on the matter, though the best gunners must sometimes fail. when he was ready he gave the word to fire. the ship was shaken by the heavy report, and every one waited with peculiar interest for the smoke to clear away, because the captain had pointed the gun. christy had ordered the screw to be stopped, and had waited till the steamer lost her headway. she rolled but slightly, and he had allowed for everything. glasses were in demand, and a moment later there was a shout went up from the men at the gun, followed by another from the rest of the crew. the shot had upset the great gun on the deck of the enemy. she was swinging round, and beginning to fire her broadside guns, but the shots came nowhere near the vixen. christy did not believe there was any naval officer on board of that steamer. "keep up the fire with the long gun, mr. fillbrook," said the commander, in a low tone, and with no excitement apparent in his manner, for he always studied and labored to appear cool and self-possessed, whether he was so or not, and there was nothing in the present situation to try him in the least. for a full hour the long gun of the vixen continued to pelt the enemy with solid shot, about every one of them hulling her or carrying away some of her spars. her mainmast had gone by the board, and the resistance she was making was becoming very feeble. "she is full of men, captain passford," said mr. fillbrook, when the steamer seemed to be almost a wreck. "i observed that she had a large crew some time ago, and it is better to knock her to pieces than to board her," replied christy. "keep her as far off as she is now." the enemy tried to get nearer to the vixen, but failed to do so. chapter xxxi a short visit to bonnydale the firing was continued from the long gun, though only at intervals that would permit any signals to be seen on board of the enemy. when it looked as though there would soon be nothing left of her, she hauled down the confederate flag at her fore, where she had hoisted it when the mainmast went over. the order to go ahead was given, and in a short time the vixen was alongside of her. "do you surrender?" asked christy, mounting the rail of his ship. "we do; there is not much left of the steamer, and i am not justified in throwing away the lives of my men," replied a very spruce-looking officer. "you will board her, mr. fillbrook, with the first division, and take possession of her," said christy, when he had received the captain's answer. "ascertain her condition as soon as possible." the steamer proved to be the pedee, formerly the carnfield, captain linden. she had run the blockade with a valuable cargo, which more than paid the cost of the vessel, and was then loaded with cotton, and armed for her own protection, as well as to capture anything that fell in her way. she had a crew of eighty men to do her fighting, and the commander confidently expected to pick up a better steamer than the pedee, to which the greater portion of the ship's company were to be transferred. "i saw your steamer yesterday afternoon," said the captain; "but she had several other vessels near her, and i thought she might have a whole blockading squadron with her. i kept off, and put about in the night. when i saw the vixen early this morning, i thought she would just answer my purpose, and i wanted her. a nearer view of her assures me she is exactly the steamer i needed." "for your sake, captain, i am sorry i cannot accommodate you," replied christy, laughing at the cheerful expressions of captain linden. "i presume you are an officer of the confederate navy?" "no, sir; i am not; but i am a confederate to the backbone. it was my intention to set up a navy on my own hook. the pedee was the first vessel, and i intended that the vixen should be the second, and become my flag-ship." "then you came out as a privateer?" "that's just the color of it. if you hadn't unhorsed my big gun i should have been as polite to you about this time as you are to me. the fact of it is, captain passford, you did not manage your ship just right." "indeed? in what respect?" asked christy. "well, you see, you knocked my big gun all to pieces, and then, instead of running down and boarding the pedee, you stood off out of range of my side guns, and knocked the starch all out of us. if you had only boarded us, i could have whipped you out of your boots, for i have got the greatest crowd of fighting dogs that was ever hitched up together." "of course i was not aware of your views in regard to the manner in which i ought to have managed the affair on my own part, and therefore i could not handle my ship just as you desired," replied christy. "as it is, i am afraid you will have to start your navy over again." mr. fillbrook had by this time driven the "fighting dogs" forward, and taken full possession of the prize. on examination, christy found that, though the pedee had been terribly battered in her upper works, she was not materially injured below the water line. he sent for mr. caulbolt, and required him to inspect the engine, which was not injured in any important part. captain linden had three times attempted to get nearer to the vixen with the intention of boarding her, but christy preferred to fight the battle at long range under the circumstances, and he had preserved his distance from the enemy. he had discovered that she had a large crew, and he was vastly more prudent than most of his critics gave him the credit of being. he was surprised, after examining the pedee, that the captain had hauled down his flag, for the steamer could have stood a good deal more pounding without being used up. he concluded that captain linden was full of fight, but, for the want of a naval education, he had not fully comprehended his situation. it was deemed advisable to transfer one half of the pedee's crew of "fighting dogs" to the vixen, as she was not encumbered with any prisoners to speak of, and this was effected without any delay. mr. scopfield, the third lieutenant, was appointed prize-master, and instructed to keep as near as practicable to the vixen on the voyage. captain linden and his principal officers were allowed to remain on board. an assistant engineer and two first-class firemen, on their way to new york for examination and promotion, were sent on board of the prize. the two steamers were soon under way, and then it was ascertained that the pedee's ordinary rate of sailing did not exceed ten knots, and it was not probable that she would be bought into the navy. the fleet of prize vessels had continued on its course to the north, and was soon overhauled by the vixen and her capture. the progress of the fleet was very slow, for the aleppo, which was said to have a speed of ten knots, did very badly towing two steamers. mr. pembroke and bertha were sent on board of the vixen, and the young lady blushed beautifully when christy welcomed her return. possibly she had feared he might be killed in the action, and had worried about him till his return in safety, with the prize alongside his ship. her father was very cordial in his congratulations to the young commander, and even said that he and his daughter had prayed that he might not be killed or injured in the conflict; and bertha blushed all the more when he said it. mr. scopfield was instructed to take one of the schooners of the aleppo in tow. five men had been killed on board of the pedee, and her surgeon had more than he could do with at least twenty wounded men. dr. appleton was sent on board of her to assist him. the fleet thus reorganized got under way, and it was found that the log gave better results after the change. fortunately no enemy interfered with its progress, for christy felt that his hands were already full. in the early days of the month of may, he sailed into new york harbor with his fleet of eight vessels, though only three of them were the prizes of the bronx. he had been absent hardly a month; though he had something to show for the time he had been employed. the vessels were delivered over to the authorities, and the young commander obtained leave of absence to visit his mother and sister at bonnydale, for his father came on board of the vixen as soon as he heard the news of her arrival in command of his son. captain passford, senior, was conducted to the cabin of captain passford, junior, and the meeting of father and son was very affectionate and very demonstrative. mr. pembroke and his daughter were presented to the commander's father, and after they had talked over the incidents of the return voyage, the former owner of the bellevite suspected that relations were altogether pleasant between christy and bertha. he was greatly pleased with the young lady, and whatever else he thought, he could not very well help indorsing his son's good taste. in the course of the subsequent conversation it appeared that mr. pembroke owned a small house at newburgh, but that the occupant of it had a three-years' lease of the premises. captain passford immediately extended an invitation to the invalid and his daughter to visit bonnydale, which became so pressing that it was finally accepted. in the afternoon the entire party took the train for the home of the captain. christy's welcome was as hearty as though he had come home a commodore. the visitors were received with a sincere greeting, and bertha and florry were soon fast friends. even if christy's father had not dropped a hint to mrs. passford in regard to the fact that his son was at least tenderly inclined towards the lovely maiden from the south she could not have failed to notice his attentions to her. later at night his father and mother had a long talk over the matter. "christy, i have a couple of envelopes for you," said captain passford, as the party seated themselves in the drawing-room after supper. "envelopes, father?" asked the young officer curiously. "base ball or boat-club business?" "i should say neither; decidedly not," replied his father, taking the documents from his pocket, and handing them to him. "they have an official look, and bear the imprint of the navy department." "what business can the navy department have with me now? i have the honor to be the executive officer of the gunboat bronx, with the rank of master, on detached duty as prize-master," added christy, as he looked at the ponderous envelopes. "you can easily answer that question by reading the papers," replied his father. "a commission!" exclaimed christy, as he opened the first one. "i am promoted to the rank of lieutenant!" "and, though you are my son, i must say that you deserve the promotion," added captain passford. "i have read your report of the capture of the ocklockonee and the escambia, and you have won your spurs, my son. i did not ask for this promotion, or even suggest it to any one." "well, i am astonished, confounded, overwhelmed!" exclaimed the young lieutenant, as we are now permitted to call him. "and the commission is dated back far enough to put me over the heads of not a few others of the same rank." "perhaps it will please you quite as much when i inform you that the officers you recommended for appointment as masters have been promoted to that rank," added the captain. "i am even more pleased at their promotion than at my own," replied christy, opening the other envelope, in which he was addressed as "lieutenant christopher passford." "ah, ha!" he exclaimed, leaping out of his chair in his excitement, to which he gave way on such an occasion as the present. "what in the world is the matter with you, christy?" demanded his mother, astonished at such an unusual demonstration on the part of her son. "i am appointed to the command of the bronx, in place of lieutenant blowitt, transferred to the bellevite!" almost shouted the young officer. "if i could have selected a position for myself, this is the very one i should have chosen." "i heard you say as much as that when you were appointed to the temporary command of the bronx, and i shall plead guilty of having inserted a hint where it would do the most good," added captain passford. "i am much obliged to you, father; for i don't object to that kind of influence, though i could have commanded the bronx just as well as a master, which is the rank of her present temporary commander, mr. flint. i desire to win my own rank, and not get it by influence. i am ordered to proceed to the gulf as soon as possible." in three days he obtained passage in a store-ship steamer; and he spent all this time at home, as perhaps he would not have done if bertha pembroke had not been there. before he reported on board of the store-ship, he visited the vixen, which was undergoing alterations and repairs, and took leave of his officers. before dark he was on board of the vessel and on his voyage to the scene of his future operations, where we hope to find him again, doing his best for his whole country, and true to his motto from the beginning, "stand by the union." oliver optic's books +all-over-the-world library.+ by oliver optic. first series. illustrated. price per volume, $ . . . +a missing million+; or, the adventures of louis belgrade. . +a millionaire at sixteen+; or, the cruise of the "guardian mother." . +a young knight errant+; or, cruising in the west indies. . +strange sights abroad+; or, adventures in european waters. no author has come before the public during the present generation who has achieved a larger and more deserving popularity among young people than "oliver optic." his stories have been very numerous, but they have been uniformly excellent in moral tone and literary quality. as indicated in the general title, it is the author's intention to conduct the readers of this entertaining series "around the world." as a means to this end, the hero of the story purchases a steamer which he names the "guardian mother," and with a number of guests she proceeds on her voyage.--_christian work, n. y._ +all-over-the-world library.+ by oliver optic. second series. illustrated. price per volume, $ . . . +american boys afloat+; or, cruising in the orient. . +the young navigators+; or, the foreign cruise of the "maud." . +up and down the nile+; or, young adventurers in africa. . +asiatic breezes+; or, students on the wing. the interest in these stories is continuous, and there is a great variety of exciting incident woven into the solid information which the book imparts so generously and without the slightest suspicion of dryness. manly boys will welcome this volume as cordially as they did its predecessors.--_boston gazette_. +all-over-the-world library.+ by oliver optic. third series. illustrated. price per volume, $ . . . +across india+; or, live boys in the far east. . +half round the world+; or, among the uncivilized. . +four young explorers+; or, sight-seeing in the tropics. . +pacific shores+; or, adventures in eastern seas. amid such new and varied surroundings it would be surprising indeed if the author, with his faculty of making even the commonplace attractive, did not tell an intensely interesting story of adventure, as well as give much information in regard to the distant countries through which our friends pass, and the strange peoples with whom they are brought in contact. this book, and indeed the whole series, is admirably adapted to reading aloud in the family circle, each volume containing matter which will interest all the members of the family.--_boston budget._ lee and shepard, boston, send their complete catalogue free. oliver optic's books +the blue and the gray--afloat.+ by oliver optic. six volumes. illustrated. beautiful binding in blue and gray, with emblematic dies. cloth. any volume sold separate. price per volume, $ . . . +taken by the enemy.+ . +within the enemy's lines.+ . +on the blockade.+ . +stand by the union.+ . +fighting for the right.+ . +a victorious union.+ +the blue and the gray--on land.+ . +brother against brother.+ . +in the saddle.+ . +a lieutenant at eighteen.+ . +on the staff.+ . +at the front.+ . +an undivided union.+ "there never has been a more interesting writer in the field of juvenile literature than mr. w. t. adams, who, under his well-known pseudonym, is known and admired by every boy and girl in the country, and by thousands who have long since passed the boundaries of youth, yet who remember with pleasure the genial, interesting pen that did so much to interest, instruct, and entertain their younger years. 'the blue and the gray' is a title that is sufficiently indicative of the nature and spirit of the latest series, while the name of oliver optic is sufficient warrant of the absorbing style of narrative. this series is as bright and entertaining as any work that mr. adams has yet put forth, and will be as eagerly perused as any that has borne his name. it would not be fair to the prospective reader to deprive him of the zest which comes from the unexpected by entering into a synopsis of the story. a word, however, should be said in regard to the beauty and appropriateness of the binding, which makes it a most attractive volume."--_boston budget_. +woodville stories.+ by oliver optic. six volumes. illustrated. any volume sold separately. price per volume, $ . . . +rich and humble;+ or, the mission of bertha grant. . +in school and out;+ or, the conquest of richard grant. . +watch and wait;+ or, the young fugitives. . +work and win;+ or, noddy newman on a cruise. . +hope and have;+ or, fanny grant among the indians. . +haste and waste;+ or, the young pilot of lake champlain. "though we are not so young as we once were, we relished these stories almost as much as the boys and girls for whom they were written. they were really refreshing even to us. there is much in them which is calculated to inspire a generous, healthy ambition, and to make distasteful all reading tending to stimulate base desires."--_fitchburg reveille_. +the starry flag series.+ by oliver optic. in six volumes. illustrated. any volume sold separately. price per volume, $ . . . +the starry flag;+ or, the young fisherman of cape ann. . +breaking away;+ or, the fortunes of a student. . +seek and find;+ or, the adventures of a smart boy. . +freaks of fortune;+ or, half round the world. . +make or break;+ or, the rich man's daughter. . +down the river;+ or, buck bradford and the tyrants. "mr. adams, the celebrated and popular writer, familiarly known as oliver optic, seems to have inexhaustible funds for weaving together the virtues of life; and, notwithstanding he has written scores of books, the same freshness and novelty run through them all. some people think the sensational element predominates. perhaps it does. but a book for young people needs this, and so long as good sentiments are inculcated such books ought to be read." lee and shepard, boston, send their complete catalogue free. oliver optic's books +army and navy stories.+ by oliver optic. six volumes. illustrated. any volume sold separately. price per volume, $ . . . +the soldier boy+; or, tom somers in the army. . +the sailor boy+; or, jack somers in the navy. . +the young lieutenant+; or, adventures of an army officer. . +the yankee middy+; or, adventures of a navy officer. . +fighting joe+; or, the fortunes of a staff officer. . +brave old salt+; or, life on the quarter deck. "this series of six volumes recounts the adventures of two brothers, tom and jack somers, one in the army, the other in the navy, in the great civil war. the romantic narratives of the fortunes and exploits of the brothers are thrilling in the extreme. historical accuracy in the recital of the great events of that period is strictly followed, and the result is, not only a library of entertaining volumes, but also the best history of the civil war for young people ever written." +boat builders series.+ by oliver optic. in six volumes. illustrated. any volume sold separately. price per volume, $ . . . +all adrift+; or, the goldwing club. . +snug harbor+; or, the champlain mechanics. . +square and compasses+; or, building the house. . +stem to stern+; or, building the boat. . +all taut+; or, rigging the boat. . +ready about+; or, sailing the boat. "the series includes in six successive volumes the whole art of boat building, boat rigging, boat managing, and practical hints to make the ownership of a boat pay. a great deal of useful information is given in this +boat builders series+, and in each book a very interesting story is interwoven with the information. every reader will be interested at once in dory, the hero of 'all adrift,' and one of the characters retained in the subsequent volumes of the series. his friends will not want to lose sight of him, and every boy who makes his acquaintance in 'all adrift' will become his friend." +riverdale story books.+ by oliver optic. twelve volumes. illustrated. illuminated covers. price: cloth, per set, $ . ; per volume, cents; paper, per set, $ . . . +little merchant.+ . +proud and lazy.+ . +young voyagers.+ . +careless kate.+ . +christmas gift.+ . +robinson crusoe, jr.+ . +dolly and i.+ . +the picnic party.+ . +uncle ben.+ . +the gold thimble.+ . +birthday party.+ . +the do-somethings.+ +riverdale story books.+ by oliver optic. six volumes. illustrated. fancy cloth and colors. price per volume, cents. . +little merchant.+ . +careless kate.+ . +proud and lazy.+ . +dolly and i.+ . +young voyagers.+ . +robinson crusoe, jr.+ +flora lee library.+ by oliver optic. six volumes. illustrated. fancy cloth and colors. price per volume, cents. . +the picnic party.+ . +christmas gift.+ . +the gold thimble.+ . +uncle ben.+ . +the do-somethings.+ . +birthday party.+ these are bright short stories for younger children who are unable to comprehend the +starry flag series+ or the +army and navy series+. but they all display the author's talent for pleasing and interesting the little folks. they are all fresh and original, preaching no sermons, but inculcating good lessons. lee and shepard, boston, send their complete catalogue free. oliver optic's books +the great western series.+ by oliver optic. in six volumes. illustrated. any volume sold separately. price per volume, $ . . . +going west;+ or, the perils of a poor boy. . +out west;+ or, roughing it on the great lakes. . +lake breezes;+ or, the cruise of the sylvania. . +going south;+ or, yachting on the atlantic coast. . +down south;+ or, yacht adventures in florida. . +up the river;+ or, yachting on the mississippi. "this is the latest series of books issued by this popular writer, and deals with life on the great lakes, for which a careful study was made by the author in a summer tour of the immense water sources of america. the story, which carries the same hero through the six books of the series, is always entertaining, novel scenes and varied incidents giving a constantly changing yet always attractive aspect to the narrative. oliver optic has written nothing better." +the yacht club series.+ by oliver optic. in six volumes. illustrated. any volume sold separately. price per volume, $ . . . +little bobtail;+ or, the wreck of the penobscot. . +the yacht club;+ or, the young boat builders. . +money-maker;+ or, the victory of the basilisk. . +the coming wave;+ or, the treasure of high rock. . +the dorcas club;+ or, our girls afloat. . +ocean born;+ or, the cruise of the clubs. "the series has this peculiarity, that all of its constituent volumes are independent of one another, and therefore each story is complete in itself. oliver optic is, perhaps, the favorite author of the boys and girls of this country, and he seems destined to enjoy an endless popularity. he deserves his success, for he makes very interesting stories, and inculcates none but the best sentiments, and the 'yacht club' is no exception to this rule."--_new haven journal and courier_. +onward and upward series.+ by oliver optic. in six volumes. illustrated. any volume sold separately. price per volume, $ . . . +field and forest;+ or, the fortunes of a farmer. . +plane and plank;+ or, the mishaps of a mechanic. . +desk and debit;+ or, the catastrophes of a clerk. . +cringle and crosstree;+ or, the sea swashes of a sailor. . +bivouac and battle;+ or, the struggles of a soldier. . +sea and shore;+ or, the tramps of a traveller. "paul farringford, the hero of these tales, is, like most of this author's heroes, a young man of high spirit, and of high aims and correct principles, appearing in the different volumes as a farmer, a captain, a bookkeeper, a soldier, a sailor, and a traveller. in all of them the hero meets with very exciting adventures, told in the graphic style for which the author is famous." +the lake shore series.+ by oliver optic. in six volumes. illustrated. any volume sold separately. price per volume, $ . . . +through by daylight;+ or, the young engineer of the lake shore railroad. . +lightning express;+ or, the rival academies. . +on time;+ or, the young captain of the ucayga steamer. . +switch off;+ or, the war of the students. . +brake up;+ or, the young peacemakers. . +bear and forbear;+ or, the young skipper of lake ucayga. "oliver optic is one of the most fascinating writers for youth, and withal one of the best to be found in this or any past age. troops of young people hang over his vivid pages; and not one of them ever learned to be mean, ignoble, cowardly, selfish, or to yield to any vice from anything they ever read from his pen."--_providence press_. lee and shepard, boston, send their complete catalogue free. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * errata noted by transcriber: invisible punctuation has been silently supplied. ... exclaimed the second lieutenant _text reads "exclained"_ ... the lee side of the vessel. _text reads "vesssel"_ ash cloth and sashes _so in original_ scanned images of public domain material from the google print project. her ladyship's elephant by david dwight wells. with cover by wm. nicholson, th impression. mo. $ . . a very humorous story, dealing with english society, growing out of certain experiences of the author while a member of our embassy in london. the elephant's experiences, also, are based on facts. _the nation_: "he is probably funny because he cannot help it.... again and again excites spontaneous laughter, is such a boon that its author must consent to be regarded as a benefactor of his kind without responsibility." _new york tribune_: "mr. wells allows his sense of humor to play about the personalities of half a dozen men and women whose lives, for a few brief, extraordinary days, are inextricably intertwined with the life of the aforesaid monarch of the jungle.... smacks of fun which can be created by clever actors placed in excruciatingly droll situations." _philadelphia times_: "as breezy a bit of fiction as the reading public has lately been offered. amusing from the first page to the last, unique in conception, and absolutely uproarious in plot." _new york commercial advertiser_: "a really delicious chain of absurdities which are based upon american independence and impudence; ... exceedingly amusing." _outlook_: "full of amusing situations." _buffalo express_: "so amusing is the book that the reader is almost too tired to laugh when the elephant puts in his appearance." henry holt & co. new york. his lordship's leopard _a truthful narration of some impossible facts_ by david dwight wells _author of "her ladyship's elephant"_ new york henry holt and company copyright, , by henry holt & co. warning! the ensuing work is a serious attempt to while away an idle hour. the best criticism that the author received of "her ladyship's elephant" was from an old lady who wrote him that it had made her forget a toothache; the most discouraging, from a critic who approached the book as _serious literature_ and treated it according to the standards of _the higher criticism_. the author takes this occasion to state that he has never been guilty of writing literature, serious or otherwise, and that if any one considers this book a fit subject for the application of the higher criticism, he will treat it as a just ground for an action for libel. if the _minimum opus_ possesses an intrinsic value, it lies in the explanation of the whereabouts of a spanish gunboat, which, during our late unpleasantness with spain, the yellow journalists insisted was patrolling the english channel, in spite of the fact that the u. s. board of strategy knew that every available ship belonging to that nation was better employed somewhere else. should this _exposé_ ruffle another english see, so much the worse for the bishop. contents. part i. _america_. chapter i. page in which cecil banborough achieves fame, and the "daily leader" a "scoop" chapter ii. in which cecil banborough attempts to drive public opinion chapter iii. in which cecil banborough drives a black maria chapter iv. in which the black maria receives a new inmate chapter v. in which the party receives a new impetus chapter vi. in which the bishop of blanford receives a black eye chapter vii. in which a line is drawn and crossed chapter viii. in which a locket is accepted and a ring refused part ii. _england_. chapter i. in which mrs. mackintosh admires jonah chapter ii. in which the enemy arrives chapter iii. in which peace is proposed and war declared chapter iv. in which the bishop is abducted chapter v. in which the bishop eats jam tart, and miss matilda humble-pie chapter vi. in which miss arminster proposes to marry again chapter vii. in which miss arminster verifies the proverb part i. _america_. chapter i. in which cecil banborough achieves fame and the "daily leader" a "scoop." cecil banborough stood at one of the front windows of a club which faced on fifth avenue, his hands in his pockets, and a cigarette in his mouth, idly watching the varied life of the great thoroughfare. he had returned to the city that morning after a two weeks' absence in the south, and, having finished his lunch, was wondering how he could manage to put in the time till the : express left for meadowbrook. p.m., he reflected ruefully, was an hour when new york had no use and no resources for men of leisure like himself. yet even for a mere onlooker the panorama of the street was of unusual interest. the avenue was ablaze with bunting, which hurrying thousands pointed out to their companions, while every street-corner had its little group of citizens, discussing with feverish energy and gestures of ill-concealed disquietude the situation of which the gay flags were the outward and visible sign. for in these latter days of april, , a first-class republic had, from purely philanthropic motives, announced its intention of licking a third-rate monarchy into the way it should go. whereat the good citizens had flung broadcast their national emblem to express a patriotic enthusiasm they did not feel, while the wiser heads among them were already whispering that the war was not merely unjustifiable, but might be expensive. all these matters, important as they doubtless were, did not interest cecil banborough, and indeed were quite dwarfed by the fact that this uncalled-for war had diverted the press from its natural functions, and for the time being had thrown utterly into the shade his new sensational novel, "the purple kangaroo." his meditations were, however, interrupted by the sound of voices using perfectly good english, but with an accent which bespoke a european parentage. "'the purple kangaroo,'" said one. "it is sufficiently striking--_si, señor_?" "it serves the purpose well, _mi amigo_," replied the other. "it is, as you say, striking; indeed nothing better could be devised; while its reputation--" and the voices died away. cecil swung rapidly round. two gentlemen, slight, swarthy, and evidently of a latin race, were moving slowly down the long drawing-room. they were foreigners certainly, spaniards possibly, but they had spoken of his book in no modified terms of praise. he drew a little sigh of satisfied contentment and turned again to the street. ah, if his father, the bishop of blanford, could have heard! the two foreigners had meanwhile continued their conversation, though out of earshot. the elder was speaking. "as you say, its reputation is so slight," he said, "one of those ephemeral productions that are forgotten in a day, that it will serve our purpose well. we must have a password--the less noticeable the better. when do you return to washington?" "the legation may be closed at any moment now," replied the younger, seating himself carelessly on the arm of a morris chair, "and i may be wanted. i go this afternoon, _a dios y a ventura_." "softly; not so loud." "there's no one to hear. keep us informed, i say. i'll see to the rest. we've our secret lines of communication nearly complete. they may turn us out of their capital, but--we shall know what passes. _carramba!_ what is that?" for, in leaning back, the speaker had come against an unresisting body. springing up and turning quickly round, he saw that the chair on the arm of which he had been sitting was already occupied by the slumbering form of a youngish man with clear-cut features and a voluminous golden moustache. "_madre de dios!_ could he have heard?" exclaimed the younger man, moving away. "_malhaya!_ no!" replied the other. "these pigs of americanos who sleep at noonday hear nothing! come!" and, casting a glance of concentrated contempt at the huddled-up figure, he put his arm through that of his companion, and together they left the room. a moment later the sleeper sat up, flicked a speck of dust off his coat-sleeve, and, diving into a pocket, produced a note-book and blue pencil and began to write rapidly. evidently his occupation was a pleasant one, for a broad smile illumined his face. "ah, marchmont," said banborough, coming towards him, "didn't know you'd waked up." "was i asleep?" "rather. don't suppose you saw those spanish dons who went out just now?" "spaniards?" queried marchmont, with a preoccupied air. "what about 'em?" "oh, nothing in particular, only i supposed that a spaniard to a yellow journalist was like a red rag to a bull. you should make them into copy--'conspiracy in a fifth avenue club,' etc." "thanks," said the other, "so i might. valuable suggestion." and he returned his note-book to his pocket. "they did me a good turn, anyway," resumed banborough. "they were talking about my book--thought it would serve its purpose, was very striking, said nothing better could be devised; and they were foreigners, too. i tell you what it is, marchmont, the public will wake up to the merits of 'the purple kangaroo' some day. why doesn't the _daily leader_ notice it?" "my dear cecil, give me the space and i'll write a critique the fulsome flattery of which will come up to even your exacting demands. but just at present we're so busy arousing popular enthusiasm that we really haven't time." "you never do have time," replied banborough, a trifle petulantly, "except for sleeping after lunch." "ah, that's all in the day's work. but tell me. you're an englishman; why didn't you publish your book in your own country?" "i may be green, but i don't impart confidences to an american journalist." "nonsense! i never betray my friends' confidences when it's not worth--i should say, out of business hours." the englishman laughed. "oh, if you don't think it worth while," he said, "i suppose there's no danger, so i'll confess that my literary exile is purely to oblige my father." "the bishop of blanford?" "the bishop of blanford, who has the bad taste to disapprove of 'the purple kangaroo.'" "has he ever read it?" "of course not; the ecclesiastical mind is nothing if not dogmatic." "my dear fellow, i was only trying to assign a reason." "chaff away, but it's principally my aunt matilda." "the bishop, i remember, is a widower." "rather. my aunt keeps house for him." "ah, these aunts!" exclaimed the journalist. "they make no end of trouble--and copy." "it's not so bad as that," said cecil; "but she rules the governor with a rod of iron, and she kicked up such a row about my book that i dropped the whole show." "don't correspond with 'em?" "not on my side. i receive occasional sermons from blanford." "which remain unanswered?" cecil nodded, and changed the subject. "you know my father's cathedral?" he asked. "oh, yes. the verger prevented my chipping off a bit of the high altar as a memento the last time i was over. you english are so beastly conservative. not that the bishop had anything to do with it." banborough laughed, and returned to the charge. "so i came abroad," he continued, "and approached the most respectable and conservative firm of publishers i could find in new york." "was that out of consideration for the bishop?" "i thought it might sweeten the pill. but somehow the book doesn't sell." "advertising, my boy--that's the word." "the traditions of the firm forbid it," objected banborough. "traditions! what's any country less than a thousand years old got to do with traditions?" spluttered marchmont. "i knew a chicago author who got a divorce every time he produced a new novel. they sold like hot cakes." "and the wives?" "received ten per cent. of the profits as alimony." "talk sense, and say something scandalous about me in the _leader_. what possessed you, anyway, to join such a disgraceful sheet?" "if i'd an entailed estate and an hereditary bishopric, i wouldn't. as it is, it pays." "the bishopric isn't hereditary," said cecil. "i wish it were. then i might have a chance of spending my life in the odour of sanctity and idleness, and the entail is--a dream." "so you write novels," retorted marchmont, "that are neither indecent nor political, and expect 'em to succeed. callow youth! well, i must be off to the office. i've some copy up my sleeve, and if it's a go it'll give your book the biggest boom a novel ever had." "are you speaking the truth?" said the englishman. "i beg your pardon. i forgot it was out of professional hours." "wait and see," replied the journalist, as he strolled out of the club. * * * * * "hi, marchmont, i've got a detail for you!" called the editor, making the last correction on a belated form and attempting to revivify a cigar that had long gone out. "yes?" queried marchmont, slipping off his coat and slipping on a pair of straw cuffs, which was the chief reason why he always sported immaculate linen. "we're on the track of a big thing. perhaps you don't know that the president has delivered an ultimatum, and that our minister at madrid has received his passports?" "saw it on the bulletin-board as i came in," said his subordinate laconically. "well, it's a foregone conclusion that the spanish legation will establish a secret service in this country, and the paper that shows it up will achieve the biggest scoop on record." "naturally. but what then?" "why, i give the detail to you. you don't seem to appreciate the situation, man. it's the chance of a lifetime." "quite so," replied marchmont, lighting a cigarette. "but you can't lose a minute." "oh, yes, i can--two or three. time for a smoke, and then i'll write you a first-column article that'll call for the biggest caps you have in stock." "but i-- what the-- say, you know something!" "i know that the secret service has been organised, i know the organisers, and i know the password." here marchmont's chief became unquotable, lapsing into unlimited profanity from sheer joy and exultation. "i'll give you a rise if you pull this off!" he exclaimed, after hearing the recital of the events at the club. "may i be"--several things--"if i don't! now what are you going to do about it?" "suppose we inform the nearest police station, have the crowd arrested, and take all the glory ourselves." "suppose we shut up shop and take a holiday," suggested the chief, with a wealth of scorn. "well, what have you to propose?" "we must work the whole thing through our detective agency." "but we haven't a detective agency," objected marchmont. "but we will have before sunset," said the chief. "there's o'brien--" "yes. chucked from pinkerton's force for habitual drunkenness," interjected his subordinate. "just so," said the editor, "and anxious to get a job in consequence. he'll be only too glad to run the whole show for us. the city shall be watched, and the first time 'the purple kangaroo' is used in a suspicious sense we'll arrest the offenders, discover the plot, and the _daily leader_, as the defender of the nation and the people's bulwark, will increase its circulation a hundred thousand copies! it makes me dizzy to think of it! i tell you what it is, marchmont, that subeditorship is still vacant, and if you put this through, the place is yours." the reporter grasped his chief's hand. "that's white of you, boss," he said, "and i'll do it no matter what it costs or who gets hurt in the process." "right you are!" cried his employer. "the man who edits this paper has got to hustle. now don't let the grass grow under your feet, and we'll have a drink to celebrate." when the chief offers to set up a _sub_ it means business, and marchmont was elated accordingly. * * * * * at the club the bishop's son still contemplated the avenue from the vantage-point of the most comfortable armchair the room possessed. praise, he reflected, which was not intended for the author's ear was praise indeed. no man could tell to what it might lead. no one indeed, cecil banborough least of all, though he was destined to find out before he was many hours older; for down in the editorial sanctum of the _daily leader_ o'brien was being instructed: "and if you touch a drop during the next week," reiterated the chief, "i'll put a head on you!" "but supposin' this dago conspiracy should turn out to be a fake?" objected the irishman. "then," said the reporter with determination, "you'll have to hatch one yourself, and i'll discover it. but two things are certain. something's got to be exposed, and i've got to get that editorship." chapter ii. in which cecil banborough attempts to drive public opinion. it is a trifle chilly in the early morning, even by the first of may, and cecil shivered slightly as he paced the rustic platform at meadowbrook with his publisher and host of the night before. "you see," the great man was saying, "there's an etiquette about all these things. we can't advertise our publications in the elevated trains like tomato catsup or the latest thing in corsets. it's not dignified. the book must succeed, if at all, through the recognised channels of criticism and on its own merits. of course it's a bad season. but once the war's well under way, people will give up newspapers and return to literature." "meantime it wants a boom," contended the young englishman, with an insistence that apparently jarred on his hearer, who answered shortly: "and that, mr. banborough, it is not in my power to give your book, or any other man's." there was an element of finality about this remark which seemed to preclude further conversation, and cecil took refuge in the morning paper till the train pulled into the grand central station, when the two men shook hands and parted hurriedly, the host on his daily rush to the office, the guest to saunter slowly up the long platform, turning over in his mind the problems suggested by his recent conversation. the busy life of the great terminus grated upon him, and that is perhaps the reason why his eye rested with a sense of relief on a little group of people who, like himself, seemed to have nothing particular to do. they were six in number, two ladies and four gentlemen, and stood quietly discussing some interesting problem, apparently unconscious of the hurrying crowds which were surging about them. cecil approached them slowly, and was about to pass on when his attention and footsteps were suddenly arrested by hearing the younger of the two ladies remark in a plaintive voice: "but that doesn't help us to get any breakfast, alvy." "no, or dinner either," added the elder lady. "well," rejoined the gentleman addressed as "alvy," who, in contrast to the frock coats and smart tailor-made gowns of his three companions, wore an outing suit, a short overcoat of box-cloth, a light, soft hat, and a rather pronounced four-in-hand tie. "well, i'm hungry myself, as far as that goes." banborough was astonished. these fashionably dressed people in need of a meal? impossible! and yet--he turned to look at them again. no, they were not quite gentlefolk. there was _something_-- he stumbled and nearly fell over a dress-suit case, evidently belonging to one of the party, and marked in large letters, "h. tybalt smith. a. b. c. company." actors, of course. that explained the situation--and the clothes. another company gone to pieces, and its members landed penniless and in their costumes. it was too bad, and the young woman was so very good-looking. if only he had some legitimate excuse for going to their assistance. suddenly he stood motionless, petrified. an idea had occurred to him, the boldness and originality of which fairly took his breath away. "the purple kangaroo" wanted advertising, and his publishers refused to help him. well, why should he not advertise it himself? to think was to act. already the company were starting in a listless, dispirited way towards the door. the englishman summoned all his resolution to his aid, and, overcoming his insular reticence, approached the leader of the party, asking if he were mr. smith. "h. tybalt smith, at your service, sir," replied that portly and imposing individual. cecil banborough bowed low. "i hope you'll not think me intrusive," he said, "but i judge that you're not now engaged, and as i'm at present in want of the services of a first-class theatrical company, i ventured to address you." "the manager skipped last evening," remarked the man in mufti. "alvy," corrected mr. smith, "i will conduct these negotiations. as mr. spotts says, sir," he continued, indicating the last speaker, "with a colloquialism that is his distinguishing characteristic, our manager is not forthcoming, and--a--er--temporary embarrassment has resulted, so that we should gladly accept the engagement you offer, provided it is not inconsistent with the demands of art." "oh, cut it short, tyb," again interrupted the ingenuous spotts. mr. smith cast a crushing glance at the youth, and, laying one hand across his ample chest, prepared to launch a withering denunciation at him, when cecil came to the rescue. "i was about to suggest," he said, "that if you've not yet breakfasted you would all do so with me, and we can then discuss this matter at length." mr. smith's denunciation died upon his lips, and a smile of ineffable contentment lighted up his face. "sir," he said, "we are obliged--vastly obliged. i speak collectively." and he waved one flabby hand towards his companions. "i have not, however, the honour of knowing your name." cecil handed him his card. "ah, thanks. mr. banborough. exactly. permit me to introduce myself: h. tybalt smith, esq., tragedian of the a. b. c. company. my companions are mr. kerrington, the heavy villain; mr. mill, the leading serious. our juvenile, mr. g. alvarado spotts, has already sufficiently introduced himself. the ladies are mrs. mackintosh, our senior legitimate," indicating the elder of the two, who smilingly acknowledged the introduction in such a good-natured, hearty manner that for the moment her plain, almost rugged new england countenance was lighted up and she became nearly handsome. "and," continued mr. smith, "our leading lady, the leopard-- i mean miss violet arminster," pointing to the bewitching young person in the tailor-made gown. each of the members bowed as his or her name was spoken, and the tragedian continued: "ladies and gentlemen of the a. b. c. company, i have much pleasure in introducing to you--my friend--mr. cecil banborough, who has kindly invited you to breakfast at--the murray hill? shall we say the murray hill? yes." the ensuing hour having been given up to the serious pursuit of satisfying healthy appetites, the members of the a. b. c. company heaved sighs of pleasurable repletion, and prepared to listen to their host's proposition in a highly optimistic mood. banborough, who had already sufficiently breakfasted, employed the interval of the meal in talking to miss arminster and in studying his guests. mrs. mackintosh, who seemed to take a motherly interest in the charming violet, and whose honest frankness had appealed to him from the first, appeared to be the good genius of the little company. as he came to know her better during the next few days, under the sharp spur of adversity, he realised more and more how much goodness and strength of character lay hidden under the rough exterior and the sharp tongue, and his liking changed into an honest admiration. mr. smith was ponderous and egotistical to the last degree, while spotts seemed hail-fellow-well-met, the jolliest, brightest, most good-looking and resourceful youth that cecil had met for many a long day. the other two men were the most reserved of the company, saying little, and devoting themselves to their meal. but it was to miss arminster that he found himself especially attracted. from the first moment that he saw her she had exercised a fascination over him, and even his desire for the success of his book gave way to his anxiety for her comfort and happiness. she was by no means difficult to approach; they soon were chatting gaily together, and by the time the repast was finished were quite on the footing of old friends--so much so, indeed, that cecil ventured to ask her a question which had been uppermost in his mind for some time. "why did mr. smith call you the leopard when he introduced you to me at the station?" he said. "oh," she answered, laughing, "that's generally the last bit of information my friends get about me. it has terminated my acquaintance with a lot of gentlemen. do you think you'd better ask it, just when we are beginning to know one another?" "are you another lohengrin," he said, "and will a white swan come and carry you off as soon as you've told me?" "more probably a cable-car," she replied, "seeing we're in new york." "then i shall defer the evil day as long as possible," he answered. "you seem to forget," she returned, "that i don't know as yet what our business relations are to be." "and you seem to forget," he replied, "that there are still some strawberries left on that dish." she sighed regretfully, saying: "i'm afraid they must go till next time--if there's to be a next time." banborough vowed to himself that instead of confining the advertisement of his book to the city alone, he would extend it to harlem and brooklyn--yes, and to all new york state, if need be, rather than forego the delight of her society. "isn't your father an english bishop?" continued miss arminster, interrupting his reverie. "now how on earth did you know that?" exclaimed cecil. the little actress laughed. "oh, i know a lot of things," she said. "but i was merely going to suggest that we call you 'bishop' for short. banborough's much too long a name for ordinary use. what do you say, boys?" turning to the men of the company. a chorus of acclamation greeted this sally, and to the members of the a. b. c. company cecil banborough was 'the bishop' from that hour. "and now," said the englishman, "that you've christened me, suppose we come to the business in hand?" every one was at once intently silent. "i am," he continued, "the author of 'the purple kangaroo.'" the silence became deeper. the audience were politely impressed, and the heavy villain did a bit of dumb show with the leading serious, which only needed to have been a trifle better to have proved convincing. "yet," continued the author, "owing to the popular interest in an imminent war and a lack of energy on the part of my publishers, the book doesn't sell." "impossible!" exclaimed mr. smith. "impossible! why, i was saying only the other day to henry irving, 'hen,' i said--i call him 'hen' for short,--'that book--'" "what you say doesn't cut any ice," broke in spotts. "what were you saying, sir?" "i was about to remark," continued banborough, "that what the novel needs is advertising. for an author to make the round of the shops is so old an artifice that any tradesman would see through it." "it is," interjected the tragedian. "i have more than once demanded the lower right-hand box when i was playing the leading rôle." "and always got it," added spotts. the silence was appalling, and cecil rushed into the breach, saying: "it's occurred to me, however, that if a number of people, apparently in different walks of life, were to call at the various bookshops and department stores of the city, demanding copies of 'the purple kangaroo,' and refusing to be satisfied with excuses, it might create a market for the book." "a first-rate idea!" cried spotts heartily. "but supposing it was in stock?" suggested the more cautious duenna. "i shall of course see you're provided with funds for such an emergency," the author hastened to add; "and if you ladies and gentlemen feel that you could canvass the city thoroughly in my interests at--ten dollars a day and car-fares?" he ventured, fearing he had offered too little. "i should rather think we do," said spotts emphatically. "ten dollars a day and car-fares is downright luxury compared with one-night stands and a salary that doesn't get paid. you're a might good fellow, mr. banborough," continued the young actor, "and violet and i and the rest of the company will do our best to make your book a howling success." and as he spoke he laid his hand familiarly on the little actress's shoulder, an action which did not altogether please cecil, and made him realise that in the attractive young comedian he had found a strong rival for miss arminster's favour. "well, then, we'll consider it settled," he said; whereat the company arose and clasped his hands silently. their satisfaction was too deep for words. spotts was the first to rouse himself to action. "come," he said, "we mustn't lose any time. your interests are ours now, mr. banborough, and the sooner we get to work the more thoroughly we'll earn our salary," and touching a bell, he said to the answering messenger: "bring me a new york directory," thereby showing an honest activity which was much appreciated by his employer. an hour later, the company, fully primed, departed joyfully on their mission. banborough, rich in the comforting sense of a good morning's work well accomplished, retired to his club to dream of the success of his book. in spirit he visited the book-stalls, noting the growing concern of the clerks as they were obliged to turn away customer after customer who clamoured for "the purple kangaroo." he saw the hurried consultations with the heads of firms, who at length realised their blind stupidity in neglecting to stock their shelves with the success of the season. he saw the dozens of orders which poured into the publishing house, and heard in fancy that sweetest of all announcements that can fall upon an author's ears: "my dear sir, we have just achieved another edition." so dreaming, he was rudely awakened by a slap on the shoulder, and the cheerful voice of marchmont, saying: "who's asleep this time?" "not i," replied his friend, "only dreaming." "of the success of 'the purple kangaroo'?" asked the journalist. "well, you'll have it, old man--see if you don't--and live to bless the name of marchmont and the _daily leader_. why, thousands will be reading your book before the week's out." "what do you mean?" gasped the englishman. "surely you don't know--?" for he feared the discovery of his little plot. "know!" replied the journalist. "i know that your book has leaped at one bound from fiction to the exalted sphere of politics. now don't you breathe a word of this, for it's professional, but the spanish secret-service agents have taken the title of your novel as their password. the city is watched by our own special corps of detectives, and the instant 'the purple kangaroo' is used in a suspicious sense we arrest the spies and unravel the plot." "but, good heavens, man! you don't understand--" began banborough. "i understand it all. i tell you the _daily leader_ will not shrink from its duty. it'll leave no stone unturned to hound the offenders down. i dare say they may be making arrests even now, and once started, we'll never pause till every spanish sympathiser who has knowledge of the plot is under lock and key." "stop! stop!" cried cecil. "you don't know what you're doing!" "oh, trust me for that, and think of the boom your book'll get. i'll make it my special care. i tell you 'the purple kangaroo' will be all the rage." "but you're making a ghastly mistake," insisted the author. "you must listen to me--" "can't!" cried marchmont, springing up as the sound of shouts and clanging bells fell upon his ear. "there's a fire! see you later!" and he dashed out of the club and was gone. cecil sank back in his chair fairly paralysed. "good heavens! suppose any of the company should be suspected or arrested! supposing--" "a gentleman to see you, sir," said a page at his elbow. "show him in!" cried banborough, fearing the worst, as he read tybalt smith's name on the card. there was no need to have given the message. the actor was at the page's heels, dishevelled, distraught. "do you know we're taken for spanish spies?" he gasped. "yes, yes; i've just heard--" "but they've arrested--" "not one of your companions--spotts, kerrington, or mill?" "no," said the tragedian, shaking his head, "they've arrested miss arminster." chapter iii. in which cecil banborough drives a black maria. cecil banborough's feelings can be better imagined than described at the announcement of the calamity which had befallen miss arminster. the winsome ways of the charming violet had impressed the young man more deeply than he knew until he was brought face to face with a realisation of the miseries to which his own folly had exposed her. "where have they taken her?" he demanded of smith as soon as his consternation could find expression. "she's at the police station round the corner from here." "where did this occur?" asked banborough. "on fourteenth street," replied smith, "spotts and i met miss arminster, and she called out as she passed me, 'don't forget "the purple kangaroo!"' a minute later the police arrested her, and when the crowd heard that she was a spanish spy, i swear i think they'd have torn her in pieces if the officers hadn't put her in a prison van and got her away." the tragedian paused, shivering from his recent agitation, and cecil, seeing his condition, rang for some brandy. "but what does it all mean?" asked the actor, tossing off his drink. "i know what it means," cried banborough, "but there's no time to talk now. we've not a moment to lose!" and he rushed downstairs. spotts met them at the doorway, and, as they walked rapidly along, the young englishman poured into his companions' ears an account of what he had learned from marchmont of the spanish plot and the unforeseen use which had been made of the title of his book, while the tragedian rehearsed again the story of miss arminster's arrest, of his own hair-breadth escape from the clutches of the law, of his prodigies of valour in connection with spotts, whom he had met in his headlong flight, and who, it seemed, had prevailed on his more timid companion to follow the prisoner in a hansom. "it's a bad business," admitted cecil; "but what's to be done?" "done!" exclaimed smith in tragic tones. "why, rescue the lady instantly and leave the city without delay. in the present excited state of the public no amount of explanation will avail. we may all be arrested as confederates. we must act!" "you're talking sense for once," said spotts. "heroic measures are the only ones worth considering, and if you"--turning to banborough--"will stand by us, we may come out on top after all." "you can depend on me to any extent," declared the young author. "i've got you into this scrape, and i'll do my best to get you out of it." "that's just what i expected of you, bishop!" exclaimed spotts, grasping his hand. "we can't waste time in talking. you must go and find the other members of the company, tyb, and warn them of their danger. now where can we rendezvous outside the city? speak quickly, some one!" "the leading hotel in yonkers," said smith. "right you are," replied spotts. "get there as soon as possible and wait for us to turn up. how about funds?" "i've plenty of ready money with me," volunteered cecil, "and very fortunately a draft to my credit arrived to-day, which i've not yet cashed." "good!" said spotts. "we're in luck. give tyb fifty." banborough whipped out a roll of bills and handed the desired amount to the tragedian without demur. "now, off you go," cried his brother actor, "and keep your wits about you." smith nodded and hailed a passing cab. "come," said spotts to the author, "we've no time to lose." "what's your plan?" asked cecil as they swung round the corner and sighted the police station. "haven't got any as yet. we'll see how the land lies first. the black maria's still before the door. that's lucky!" sure enough, there it was, looking gloomily like an undertaker's wagon, minus the plate glass. "must be hot inside," commented the actor, directing a glance at the two little grated slits high up in the folding doors at the back, which apparently formed the only means of ventilation. cecil shuddered as he thought of the discomforts which the girl must be enduring, and longed to throw himself upon the vehicle and batter it to pieces. but calmer judgment prevailed, and controlling himself he approached the police station, saying: "let me go first. you might be recognised. i'll try and find out where she's to be taken." he accordingly went up to the driver of the black maria, who, cap in hand, was wiping his perspiring forehead. "a fine pair of horses that," he said, indicating the mettlesome bays attached to the vehicle, which, in spite of their brisk run, were tossing their heads and fretting to be off. "oh, they're good enough," was the curt reply. "a trifle fresh, but we need that in our business." "something interesting on to-day?" queried cecil. "who the devil are you, anyway?" asked the driver abruptly. and the englishman, lying boldly, replied: "i'm the new reporter on the _daily leader_. i was here last week with mr. marchmont on a burglary case." "oh, the new rochelle robbery," suggested the driver. cecil acquiesced, drawing a quiet sigh of relief that his random shot had hit the mark. "yes," he said, "that's it. i was introduced round, but i don't remember meeting you." "might have been the other driver, jim?" "now i come to think of it, it was jim." "jus' so. well, there's copy for you in this case." "so i imagined. it's your first political arrest, isn't it?" "that's where the hitch comes in," said the man. "i don't know where to deliver the prisoner. when the court's made up its mind they'll let me know, and i'll drive on. now in the civil war we sent them politicals to fort wadsworth." "so you have to wait till they decide?" "you bet i have. and there ain't no superfluity of shade on the sunny side of this street neither," replied the driver, as he slipped off his coat and hung it with his cap on a peg beside the box seat of the black maria. "suppose you were to run into the court and see how they're getting on," suggested banborough, slipping a coin into his hand. "i want a word with the police when they've finished. mention the _daily leader_. i'll watch your horses." "oh, they'll stand quiet enough," said the man. then, suspiciously, jerking his thumb over his shoulder towards spotts, he asked: "who's yer pal?" "just a green hand whom i'm initiating into the business." "you're pretty green yourself or you wouldn't have set me up," said the driver. "but if you'll mind them horses i'll just run across to mccafferty's saloon and have a schooner of beer, and then drop into court for you." "all right," responded cecil. "only don't be all day; i've got another detail." "say," rejoined the man, "i can put beer down quicker than you can wink." and he ran across the street. "well, what's to be done?" demanded banborough, as the man left them. "that's easily answered," replied spotts. "when he's in court we'll jump on the box, drive for all we're worth till we've eluded pursuit, then rescue miss arminster and be off to yonkers." "but that's laying ourselves open to arrest," expostulated the englishman. "we've done that already," said his friend. "but they'll know we're not officials: we've no uniform." "what, not when the driver has obligingly left his hat and coat?" said spotts. "slip them on. you've dark trousers, and no one will suspect." "but driving fast--?" protested the author. "well, we're going to a 'hurry call,' of course. you've no invention, man! and besides, i can't drive." "oh, that doesn't matter," said banborough. "i understand all about horses." "so i supposed, as you're an englishman." "i don't care much for this business, you know," remonstrated the unfortunate author. "neither do i," replied the actor. "but we might as well be killed for a sheep as a lamb, and we've a good chance of winning. here comes the driver; give him a bluff." "i ain't lost much time," panted that individual as he passed them, wiping the foam from his moustache with the back of his hand, and adding: "i'll run right into court and be out again in a jiffy!" "stay long enough to see how things are going," called cecil. "all right! guess the horses'll stand," he replied, and disappeared within the building. "now, bishop!" cried spotts. and before the englishman could think, his coat and hat had been whipped off and thrown on the box seat along with a small handbag which the actor carried, and he was being helped into the very hot and unsavoury clothes of the driver. "lucky they fit you," said his friend. "lead the horses carefully to the corner, and see they don't make more noise than necessary. if the driver should come out, you let 'em go; otherwise wait for me. know where to drive?" "along the park?" "no," said spotts. "double several times, then try one of the avenues to the harlem river. there are plenty of bridges. now, careful!" and as cecil moved slowly off, leading the horses towards the upper corner, the actor lounged up to the entrance of the court, blocking the doorway with his athletic figure. after what seemed an eternity, banborough achieved the corner of the block, and, mounting the box, turned the horses' heads down the side street, keeping an eagle eye upon the entrance of the court-room, within which his companion had now disappeared. perhaps three minutes had elapsed when the actor came out, running quietly towards him so as not to attract attention. the street was well-nigh deserted, and no one seemed to have noticed the movements of the black maria. "walk slowly till we're round the corner, and then drive for all you're worth!" gasped spotts, springing on to the seat beside him. cecil followed his directions implicitly, and a moment later they went tearing down the side street, and swung round the corner into an avenue, nearly colliding with a cable-car in the process, and causing a wild scatteration of passengers and pedestrians. "here, that won't do!" cried the actor above the rattle occasioned by their rapid progress over the cobblestones. "ring the bell, or we'll be arrested!" "where?" called banborough. "that knob under your feet. press it!" the englishman did as directed, and instantly the most hideous clamour arose beneath the carriage. the horses, which had been flying before, excited by the noise, put down their heads and tore blindly forward. the vehicle rocked and swayed, and the avenue and its occupants swept by in an indistinguishable blur. "they'll surely track us by the noise!" screamed cecil, trying to make himself heard above the horrible din. "we're too far off by this time," returned spotts. "can you manage the horses?" "oh, they're all right so long as we've a clear road!" yelled banborough in reply. they were now well under way, the traffic ahead of them swerving wildly to right and left at the insistent clamour of the bell. they rushed forward by leaps and bounds, an occasional stretch of asphalt giving them an instant's respite from the dreadful shaking of the cobblestones. they spoke but little, excitement keeping them quiet, but the englishman suffered keenly in spirit at the thought of what the delicate girl, shut up in that dark stifling prison behind them, must be undergoing. suddenly in front of them loomed up the helmeted figure of a policeman, swinging his club and gesticulating wildly. "run him down!" howled spotts; and cecil, who had caught some of the madness of their wild flight, lashed the horses afresh and hurled the black maria straight at the officer of the law. the constable, still gesticulating, made a hasty leap to one side, and they swept by a huge express-wagon which was coming up the cross-street, nearly grazing the noses of the rearing horses, and catching a glimpse of the driver's startled face. so they ran on and on, faster and faster as the traffic became less, and the pair of bays settled down in earnest to the race. suddenly the street narrowed, and a confused mass of carts and horses seemed to block up the farther end. banborough put on the brake, and with considerable difficulty succeeded in bringing his team to a standstill on the outer edge of the throng. "it's the harlem river," cried spotts, "and the drawbridge is up, curse the luck!" there was nothing for it but wait, and cecil, jumping down, patted the horses and examined the harness to make sure that everything was all right. "you seem in a rush," said a neighbouring driver. "hurry call to harlem," replied banborough brusquely. "whereabouts?" "oh, police station." "what station?" the englishman grunted an inaudible reply as a forward movement of the crowd betokened that the bridge was again in position. a moment later they were trotting towards freedom and the open country, cecil making the horses go slower now, wishing to reserve their strength for any unforeseen emergency. as the buildings grew more scattered, and patches of woodland appeared here and there, the actor began to discuss with his companion their plan of campaign. "the sooner we get violet out of her prison," he said, "and leave this confounded vehicle behind, the better." "it's rather too well populated about here to suit me," replied banborough. "but the police haven't been idle since we started, and our flight has probably been telegraphed all over the countryside. perhaps we'd better run the risk, for if we're caught red-handed with the black maria we'll find some difficulty in proving our innocence." "besides which, i'm anxious to get miss arminster out of durance vile as soon as possible, for i think the leopard's been caged long enough," said spotts, laughing. "why do you people insist on calling miss arminster the leopard?" asked banborough. "oh," said his companion, "i think i'd better let you find that out for yourself. it would hardly be fair to violet, and besides--" then, breaking off suddenly as they entered a strip of woodland, he changed the conversation abruptly, saying: "here's as good a place as we're likely to find--no houses in sight, and a clear view of the road in either direction." and as cecil drew up the horses he jumped off the box. "how are you going to open the confounded thing?" asked the author. "well," replied his companion, "i should think a key would be as good a method as any other." "the best, provided you've got the key." "i imagine you'll find it in the right-hand outside pocket of the driver's coat," said spotts. "i thought i heard something jingle as i was helping you on with it." "right you are," said the englishman. "here it is!" producing two nickel-plated keys on a ring. "now we'll have her out in no time." and running round to the back of the vehicle, he unlocked the folding doors and threw them wide open, crying: "my dear miss arminster, accept your freedom and a thousand pardons for such rough treatment. what the--!" and he stopped short, too surprised to finish; for, instead of the petite form of the fascinating violet, there shambled out on to the road the slouching figure of a disreputable tramp, clothed in nondescript garments of uncertain age and colour, terminating in a pair of broken boots, out of which protruded sockless feet. he had a rough shock of hair, surmounted by a soft hat full of holes, and a fat german face, whose ugliness was further enhanced by the red stubbly growth of a week's beard. "i guess youse gents has rescued me unbeknownst, and i'm much obleeged, though i don't know but what i'd rather break stones up to sing sing than be chucked round the way i has been for the last hour." "who are you?" demanded banborough. "me?" said the figure. "oh, i'm a anarchist." chapter iv. in which the black maria receives a new inmate. at the sight of this astonishing and utterly unlooked-for personage, the actor and the englishman stood for a moment gaping at each other in surprised silence. then, as the full force of what they had done occurred to them, and they realised that, at great risk of life, limb, and freedom, they had rescued from the clutches of the law an utterly worthless tramp, they burst into peals of uncontrollable laughter. "but where's violet?" gasped spotts, who was the first to recover himself. "oh, there's a lady in there, if you mean _her_," said the tramp, indicating the cavernous depths of the black maria. "yes, i'm here all right," came the welcome tones of the little actress's voice. "i'll be out in just a moment, as soon as i've put myself straight. you're the most reckless drivers i ever saw." "i'm awfully sorry," said banborough, approaching the door to help her out. "but circumstances didn't leave us much choice." "apparently not," she replied, and a moment later stood in their midst, looking even more bewitching than usual in her dishevelled condition. then as she drew a long breath, inhaling the fresh woodland air, and realising all the joy of her restored freedom, the eternal feminine reasserted itself, and, seizing both of spotts's hands, she cried impetuously: "look at me, alvy, and tell me if my hat is straight." they all laughed, which broke the tension of the situation. "i don't know what you must think of us," said banborough. "i thought i was being run away with at first," she said; "but when i heard alvy's voice on the box i knew it must be all right." "of course," continued cecil, "we hadn't the least idea there was anybody else in the van." "oh, i didn't mind so much," she said. "he was quite nice and respectful, and very soft to fall on. i guess he must be all black and blue from the number of times i hit him." "well, you're safe, and that's the main thing," said spotts. "but what does it all mean?" she demanded. "oh, there's time enough for explanations later on," returned the actor. "we're not out of the woods yet." "of course we aren't, stupid! any one can see that." "metaphorically, he means," said cecil. "but, joking apart, this black maria is, so to speak _particeps criminis_, and the sooner we lose it the better." "which way shall we go?" she asked. "oh, that's been all arranged beforehand with the other members of the party," said spotts, purposely omitting to mention their destination in the presence of their undesirable companion. "it can't be more than a mile or two across country to the hudson river railroad, and we'd better make for the nearest station. do you feel up to walking?" "do i feel up to walking!" she exclaimed. "well, if you'd been chucked round for an hour without being consulted, i guess you'd feel like doing a little locomotion on your own account." and without another word the three turned to get their belongings. "say," interjected the tramp, "where do i come in?" "oh, but you don't," said spotts. "we're going to leave you this beautiful carriage and pair with our blessing. better take a drive in the country and enjoy the fresh air." "yah!" snarled the disreputable one in reply. "that don't go! it's too thin! why, look here, boss," he continued, addressing banborough, "you went and 'scaped with me without so much as sayin' by your leave, and now, when you've gone and laid me open to extra time for evadin' of my penalty, you've got the cheek to propose to leave me alone in a cold world with _that_!" and he pointed expressively at the black maria. "it is rather hard lines," admitted cecil. "but, you see, it would never do to have you with us, my man. why, your clothes would give us away directly." "and i'll give yer away directly to the cops if you don't take me along." banborough and spotts looked at each other in redoubled perplexity. "you see," continued the anarchist, "i don't go for to blow on no blokes as has stood by me as youse has, but it's sink or swim together. besides, you'd get lost in this country in no time, while i knows it well. why, i burgled here as a boy." "what's to be done?" asked cecil. "oh, i suppose we've got to take him along," replied the actor. "we're all in the same boat, if it comes to that." "now if youse gents," suggested the tramp, "could find an extra pair of pants between you, this coat and hat would suit me down to the ground." and he laid a dirty paw on banborough's discarded garments. "no you don't!" cried that gentleman, hastily recovering his possessions. "haven't you got any clothes in that bag of yours, spotts?" "well, i _have_ got a costume, bishop, and that's a fact," replied the actor; "but it's hardly in his line, i should think." "what is it?" asked the englishman. "you seem about of a size." "it's a quaker outfit. i used it in a curtain-raiser we were playing." "that would do very well," said cecil, "if it isn't too pronounced." "oh, it's tame enough," replied the actor, who exercised a restraint in his art for which those who met him casually did not give him credit. indeed, among the many admirable qualities which led people to predict a brilliant future for spotts was the fact that he never overdid anything. "huh!" grunted the tramp, "i dunno but what i'd as lieve sport a shovel hat as the suit of bedticking they give yer up the river. i used to work round philidelphy some, and i guess i could do the lingo." "give them to him," said banborough. "i'll make it good to you." "well, take them, then," replied spotts regretfully, handing their unwelcome companion the outfit which he produced from his bag, adding as he pointed to the woods: "get in there and change quickly. we ought to be moving." the tramp made one step towards the underbrush, and then, pausing doubtfully, said: "you don't happen to have a razor and a bit of looking-glass about yer, do yer? i see there's a brook here, and there ain't nothin' quakery about my beard." the actor's face was a study. "i'm afraid there's no escape from it, old man," remarked cecil. "if you've your shaving materials with you, let him have them." "there they are. you needn't trouble to return them." their recipient grinned appreciatively, and as the last rustle of his retirement into privacy died away, miss arminster turned to banborough and demanded: "now tell me what i was arrested for, why you two ran away with me, and where i'm being taken." "i can answer the first of those questions," broke in spotts. "you're a spanish sympathiser and a political spy." "i'm nothing of the sort, as you know very well!" she replied, colouring violently. "i'm the leading lady of the a. b. c. company." "of course _we_ know it," returned the actor; "but the police have chosen to take a different view of the matter." "why is he chaffing me like this?" she said, appealing to cecil. "i'm afraid it's a grim reality," he replied. "you see, when the spanish officials were turned out of washington, they'd the impertinence to take the title of my book as their password." "well, then," she said, "they did what they'd no right to do." "i suppose that would be a question of international copyright," he replied. "but 'the purple kangaroo' has proved itself a most troublesome animal, and as i thought you wouldn't care for quarters down the bay till the war was over, i took the liberty of running off with you." "i'm very much obliged to you, i'm sure; but what next?" "we're all to rendezvous at yonkers." "and then?" "well, unless the situation improves, i'm afraid it'll become a question of seeking a refuge in another country." "if you think," she cried, "that i'm going to spend the rest of my existence in the forests of yucatan or on the plains of patagonia, you're mightily mistaken!" "oh," he said, laughing, "it isn't as bad as all that. ours is only a political crime, and canada will afford a safe harbour from the extradition laws." "but the war won't be finished in a day," she contended, her eyes beginning to fill with tears. "won't you trust me?" asked cecil, taking both her hands. "won't you let me prove my repentance by guarding your welfare? won't you--" indeed there is no knowing to what he might have committed himself in the face of such beauty and sorrow had not spotts broken in with a cry of: "it's all up now! we're done for, and no mistake!" and he pointed to the figure of a short, fat, red-faced man, very much out of breath, who was bustling down the road, waving his hands at them and shouting "hi!" "you'd better go and warn the tramp," said banborough; and the actor plunged into the woods. a moment later the stranger came up to them, and panted out: "i arrest you both, in the name of the law!" neither said anything, but banborough took one of miss arminster's tiny gloved hands in his own and gave it a little squeeze just by way of reassuring her. "well," said the new arrival, as soon as he had recovered his breath, "what have you got to say for yourselves?" "i don't know that we've anything to say," replied cecil sheepishly. "i should think not!" said the other. "here, take off that coat!" and he stripped the official garment from the englishman's shoulders. "the cap, too!" banborough handed it to him, saying as he did so: "you're a police official, i suppose?" "i'm the justice of the peace from the next town. they just missed catching you at the last place you drove through, and telegraphed on to me. knowing there was a cross-road here, i wasn't going to take any chance of losing you. i left the police to follow. they'll be along in a minute. now what do you mean by it?" "i don't suppose any explanations of mine would persuade you that you're making a mistake," said banborough. "no, i don't suppose they would. now you put on that coat accidentally, didn't you? just absent-mindedly--" "i don't know you," broke in the englishman, "and i don't--" "that'll do," said the justice of the peace. "i don't know you either, and--yes, i do know the woman." then turning to miss arminster, he continued: "didn't i perform the marriage ceremony over you the year before last?" "yes," she said softly. and cecil relinquished her hand. this, he considered, was worse than being arrested. "i thought i did," went on the magistrate. "i don't often forget a face, and i'm sorry to see you in such bad company." the young girl began to show signs of breaking down, and the situation was fast becoming acute, when the unexpected tones of an unctuous voice suddenly diverted everybody's attention. "why is thee so violent, friend?" said some one behind them. and turning quickly, they perceived the sleek, clean-shaven, well-groomed figure of a quaker, dressed in a shad-bellied brown coat, a low black silk hat with a curved brim, and square shoes. "who the devil--!" began the officer. "fie! fie!" said the stranger. "abstain from cursings and revilings in thy speech. but i am glad thee hast come, for verily i feared the workers of iniquity were abroad." "oh, you know something about it, do you?" asked the justice of the peace. "i was returning from a meeting of the friends," continued the quaker blandly, "when i came upon these two misguided souls. as my counsellings were not heeded, and i am a man of peace, i had retired into the woods to pursue my way uninterrupted, when i heard thee approach." "well, i'll be glad of your assistance, though i daresay i could have managed them until the police came. they're a dangerous pair. "and what will thee do with the other prisoner, friend?" "eh? what other prisoner?" "the one that lies in a debauched sleep at the farther end of the van. i have striven to arouse him, but in vain." "where is he?" said the magistrate, peering into the black depths of the waggon. "in the far corner. thee canst not see him from here." "i'll have him out in no time!" exclaimed the officer, springing into the van, with the driver's hat and coat still in his hand. "not if i knows it, you old bloke!" cried the sometime quaker, slamming the door and turning the key with vicious enjoyment, while his three companions, for spotts had emerged from the wood, executed a war-dance round the vehicle out of sheer joy and exultation. from within proceeded a variety of curses and imprecations, while the black maria bounced upon its springs as if a young elephant had gone mad inside. suddenly the quaker laid a detaining hand upon banborough's shoulder, saying: "take care, boss; here come the cops! i'll play the leading rôle, and you follow the cues." they all paused and stood listening, while the rapid beat of a horse's hoofs came to their ears, and a second later a concord waggon, loaded down with policemen, swung into view round the corner of the road, and presently drew up beside them. "thee hast come in good time, friend," said the quaker to the chief officer. "we have watched thy prisoners overlong already." "where's the boss?" demanded the official. "dost thee mean the worldly man with the red face, much given to profane speaking?" "i guess that's him," laughed one of the subordinates. "as i was returning from a meeting of the friends with these good people," pursued the quaker, indicating his companions, "we came upon this vehicle standing in the road, the horses being held by two men, who, when they saw us, ran into the woods towards the river." "how were they dressed?" asked the chief officer. "one of them had garments like thine, friend." "that's our man, sure!" "very presently," resumed the quaker, "came thy master, using much unseemly language, who, having heard our story, followed the men in the direction we indicated, begging that we guard this carriage till you came, and bidding us tell you to return with it to the town." "well, i guess the boss knows his own business best," said the leader of the party; "so we'd better be getting back to the station. i suppose you'll come and give your evidence." "i am a man of peace," said the quaker; "but if my testimony is required i and my friends will walk behind thee to the next town and give it." "it's only half a mile from here, a straight road--you can't miss it. you'll be there as soon as we want you." the quaker nodded. "then we'd better be moving," said the chief officer. "i'll drive maria, and you fellows go ahead in the cart." the remarks which were now proceeding from the interior of that vehicle were much too dreadful to record. but as it was about to start, the man of peace, lifting his hands, checked the driver and said: "i will, with thy permission, approach the grating and speak a word of counsel." and going to the door, he said in a loud voice: "peace, friend. remember what the good benjamin franklin has said: 'he that speaks much is much mistaken.'" the reply elicited by these remarks was of such a nature that miss arminster was obliged to put her hands over her ears, and the police drove off with loud guffaws, enjoying immensely the good quaker's confusion. "that bloke," remarked the tramp, as the black maria disappeared in a cloud of dust, "give me three months once, an' i feels better." and without another word he led the party across the road and into the woods in the direction of the river. chapter v. in which the party receives a new impetus. an hour later, when the little party of four, weary and dusty, walked up to the hotel at yonkers, they perceived tybalt smith in his shirt-sleeves, with his hat tipped over his eyes as a protection from the rays of the declining sun, lying fast asleep in a large garden chair which was tilted back on its hind legs against the side of the house. spotts lost no time in poking him in the ribs with his cane, whereupon the tragedian, rousing himself from slumber, hastily assumed a more upright position, bringing the chair down on its front legs with a bang. having thus been fully awakened, he became at once the master of the situation. "we are here," he said. "so i see," replied spotts, "and a pretty show you've made of yourself. there's nothing private or retiring about your methods. now where are the rest of the party?" mr. smith at once assumed an air of mysterious solemnity. "mrs. mackintosh," he said in a stage whisper, "is above. i reserved an apartment for her and the leop--miss arminster, i mean, and a private sitting-room for us all. mrs. mackintosh is disturbed. mrs. mackintosh requires an explanation. mrs. mackintosh," turning to banborough, "is a woman of great character, of great force, and she requires an explanation of _you_!" "ha!" said spotts, casting a look of mock commiseration at the englishman. "perhaps it might be better," suggested the tragedian, "if miss arminster saw her first." "perhaps it might," acquiesced spotts. "all right, i'll go," said violet; adding to cecil, as she passed him: "don't be frightened; her bark's worse than her bite." and she entered the house laughing. "but where are the others?" asked the author. "sh!" whispered the tragedian, casting a suspicious glance at the quaker. "we're not alone." "yes," said spotts, "the bishop's got a new convert." "oh," returned banborough, "i forgot you hadn't met this gentleman. we inadvertently rescued him, and since then he's done us a similar service twice over. i really don't know what he's called. the clothes belong to spotts." "i thought i recognised the costume," said smith. then, turning to the stranger, he demanded, abruptly: "what's your name?" "i have been known by many," came the suave tones of the quaker, "but for the purposes of our brief acquaintance thee mayst call me friend othniel." the tragedian gave a grunt of disapproval. "i think he can be trusted," remarked spotts. "he's certainly stood by us well, so far. now tell us about kerrington and mill." "yes, i'm most anxious to know what's become of them," said the englishman. and the three drew nearer together, while the quaker, turning to the road, stood basking in the sunshine, his broad flabby hands clasped complacently before him. tybalt smith, after casting another furtive glance in friend othniel's direction, murmured the words: "shoe-strings and a sandwich!" "eh? what?" queried banborough. "our two friends," continued the tragedian, "through the powerful aid of a member of our fraternity, whose merits the public have hitherto failed to recognise, have sought refuge in the more humble walks of life to escape the undesirable publicity forced upon them by _you_! mr. kerrington, disguised as a jew pedlar, is now dispensing shoe-strings and collar-buttons on lower broadway, while mr. mill is at present taking a constitutional down fifth avenue encased in a sandwich frame calling attention to the merits of backer's tar soap. he is, if i may so express it, between the boards instead of on the boards--a little pleasantry of my own, you will observe." the tragedian paused, but failing to elicit the desired laugh, continued his narration: "mrs. mackintosh, though having been offered a most desirable position to hawk apples and chewing-gum on madison square, has preferred to share the rigours of an unknown exile, that she might protect the youthful innocence of our leading lady." "all of which means," said spotts shortly, "that mill and kerrington chose to fake it out in town, while you and the old girl bolted." "our friend," remarked smith, casting an aggrieved look at the last speaker, "is lamentably terse. but let us join mrs. mackintosh. she will support my remarks, not perhaps in such chaste diction, but--" "oh, shut it off!" interrupted mr. spotts. "come along, othniel. i guess you're in this, too." and he led the way into the house. when they entered the private parlour they found mrs. mackintosh and miss arminster waiting to receive them, the old lady with mingled feelings of righteous indignation and amusement at the ludicrous position in which they were placed, which latter she strove hard to conceal. "well, bishop," she began, as soon as banborough was fairly in the room, "you've carried off an innocent and unsuspecting young lady in a black maria, imprisoned an officer of the law, deceived his agents, reduced two of the members of our company to walking the streets, forced us to consort with thieves and criminals," pointing to the bland form of the quaker, who had just appeared in the doorway, "laid us all under the imputation of plotting against our country, exiled us from our native land, brought me away from new york in my declining years, with only the clothes i stand up in, and deposited me in a small room on the third floor of a second-class hotel, which is probably full of fleas! and now i ask you, sir, in the name of christian decency, which you're supposed to represent, and common sense, of which you've very little, what you're going to do with us?" banborough sat down suddenly on the nearest available chair, made a weak attempt at a smile, gave it up, and blurted out: "well, i'm blessed if i know! but permit me to decline the declining years," he murmured gallantly. "i have," continued the lady, with a twinkle in her eye, "for the past thirty years played blameless parts on the metropolitan stage, and i'm too old to assume with any degree of success the rôle of a political criminal." "madam," said the author, making a desperate effort to compose himself, "i'm the first to admit the lack of foresight on my part which has placed us in this deplorable predicament; but the fact remains that we're suspected of a serious crime against this government, and until we can prove ourselves innocent it's necessary to protect our liberties as best we may. i fortunately have ample funds, and i can only say that it will be a duty as well as a privilege to take you all to a place of safety, and keep you there, as my guests, till happier times." "hear, hear!" said the tragedian from the back of the room, while the quaker settled himself into the most comfortable armchair with a sigh of contentment. "very nicely spoken, young man," replied the older lady, whose suspicions were only partially allayed, "but words aren't deeds, and canada, where i'm informed we're to be dumped, is a long way off; and if you imagine you can go cavorting round the country with a black maria for a whole afternoon without bringing the police down on you, you're vastly mistaken!" "thee speaketh words of wisdom, but a full stomach fortifieth a stout heart," said friend othniel. "yes," replied smith, who took this remark to himself. "i ordered dinner at six, thinking you'd be in then, and if i'm not mistaken it's here now." and as he spoke the door opened and a waiter entered to lay the table. conversation of a private nature was naturally suspended forthwith, and the members of the a. b. c. company sat in silence, hungrily eyeing the board. "thee mayst lay a place for me, friend," said the quaker to the waiter, as he watched the preparations with bland enjoyment. "did you order any drinks?" asked banborough of the tragedian. "no, bishop, i didn't," replied the latter. "as you're paying for the show, i thought i'd leave you that privilege." "order six soda lemonades," said banborough to the waiter, adding behind his hand to spotts, as he noted the gloom spread over the company: "no liquor to-night. we need to keep our wits about us." "stop, friend," came the unctuous tones of the quaker, arresting the waiter as he was about to leave the room. "for myself i never take strong waters, but thee forgettest, bishop," giving banborough the title he had heard the others use, "thee forgettest that our revered friend," with a wave of his hand in mrs. mackintosh's direction, "hath an affection of her lungs which requires her to take a brandy and soda for her body's good before meals. let it be brought at once!" "why, you impudent upstart!" gasped the old lady, as the door closed behind the waiter. "how dare you say i drink!" "shoo!" returned friend othniel, lapsing from the quaker into the tramp; "i ain't orderin' it for youse. i've a throat like a sahara." then turning to the other members of the company, he continued: "now seein' as we've a moment alone, and bein' all criminals, i votes we has a session o' the committee o' ways and means." a chorus of indignant protest arose from every side. "youse ain't criminals, eh? what's liberatin' prisoners, an' stealin' two hosses an' a kerridge, an' the driver's hat an' coat, with a five-dollar bill in the pocket?" banborough rose to deny vehemently the last assertion. "oh, yes, ther' was," continued the tramp. "i got that." and he produced a crisp note at the sight of which the englishman groaned, as he realised the damning chain of evidence which circumstance was building up around them. "an' lockin' up officers of the law," friend othniel went on, "an' runnin' off with prisoners, specially a tough like me, one o' your pals, what's wanted particular." and he winked villainously. "i do not see," began banborough, who was fast losing his temper, "that there's any need of discussing the moral aspect of this affair. you," turning to the tramp, "will have your dinner and your drink, and a certain sum of money, and you'll then kindly leave us. though your nature may be incapable of appreciating the difference between a crime knowingly committed and one innocently entered into, a difference exists, and renders further association between us undesirable, to say the least." "oh, it does, does it?" said friend othniel. "well, that's where youse blokes is mistook. this mornin' my dearest ambition was to blow up madison square garden, but what's that to wreckin' a whole nation? no, bishop, i'm a political conspirator from this time on, and i'll stand by yer through thick and thin! why, you people ain't no more fitted to run a show o' this sort than a parcel of three-weeks-old babies. i wouldn't give yer ten hours to land the whole crowd in jail; but you just trust to me, and i'll see yer safe, if it can be done. i tell yer, it ain't the fust time i ben in a hurry to view niagary falls from the canadian side." just then the door opened, and the waiter entered with the brandy and soda in a long glass. "thee mayst put it here, friend, till the lady is ready to take it," said othniel, indicating the table at his side. "nothing of the kind," snapped mrs. mackintosh. "i guess i'm as ready to take it now's i ever shall be." and she grasped the glass and, setting her face, proceeded to drain the tumbler to the amusement of the company. "there," she said, wiping her lips with her handkerchief, as the waiter left the room, "that tasted about as bad as anything i've had for a long time; but if it had been castor oil, i'd have drunk every drop rather than that you'd had it." a general laugh greeted this sally, and the tramp remarked sheepishly that he guessed he'd know it the next time he ran up against her. then, waxing serious, he resumed his former topic. "we ain't got no time to waste in frivolity," he said, "and if we're to get out of this hole, the sooner we makes our plans the better, and perhaps, as i know more about this business than youse, i'll do the talking." receiving the silent assent of the company, he continued: "i remembers in the days o' my innocent youth, before i burgled my first watch, a-playin' of a sunday-school game, where we went out of the room, and the bloke what teached us put a quarter somewhere in plain sight, and when we come in again not one on us could find it, 'cause it was just under our noses; which the same is the game i'm proposing to play." "i think i see what you mean," said banborough. "i've heard it said that the destruction of most criminals is their cleverness." "that's just what i'm a-tryin' to point out," replied the tramp. "the cops gives you the credit of allus tryin' to do the out-o'-the-way thing, so as to put 'em off the track, while if yer only acted as yer naturally would if yer hadn't done nothin' to be cotched for, yer could walk before their eyes and they'd never see yer." "that sounds all right," said spotts. "now what's your advice?" "to go back to new york," replied the tramp shortly. "but," objected miss arminster, "we can't stay in the united states." "who said we could?" retorted the tramp. "don't yer see, the cops'll reckon on our takin' some train along hereabouts for the north, and they'll watch all the little stations on the up line, but they won't trouble 'bout the down line, 'cause they know we've left the city. so all we has to do, after we've had our dinner comfortable-like, is to take a local back to town, and catch the white mountain express for montreal." "why the white mountain express?" asked mrs. mackintosh. "'cause it's the longest route," replied the tramp, "an' they'll reckon on our takin' the shortest. besides which, we'll cross the border in the early morning, havin' the baggage, which we ain't got, examined on arrival." the company expressed hearty approval of the plan, and it was easy to see, in the case of the ladies at least, that friend othniel's sagacity had won him a much-improved position in their estimation. the waiter now came bustling in and out of the room, and mrs. mackintosh drew cecil apart into the embrasure of a window. "you mustn't think i'm too hard on you, young man," she said, "though i can talk like a house afire when i once get r'iled. i know you didn't mean to get us into this scrape. you're a good-hearted chap, or you wouldn't have given us all a breakfast when you didn't need to, and i want you to understand that i'll stand by you whatever happens. i've taken a real liking to you, because you can look me straight in the eye, and i know you're worth a dozen of those chaps one sees hanging round a theatre; and if you behave yourself nicely, you won't find you've got a better friend than betsy mackintosh." and she squeezed his hand with an honest fervour that many a man might have envied. cecil thanked her for her confidence in him, and turned to have a few words with miss arminster, who had been constantly in his mind. when she had admitted to the justice of the peace that she was a married woman, he felt as if somebody had poured a pitcher of ice-water down his back. of course he hardly considered his sentiment for her as serious, but he was at the age when a young man feels it a personal grievance if he discovers that a pretty girl is married. indeed, the fact that the little actress had been so blind to her own interests as not to keep her heart and hand free till he came along first caused him to realise how hard he was hit. "i do hope you've not been too much fatigued?" he said, sitting down beside her. "oh, you mustn't bother about that," she replied, raising her eyes to his in a decidedly disconcerting manner. "i'm afraid you must have thought me very selfish and ungrateful for seeming to care so much about my own appearance and so little about all you've done for me." "oh, don't speak of that," he protested. "but i must speak of it," she insisted. "i can't begin to tell you how i appreciated it. it was plucky and just splendid, and some day or other i want you to take me out driving again, in another sort of trap. you're the best whip i ever knew." he flushed under her praise, and began to say pretty things which he had better have omitted; but she presently became absent-minded in the face of his attentions, and interpreting this as an unfavourable sign, he ventured to ask her why she was so pensive. "i'm afraid you must think me awfully rude," she said, "and really i've listened to all the nice things you've been saying, half of which i don't deserve, but the fact is, this place, and even this very room, are full of sweet associations for me. it was in that little church, just across the road, that i was married four years ago." "but i thought," he began, "that the justice of the peace said that he married you." "so he did," she returned softly, "but that was different--it was later." "eh? what!" he said, "later?" "yes," she replied dreamily, not noticing the interruption. "but it was here that the few sweet days of my first honeymoon were passed. 'twas here i became the bride of the only man i've ever loved, the bride of--" "hist!" cried the tramp, who had been looking out of the window. "the house is watched!" and with this announcement banborough's tête-à-tête came to an abrupt close. "are you sure?" cried spotts. "positive. there are three cops fooling round in front now." "what shall we do?" cried smith. "git," rejoined the tramp. "but how?" queried banborough. "oh, i'll fix that all right," said the quaker. "i bagged a plated tea-service here five years ago, and if they ain't changed the arrangements of the house, this side door leads into an unused passage, which, barrin' the climbin' of a picket fence, is very handy for escape." "but how about the waiter?" suggested mrs. mackintosh, who was always practical. "right you are," said friend othniel. "we'll lock the door before we get out. they'll waste time enough over trying to open it, to give us a chance." to speak was to act, and the tramp softly turned the key and slipped it into his pocket. "as a memento," he said. "it's all i'm likely to git. they don't even use plate now." and he fingered the spoons and forks on the table regretfully. "come," said spotts shortly. "we've no time to lose." "look here," said banborough to the company, "i may be a criminal, but i'm not a sneak, and i don't order meals and apartments without paying for them. how much ought i to leave behind?" spotts laughed. "if you put it that way, i guess ten dollars'll cover it," he said. the englishman threw a bill on the table. "now," cried smith, "let's be off!" "out this way," said the tramp, opening a side door. "you others go first, and i'll wait here till i sees you're all safe." "not if i know it," said cecil. "you go first, or you'll get kicked." the tramp looked longingly at the crisp note, and led the way, remarking: "thee castest thy pearls before swine, friend." "ah, that's just what i'm trying to avoid," said banborough cheerfully, bringing up the rear. chapter vi. in which the bishop of blanford receives a black eye. "the bishop of blanford!" announced the page, as he threw open the door of sir joseph westmoreland's private consulting-room. sir joseph came forward to meet his distinguished patient, and said a few tactful words about having long known his lordship by reputation. the bishop smiled amiably, and surveyed the great london physician through his glasses. the two men were of thoroughly opposite types: sir joseph tall, thin, wiry, his high forehead and piercing blue eye proclaiming a powerful mind well trained for the purposes of science; the bishop short and broad of stature, with an amiable, rounded, ruddy face, and the low forehead which is typical of a complacent dogmatism. an ecclesiastic had come to humbug a man of science. could he do it? not really, he told himself; but then sir joseph was so courteous. "i ventured to consult you," said his lordship, in reply to the physician's questions, "because i feel the need of rest, absolute rest. the duties of my diocese are so onerous--and--er--in short--you understand." "quite so, quite so," said sir joseph, who understood that there was nothing whatever the matter with his patient. "to be entirely alone," continued the bishop, "for a space of time, without any distractions--not even letters." "most certainly not letters, your lordship." "how wonderful you men of science are!" murmured the ecclesiastic. "you understand me exactly. now if i could have six weeks--or even a month." "a month, i should say," replied sir joseph. "after that you might begin to receive your correspondence." "yes, a month would do--that is--er--where would you advise me to go?" "what climate generally suits you best?" "i--er--was thinking of scotland." "in may?" queried the physician. "a friend would lend me his country place--and i--er--should be so entirely alone." "quite so. nothing could be better," replied his adviser, who, like all men who have risen in their profession, had attained an infinite knowledge of human nature. "and you will be so kind as to write me a note, stating your opinion--about the rest--and--er--immunity from letters--and all that," said the bishop, depositing with studied thoughtlessness a double fee on the table, "for the benefit of my--my family. she is--they are--i mean--that is, she might not realise the importance of absolute rest, and"--as a brilliant thought occurred to him--"and you'll give me a prescription." "certainly," said sir joseph. "i'll do both now." "thanks," murmured the bishop, and, receiving the precious documents, he took his leave. the great physician's letter he put carefully in an inside pocket; the prescription he never remembered to get filled. "a month," he said to himself; "that ought to be time enough." and he hailed a cab, and driving promptly to the nearest american steamship office, he engaged a passage forthwith. "i wonder what sir joseph thought about it," he meditated, as he paid for his ticket. in this respect, however, he did his adviser an injustice. sir joseph never thought about it at all. it was not part of his profession. * * * * * most people would have united in saying that the bishop of blanford was an exceedingly fortunate man. no one was possessed of an estate boasting fairer lawns or more noble beeches, and the palace was a singularly successful combination of ecclesiastical antiquity and nineteenth-century comfort. the cathedral was a gem, and its boy choir the despair of three neighbouring sees, while, owing to a certain amount of worldly wisdom on the part of former investors of the revenues, the bishopric was among the most handsomely endowed in england. yet his lordship was not happy. all his life long there had been a blot upon his enjoyment, and that blot was his sister, miss matilda banborough. miss matilda was blatantly good, an intolerant virtue that accounted for multitudes of sins in other people. her one ambition was to bring up the bishop in the way she thought he should go, and hitherto she had been wonderfully successful. all through his married life she had resided at the palace and been the ruling power, and when his wife had died twenty years before, snuffed out by the cold austerity of the bishop's sister and the ecclesiastical monotony of blanford, miss matilda had assumed the reins of power, and had never laid them down. the bishop's wife had been a weak, amiable woman, and her last conscious request was to be buried in the sunlight, but her sister-in-law remarked that "her mind must have been wandering, for though sarah was vacillating, she was never sacrilegious." so they buried her in the shadiest corner of the cloisters, and put up a memorial brass setting forth all the virtues for which she was not particularly noted, and entirely omitting to mention her saving grace of patience under great provocation. since that time the bishop's son, cecil, had been a bone of contention at blanford. his aunt had attempted to apply the same rigorous treatment to him that had been meted out to his father; but the lad, whose spirit had not been broken, refused to submit. at first, in his boyhood days, his feeling was chiefly one of awe of miss matilda, who always seemed to be interfering with his pleasure, and who made the sabbath anything but a day of peace for the restless child. then came long terms at school, with vacations to which he never looked forward, and then four years at the university, when the periods spent at blanford became more dreaded. cecil tried bringing home friends, but there were too many restrictions. so, after graduation, he drifted off to london, where his aunt prophesied speedy damnation for him, and never quite forgave him because he did not achieve it. during these years his visits to the palace became fewer and fewer. then he wrote his novel, which proved the breaking-point, for miss matilda forced his good-natured, easy-going father to protest against its publication in england, and the young man, in impatient scorn, had shaken the dust of his native country from his feet and departed to the united states, bearing his manuscript with him. that was a year ago, and cecil had never written once. his publishers would not give his address, and if he received the letters sent through their agency, he never answered them. his father pined for him. his aunt waxed spiteful, and so firm was her domination over the bishop that he never dared tell her of his secretly formed plan of going to america to find his son. hence his visit to the great london physician. the little plot worked out better than he could have hoped. sir joseph's letter proved convincing, for miss matilda had a holy awe of constituted authority, and would no more have thought of disobeying its injunctions than she would of saying her prayers backwards. his lordship accordingly went to london, and disappeared for a month--ostensibly to scotland, in reality to america; and no one on the allan liner suspected for a moment that the little man in civilian's clothes, whose name appeared on the passenger-list as mr. banborough, was the bishop of blanford. his thirty days of grace allowed him but two weeks in the states, and here fortune seemed to have deserted him, for, on his arrival, he learned that his son had gone south. a wild-goose chase to washington consumed much valuable time, and, with only forty-eight hours to spare, he arrived at cecil's quarters in new york on the day when that young gentleman was madly driving a black maria out of the city. discouraged and disheartened at his lack of success, the bishop took a train for montreal, and found himself, about ten o'clock on that evening, owing to faulty orders and a misplaced switch, stranded at a little station just on the dividing line between canada and the united states. "and when can i proceed on my journey to montreal?" he queried of the station-master. "sure i don't know," responded that individual briefly. "we're bound to get things cleared for the white mountain express if possible." "and when is it due?" asked his lordship. "eleven forty-five a.m., if she's on time." "i think," said the bishop, "that i'll remain for the night, and go on at a more seasonable hour to-morrow. is there any one here who can put me up?" the station-master scratched his head in perplexity, glancing off to the horizon where glimmered a few lights from scattered farmhouses. "i dunno what to say," he replied. "i reckon deacon perkins would have put you up," pointing to the nearest light, some mile and a half distant, which at that moment disappeared, "but," added the official, "it looks as if he'd gone to bed. folks don't stay up late round here. there ain't much to do." "but," protested his lordship, "there's a story over this office. surely you can arrange something for me." "well, you see it's this way," said the man. "there's two police officers and a journalist has reserved it for to-night, 'cause they's on the lookout for a batch of prisoners 'scaping to canada. but if so be's you wouldn't mind sleeping in the refreshment-room, i could let you have a mattress, and make you up a tidy bed under the bar." the bishop reflected that, though such quarters were hardly in keeping with the dignity of an episcopal prince, they were better than nothing, and as he was travelling incognito it did not much matter. so he cheerfully accepted, and going out on the platform took a seat on the narrow wooden bench that ran along the front of the station, and lighted a cigar to while away the time till the preparations for his retirement were completed. it was pitch-dark outside, and the presence of three glimmering points of light were the only indication of any other occupants of the bench. but he rightly conjectured that the smokers were the policemen and the journalist of whom he had heard, and, having nothing better to do, he entered into conversation with them. "oh, yes," said marchmont, for it was none other, "we've got a big job on hand to-night, sir, if we pull it off." "is it uncertain, then?" asked the bishop. "well, of course we don't know which way they're coming. there was a sensational escape of a lot of spanish spies from new york this noon. when i left we only knew they'd gone north. since then they've been heard of near the hudson river. of course it's practically certain they'll make for montreal, as it's the nearest point at which they have a consul, and my knowledge of human nature leads me to think they'll take the most indirect route; so i came on here by the first train, and if we can catch them when the express comes through to-night, it'll be a great scoop, and certain promotion for me." "who compose the party?" asked his lordship. "the whole thing seems to be rather mysterious," said the journalist. "there's a woman conspirator in it, and one or two men, but the identity of the leader, the man who planned the rescue and had the unparalleled audacity to represent himself as one of our reporters, is quite unknown to the police." "but you?" said the bishop. "oh, i," replied marchmont, "of course i could hazard a guess as to his identity." and putting his hand before his mouth, so that his two companions should not hear his words, he added, with a tone of triumph in his voice: "there's not the remotest doubt in my mind that the young man who ran off with the black maria was none other than the secretary of the spanish legation." "ah," said his lordship, who was getting bored, "very interesting, i'm sure. i think i'll turn in now. good-night." and a few minutes later he was safely ensconced under the bar and in the land of dreams, where miss matilda and a prison-van figured conspicuously. after an interval of time, the bishop was sleepily conscious of the arrival of a train, accompanied by a certain amount of excitement, but it was not till several hours later, when dawn was just beginning to break, that he was rudely awakened by some one attempting to appropriate his resting-place. at the same moment he became conscious that a considerable uproar was going on in the station, and a voice from above, which he recognised as the journalist's, called out: "say! one of that gang's in the bar! i saw him come up to the door as i was lying in bed!" before the bishop, however, became sufficiently wide awake to assimilate thoroughly these astonishing facts, the intruder, who was grotesquely armed with a can of hot coffee and a loaf of bread, deposited his burdens, and falling upon the recumbent ecclesiastic, proceeded to sit upon his head, forcing his face into the pillow, and rendering it impossible for him to utter a single sound. the half light and the suddenness of the attack had not permitted his lordship to see the features of his aggressor. he had, however, no intention of submitting tamely to such an unpardonable outrage; and when the station-master and the two policemen, unaware of the proximity of the object of their pursuit, had rushed through the room and out at the back door, and the stranger, releasing the bishop, was preparing to fly also, his lordship, forgetful of the professions of peace which his calling assumed, smote the intruder lustily in the ribs. he received in return a smashing blow in the eye which made him see a multitude of stars, and before he could recover himself the stranger had seized the coffee and the loaf and dashed through to the front of the station. the bishop staggered to his feet, groping blindly about, while he heard the voice of the journalist, who was leaning over the banisters in night attire, calling vociferously to his companions that the man was escaping by the front. "did he hurt you?" he asked of the bishop. "yes," replied his lordship, still blinded by the force of the blow. "but he got as good as he gave. i didn't have four years of athletics at the 'varsity for nothing." "oh, they're sure to catch him," said the journalist "i hope so," cried the bishop, "for he richly deserves it." it is probable, however, that his lordship would have modified his desire for vengeance had he known that his aggressor was his own son. chapter vii. in which a line is drawn and crossed. "say, are you asleep?" came the low voice of the tramp at the side of banborough's berth in the early hours of the morning. the speaker stood in the aisle of the sleeper and was bending over him, half dressed, the contrast between the sleek outer garments of the quaker and the rough underwear of the tramp giving him a most grotesque appearance. "eh? what?" said cecil, rousing himself, and noting, as he did so, that it was still dark. a moment later he was fully awake, saying, as he sat up in his bunk: "is anything the matter?" "i'm afraid so. we've stopped here more'n ten minutes already, and we're scheduled to run through." "well, what of it?" said the englishman, somewhat testily, for he was very weary, and resented having his rest broken. "i suppose it's only a hot box." "hot box be blowed! it's us they're after. if you looks round the corner of your curtain, you can see the cops on the platform." cecil did as he was bidden, and, drawing back hastily, said: "you're right. i'm afraid the game is up. where are we, anyway?" "if this is the station i take it to be, we're just on the line between the two countries. but whether our car's in canady or the states is more'n i can tell." "is there anything to be done?" asked banborough, turning to smith and spotts, who at this moment quietly joined the quaker at the englishman's bedside. "plenty," replied spotts. "it's only a question of going north. ten feet may mean the difference between a prison and the 'windsor.'" "well, what shall we do?" "are you dressed?" "all but my boots and coat," answered cecil. "i'm not enough of a gymnast to disrobe in a space six feet by two, and besides i thought something of this sort might occur." "well, get into your boots, then, and don't make any more noise than necessary," said spotts. "the ladies must be ready by this time. you were called last." "are you going to make a bolt for it?" queried banborough, as he put one foot out of bed. "sh!" returned spotts. "not so loud! the officials out there on the platform are not sure that we're on board. my suggestion that mrs. mackintosh should buy the tickets was a lucky move, as she was not known. i'm going to pull the bell-cord as a sign to start, in the hopes that the engineer will get going before the conductor has time to reverse the signal, which means we'll run to the next station. if we don't succeed in pulling out, we'll just have to jump off and sprint for it." "go ahead," said banborough. "i'll have my boots on by the time i want them." the actor took a cautious look round the sleeper. quiet reigned, except for their own little party, who were by this time all gathered together, the ladies having joined them. "now!" said friend othniel. and spotts, reaching up, gave two sharp jerks to the cord which swung from the centre of the car. instantly the air-brakes were relaxed, the engine gave forth a series of mighty exhausts, the great driving-wheels spun round for a second on the rails, then caught their grip, and the train began to move out of the station. a perfect pandemonium at once arose without. shouts, gesticulations, and the waving of a multitude of lights, but the train still kept on moving, and the last car, in which the fugitives were, was sweeping past the station building, when the conductor, capless, but lantern in hand, emerged from the ticket-office and sprang for the rear platform of the train. a second later the quick jerk of the bell-cord and an answering whistle from the engine told them that he had succeeded in boarding the train and signalling it to stop. the quaker, forgetful of his cloth, swore lustily. "come on!" cried spotts, "we'll have to run for it. they'll back into the station in a minute, and then we're done for." and suiting the action to the word, he rushed down the car towards the front of the train. the rest followed him with the best speed they could muster, falling over boxes and bundles, getting entangled in stray shoes, and running foul of swinging portières. fortunately the cars were vestibuled, so the platforms offered no impediment. the train seemed absolutely interminable, for as they dashed through sleeper after sleeper, one more always appeared ahead, and banborough could not help feeling as he ran, hatless and in his shirt-sleeves, with his coat under his arm and one shoe-string untied, that the whole thing must after all be some wildly improbable dream from which he would awake in due course. now they felt the train stand still and then begin slowly to move backwards, which only hastened their flight. but there is an end to everything, and presently the last sleeper had been passed through, and they emerged, hot and breathless, into the baggage-car, immediately behind the engine. here for the first time they found an open door, the vestibules having all been tightly closed. spotts, who led the way, wasted no time in explanation, but making one dash at the burly baggage-master who confronted him, gave him a blow that sent him flying backwards. at the same instant he managed to trip up his assistant, causing the two men to come down on the floor together, bringing with them in their fall two bicycles and half a dozen crates of eggs. grasping any light luggage he could seize, friend othniel added this to the heap, while spotts, throwing open the great door in the side of the car, cried: "jump for all you're worth!" smith stood cowering on the edge of the door-sill, little relishing the prospect of a wild leap into the night. but the quaker, who had no time to waste on arguments, smashed down the top bicycle with one hand, thus placing his two opponents on their backs on the floor, and swinging round at the same moment, delivered a kick to the tragedian which sent him flying into outer darkness after the manner of a spread eagle. the train was only just moving, and spotts sprang quickly to the ground, and, running alongside the car, called to miss arminster to jump into his arms, which she promptly did. putting her to one side out of the reach of the train, he ran forward to receive mrs. mackintosh; but that good lady, being unaccustomed to such acrobatic feats, and arriving with more force than precision, completely bowled him over, and they went flying into space together. banborough and friend othniel followed almost immediately, and, both trying to get out of the door at the same time, collided with considerable force, and performed a series of somersaults, landing with safety, but emphasis, in a potato-patch. as the engine swept by them, cecil sat up and surveyed the scene. it certainly was an unusual situation, and the half-light of the early morning only served to make their attitudes the more grotesque. the party was scattered at large over the field in question. smith, on one knee, was rubbing the bruised portions of his body. miss arminster, who had landed safely on her feet, was standing with both hands clasped to her head, an attitude suggesting concussion of the brain, but which in reality betokened nothing more dreadful than an utter disarrangement of her hair. spotts had assumed an unconventional attitude at her feet, while the quaker, face down, with hands and legs outspread, seemed to be trying to swim due north. directly opposite the englishman, seated erect and prim on what had once been a hill of potatoes, her bonnet perched rakishly on one ear, and her grey toupée partially disarranged, hanging with its sustaining hairpins over her eyes, was mrs. mackintosh, firmly grasping in one hand her green silk parasol which she had never relinquished. as banborough met her gaze, she demanded sternly: "what next, young man, i should like to know?" "really, mrs. mackintosh," he replied, "if for no other reason, you ought to be deeply indebted to me as a purveyor of new sensations." "this is not a time for levity, sir," remarked that lady sternly, dropping her parasol and hastily restoring her toupée to its original position, "and i consider it perfectly disgraceful that you should cause a lady of my character to be arrested in a potato-patch at four o'clock in the morning!" "that's just what i've been endeavouring to prevent," he said. "i believe this to be canada." "then canada's a very poor sort of a country," she replied snappishly. the others now approached them, and all eyes were turned to the railroad station a few hundred yards distant, which was alive with bobbing lanterns. presently a cluster of lights detached itself from the rest and came towards them. "do you think they're going to arrest us?" asked miss arminster timidly. "don't you be afraid, miss," returned friend othniel. "you just let me run this circus, and i'll get you out all right and no mistake." the party now came up to them. it consisted of the station-master, the conductor, several trainmen, and the two policemen. "here!" said the conductor. "what did you mean by pulling the cord and starting the train?" "because we was anxious to see the beauties of canady," replied the tramp. "ah, i thought as much," said one of the policemen. "i am afraid," added the other, "we shall be obliged to persuade you and your party to stay in the united states for a while. you may consider yourselves under arrest." "thank yer," said the tramp sweetly. "so, to save trouble," continued the officer, "you might as well come back quietly with us to the station." "yah!" retorted the tramp. "'will yer walk into my parlour?' said the spider to the fly. i knows that game, and i guess the climate o' canady suits my constitution." "nonsense!" replied the policeman. "you aren't over the border by about two miles." "oh, ain't we?" said the tramp. "just oblige me, then, by putting them bracelets which i sees hangin' out o' your pocket on my wrists." and he held out his hands. the policeman looked sheepish, whispered something to his companion, and presently they turned their backs on the party and walked away in the direction of the station. "we's so stuck on this piece o' land," called friend othniel after them, "that we thinks o' farmin' it permanently. come back and spend christmas with us, won't yer?" the officers did not deign to notice these remarks, and a few moments later the train swept by them on its way to montreal, the baggage-master and his assistant giving their views on the party in general as they passed. the day now really began to break in earnest, bringing with it a cold, damp chill, which seemed to penetrate to their very marrow. spotts took off his coat and wrapped it around the shivering violet--an act of chivalry which made banborough curse his own thoughtlessness. but spotts's endeavours to promote the comfort of the company did not end here. he roused friend othniel into action, and succeeded in collecting a little stubble and underbrush, and with the aid of a few matches they made an apology for a fire, round which the forlorn party huddled. but, damp with the early dews, the brush gave out more smoke than flame, only serving to emphasize their discomfort. the increasing light showed them something of their surroundings. at distances varying from a mile to a mile and a half a few dilapidated dwellings peeped out of a fringe of woods. everything else was pine-swamp, with the exception of the one small field of potatoes in which they were encamped, and which stood out as an oasis in the wilderness. through the midst of the landscape straggled a muddy road, hopelessly impassable for foot-travellers. certainly the outlook was not cheering. it was therefore with a feeling of positive relief that they perceived shambling towards them the uncouth figure of the station-master. he paused on the edge of the patch, with one hand embedded in his shock of hair, and the other grasping a large piece of chalk, and surveyed the party critically. "say," he began after a few moments' silence, "them's my potatoes you're a-settin' on." the tramp growled something unintelligible, and the others vouchsafed no reply whatsoever. "i guess it must be purty damp out in that field," continued the station-master, "specially for the ladies, and i thought as how i'd let yer know as i was a-makin' some coffee over to the station, and yer could come and get it if yer liked." "yes, and get arrested into the bargain," said spotts. "i thought of that," replied the man, "and so i've drawed a line onto the platform with this piece of chalk, jest where the boundary be, and so long as yer stays to the northard of it yer can't be ketched." "how are we to know that that is just the boundary?" asked banborough. "'pears to me you're mighty 'spicious. anyhow, thar's the line and thar's the coffee. yer can take it or leave it, jest as yer likes." "i'd make it worth your while to bring it to us down here," said cecil. "humph!" returned the maker of beverages. "i don't go totin' coffee all round the country, and i'd like to remind yer as potatoes ain't eggs and don't need no hatchin', so the sooner you gets through settin' on 'em the better i'll be pleased." and turning his back he slouched away to the station. "what do you think about it?" said banborough to spotts. "i think it's a plan," replied the actor. "a new england farmer never misses a chance of making a penny when he can do so, and that fellow would have been glad enough to sell his coffee to us at a fancy price anywhere we chose to drink it if he hadn't been offered more to entice us up to the station." "well, i'm not going to pass the rest of my days on top of a potato-hill," said mrs. mackintosh spitefully. "i'm so stiff now i can hardly move." "yes, i don't think there's much to wait for," agreed cecil. "but where shall we go?" "to the next station, i guess," said the tramp. "but in canady that's as likely to be thirteen miles as it is two, and this track ain't ballasted for a walking-tour." the fair violet heaved a deep sigh. "what is it?" asked banborough anxiously. "don't you feel well?" "i do feel a little faint," she replied, "but i dare say i'll be better in a minute. i shouldn't have sighed, only i was thinking what an old wretch that station-master is, and how good that coffee would have tasted." "you shall have some," he said, determined not to be outdone again by spotts, "and i'll get it for you myself." "no, no!" she protested. "i didn't mean that. i shouldn't have said it. i wouldn't have you go for worlds. you'd surely be arrested." "nonsense!" he replied. "i think i can manage it and get back safely, and you and mrs. mackintosh must have something sustaining, for you've a long walk before you." and, in spite of all remonstrances, he prepared to set out on his delicate and dangerous mission. "what's your plan?" asked friend othniel, immensely interested now there was a chance of an adventure. "i'm going to crawl along in the dry ditch beside the railroad track till i get up to the station, and then trust to luck. i used to be able to do a hundred yards in pretty decent time in my oxford days, and if i can get into the refreshment-room without being seen, i don't think they'll catch me." "well, good luck to yer," said the tramp, "and if yer should come across a hunk of pumpkin pie, don't forget your friend othniel." banborough slipped off his overcoat, and donning a pair of heavy dogskin gloves, the property of the driver of the black maria, which the tramp produced, he watched his opportunity when no one was in sight at the station, and, cautioning the rest of the party not to betray by their actions that anything unusual was going on, stole across the open field and, dropping into the shallow ditch, began his perilous journey. within three feet of the edge of the platform all means of concealment ceased; but feeling that a bold course was the only one which gave any hope of success, cecil rose quickly, and, slipping across the exposed place in an instant, glided into the great woodshed which in that part of the world, where coal is expensive, forms an important adjunct to every station. he felt himself practically secure here, as no one was likely to come for logs so early in the morning; and after waiting for a few moments to make certain that his presence had not been discovered, he threw himself down on his face, and, crawling noiselessly on all-fours across the twenty feet of open platform which intervened between the woodshed and the main building, achieved the precarious shelter afforded by the side wall of the house. he then wormed himself forward till he was close to the front corner; and here his patient efforts were at last rewarded, for he heard a few scraps of a conversation which, had he been in a less dangerous position, would have afforded him infinite amusement. "i tell you what it is," came the strident voice of the station-master. "it ain't no mortal manner of use. why, they spotted me to onct; said how was they to know i drawed the line correct." "ha!" said one of the policemen. "couldn't you go out and dicker with them some more?" "nope," rejoined the other shortly. "and there's that whole tin o' coffee in the back room goin' to waste, and i guess they'd have paid more'n a dollar for it." "where's mr. marchmont?" asked the second speaker, a remark which caused banborough considerable surprise. "he's been keepin' out o' the way o' them spaniards," said the station-master, "lest they should get a sight of him, 'cause he may have to shadow 'em in canady, and he don't want 'em to get on to who he is. he's gone upstairs now to get a snooze, an' that's where i'm goin', too. there ain't no train for three hours, and i've had enough o' this durned foolishness." "what's that?" cried the policeman, as a sharp sound smote their ears. "tain't nothin' but the back door slammin'," replied the other. "i must ha' forgot to latch it. the wind's riz a bit." "yes," said the officer, "and it's going to rain presently." "i guess i'd better go and shet that door." "no, you stay here; i want to talk to you. we'll let them get thoroughly drenched, and you can offer them the hospitality of the woodshed. maybe we could alter the boundary-line a few feet in the interests of justice." banborough waited to hear no more, but, drawing softly back, sprang to his feet and ran noiselessly along the side of the house and round to the unlatched door behind. now, if ever, was his chance. he dashed into a room which seemed to be a combination of kitchen and bar, but on the stove stood a steaming tin can of savoury coffee, while among the bottles on the shelf, just showing out of its paper wrappings, was a goodly loaf of white bread. had he left well alone, and been satisfied with the coffee, he would have been all right; but the bread tempted him, and to obtain possession of it he must go behind the bar. this he hastened to do, unlatching the little swinging gate at the end, when a scuffling sound from the room above gave place to heavy foot-falls on the boards, and a moment later marchmont called down the stairs which evidently led into the front room: "say! one of that gang's in the bar! i saw him come up to the door as i was lying in bed!" a bit of information which was instantly followed by a clatter of chairs on the front platform. wedged in behind the bar, banborough felt himself trapped. but a happy inspiration seizing him, he possessed himself of the can of coffee and, with the loaf of bread in his other hand, crawled under the protecting shelf, while just at that moment a particularly strong gust of wind blew the unlatched door wide open, banging it back against the wall. to his intense astonishment, cecil found his hiding-place already occupied by the recumbent and sleeping form of a man, and, jumping to the conclusion that he must be either a policeman or a detective, he promptly sat upon his head with a view to suppressing any inopportune remarks. a second later three men rushed into the room, and banborough held his breath. but luck was with him, for one glance at the empty stove and the open door satisfied the station-master, who cried: "those fellows has bolted with the coffee!" and dashed out at the back, followed by the policemen. in a second cecil was up and out of the bar, but not before he had received a smashing blow in the ribs from the stranger he had so rudely awakened. he promptly struck out in return, and from the sputtering and thrashing sounds which emanated from under the shelf he judged that his blow had gone home. snatching up the coffee and the bread, he dashed through to the front of the house, and, emerging on the platform, saw a sight which filled his heart with joy. on the track stood one of those little flat cars, employed by section-men, which is propelled by means of a wheel and crank in the centre turned by hand, on the same principle as a velocipede. he sprang upon it, deposited his precious burden, and began turning the crank with feverish energy. to his joy, the car at once started forward, and under his well-directed pressure went rattling out of the station, shooting by his three astonished pursuers as they rounded the corner of the woodshed. two minutes later he arrived in triumph at the potato-patch, being warmly welcomed by his admiring companions, who forthwith fell to and made a satisfying, if frugal, meal. just as they were finishing, the station-master came up, and, being rendered thoroughly amiable by a liberal recompense for the stolen viands, so far forgot himself, in his appreciation of banborough's pluck, as to admit that there was no objection to their taking the flat car on to the next station, provided they could square it with the superintendent on arrival, as there were no trains due either way. "how far is the next station?" asked cecil, as the party clambered on to the car. "about twelve miles," said miss arminster. "do you know it?" asked banborough, still glowing under her praises of his prowess. "oh, yes," she replied softly. "i was married there last june." the englishman, muttering something under his breath, seized the handles and, giving them a vicious turn, sent the car spinning northwards. chapter viii. in which a locket is accepted and a ring refused. something over a week after the events narrated in the last chapter, banborough was lounging in the office of the windsor hotel at montreal. the course of events had run more smoothly for the party since the day they arrived in the city, weary and travel-stained with their adventurous trip. montreal in general, and the manager of the windsor in particular, were accustomed to see travellers from the states appear in all sorts of garbs and all kinds of conditions incident to a hasty departure, so their coming occasioned little comment; and as cecil never did things by halves, they were soon rehabilitated and installed in the best apartments the hotel could offer. the various members of the party, after the first excitement was over, had relapsed into a listless existence, which, however, was destined to be rudely disturbed, for while the englishman's thoughts were wandering in anything but a practical direction, he was aroused from his reverie by a well-known voice, and, turning, found himself face to face with marchmont. "well, who on earth would have thought of seeing you here?" exclaimed the journalist. "have you fled to canada to escape being lionised?" "no," said banborough cautiously, "not exactly for that reason." "we couldn't imagine what had become of you," continued his friend. "you're the hero of the hour in new york, i can tell you, and 'the purple kangaroo' is achieving the greatest success of the decade." "oh, confound 'the purple kangaroo--'!" "that's right; run it down. your modesty becomes you. but seriously, old man, let me congratulate you. you must be making heaps out of it." "let's talk about something else," said banborough wearily, for he was heartily sick of his unfortunate novel. "you ask me why i'm here. i'll return the compliment. why are you?" "why," returned marchmont, "you're partially to blame for it, you know. i'm after those spanish conspirators. of course you've heard the story?" "no," said banborough. "i haven't been in town for a fortnight. what is it?" "well, we arrested a lovely señorita on fourteenth street who was using the title of your novel as a password. i can tell you confidentially that there's no doubt that she's one of the cleverest and most unscrupulous female spies in the spanish secret service; and while they were deciding where to take her, a stranger, who we're certain was one of the secretaries of their legation, eloped with her, black maria and all, with the recklessness of a true hidalgo. they were joined by a band outside the city, where they overcame a justice of the peace who arrested them, after a desperate resistance on his part. the story of this unequal battle was one of the finest bits of bravery we've had for years. "after dining at a hotel at yonkers they held up the waiter with revolvers and escaped. similar audacities were perpetrated at the boundary-line between the united states and canada, and in spite of the most intelligent and valiant efforts on the part of the police, aided by our own special corps of detectives, they've so far eluded us. their leader's said to be a perfect devil, who, as i tell you, is certainly a secretary of the spanish legation." "how do you know that?" asked banborough. "ah," said marchmont, looking wise and shaking his head, "the _daily leader_ has private sources of information. i wonder you've not heard anything of this." "yes," acquiesced the englishman, "it _is_ curious, isn't it?" "but," continued his friend, "you haven't told me yet why you came to montreal." "well," said cecil, laughing, "i can at least assure you that my trip here has been much less eventful than the one you described." "by the way," said the journalist, "have you seen the last editorial about your book in the _daily leader_?" the englishman shook his head. "no? well, here goes." and marchmont began to read forthwith: "'english conservatism has recently received a shock from the scion of blanford, and the bishop's son, in connection with 'the purple kangaroo,' has caused the british lion to hump himself into the hotbed of american politics--'" "oh, shut up!" said cecil, with more force than politeness. "don't you like it?" exclaimed the journalist. "there's a column and a half more. i blue-pencilled a copy and sent it over to your old man." banborough groaned. "but," continued marchmont, "this isn't anything to what we'll do when we've hounded the dons out of canada." "what?" cried the author. "yes," went on his friend. "we've complained to your foreign office, and within a week every spanish conspirator will receive notice to quit her majesty's north american colonies on pain of instant arrest and deportation." cecil waited to hear no more, but, pleading an imperative engagement, rushed away to summon the members of his party to a hurried council of war in their private sitting-room. all were present with the exception of miss arminster, who had gone to spend the day at a convent in the suburbs, where she had been brought up as a child. after an hour of useless debating the council ended, as banborough might have foreseen from the first, in the party giving up any solution of the problem as hopeless, and putting themselves unreservedly in his hands to lead them out of their difficulties. cecil, who felt himself ill equipped for the rôle of a moses, jammed his hat on his head, lit his pipe, and, thrusting his hands in his pockets, said he was going out where he could be quiet and think about it. "going to the blue nunnery, he means," said smith, laughing, and nudging spotts. the actor grunted. apparently the author's attentions to the fascinating violet did not meet with his unqualified approval. an hour later banborough stood in the grey old garden of the nunnery, the sister who was his guide silently pointing out to him the figure of the little actress, whose bright garments were in striking contrast to the severe simplicity of her surroundings. when the englishman turned to thank the nun, she had disappeared, and he and miss arminster had the garden to themselves. she stood with her back to him, bending over some roses, unconscious of his presence, and for a few moments he remained silent, watching her unobserved. the ten days which had passed had done much to alter his position towards her, and he had come to fully realise that he was honestly in love with this woman. even the fact of her having been married at ste. anne de beau pré, which information he had elicited from her on the occasion of their pilgrimage to that shrine a few days before, had not served to cool his ardour. indeed, the fact that his suit seemed hopeless made him all the more anxious to win her for his wife. after he had been watching her for some minutes, a subtle intuition seemed to tell her of his presence, and he approached her as she raised her face from the roses to greet him. "i came to see you--" he began, and paused, hardly knowing how to continue. "am i not then allowed even one holiday?" she asked. "is my presence so much of a burden?" he inquired, realising for the first time the full force of what her statement implied, as a hurried mental review of the past fortnight showed him that he had scarcely ever been absent from her side. indeed, it no longer seemed natural not to be with her. "oh, i didn't mean to be rude," she said, "but i do like a day out of the world occasionally. you know, when i come back here i forget for the time that i've ever lived any other life than that which is associated with this dear old place." he thought grimly that a young lady who had been married four times before she was twenty-five must have to undergo a considerable amount of mental obliteration. "i think you'd tire of it very soon if you had to live here always," he said. "i'm not sure," she replied. "i think--but of course you wouldn't understand that--only, life on the stage isn't all bright and amusing, and there are times when one simply longs for a quiet, old-world place like this." "i believe you'd like blanford," he suggested. "i should love it," she assured him. "but what would your father say to me? i'd probably shock him out of his gaiters--if he wears them. does he?" "i suppose so," said cecil. the fact was that the raiment of the bishop of blanford did not particularly interest him at that moment. he had more important things to talk about, things that had no connection whatsoever with the immediate future of the a. b. c. company. yet the mention of his father caused him to stop and think, and thought, in this case, proved fatal to sentiment. he thrust his hands into his pockets and addressed himself to the more prosaic topics of life, saying: "my excuse for intruding on you is that our troubles are by no means over. the authorities, not content with driving us out of the united states, are preparing to order us out of canada as well, and the question of where we are to go is decidedly perplexing." "oh, dear!" said the little woman, "i think i'll go into the convent after all." "that settles the difficulty as far as you're concerned. do you think they'd admit me?" "don't talk nonsense. what do the others say?" "oh, they say a good many things, but nothing practical, so i came to you for advice." "well, to speak frankly," she replied, "if i were you, i'd drop us all and run away home. it's much the easiest solution of the difficulty." "excuse me," he said. "i'm a gentleman, and besides--" "well, what?" "besides," he continued, thinking it better to be discreet, "i doubt if i should be welcome. i've a letter from the governor in my pocket, which i haven't yet had courage to open. i dare say it won't be pleasant reading; besides which, it's been chasing me round the country for the last five or six weeks, and must be rather ancient history." "look at it and see," she advised. "they may be ready to kill the fatted calf for you, after all." "i'm afraid they do regard me rather in the light of a prodigal," he admitted. "however, here goes." and breaking the seal of the envelope, he read the letter aloud: "the palace, blanford. "my dear son: "do you realise that it is nearly a year since your aunt matilda and i have received news of you? this has been a source of great grief and pain to both of us, but it has not moved me to anger. it has rather caused me to devote such hours as i could spare from the preparation of my series of sermons on the miracle of jonah to personal introspection, in the endeavour to discover, if possible, whether the cause of our estrangement lay in any defect of my own. "it may be that you achieve a certain degree of spiritual enlightenment in producing a book entitled 'the purple kangaroo.' i hope so, though i have not read it. nor do i wholly agree with your good aunt, who contends that the title savours too much of the apocrypha, and i say nothing of the undesirable popularity you seem to have attained in the united states. i only ask you to come home. "as a proof of her reconciliation, your aunt included a copy of your book in her last mission box to the ojibway indians. i shall always be glad to receive and make welcome any of your friends at the palace, no matter how different their tastes and principles may be to my own well-defined course of action. "in the hope of better things, "your affectionate father." "of course you'll go," violet said softly. "oh, i don't know about that," he replied. "i do," she returned. "it's your duty. what a dear old chap he must be!--so thoroughly prosy and honest. i'm sure i should love him. i know just the sort of man he is. a downright nonconformist minister of the midland counties, who was consecrated a bishop by mistake." cecil paused a minute, thinking it over. "how about the others?" he said. "ah, yes," she replied, "the others. but perhaps you don't class them as your friends." "oh, it isn't that," he answered. "only i was wondering--" "what the bishop would say?" she asked, looking at him with a roguish smile. "well, why not take him at his word and find out." "by jove!" he exclaimed. "i will! i believe you've hit on the very best possible solution of our difficulty. the episcopal palace at blanford is absolutely the last place in the world where any one would think of looking for a political conspirator, and, by some freak of fortune, the police are entirely ignorant that i'm in any way connected with your flight." "good! then it's settled!" she cried. "and we'll all accompany you." "ye-es, only the governor wouldn't go within a hundred yards of a theatre, and my aunt calls actors children of--i forget whom--some one in the old testament." "belial," suggested miss arminster. "that's it. how did you know?" "you forget," she said, "i was brought up in a convent." "it'll never do," he continued, "for them to suspect who you really are." "are we not actors?" "of course. we must have a dress rehearsal at once, and cast you for your parts. but there's friend othniel--" "ah, yes," she said. "he's impossible." "we must drop him somehow." "that's easily managed," she replied. "pay his hotel bill, and leave him a note with a nice little cheque in it to be delivered after we've gone." "then we must get away quickly, or he'll suspect." "the sooner the better." "i noticed that there was a ship sailing from montreal for england this afternoon." "that'll just suit our purpose," she said. "friend othniel told me he was going to walk up mount royal after lunch and wouldn't be back before six." "and you'll really come to blanford?" he asked, taking her hand. "of course," she said. "why should you doubt it?" "because," he replied, "it seems too good to be true. i was thinking, hoping, that perhaps i might persuade you to come there for good, and never go away." "ah," she interrupted him, "you're not going to say that?" "why not?" he asked. "because we've been such friends," she answered, "and it's quite impossible." "are you sure?" "perfectly. and oh, i didn't want you to say it." "but can't we be friends still?" he insisted. "with all my heart, if you'll forget this mad dream. it would have been impossible, even if i were free. your people would never have accepted me, and i would only have been a drag on you." "no, no!" he denied vehemently. "there," she said, "we won't talk about it. you've been one of the best friends i ever had, and--what's in that locket you wear?" "that?" he replied, touching a little blue-enamelled case that hung from his watch-chain. "it has nothing more interesting in it at present than a picture of myself. but i'd hoped--" "give it to me, will you," she asked, "in remembrance of to-day?" he detached it silently from his chain, and, pressing it to his lips, placed it in her hand. "i'll always wear it," she said. there was an awkward silence for a moment, and then, pulling himself together, he remarked brusquely: "i suppose we'd better be starting for town." "i'll join you later," she replied. "i want to go to mid-day service in the little church next to this convent. such a pretty little church. i was married there once." "you were what? are you really serious, miss arminster?" "perfectly," she answered, giving him a bewitching little smile as she tripped out of the garden. part ii. _england_. chapter i. in which mrs. mackintosh admires jonah. "i think, matilda, that you must have neglected to put any sugar in my tea," said the bishop of blanford, pushing his cup towards his sister, after tasting the first mouthful. "you're quite right, josephus, i did," she replied. "and," continued his lordship, who, being near-sighted, was poking about, after the manner of a mole, in the three-storied brass bird-cage which held the more substantial portion of the repast, "there doesn't seem to be any cake." "you forget," said miss matilda sternly, "that it's an ember-day." her brother said nothing, and took a mouthful of the tea, which, like the morality of the palace, was strong and bitter. but his ample chest expanded with just the slightest sigh of regret, causing the massive episcopal cross of gold filigree, set with a single sapphire, which rested thereon, to rise and fall gently. miss matilda's hawklike eye saw and noted this as the first slight sign of rebellion, and she hastened to mete out justice swift and stern, saying: "you remember, josephus, that there's a special service at the mission church at five, at which i consider you ought to be present." his lordship had not forgotten it, or the circumstance that the afternoon was exceedingly hot, and that the mission church, which was situated in an outlying slum, was made of corrugated tin. the palace garden would have been infinitely preferable, and he knew that had he accepted sugarless tea without a murmur, his chaplain would have sweltered in his place. as it was, he submitted meekly, and his sister gazed at him with a satisfied expression of triumph across her bright green tea-cloth. if miss matilda had a weakness, it was for ecclesiastical tea-cloths. white was reserved for sundays and feast-days; on ordinary occasions, at this time of the year, her ritual prescribed green. they were seated in the garden of the palace, a peaceful arcadia which it was difficult to realise was only separated from a dusty and concrete world by a battlemented wall which formed the horizon. the sky overhead was so blue and cloudless that it might have formed the background for an italian landscape, and framed against it was the massive tower of the cathedral, its silver-greys darkening almost to black, as a buttress here and there brought it in shadow. among its pinnacles a few wise old rooks flapped lazily in the still air, as much a part of their surroundings as the stately swans that floated on the stream which lapped the foot of the tower, while on all sides there stretched away a great sweep of that perfect verdure which only england knows. "it's nearly two months since i last wrote to cecil," said the bishop, judging it wise to change the trend of the conversation, "and i've not heard a word." "i'm sure i should be surprised if you had," snapped miss matilda. "and what your sainted sarah would have felt, had she lived to see her son's disgraceful career, makes me shudder." the bishop started to sigh again. then, thinking better of it, stopped. he had returned to blanford from his rest-cure a week before, and apparently the air of scotland had not proved as beneficial as he had expected. "i believe that cecil will come back to us," he said, ignoring his sister's last remark. "i told him that his friends would be welcome here in future, and i particularly mentioned that you'd put a copy of his book in your last missionary box." "i hope you didn't neglect to say that i tore out all the pictures. a more scandalous collection--" but she never finished her denunciation of the novel, for just at that moment the bishop sprang to his feet with a glad cry of "cecil!" the young man came running across the lawn to meet his father, seizing him warmly by the hand, and having administered a dutiful peck to his aunt, turned to introduce the little group of strangers who had accompanied him. "father," he said, "these are my friends. on the strength of your letter i've taken the liberty of asking them to be my guests as well." "they're very welcome to the palace," said the bishop. cecil turned, and leading the two ladies forward, presented them to his father and his aunt. miss matilda swept them both with a comprehensive glance, and addressing mrs. mackintosh, remarked: "your daughter, i presume," indicating miss arminster. whereupon the good lady coloured violently and denied the fact. "your niece?" insisted miss matilda, who was an excellent catechist, as generations of unfortunate children could bear witness. "a young lady whom i'm chaperoning in europe," replied mrs. mackintosh stiffly, in an effort to be truthful, and at the same time to furnish violet with a desirable status in the party. the tragedian was now brought forward. "allow me," said banborough, in pursuance of a prearranged scheme of action--"allow me to introduce my friend professor tybalt smith. you, father, are of course acquainted with his scholarly work on monumental brasses." the bishop naturally was not conversant with the book in question, because it had never been written, but he was entirely too pedantic to admit the fact; so he smiled, and congratulated the professor most affably on what he termed "his well-known attainments," assuring him that he would find in the cathedral a rich field of research in his particular line of work. spotts was now brought up, and introduced as a rising young architect of ecclesiastical tendencies, which delighted his lordship immensely as there was nothing he liked better than to explain every detail of his cathedral to an appreciative listener. "i've a bit of old dog-tooth i shall want you to look at to-morrow," said his host, "and there's some roman tiling in the north transept that absolutely demands your attention." spotts smiled assent, but was evidently bewildered, and seizing the first opportunity that offered, asked cecil in a low voice if his father took him for a dentist or a mason. "for a dentist or a mason?" queried banborough. "i don't understand." "well, anyway, he said something about looking after his old dog's teeth and attending to his tiles." cecil exploded in a burst of laughter, saying: "that's only the architectural jargon, man. you must play the game." "oh, i see," said the actor. "it's about his ramshackle old church. well, i'll do my best--" but his assurances were cut short by the flow of his lordship's conversation. "as i was saying, mr. spotts," he continued, "i should be much interested to hear your american views on the subject of a clerestory." "sure," replied the actor, plunging recklessly. "i always believe in having four clear stories at least, and in new york and chicago we run 'em up as high as--" but here a premonitory kick from cecil brought his speech to an abrupt termination. "most astonishing," commented his lordship. "i've never heard of more than one." "oh, our western churches are chock-full of new wrinkles." "of new--what? i don't understand. another cup' of tea for you, mrs. mackintosh? certainly. we must pursue this subject at leisure, mr. spotts." the party now turned their attention to the repast, and the bishop proceeded to devote himself to mrs. mackintosh. "i'm afraid," he said, when he had seen her sufficiently fortified with tea containing a due allowance of sugar, and supplemented by a plateful of cake which he had ordered to be brought as a practical substitute for the scriptural calf--"i'm afraid you will find our simple life at blanford very dull." "dear sakes, no!" said that lady, hitching her chair up closer to the bishop for a confidential chat--an action on her part which elicited a flashing glance of disapproval from miss matilda. "i've heard all about you," she went on, "from your son cecil. you don't mind if i call him cecil, do you? for i'm almost old enough to be his mother. well, as i was saying, when he told me about the cathedral and the beeches and the rooks and you, all being here, hundreds of years old--" "excuse me, madam," said his lordship, "i'm hardly as aged as that." "of course i didn't mean you, stupid! how literal you english are!" it is highly probable that in all the sixty years of his well-ordered existence the bishop of blanford had never been called "stupid" by anybody. he gasped, and the episcopal cross, and even the heavy gold chain by which it depended from his neck, were unduly agitated. then he decided that he liked it, and determined to continue the conversation. "when i thought of all that," said mrs. mackintosh, "i said to your son: 'cecil,' said i, 'your father's like that old board fence in my back yard; he needs a coat of whitewash to freshen him up, and i'm going over to put it on.'" "cromwell," remarked the bishop, "applied enough whitewash to blanford to last it for several centuries. indeed, we've not succeeded in restoring all the frescoes yet." "nonsense, man," said mrs. mackintosh, "you don't see the point at all. now what do you take when your liver's out of order?" "really, madam," faltered the bishop, thoroughly aghast at this new turn in the conversation, "i--er--generally consult my medical adviser." "well, you shouldn't!" said mrs. mackintosh with determination. "you should take what we call in my country a pick-me-up. now i said to your son: 'i'm going to be a mental and moral pick-me-up for your father. what he needs is a new point of view. if you don't take care, he'll fossilise, and you'll have to put him in the british museum.'" the bishop's reflections during this conversation were many and varied. what he was pleased to term his inner moral consciousness told him he ought to be shocked at its flippancy; the rest of his mental make-up was distinctly refreshed. besides, a certain tension in the social atmosphere suggested that miss matilda was about to go forth to battle, so he smiled graciously, saying: "it's certainly very considerate of you to undertake all this on my account, but i should not like to be in any one's debt, and i hardly see how i can repay my obligations." "i'm just coming to that," said mrs. mackintosh. "i don't say that i shouldn't be doing a christian act by taking you in hand, but i'm free to admit that i've a personal interest in the matter, for you're the one man in england i most wanted to meet." "but what can there possibly be about me--" began the bishop. "it isn't about you," replied his guest. "it's about jonah." "josephus," broke in the harsh voice of his sister, "the bell of the mission chapel has been ringing for some time." the bishop drew a long breath and formed a mighty resolve. at last he had met a person who took an intelligent interest in jonah, a biblical character to whose history he had devoted exhaustive research. it was a golden opportunity not to be let slip. so, turning to his sister and looking her squarely in the eyes, he replied boldly that he was quite aware of the fact. "if you do not go at once you'll be late," remarked that lady. "i've not the slightest intention of going at all," said the bishop. "i'm talking to mrs. mackintosh, who is, it seems, much interested in jonah." there came a sound as of spluttering from the upraised tea-cup of professor tybalt smith, and miss matilda gave a distinctly aggressive sniff. "if you're not going, josephus," she retorted, "i must send word to one of the chaplains, though after what you had said i naturally--" but there she paused, arrested by the incredible fact that for the first time in her experience her brother was not listening to what she was saying. her silence commanded his attention. "oh," he replied, looking up vacantly, "do what you think proper," and turned again to mrs. mackintosh, who proceeded placidly with her theme. "of course," she said, "you hear a lot about seeing with the eye of faith, but i like to see with the eye of understanding, too, and i never yet sat under a preacher who was what i should call 'up to jonah.' i read your book when it came out. it was one of the prizes they offered for selling on commission fifty packets of tinker's tannin tea, and i've been wild to meet you ever since. i have been a-whaling, so to speak, for years, but i expect you to carry me safely into port." "madam," said the bishop, "you overwhelm me." he was immensely flattered by her appreciative, if outspoken, commendation. "i'm now," he continued, "at work on a set of supplementary sermons on this very subject; and if it wouldn't be imposing too much on your good nature to let me read them to you, or parts of them--they embrace some six hundred pages." mrs. mackintosh looked at him regretfully. "isn't there any more than that?" she said. "i wanted three volumes at least." the bishop beamed with gratification. "i trust," he replied, "that they'll be worthy of your attention. but my treatment of the subject is--er--slightly doctrinal, and perhaps you're not a member of the church of england." "well, no," said mrs. mackintosh. "i can't say as i am. i was baptised a methodist, brought up in a roman catholic convent, finished at a presbyterian boarding-school, and married before a justice of the peace to a unitarian, and since i've been a widow i've attended a baptist church regularly; but i don't believe i'd mind a few weeks of an episcopalian, specially seeing he's a bishop, which i haven't experienced before." "i shall endeavour to do my best, madam," said his lordship. "perhaps i may even lead you--in time--" "well, i shouldn't be surprised but what you might," replied mrs. mackintosh, "but i mustn't take up all your time. i want you to know my little friend miss arminster. she's one of the nicest girls that ever was." "i shall be delighted," said his lordship. "arminster," he continued reflectively. "does she come from the arminsters of shropshire?" mrs. mackintosh laughed. "i'm sure i don't know," she replied, "but from the way her friends speak of her, you'd think she came from noah's ark." "dear me!" said the bishop. "that's very curious." "they call her the leopard," she went on, "and i must say for my part that i'm 'most as fond of the leopard as i am of jonah's whale." and she rose and joined the group about the tea-table, for she did not wish to try miss matilda's patience too far. "i don't know what you'll think of our quiet life. i fear it'll seem very strange to you," said his lordship, addressing himself to miss arminster. "i think it'll be jolly," she replied promptly, looking up at him playfully to see whether he would bear chaffing, "and," she added, after due deliberation, "i think you're a dear, and your uniform is just sweet. i always did love a uniform. i used to be awfully gone, as a child, on a policeman at the corner of our block, but you're much more nicely dressed than he was." his lordship started to say something crushing in regard to the sanctity of ecclesiastical trappings, but another glance at the bewitching little figure that confronted him caused him to remark instead that he was glad she approved of him, and that he would try to take better care of her than even a guardian of the law. "oh, i'm afraid i've said something shocking!" she exclaimed in a delightfully naïve manner, "and i did mean to be so good and decorous. i'm sure i'll need a lot of teaching." "i shall be delighted to undertake the task," he replied gallantly. "suppose we begin by going to evensong. would you like to do so?" "rather," she returned; "but i'm afraid," looking at her travelling-costume, "that i'm hardly dressed for the part--i mean the occasion." "dear me!" said the bishop, scrutinizing her keenly, "it seems to be a very pretty gown." "oh, that's all right," she said. "then we'll go at once." "so we shall," he replied, "and you shall sit in the stalls." "how jolly!" she exclaimed. "i almost always have to sit in the balcony." "really?" said his lordship. "you don't say so. but from what mr. spotts says, i should judge that the architecture of american churches was novel." and they walked across the lawn to the cathedral. a few moments later, miss matilda, having dismissed her guests to their rooms, found herself alone with her nephew. "well," she said, turning on him sharply, "perhaps at last you'll condescend to tell me who these _friends_ of yours are?" "they're a party of ladies and gentlemen with whom i've been travelling in america," cecil replied. "and as we'd agreed to join forces for the rest of the summer, i'd no option but to invite them here as my guests. the gentlemen i've already introduced to you--" "oh, the gentlemen!" snapped his aunt. "i've no concern about them. it's the women i--" "the ladies, aunt matilda." "the ladies, then. your father, in what he is pleased to call his wisdom, has seen fit to allow you to introduce these persons into his house. i'm sure i hope he won't regret it! but i must insist on knowing something about the people whom i'm entertaining." "as i've told you already," he replied very quietly, "they're ladies whom i've met in america. i might also add that they've good manners and are uniformly courteous." miss matilda tilted her nose till its tip pointed straight at the spire of the cathedral, and, without any reply, swept past him into the house. dinner, that night, in spite of his aunt's efforts to the contrary, was an unqualified success. the bishop hailed with joy any interruption in the monotony of his daily life, and made himself most agreeable, while his guests seconded him to the best of their ability. the meal being over, his lordship proposed a rubber of whist, a relaxation of which he was very fond, but which, in the reduced state of his family, he was seldom able to enjoy. mrs. mackintosh and smith, as the two best players of the party, expressed themselves as willing to take a hand, and miss matilda made up the fourth. "you'll excuse me," said his lordship apologetically to mrs. mackintosh, "if we play only for threepenny points. were i a curate i could play for sixpence, but in my position the stakes are necessarily limited." "you don't ever mean to say," exclaimed the old lady, "that you're a gambling bishop!" "my brother," interrupted miss matilda, "is a pattern of upright living to his day and generation. but of course if you're incapable of understanding the difference between a sinful wager of money and the few pence necessary to keep up the interest of the game--" "gambling is gambling, to my mind," said mrs. mackintosh, "whether you play for dollars or doughnuts!" "the point seems well taken," remarked the bishop meditatively. "it's certainly never struck me in that light before; but if you think--" "i think," said the old lady decidedly, "that it's lucky for you that there are no whales in blanford!" miss matilda threw down her cards. "if i'm to be called a gambler under my own brother's roof," she said, "i shall refuse to play. besides i've a headache." and she rose majestically from the table. "but, my dear," began the bishop meekly, "if we cannot find a fourth hand--" "if miss banborough doesn't feel up to playing," came the sweet tones of violet's voice, "i'll be delighted to take her place." and a moment later she was ensconced at the table. the bishop's sister retired to a corner with the largest and most aggressive volume of sermons she could find, and sniffed loudly at intervals all the evening. and when at ten o'clock, in response to the summons of an impressive functionary clad in black and bearing a wand surmounted by a silver cross, the little party filed out to evening devotions in the chapel, miss matilda gathered her skirts around her as if she feared contagion. "i'm afraid of that old cat," mrs. mackintosh confided to violet, when they had reached the haven of their apartments. "i'm sure she suspects us already; and if we're not careful, she'll find us out." chapter ii. in which the enemy arrives. "i say, boss," remarked the tramp, as he paused for a moment in the process of stuffing himself to repletion with cold game-pie, "this is a rum trip, and no mistake." "what's that got to do with you?" retorted marchmont sharply, appropriating the remaining fragments of the pasty to his own use. the two men were seated in the shady angle of a ruined buttress, a portion of a stately abbey, which in pre-norman days had flourished at a spot some half-dozen miles from the site of blanford. "well," said the tramp, "if this ain't a wild-goose chase i dunno what you calls it. here you've gone an' took me away from my happy home, an' brought me across the ragin' atlantic, an' dumped me in a moth-eaten little village where there ain't nothin' fit to drink, all because i happened to chum with a bishop." "you seem to forget," said marchmont, "that it was you who came to me, offering to sell your friends and their secrets for a sufficient remuneration." "so i did," said the tramp; "but it was revenge, that's what it was--revenge. i was deserted in a furrin land, with just my board-bill paid, and not a penny to bless myself with." "ah," said marchmont. "that's the reason, i suppose, why you came from montreal to new york in a parlour car." the tramp sighed despondently, saying: "now whoever told you that, boss?" "nobody. i found the pullman check in your coat-pocket when i was looking for my diamond ring, which you'd absent-mindedly placed there." "humph!" replied the other. "there ain't no foolin' you!" "i should be a pretty poor journalist if there were," said his employer. "now give me the story again, and see if you can get it straight." "well, there ain't nothin' much to tell, 'cept i was carried off by them spanish conspirators in mistake for a lady, which i in no-wise resembles, an' the bloke as was the head of the gang was allus called the bishop, and a pretty rum bishop he was." "never mind about his qualifications," interrupted marchmont shortly; adding to himself, "that explains his son's presence in montreal." "well, this bishop," continued the tramp, "used to talk about his palace at blanford; and when the party give me the go-by, i gathered from the porter as took their traps that they'd gone to england; and the elevator-boy, he heard the bishop say to the little actress as they'd be as safe at the palace as they would anywhere. and then i come on to new york and blew it into you." "yes," said marchmont, "and i've given you a first-class passage to england, paid your board and lodging, and kept you full for the best part of three weeks; and what do i get out of it?" "i admit as we haven't had much results as yet," said the tramp. "but now things is goin' to hum. the bishop and his whole gang's coming over to these very ruins to-day." "how did you find that out?" demanded the journalist. "footman up to the palace told me. i give him a little jamboree last night at the 'three jolly sailor-boys.'" "yes, and had to be carried home dead-drunk. nice one you are to keep a secret." "well, i was only a-doin' me duty," said the tramp in an aggrieved tone of voice, "and if they don't know you're after 'em, and you should happen to be inspectin' the ruins at the same time as they are, you could get chummy with 'em without half tryin'." "i'll attend to that," said the newspaper man. "i've just had a cable from the _daily leader_ telling me to hustle if i want to get that position, and i've got to do something, and do it quick. but it'll never do for you to be seen. once they know we're together, the game's up. i can't have you larking round with the servants either. you'll spoil the whole show. you've got to go back to dullhampton this afternoon." "what! that little one-horse fishing-town?" "yes, that's where you're wanted. it's the nearest port to blanford, and it's where they'll try and get out of the country if they're hard pressed. you just stay there and keep your eyes open till you hear from me." the tramp growled surlily, and reluctantly prepared to obey. "now, then," said marchmont shortly, "get a move on. yes, you can take the provender with you. it'll help to keep your mouth shut." as the tramp slouched round the corner and out of sight, his master stretched himself comfortably on the ground, and supporting his head on one arm, with his straw hat tilted over his eyes to protect them from the sun, he proceeded to go peacefully to sleep. scarcely had the journalist composed himself to slumber, when the ruins were invaded by the party from the palace. it was now about a month since cecil and his friends had arrived at blanford, and though this expedition to the old abbey had been often discussed, one thing and another had intervened to prevent its being put into execution. after her first burst of antagonism, miss matilda had settled down to a formal hospitality which was, if anything, more disconcerting. tybalt smith alone had achieved a favourable position in her eyes, and this only as the result of a very considerable amount of flattery and attention. at first his friends were at a loss to account for his attitude, but as time went on it appeared that the tragedian had not exerted himself for nothing. "the dear professor" frequently had his breakfast in bed when he was too lazy to get up, and miss matilda considered the delicate state of his health required the daily stimulus of a pint of champagne. he also had the exclusive use of her victoria in the afternoon, and even if this did necessitate an occasional attendance at missionary meetings and penny readings, it was after all but a fair return for value received. on this occasion he had begged off going to the picnic, and was spending a luxurious day at the palace, waited on by the bishop's sister. the party, having arrived at the abbey, promptly separated to explore the ruins, his lordship gallantly offering to play the part of cicerone to the ladies. miss violet, however, for reasons of her own, preferred seclusion and a quiet chat with spotts to any amount of architectural antiquities, so her host was enabled to devote his entire time to mrs. mackintosh. "does it strike you," remarked the bishop, a few moments later, pausing in his wanderings to inspect critically a fragment of roman brick--"does it strike you how absolutely peaceful this spot is?" "well," returned mrs. mackintosh, "i don't know as it does. i should have said your palace was about as good a sample of all-round peacefulness as there is going." "ha," said his lordship, "it hadn't occurred to me." "that's just like you men. you never know when you're well off. now with your palace and jonah you ought to be content." the bishop sighed. "dear lady," he said, "i admit my faults. the palace i indeed possess temporarily, but jonah--ah, what would jonah be without you! if i have left my work once in the past month to ask your advice, i have left it a hundred times." "you have," admitted mrs. mackintosh with decision. "then it is to you that jonah owes his debt of gratitude, not to me. you have lightened my labour in more senses of the word than one." "well, i've had a very pleasant visit. blanford's a little paradise." the bishop sighed again, and remarked: "paradise i have always regarded as being peaceful." "yes," acquiesced his companion reflectively, "with all that jonah went through, i don't remember as he had an unmarried sister." there was silence for a moment, and then his lordship abruptly changed the subject. "what a charming, bright, fresh young life is miss arminster's! she dances through the world like--like--er--" and he paused for a simile. "like a grasshopper," suggested mrs. mackintosh, with marked disapproval in her tones. the bishop had a trivial, not to say frivolous, strain in his nature which seemed to her hardly in accord with his exalted position. "no, dear lady," objected his lordship, "not a grasshopper. decidedly not a grasshopper; say--like a ray of sunshine." "violet's a good girl," remarked his companion, "a very good girl, but in most things she is still a child, and the serious side of life doesn't appeal to her. i dare say she'd go to sleep if you read to her about jonah." "she did," admitted the bishop; "but then of course," he added, wishing to palliate the offence, "it was a very hot day. i suppose, however, you are right. serious things do not interest her--and that is--i should say--we are serious." "i am," said mrs. mackintosh, "and at your time of life you ought to be; and if we stand here any longer looking at that chunk of brick in the broiling sun, we'll both be as red as a couple of beets." no amount of sentiment could be proof against a statement of this sort, and they moved on. violet and spotts had meantime sat themselves down on a convenient tombstone to while away the interval till luncheon was served. "there are lots of things i want to talk to you about, alvy," began the little actress, "and i never get the chance." "well, fire away," he replied. "you've got it now." "in the first place," she said, "i don't like the way things are going here." "at the palace, you mean?" "yes. we're not aboveboard. we're shamming all the while. besides, we're doing nothing in our profession." "it's better than doing time in prison." "it isn't straightforward, and i don't like it," she went on. "neither do i," he returned; "but there are other things i like less." "such as?" "well, people falling in love with you, for instance." "oh, cecil. he received his _congé_ before we left america." "i said _people_." "you don't mean the bishop?" spotts nodded. "but he's such a dear funny old thing!" she cried. "what's that got to do with it?" "why, he might be my grandfather." "he's as frisky as a two-year-old," remarked the actor. "and finally," continued violet, not noticing the interruption, "his old cat of a sister wouldn't let him." "worms have turned, and straws have broken camels' backs before now," persisted spotts. "don't you call me names, sir! worms and straws, indeed! what next, i should like to know!" "if you don't take care, you'll be called his _lordship's_ 'leopard.'" she burst out laughing. "nonsense!" she cried. "why, i actually believe you're becoming jealous." "not a bit of it," he said. "i'd trust you, little girl, through thick and thin." "i know you would, alvy, and i'd rather marry you--well, ten times, before i'd marry a lord or a bishop once." "i know it, old girl, i know it!" cried spotts ecstatically, and slipped his arm round her waist. "oh, do be careful," she protested. "just think, if any one should see us! i'm sure i heard a footstep behind us." they looked up, and saw cecil above them, standing on the sill of an old ruined window. he had not heard their words, but he had seen spotts's embrace, and realised bitterly how little chance he stood against such a combination of apollo and roscius. the month which had intervened since his return to blanford had not been an altogether happy time for the bishop's son. the pain of miss arminster's refusal still rankled within him, and that young lady's actions had not done much to soothe it. had she comported herself with a resigned melancholy, he could have borne his own sufferings with fortitude. but, on the contrary, she had, he considered, flirted most outrageously with mr. spotts. indeed cecil was already strongly of the opinion that the actor was trying to succeed where he had failed--a course of action which he thought quite justifiable on his, banborough's, part, but highly reprehensible on the part of any one else. matters had now culminated. fate had brought the three together at this inopportune moment, and as it was manifestly impossible not to say something, cecil laid himself out to be agreeable, and miss arminster, who was naturally aware of the awkwardness of his position, did her best to promote conversation, while spotts almost immediately cut the gordian knot by excusing himself on the plea of looking after the lunch. "well," she said, "what's the latest news from spain?" "it seems to me that the war must be almost over," he replied. "now that santiago's fallen, and cervera's fleet's destroyed, spain has no alternative but to yield." "ah," she murmured, "then we'll be free once more." "has your exile been so irksome to you?" he asked. "oh," she returned, "i didn't mean it that way, really. believe me, i'm not ungrateful. blanford's just sweet, and your father's an old dear." "yes," he retorted, laughing. "i notice you're doing your best to usurp mrs. mackintosh's place in his affections." "that's not from pique, it's from charity," she replied. "i've been trying to rescue her from jonah." "i'm afraid my governor must be an awful bore," he said. "oh, but he's so sweet and simple with it all," she objected. "i'm really growing to be awfully fond of him." "i think he's growing to be awfully fond of _you_," said his son. miss arminster laughed merrily. "don't you fancy me as a step-mamma?" she queried. "but, joking apart, i'm afraid even blanford would pall on me after a while. it isn't my first visit here, you see. i was on a tour through these counties three years ago." "that's how you came to know about my father, i suppose." "yes," she said. "i had him pointed out to me, and you look a good deal alike. besides, the name's not common." "i'm glad you liked blanford well enough to come back to it." "oh," she returned, looking up at him with a roguish smile, "this section of the country has other associations for me." "i was waiting for that," he retorted. "in which of the neighbouring towns were you married?" "the one nearest here," she replied. "i think we can just see the spire of the church over the trees. but how did you know?" "i inferred it as a matter of course," he said banteringly, "but i'm only joking." "but i'm not," she returned. "do you really mean that you were married over there?" he asked, pointing to the distant church. "yes," she replied. "the third of june, ." "i say, you know," he said, "i think you might have married me once in a way, as i had asked you." "mr. banborough," she replied stiffly, drawing herself up, "you forget yourself." "i beg your pardon," he returned humbly. "only as american divorce laws are so lax, i thought--" "the divorce laws of my country are a disgrace, and nothing would ever induce me to avail myself of them. besides, marriage, to me, is a very serious and solemn matter, and i can't permit you to speak about it flippantly, even by way of a joke." cecil picked up a handful of pebbles and began throwing them meditatively at the fragment of an adjacent arch. the more he saw of miss arminster, the greater mystery she became. by her own admission, she had been married at least half a dozen times, which, were he to accept as real the high moral standard which she always assumed, must imply a frightful mortality among her husbands. but then she neither seemed flippant nor shallow, and her serious attitude towards the sacrament of marriage appeared wholly incompatible with a matrimonial experience which might have caused a mormon to shudder. anyway, she wasn't going to marry him, and he turned to the discussion of more fruitful subjects. "how's spotts getting on with his studies in architecture?" he asked. "i should think he'd learned a good deal," she replied. "your father hasn't left a stone of his own cathedral unexplained, and i imagine he'll put him through his paces over this abbey." "poor spotts! i'm afraid he's had a hard row to hoe," said cecil; "but, anyway, it'll keep him out of mischief." "you must be very careful what you say about him to me," she replied. "i won't hear one word against him, for we're very old friends." "so i should infer," he retorted, "from what i've just seen. _i_ never was allowed to put _my_ arm--" "how dare you!" she cried, rising, really angry this time. "i--" then turning to the bishop, who arrived very opportunely, she exclaimed: "won't you rescue me, please? your son's becoming awfully impertinent!" "then," said his lordship gallantly, "my son must be taught better manners. if he cannot show himself worthy of such a charming companion, we'll punish him by leaving him entirely alone." certainly his father was coming on, thought cecil. but if miss arminster tried to take advantage of his dotage to forge another link in her matrimonial chain, he, banborough, would have a word to say on the subject. "i wish to tell you, my dear," began his lordship as they walked away, leaving cecil disconsolate, "of a very nice invitation i've received for the rest of the week. lord downton is to call for me in his yacht at dullhampton to-morrow, and has asked me to join his party and to bring some lady with me to make the number even." "oh, how jolly that'll be--for miss matilda!" said the artful violet. "humph!--ye-es," replied the bishop. "i hardly think my sister could leave the palace just at this time." "perhaps," suggested his guest, "yachting doesn't agree with her. has she ever tried it before?" "she has," replied the bishop, with a certain asperity. "ah, poor thing!" said miss arminster. "it must have taken away from your pleasure to feel that she was suffering such great discomfort on your account." "lord downton didn't specify my sister. he only said 'some lady'; and so i thought if you--" "oh, that's just sweet of you!" exclaimed his companion. "i'm sure i should adore yachting. it's something i've always wanted to do." "then we'll consider it settled," said the bishop. "but miss matilda?" "ah, yes," admitted his lordship. "that's just the trouble. you see my dilemma." "of course!" violet responded promptly, understanding that he wished to be helped out. "if your sister knew you were going, she'd feel it her duty to accompany you, and the trip would be spoilt for you by her sufferings. so, out of your affection for her, you think it would be better if we were just quietly to slip off to-morrow and send her a wire from dullhampton." the bishop was delighted. miss matilda never accepted him at his own valuation. "so, just on your account," continued his companion demurely, "i won't say a word, though i hate any form of concealment." "h'm--naturally," said the bishop. "but since it's for your dear sister's sake--" "we'll take the eleven-fifty train to-morrow," replied his lordship. and here his remarks were cut short from the fact that in suddenly rounding a corner he had planted his foot on the recumbent form of marchmont. "hullo!" said that gentleman, sitting up, and adding, as he rubbed his eyes to get them wider open, "permit me to inform you that this part of the ground is strictly preserved." "who are you, sir?" demanded the bishop. "come," said the stranger cheerfully, "we'll make a bargain. i'll tell you who you are, if you'll tell me who i am." "i do not see how that is possible--" began his lordship. "well, i'll begin," said marchmont. "you're the bishop of blanford and i'm your son's greatest benefactor." "really, you surprise me. may i enquire how you've benefited him?" "i made the fame of his book, 'the purple kangaroo.' i've been sending you my editorials on the subject for some weeks past." "are you the person who wrote those scandalous leaders which have been forwarded to me from america?" demanded the bishop. "i thought you'd remember them," said the journalist. "they're eye-openers, aren't they?" his lordship drew himself up and put on his most repressive manner, but marchmont babbled on serenely. "the last time i saw cecil he said to me: 'whenever you come to england, marchmont, you just drop round to the palace, and we'll make things hum.' so, having a chance for a little vacation, i jumped on board a steamer, crossed to southampton, and biked up-country, doing these ruins on the way. i meant to have presented myself at the palace this afternoon in due form and a swallow-tailed coat, but i'm just as much pleased to see you as if i'd been regularly introduced." "you're one of the most consummate liars i ever knew," remarked cecil, who, hearing voices, had strolled over to see what it was all about. "put it more mildly, my dear fellow," replied the american. "call me a journalist, and spare your father's feelings." "well, now you're here, what do you intend to do?" demanded banborough. "do?" said marchmont. "why, i'm going to put up for a week at your 'pink pig,' or your 'azure griffin,' or whatever kind of nondescript-coloured animal your local hostelry boasts, and study your charming cathedral. but, in the first place, i think we'd better have some lunch. i'm as hungry as a bear." "i fear we've scarcely provided for an extra guest," returned cecil frigidly. the journalist was the very last person he wanted to see at blanford, and he did not take any pains to disguise the fact. marchmont, however, was not to be snubbed, and remarking cheerfully that there was always enough for one more, calmly proceeded in the direction of the hampers. once there, he constituted himself chef and butler forthwith, and moreover proved so efficient in both capacities that, irritated as his friend was at his self-assurance, he could not but express his appreciation. marchmont, having started the rest of the people on their lunch and made all feel at their ease, turned on his journalistic tap for the benefit of the bishop, and plied the old gentleman with such a judicious mixture of flattery and amusing anecdote that, by the time the repast was over, his lordship was solemnly assuring his son, much to that young gentleman's disgust, that he was indeed fortunate in possessing such a delightful friend, and that he might invite mr. marchmont to the palace if he liked. "quite so," said cecil. "i suppose you remember his article in the _daily leader_, in which he alluded to you as a 'consecrated fossil'?" "h'm!" said the bishop. "really, the accommodation at the inn is very good, and perhaps, with so many guests, it would be asking too much of your aunt." "what does all this mean?" asked spotts of banborough when a convenient opportunity offered. the bishop's son shrugged his shoulders, replying: "it means mischief." chapter iii. in which peace is proposed and war declared. marchmont stood on the lawn before the palace, on the morning after his arrival, critically inspecting that structure; his feet stretched wide apart, his hands in his pockets, and his hat on the back of his head. cecil, emerging from breakfast, sighted his enemy and made haste to join him. "jolly old rookery you've got," remarked the reporter. "yes," said banborough. "it was a monastery originally. they turned it into a bishop's palace about the reign of henry viii." "i know that style," said the american. "nice rambling ark, two stories high, and no two rooms on the same level. architect built right out into the country till he got tired, and then turned round and came back. obliged to have a valet to show you to your room whether you're sober or not." "i didn't know," said cecil drily, "that you possessed an extensive acquaintance in ecclesiastical circles in this country." "oh, yes," said marchmont, "i served as valet for six months to a bishop while i was gathering materials for my articles on 'english sees seen from the inside.'" "was it a financial success?" queried banborough. "no," admitted the reporter regretfully, "it sold the paper splendidly, but was stopped at the second article at the request of the american ambassador." "did you favour us with a visit?" "i hadn't that honour." "if you had done so you would probably have slept in the rooms we give to our american guests in the new part of the house." "how old is that?" queried the journalist. "about eight hundred years," replied cecil, "and the walls are four feet thick." "i know," said the reporter, "it's appalling. that sort of thing always upsets me. it seems so out of keeping with the _daily leader_." "look here, marchmont, why have you come to blanford?" demanded banborough, abruptly changing the conversation. "to have the joy of your society," returned the journalist. "if that were really the case i'd be delighted to see you," said the englishman. "but you're on the track of these unfortunate people who are my guests; and if you make things disagreeable for them i shan't have the slightest compunction in forbidding you the house." the american, apparently ignoring the other's frankness, remarked: "so you admit they're conspirators?" "i admit nothing of the kind. they're perfectly innocent of the charge you bring against them, and you've been making an awful ass of yourself, if you only knew it." "ah, thank you. but if this is the case why didn't you mention the fact to me in montreal?" "i had my reasons." "and why are all these people received as honoured guests in your father's palace?" "that, if you'll permit me to say so, marchmont, is a matter that doesn't concern you." "everything concerns me. not that i expect you to see that point of view. but to put it another way. considering all i've done to increase the sale of your book, won't you do me a good turn and tell me what you know about this affair?" "i wish the confounded book had never sold a copy!" burst out banborough. "and i'll not say one word to the detriment of my friends!" "then it _is_ to be war?" queried the journalist, rolling a cigarette. "not so far as i'm concerned," replied his host. "why don't you let bygones be bygones? a truce between the united states and spain may be declared any day, and then--" "then my great scoop will be lost for ever. what would the public care about conspirators if there were no war?" "exactly what i say," said cecil. "so let's drop the whole matter." "not much!" cried the journalist. "it's my last chance. and if you won't help me--why, i must help myself." "what do you wish me to do?" "turn 'em out of blanford." "impossible!" "but your father?" "how dare you mention my father's name in this connection? i won't have him dragged into publicity to sell your dirty rag of a newspaper!" cecil exploded, thoroughly beside himself at the thought of such a dreadful possibility. the journalist nodded his head gravely. banborough's fierce defence of the bishop he attributed to far other grounds than those on which it was really based. it justified him to the tramp's suspicions that his lordship was actually connected with the plot. "well," he said, with a fair pretence of backing down, "there's no need of getting so hot about it. of course i don't want to make myself disagreeable." "neither do i," replied his host. "only we may as well understand each other. you're quite welcome to come to the palace as long as you remember to be a gentleman before you are a journalist. but if you forget it, i'll be forced to treat you as you deserve," and turning on his heel, he left marchmont chewing the ends of his sandy moustache with a grim avidity that boded ill for the peace of the bishop and his household. the american told himself that he must work carefully. banborough would watch him and probably put the others on their guard. and moreover, he would not hesitate to dismiss him from the palace, which, apart from the unpleasantness of the operation, would be well-nigh fatal to the success of the scheme the journalist was maturing. decidedly the highest caution was essential, but he must work quickly, for there was no time to be lost. marchmont therefore proceeded to pump the first member of the company he came across. this happened to be spotts, who was in rather a bad humour, the result of a morning spent with the bishop in the cobwebby heights of a neighbouring church-tower. "you're the very person i wanted to see," cried the reporter. "i'm afraid i've hardly time to be interviewed just now," replied the actor shortly. "oh, this isn't professional. i'm off duty sometimes. i'm only human." "oh, are you? i supposed newspaper men were neither the one nor the other." "well, i wanted to talk to you for your own good." "is it as bad as all that?" "of course i know who you really are," pursued the journalist, ignoring the interruption. "and i may say confidentially that you and miss arminster are not the people of this party i'm after." "ah, that's very thoughtful of you." "so, if i could help you two to slip off quietly--" "why include miss arminster?" queried spotts with well-affected surprise. "why? my dear fellow, you don't suppose i'm quite blind. any one who follows that lady about with his eyes as you do is naturally-- well--you understand--" "i'm afraid your professional acumen is at fault this time," said the actor, and added: "i hope i may never come any nearer being married than i am now." "oh, i say," returned marchmont; "don't you aspire to be her--sixteenth, is it?" "you're alluding to miss arminster's husbands?" asked spotts drily. "oh, i'd a little bet up with a friend," said marchmont, "that she'd been married at least a baker's dozen times. ought i to hedge?" "i think you're well inside the number," replied the actor. "gad! she must be pretty well acquainted with the divorce courts!" exclaimed the reporter. "i'm quite sure she's never been divorced in her life," returned spotts. "so long. i'm after a drink." and he left him, thus terminating the conversation. "ah," said the journalist to himself, "i bet you're the next in line, just the same." baffled in his first attempt, marchmont sought other means of information, for there is always a weak spot in every defence, and a man of far less keen perception than the reporter would have had little difficulty in finding the most favourable point of attack. so it is not surprising that after a little cogitation he went in search of miss matilda, whom he had met the day before when he had returned with the party from the abbey. he found that lady on the lawn knitting socks for the heathen, and deserted for the nonce by the faithful smith. "dear miss banborough," began the journalist, sitting down beside her, "what a reproach it is to idle men like myself to see such industry!" "it's very kind of you, i'm sure, to notice my humble labours," replied the old lady, expanding at once under the first word of flattery. "my brother tells me you're connected with a great newspaper. how ennobling that must be! it gives you such a wide scope for doing good." marchmont, who had hardly adopted journalism for this purpose, and was conscious of having done his fair share of mischief in the world, made a desperate effort to look the part assigned to him, and murmuring something about the inspiration, to toilers like himself, of such self-sacrificing lives as hers, abruptly turned the conversation by alluding to the pleasure which she must have felt at her nephew's return. "of course we're very glad to have him back," acceded miss matilda. "but then we see little or nothing of him." "naturally," said the journalist, "his days must be given up to his friends. how you must be looking forward to the time when you can have him quite to yourself!" the gleam that came into the old lady's eye at this remark told him that he had not been mistaken in fancying her hostile to the strangers, and he hastened to continue such a fruitful theme, saying: "i suppose that, as they've been here a month now, you'll be losing them soon." "i can't say," she snapped. "they seem to be staying for an indefinite period." "really?" he replied. "i shouldn't have fancied that your nephew would have found them very congenial. indeed, if you'll pardon my frankness, i was rather surprised to meet them here." miss matilda at once gave him her undivided attention. "you knew them in america?" she asked. "of course i knew about them. i was hardly acquainted personally." it was his tone rather than his words that lent an unfavourable colour to the remark, but the implication was not lost on the bishop's sister. here at last was a man who could give her the information she was most anxious to obtain. "i should have supposed," she ventured, "that you'd have known such very intimate friends of cecil's as these appear to be." "oh, no," he returned. "new york's a big place. i dare say you know much more about them than i do." "i know nothing!" she burst out. "strange as it may appear to you, my nephew has never told me one word concerning his guests, though i'm expected to receive them under my--his father's roof and introduce them to my friends." "i see," replied marchmont cautiously. "cecil should have trusted to your excellent discrimination and judgment, unless--" and here he paused. the position required consideration. it was easy enough to tell her about these people. merely to say that they were an itinerant company of actors and actresses would be sufficient to ensure them a speedy _congé_ from blanford. but was it wise to do this? did he want them to go? a hasty action is often like a boomerang. it returns on the toes of the person who thoughtlessly launches it in flight. no, on the whole they had better remain, he told himself. the palace would form an excellent background for the sensational exposure he hoped to make. if he could only get the bishop into a corner, he would be quite satisfied. "well, what?" she demanded sharply, impatient at his unfinished sentence. "unless," he continued, hedging carefully--"unless your nephew felt that it was quite sufficient to have explained things to his father. doubtless the bishop knows all about his son's friends." "the bishop knows a great deal too much for a man in his position," snapped his sister. "quite so," thought the journalist, "and doesn't confide it to you." aloud he remarked: "of course there's nothing particular to be said against them, except that they're hardly in cecil's set." "i didn't need you to tell me that. but what about the ladies?" "ah, yes, the ladies. well, really, you've put me in an awkward position, miss banborough. one can't be uncomplimentary to the fair sex, you know." "humph! well, josephus sees more of both of them than is good for him. but of course mrs. mackintosh has neither the youth nor the good looks to cause me any anxiety." "mrs. mackintosh is eminently respectable," said marchmont, who always spoke the truth when it did not conflict with business. "but miss arminster?" the journalist did not answer. "well," she cried, "why don't you speak?" "madam," he replied, "you place me in a most embarrassing situation. my duty to you and the natural gallantry of my nature draw me in different directions." "i insist." "i put myself in your hands. in saying what i do i'm laying myself open to serious misconstruction." "you may rely upon my silence." "any indiscretion on your part would be most unfortunate." "i shall not forget the confidence you've reposed in me." "i shall hold you to that," he said. "if i tell you what i have in mind, will you promise not to use the information without my permission?" "that i cannot say." "then i say nothing." "but you've already implied--" "but implications, my dear miss banborough, are not evidence." "you leave me no other course but to accede to your request," she said. "ah, then you promise?" "i promise." "the word of a woman in your position and of your high moral standard i know is sacred." she nodded. "well, then," he continued, "please answer me this question. where was your brother the first week in may?" "in scotland." "why did he go?" "for absolute rest. he was worried and run down." "you heard from him frequently?" "no, not once during the whole time. sir joseph westmoreland, the great london nerve specialist, who advised the change, even prohibited correspondence." "you're sure he was in scotland?" "really, mr. marchmont, why do you ask?" "because i saw the bishop of blanford in the united states in the first week of may on his way to montreal, canada." "impossible!" "i'm certain of it." "i cannot credit what you tell me!" "what i tell you is quite true. you say he was absent for a month. might he not have gone to the states and returned in that time?" his sister nodded. then, as a sudden thought occurred to her, she flushed red with anger, exclaiming: "and this girl, this miss arminster! was she in montreal also?" "she was," replied marchmont. "i saw her." "the hussy!" cried miss matilda, rising. "she shan't remain in my house another hour!" "hold on!" he exclaimed. "you forget your promise!" "but after what you've said!" "i haven't said anything. miss arminster's being in montreal might have been merely a coincidence." "but do you know something about her?" "i've investigated her career," he replied, "and have found nothing objectionable in it, beyond the fact that she's rather fond of getting married." "getting married! but surely she calls herself _miss_ arminster?" "ah, yes; but that's very common on the--i mean, not unusual in such cases." "she has been married, then, more than once?" "i know of a dozen different occasions on which she has had the service performed." "infamous!" "oh, no. there's no evidence of her ever having been through the divorce court. indeed, she may never have been married to more than one man at the same time." "but how to account--" "for the mortality in husbands? well, fortunately, we're not required to do that." "i will not have my dear brother stricken down in his prime!" gasped miss matilda. "oh, i don't suppose she's necessarily fatal. still, as mistress of blanford--" the bishop's sister arose in her wrath. for the first time in her existence she wanted to swear, but contented herself by remarking: "that young woman leaves the palace to-day!" "you forget your promise to me," he said. "but is it possible, in the face of what you've told me, that you can hold me to it?" "quite possible. in fact i mean to do so, and as soon as your righteous indignation cools down a bit you'll realise that we've nothing whatsoever to go on. what i've said could only be substantiated by evidence requiring some time to obtain. if you accused her now, she'd merely deny my statement, and her word's as good as mine, and probably better, in his lordship's estimation." "but is there no proof near at hand?" "yes. she was married several years ago at a little church close by the ruined abbey where i first met your party, and the fact is recorded in the register." "then surely--" "there's no crime in being married once," he objected. "but what _can_ we do?" she asked. "keep quiet for a little while longer. miss arminster's certain to make some slip, and then--" "it seems very difficult to wait." "believe me," he replied, "it's the only way, and i shall rely on your promise." saying which, he left her, partly because he had obtained all the information he wished, and partly because he was certain that he espied the well-known figure of the tramp hovering behind the bushes on the opposite side of the lawn. a few moments later he had his hand on that individual's collar, and was demanding sternly what he meant by coming to blanford against his orders. "'cause i've somethin' of importance to tell yer," retorted that worthy. "well, out with it, quick!" said the journalist. "it's got to be pretty important to excuse your disobedience." "it is. the boss is going to bolt." "who? the bishop?" "that's it! him and the lady." "what lady?" "the young 'un, i guess." "what's all this stuff about?" demanded marchmont. "it ain't stuff, as you'll soon see," replied the tramp in an aggrieved tone. "there was a yacht come into dullhampton last night, a nasty-lookin' boat and a quick steamer. the second mate and me, we got to know each other up to the inn--he's a furriner, he is--a don, more'n likely. but he let on, havin' had some drink, as how he'd been sent there with the yacht to wait for the bishop o' blanford and a lady as was comin' down next day, and the bishop was to give the sailin' orders." "humph! what more?" "this mornin' i seed 'em lookin' over a lot of flags on the deck of the yacht, and one of 'em was spanish." "so you came all the way up here to tell me this cock-and-bull story!" "not till i'd squared the crew." "squared the crew?" "i let on to 'em as how they'd been shipped under false orders to carry two spanish spies out of the country, an' how we was on to the fact, and if they'd stay by us they'd not be held responsible; and i promised 'em ten shillin's apiece and give 'em all the drink they wanted, and they're ours to a man." "and that's where you've wasted good money and good liquor. i tell you what you say is impossible. if the bishop had had any idea of a move like that, i'd have got wind of it. besides, his old cat of a sister would never let him leave blanford again without her." "hist!" said the tramp, pointing across the lawn. "look there, what did i say? my eyesight ain't what it was, from breakin' stones up to sing sing, and i can't see no faces at this distance, but there's somethin' sneakin' along there, in bishop's togs." marchmont followed the direction he indicated, and saw two figures stealing round the corner of the palace, carrying hand-bags and showing every sign of watchfulness and suspicion. having ascertained that the lawn was clear, they slipped rapidly across it, and, putting themselves in the protecting shade of a clump of bushes, turned into the high-road and disappeared. it had needed no second glance to identify them as his lordship and miss arminster. "by jove!" gasped the journalist. "it is true, then! this will be a scoop of scoops! come, we've got to run for it. we must take the same train, and they mustn't see us." some one else had witnessed the departure, in spite of all the precautions of the fugitives, and that person was miss matilda, who, from the vantage of an upper window, caught a glimpse of them just as they disappeared through the gate. unwilling at first to believe her senses, she rushed to her brother's room and then to miss arminster's. alas! in each apartment the traces of hasty packing and missing hand-luggage gave damning evidence of the fact. she rushed downstairs, bursting with her dreadful intelligence. in the hall she met cecil, delightedly waving a telegram in his hand. "hurrah! aunt matilda!" he shouted. "such news! 'the purple kangaroo' has reached its twentieth edition, and a truce is declared between the united states and spain! where are the others? i must tell them that the war is over." "bother your war!" exclaimed his aunt. "do you know that your father and that shameless minx, miss arminster, have just eloped?" chapter iv. in which the bishop is abducted. all the way from blanford to dullhampton the bishop was in the best of spirits, much on the principle of a naughty boy who, having played truant, means to enjoy his holiday to the full, well knowing that he will be caned when it is over. indeed his lordship became positively skittish, and miss arminster was obliged to squelch him a little, as that young lady, for excellent reasons of her own, had no more intention of becoming the mistress of blanford than she had of wedding the author of "the purple kangaroo." on the other hand, she realised that it was one of the old gentleman's very rare treats, and she wanted him to have as good a time as possible; besides which, she had always longed to take a cruise on a steam-yacht, and now her ambition was about to be gratified. the shock of disappointment was therefore all the greater when, on their arrival at dullhampton, they were met by the captain, who informed them that lord downton had had a bad fall the day before and seriously sprained his ankle, so that the party had been given up. he had sent the yacht on, however, with the request that the bishop would consider it at his disposal for the remainder of the week. "now that's exceedingly awkward," said his lordship. "i fear we can hardly go yachting without a chaperon." "most certainly not," agreed miss arminster. "but let's take a little sail this afternoon, and return to blanford in time for dinner." "that's very well thought of," said the bishop, "and to-morrow we can bring down some more of our party. it seems a pity we shouldn't use the yacht, now we're here. does that arrangement meet with your approval, captain?" "well, your lordship," replied the captain, "to be honest with you, i hadn't expected as how you'd be able to get away to-day, so i'd arranged to see my sister, who lives here, this afternoon, and the first mate's gone up to town to order some stores. but if you are only to be out for a few hours, as you say, my second mate's quite capable of taking the boat for you. i wouldn't like to trust him on a long cruise, for he's only joined a few weeks, and i know nothing about his character. he is a first-class navigator, however, and for an afternoon in the solent he'll do you very well." "i'm sure we would not want to interfere with your plans, captain," said his lordship, "so if miss arminster agrees--" "oh my, yes," acquiesced violet. "i don't care who takes the yacht out, so long as we go." "right you are," said the captain. "steam's up, and i've ordered lunch on board, as i thought you'd want that anyway. i'll tell funk, the second mate, to run out into the solent, and then you can give your own orders. what time will you be back?" "oh, not later than six," replied the bishop, as they stepped on board lord downton's beautiful craft, the "homing pigeon." she was a large boat and thoroughly seaworthy. indeed her owner had made a voyage in her to the mediterranean, but she was built for speed also, and decidedly rakish in cut. they were at once introduced to the second mate, and miss arminster thought she had seldom seen a more unprepossessing individual. he was surly and shifty-eyed, and she confided to the bishop, when they were alone, that she was glad they were not going far from land under that man's charge, for he looked like a pirate. after glancing round the deck, which seemed charmingly arranged, they at once descended to the cabin for lunch, for their little journey had made them hungry. here the captain left them with a few courteous words of excuse. a moment later, as he was leaving the ship, he met two strangers coming on board, laden with hand-baggage. they were, though unknown to him, the journalist and the tramp. on asking them sharply what their business was, marchmont replied very glibly that he was his lordship's valet, and that he had hired this man to bring down the luggage from the station. "i don't think your master'll need his traps, as he's only going out for the afternoon," said the captain. "but you'd better take them down to the cabin, and see the porter gets off before they start. i don't allow strangers aboard." the valet touched his hat respectfully, and went up the gangway, followed by the obsequious porter. a moment later they reached the deck, and no sooner had the captain disappeared round a corner than both men approached the second mate, with whom they had a hurried and earnest conversation, followed by an interchange of something which that officer transferred to his trousers-pocket and jingled appreciatively. the ropes were now cast off, and they got under way, while marchmont stole very quietly to the door of the hatchway which led down to the saloon where the bishop and the actress were unsuspectingly lunching, and softly turned the key. "mayn't i cut you a slice of this cold ham, my dear?" asked the bishop in his most fatherly tones. "not while the pigeon-pie lasts," said his fair companion. "but you may give me a glass of champagne, if you will. i see some going to waste in an ice-cooler over there in the corner." "i was hoping the steward would come," ventured his lordship. "well, i hope he won't. being tête-à-tête is much more fun, don't you think? give the bottle to me, and i'll show you how to open it and not spill a drop. in some respects your education's been neglected." "i'm afraid it has," admitted the bishop, assisting her with his pen-knife. his lordship felt recklessly jovial. to lunch alone with a young lady who opened champagne with a dexterity that bespoke considerable practice must be very wicked, he felt certain, and he was shocked to realise that he didn't care if it was. his years of repression were beginning to find their outlet in a natural reaction. "here, have a glass of champagne, and don't think about your shortcomings," she said. "that's very nice," he replied, just tasting it. "nonsense!" she cried. "no heel-taps. i'm no end thirsty." "so am i," replied his lordship, draining his glass contentedly, and watching her fill it up again. "what are you so pensive about?" she demanded. "there's another bottle." he had been thinking that his sister always confined him to two glasses, but he didn't say so, and under her skilful lead he was soon describing to her a cowes regatta he had once seen, in which she professed to be amazingly interested. "i tell you what it is," she remarked a little later on. "if i had a gorgeous palace like yours i'd have no end of a good time." "ah," said the bishop, who was helping her to unfasten the second bottle of champagne, "i never thought of it in that light." "no," returned his fair companion, "i suppose not. but you're losing lots of fun in life, and it does seem a shame, when you would so enjoy it." "it does," said the bishop, sampling the fresh bottle. "but then, you see, there's my sister, miss matilda--" "rats!" "excuse me, i didn't catch your meaning." "never mind my meaning. we're talking about your sister. she's a most estimable woman, my dear bish-- oh, pshaw! i can't always call you by your title." "call me josephus," he said. "no, i couldn't call you that, either. it's too dreadful. i'll call you joe." the bishop beamed with joy. "and i," he faltered, "may i call you violet?" "no," she said, "i don't think it's proper in a man of your position." "but if you call me--joe--" "well!" she cried, laughing, "we'll make a compromise. suppose you call me 'the leopard'?" "to be sure," he said. "mrs. mackintosh spoke of you as that--er--quadruped. but what does it mean?" "you want to know a great deal too much for a man of your age. it's an animal that is more than once mentioned in scripture, and that ought to be sufficient for your purposes. so we'll have it understood that his lordship's leopard is quite at his lordship's service, if his lordship doesn't mind." "mind!" he cried ecstatically, eyeing the other side of the table. but miss violet intended to have the board between them. "take another glass of champagne, and keep quiet," she said sternly. "we're talking about your estimable but impossible sister. my dear joe, you'll never have any sport till you've got rid of her." "but how shall i get rid of her?" he asked despondently. even champagne was not proof against the depression induced by such an appalling thought. "oh, send her to a course of mud-baths or a water-cure!" "i might try it--if--if you'd help me--if you'd take her place at the palace. i mean--" "josephus!" she called, in such an exact imitation of his sister's tone that it made him sit right up. "josephus! don't say another word! i know what you mean--and you're an old dear--and i'm not going to let you make a fool of yourself. you're aged enough to be my father, and if your son had had his way you would have been my father-in-law. i want to have a good time, and i want you to have a good time; but that isn't the proper manner in which to set about it. no, you send the old lady packing, for the good of her health, and mrs. mackintosh and i'll help you and cecil entertain, and we'll have a dance, and a marquee, and lots of punch. i dare say you've never been to a dance in your life," she rattled on, not giving him a chance to blunder out excuses. "i'm not such an old fogey as you think me," he began. "but i want to say--er--miss--leopard--" "oh, no, you don't," she interrupted. "you want to forget what you've said, and so do i. we must talk about something else. what were you saying about a dance?" "no, no, not a dance," he replied, resigning himself to his fate. "but once," lowering his voice, "not long ago either, when i was in town, i--i'm sure you won't believe it-- i went to a theatre." this last triumphantly. "oh, you sad dog!" she cried. "you didn't!" he nodded his head affirmatively. "and what was the piece?" "'the sign of the cross.'" "what, that gruesome show, where every one's slaughtered or chewed up by lions! you ought to have gone to the empire." "it wasn't far from leicester square," he said deprecatingly. "not near enough to be very wicked," she retorted. "but, say, i'll tell you something if you'll promise never, never to reveal it." "the word of a bishop--" he began. "oh, nonsense! you're not a bishop at present, you're just joe. well, here it is: i'm an actress!" "you--are--an--actress!" "fact! i'm quite harmless. if you keep six feet from me there's not the slightest danger of contamination." then, seeing his look of astonished bewilderment, she burst into a peal of ringing laughter, crying: "why, to look at you, one would think i'd told you that i was a gorgon!" "no, no," he said, stammering. "i--i'm delighted. i always really wanted to meet an actress--but--er--i hardly know what to say--" "don't say anything. just be your dear unsophisticated self, or you'll be a bore. cecil didn't dare tell you who i was, for fear you'd be shocked. come on, let's go up on deck. it's close down here." "it is," admitted his lordship, whose temperature had risen with his consumption of champagne, and added: "we should be well out by this time, for we seem to have been going at great speed." "isn't it glorious!" she cried. "i wonder what they're doing at blanford. i guess your telegram was an eye-opener." "bless my soul!" exclaimed the bishop, fishing a form out of his pocket. "i forgot to send it." "what, do you mean to say they don't know what's become of us?" "i never said a word." "my hat!" she cried. "won't you get a wigging to-night?" then, seeing his evident discomfiture, she added: "never mind, i'll take it with you; and if she turns nasty we'll put a flea in her ear about those mud-baths. come, let's have our fun, anyway." and she put her hand on the cabin door. "why, it's stuck!" she exclaimed. "i can't open it." the bishop grasped the handle. "it isn't stuck!" he cried, shaking it. "it's locked!" * * * * * while events had been progressing in the cabin, others of no less importance were taking place on deck. once they were well off the land, funk lost no time in calling a meeting of the crew of the yacht, who formed a circle around him. "now, my hearties," he said, introducing marchmont, "this gentleman's got a word to say to you which it's worth your while to hear." and he put him in the centre of the ring. "mates," began the journalist, fitting his speech to the audience he was addressing, "i'm a plain man of few words, and i've come to you about a plain matter. mr. funk will tell you i'm speaking the truth; and you know this gentleman," indicating the tramp. the crowd growled gutturally. they appreciated the tramp's generous offers of liquor, but not his society. "well," continued marchmont, ignoring the unfavourable tone, "i suppose you'd all like to see the yankees lick the dons." "ay, ay, you're right there," muttered a burly tar. "good for you! we're all of the same family, and blood's thicker than water. of course you want the boys in blue to win; and that being the case, i rely on you to help me, like true british tars, the nation's bulwarks--!" "hear, hear!" growled the crowd appreciatively. "now do you know whom you've aboard to-day?" demanded the american. "the bishop o' blanford, and a laidy," came the tones of a voice whose owner evidently hailed from london. "no, you haven't," cried the journalist excitedly. "no, you haven't! you've got two low-down spanish spies!" "what d'ye say, mate?" demanded the first speaker among the crew. "i'm telling you the truth," vociferated marchmont, lying boldly; for he feared that the bishop's conspiracies would go for nothing if they suspected he was really a churchman. "i'm telling you the truth," he repeated. "and these two gentlemen," referring to the mate and the tramp, "will back me up. that man's no more the bishop of blanford than you are! and the _lady_--well, she's on the stage when she isn't in the pay of the spanish government. i've tracked them from the states to canada, where i saw them both a month ago, and then to england. i don't say how they got hold of this yacht, but i ask you, where's the captain and the first mate?" a growl of suspicion rewarded his efforts. "they took pretty good care to get out of the way, and leave mr. funk and you to bear the brunt of any breach of neutrality that these conspirators might let you in for." the sailors began to whisper to one another, and were evidently uneasy. "then look at the captain's parting words!" cried the journalist. "'go out into the solent,' says he, 'and the _bishop_ will give you your sailing orders,' sailing orders, indeed! what would a parson know about sailing a vessel of this sort?" one of the men nudged another at this, and he of the gruff voice gave it as his opinion that "there was summat in it." "i'll tell you what the sailing orders will be," shouted marchmont. "they'll take you round the needles, and alongside of a spanish cruiser. and when you get ashore, you'll all be clapped into prison for helping the dons." "let's take 'em back now," came a chorus of voices. "and let 'em go scot-free?" demanded marchmont. "well, what would _you_ do?" asked the spokesman. "i?" said the journalist. "i'd hand 'em over to the first american ship we sight, and send 'em to new york. that takes the burden off _your_ shoulders. my man has promised you ten shillings apiece. put 'em on board a yankee ship, and i'll make it a pound." and he brought up a handful of gold from his pocket, and jingled it in their faces. it has been said that money talks, and it undoubtedly did so in this case. marchmont's specious arguments sounded plausible enough, and the mate, who was a thoroughly bad lot and had plenty of the journalist's money in his pocket, backed him up in every particular. so the crew, after a little discussion, accepted the proposition to a man, and the fact that the bishop chose this unfortunate time to make an attack on the cabin door probably helped to decide them. "you see," cried the journalist, as it rattled on its hinges, "they're trying to break out now, and are probably armed to the teeth." "we're with you, mates. the yankees shall have 'em!" shouted the crowd. "good!" he replied. "i'll see if i can induce them to surrender quietly." and going to the cabin door, he unlocked it and entered, closing it behind him. "who has dared to lock us in in this unwarrantable manner?" spluttered the bishop, as the door opened. then, seeing who it was, he fell back a step, exclaiming: "why, mr. marchmont, how did you come on board?" "never mind about that," said the journalist shortly. "i'm here, and i locked you in; and when i tell you that i'm thoroughly on to the whole show, you'll understand that this high-and-mighty business doesn't go down. got any champagne left? i'm as dry as a bone." the bishop was rapidly turning purple with suppressed indignation, but miss arminster scornfully indicated the location of the wine-cooler. "ah, thanks," said the intruder, tossing off a glass. "that's better." and he threw himself comfortably down on a divan, saying, as he did so: "if you two have any weapons, you might as well put them on the table. resistance is quite useless. i've plenty of men awaiting my signal on deck." violet, who in the light of this last remark suddenly understood the position, burst into peals of laughter. "you'll find it's no laughing matter," cried the journalist angrily. "i insist upon your instantly explaining your outrageous conduct," said the bishop. "i can do that in a very few words," replied marchmont. "as an american representative, and authorised agent of the _daily leader_, the people's bulwark of defence, i arrest you both as spanish spies." "he must be mad!" ejaculated his lordship. "oh, no, he isn't. he actually believes it!" cried violet between her paroxysms of merriment. but her companion would not be convinced. "my dear man," he said blandly, "you must be suffering under some grievous delusion. i am, as you should know, having been my guest, the bishop of blanford, and it is quite impossible that either i or this lady should have any connection with a political crime. i must insist that you release us at once, and go away quietly, or i shall be forced to use harsher measures." "you do it very well, very well indeed," commented the journalist. "but you can't fool me, and so you'd better give up trying." "i say," remarked miss arminster to marchmont, "you're making an awful fool of yourself." the representative of the _daily leader_ shrugged his shoulders. "won't you consent to let us go, without threshing the whole thing out?" she asked. "what do you take me for?" "well, as you please," she said resignedly. "put your questions; we'll answer them." "is it best to humour him?" enquired his lordship in a low voice. "it's the only way," she replied. "give him string enough, and see the cat's-cradle he'll weave out of it." "now," said the journalist cheerfully to the bishop, "perhaps you'll deny that you spent a month or six weeks in the united states this spring?" "a month," acquiesced his lordship. "just so. and during that time you were supposed to be in scotland taking a rest-cure?" "i admit that such is the case. but how you obtained your information--" "i got it from your sister--about the rest-cure, i mean." "did you tell her--er--that i was--er--in the united states?" "yes," replied the journalist. his lordship heaved a deep sigh. the future, he thought, held worse things for him than arrest and deportation. "how did you know that i was in the united states and canada?" he demanded. "i saw you." "where?" "at a little station on the borders of the two countries. you spent the night wrapped up in a blanket, and slept under the bar." "you never--!" broke in miss arminster. the bishop nodded mournfully. so far the facts were against him, and his interlocutor's face shone with a gleam of triumph. "but in that case--" exclaimed violet. "excuse me, i'll tell the story," said marchmont, and continued the narration. "you were roused about five in the morning by a man breaking into the room." "so i was," admitted the bishop. "how did you know?" "i was asleep in the room overhead, and gave the alarm." "that's perfectly correct," acquiesced his lordship. "i remember the tones of your voice. it's most astounding." "and the man who broke into the bar," continued violet, "was your son." it was now marchmont's turn to be astonished. "what!" he cried, while the bishop ejaculated: "impossible!" "but it was," she insisted. "he went to get the coffee for me." "were you in the station, too?" demanded his lordship. "no, i was out in a potato-patch." "you a member of that party of political criminals who jumped off the train!" cried the bishop. "i heard all about it the next morning, but i can't believe--" "it's quite true," she assured him. "but it's too remarkable," he went on. "i'd gone to america on purpose to find my son, of whom i'd heard nothing for a year. and you say he was there, and--er--touched me?" "why, didn't you see him in montreal?" asked marchmont. "i sailed next day for england. i was on my way to the steamer when the accident occurred which detained me overnight." "why then did you conceal the purpose of your trip?" demanded his tormentor. "my sister was much opposed to my seeking my son," said his lordship, colouring furiously. "and--i--in short, i had reasons." the journalist laughed. "the story's clever," he said. "but i can tell a more interesting tale." and he proceeded to relate the adventures of cecil in the person of "the bishop," to which his lordship listened with open-mouthed astonishment. "there!" concluded his captor triumphantly. "have you anything to say to that?" "i have," chimed in miss arminster, and she gave the true version of the affair from the time banborough had first engaged them at the grand central station. "it's a very plausible story," said marchmont, when she had finished, "and does credit to your invention. but fortunately i'm in a condition to completely disprove it." "really?" she asked. "how so?" "i can produce a witness of the whole transaction." "who?" "friend othniel." "what! here, on board the yacht?" "yes," said marchmont, "on board this yacht. and he can prove that what i say is true." "what? about the bishop?" she cried, her voice quivering with suppressed merriment. "certainly," replied the journalist. "after his release from the black maria he tells substantially your story, but gives the bishop the part you have carefully assigned to his innocent son." at this she once more broke into peals of laughter, but at last, recovering her speech, managed to gasp out: "bring him here, and see what he says." "i will," said marchmont, hurriedly leaving the cabin, for her marvellous self-possession was beginning to arouse unpleasant suspicions even in his mind. "but what does it all mean?" queried the bishop helplessly, after the journalist's departure. "how dare he say such things about me! i drive a prison-van, indeed!" "i'll tell you," she replied, striving to control her voice. "it's the greatest practical joke that ever was. we called your son 'the bishop,' just as a nickname, you see, and of course the tramp heard us, and, after we dropped him in montreal, must have blown the whole thing to marchmont out of spite, and, not knowing any better, he thought your son really _was_ the bishop." here his lordship became speechless, as the truth dawned upon him; and at that moment marchmont entered the cabin, with friend othniel in tow. "there!" he said, pointing to the ecclesiastic. "is that the bishop of blanford?" "naw," replied the tramp. "he's old enough to be his father, he is. the bishop i means is a young 'un." "like this!" cried violet, opening the locket which cecil had given her in montreal, and handing it to the tramp. "that's him to a t," said friend othniel. "i'd know him among a thousand." for a moment marchmont said nothing as he encountered the full force of the cruel disillusion, and then with painstaking precision he turned and kicked the tramp up the entire flight of cabin stairs. "now," remarked the bishop, "perhaps you'll allow us to go free." "no!" cried the journalist, slamming the door. "i've wasted heaps of cash and no end of time over this wild-goose-chase, but the _daily leader_ shall have its scoop yet! if you aren't conspirators, i'll make you so, in spite of yourselves! you _shall_ be spanish spies!" chapter v. in which the bishop eats jam tart, and miss matilda humble-pie. "now," remarked the bishop to miss arminster, as marchmont quitted the cabin after this last astounding remark, "now i'm certain he's mad." "oh, no," replied the lady, "it's merely journalistic enterprise. i don't blame him for being disappointed. it must be hard to find that we're not conspirators, after all." "but why should he wish to make us so?" "you dear stupid old joe!" she exclaimed. "you haven't the remotest inkling of what american journalism means. it's sensation first, last, and altogether. think of a bishop, and an english bishop at that, posing as an agent of the spanish secret service, and eloping with an actress on somebody else's yacht. why, i can shut my eyes and see the headlines. they're almost certain to print them in red ink. there's fame for you!" "but why should he wish to print it if it's not the truth?" "truth! my dear bishop, who said anything about truth? we were speaking of news, and--journalistic enterprise." at this moment the door again burst open, and marchmont flung into the cabin. "there!" he said, with a tone of triumph, "we've sighted an american steamer down channel, and have hoisted the spanish flag. we're pursuing her, and very presently we shall be captured, and you'll be surrendered." "i suppose," began the bishop, "that, to a man so devoid of moral consciousness as you appear to be, no arguments of mine--" "don't waste your breath," broke in miss arminster. "they wouldn't." "why, i'm sorry to cause you any inconvenience," said the journalist amiably, "but you see, my paper's simply panting for sensation, and when they hear about this little racket they'll sell extras till they can't see straight." "and what, may i ask, will happen when the truth comes out?" demanded his lordship severely. "oh, the war'll probably be over by the time you reach new york, and you'll cease to be interesting," replied marchmont. "besides, we'll have had our scoop, and most likely, when the _daily leader_ finds there's no case against you they'll give you a return ticket. the management's generally pretty liberal." "well, i must say," spluttered the bishop, "that of all the brazen--unconscionable--!" "why did you raise the spanish flag?" interrupted miss arminster. "that was my idea," said the journalist, "and i'm rather proud of it. you see, we could hardly reverse the union jack as a sign of distress, and then go full speed ahead, but i don't think an american ship would resist taking a spanish prize; and as soon as they get within firing range we'll run up a flag of truce. by the way," he continued, becoming quite courteous, now that he felt he had them in his power, "why do you remain in this stuffy cabin? i shall be very glad to have you up on deck, provided you'll give me your parole." "what, not to escape?" asked violet. "did you think we were going to jump overboard and swim ashore?" "no. i mean that you should give your parole not to be anything but spaniards." "i am afraid we couldn't manage that," she replied. "the bishop doesn't look nearly ferocious enough." "i absolutely refuse to become a party to this deception!" said his lordship. "oh, i don't ask you to do that," returned marchmont, "only to promise that you'll not try and enlist the sympathies of the crew in your behalf." "i shall not promise anything," said the bishop, "nor shall i allow this lady to do so. i'm a man of peace, but if ever i get hold of you on dry land i'll horsewhip you, if it costs me my see; and if you don't leave this cabin at once i'll treat you as you treated your friend. you are a thorough blackguard, and not fit to associate with gentlemen!" the journalist started to say something, but, remembering that his accuser was muscular, thought better of it, shrugged his shoulders, and went out silently, locking the door behind him. "there!" said his lordship, "i can breathe more freely now." miss arminster made no reply, for the excellent reason that her head was out of a port-hole, and she could not hear clearly what was said. presently she pulled it in again, crying, as she did so: "oh, do look! this is great sport! the american ship is running away from us!" such was indeed the case. the vessel they were overhauling was a small tramp steamer, which had evidently found courage, through the general incapacity of the spanish navy and the fancied security of neutral waters, to flaunt the stars and stripes. it was therefore most disconcerting to find herself suddenly pursued in the english channel by a craft which had every appearance of being a spanish gunboat. no sooner had she caught a glimpse of the red and yellow flag of her enemy than she crowded on to her yards every stitch of canvass she possessed, in the hope of obtaining some advantage from the light breeze that was blowing, while the black clouds of smoke which belched from her single funnel showed that her engines were being driven to their utmost capacity. she having a long lead and the combined assistance of wind and steam, the distance between the pursuer and the pursued decreased slowly, and it soon became evident that it was to be a stern chase, which is proverbially a long chase. the yacht, therefore, turned about in search of some fresh enemy to whom she might surrender, and in this fortune favored her, for down the channel came a great liner, whose name, albeit she flew temporarily the flag of another nation, proclaimed her to be an american ship, with an american captain and crew. those on board the "homing pigeon" now adopted different tactics, and an inverted british ensign replaced the banner of the dons. as the yacht stood directly in the path of the oncoming ocean greyhound, and flew signals of distress which she could not disregard, the great ship was forced to heave to. marchmont hastened to convey the news to his prisoners in the cabin, saying that he considered them very fortunate, as they had every prospect of a speedy and pleasant voyage, and cautioning them at the same time, as he led the way up the cabin stairs, that resistance was futile, and that any remarks of theirs to the crew would only be so much waste of breath. to all of which neither deigned to answer a word, realising that in their present precarious position silence was not only the most dignified but also the safest course. as they reached the deck the great liner was almost abreast of them, and gradually came to a standstill with clouds of pent-up steam pouring from her safety-valves. "what do you want?" bawled her chief officer through a megaphone, his voice sounding very large and clear from the great height above them. "we've two prisoners of war, spanish spies, and we wish to hand them over!" shouted the mate in return. "this isn't an american ship," came the reply. "yes, it is," howled marchmont; "we know better! you belong to the 'pink star' line." the chief officer conferred with the captain. "it's mason and slidell the other way round," he said. "i wouldn't touch 'em with a ten-foot pole. besides--" and here he seized the megaphone from his subordinate and yelled through it: "you infernal idiots! don't you know the war with spain is over? we've declared a truce!" "i don't believe it," cried marchmont, shaking his fist at the great steamship in a paroxysm of disappointed rage. "it's only an excuse to shirk your duty! we've brought them out to you, and you've got to take them! i'll report you to the government! i'll--!" the sharp ring of the engine-room bell from the liner's bridge was the only reply vouchsafed him, and a moment later the big ship forged ahead, her captain very red in the face and swearing like a trooper: for the most precious thing on board a racer of that class is time, and the "homing pigeon" had been wasting it. the bishop, noting the sheepish faces of the mate and his two fellow conspirators, and the lowering glances of the crew, turned to miss arminster, saying: "we'd better return to the cabin, my dear. i think there's going to be trouble." the little actress followed his lordship's gaze, and descended without a word of protest. she thought so, too. they had hardly entered the saloon, when there came a respectful knock at the door, and an elderly seaman entered, ducking his head. "well, my good man," said his lordship, "what can i do for you?" "meanin' no disrespect, sir, be you really the bishop of blanford?" "certainly i am," that gentleman replied. "you see my dress, and," as a happy thought struck him, "here's one of my cards to prove my identity." and he handed the sailor a bit of pasteboard with his title engraved thereon. "and the lady?" asked the seaman. "the lady is no more connected with this absurd charge than i am," pursued the bishop. "you've been grievously misled by your mate and these two strangers. but if you'll take us safe to the nearest port, i'll speak a word in your favour to your master, lord downton, who's an intimate friend of mine. can you read?" "yes, your honour." "then here's a letter from his lordship, which i fortunately have by me, requesting me to join his yacht. read it yourself, and show it to your fellows as a proof of who i am." and he handed him the missive. the sailor took it, ducked again, and retired silently, and there was presently a great shuffling of feet on the deck above. "what do you think they're doing?" asked violet. "i trust they're coming to their senses--and if--" but his remarks were interrupted by a most terrific row overhead, shouts, blows, and curses. "bless my soul!" exclaimed the bishop. "what can be the matter?" "they're squaring accounts with marchmont, friend othniel, and the mate, i guess," she replied, "and i hope they'll half kill them." "fie, fie! my dear leopard--most unchristian. i must certainly go and--" "no, you mustn't do anything of the sort! stay right where you are. we're in hot enough water already." and suiting the action to the word, she pushed him back on to the divan. "well, really--!" remarked the bishop, and collapsed amiably. presently the sounds of commotion ceased, and gave way to laughter, but laughter with a certain grim note in it that boded ill for those laughed at. after a little, there came another knock at the cabin door, and this time quite a deputation entered the saloon, the sailor who had first visited them being the spokesman. "having disposed of those gents as you suggested--" he began. "no, no!" the bishop hastened to disclaim, "i suggested nothing." "well," said the seaman, "we've fixed 'em, anyway. and now we're heading for the nearest port, which the same's weymouth, and we hopes you'll overlook what's gone before, and come on deck and take command of this yacht." "i will certainly come on deck," replied the bishop. "but as to assuming command of the ship, i hardly feel qualified. is there not some one among you--?" "i'm bo'sn, please your honour," volunteered the speaker. "ah," said the bishop blandly, "then i appoint you." and as the men fell back, he escorted miss arminster upstairs. as they appeared on deck, a striking scene met their eyes. three wretched figures were triced up to the mainmast. they had only such remnants of clothes remaining on their persons as decency demanded, and they had all evidently made a recent acquaintance with the ship's tar-barrel and slush-bucket. as his lordship and miss arminster appeared, the crew approached, expecting a speech. "i hardly know what to say," began the bishop to violet. "let me speak to them, will you?" she asked, her eyes sparkling. "i understand human nature pretty well. i have to, in my profession." his lordship nodded assent, and a moment later she had sprung on to the cabin hatch, a most entrancing little figure, and instantly commanded the attention and admiration of her audience. "mates!" she cried, in her clear ringing voice, "mates, i want a word with you." "speak up, and welcome!" called some one in the crowd, while the boatswain, nudging a comrade in the ribs, remarked under his breath: "my eye, but she's a stunner!" silence having been obtained, she continued: "i've only this to say. we've all been made fools of. those gentlemen tied up to the mast made fools of you, and you've certainly made fools of them." a loud laugh greeted this sally. "and," she resumed, "if it ever gets out that his lordship the bishop of blanford and myself were carried off as spanish spies, we'll never hear the last of it. now let's all keep silence for the sake of the others. put us ashore at weymouth, and we'll say to lord downton that it was our wish to be landed there. he won't know about the occurrences of this day, unless some of you tell him. you might leave the journalist and the tramp at weymouth, too. i guess they'll have had enough of the sea to last them for some time. and oh, by the way, i suppose mr. marchmont intended to pay you for this. perhaps you'll see that the division is properly carried out." "ay, ay!" came from twenty throats, followed by a rousing cheer. and so it happened that they reached _terra firma_ about six in the afternoon. but weymouth, while it is geographically not far distant from blanford, is miles away by the railroad and its connections, and they did not reach the palace till nearly midnight. everything was dark and still, and as they stood shivering in the porch, the bishop remarked, producing his latch-key: "do you know i--i'm really afraid to open the door." she gave his hand a reassuring squeeze, and they entered softly. "is there anything i can get for the leopard, before she retires?" he asked apologetically, as they crossed the stone-paved floor of the palace by the aid of a single bedroom candle, which only served to accentuate the surrounding darkness. "no, thank you, i'm all right," she faltered, putting her foot on the first step of the stairs. and then, without the slightest warning, she burst into tears. his lordship, completely bewildered at this unexpected turn of affairs, patted her on the head, saying: "dear, dear!" much as he would have done to obstreperous babies suspicious of baptism. but the fair violet wept on. "what is it?" said the bishop. "what have i done?" "you haven't done anything," she replied between her sobs, "but i--i'm so dreadfully hungry." "dear me!" exclaimed his lordship, "i forgot all about dinner." it was quite true that, in his anxiety to catch trains and make a series of bewildering connections, the question of food had entirely escaped his memory, and, now he came to think of it, he was ravenously hungry himself. "i'm so sorry," he said helplessly. "we must see what we can find." it was years since he had dared to investigate his own pantries; but under the spur of miss arminster's necessities he achieved prodigies of valour, even breaking into that holy of holies, his sister's jam-closet. the little actress aided and abetted him, creating havoc among jars of sardines, olives, and caviare. and then, while they were in the midst of their midnight orgy, a figure appeared before them--a figure clad in an indescribable dressing-gown and carrying a bedroom candle. "josephus," said the apparition, "is that you?" "yes, my dear," replied the bishop, with his mouth full of jam tart, "it is." "i wonder you've the face to enter the house!" said his sister. "his own house! that's good," commented miss arminster from the midst of sardines. "i admit that the circumstances are unusual," remarked the bishop, cutting himself another large slice of the pastry, "but the train service is most irregular, and, as you can see, it was necessary to bring the leopard home to-night, and so--" "josephus!" broke in his sister, "there are no leopards in this country, and i _can_ see that to the other sins you have undoubtedly committed you have added the vice of--" but she got no further, for the bishop, casting a glance at each of the two women, decided that now or never was salvation at hand, and said brusquely: "matilda, go to bed at once!" it was the first time he had ever spoken to her in tones of authority, and his sister, not believing her ears, returned to the charge. "and as for that shameless minx--" she continued; but his lordship again interrupted, remarking severely: "matilda, go to bed instantly!" but the spinster was not yet defeated. "josephus!" she began, in her most approved style. "go to bed!" repeated the bishop sharply. for one moment she wavered. then, realising that under the present conditions resistance was worse than useless, she turned slowly upon her heel, and marched upstairs with the air of a martyr going to the stake. "you were right," said his lordship moodily, as he disposed of the last piece of pie-crust. "right about what?" asked violet. "mud-baths," returned the bishop. chapter vi. in which miss arminster proposes to marry again. cecil and miss matilda breakfasted alone the next morning. this was not by intention, but by fate. violet and the bishop, for obvious reasons, kept their respective rooms. mrs. mackintosh had felt it her duty to breakfast with, and comfort, her friend in distress, likewise to receive an early account of the doings of the day before; while smith and spotts, hearing that the fugitives had returned, took an early breakfast and adjourned to the neighboring golf-links. cecil, however, who slept well, came down at the usual hour, quite unconscious of what was impending, and calmly walked into the trap. after the ancient butler had passed the tea and toast, and then withdrawn, as was his wont, leaving them to carve out their own salvation, miss matilda lost no time in opening up the contest. she had been at swords' points with her nephew ever since the evening before, as a result of his stoutly maintaining his father's innocence, and the manner in which she reported her midnight meeting would have made even marchmont envious. "and now of course he'll have to marry her," she wound up her recital. "good heavens! i hope not!" ejaculated cecil. "i'm glad," remarked his aunt stiffly, "that we've at least one point of agreement." "oh, we are quite agreed on that," he returned. "it would never do at all; in fact it's quite impossible." "you know, then?" she demanded. "know what?" he asked cautiously. "that she's been married dozens of times already." "i don't think i can subscribe to more than half a dozen. but miss arminster certainly does seem to have a fondness for that sort of thing." "and in the face of such scandalous proceedings do you consider her a fit person to marry your poor misguided father?" "i've told you i don't approve," he said, and added: "how did you come to know about miss arminster's marriages?" "mr. marchmont told me." "confound him!" "cecil! mr. marchmont's a gentleman." "he's a mischief-maker of the first water." "do not let us waste time in discussing his character. the important question is, what are we to do about your father's marriage?" "stop it." "but how?" she asked. "shall i speak?" "no, no; leave it to me," he said. "i'll undertake to settle the matter. if you saw the bishop, you'd only irritate him." "he told me to go to bed, last night, after that woman had insulted me." "insulted you? i thought you told me she'd nothing to say for herself." "her presence was an insult, and one of us leaves this house to-day," replied his aunt, and swept out of the room. cecil gulped down his tea, and, ringing the bell, sent an urgent message to miss arminster, requesting a meeting in his aunt's boudoir, which, considering the purpose of the interview, he was sure miss matilda would not object to put at her disposal. violet received him in about twenty minutes, apologising for her charming tea-gown, on the ground of being somewhat seedy. "our supper last night was rather extraordinary, you know," she said. "i've only heard one version," he replied. "miss matilda's?" she asked, laughing. he nodded. "i fancy it was lurid enough," she went on; "but your good father's out of leading-strings this time, and no mistake." "tell me all about it," he said. "i'm most anxious to know." "of course you are," she returned. "so here goes." banborough enjoyed the recital immensely, and laughed immoderately at certain passages. "so the governor knows all about our adventures?" he said, when she had finished. "did he seem much upset?" "only about not recognising you when you blacked his eye under the bar." "what a good old chap he is! just think of his coming all that way to hunt me up! i wish he could have some fun out of life." "we must try and help him to do so," she said. "yes," he replied, suddenly recollecting the object of his mission. "it's just that that i've come about. you see he's awfully conscientious, and when he's thought things over a bit, helped by my aunt's amiable suggestions, he'll come to the conclusion that he ought to marry you, you know--and so--well, he'll try to do it," he ended lamely, hoping she would see the point without further elucidation on his part. she was quick to take him up. "and you don't think that's just the best way for him to have a good time? sour grapes--eh, my son?" "no, no; only he's certain to propose to you." "supposing he has done so?" "well--did you accept him?" "what do you think?" she asked. "i don't quite see how you could--under the circumstances." "oh, he'd only had two bottles of champagne," she said, purposely misunderstanding him from pure joy of seeing him flounder. "i didn't mean that," he went on. "but, anyway, his conscience will reassert itself, and he'll probably propose again this morning--ponderously." "and you're afraid i might accept?" "i'm sure you'd make a most charming step-mamma," he replied, "only--" "only what?" "only the--the others might object, mightn't they?" "the others?" "all the men you've married," he blurted out, "if you will have it." "i see," she said meditatively. "and you don't want to run the 'dear bishop' in for another scandal." "of course, if you choose to put it that way--" "it's the way you'd put it if you only had the pluck," she retorted. "are you awfully angry with me?" he asked, looking at her. "not a bit," she replied. "from your point of view it's quite justifiable, i suppose, and i'm only considering the best way out of the dilemma." "are there several?" "there's only one that i care to choose." "and that is?" "i shall marry again." "good heavens! not--!" "not your father, no; some one else." "but surely--!" "you see," she continued calmly, ignoring his interruption, "if i marry some one at once your father can't have any feeling of--shall we say responsibility? and it'll not be necessary for me to go into what miss matilda would call 'my shameful past.'" "but i really couldn't allow--" "oh, i'm not going to marry you either, so you needn't be alarmed. can't you make some suggestions to help me out?" "i am afraid you must excuse me," he said, fast becoming scandalised at her matter-of-fact way of approaching the subject. "well, of course," she went on thoughtfully, "there are all your father's chaplains, but they're young, and prone to take things seriously. no, i don't think they'd do. and there's the butler. no, he wouldn't answer, either." "perhaps miss matilda would lend you professor smith." "no," she said, "i don't think i'd have the heart to deprive her of him. on the whole, i think i'll marry mr. spotts. he's nice--and handy." "but mightn't he have something to say?" began banborough. "probably," admitted violet; "but he generally does what he's told, and as he isn't married to any one else, i dare say he'll prove amenable when he understands the position. i'll try and see him this morning, and," as a brilliant idea struck her, "your father shall perform the ceremony. i never was married by a bishop before. won't it be jolly!" "you surely can't seriously intend--" began cecil. "yes, i do. now don't be stupid, but run along and let me finish my toilet." and she ran out of the room. banborough walked away in a maze. he had thought to straighten matters out, and he had only got them into a far worse tangle. that miss arminster had no conscientious scruples about adding another husband to her quota was bad enough, but that his innocent, unsuspecting father should be allowed to disgrace his cloth by solemnising such a marriage was really more than he could stand. in his righteous wrath he determined that the bishop should know the whole truth, soothing his conscience by the thought that if he did not tell him, miss matilda would. in the hall of the palace, however, he ran across spotts, laden with the implements of golf, and all unconscious of his impending fate. "look here, old man," said cecil, "i want to have five minutes' chat with you." "i am quite at your service," replied his friend. "in fact i was just coming to look you up myself. now that the war's over, i must really be thinking of going away, as i've imposed long enough already on your hospitality." "oh, it isn't about that i want to see you," said banborough. "it's about your getting married." "my getting married?" queried spotts. "yes. it seems there's a lady who has matrimonial designs on you. i thought it was only the part of a friend to warn you in due season." "if it's your aunt," returned the actor, "i'm very much obliged. i think i could manage to get packed up and leave by the afternoon train." "no, no; it isn't so bad as that," said his host. "or, rather, it's worse. miss arminster has you under consideration." "as a husband?" "yes. i think she means to marry you to-morrow or next day, and have my father perform the ceremony." "oh, i see. and you've some feeling about it." "well, yes," admitted cecil, "i'm afraid i have." "i suppose you'd like to take my place?" "no, it isn't that either. yon don't seem to see the point. miss arminster wants to marry _you_." "well, isn't that a question between miss arminster and myself?" "naturally. but then she's married pretty frequently, hasn't she? of course, if all her husbands are dead--" "oh, no," said spotts. "i don't think she's ever lost a husband." "but you surely can't contemplate--" began cecil. "well, you see," contended the actor, "this is the first time she's ever asked me to marry her, and one can't be so ungallant as to refuse a lady." "and you'll really add yourself to her list?" spotts shrugged his shoulders. "my dear fellow," he said, "i don't want to appear rude, but this interference in my prospective matrimonial affairs seems to me ill-timed. miss arminster hasn't as yet proposed to me, and if she does, i'll probably consent to oblige her. anyway, it's doing you a favour, as i suppose your father would wish to marry her if i didn't." and turning on his heel, he walked away. as he ascended the stairs, he met violet coming down. they were standing on the broad landing, and for the moment were quite alone and out of earshot. "i say!" burst out the actor. "do you know i have just been warned against you by your friend banborough. a joke's a joke, but this is going too far." "i know, alvy," she said, "i know, and i'm awfully sorry. but it's almost over." "i hope it is," he replied. "i have held an equivocal position for months, and it isn't pleasant. why, i've practically seen nothing of you." "it hasn't been pleasant for me either, old man. but, to speak frankly, you know as well as i do that it's been largely a sentimental interest which has caused cecil to get us all out of this scrape. however, if he doesn't tell his father to-day--and i tried hard enough to force him to do so this morning--i shall." "good! then his lordship's leopard will be free," said spotts. and pressing her hand, he proceeded on his way upstairs. in the face of his two interviews, cecil felt he had no option but to refer the whole matter to the bishop, whom he found in his study. he received a somewhat grim reception from the old gentleman, to whom a sleepless night had afforded ample opportunity for reflecting on the vagaries of his son, to which he, not altogether unjustly, attributed his adventures of the preceding day. after formal salutations had been exchanged, the younger man, feeling that a disagreeable business was the better over, lost no time in coming to the point. "i don't know that there's anything to be said about the past, father," he began. "i should think there was a great deal to be said," returned his lordship brusquely. "but this is perhaps not the best time to say it. i've been told a very astonishing story by miss arminster." "about the black maria and--the spanish plot?" "about your wretched novel, sir!" "ah, yes. well, i corroborate it all, word for word. miss arminster told me about it this morning." "you've seen her, then?" "yes. we had a chat concerning a number of things. but, as you suggest, we might reserve the discussion of our joint american experiences till another occasion, so i won't mention them beyond apologising to you for having blacked your eye under the bar; though of course i could hardly have supposed that your ecclesiastical duties would have placed you in just that position." "say, rather, the search for an unregenerate son," suggested the bishop, with a twinkle in his eye which showed him to be in better humour. "well, anyway, you gave as good as you got," said cecil. "my ribs were sore for a week afterwards." "ah," replied his lordship. "i thought i must have landed you one. i haven't quite forgotten the athletics of my college days." "then we're quits," returned cecil. "but it was more than good of you to come out there and look for me. a father who could do all that deserves a somewhat better son than i've been in the past; and in the future--" "don't say it, cecil. i know it." and the bishop gripped his hand in a way that caused the mental and moral atmosphere to clear instantly. "and now," said his son, "i want to talk about miss arminster." "it's the subject nearest my heart," replied his father. "i asked her to marry me at montreal," cecil remarked simply. "so i inferred from what she said on the yacht," said his lordship. "and you proposed to her yesterday." "did she tell you?" "yes." "well?" "well, the fact is she doesn't want to marry either of us." the bishop nodded his head despondently. "but," continued the younger man, "she contemplates marrying some one else." "ah," said his lordship, "i'm heartily glad she proposes to _marry_--after yesterday." "quite so, and she means to ask you to perform the ceremony." "isn't that rather--" "rubbing it in?" suggested cecil. "so it seemed to me." "who is the--er--prospective bride-groom?" "spotts." "he seems a good fellow." "yes, but--will you forgive me if i speak frankly? there can't be any feeling of jealousy between us; we've both been worsted." "what do you wish to say?" "that i'm afraid this marriage must not be permitted. you see, miss arminster isn't quite what she seems." "if you're going to say anything against that young lady--!" began his lordship angrily. "you forget," said his son, "i wanted to marry her." his father remembered; and remembering, said: "proceed." "well, i found out, for myself i mean, that miss arminster had been married a number of times." "a number of times!" "half a dozen at least. perhaps more." "impossible!" "she admitted as much to me." "but surely--!" "as far as i know, none of her husbands has died." "in america," began the bishop, "the divorce laws are lax, and perhaps--" "oh, no, i'm sure she hasn't been divorced. i don't think she'd approve of it." "but then--it means--" "yes, that's just the point. and so another marriage with this mr. spotts--" "must be stopped at all costs!" cried his lordship, growing very red in the face with agitation. "i thought you'd feel so," said his son. "and that's why i ventured--" at this moment miss matilda entered the room. "what are you talking about, josephus?" she demanded, assuming a domination of which she felt by no means sure. "did i hear you mention that hussy's name?" "i was speaking," said the bishop, "of _miss arminster_. cecil tells me she's to marry mr. spotts." "that's impossible," snapped miss matilda. "what do you mean?" asked her brother. "i mean what i say. while you were shamelessly gallivanting down the channel, i went over to the little church near the ruined abbey which you visited the day you met mr. marchmont, and there i found a record of the marriage, in , of this _person_ who calls herself _miss_ arminster, and i say she can't marry mr. spotts." "why not?" "because she's married to him already!" chapter vii. in which miss arminster verifies the proverb. the bishop was pacing his garden. he was far from happy. it is true he had not been worsted in his encounter with his sister. there had been a drawn battle, and he had retired with dignity, conceding nothing but that he would ask miss arminster to come to his study at noon and explain her position. he could not believe the charges against the charming violet, but nevertheless he felt decidedly uncomfortable: for even if she cleared herself, she was still married, and the palace lacked a mistress. it was easy to say that miss matilda should be deposed, but who should take her place? not another man's wife, certainly. for the first time in all these years, his lordship realised how lonely he had been. he should have remarried long before, and indeed even so unworldly a person as he knew that more than one young lady in blanford would have viewed with complacency the prospect of becoming mrs. bishop. a young wife, however, even as attractive as the fair violet, was not, he told himself, exactly what he wanted. he had tried a period of double rule in which his sister was the power behind the throne, and it was infinitely worse than the present régime. no; if he took another helpmate, she must be a person of strong will, some one who could hold her own against all comers, some one who should have an inexhaustible fund of sympathy for his work, some one whose appreciation of the exalted position of the bishop of blanford should be so great as to blind her, occasionally at least, to those minor faults to which, scripture tells us, all flesh is heir. it was at just this point in his meditations that his lordship, turning sharply round the corner of a large gooseberry-bush, came suddenly upon mrs. mackintosh. their surprise was mutual, for the good lady had evidently been gardening, and was suffering from the rigour of the game. "that head man of yours is a duffer," she said sharply, pointing a very earthy trowel at the unconscious figure of the gardener, who was busy in the middle distance digging potatoes. "a man," she continued, "who calls a plain, every-day squash a vegetable marrow isn't fit to run a well-ordered truck-patch; though it's no more than might be expected in a country where they sell bread by the yard, and flour by the gallon. and what, i should like to know, is a 'punnet'?" "i'm afraid, madam, i must confess my ignorance," replied the bishop. "i thought as much," she retorted. "and yet they put you in command of a diocese. your gardener said to me this morning: 'i'll pick a "punnet" of strawberries to-day.' 'you'll do nothing of the kind,' i told him. 'pick them in a christian basket, or not at all.'" his lordship laughed. "it's some sort of measure, i imagine," he remarked. "i shouldn't wonder. and your cook's just as bad. she asked me yesterday if i liked jugged hare. 'let me see your jug,' said i, 'and then i'll tell you.' and as sure's i'm a sinner, she told me she never used one for that dish!" "now you speak of it," said his lordship, "i don't think i ever saw one myself. but what are you doing this morning?" "straightening the peas." "straightening the peas?" he asked, thoroughly mystified. "yes, they're all waggly. when i plant my garden i take a string and two pegs and plant the seed along a line; but these just seem to be put in anyhow." "is it good for the peas?" asked the bishop suspiciously, as he saw them being rooted up and reset. "i can't say," she returned sharply. "but things ought to be straight at an episcopal palace, if they are anywhere." "so they should," he admitted mournfully, "but it's far from being the case. that's why i came out to consult you." "go ahead, then. you talk, and i'll dig." and while the plants were being arranged to an ecclesiastical standard, he retailed to her the charges against violet. "do you believe them?" she asked, jamming her trowel up to its hilt in the soft earth. "of course i do not." "right you are," she said. "i know the whole story, and it's nothing to be ashamed of, i give you my word." "you relieve me immensely." "it's merely american enterprise," continued the old lady. "that's why they call her the leopard." "the leopard-- i don't understand. she asked me to call her that." "well, i won't steal her thunder. she'll tell you herself." "but she is married?" "oh, yes." the bishop sighed. "that disappoints you?" said mrs. mackintosh thoughtfully, balancing a pea-plant in her hand. "yes; at least i'd hoped--" "i know. she told me. we haven't any secrets from each other." "you see," continued his lordship, "if my sister leaves me, i must have some one to take her place; otherwise--" "she won't go." "yes," said the bishop; "that's just the point." "you ought to marry at once." "i feel that myself; but then, you see, there's no one who would care to marry me--no one at least who--" "you don't want a young chit." "no," said his lordship. "somebody more like you." mrs. mackintosh paused in her gardening. "look here," she said. "are you going to propose to me next?" "i--was--thinking of it," admitted the bishop. "as a last resource?" "my dear mrs. mackintosh!" "i don't know as i ever could be a bishopess," replied that lady, inadvertently resetting a pea-plant upside down. "there's jonah," said the bishop, resorting to diplomacy. "i shall never be able to complete that last volume without the spur of your appreciative criticism." "well," she replied, partially relenting, "i'd do a good deal for--jonah." "then you will!" he cried. "i've one row of those peas left," she returned, "and when i've reset them i'll give you your answer. that'll be in fifteen minutes. now go away, or you'll fidget round, and i sha'n't get 'em straight." and without another word she resumed her digging. fifteen minutes later his lordship was at her side. "there's one more plant left," remarked mrs. mackintosh, cleaning her trowel and addressing herself to the task. "and are you going to say yes when you have finished?" "yes," said the lady, "i am, but it's mostly on account of jonah." the bishop ruthlessly set his foot on the tender shoot which intervened between him and happiness, crushing it to the earth. some time later mrs. mackintosh remarked: "the cathedral clock is striking twelve, and you're due in the study." "you mean, my dear, that _we_ are due," replied his lordship. * * * * * on their arrival in the bishop's sanctum, they found the full force of the company assembled to receive them. miss matilda looked on this gathering with suspicion. "i do not see," she said, "the need of so many witnesses to what must prove, i fear, a humiliating confession." "i've come," returned mrs. mackintosh, "to lend moral support to--" she glanced at the bishop, changed her mind, and supplemented--"miss arminster." "shall i speak?" asked miss matilda, ignoring her remark. "i will speak," said his lordship. "it is my house, and my place to do so." his sister sat down hurriedly. "i've sent for you, my dear," he continued, turning to violet, "because certain charges have been made against you by mr. marchmont and--others, and, as my son informs me that you contemplate marrying mr. spotts, and asking me to perform the ceremony, i feel it is my duty--" "she's already--" broke in his sister. "i am speaking, matilda," he said quietly, and she collapsed. "you mustn't think," he went on, "that my asking you to explain your position implies any belief on my part in the charges made against you. i've only requested this interview because i thought you'd like an opportunity to disprove idle gossip." "it's very kind of you," she replied, "and i shall avail myself of it gladly." "quite so. now my sister tells me that she's seen, in a neighbouring church, the record of your marriage to mr. spotts. is this so?" "certainly," said violet. "i married him there in ." miss matilda sniffed viciously. "mr. marchmont," continued the bishop, "in whose statements, i need hardly say, i place no reliance, informed my sister that you had been married with unusual frequency; and my son tells me, also, that you've admitted to him a--er--a considerable number of--er--matrimonial alliances. would you--er--er--consider it an intrusion on my part if i asked how many times you have been married?" "i've had the marriage service performed over me," she replied, "thirty-seven times in four years." miss matilda threw up her hands in an access of horror. "but your husbands--" stammered his lordship. "i never had but one husband," she said. "and here he stands." and she took spotts's hand in hers. "bless my soul!" exclaimed the bishop. "you surely haven't married him thirty-seven times?" "yes, that is exactly the case," she returned. "but i don't understand." "the explanation is very simple," she replied. "my husband and i are both actors. he plays the part of the hero, and i the part of the heroine. in the fifth act, after many struggles and disappointments, we're at last united. to have the marriage ceremony actually performed on the stage, or the next day at church, has always proved a great attraction to our audiences. at first i objected. but i've been informed by a competent authority in my own country that there's no canonical rule against it, and in remarrying my husband i merely renew my vows to him, and i've never once gone through the ceremony lightly or thoughtlessly. i do not defend the practice, or expect you to approve of it, and, now that you know the truth, i shouldn't think of asking you to marry us again; but i don't consider that i've done anything of which i need be ashamed." "dear me!" said the bishop. "in my ecclesiastical position i can hardly approve of the course you've taken; but as a man--well, it's a great relief to me." "i consider it a sacrilege," exclaimed miss matilda, "and, as i remarked to cecil this morning, that young person leaves the palace to-day, or i do!" "you'll naturally act as seems to you best," said her brother. "but i beg you to remember that i'm master of this house, and that this lady is my guest." "and who, pray, will keep your house for you when i'm gone?" she snapped. "i'm sure that mrs. spotts will attend to it for me until mrs. mackintosh and i are married." "till you're married!" his sister repeated after him, too astounded to grasp fully the meaning of his words. "it is an event which i hope will occur shortly," her brother replied. "that's enough!" she retorted. "i leave blanford this afternoon!" "i trust you'll not go in anger, matilda," he said. "i'm sure a change will do you good. miss arminster--i mean mrs. spotts--suggests a course of mud-baths; and if you'll permit me to assume the expense--" "josephus!" she returned shortly, "do not add insult to injury." and she swept from the room. "i, too," said professor tybalt smith, who had hitherto remained silent--"i, too, must be permitted to excuse myself. it may be that i can comfort that injured lady in her exile." and he followed her out. "oh, i'm delighted!" cried violet, seizing mrs. mackintosh's hand. "and i, too," said cecil. "thank you," replied his stepmother-to-be. "that pleases me more than anything else. i hope you'll really make blanford your home." "i shall indeed," he returned, "since no one will have me as a husband." "you've the great success of your book to comfort you," suggested violet. "what more can you ask?" "well, as it seems a day of explanations," he said, "i should really like to know why you're called 'the leopard'?" "it's a very trifling secret after all," she replied, laughing. "but to have let you know it would have given away our little plot. now it doesn't matter. tell him, alvy." "it's merely this," said her husband gaily: "that, as much as she may marry, his lordship's leopard can never change her spot(t)s." the end. godfrey's the harp of life mo. $ . . a very human account of certain events in the life of the first violin of the pinecliff (england) orchestra. _boston transcript_: "she has literary skill, grace, delicacy.... here and there are bits of description sketched in with as much sympathy as truthfulness.... her artistic sense is very keen. she doesn't introduce a description like this for the mere sake of describing: something, but for the purpose of contrast with a mood or situation, and she never spoils a perspective. although she is writing a musical novel, she never rhapsodizes.... the characterization is effective throughout.... this masterly tale cannot want for readers, it seems to us." _public opinion_: "miss godfrey writes understandingly of music and the musical temperament." _outlook_: "there are several characters of interest, and the somewhat unusual situations in which they are placed are handled in a clever and novel manner." _n. y. herald_: "she draws human nature, delights in the opposition of character, and has, in fact, written a first-rate modern novel." _buffalo commercial advertiser_: "a thoroughly good, strong, pure story." godfrey's poor human nature a musical novel. _ d impression_, mo. $ . . the story of some wagnerian singers at the court opera of blankenstadt. it has been said that this name thinly veils dresden, and that the book gives an intimate picture of musical life at the saxon capital. _bookman_: "it is curiously convincing. the characters, too are peculiarly real.... each and every one stands out with vivid distinction, and is not soon to be forgotten.... the portrayal of local life, particularly that appertaining to operatic circles, is full of freshness and interest.... it is well written, it is nobly felt, it is altogether an admirable work." _new york tribune_: "one of the cleverest musical novels we know, and it is particularly creditable in that it holds nothing of the hysterical gush with which the feminine writer usually fills fiction of this kind.... the study of the group of singers at the royal opera in a minor german city is astonishingly well done, and so is the portrait of the great tenor's peasant wife ... so unmistakably true that she must have been drawn from life ... an uncommonly attractive and interesting novel." _boston transcript_: "we have nothing but praise to say of this fine, strong tale, and can recommend it heartily and without qualification." _literary world_: "there is a distinctly original touch in this story.... full of interest." _ st impression of a remarkable romance._ the gadfly. by e. l. voynich. mo, cloth. $ . . _new york tribune_: "it is nothing more or less than one of the most powerful novels of the decade.... he shows us the veritable conspirator of history, who plotted like a human being: and not like an operatic bandit.... it is a thrilling book and absolutely sober.... 'the gadfly' is an original and impressive being; ... a story to remember." _new york times_: "paradox worked up with intense dramatic effect is the salient feature of 'the gadfly'; ... shows a wonderfully strong hand, and descriptive powers which are rare; ... a very remarkable romance." _the dial_: "one of the most interesting phases of the history of nineteenth century europe. the story of the italian revolutionary movement; ... is full of such incidents as the novelist most desires; ... this novel is one of the strongest of the year, vivid in conception, and dramatic in execution, filled with intense human feeling, and worked up to a tremendously impressive climax." _the critic_: "an historical novel permeated with a deep religious interest in which from first to last the story is dominant and absorbing.... 'the gadfly' is a figure to live in the imagination." _the new york herald_: "an exceptionally clever story, eminently fresh and original. the author has a capital story to tell, and he tells it consummately well.... the beaten track has not allured him, and the characters to whom he introduces us are not such as we meet in every-day novels. this is the crowning merit of this book." _the chap book_: "gives the reading public an opportunity to welcome a new and intense writer; ... a profound psychological study; ... a powerful climax. yet, however much the imagination be used, the author will be found to rise beyond it; the scene at high mass on the feast of corpus christi being one of the most powerful in english fiction." _the independent_: "we have read this peculiar romance with breathless interest; ... a romance of revolutionary experiences in italy; lifelike, stirring, picturesque, a story of passion, sacrifice, and tragic energy." _the literary world_: "a powerful and picturesque story--a canvas glowing with color and life--the few striking characters stand out in firm, resolute outlines. we heartily commend 'the gadfly.'" _the buffalo commercial_: "in every way sharp, thrilling, entertaining." _the chicago post_: "a powerful story, and, unlike others of its kind, holds the reader's attention strictly to the end." _the chicago times-herald_: "'the gadfly' is a tremendous story. it goes on like a whirlwind, gathering force as it rushes." barrow's the fortune of war a novel of the last year of the american revolution. mo. $ . . the scene is laid mainly in new york city during the british occupation, partly on one of the prison ships, and partly in the patriot camp at morristown. the life in the headquarters of the two armies is cleverly contrasted. the story has a strong "love interest." _n. y. times saturday review_: "the story is a good one, the historical data accurate, and the ways and manners of the period are cleverly presented." _the outlook_: "miss elizabeth barrow has done her work, not only well, but delightfully well." _chicago times-herald_: "another tale of the time of washington, but one that is more deserving both of popular and critical appreciation than some of the much-vaunted financial successes." _springfield republican_: "it gives a good picture of new york city as it was in the eighteenth century.... the story is agreeable reading." _hartford courant_: "she has done good work in her romance; ... it is told in a very attractive way.... the book is decidedly one that will entertain." godfrey's the harp of life uniform with the author's "poor human nature." mo. $ . . an intensely human story of an episode in the life of the first violin of an orchestra, at an english watering-place. miss godfrey has again been uncommonly happy in creating a "musical atmosphere." lucas's the open road a little book for wayfarers, bicycle-wise and otherwise. compiled by e. v. lucas, editor of "a book of verses for children." with illustrated cover-linings. green and gold flexible covers. mo. $ . . some poems of out-door life and prose passages, representing over authors, including fitzgerald, shelley, shakespeare, kenneth grahame, stevenson, whitman, bliss carman, browning, william watson, alice meynel, keats, wordsworth, matthew arnold, tennyson, william morris, maurice hewlett, izaak walton, wm. barnes, herrick, gervase markham, dobson, lamb, milton, whittier, etc. "_better than the 'prisoner of zenda.'_"--critic th impression of the sequel to "the prisoner of zenda" hope's rupert of hentzau from the memoirs of fritz von tarlenheim. with eight full-page illustrations by charles dana gibson, mo, $ . . _a. dithmar in new york times' saturday review_: "delightfully stirring and irresponsible, ... a sequel ... for a wonder as vigorous and powerful as its original.... it seems to bring romance to life again." _life_: "a sequel to 'zenda' which does not let down one bit the high standard of chivalrous love which was the charm of that romance.... mr. hope's heroes are never dull.... these 'zenda' stories have added a distinctly modern value to what men and women mean by the 'sense of honor.'... the closing chapters are simply written, elevated in sentiment, and an ideal solution of the fate of _flavia_ and _rudolf_." _geo. w. smalloy in new york herald_: "a story which lays a spell upon you. the animation is unceasing, and so, therefore, is the interest.... mr. hope has not lost his old deftness in dialogue.... the scene between the two men [sapt and james] after the murder ... is a masterpiece." _new york tribune_: "everything moves swiftly and naturally to the climax, upon which, we may add, mr. hope has wreaked himself with a tact that is perhaps the best thing in the book.... it is absorbing, and especially is it an excellent sequel, which is more than can be said of most books of its kind." _springfield republican_: "it is a question whether it does not rival 'the prisoner of zenda' itself in excellence.... it strikes a stronger and deeper note." _brooklyn eagle_: "has the ring of genuine humanity and true romance." _chicago tribune_: "considered as a sequel, the book is surprisingly good. it retains the spirit of 'zenda,' is fertile in invention, swift in movement, and is of a thrilling and absorbing nature." th impression of the new edition of hope's prisoner of zenda with five full-page illustrations by charles dana gibson, and a view and plan of the castle by howard ince. mo, $ . . other books by anthony hope with frontispieces by rackham, russell, and wechsler. mo, cents each. indiscretion of the duchess, _ th impression_. the dolly dialogues, _ th impression_. a change of air, _ th impression_. a man of mark, _ th impression_. sport royal, etc., _ th impression_. "tense with sustained power." --_new york commercial advertiser_. folly corner by mrs. henry dudeney mo. $ . . a novel of love against reason in conflict with love conformable to reason, worked out with all the power of the author's former novel, "the maternity of harriot wicken," but much more inviting in subject, characters, and treatment. a distinct advance on that able work and full of promise for the future of this rising author. scene, sussex to-day. _n. y. commercial advertiser_: "it shows the same deep insight into the complications of the human soul [as did the author's earlier novel].... this story from the opening page is tense with sustained power and is surely destined to be one of the most important contributions to this season's fiction." _n. y. mail and express_: "these pictures have the true color, alive with the activity of nature or soothing in its quietude. they form a distinct feature of the book, beautify its pages and make them notable.... it has the elements in it of a wider popularity [than that of the author's earlier novel], which it deserves in every sense." _buffalo commercial_: "we find just the same originality in plot, skill in character depiction, and the effective presentation of events [which characterized 'the maternity of harriot wicken'].... in the story we see so artistic a description of the play of character, the various phases of human goodness and badness are so well drawn out, that the book deserves high praise.... the description of the life of folly corner, and the men and women seen there, is not surpassed by any work of any contemporary novelist. the book is a notable one every way." _the academy, london_: "really interesting; ... the writing is generally vigorous and even brilliant. the comedy is first rate.... it is in fact a successful novel." "one of the most captivating works of fiction that it has been our good fortune to read."--_dial_. god's prisoner by john oxenham. mo, $ . . a story of adventure in england and the southern seas. _dial_: "a series of the most romantic and startling experiences. the author's invention is unflaggingly brilliant, and his narrative manner both direct and forcible.... the reader bent upon excitement alone, and the reader who delights in the better qualities of romance--in literary form and psychological portrayal--will alike find their account in a book which we counsel them not to miss." _book buyer_: "it is not likely that any story bristles more with ingenious surprises.... if the reader should leave off in the middle, there is no doubt that he would be sorely perplexed; but it is safe to say that he will never have the fortitude to leave off in the middle." _new york commercial advertiser_: "a very intense sort of book.... many thrilling scenes and strong delineations of emotion." _new york times_: "a romance of adventure carried out to its ultimate degree." _new york tribune_: "by a daring abuse of coincidence the climax is made positively amazing.... the tale of his wanderings is well invented and diverting.... 'god's prisoner' is unnatural in its tone, but it is not dull." _new york herald_: "very entertaining reading." _literary world_: "so much of the interest depends on the surprises in the plot, that we will not even give an outline of the story, but only say that it holds several absorbing situations." _public opinion_: "a good story.... the mystery and agony preceding the discovery is drawn in just the right shades. there was danger of overdoing it, but the author was not to be entrapped.... there are surprises to the end." _chicago times-herald_: "there is such power of analysis, of description, and of imagination, that one feels sure that he has to deal here with the ebullition of an uncommon mind." _saturday review_ (london): "he tells his tale in so brisk and plausible a fashion that belief comes easily." _graphic_ (london): "has stronger motive for a novel of romantic and sensational adventure than is at all usual, and to the very great advantage of an otherwise exciting and well-constructed story." henry holt & co. west rd street new york bob cook and the german spy by paul g. tomlinson author of "to the land of the caribou," "the trail of black hawk," etc. preface every one knows that germany is famous for her spy system. scarcely a land on earth but is, or was, honeycombed with the secret agents of the german government. ever since this country began to send war munitions to the allies an organized band of men has plotted and schemed against the peace and welfare of the united states. when america itself declared war their efforts naturally were redoubled. our secret service has been wonderfully efficient, but it has not been humanly possible to apprehend every spy and plotter at once. it is a big task to unravel all the secrets of this great german organization. we are at war with germany now and it is the duty of every american to help his government in every way he can. this book is the story of how two boys, too young to enlist, did "their bit" right in their own home town. it is not an exaggerated tale, but presents in story form what has actually happened all around us. due allowance is made for the fact that the most of our citizens of german birth and descent are good americans. no one whose motto is, "america first," need fear offense from anything contained in the story of "bob cook and the german spy." two boys loved their country and did their duty by it. may we all do as well. paul g tomlinson. elizabeth, n. j. contents chapter i war is declared ii the secret service at work iii bob has a fight iv heinrich and percy v on the bridge vi hugh has an idea vii in the night viii a strange occurrence ix another surprise x bob is mystified xi the deserted house xii trapped xiii mistaken identity xiv an expedition xv fire xvi more complications xvii a message xviii karl hoffmann xix a discussion xx another suspect xxi on the street xxii bob acts quickly xxiii under the light xxiv at the factory xxv a struggle in the dark xxvi an expedition is planned xxvii a raid and a surprise xxviii conclusion bob cook and the german spy chapter i war is declared "well," said mr. cook, "i see that the united states has declared war on germany. i am glad of it, too." "why, robert!" exclaimed mrs. cook. "how can you say such a thing? just think of all the fine young american boys who may be killed." "i realize all that," said her husband. "at the same time i agree with president wilson that the german government has gone mad, and as a civilized nation it is our duty to defend civilization. the only way left for us is to go in and give germany a good beating." "and i shall enlist and get a commission," cried harold, their eldest boy. "i am twenty-three years old. i have been at plattsburg two summers, and i have done a lot of studying; i know i can pass the examinations." "what will you be if you do pass?" inquired his father. "a lieutenant?" "well," said harold, "a second-lieutenant." "i wish i could enlist," sighed bob. "huh!" snorted his older brother. "you can't enlist. what military training have you had? and besides, you're only seventeen; they wouldn't take you." the cook family were seated at the dinner table, mother, father, and three children, the two boys referred to above and a young daughter, louise, just thirteen years of age. congress had that day declared war on germany, and naturally that was the one thing in every one's mind. crowds in front of the newspaper offices had greeted the news from washington with wild enthusiasm, patriotic parades had been organized, and from almost every house and office streamed the stars and stripes. bob cook had been among the crowds, and his young mind and heart were fired with patriotism and enthusiasm. a company of soldiers from the thirty-ninth infantry called out the week before had caused him to cheer and hurl his cap high in the air, while all the time he envied the men in khaki. "i hate to think of you enlisting, harold," said mrs. cook sadly. "why?" demanded harold earnestly. "don't you think it is my duty to offer my services to my country! i'm free; no one is dependent upon me." "i know," agreed his mother, "but somehow i don't like to have my boy go over to france and be killed. let some one else go." "suppose every one said that," exclaimed harold. "we shouldn't have much of an army and our country wouldn't be very well defended, would it?" "let him go," said mr. cook quietly to his wife. "i don't want him killed any more than you do, but there are some things worse than that. suppose he was afraid to go; you'd be ashamed of your son then i know." "how do you know i'm going to get killed anyway?" demanded harold. "every one that goes to war doesn't get killed. at any rate it's sort of gruesome to sit up and hear your family talk as if you were just as good as dead already." "true enough," laughed mr. cook. "when does your examination come?" "next monday." "will you wear a uniform?" asked louise. "why, certainly," said harold, swelling out his chest at the thought. "i wish i could enlist," sighed bob. "you're too young, i told you," said harold scornfully. "i'll bet i could fight as well as you could," said bob stoutly. "besides, i'm big for my age and maybe if i told them i was older than i really am they might take me." "don't do that, bob," said his father earnestly. "don't lie about it." "they'd find you out anyway," exclaimed harold. "you can't fool these recruiting officers." "i'd like to get to france and see the trenches, and see the soldiers, and the guns, and the fighting," bob insisted. "do you realize that harold may never get to france even if he does enlist and get a commission?" remarked mr. cook. "why not?" "first of all on account of mexico." "do you think the mexicans will make trouble?" inquired harold. "i shouldn't be at all surprised," said mr. cook. "if they think we have our hands full with germany those bandits may stir up a fuss and then troops would have to be sent down there." "and harold might be one of them," laughed bob. "that would be a joke, wouldn't it?" "i don't see why," cried harold warmly. "if troops were needed in mexico and i was one of those sent, i'd be serving my country just the same." "of course you would," his father agreed. "it might be though that you wouldn't even get out of high ridge." "you think they'd keep us right here?" demanded harold, his face falling. "possibly," said mr. cook. "it might be that you'd have your hands full too." "do you think the germans could land an army and invade this country?" exclaimed mrs. cook in alarm. "not for a minute do i think that," said mr. cook. "then what do you mean?" "aren't there lots of germans in the country already?" "do you think they'd make trouble?" "most of them would be peaceable enough, but some of them would only be too glad to blow up some factories, or railroads, or things like that." "they've been doing that for the last two years," said harold, "but i don't see what there is in high ridge." "there's my company," said mr. cook. he was president of the high ridge steel company. "but you don't make war supplies," exclaimed mrs. cook. "why should they want to blow up your plant?" "up until now we haven't manufactured war supplies," mr. cook corrected. "this afternoon, however, we took a contract from the government to make high explosive shells. and, what is more, we are going to do it at cost price so we shan't make a cent out of it." "i think that's fine," said bob enthusiastically. "perhaps you'll have to stay home and guard father's factory, harold." "do you think there'll be any danger to it?" harold asked his father. "i don't know," replied mr. cook. "there are a lot of rabid germans in high ridge and you can't be sure just what they will do." the telephone rang at that moment and bob excused himself to go into the next room and answer it. dinner was now over and the rest of his family shortly followed. as they entered the sitting-room where the telephone was located, bob was in the act of hanging up the receiver. "who was it, bob?" asked his mother. "i don't know; it sounded like a german's voice. at any rate he had the wrong number. he said, 'iss dis mr. vernberg?'" "oh, wernberg," exclaimed mr. cook. "he's the man who moved into that house down on the corner about two years ago. karl wernberg is his full name and he's one of the worst of the germans; he used to be an officer in the german army, i understand." "what do you mean 'he's one of the worst of the germans'?" asked harold. "why, the way he talks against the united states and for germany. he's made all his money here, too." "what's his business?" "some kind of chemicals, i believe." "perhaps he's making bombs," laughed harold, and the rest of the family joined in the laugh. that is, all but bob, who took the suggestion seriously, and his heart thumped a beat faster at the thought. in fact, as he went to bed that night his mind was filled with thoughts of spies, and plotters, and the hundred and one other things connected with the war that he and his family had discussed that evening. he went to the closet and took out the . caliber rifle that he owned; it was in good condition and bob assured himself that he had plenty of cartridges, though he knew so small a gun would be of but little use in time of trouble. as he undressed he thought over the events of the day. never had he experienced such excitement. war had been declared, and many of the young men, not much older than he, had enlisted. he, too, wanted to go in the worst way, but he knew that his father and brother were right when they said he would not be accepted. "why not?" muttered bob to himself. "i'm big enough and strong enough too; i could stand it as well as most of those fellows, even if they are older. besides i weigh a hundred and fifty-three and i'm five feet nine inches tall. perhaps they won't take me because i've got light hair and blue eyes," he murmured bitterly. "they think i look like a german." stripped to the skin he stood in front of the mirror and looked at himself. certainly he was big and strong. he had always lived a clean, outdoor life, he had been active in athletics and right now was captain of the high school baseball team. the muscles played and rippled under his white skin, as he moved his lithe young body to and fro. a few breathing exercises before he jumped into bed, and then he was under the covers. and all night long he dreamed of chasing big fat germans up and down the streets, over fences, and across fields, and even up the steep sides of houses. usually just as he had caught up with them he awoke. most of all he dreamed he was pursuing karl wernberg, who was a middle-aged german and not hard to overtake. but bob did not catch him because he always woke up too soon. chapter ii the secret service at work the following morning bob was in the trolley car on his way to school. the car was full, and every one was eagerly scanning a newspaper or discussing the war with his neighbor. words of praise for the president were to be heard on all sides, and enthusiasm was everywhere in evidence. old men wished they were young enough to enlist. all at once bob heard voices raised in dispute. the trouble was at the opposite end of the car, but he could hear plainly what was said. "it is wrong, all wrong," exclaimed a florid-faced man with a light mustache, who plainly was of german blood. "what has germany done to this country?" "they've sunk our ships when they had no right to, and they've murdered our peaceful citizens," said the man next to him. "isn't that enough?" "they were forced to do it," the german insisted. "oh, no, they weren't," said his neighbor calmly. "any one can play the game according to the rules if he wants to; there is never any excuse for dirty work." "germany wants peace with the united states," said the german loudly. "well, if they do, they take a strange method of showing it," replied the other man with a grim smile. "personally it's my opinion that we've been patient with germany far too long. now they've forced war upon us and for my part i'm ready to go out and fight for my country." every one in the car was now listening to the discussion, and perhaps the most interested listener of all was young robert cook. "well, i won't fight for the united states!" exclaimed the big german, rising to his feet. "i won't fight for germany either, but i'll fight all right." he started toward the door of the car, while bob pondered over his last remark and wondered what it could mean. as the german approached the door, a man dressed in a neat black suit and soft hat got up out of his seat. bob was watching the german and also noticed this man, though not particularly; he did see that he had a square jaw and a determined look in his gray eyes. the german started to crowd past the stranger who stood squarely in the aisle. "don't be in such a hurry," said the man quietly. "you stay here." "i want to get off this car," shouted the german angrily. "get out of my way." "i want you to come with me," said the man still in the same quiet tone. as the german started to protest once more he drew back his coat slightly and bob saw the gleam of a badge on his coat. "sit down," he said to the german, who obeyed without further question. there was a mild flurry of excitement in the car, and there were smiles of amusement on the faces of many of the passengers as they glanced at the german sitting meekly in the corner of the seat. he seemed entirely cowed now, and kept his eyes fixed upon the floor, save for an occasional look he stole at the secret service man standing in front of him. the latter seemed entirely at his ease and acted as if not a thing out of the ordinary had taken place. bob was greatly impressed, and looked with marked respect at the quiet-mannered detective standing near him. he wondered what it was all about, and his father's words of the evening before concerning plotters and spies came again to his mind. he wondered if he could join the secret service and help his country in that way. then he remembered that he was only seventeen and sighed to think that there was probably less chance of that than there was of being taken into the army. what was the detective going to do with the german, wondered bob. the car was approaching the high school, and he would have to get off soon and he did not want to miss any of the drama. suddenly he remembered the police station on the block adjoining the school building and decided that that must be the detective's destination. bob decided to stay on the car long enough to see anyway. they passed the high school, and sure enough, as they came to the next corner, the secret service agent motioned to the german to follow him out. bob decided to go along. they got off the trolley car and entered the police station. behind the desk sat the sergeant, a man named riley, well known to bob. the detective led his prisoner up to the rail. "i want you to take care of this man for me, sergeant," he said, at the same time displaying his badge. "certainly," said sergeant riley quickly. "here, donovan," he called to a policeman standing near by. "take this man and lock him up." officer donovan beckoned to the german who was standing sullenly by the side of the policeman; his face was white and his eyes gleamed wickedly while he opened and closed his hands nervously. he even started to protest, but before he could say anything sergeant riley quickly silenced him. without further ado he joined the policeman, and together they disappeared through the door leading out to the room where the cells were located. satisfied that his prisoner was taken in charge, the secret service agent turned and without further ado left the building. bob was much excited and interested. "who was that secret service man?" he inquired of the sergeant. "dunno," said riley. "i never saw him before." "he didn't even make a charge against the man," said bob. "i know it," said riley. "he don't have to." "i thought you couldn't lock up a man unless there was some charge against him," exclaimed bob. "we have orders to lock up every man them fellers bring in here," said sergeant riley. "we keep 'em here until we get word to do something else with 'em. it's not for us to ask questions, you know." "have you got any more here?" demanded bob. "that's the first; we have accommodations for seventy-five though." "whew," exclaimed bob. "do you think there'll be much trouble with the germans here in high ridge?" "can't say. some of them are a crazy lot. at any rate we're ready for 'em. and what are you doing here at this time o' day anyhow? you'll be late for school; your visiting hour here is usually in the afternoon." "i saw that fellow on the trolley," bob explained. "i wanted to see what happened to him." "well, you better run along," advised the sergeant. "come in and see me later." bob hurried out and ran down the block toward the high school. his mind was not on his lessons, however. war was uppermost in his thoughts, and he still pondered over what his father had said the evening before, and the recent arrest of the german in the trolley car. probably after all there was something in this scare about spies and plotters. he arrived at school fifteen minutes late, but nothing was said to him. school discipline was greatly relaxed that morning and instead of recitations the first period, the principal gave a talk on patriotism and what the declaration of war would mean. he especially warned the pupils against acting differently toward any of their number who might be of german blood. "they may be just as good and loyal citizens as we are," he said. "at any rate we must act as though they were until they convince us otherwise." bob considered this good advice, but he still thought of his father's words and his experience of that morning. "suppose anything should happen to father's steel works," he thought. they were making shells for the government and could afford to run no risks. "i'll see if i can be of any help in protecting them," he told himself. he tried to concentrate his mind on his tasks, but it seemed hopeless. the words of the german in the trolley came back to him continually--"i won't fight for germany. i won't fight for the united states either, but i'll fight all right." what could he have meant? did he mean that he wouldn't try to enlist in either the german or american armies, but that he'd do his fighting on his own account? how could that be? bob wondered if the fighting he would do would be for this country or germany. if for this country, it seemed queer that the secret service officer should have arrested him. the thought of bombs returned insistently to bob's mind. recess came at last and he sought out hugh reith, his best friend. hugh was a boy of bob's own age, almost exactly his size, and as they both liked to do the same things they were bosom companions. bob was light and hugh was dark, his hair was almost raven black, and his eyes a deep brown. he had large hands and several crooked fingers owing to the fact that he had broken them playing base ball. he was stronger than bob, though not so agile or quick on his feet, and while he could defeat his light-haired friend in tests of strength he was not a match for him when it came to speed. "what do you think of this war, hugh?" bob asked eagerly. "i wish i could enlist," said hugh. "so do i, but i guess we can't." "we're too young, i suppose. isn't there anything we can do to help?" "my father thinks we may have trouble with the germans here in town. if anything starts you can be sure i'm going to get in it if possible." "say," exclaimed hugh, "did you see young frank wernberg this morning when the principal was making his speech about patriotism?" "no, what was he doing?" "oh, he was snickering and making side remarks to jim scott, and making himself generally objectionable." "if i'd been jim i'd have told him to keep quiet," said bob warmly. "that's just what he did do finally." "did he stop?" "oh, for a little while," said hugh. "he was awful, i thought." "you know," said bob, "my father says that mr. wernberg is about the most rabid german in high ridge. he's crazy on the subject." "who, your father?" "no, mr. wernberg. he's crazy on the subject of germany. he thinks it is the greatest country in the world and that every one in the united states is a fool or something." "why doesn't he go back to germany then?" demanded hugh angrily. "that's what i--" "sh," hissed hugh. "here comes frank wernberg now." chapter iii bob has a fight frank wernberg was a stocky, light-haired boy with blue eyes and a pink and white complexion; that is, it was usually pink and white, though this morning his face was flushed and red. his eyes had a glint in them not usually apparent and his mouth was drawn down at the corners into a scowl. his hair, close-cropped, seemed to bristle more than was its wont; in fact his usual mild-mannered appearance had given way to one of belligerency. "hello, frank," said bob pleasantly. "hello," said frank shortly. "what's the matter?" inquired hugh. "you seem to have a grouch." something was in the air and the boys felt uneasy in one another's presence. usually they laughed and joked incessantly, and frank wernberg was one of the jolliest boys in the school. he was inclined to be stout and like most fat people was full of fun as a rule. this morning, however, his demeanor was far from happy. "why shouldn't i have a grouch?" he demanded angrily. "i've just been talking to that chump, jim scott. he seems to think that any one who disagrees with him must be wrong." bob nudged hugh. "what was the argument?" he asked. "the war," said frank bitterly. "i said i thought germany was all right, and he tried to lecture me about it. hasn't a fellow a right to his own opinion?" "sure he has," exclaimed bob. "any one can think germany is all right if he wants to, but no one who is an american can side with germany against the united states at a time like this." "who says they can't?" demanded frank flaring up. "i say so," exclaimed bob. "who are you to tell others what they can do?" "i'm an american, anyway." "well, i'm a better american than you are," cried frank hotly. "and you stand up for germany now?" "i do, because germany is right and america is wrong." the three boys were standing in one corner of the school yard, removed from all the others so that the rapidly rising tones of their voices passed unheard. their faces were now white and their breath came fast. hugh had taken no part in the argument thus far, but he stood shoulder to shoulder with bob, prepared for any emergency. "and what's more," exclaimed frank, "this country was forced into war by a lot of men who want to make money out of it." "you're crazy," said bob. "no, i'm not crazy either. some of those men live right in this town too. i guess you know who i mean all right." "what do you mean?" demanded bob in a tense voice. "name somebody. i suppose the fact that germany has murdered a lot of americans has nothing to do with our going to war." "certainly not," said frank. "it's the men who want to make money." "who says so?" "i say so, and so does my father." "huh!" sniffled bob. "name one of the men." "they may get fooled," said frank darkly. "something might happen to their factories and they'd lose money instead of making it." "what do you mean by that?" "oh, you know all right." "he hasn't named anybody yet," hugh reminded his friend. "that's right," exclaimed bob. "who are they, frank?" "well," said frank, "one of the men who thinks he is going to make a lot of money but who may get fooled is--" "go on," urged bob, as frank hesitated. "your father!" snapped frank suddenly. quick as a flash bob's right arm shot out and his clenched fist caught frank squarely on the nose. hugh started forward as if to help his friend, but bob waved him aside. "this is my affair," he panted. whatever else he was, frank was no coward. blood was already trickling from his nose and the force of the blow he had received brought tears to his eyes. he recovered himself almost immediately, however, and with head down rushed at bob. bob was waiting for him and sent a crushing blow to his opponent's jaw. again frank staggered back, but a moment later advanced for more. he was more wary this time, however, and several of bob's blows missed their mark. the boys danced about, each sparring for an opening. they were of almost equal size and weight, though frank was probably a better boxer. bob, however, was furiously though quietly angry, and convinced that the right was on his side had an advantage to that extent. meanwhile the rest of the boys, attracted by the noise of the combat were running from all directions to get a close view of the fight. they quickly formed a ring around the two combatants and urged their favorites on. most of them cheered for bob, he being popular with all, while frank had not so many friends. bob lowered his guard for an instant, and frank was quick to take advantage of the opportunity offered. he dealt bob a staggering blow directly over the left eye; a ring on his finger broke the skin and blood flowed into bob's eyes, while a swelling appeared almost immediately. he felt no pain, however, and with a yell of rage he rushed at his opponent. he had thrown caution to the winds and consequently frank drove home two more good stiff punches to bob's wet and bleeding face. nothing daunted bob clinched and swaying back and forth for a moment they presently fell to the ground. over and over in the dust they rolled, each one trying desperately to get his arms free. the crowd cheered wildly and moved back to give more room to the fighters. presently the spectators saw that bob was on top. he was in better physical condition than frank and this fact was beginning to count. frank was short of wind and puffing hard. bob sat astride him, holding him pinned to the earth with both knees while he pounded his head up and down on the ground. "lemme up," said frank weakly. bob bumped him once or twice more for good measure. "had enough?" he asked. "yes," gasped frank, while the spectators yelled their approval. suddenly the cheering stopped and a gap appeared in the ranks of the onlookers. the principal of the school came running toward the spot where the fight had occurred. "what does this mean?" he demanded, much out of breath. the two fighters picked themselves up slowly. they were smeared with dirt and blood. bob's collar was torn and frank's coat was almost ripped from his back. bob's left eye was half closed and rapidly turning black; frank's nose was swollen and the skin all scraped off the side of his jaw. "we had a fight, sir," said bob. "so i see," said the principal, while the crowd snickered. "he started it," exclaimed frank. "i did not," cried bob hotly, turning half way around as if he was considering pitching into his opponent again. "we won't discuss that question here," said the principal. "the best thing for you two boys to do is to get cleaned up and then come and see me in my office." he turned away, slowly followed by bob and frank and all the rest of the spectators. "good boy, bob," whispered hugh in his friend's ear. "you did him up all right and he deserved it too." many others also took occasion to show bob that they heartily approved of what he had done. a short time later frank and bob stood before mr. hewitt, the principal. he was a kindly man and well liked by all the boys, even if they did love to imitate the way he had of looking at them over his spectacles. he was always fair to every one and the boys knew they could expect to be treated justly by him at all times. they respected him and looked up to him. "well, boys," said mr. hewitt, "i'm sorry you had a difference of opinion." "that's just what it was, sir," exclaimed bob quickly. "haven't i a right to opinion?" demanded frank. "what is your opinion?" inquired mr. hewitt. "well," said frank slowly, "i say that the united states is wrong about going to war with germany." mr. hewitt glanced at frank over his spectacles. "i'm afraid i can't agree with you, frank," he said. "i don't like war and i don't believe many of our people do either. there is a limit to any country's patience, however." "some people here want war," said frank. "yes," exclaimed bob. "he said that my father wanted war so he could make money out of it." "he's making ammunition for the government," frank exclaimed. "but at cost price," said bob. "he will lose money if anything." "i have always regarded mr. cook as one of our best citizens and a fine man," said mr. hewitt. "i think you must be wrong, frank." "i tried to convince him that he was," said bob, stealing a sidelong glance at frank's battered features. mr. hewitt also looked at frank and a faint smile flitted across his face. "people should be careful about what they do and say these days," he advised. "you are very wrong to talk against the united states, frank." "i only repeated what my father says," exclaimed frank. "he knows." "i'm sure he's mistaken this time," said mr. hewitt quietly. "i also hope he won't talk like that again; people's feelings are easily aroused in times of war and he might suffer harm." frank looked sullenly at the floor and said nothing. bob held out his hand to him. "let's shake hands," he said. "we all ought to work together now. i'll forget this morning if you will." frank made no move. "come on, frank," urged mr. hewitt. "do as bob says, and in the future try to remember that you were born in america, not in germany. you were born here, weren't you?" "no, sir," said frank. "i was born in germany." "well, at any rate remember that you are living in the united states. shake hands and go back to your work, and i hope you will have no further trouble." frank somewhat reluctantly shook hands with bob and they walked out of the principal's office together. at the door of the study room frank turned to bob. "i shook hands with you then because i had to," he snapped. "i warn you though, i'll never do it again, and you'll be sorry for what you did to me this morning. yes, you and your whole family!" bob was completely taken aback by this sudden outburst but before he could make any reply frank was gone. bob walked slowly to his desk, carefully avoiding the glances of the many boys in the room who looked curiously at him and his black, swollen eye. when school closed that afternoon he hurried away as quickly as he could, for he had no desire to discuss the matter with his schoolmates. around the corner he waited for hugh and together the two boys started homeward. "what did mr. hewitt say?" asked hugh. bob told him. "good for him," exclaimed hugh. "what did frank think of that?" "he was mad," said bob, and he told his friend of the threat frank had made. hugh was silent for some time. "we must watch him pretty closely," he said at length. "yes," bob agreed, "and his father too." chapter iv heinrich and percy "bob!" exclaimed mrs. cook as her son arrived home that afternoon. "what have you been doing to get that black eye?" bob related the story of his fight with frank wernberg. he did not tell her of the threat frank had made against him and his "whole family," however, for he had no desire to cause any alarm. his mother listened with a troubled countenance. "oh, bob," she said. "i wish you wouldn't fight like that." "but he insulted the united states, and father too," bob insisted. "i know," she admitted. "still i hate fighting so. one boy in the family is enough to worry about." "where is harold?" exclaimed bob. "down at the armory," said mrs. cook. "i wish it was all over." "i wonder if i can go down and see him," said bob eagerly. "perhaps," said his mother. "i don't know." she turned away and bob hurried out of the house and turned his steps towards the garage. his plan was to get his bicycle and ride down to the armory. he entered the garage just in time to see heinrich, the chauffeur, stuffing a large roll of bills into his pocket. "whew, heinie!" he exclaimed. "where did you get all the money?" heinrich seemed much embarrassed at being thus interrupted and colored violently. "golly," said bob, "i never saw so much money in all my life." "dot's not so much," said heinrich. "besides it iss mine." "i didn't say it wasn't," laughed bob. heinrich muller was the cooks' chauffeur. he was a german, as his name implies, but he had been in the united states for over twenty years and had originally come into the employ of the cook family as a coachman. then when the automobile had taken the place of the horse to such a large extent he had been converted into a chauffeur. he was a mild mannered, quiet little man, and had always been a prime favorite with the children of the neighborhood. he could do wonderful things with a jackknife and the whistles, canes, swords and other toys he had made for the cook children had often filled their friends with envy. he wore thick glasses with gold rims and was very bow-legged. he always said that his legs were crooked because he had ridden horseback so much when he was a young german cavalry trooper. he was a skillful man with horses, and had never liked an automobile half as much. he loved all animals and they seemed to love him too. at the present time his pets consisted of a small woolly dog, an angora cat, a parrot, and an alligator. the last named pet he kept in an old wash tub, half full of water, and called him percy. he used to talk to all his pets as if they were human beings, percy included, and many people had ventured the opinion that his brain was not quite as good as it should be. "a little bit cracked, but harmless and faithful," was the way bob's father described him. bob had never seen heinrich so upset as he was that afternoon. he put the rolls of bills in his pocket and looked at bob fiercely through his thick glass spectacles. his watery blue eyes looked almost ferocious. "what do you want here?" he demanded. "my bicycle," said bob. "it iss got a puncture," said heinrich. "oh, heinrich," bob exclaimed. "why didn't you fix it?" "i had no time so far." "i need a new one anyway," said bob, looking at his wheel where it rested against the wall of the garage. "this one is six years old." "it iss one bunch of junk," said heinrich. "right you are," laughed bob. "i tell you what, heinrich; you've got a lot of money now, why don't you buy me a new one for my birthday?" "dot iss my money," said heinrich insistently. "of course it is," exclaimed bob. "you don't suppose i thought for a moment that you stole it, do you?" heinrich glanced at him questioningly. "come and see percy," he said, apparently very anxious to change the subject. "what has he done lately?" asked bob. "he iss grown." they approached the tub where the alligator was kept. "i can't see that he has grown much," exclaimed bob. "he looks about the same to me." "he iss now two feet and one inches long," said heinrich proudly. "he does not grow fast though." "i wish my bicycle was fixed," sighed bob. "i wanted to ride down to the armory." "harold iss in the army," said heinrich. "i know it," said bob. "i wish i was too." "you want to fight?" heinrich asked. "of course i do. don't you? you're an american citizen, aren't you, heinie?" "yes, indeed," said heinrich quickly. "for twelve years i been one." "you're all right," exclaimed bob heartily. "if all germans were as loyal as you i wouldn't have this black eye right now." "a german hit you?" "he ought not to be a german, but he is," said bob bitterly. "who was it?" "i won't tell you. what's the use?" "it was frank wernberg," said heinrich. bob looked curiously at the chauffeur. "how do you know?" he demanded. "was it him?" "yes, but how could you find it out so soon?" "mebbe i guess," said heinrich. "probably you did," laughed bob. "what do you know about the wernbergs anyway, heinie?" "nothing," said heinrich quickly and he acted as though he had made a mistake. "look at percy," he exclaimed. "he iss going down into the water." the alligator slipped slowly off the rock where he had been dozing. he slid quietly into the water and remained floating there all its four feet standing straight out. "he iss cute," said heinrich proudly. bob had never considered an alligator as being cute, but he did think "percy" was interesting. little did he dream how much more interested he would be in the small animal before many days had passed. chapter v on the bridge harold came home for dinner that night. he was serving in the ninth infantry as a private until such a time as he should pass his examination and receive his commission. "bob has seen active fighting sooner than you have, harold," laughed mr. cook glancing at his younger son's battered eye. "yes, and he won the battle too," said bob warmly. "all i can say is," remarked harold, "that frank wernberg must be an awful looking sight if he's worse than you." "he is," said bob. "you ought to see his nose." "don't talk about it," urged mrs. cook. "i hate it." "all right," laughed her husband. "tell us what you have to do down at the armory, harold. you were lucky to get off to-night." "oh, i've got to go back," said harold. "we'll probably be ordered out for guard duty to-night. i may be guarding your plant for all i know." "i hope we'll need no guards," said mr. cook earnestly. "in spite of all i said last night i can't believe that many people will be disloyal." "some german got on our wire by mistake again to-day," said louise. "he wanted mr. wernberg just as that man did last night." mr. cook shook his head slowly. "i don't like that man wernberg," he said. "oh, the secret service must be watching him," said bob. "they seem to be ready for anything," and he related what had taken place in the trolley that morning when he was on his way to school. the telephone rang and bob answered it to find hugh reith on the wire. he wanted bob to go down to the armory that night and see the soldiers. bob readily agreed. a short time after supper hugh arrived at the cooks', and the two boys accompanied by harold set out. they felt very proud to be walking with a real live soldier, a man in the olive drab uniform of the american army. harold carried a rifle, with an ugly looking bayonet affixed to the barrel, the whole thing being nearly as tall as he was. the roll call had been started at the armory and harold took his place in line just in time to answer to his name. bob and hugh looked on from the gallery and were greatly impressed by the business-like appearance of the men, and the curt, crisp orders of the officers. the soldiers were divided into squads and presently were marched out of the building to unknown destinations. "i guess it's all over,'' remarked hugh. "looks so," bob agreed. "it's early yet though and i don't want to go home." "nor i. what do you say to a walk down by the river? my canoe is in brown's boathouse and i'd like to take a look at it. it has been laid up all winter and i'll want to get it out pretty soon." "all right," said bob. "how shall we go?" "we can take a short cut down over the railroad bridge." "come ahead." they set out through the streets of high ridge. few people were stirring and nowhere were any signs of war. the soldiers had disappeared and the quiet town seemed far removed from the strife of conflict. it seemed incredible that even at that moment some one might be plotting to overthrow the law and order of the little city. it was a far cry to the crimson-stained battlefields of france. "no school to-morrow," said hugh finally. "that's true," exclaimed bob. "i had forgotten that this is friday." "nothing to worry about," said hugh. "no lessons to prepare and as far as i am concerned i'd just as soon stay up all night." "we ought to have baseball practice to-morrow," said bob. "somehow i've lost all interest in it though; this war is more exciting to me." "if we could only do something," sighed hugh bitterly. "where do you suppose those soldiers went?" "out for a hike probably. they looked fine, didn't they?" bob said nothing; both boys were busy with their thoughts and walked along in silence for some distance. presently the steel span of the great bridge across the molton river loomed ahead of them in the darkness. "there's the bridge," bob exclaimed. it appeared ghostly in the dark, the big steel girders taking on weird and fantastic shapes. a train rushed across its span, roaring and throwing a shower of sparks high into the air. "come on," urged hugh and scrambled up the embankment. bob followed close at his heels and together they made their way towards the bridge itself. they soon found themselves picking their way on the open ties above the water; as they were headed west they of course took the east-bound track. the walking was precarious and they had to pay close attention to what they were doing, for a misstep might prove fatal. suddenly a sharp command to halt startled the two boys. they stopped short and peered intently about them in the dark. "who are you?" demanded a curt voice, and hugh and bob saw the figure of a man in khaki outlined against the skyline. a faint flicker of light showed a keen-edged bayonet affixed to the gun he carried. "who are you!" repeated the voice, strangely familiar in tone to both of the boys. "come over here, and keep your hands over your head." "harold!" exclaimed bob suddenly. "is that you?" "that you, bob?" queried harold, for the guard proved to be bob's older brother. "who's that with you?" "hugh." "well, it seems to me you two are pretty nervy," said harold testily. "what are you doing down around here anyway?" "we were going down to brown's boathouse to see hugh's canoe," bob explained. "we thought we'd take the short cut over the bridge." "and stand a good chance of getting shot," said harold. "all bridges are guarded by soldiers with rifles, and we're not supposed to wait forever before we shoot either." hugh and bob had advanced to the spot where harold was standing, and the three young men were grouped in a small circle. "we never thought of that," said bob sheepishly. "don't you know the united states is at war?" "of course we do." "well, then--. sssh!" hissed harold suddenly. he peered intently down the railroad track. the figure of a man could be seen approaching. "get back, quickly," whispered harold, and the two boys flattened themselves against one of the big steel girders. nearer and nearer came the man. harold stood motionless, his gun half raised and ready for instant action. hugh and bob looked on, fascinated. when about thirty yards distant the man stooped and appeared to be fumbling with something at his feet. only for a moment, however, for he soon straightened up again and proceeded on his way. "halt!" commanded harold sharply. the man started, and then came to an abrupt stop. "come over here," harold ordered. his order was obeyed somewhat slowly, but without question. "what's your name?" queried harold, as the man came up to him. there was no answer. "what's your name?" repeated harold shortly. "john moffett," said the man sullenly. "where do you live?" "high ridge." "where in high ridge?" "elm street." "what number?" "twelve eighty-two," said the man after a moment's hesitation. "what are you doing on this bridge?" "i been across the river to see my brother." "why didn't you take the passenger's bridge then, instead of this?" "this one is shorter for me." "oh, no, it isn't," said harold quickly. "the other one takes you right into elm street." the man offered no comment. "why did you bend over down there a minute ago?" harold asked. no answer was forthcoming. "answer my question," ordered harold curtly. the man shifted uneasily from one foot to the other. "my shoe lace came undone," he muttered finally. all the time he was talking he kept looking behind him and over the route he had just come. he seemed to be intensely nervous about something. harold looked at him up and down from head to foot, as best he could in the poor light. he appeared undecided as to what he should do. "you'd better come along with me," he said finally. "i guess the captain might like to talk to you for a few minutes." "where is the captain?" demanded the man. "that's nothing to you," said harold. "you do as you're told. you walk on ahead of me and don't try any funny business; i'll be right behind you and my gun is loaded." "which way?" the prisoner asked. "that way," directed harold, indicating the high ridge end of the bridge with the point of his bayonet. "as long as you live in high ridge i'll see you part way home," he added drily. "yes, sir," exclaimed the man, it seemed almost joyously. he set out immediately, harold following close at his heels. "you two better go home," harold called to bob and hugh as he walked off down the track. "all right," called bob, and then he turned to his friend. "we'll take our time," he announced. "sure," agreed hugh. "who do you think that man was?" "i don't know, but he did act sort of queer i thought. probably harold was wise to arrest him." "what'll they do with him?" "oh, lock him up probably," said bob carelessly. "i guess some officer will question him and if he's all right he'll be let go; otherwise i don't know what will happen to him." "how about the canoe?" suggested hugh. "you mean, shall we go on to the boathouse?" "yes." "the other end of the bridge is probably guarded too," said bob. "we would be held up there and maybe be arrested ourselves." he peered earnestly down the track which led over the bridge to rivertown on the opposite bank. suddenly he started violently and clutched hugh by the arm. "what's that?" he gasped in a terror-stricken voice. chapter vi hugh has an idea "what's what?" demanded hugh, peering in the direction bob indicated. "look!" cried bob. "i am looking. what is it?" the tone of his friend's voice had alarmed him greatly, though he did not know what it was that bob saw. "can't you see? right down there!" "where? where?" pleaded hugh. "tell me, bob." "down under the track. i see sparks." "it's a bomb," cried hugh suddenly catching sight of the little flashes of light. "it's a bomb that man planted there." "what shall we do?" cried bob, acting as if he was ready to turn and run. "go and get it," said hugh instantly. "come along," and he started towards the spot of danger. spurred on by his comrade's show of courage, bob followed. their hearts were in their throats and terror held them in its grasp as they hurried along. the little sparks still appeared, and the sputtering of the fuse could be heard distinctly as they ran forward. the footing was dangerous and who could tell but that at any moment the bomb might explode and blow them into eternity. hugh reached the spot first. he was outwardly calm, but had the sun been shining his face would have shown white and frightened. a second later bob arrived and stood beside him. "there it is," he gasped. "it's a bomb all right." "pinch the fuse," cried hugh excitedly. "put it out." both boys reached for it, but bob was first. he had completely recovered his nerve now and was perhaps even more self-possessed than hugh. bob grasped the lighted part of the fuse between the thumb and forefinger of his right hand. he squeezed it tightly, but quickly withdrew his hand with a cry of pain. the fuse still sputtered. "let me!" almost sobbed hugh. "let me try." he repeated bob's performance, except that he held on in spite if the pain he suffered. with tight-shut lips and set jaw he pinched the fuse with all his strength. finally he could stand it no longer and let go. "it's out," cried bob. "no, it isn't either," he exclaimed a second later as the fuse once more showed red and the tiny sparks again made their appearance. "we'd better run for it, hugh. what's the use in our being blown up along with the bridge?" "get out of the way!" ordered hugh, and bob obeyed at once. there was something in the tone of his friend's voice that made him hasten to do as he said. hugh knelt on the ties and leaned down over the bomb. "here comes a train," cried bob suddenly. "on this track too." hugh paid no attention to this warning. he picked the bomb up in his two hands and staggering under its weight, carried the spitting and sputtering engine of death to the edge of the bridge. with a supreme effort he hurled it from him. a moment later a splash told that it had landed in the river below. "that'll never do any more harm," he gasped faintly. "stay there, hugh!" shouted bob. "look out for the train!" the two boys crowded close against the side of the bridge and a moment later a heavy train thundered past them. through the lighted windows could be seen crowds of passengers, and hugh and bob shuddered as they thought what might have happened to the train with its load of precious human freight had the bomb exploded. they felt faint and weak after their experience and presently sat down until their shattered nerves should have recovered somewhat from the shock. the night was cool, but bob mopped his perspiring brow. "whew," he gasped. "that was a close call." "i should say it was," echoed hugh. "what luck that you should have seen those sparks when you did! there was only a couple of inches of fuse left." "lucky you were with me too," said bob soberly. "if i'd been alone i think i would have run for home." "haven't you two gone home yet?" demanded a voice, and the two boys looked up to see harold standing over them. "not yet," said bob. "well, you'd better skip," harold advised. "you'll get in trouble around here." "there'd been more trouble if we hadn't been here," said bob quietly. "what do you mean?" bob related the story of the bomb to his brother. "say!" exclaimed harold in an awestruck voice. "that was pretty good work of you two. a train came along on that track too." "hugh got the bomb out just in time," said bob. "say," repeated harold. "say," he said again, completely overcome. "do you think they'll let us enlist on the strength of what we did?" hugh asked hopefully. "i doubt it," said harold. "i'll certainly speak to the captain about you though." "we might as well go home now, i guess," said bob. "you don't want to see your canoe tonight, do you?" "no," replied hugh grimly. "i've lost all interest in canoes for the present." they said good night to harold and started homeward. they still felt a little shaky as a result of the bomb episode, but before long the walk and the crisp night air had refreshed them and their spirits once more revived. "i wonder what they'll do to that german," exclaimed bob. "harold said they had locked him up for over night, and i guess when they hear what he tried to do, they'll keep him longer than that." "they'll send him to jail probably." "i hope so," said hugh. "any man who would try to blow up a bridge and kill crowds of people deserves worse than jail." "they'll give him five or ten years all right," said bob. "yes, and when they try his case we'll have to act as witnesses i suppose." "i wouldn't mind that," bob exclaimed. "it might be a lot of fun." "aren't these plotters silly?" said hugh. "they may be able to blow up a plant or a bridge here and there, but they'll lose more than they gain." "why so?" "because it'll make the people mad. when they once get angry they'll fight and work much harder to defeat germany. half the people in this country don't seem to realize that we are at war now, but when a few of them get blown up we'll begin to do something." they discussed the war and the possibility of sending american troops to france. hugh wanted to go into the aviation corps when he was old enough but bob thought the infantry and solid ground under his feet would be good enough for him. presently they came near home. hugh lived two blocks farther down the street than bob and consequently he had to pass the cooks' house on his way. "there's the wernbergs'," said bob. "a light in the second story back window, and two automobiles in front." "do you suppose they're up to anything?" exclaimed hugh. "i suspect them all right, but how can we prove it?" "i have an idea," hugh exclaimed suddenly. the two boys were standing on the opposite side of the street from the wernbergs' house, regarding it curiously. "what is it?" "can you get your automobile?" "i guess so, if heinrich hasn't taken the family out." "let's get it and follow one of those machines. in that way we can see where the people live who are at the wernbergs'. maybe we can learn something about them if we know who they are." "a good scheme," exclaimed bob readily. "we'll have to be awfully careful though; if they ever found out we were following them it might go hard with us." "we'll be careful all right," said hugh grimly. "come ahead, we want to be ready to start and they may leave at any time." the two boys walked quickly up the street, taking care to keep on the opposite side from the wernberg home. when they arrived in front of the cooks' they darted across the street and hurried along the driveway until they came to the garage. the door was shut and locked. bob knocked loudly. there was no reply. bob looked at his watch under the light of a match which hugh struck. it was twenty minutes of eleven. "that's queer," he muttered. "heinie is usually in bed long before this." "maybe he is now, and is asleep," hugh suggested. bob glanced up at the second story window. "i don't think so," he said. "the window is closed in the room where he usually sleeps, and i know he is a crank on fresh air." "throw some gravel at it," said hugh. "that'll get him up if he's there." this plan was followed, but with no success. "he's out," said bob finally. "what'll we do?" "is the car there?" "yes, but what good will it do us if we can't get in?" "haven't you got a key to the garage up at the house?" "father has one, but i don't dare wake him now." bob glanced at the house and the absence of lights on the first and second floors convinced him that his family were all in bed. a single light shone from a window on the third floor where lena, the cook, slept. "maybe we can force a window," suggested hugh. "you can open the door from the inside, can't you?" "oh, yes," said bob. "let's try a window anyway." they went around the corner of the garage and the first window they tried yielded immediately. a moment later both boys had clambered inside, and presently bob found the electric light button. as the light flooded the garage heinrich's angora cat rose sleepily from the tonneau of the automobile and stretched himself. a cloth covering over the parrot's cage kept that garrulous bird quiet. percy lay stretched out in the water which filled his tub. "the dog must be out with heinrich," said bob. he seated himself in the driver's seat of the car, and hugh lifted the drowsy cat to the floor. bob pushed a button, put his foot on the self-starter and the engine started. heinrich always backed the car into the garage so that it was headed in the right direction as it stood. hugh undid the spring catch on the door and rolled the door back. they were now ready to start. "i'll go down by the street and watch the wernbergs," said hugh. "i hope they haven't gotten away while we have been fooling around here." "i guess not," said bob. "when they start you whistle twice and i'll be with you right away." "all right," agreed hugh. "you'd better run with your lights dimmed." "i shall, don't worry." hugh hurried away. bob was left alone in the car and he presently shut off the engine. he had wished to warm up the motor so that it would start readily when the time came; he was convinced that it would do so now. he thought over the events of the day, and for the first time he realized that he was tired. excitement had spurred him on and the intense interest he took in the war had made him forget all else. he wondered if he and hugh were starting off on a wild goose chase now. what particular reason had they to suspect the wernbergs anyway? true, all germans were more or less under suspicion just then, but why the wernbergs any more than the others? he recalled his fight with frank that morning, and his father's remarks. perhaps it was just as well to go out that night after all. bob thought of the war and the terrible things the germans had done. what brutes and beasts they were! the germans had been busy in the united states too. the big factory at eddystone had been blown up that day, with the loss of a hundred and twenty-five lives, mostly of girls. that showed what the american people had to guard against. "i hate them all!" muttered bob angrily. he took that back a moment later, however, as he thought of heinrich. surely their chauffeur was as faithful and kindly a soul as ever lived; his love for animals proved that. then there was lena, their cook, a buxom woman of forty who had never been heard to utter a cross word in her life. heinrich was capable of getting mad, however, particularly about the car. bob wondered what he would say if he should arrive home now, and find him preparing to go out in it and perhaps get it dirty. his reverie was suddenly interrupted by the sound of two whistles. a moment later the motor was purring softly, and with the headlights dimmed, the big sixty horse-power car slid out of the garage and started silently down the driveway. chapter vii in the night "they're starting," said hugh in a low voice. he jumped upon the running board as bob came along, and climbed into the front seat beside him. "let's wait here a minute," he whispered. down the street in front of the wernbergs' house they could see men getting into the two automobiles. presently the whirr of the motors came to their ears and the two cars started. one came towards them and the other went in the opposite direction. "which one shall we follow?" whispered bob. "let's follow the one going the other way." they rolled out of the driveway and started down the street. as they turned into the avenue the first car passed them, a gray roadster bespeaking power and speed in its every detail. two men were seated in it. bob and hugh obtained a fleeting glimpse of them as they flashed by. the tail light of the car they intended to follow showed a dim, red spot far down the street. "speed her up a little, bob," urged hugh. "we don't want to lose them." "we can't keep too close to them either," said bob. "besides, my thumb and forefinger are pretty sore from that fuse burn and it's hard to grip the wheel." "mine are sore too," said hugh. "put on gloves." "i haven't any with me." "i have; take mine." still watching the small red dot ahead of them bob managed to slip on hugh's right-hand glove. it was a great help to him in driving. "they've turned a corner," exclaimed hugh suddenly. "faster, bob!" bob pressed his foot on the accelerator and the car leaped forward as if it were a living thing. a moment later they reached the cross street and turned into it, peering anxiously ahead. the car they were following was still in sight. "keep about two hundred yards in back of them," hugh advised. "we mustn't lose them." "no, and we don't want them to get suspicious either." "they're turning another corner," exclaimed bob after a few moments. "speed it up now that they can't see us." bob did so and they came to the corner just in time to see the car they were following pull up at the curb in front of a white stucco house. "go ahead, bob! go ahead!" urged hugh. "don't turn!" bob kept straight on. "what street was that?" he asked. "elm street." "isn't that where the german on the bridge told harold he lived?" "why so it is," exclaimed hugh. "i wonder what number that house is." "i don't know. let's see, howard seeley lives on elm street, just the next block down; his number is eleven hundred and something." "the german told harold he lived at twelve eighty-two, and i'll bet you that was the house." "whew!" whistled hugh. "i wonder if it was." "they probably went to find out why the bridge wasn't blown up to-night," said bob. "do you suppose that could be it?" "maybe. we could have told them quicker if they'd come to us though," chuckled hugh. "they'll probably give that fellow the mischief for failing." "they can't get at him if he's in jail." "that's so. suppose we're called as witnesses at his trial? they'll learn that we spoiled their game and our lives won't be worth two cents." "well, if those men are plotters we must prove it before the case even comes to trial." "do you suppose they have a regular organization to blow up everything around here that they can?" said hugh. "i should think the secret service would get after them." "probably it has; no doubt the names of all those men are listed." "that is, if they really are plotters." "of course. where are you going!" they had kept straight on down the road and were now on the outskirts of the city. the houses were fewer and more scattered all the time and presently the boys would be in the open country. "i don't know," said bob. "i was just going ahead without thinking." "we'd better go back, hadn't we? we must be about three miles from home." "there's a road up ahead here to the right," said bob. "we can turn down there and go back that way." when they were about two hundred yards distant from the road in question, an automobile came out of it and turned into the main highway. a moment later it was speeding along in front of bob and hugh, the roar of its cutout coming faintly to their ears. "bob," exclaimed hugh excitedly, "that's the gray roadster!" "what gray roadster?" "the one we passed in front of your house. it came from the wernbergs'." "shall we follow it?" "certainly. it's going like the wind though." "well, it can't lose us," said bob grimly. he advanced the spark, gave the motor more gas and they were soon tearing through the night at fifty miles an hour. over the crest of a hill in front of them, the gray roadster was outlined for a moment and then disappeared. up the grade of the hill bob drove the big car. when they arrived at the top they peered ahead anxiously for any sign of the machine they followed. nothing was to be seen of it. "it's gone," exclaimed hugh. "perhaps not," said bob. "it can't be very far ahead of us anyway." they continued down the road at breakneck speed, passing through a clump of woods that lined both sides. bob forced the motor to its utmost, but no sign of the gray roadster could they discover. finally he brought the car to a dead stop and turned to hugh. "what became of that car?" he demanded. "they weren't far enough ahead of us to have gotten out of sight so quickly." "they must have turned off into another road," said hugh. "i don't see what else could have happened." "but there are no roads into which they could have turned." "are you sure?" "positively." both boys relapsed into silence, completely mystified by the strangeness of the thing. apparently the roadster had vanished from the face of the earth. "wait a minute," cried bob suddenly. "there is a road back there too." "i thought there must be." "remember those woods back there, just this side of the hill?" "yes. that's where we used to go for chestnuts in the fall." "that's the place. remember the old house back in there?" "it's deserted and tumble-down." "i know it, but there's an old wagon road leading to it." "do you think that is where they went?" exclaimed hugh in surprise. "where else could they have gone?" "i don't know, i'm sure." "shall we go back there and see?" "we can't run the car in there." "why not? we can if they can." "suppose we should meet them coming out?" "that's right," exclaimed bob. "i tell you what we can do though. we'll run back down the road and leave the car and then go to the old house on foot." "good scheme," said hugh readily. "we can hide the car somewhere i suppose." "oh, yes. we'll leave it a little way off the road under some trees." a few moments later bob had turned the car around and they were speeding back in the direction whence they had come. "you know where the road is, don't you?" asked hugh. "i do," said bob confidently. "we'll leave the car about a quarter of a mile this side of it and then walk." "i wonder if they could have gone to that old deserted house," mused hugh. "maybe. i swear i don't see why though." "we're probably chasing moonbeams," said hugh. "perhaps we are, but we're having a lot of fun anyway." "of course we are," exclaimed hugh, "and i'm for going ahead." a moment later bob slowed down the car. a clump of trees appeared alongside the road, and shifting into second speed bob carefully steered his course toward them. in the shadow of the trees he stopped, shut off the motor, turned off the lights, and stepped out. hugh got out on the other side. "here we are," whispered bob. "i guess it's all right to leave the car here." "i should think so," hugh agreed. "we're about fifteen yards from the road and i don't believe any one would notice it in here." they started down the road, keeping well to one side, so that they would not show up against the faint white ribbon of the highway as it stretched through the country. after a walk of about five minutes bob halted. "there's the road," he whispered, pointing ahead. "come on then," urged hugh. "carefully now." it was a weird sensation to be stealing along in the darkness, and the hearts of both boys were pounding. they turned from the main road and started down the narrow wagon track through the woods. it was much darker there and difficult to pick one's path. a dry twig snapped under hugh's foot and the boys stopped short, their breath coming fast. the hoot of an owl directly overhead startled them violently and unconsciously they clutched each other's arm. the giant trees loomed black and forbidding in the darkness, and it was easy to imagine all kinds of things lurking behind to spring out at them. "i don't like this," whispered hugh. "how far is it from here?" "just a short distance. i don't like it either." presently bob tugged at hugh's sleeve. "there's a light," he said softly. a faint glimmer appeared through the darkness ahead. presently the boys were able to see that it came from a lantern held by some man standing in the open doorway of the old house. a moment later four others appeared from within and came out to the tumble-down porch. bob and hugh looked on with bated breath. what could it all mean? chapter viii a strange occurrence the man with the lantern advanced to the edge of the porch, holding the lantern at arm's length and shoulder high. in the flickering light bob and hugh could see the others putting on their overcoats. presently there was a flash of light as the powerful searchlights of an automobile were turned on; only for a second or two, however, as they were quickly extinguished. "there's the gray roadster," whispered hugh. the two boys were crouched behind a fallen tree, an obstruction they had been on the point of climbing when they had spied the lantern. they could hear the men walking about near the house, and frequently could even catch the sound of voices. presently they heard the whirr of a motor. dimmed lights were turned on in the roadster and soon it started. "lie low," whispered hugh. "they mustn't see us." bob needed no cautioning on that score, however. the car rumbled toward them as if it were feeling its way. the wagon-road was some ten yards to the left of the spot where the two boys were concealed. directly to it the roadster went, its two glowing eyes giving it the appearance of some gigantic bug. with bated breath hugh and bob watched its progress. presently it passed them and lumbered away over the rough road. "how many men were in it?" whispered hugh. "three, i think." "there were only two when we passed it in front of your house." "i know it. there must be a couple more men here, too." "ssh," hissed hugh softly, grasping his companion by the wrist. voices could be heard, coming nearer and nearer to their hiding place. once again the two boys almost stopped breathing while they waited for the speakers to pass. they could make out two shadowy forms following the same course taken by the automobile. the two men conversed earnestly together in tones so low, that the listeners could not overhear what was said. after a few moments the sound of the voices died away and hugh and bob were left alone. that is, they were alone as far as they could tell. "well," said hugh finally. "they're gone." "seems so," admitted bob. "we can't be sure though." "were those men talking german?" "i couldn't tell." "neither could i for sure, but i thought they were." "probably so," said bob. "at any rate it looks to me as if there was some queer business going on in this place." "it certainly does. i wonder what's in that house?" "shall we go and see?" "you don't catch me in that house at this time of night," said hugh grimly. "how about coming out here to-morrow, then?" "to-morrow's saturday, isn't it?" "yes." "all right," said hugh. "i'll come out with you." "and now we'd better go home." "i guess we had. it must be nearly midnight." they arose from their cramped positions on the ground and stealthily began to retrace their steps. they were even more wary on their way out than they had been going in, for they could not be sure that they would not meet some of the men they had seen about the old house. just before they came to the end of the wagon-road they heard the sound of a motor and saw the lights of an automobile speeding down the main road in the direction of high ridge. "sounds like our car," said bob. "all those motors make the same sort of noise." "pretty good ears you have," remarked hugh. "you ought to see old heinie," said bob. "he may look stupid, but he can tell almost any make of car just by the noise it makes." "what'll he say when you get home?" queried hugh. "he'll be mad. he doesn't think i know how to drive the car, and if there is any dirt on it he'll be madder yet." "the roads aren't muddy now though." "i know it, but he'll be cross if there's dust on it even." they emerged on the main road, looked carefully in both directions, and then still keeping to the side of the road, started back toward the spot where they had left the car. a ghostly moon, in its last quarter, shed its pale light on the highway, and aided the boys to distinguish their surroundings. "there's the place," said bob a moment later. they ran quickly across the road and hurried towards the clump of trees where they had hidden the car. both boys would feel relieved when they were seated in their conveyance once more, and on their way home. it was nervous work prowling around the countryside at night with a suspicious gang of men lurking near. bob and hugh hurried along side by side and presently came to the patch of trees, which was their destination. a feeling of relief came over them that soon they would be speeding back to high ridge. suddenly bob uttered an exclamation of surprise and stopped short. "the car is gone," he gasped. chapter ix another surprise at first the two boys were too amazed to speak. they stared blankly at the spot where the car had been concealed. it now was nowhere to be seen. "is this the place?" exclaimed hugh, the first to regain his senses. "i know it is," said bob. "i ran the car right up under that big birch tree so that i could surely mark the spot." "well!" gasped hugh, unable to say more. "what'll we do?" bob almost sobbed. "some one has stolen the car, and it is all my fault. what will father say?" "you'll have to tell him the circumstances," said hugh lamely. "i don't know what else you can do." "but the car is gone," insisted bob, his mind unable to grasp any idea beyond that. "the car is gone." "maybe it'll come back," said hugh. "stolen cars are often recovered." he lighted a match and held it close to the ground. there were the marks made by the tires in the damp earth. there was no doubt that this was the place. "who could have taken it?" demanded bob. both boys were silent and the same thought flashed through their minds at once. "one of those men from that old house," said hugh. "they must have had sentries posted," said bob and he glanced about him nervously. "probable they watched us leave it here and when we went back into the woods they took it. probably they followed us and watched us all the time too; very likely they're watching us now." "let's go home," exclaimed hugh. "i've had enough of this." "but the car," protested bob. "it's gone, isn't it?" said hugh. "we can't find it by just standing around here. the best thing we can do is to hurry back to high ridge as fast as we can and report it to police headquarters." "it's over three miles," said bob. "suppose it is," hugh exclaimed. "suppose it was twenty miles: we'd have to go just the same. we may get a lift on the way." "not at this time of night." "anyway we'd better start; we may be in danger here." this latter consideration had great weight with bob. he realized that enemies of one kind or another were there, or had been recently, in that neighborhood and he had no desire to meet them, unarmed as he was. his judgment also told him that hugh's suggestion about reporting the loss of the car to the police was the only feasible one under the circumstances. "come on," he urged. "let's go home." "some one may come along and offer us a ride," said hugh hopefully. "i'm afraid there won't be many people out at this time of night," returned bob disconsolately. "i wish i knew what had happened to the car." they proceeded in silence, glancing about them nervously for fear that they might be the victims of some further surprise. for a half-mile they kept to the side of the road, for little as they cared to walk where the darkness was thickest, they knew they would not be as exposed there as they would be in the middle of the road. when they reached the top of the hill, however, they became bolder and ventured out upon the paved highway. they walked swiftly, every few yards one or the other of the boys turning to glance behind them to see if they were followed. the night was clear, and the stars were shining brilliantly; hardly a breath of air was stirring. presently they came within sight of the town, and the sound of the clock on the town hall striking one came faintly to their ears. "whew," said bob, "it's late." "i should say so," hugh agreed, "and i was just thinking of everything we have done to-day. we've certainly been busy." "we may be even busier to-morrow." "why so?" "well, if we go back to that house again, you can't tell what we'll get into." "i wonder if we ought to report to the police what we've seen." "probably we should," said bob. "i'd like to go it alone though." "and so should i. let's wait a day or two longer anyway." "i hope it won't be too late then." "we'll risk it anyway," said hugh. "look, here comes an automobile." "it's going the wrong way for us. get over on the side of the road." in the distance appeared the headlights of an automobile rapidly approaching. the two boys hurried to one side of the road and took up their positions behind the shelter of some low growing bushes. the car was traveling fast and as it neared the spot where they were concealed they could hear the thunder of the cutout. a moment later it roared past them and disappeared. "hugh," exclaimed bob. "the gray roadster!" "it was for sure!" said hugh. "what do you think of that?" "it was going back to the old house probably." "i guess it was. perhaps after all, we should report to the police." "wait till after to-morrow," said bob. "we'll go out in the morning and take a look around there on our own account." "we may have to spend to-morrow looking for your car." "that's true, but let's wait and see what happens anyway." they continued on their way homeward and soon came within the outskirts of the town. the houses were darkened and apparently every one was in bed and asleep. the sound of the boys' footsteps on the pavements echoed loudly along the still, deserted streets. "here's elm street," said hugh. "let's turn down here; it's on our way home and we can pass right by that stucco house." "all right," bob agreed, and they turned the corner. "that's the place," whispered hugh a few moments later. "there's a light in the third story," said bob in a low tone. "perhaps they're waiting up for that german bomb planter," chuckled hugh. "i guess he won't be home to-night." "don't joke about it, hugh. i feel sorry for the man's family." "so do i, but i don't feel sorry for him." "i should say not! anything they do to him won't be half bad enough." "the snake," muttered hugh. "i'd like to have one look inside that room up there though and see what is going on." he glanced up at the lighted window questioningly. as he did so the shade was thrown up and the window opened by some man who thrust his head out and looked around. bob and hugh shrank back within the shadow of a nearby tree. they caught only a fleeting glimpse of the man's face, and saw that it was no one they knew. he had closely cropped hair and a bristling mustache turned up at the ends. "who do you suppose that was?" whispered bob a moment later, as the man they watched withdrew his head and shut the window. "never saw him before," said hugh. "he looked like a german though. let's get home before he comes outside and begins to prowl around." walking on the ground so that they would not make any noise they hurried on. a few moments later they stood in front of the cooks' house. "there's a light in your house too," said hugh. "this and that house on elm street are the only ones where people seem to be awake." "that's lena's room," said bob. "the cook?" "yes." "she's a german, isn't she?" "look here, hugh," laughed bob. "you can't make me suspicious about lena. she has been our cook ever since i was born. she's the most faithful and kindhearted woman that ever lived. why she's practically one of the family." "then what is she doing up there all this time?" demanded hugh. "her room was lighted up when we started out." "i don't know what she's doing," said bob. "reading, maybe. you can't get me excited about her, and just because some germans are disloyal you mustn't think they all are." "all right," said hugh. "i'd watch them all though." "you're crazy," said bob. "what i want to know is what happened to our automobile. tomorrow morning before breakfast you'll see me on my way to police headquarters to report it. heinie was going to fix the puncture in my bicycle to-day and i'll go down on that." "will you telephone to me about eight o'clock?" "i will," said bob, "and if there's nothing we can do about the automobile well take our bicycles and ride out to the old deserted house." "good, and now we'd better sneak to bed, for we shan't get much sleep as it is." "all right. good night." "good night," said hugh and turned off down the street. bob made his way quietly across the lawn towards the house, glancing up curiously once or twice at the lighted window in lena's room. as he looked the light went out. "poor old hugh," he thought. "how silly he is to be suspicious of lena." he tiptoed up the steps and across the porch, let himself in carefully with his latch key, and stole upstairs. he wished to get into bed without waking any of the family, and was successful in this, for soon he was snugly under the covers without having disturbed any one. it was a long time before sleep came to him, however. he was greatly worried about the loss of the car and he dreaded having to tell his father about it the next day. of course his father would understand, but no one could be blamed for being upset at the loss of a new automobile, particularly as the result of what might prove to be a wild goose chase. heinrich too would be furious, and bob expected their chauffeur to knock on his door at any moment and demand where the automobile was. heinrich did not go to bed until the car was safely in the garage, and as a rule he washed it no matter how late the hour was. bob's black eye throbbed somewhat too, his fingers smarted from the burn of the lighted fuse, and his brain was reeling with the events of the day. at length, however, he fell asleep and strange to say he slept dreamlessly. he had taken care to set his alarm-clock for half-past six and it seemed to him that his eyes had been closed only a very few minutes when it went off close beside his ear. he clutched it quickly and stifled the alarm so as not to awaken the rest of the household; a moment later he had jumped out of bed and was getting into his clothes. he glanced out of the window and saw that it was light outside. the early morning sun shone on the bare limbs of the trees and made them glisten. here and there a bud could be seen almost ready to burst its shell and bob rejoiced to see signs of the coming of spring and summer. he was not happy, however, for the loss of the car weighed him down and oppressed him. even the awakening beauties of nature did not cheer him up and that was unusual in bob's case. a few moments later he was fully dressed except for his shoes. he held them in one hand, and in his stocking feet slipped out of his room and stole downstairs. he opened the front door carefully and then sat down on the steps to put on his shoes. as he busied himself a bicycle passed along the street in front of the house, and bob recognized the rider as frank wernberg. "what's he doing out at this time of day?" muttered bob angrily. he sat motionless and as frank did not look toward the house he decided that he had not been seen. bob yawned, rubbed his eyes sleepily, and stretched. he suddenly recalled the loss of the automobile, and jumping to his feet started toward the garage. as he came near he saw that the front door of the garage was open. that was queer, he thought, as heinrich never left it open at night. then he recalled that he and hugh had left it open the night before and that probably heinrich had left it undisturbed so that they could run in the car without trouble when they returned. heinrich had no doubt come in and gone to sleep, and had not yet discovered that the car was missing. imagine bob's surprise therefore when he turned the corner of the building and saw the car standing in its accustomed place. heinrich was washing it as if nothing in the world had happened. chapter x bob is mystified bob stopped and stared in amazement. he could scarcely believe his eyes. there was the car that had disappeared so mysteriously the night before, in its right place, and undamaged as far as he could see. "heinrich," he exclaimed in amazement. the chauffeur, a hose in one hand, a big sponge in the other, and wearing high rubber boots, looked up inquiringly. "what are you doing up so early?" he asked. "where did the car come from?" demanded bob. heinrich straightened up and gazed at bob. "what you mean?" he inquired. "who brought the car home?" "how do i know? maybe your father use it last night. whoever do it, get it all covered mit dust." "but," stammered bob, "the car was stolen." "what!" exclaimed heinrich. "what you talking about?" "what time did you get in last night?" bob inquired, becoming more and more anxious and bewildered every moment. "twelve o'clock," said heinrich. "what you mean the car iss stolen?" "was it here when you came home?" "certainly it was here. what you talking about?" "i don't know," said bob weakly, and he sat down on the running board and passed his hand across his brow. "are you sick?" asked heinrich anxiously. "you look pale." "i'm not sick," said bob. "i guess i'm crazy," and he held his head in both hands, staring blankly at the floor. heinrich did not know what to make of the strange behavior of his employer's son. he stared at him curiously, and it was plain to see that he was telling the truth in all he said. "what you mean the car iss stolen?" he inquired finally. "nothing," said bob blankly. "it's too much for me." "i go to a party last night," said heinrich. "i come home late and the door here iss open. here iss the car too. why you think it stolen?" "i don't know," said bob. "i guess i must have dreamt it." "you are sick," exclaimed heinrich. "you had better go back and go to bed. if you wish i go with you to the house." "no," said bob. "i'm all right." he rose to his feet dazedly, looked in bewilderment at the car again and started out. "i have a loss," said heinrich, convinced that bob was probably all right. "what's that?" demanded bob, turning around. "burglars," said heinrich. "where? in the garage here?" "yes. last night," and heinrich brushed a tear from his eye. "you did?" exclaimed bob. "they didn't steal all that money you had yesterday, did they?" "no," said heinrich sorrowfully. "i almost wish they had. they steal percy." "percy," cried bob, greatly relieved. "why should any one steal him?" "i do not know. i come down this morning and i look in the tub to say good-morning to percy. the tub iss here, but percy iss gone." "there are some queer things going on around here, heinie," said bob. "i like to catch the man what steal him," said heinrich fiercely. "i'd like to catch lots of people," said bob. "maybe he fell out of the tub." "he could not do that," exclaimed heinrich. "the sides iss too high." "well, it's certainly strange." bob went out of the garage and started slowly back toward the house. heinrich, sorrowing over the loss of his alligator, with a sigh took up the sponge and hose again and fell to washing the car once more. bob returned to his room, washed his face and hands, something he had neglected to do before, and went downstairs again. he glanced at the morning newspaper, full of war news and preparations for war; one column told of the arrest of many germans all over the country, men who were suspected of caring more for the fatherland than they did for the united states. there was no mention of the bomb episode on the railroad bridge the night before, however. bob knew that the authorities would not permit the publication of any such items if they could prevent it so he was not surprised. presently the rest of the family appeared and they went in to breakfast. mr. cook's mail was lying on the table by his plate; it was his custom every morning to glance it over while he was eating. while mrs. cook talked to bob about harold, her husband looked through his letters. suddenly he uttered an exclamation of surprise. "here's a queer thing," he said. "what?" demanded mrs. cook anxiously. she had been very nervous lately. "this postcard," said mr. cook. "listen to what it says. 'take the advice of one who knows and keep your automobile home at night.'" bob turned pale. "what does it mean!" inquired mrs. cook. "i'm sure i don't know," said her husband. "how is it signed?" "it is not signed at all." "i can't imagine what it's all about," said mr. cook. "as far as i know, our car hasn't been out of the garage at night for over a week." "perhaps heinrich has had it out," mrs. cook suggested. "i'll ask him right after breakfast," said mr. cook. "they must have mistaken our car for some one else's." "who do you suppose sent it?" "i'm sure i don't know," said her husband musingly. "at any rate i think i shall turn it over to the police; i don't like the look of it." throughout this conversation bob sat silent. he thought perhaps he could explain part of the mystery to his father, but he was puzzled as to whether he ought to do so or not. on the other hand if his father called in the police, he knew that he and hugh would have small chance of clearing up the matter themselves. "it worries me so, robert," exclaimed mrs. cook. "i am so afraid that something will happen to you, especially as you are making war supplies at the factory now." "the plant is guarded," said her husband. "besides i think i owe it to my country to help all i can, don't you?" "of course, but suppose some of your guards are treacherous." "they are all trusted employees of american birth." "no germans at all?" "the man in charge at night has parents born in germany; you know him, karl hoffmann, the one who wants to marry lena. he is just as faithful and true as she is. i can vouch for all the others as well." "he's all right i guess," said mrs. cook with a smile. "even if heinrich doesn't like him." heinrich and karl hoffmann were rivals for lena's affections, and they despised each other. lena, however, seemed to like them both equally well, or at least she did not care enough about either to marry him. bob used to delight in teasing heinrich about his rival. when karl was on the premises heinrich would sulk in the garage and mutter threats against him. karl was twice heinrich's size, but the little blue-eyed, spectacled chauffeur never seemed to question his ability to deal with him. mr. cook rose from the table. "i'll go down and ask heinrich about this car business," he said, "and then i'll go down to the office." he kissed mrs. cook and louise and left the room. bob followed him out. his father put on his coat and hat and stepped out onto the front porch. a sudden resolution seized bob. "father," he said. "what is it, bob?" asked mr. cook, turning to glance at his son. "i think i can explain about the car." "you can?" exclaimed his father in surprise, looking curiously at bob's pale face. "yes, sir," said bob, nervously. "it's a sort of a long story. shall i tell it all?" "certainly. come out here to the summer house." they walked in silence to the little rustic house on the lawn and sat down side by side on the rough wooden seat. bob was excited, but still determined that the best thing for him to do was to tell his father the whole story. he knew his father would understand and see things from his point of view; they were more like two brothers than a father and son. "hugh and i had the car out last night," said bob, and then he began at the beginning and related the entire story through to the end. he told of their visit to the armory, their meeting with harold on the bridge, the narrow escape with the bomb, their decision to watch the wernbergs' house, their trip to the deserted house, the disappearance of the automobile, and finally its strange return. mr. cook listened intently throughout the whole narrative, one exclamation as bob told of the bomb episode being his sole interruption. "that card must have been sent by the one that brought the car back," said bob. "it would seem so," his father agreed, and fell silent, thinking. "that was a close call you boys had with that bomb," he said finally. "yes, sir," said bob. "what have you planned to do to-day?" "we were going to report the loss of the car to police headquarters and then go out to the deserted house again, to see what we could find." "you weren't going to say anything to the police about it?" "no, sir." "that might be dangerous, you know." "yes, sir," said bob. "we wanted to solve the thing ourselves if we could though." "i don't know about that," said mr. cook musingly. "i hate to think of you two boys fooling around out there with a lot of desperate men around." "don't do anything until this afternoon anyway," bob pleaded. mr. cook thought for a minute. "all right," he agreed. "ill wait until after luncheon. do you and hugh expect to go out there this morning?" "yes, sir." "have you got a gun?" "no, we haven't." "well, there's an automatic pistol and two boxes of cartridges in the second drawer of my bureau. go up and get them before you start, for i think you ought to be armed. and above all don't say anything about it to your mother." "certainly not," exclaimed bob, much excited that his father was helping them. "be careful," warned his father. "i'll be home for luncheon and we'll talk more then." heinrich appeared with the car and mr. cook got in and was soon on the way to his office. bob hurried into the house to telephone to hugh and possess himself of his father's automatic pistol. hugh promised to hurry over as fast as he could, and he could tell from the tone of bob's voice that something stirring was on foot. bob had answered his question about the car evasively and he was anxious to hear the latest developments. consequently by the time that bob had tucked the pistol safely in his back pocket and had gone to the garage for his bicycle, hugh appeared. bob related the story of the car and its strange return, and also told about the postal card his father had received that morning. the mystery seemed to deepen rather than clear up, and both boys were profoundly mystified by the strange events of the previous day. "your eye's better anyway," remarked hugh. "yes," said bob. "but i may get another one to-day." "we'll hope not. when do you want to start?'' "right away." "come ahead then," and jumping on their bicycles the two boys pedalled out of the yard. little did they dream that bright april morning, as they rode along, that they were headed for adventures which would make the events that had gone before appear mild in comparison. chapter xi the deserted house "somebody stole percy," said bob when they had ridden a little way. "the alligator?" "yes. heinrich's pet, you know." "why should any one want to do that?" "i can't imagine, and poor old heinie is all broken up about it. i've never seen any one who liked animals as much as he does." "who do you suppose did it?" "i've no idea. perhaps the man who returned the car stole him and is planning to wait until he grows big and then train him to come and bite us," laughed bob. "let's hope not," smiled hugh. "there are too many strange things going on for me to understand just now. my brain is all mixed up." "and so's mine. i should like to know who sent that postal card though." "perhaps we'll get on the trail of it when we get to the deserted house." "do you suppose we can break in?" "perhaps we can. i've brought an electric flashlight along that may come in handy." "a good idea," exclaimed bob. "i have an idea myself." "what's that?" "we'd better not ride too far down the road. let's leave our wheels this side of the hill, and then go across the country and come in to the house from the back. in that way i think we'll stand less chance of being seen." "probably you're right. at any rate i hope no one steals our bicycles." "i wonder if they'd be returned," said bob. "wasn't that a queer thing?" "it certainly was." they rode in silence for some time and presently came within sight of the hill of which they had been speaking. they dismounted from their bicycles, and wheeling them by their sides started across the fields. a hundred yards from the main road they concealed them under a clump of bushes and then continued on their way. they walked for about a half-mile until they saw the fringe of the woods in the middle of which stood the deserted house. "bob," said hugh suddenly. "i know who took your automobile." "what?" exclaimed bob. "what are you talking about?" "i know who took your automobile." "who!" "heinrich." bob burst out laughing. "what are you talking about?" he demanded. "how could heinrich take it? hugh, you're going crazy." "isn't heinrich a german?" "he is." "weren't there a lot of germans meeting out here in the old house last night?" "we think so. i still don't see what that has to do with heinie." "how do you know heinrich wasn't here?" asked hugh. "you mean that heinrich is a plotter?" exclaimed bob, suddenly realizing what his friend was driving at. "he might bear watching," said hugh. "he and that german cook of yours." "they're both honest and reliable," exclaimed bob warmly. "well," said hugh, "i heard a story last night about two men coming to a house where they had a nice 'honest and reliable' german girl and demanding to see her. the owner of the house refused, and the men then showed secret service badges. of course when he saw the badges he had to do as they said and he called in the girl. as soon as she came into the room one of the men went up to her and grabbed hold of her hair. well, sir, it came right off her head and then they discovered that the maid was nothing more nor less than a man, a german in disguise, trying to get information for his government." "is that a true story?" exclaimed bob in amazement. "the man in whose house it happened told it to father," said hugh. "it only goes to show that you can't be too careful. i wouldn't be too sure about heinrich and lena if i were you. the germans are a bad lot and i suspect them all." "perhaps," said bob. "still heinie and lena are different." "they may be tools of mr. wernberg for all you know." "you're foolish," exclaimed bob. "why even if they weren't loyal to the united states they'd be loyal to father and mother. i know that." hugh shrugged his shoulders. "it sounds fishy to me, that's all," he said. "didn't heinrich say he went to a party last night? how do you know the party wasn't held out here, and that he just happened to run across your car and decided to bring it home." "if he had he would have washed the car last night, not this morning." "why so?" "because he's so methodical, like all the germans. he never could have slept if he had known the car was dirty." "why, bob," hugh protested, "heinrich says he didn't come in until twelve o'clock and he says the car was there then. why didn't he notice that it was dirty then? i'd like to know." "he probably didn't light but one light in the garage and didn't notice it." "sounds likely," snorted hugh. "take my advice and watch 'em both." "they're just as faithful as you or i," exclaimed bob. "you can't talk me into getting suspicious of those two." "the faithful ones are the ones to suspect," said hugh grimly. "nonsense," said bob, but his friend's words nevertheless set him to thinking. what if heinrich and lena should turn out to be working in the interests of germany? he recalled the light in lena's room the night before, and then he thought of all the money heinrich had had and how embarrassed and uneasy he had been when bob spoke of it. ugly stories of germans crowded through his mind, but he refused to believe that their two servants were of that sort. presently they reached the edge of the woods. the wagon road they had followed the night before ran all the way through the stretch and a break in the trees a short distance away showed where it came out on that side. "we must go carefully now," warned hugh. "how far in is the old house?" "oh, about a quarter of a mile," said bob. "i don't believe any one is apt to be out here in the daytime." he felt for his back pocket, however, and the knowledge that he had a revolver with him was most reassuring. they stole along through the woods, stepping softly and keeping a sharp lookout in all directions. all was silent, however, and seemingly they were alone. before long they were able to glimpse the old deserted house through the trees. they stopped and gazed at it intently. it was two stories high and of wood. years had evidently passed since any one had lived there and the house was in need of repairing. some of the shutters were missing, others sagged or were hanging limply from the frames, the glass in most of the windows was broken, and the wind and weather had stripped practically all the paint from the sides of the abandoned dwelling. the cellar door was missing and all in all the place presented a forlorn and desolate appearance. hugh and bob both recalled tales of ghosts connected with the old house, and somehow now that they were there they wished they had stayed at home. "perhaps we ought to report this business to the police after all," whispered hugh. "yes," said bob. "still i'd hate to go home and tell father that we didn't even go inside the place." "that's true," hugh agreed. "what shall we do?" "let's walk around it and see if we can see anything suspicious." "all right. we'd better keep in the shelter of the woods though." "oh, yes, of course." remaining almost a hundred feet distant from the little clearing, in the center of which stood the house, the boys began to walk. save for an occasional nervous glance about them they never took their eyes off the deserted dwelling. when they came to the wagon-road they darted across quickly, fearful lest they should be discovered. their progress was slow and an hour had elapsed when they returned to their starting point. "i don't believe any one is there," whispered bob. "it doesn't look so. shall we go in?" "i suppose so," said bob, though it was plain to be seen that neither boy much relished the task. however they dared not go home and report failure to mr. cook, so presently they ventured forth from the woods and started across the clearing. the cellar door was open and toward this they made their way. a gentle breeze rattled one of the shutters, causing the boys to start nervously. bob kept his hand on his hip pocket and they walked closely together. presently they came to the cellar steps and peered in cautiously. their faces were pale, as gingerly they walked down the stone steps and entered the gloomy cellar. "flash your light," whispered bob. hugh did so, and a huge gray rat scuttled across the floor, startling the boys so that they almost cried out. little by little their courage returned, however, and they advanced a few steps. they listened intently, but no sound came to their ears. hugh's flashlight revealed the stairs leading to the first floor and stepping noiselessly the boys approached. slowly and very cautiously they ascended and presently came to the top of the stairs. bob was in the lead, his pistol gripped tightly in one hand. with his free hand he pushed the door open gently and looked within. the kitchen was deserted, a broken-down stove in one corner, a water heater covered with dirt and rust, a sagging sink, and two battered chairs and a table completing the furnishings. a soft breeze entered through a broken window and gently stirred the strip of wall paper hanging limply from the ceiling. bob beckoned to hugh and they emerged into the room. they listened intently. not a sound was to be heard. reassured they passed out of the kitchen through a narrow back hall, and into the parlor. the same aspect of neglect and decay was everywhere evident, but nothing suspicious was to be seen. "shall we go upstairs?" whispered bob. "we might as well. i don't believe there's any one here anyway." the stairs leading to the second floor creaked and groaned under the weight of the boys, but as they were now convinced that the house was uninhabited they were not worried. coming to the second story they proceeded to the room located in the front of the house. "this must be the place," whispered bob excitedly. a table stood in the center of the room; around it were grouped five seats, chairs and old boxes, as if five men had had a meeting or conference there. "this is where they had their meeting last night," said hugh. "here are places for five men, and we saw that many come out." "yes, sir," echoed bob. "this looks like headquarters." "suppose we could expose them," exclaimed hugh. "wouldn't it be great?" "if we only could," said bob eagerly. "let's look around." pen and ink, together with a pad of writing paper were lying on the table. besides the table and seats, however, there was no furniture in the room, and there seemed small promise of anything of interest to the two searchers. they lifted every box and searched under it, but all in vain. finally bob looked behind the door. with an exclamation of delight he stooped and picked up a piece of paper lying upon the floor. "what is it, bob?" inquired hugh eagerly. "i don't know. i can't see very well." "bring it over here by the window. it's awfully dark and gloomy in this room." bob followed this suggestion, and presently was reading what was written on the paper. hugh looked on over his shoulder. "'list of places to be attacked.'" bob read. "'railroad bridge, court house, armory, national cartridge company, high ridge steel company. more to be added later.'" "this looks like the real thing," exclaimed bob excitedly. "i wonder if they plan to take these in order. at any rate we fooled them once on the railroad bridge." "yes," said hugh, "and we want to fool them on the others if we can." "they've got father's factory listed," exclaimed bob. "i was afraid they would; the germans don't like him. he's too good an american." "some one must have dropped that paper by mistake," said hugh. "they never would have left anything like that lying around." "suppose they discover they've left it and come back after it." both boys looked nervously out of the window, but all they saw was the little clearing and the quiet trees, swaying gently under the light breeze. "isn't it signed?" asked hugh. "no." "look on the back; there may be something there." bob turned over the sheet of paper. "no writing," he said. "there's a picture here though." "what is it?" "i can't see very well. it looks like some sort of a bug." "it looks like an alligator," said hugh, taking the paper from bob and examining it closely. "let me see," exclaimed bob. "that's what it is," he announced a moment later. "what do you suppose is the idea of that?" "i'm sure i don't know. probably some man was just trying to amuse himself by drawing pictures, and happened to draw an alligator." "maybe it's a picture of percy," laughed bob. "say," exclaimed hugh suddenly, "it's strange, though. heinie's alligator was probably stolen by the man that returned the car, and whoever returned the car was probably out here at this meeting. what's the connection?" "i don't believe there is any," said bob. "you're too suspicious, hugh." "won't you admit that it's queer?" "of course i will, but i think it also proves that heinie couldn't have been the one who returned our car last night. that is, if you think the man who stole the alligator was the one who brought back the car. heinrich wouldn't cry about the loss of his pet if he was the one who took it, would he?" "it's too deep for one to understand," sighed hugh with a shake of his head. "at any rate one thing is sure and that is that some plots are being hatched around here and--" before he could finish there was a loud crash behind them, the only door leading out of the room was slammed shut, and a key turned in the lock. chapter xii trapped bob and hugh stared at each other in astonishment. they had been tricked and were now prisoners. a moment later they recovered somewhat from their surprise and with one accord sprang for the door. bob seized the knob and shook it violently. to no purpose, however. "get a chair, hugh," he cried. "we'll smash the door in." "how do we know what's waiting for us in the hall?" "i don't care. we've got to get out of here." there was a deafening report of a gun fired in the narrow hall. the panel of the door close to bob's head was splintered, and a bullet shot across the room, shivering the one remaining pane of glass left in the window. "duck!" shouted hugh. "get away from that door!" bob needed no second urging. he sprang aside and cowered against the side of the wall. the two boys looked at each other, pale-lipped and breathing hard. "whew," exclaimed hugh. "that was a close call." bob whipped his pistol out of his pocket, and began to crawl back toward the door. "what are you going to do?" demanded hugh in alarm. "i'm going to send a bullet through there myself," said bob. "we might just as well let them know we're alive too." "don't you do it. you'll only waste your bullets and it may help us later if they don't know we are armed." bob hesitated. "i guess you're right," he said a moment later, and presently resumed his place against the wall. "what'll we do?" said hugh. "i don't know. did you hear anybody?" "not a soul. all i heard was the door bang and then the pistol shot." "i guess we're in for it," said bob nervously. "we must get out of here." "i think so too, but how?" "we can smash the door." "yes, and the minute we stick our heads out of the door we'll get a bullet through us. i don't see that we stand a chance." "but we can't stay here," protested hugh. "if we do they'll certainly fix us one way or another." "if i don't come home to lunch father will get worried and bring help to us; he knows where we are." "these people won't wait that long. if they are spies and plotters they'll be desperate and they won't waste much time dealing with us." "i wonder how far it is to the ground." "we'd break a leg trying to jump," said hugh. "i'll look anyway," and bob carefully raised himself to his feet and advanced toward the window. he peered out and then suddenly uttered an exclamation. "hugh," he cried in a low voice. "the gray roadster is out there. a man just got in and is driving off." with one bound hugh was by his friend's side. "could you see who it was?" he demanded eagerly. the roadster had disappeared down the wagon road. "i couldn't see," said bob. "his back was toward me all the time." "how do you suppose that car got in here without our hearing it?" "i don't know. of course they had the cutout closed." "do you think that man has gone for help?" "i wouldn't be surprised." "then now is our chance to get out of here." "perhaps he left a guard." "i can't help it. at any rate we'll never have a better opportunity than this." "shall we smash the door in with a chair?" asked bob. "i don't see what else we can do." "it's a chance." "of course it is, but it's no bigger chance than it is to stay here." "all right then," said bob. "let's each get a chair." they possessed themselves of chairs and then took their places one on each side of the door. they held the chairs by the backs and prepared to swing them against the panels. "one, two, three," counted bob, and smote the door with all the strength he could muster. a second later hugh followed suit. the door was made of heavy oak, however, and stood fast. bob and hugh shrank back against the wall and waited for any result of their efforts. silence pervaded the house. "i guess that man was the only one here," said hugh. "it seems so; let's try it again." once more the chairs crashed against the door, but without effect. again and again the two boys exerted themselves to the utmost, but the sole result of their efforts was to break the chairs. finally, well-nigh exhausted, they stopped. "it's no use, bob," panted hugh. "the door is stronger than the chairs." "we've got to get out of here though." "the only way i can see is the window." "but we can't jump that far; we'd only break a leg or something. there isn't even a roof to help us." "can't we make a rope out of our clothes and slide down?" "i say to try the door again," exclaimed bob. "but we can't smash it with these chairs," hugh protested. "i know it; let's try the table." "how are you going to do that?" "i'll show you," said bob. "take hold of this end with me." they grasped the table and dragged it to a spot directly in front of the door and eight or ten feet distant from it. "now," exclaimed bob. "when i say, 'three,' we'll push it with all our might against the door." "it'll never work," said hugh, with a shake of his head. "try it," cried bob. "we've got to do something." they took firm hold of the table and set themselves. "now," said bob. "one, two, three." they pushed with all their strength and a moment later the table crashed into the door. the door creaked and groaned but did not give way. "it won't work," said hugh with great conviction. "yes, it will too," exclaimed bob. "stick to it." they dragged the table back and once again drove it hurtling against the door. this time their efforts met with some success for the corner of the table drove straight through one of the panels. "see that?" cried bob excitedly. "i believe that if i put my hand through that opening i can reach the key and unlock the door." "you don't suppose for a second that that man left the key in the door, do you?" "i don't suppose he did," admitted bob, somewhat crestfallen. "still there's no harm in trying anyway." "there may be somebody on guard in the hall." "we'll have to risk that." bob thrust his arm through the opening made in the door panel, but soon withdrew it. "the key is not there," he said. "of course not," exclaimed hugh. "get out of the way and let me get a few whacks at that panel with the chair." he attacked the door furiously and in a few moments had knocked out the panel completely. "i guess we can squeeze through there now," he said. "let me go first," exclaimed bob. "i've got a gun." he squirmed through the opening in the door and seeing no sign of any one outside called to hugh to follow him. a moment later they stood side by side in the dark and narrow hallway. "we'd better get out of here as fast as we can," whispered bob. "the sooner it is, the better i'm pleased," returned hugh grimly. they stole along the hall, every sense alert. presently they came to the head of the stairs and discovering nothing to alarm them, started down. the stairs still creaked and groaned, but the boys' confidence was rapidly returning as they neared outdoors and safety, and they hurried along. a side door stood open and toward this they made their way. bob had returned his revolver to his pocket for he really thought he should not need it any more. he stepped out of the doorway and started down the steps. as he did so a man sprang at him and with a blackjack dealt him a stunning blow over the head. bob reeled uncertainly for an instant, and then sank unconscious to the floor; there he lay in a limp heap. before the man could deal with bob's companion, hugh had grappled with him, and a moment later they were rolling over and over on the ground fighting like wild cats. chapter xiii mistaken identity hugh had seized the man by his right wrist and as they went down the blackjack was sent spinning. it was man to man, bare hands for weapons. hugh's assailant was not large, but he was extremely agile. he squirmed and wriggled, kicked and butted, in fact he used every weapon at his command. hugh probably outweighed his enemy, and in addition was a splendid wrestler, but he was young and his antagonist's strength was more developed. each fighter struggled desperately to get an arm free. once hugh succeeded, but it was his left arm, and when he seized his opponent's throat his hold was soon shaken loose. they fought fiercely, both breathing hard, their faces were red and blotched, and their eyes were staring. over and over they rolled, the stones and twigs on the ground tearing and lacerating their hands and faces. hugh got hold of his opponent's right arm. he bent it back with every bit of strength he possessed, until the man cried out in pain. hugh knew, however, that he would receive no mercy if he was overcome and he pressed home his advantage. suddenly, with a convulsive twist of his body, the man shook loose hugh's hold, and dealt him a heavy blow in the chest. hugh felt his wind badly shaken and he seized his opponent around the waist with both arms, squeezing with all the strength in his body. his one idea was to keep as close to his enemy as he could, so that the man would have no opportunity to strike him again. gradually hugh felt his strength slipping. he knew he could not hold out much longer, and even as he struggled he wondered how soon it would be before the other germans returned and made an end of him. then when he least expected it, help came to him. bob had opened his eyes after a moment. he had seen millions of stars, and as he came to his senses again his head felt sore and battered. he did not recall for a moment just what had befallen him. suddenly, however, he heard the sounds of a violent struggle being waged near at hand, and sitting up he spied hugh and his assailant locked in each other's grasp, and still fighting. bob sprang to his feet and approached them. he remembered everything now. his throbbing head recalled to him the blow he had received and he could feel a large lump on the back of it. he wondered what would have happened to him if he had not worn a hat. a moment later, however, he had dismissed from his mind all thought of himself and was engaged in assisting his friend. he grasped hugh's assailant by his throat and knelt on his shoulders with both knees. gradually the man's strength waned; hugh could feel it slipping. a moment later he lay gasping on the ground too weak to offer any resistance to the two boys. hugh held his arms, while bob released his hold on the man's throat and sat on his legs. the prisoner, his breath rattling in his chest, lay with eyes half-closed, completely done up. suddenly hugh spied something that made him start violently. the man's coat lay wide open and pinned on his vest was a badge. more than that, it was a police badge, one of the badges of the police of high ridge. "bob," gasped hugh in alarm, "this man's a detective." "what!" cried bob. "you're crazy." "i am not. look here." he released his hold on his erstwhile opponent and stood up. bob followed suit. in amazement they looked at the man on the ground at their feet. "that's a high ridge police badge all right," said bob. "no doubt of it." "are you a detective?" hugh asked their victim. the man looked at them through narrowed eyelids. "yes," he said weakly, and started to reach towards his hip pocket. "here, here!" cried hugh. "none of that! this whole thing is a mistake." "let me help you up," urged bob, offering his hand to the beaten man. hugh also assisted him and they raised him to his feet. "i guess we were after the same people you were," exclaimed bob, taking it for granted that the detective had trailed the germans to the deserted house as he and hugh had done. "they had us locked up in there and we had just broken down the door and were coming out. we didn't know you were a detective." "you didn't give us a chance to find out," laughed hugh, greatly relieved at the unexpected turn of events. he also felt safer to have an officer of the law with them. the detective rubbed his neck, and looked at the two boys narrowly. "germans in this house?" he said at length. "they had a meeting here last night," said bob. "how do you know?" "we followed them out here. look at this too," and he handed over the list of buildings to be destroyed that they had found in the old house. the detective snatched the paper out of his hand and scanned it eagerly. "where did you get this?" he demanded. "we found it upstairs," said bob. "humph," ejaculated the detective and thrust it into his pocket. "weren't you trailing these germans too?" inquired bob. "how do you know they were germans?" "who else would want to blow up bridges and ammunition factories?" "did they intend to do that?" "that's what that list says," exclaimed hugh, nettled by the questions the man asked as well as by his odd behavior. "well," said the detective, "you take my advice. this is no place for a couple of boys like you to be hanging around. you might get hurt the first thing you know." he glanced about him nervously as though he expected some one else to arrive upon the scene at any moment. "a man locked us in that room just before you arrived," said bob. "then he dashed off in a big gray roadster." "well, you'd better get out of here yourselves," said the detective shortly. "they may come back at any minute and perhaps you'll need help," protested bob. "i'll take care of that part of it," exclaimed the detective. "you get out." convinced that there was nothing else for them to do, bob and hugh started off through the woods, leaving the detective in undisputed possession of the premises. they were greatly puzzled by their recent experience. "what do you think of that detective?" demanded bob, when they had reached a point out of sight of the house. "i think he was an old grouch," exclaimed hugh. "i don't see why he had to be so disagreeable to us; all we wanted to do was to help him." "yes, when those germans come back he's apt to be handled roughly." "he was jealous of us, i believe," said bob. "why so?" "well, we had gone ahead on our own account, and from the way he acted i guess we knew more about what was going on than he did." "perhaps that's it," said hugh. "maybe he was afraid we might take some glory away from him." "how silly!" exclaimed bob. "what do we want with glory?" "we'd better tell your father what happened this morning." "of course. he'll think i'm a pretty poor fighter though; a black eye one day and a big lump on my head the next." "how does your head feel anyway?" inquired hugh. "oh, pretty well. it still throbs though." "i should think it might, and you can consider yourself pretty lucky that you didn't get your skull cracked open." "he was a queer looking man, wasn't he?" "yes, and his actions were even queerer." "i guess he was jealous," said bob. "oh, well, i don't suppose it makes any difference who corners those germans, so long as somebody does it." "personally, i'm sort of glad to get away from that house," said hugh. "i believe that if we had stayed much longer we never would have left." "how about the detective?" "if he wants to stay that's his lookout, not ours." "that's right, and i suppose he'll go for help anyway." "perhaps they'll just watch the house for a day or two," said hugh. "it may be though that now that those germans know they are watched they may meet in some other place." "true enough. i wish we could find the place." presently they came to the spot where they had left their bicycles. they were still there, and a moment later the boys were wheeling them back across the field again. once more in the road, they mounted and soon were riding towards home. their minds were busy with plots and germans and the recent experiences they had undergone. they felt sure that they were on the trail of a desperate gang, and that quick action perhaps was necessary to prevent untold damage, and possible loss of life. they were confused, however. everywhere they turned they seemed to run into some new angle of the affair, or some other person who might bear watching. hugh was still of the opinion that heinrich and lena should be looked after pretty carefully, though bob laughed at him. he knew his family felt that their servants could be relied upon absolutely. bob wondered about his father's plant; was it properly guarded? perhaps his father might consent to let him go down there and help watch over it at night. talking but little they spun along the road. each boy was occupied with his own thoughts, and consequently did not notice an automobile rapidly approaching down the road. "here comes a car," exclaimed bob suddenly. they swung over to the right side of the road to let it pass, and a moment later it roared past them in a cloud of dust. "bob," cried hugh excitedly. "the gray roadster." "i know it. did you see who was in it?" "i didn't notice." "mr. wernberg." "what!" "it certainly was." "i guess your father was right about him then. he said he was a dangerous man, and i guess he is, if he's mixed up with that gang out there." "well, frank wouldn't talk the way he does unless he'd heard it at home." "probably not. do you suppose they recognized us?" "suppose they did?" said bob, carelessly. "we have a right to the road, haven't we?" "certainly, but the man who locked us in the room! he must have been in the car and would surely recognize us as the ones who were in the house." "that's true," exclaimed bob. "do you think they'll turn around and come after us?" hugh glanced back over his shoulder. "the car has stopped," he exclaimed. "come on, bob, we'd better ride for all there is in us." the two boys leaned forward on their pedals, bent low over the handlebars, and rode as hard as they could. they were not far from the town now and they knew that the occupants of the gray roadster would not dare molest them, when once they had gained the populated districts. not once did they look back until they were safely within the city limits. "i didn't think they'd follow us," puffed hugh. "still it's just as well to take no chances." "i wasn't so much afraid of them chasing us," said bob. "what worries me is that probably they know who we are now, and consequently we won't be safe no matter where we are." "i guess we'll have to report to the police." "if we do i hope they treat us better than that detective did." "i hope so, too," laughed hugh. "at any rate we'll ask your father." "you are coming to our house for luncheon, you know." "yes." "we can talk it over with father then." they arrived at the cook residence without further adventure or mishap. they left their bicycles in the garage, and then started for the house. half-way across the lawn they met mr. cook. "well, boys," he said, plainly relieved at seeing them safely back, "what luck?" "feel my head," said bob, removing his cap. mr. cook did so. "whew!" he exclaimed. "where did you get that?" bob related the story of their experiences that morning. mr. cook offered no comment until he had finished. "this looks serious," he said at length. "it's too bad you got such a bump from a detective, a man on your own side." "what do you think of our seeing mr. wernberg?" asked hugh. mr. cook's face clouded and he shook his head. "i was afraid of him," he said. "what shall we do about it?" bob inquired. "i think we'd better report it to the police, and do it soon, too." he looked at his watch. "we've got time before luncheon," he exclaimed. "was heinrich in the garage?" "no, sir." "how about the car?" "that's there all right." "well, come along then," exclaimed mr. cook. "we'll get it and go straight down to police headquarters now." "don't you think our friend the detective will make a report?" asked hugh. "possibly. still, as bob says, those men are sometimes very jealous and he might not tell the whole story, particularly about what you did." a few moments later all three were on their way to the police station. bob's old friend, sergeant riley, was still behind the desk and gave them a jovial greeting. "yez haven't got no germans for me, have yez?" he demanded. "no," said mr. cook, "we haven't, but we can tell you where to get some." "sounds interesting," said the sergeant laying aside his pen and carefully blotting the sheet of paper on which he had been writing. "tell me about it." "go ahead, bob," his father urged. "tell your story, and first of all let sergeant riley feel the bump on your head. that'll convince him." "it would indade," exclaimed the sergeant, after examining the swelling on bob's head. "not that i'd ever doubt anything a son of yours told me, misther cook." bob related the events of that day to sergeant riley. the police officer listened attentively and interestedly until bob came to the part about the detective. as he began to tell of that the sergeant started perceptibly. "a detective, yez said?" he demanded. "yes," said bob, "he had a badge on." "can yez describe him?" "well," said bob, "he was a man about five feet seven inches tall; he had dark hair and a close-cut black mustache. i should think he would weigh possibly about a hundred and fifty pounds; maybe not quite so much. he had on a soft brown hat and a dark suit of clothes. i can't remember anything more about him." "that's a plenty," exclaimed the sergeant. he had been jotting down the description of the detective as bob spoke. "he was a grouchy fellow all right," exclaimed hugh. "he chased us away from there as though he was jealous of us and didn't want us around." "i daresay he didn't want yez," said riley. "what's his name?" asked bob. "i don't know," replied the sergeant. "come on, riley," laughed mr. cook, "you can't tell me that. why i thought you knew every one in high ridge to say nothing of your own force. you don't mean to tell me you don't know a detective that wears the same badge you do?" "yes, sir, i do," said riley soberly. "and i'll tell yez why. that man these boys met this morning is no detective at all." chapter xiv an expedition mr. cook and the two boys were so completely taken aback by the sergeant's statement that for a moment all they could do was stare at one another in amazement. bob was the first to regain his voice. "what do you mean, sergeant?" he demanded. "just what i say." "that man was not a detective?" stammered bob. "he is not a member of the high ridge force?" "there is no man answering to that description here." "then he was a fake." "exactly." "well," exclaimed hugh, bob, and mr. cook in one breath. they could say no more. "he was a fake," repeated sergeant riley emphatically. "there is no doubt of it." the boys were too surprised for words. what kind of a business was this they were becoming involved in anyway? the further they went the more confused they became. if you could not trust a man with a regulation police badge, whom could you trust? "it seems incredible," said mr. cook. "we are at war with germany, aren't we?" asked sergeant riley calmly. "we are," mr. cook agreed. "well, then," said the sergeant, "that explains it. they want to do us all the harm they can and as they can't bring soldiers over here, thanks to the english fleet, they've got to strike at us with plots and bombs and such things. they will stop at nothing." "are there many to guard against in high ridge?" asked mr. cook. "you know i am interested because my factory is making ammunition for the government." "there are several," the sergeant admitted. "can you tell me who they are?" "i cannot. 'twould be against my orders. yez might feel better to know that we are watching them pretty carefully though." "i hope so," said mr. cook fervently. "have yez had lunch?" asked the sergeant suddenly. "no," replied mr. cook. "not yet." "well, suppose yez go home and get it. i may telephone yez a little later to go out to that house with some of our men." "good," cried mr. cook. "we'll hurry and you may be sure we'll be ready any time you call on us." they left the police station and were soon on their way home. arriving at the house, hugh and mr. cook got out, and bob drove the car down to the garage. there he found heinrich seated on a box in one corner intently studying a sheet of paper he held in his hand. "what you got, heinie?" asked bob cheerily. "a love letter!" heinrich looked up at bob, a curious expression in his pale blue eyes. he made no comment, however, and presently returned to the perusal of the paper he held. "what is it?" demanded bob, impressed by the chauffeur's manner. an air of gloom seemed to pervade the garage, even the dog, the cat, and the parrot appeared to be affected by it. the dog stood listlessly by his master's side, the cat walked idly up and down, and the bird failed to greet bob with his usual cheery "how do"; he sat limply on his perch, his feathers ruffled, and muttered to himself. heinrich handed the paper to bob. it was a sheet evidently torn from a pad and in a large scrawling hand was written the following: "we warned your boss to keep his car at home; now tell him to keep his son there, too." no name was signed and bob turned the paper over and looked at the opposite side. a picture of an alligator was drawn there. bob recognized the sheet as similar to the one that he and hugh had found in the deserted house and the detective had taken from them; apparently it had been torn from the same pad. "where did you get this, heinie?" he demanded. "i go up to the house to see lena," said heinrich. "that is maybe a half-hour ago. i only stay there a few minutes and when i come back here is this." "lying on the floor?" "yes." "have you no idea who sent it?" "how should i?" exclaimed heinrich. "somebody must have slipped in here while you were absent and left it," said bob. "there are queer things happening around here these days, heinie." "there is," the chauffeur admitted solemnly. "do you mind if i keep this paper?" "no." bob started out. "you better do as that says, too," exclaimed heinrich earnestly. "you would not want anything to happen to you." "i'm not afraid," said bob soberly. "you know, heinie," he continued, "some people are trying to blow up things around here. some of your countrymen, and we can't let them do anything like that, you know." heinrich seemed much perturbed at this. "so?" he exclaimed his eyes wide. "yes," said bob, "and it's men like you who ought to stop them. you men who were germans but are now americans, could do yourselves a good turn if you did. some people of german blood are under suspicion nowadays and if you showed that you were loyal to the united states it would be a good thing for you. not that i mean to say we are suspicious of _you_," bob hastened to add. this speech of bob's seemed to offer a new line of thought to heinrich who merely stared at bob and said nothing. "heinrich is so loyal himself that it never occurred to him that any one would be suspicious," thought bob as he hurried off toward the house, the strange paper clutched tightly in one hand. he arrived to find every one at the dining-table, and consequently he said nothing about the warning, for he did not wish to alarm his mother. she had just heard from harold; his company had been ordered away from high ridge that morning for an unknown destination. she was worried enough over that without having another son on her mind. fortunately the lump on bob's head was covered by his hair so that it was not noticeable enough to draw attention to it. his black eye already had been explained. luncheon was hardly over when the telephone summoned mr. cook. sergeant riley was on the wire inquiring if mr. cook and bob and hugh could not meet him at headquarters immediately. a few moments later they were in the car and on their way down the street. bob was at the wheel. another car was drawn up alongside the curb in front of the police station and in it were four plain-clothes men. sergeant riley was there to explain that they planned to go out to the deserted house and search it thoroughly, by force if necessary. he wished the two boys to go along as guides, and he thought probably mr. cook would want to accompany them. a short time later they started, bob leading the way. as they passed elm street he glanced curiously at the white stucco house, number twelve eighty two, and wondered what had happened to the german who had attempted to destroy the railroad bridge. probably he now rested in jail, awaiting trial. then again it occurred to bob that possibly he had been shot; the country was at war and offenders of that kind were not dealt lightly with at such a time. they left the city behind and rolled along over the country road. the three occupants of the car were silent for they did not know what might await them at their destination. a squad of soldiers out on a hike passed them. they were hot, dirty and dusty, but their rifles glinted wickedly in the light of the afternoon sun. "they look like business," remarked mr. cook. "they certainly do," exclaimed bob. "i wish i was one of them." "if the war lasts long enough maybe you will be." "the united states can certainly raise a big army." "indeed it can," his father agreed. "germany thought they'd have nothing to fear from us, but they'll be sadly fooled. just think of the money and food and equipment of all kinds we can furnish our allies; those things are just as important as men, and we can send millions of those, too, if they need them." presently they came to the spot where bob and hugh had dismounted from their bicycles that morning. bob stopped the car and the plain-clothes detectives followed suit. sergeant riley took charge. "you lead the way," he said to bob. "we'll follow wherever you go." a moment later they were off across the field and soon came to the woods which sheltered the deserted house. in indian file they commenced to pick their path among the trees and underbrush. complete silence was maintained and the party advanced, ready for any emergency. of course the detectives were armed. mr. cook carried his pistol, so bob and hugh were the only ones not provided with some means of defense. in the course of perhaps fifteen minutes bob, from his position in the lead, caught a glimpse of the old house through the trees. so far as he could see there was no sign of life around it anywhere. he held up his hand and the little party came to a halt. a whispered consultation was held and it was decided to spread out somewhat and move forward in open order. the plan was to advance until they reached the border of the trees, and then at a given signal rush out into the opening and surround the house. stealthily the band stole forward. the spring air was soft and balmy, the buds on the trees were commencing to swell; everywhere nature gave signs of a reawakening, but these things passed unnoticed. the members of the little party were occupied with the business in hand, and had no time or interest for anything else. soon they reached their appointed positions. from the spot where he crouched bob could see the others lurking within the shelter of the trees. he could see sergeant riley raising a police whistle to his lips to sound the signal that had been agreed upon. bob set himself. he had been advised that inasmuch as he was unarmed he should remain behind, but he had no such intention. neither had hugh. suddenly sergeant riley sounded a shrill blast with his whistle. every man rushed forward. only for a few steps, however. a burst of flame, and a puff of smoke shot from the cellar window of the old house, and the air was rent by a terrific explosion. chapter xv fire staggered, the men all stopped short in their tracks. an instant later there was a second explosion. there was a ripping, splitting sound, and the whole side of the building fell out. the air was filled with bits of wood and plaster. "keep away from that house!" shouted sergeant riley as one of his men darted forward. "do yez want to get killed?" a minute later flames appeared, and the red and yellow tongues of fire began to play around the window frames. black smoke curled from every opening. it was plainly to be seen that the house was doomed. "look!" cried hugh suddenly. "there goes a man!" without waiting to see what the others were going to do he dashed off in pursuit of a figure which could be seen scuttling away through the trees. two of the detectives joined in the race and one of them fired two shots from his pistol at the fugitive. in reply the man suddenly wheeled and shot once at his pursuers. bob heard the bullet whine past close to his head. he also had caught a fleeting glimpse of the man, and one look was enough to convince him that it was the fake detective with whom he and hugh had struggled that morning. a moment later the man was out of sight, hugh and the two detectives still after him, shouting and calling to him to halt. meanwhile the fire in the house roared and blazed. "she's a goner," said sergeant riley. he stood beside mr. cook and bob as they watched the burning building. "i guess she is," remarked mr. cook. "there's nothing we can do." "nothing," agreed the sergeant. "it's not much loss anyway," said mr. cook. "no loss at all," exclaimed bob. "it's a gain if anything, for it makes one less place for spies and plotters to meet in." "but any evidence that might have been in there is destroyed," said riley. "i never thought of that," said bob. "that's probably why they burned it." "was that your detective running off through the woods?" asked the sergeant. "it certainly was," said bob. "i guess he was one of the gang after all. i suppose they left him behind to watch us." "then why did he let you get away?" his father replied. "probably he thought it would create less suspicion," said sergeant riley. "he got the paper away from the boys and as long as he thought he could bluff them into thinking he was a detective he thought that was sufficient. on the other hand if he had held them prisoners or anything like that there would have been a search for them and trouble started at once." "i guess that's right," said mr. cook soberly. "however, i hope they catch him this time." suddenly a piercing scream startled them. they glanced up to see a white face at one of the windows of the house. all around, the fire roared and the smoke curled up in great clouds. before they could see who the man was he had fallen back into the room and disappeared from view. "i'll get him," exclaimed one of the detectives, and without further ado, he sprinted for the burning house. paying no heed to the warning cries of his comrades he dashed up to the back door and entered, and was soon lost to sight. "that feller donovan is a dare-devil," exclaimed sergeant riley. "he'll stop at nothing. why should he risk his life for a man that's as good as dead now?" "he'll never come out alive," cried mr. cook. "and all for a man who is plotting against the country," echoed riley. "here you!" he shouted to the other plain-clothes man. "keep out of there. the high ridge police force can't afford to lose more than one man a day." the fourth detective showed signs of wishing to follow his comrade. "if he does rescue that man it'll only be to put him in jail," said bob. "or shoot him more likely," cried riley angrily. breathless they waited for any sign of donovan. the fire burned more fiercely every moment, and it seemed incredible that any man could enter that seething furnace and return alive. the air was filled with sparks and blazing embers; the smoke mounted heavenward in a thick column which must have been visible for miles. minutes that seemed like hours passed. hugh and the two detectives returned from their chase. they had not captured their man. "we followed him as far as the road," one of them reported. "he had a motor cycle there and got away from us." "we'll get him later, never fear," said sergeant riley, grimly. "meanwhile that crazy man, donovan, is in the house here trying to rescue some one of them german plotters that showed his face at the window." the recipients of this piece of news gasped. "he'll never come out," exclaimed one of the men. "still, he never did seem to care much for his life." white faced and tense they watched the conflagration. certainly not one of the men ever expected to see donovan again. yet what could they do? as sergeant riley had said, it was folly for any one else to follow him in, and so they were powerless. all they could do was watch and hope. suddenly a figure appeared at the door. it seemed to issue straight from the hottest part of the fire. on its shoulder was the limp figure of a man. "there he is!" cried six voices together, and together the six watchers made for the house. donovan, for it was he, stood on the charred steps. sparks and blazing firebrands fell all around him and he tottered uncertainly. willing helpers rushed to his assistance, but before they could reach him he swayed and fell. he rolled down the step dropping his burden, and side by side the two men lay on the ground. close by, the wall threatened to fall on them at any moment. it did not take long to seize both men, and carry them away from danger and a moment later they were stretched out side by side on the grass, a safe distance from the burning building. the man whom donovan had rescued, had a face so blackened by smoke and soot that he was unrecognizable. his clothes were scorched and his whole body seared with terrible burns. he was unconscious. "is he still alive?" whispered bob in a low voice. sergeant riley put his hand over the wounded man's heart. "i think so," he said. "get some water somebody. and look after donovan." "there's a spring back there in the woods," exclaimed hugh. "i have nothing to carry water in though." "take all the handkerchiefs you can get," ordered the sergeant. "fill the hats; you'll lose most of it on the way back, but you'll get some." hugh hastened to obey; with him went bob and two of the detectives. the spring was not far distant, and they soon were sousing the handkerchiefs in the clear, cold water. the hats, too, were filled and those made of felt held the water fairly well. a few moments later they were hurrying back toward the spot where the injured man was lying. it had been found necessary to remove the patients farther away from the burning building, for the heat grew more intense every moment. donovan had so far recovered as to be sitting up. he suffered acutely from numerous burns, but otherwise seemed to be all right. the man whom he had rescued, however, still lay unconscious on the ground. sergeant riley now took charge of the operations. he bathed donovan's face with one of the handkerchiefs and gave him another to suck. mr. cook under riley's instructions poured water from one of the hats upon the other sufferer's face, and then gently sopped it with a handkerchief. as a result of this treatment the soot and grime disappeared and presently it was possible to distinguish his features. suddenly mr. cook started back in surprise. "come here, bob," he cried. "see who this is." one glance was enough for bob. he recognized the man over whom his father was working as mr. wernberg. chapter xvi more complications "who is he?" inquired sergeant riley, noting his companion's astonishment. "his name is wernberg," said mr. cook. "i've heard of him," said riley grimly. "have you been looking for him?" "i know his name," exclaimed the sergeant evasively. "well," said mr. cook, "he's about done for, i'm afraid. i suppose we ought to get him to a doctor as fast as we can though." "yes," agreed riley. "i'll get our car," exclaimed bob. "can you bring it in here?" asked his father. "yes. i'll have it here in ten minutes," and bob set off at top speed through the woods toward the spot where the automobile had been left. mr. wernberg was still unconscious. in fact it was difficult for a time to ascertain whether or not he was alive. more water was brought from the spring and mr. cook and riley continued to minister to the sufferer. some of the worst of his burns were bound up with strips of shirts offered by members of the party, and his outer clothing was removed. as a matter of fact a large portion of it was so burned that it crumbled to powder at a mere touch. "he's alive," said sergeant riley after a few moments. "then he ought to recover," exclaimed mr. cook. "that is, unless he has inhaled some of the flames and injured his lungs in some way." "only a doctor can tell that," said the sergeant. "whether he gets well or not, one thing is certain and that is he'll be in the hospital a long time." "that's right," agreed mr. cook. "i wish he could talk though." at that moment bob arrived with the automobile and presently mr. wernberg was lifted into the tonneau and a blanket wrapped around him. he was still unconscious, but his face was drawn with pain that fortunately he could not feel. much as the men who cared for him despised him for his suspected work with the gang of spies and plotters they could only feel pity for his sufferings. mr. cook, hugh, and sergeant riley accompanied bob on his trip to the high ridge hospital, and the three other members of the party were left to watch the fire and see that it did not spread, and then they were to follow in the other car. donovan the detective seemed to be himself once more and related briefly the story of how he had rescued mr. wernberg. "i rushed into the house," he said, "and as i stuck my head inside the door a wave of smoke caught me full in the face. at first i expected i should have to turn back, but i kept on and presently the air cleared for a minute. i knew the trapped man was on the second floor so i hurried around looking for the stairs. finally i found them and though they were awfully rickety i got up. "the smoke seemed to be thicker on the second floor and i could scarcely see. i heard a cry and followed it, stumbling and falling along the hall. the door of one big room was smashed and the smoke poured out of there as if it was a chimney. no one was in that room and i came out into the hall again. i heard another call, and traced it as coming from a room where the door was closed. i grabbed the door-knob, but it was locked. 'help! help!' i heard from inside. 'unlock the door!' i shouted. 'i have no key,' said the voice, so i put my shoulder to the door and tried to force it. "i was choking and coughing and gasping, what with the smoke and all, and it was hard work standing there. i shoved with all my might though, and all of a sudden the door gave way. i went shooting into the room and fell right over a man stretched out on the floor. 'they blew me up,' he cried and fainted. well, the room was full of smoke and all around the edges little tongues of flame were playing; the fellow had fallen to the floor and been terribly burned. i picked him up and staggered out with him and you know the rest." donovan himself was badly burned about his hands and face. every one knows how painful is a burn, but the detective made no complaint, in spite of the fact that he must have been suffering agonies. meanwhile bob was speeding the car back towards high ridge. he broke all speed laws on the way, but he had been warned that haste was imperative if mr. wernberg's life was to be saved. besides he had a police officer in the car with him and knew that he was safe. in an incredibly short time he pulled up in front of the hospital. two orderlies were summoned, and soon mr. wernberg, placed on a stretcher, was being carried into the building. once or twice his eyelids fluttered as though he were about to regain consciousness, but he did not seem to possess sufficient strength to accomplish that end. two doctors hastily took him in charge, sergeant riley left word that he should be summoned the instant the patient was able to talk, and then bob ran the car around to police headquarters. sergeant riley invited them all into his office and they discussed what their next move should be. a band passed by the door, several men in uniform followed behind on their way to the city square where they were to make speeches in order to urge more enlistments in the army and navy. crowds of enthusiastic people trailed the procession, and bob could not help wondering if the people realized that danger threatened the country from within as well as from without. presently the car bearing the three detectives arrived at headquarters. they reported that nearby farmers had come to the scene of the fire, which was now in such condition that no harm could come from it. the farmers had promised to watch over the smouldering ruins, for ruins were now all that remained of the old house. donovan once again related his story and then went off in search of a doctor to care for his burns. "it's bad business, sergeant," said mr. cook. "it is," riley agreed. "i'd like to get me hands on some of them fellows." "seems queer that they should have blown up one of their own men." "'twas probably a mistake. perhaps they saw us coming and were in such a hurry that our friend wernberg had no time to get away." "but look here," protested bob. "don't you remember what donovan said that mr. wernberg said when he burst into the room?" "he said, 'they tried to blow me up,'" quoted mr. cook. "exactly," exclaimed bob. "doesn't that seem queer to you?" "he was probably left there by mistake, as the sergeant says," said mr. cook. "but," bob insisted, "the door was locked." the men looked at one another blankly. "i had forgotten that," said sergeant riley. "well," insisted bob, "i'd like to have that part of it explained to me. you don't suppose for a minute that mr. wernberg locked himself in, do you?" "i shouldn't think he would," mr. cook admitted. "but if he didn't do it, who did? that's what i'd like to know." "mr. wernberg wasn't the only man in the house, you know," said bob. "who else was there?" "didn't hugh and two of the detectives chase another man?" "yez mean the fake detective?" asked sergeant riley. "i do." "but wasn't he in the same gang? what use would it be to him to blow up one of his own men?" "i don't know," said bob. "still i don't believe that mr. wernberg locked himself in and threw the key out of the window." "doesn't sound likely," the sergeant agreed. "i'd like to know why those two men were enemies though. from all i can learn i should think they were working for the same purpose. why should that fake detective be so eager to get that paper away from yez, and to get you boys away if he wasn't up to something suspicious?" "don't ask me," exclaimed bob. "it's too deep for me, and i get more and more mixed up all the time." "well, i believe it's just as i said," continued riley. "they were both parts of the same crowd. there must have been evidence against them in that house and they wanted to destroy it. your fake detective blew it up and mr. wernberg got caught in there by mistake." "how do you explain the locked door?" asked bob. "i don't, but there must be some explanation for it." "you think it was an accident, don't you?" "i do," said sergeant riley firmly. "when mr. wernberg gets so he can talk i'll bet he'll say the same thing." bob merely shrugged his shoulders. he did not think that the sergeant's explanation was correct, but he could offer no better one himself so he said nothing. after all it might be that in the hurry to get away there was a mix up and mr. wernberg was left behind, locked in the room. bob had no doubt in his mind that mr. wernberg was a member of a gang that was plotting against the united states. in his heart he felt sure he was guilty. on the other hand if the fake detective was not equally guilty he would be surprised. certainly no man would disguise himself in that way who had honorable motives. nor would any man run away as he had done, or fire a pistol at real officers of the law unless he was engaged in some evil doing. how were these two men connected? that was the question that bothered bob. he felt that there was some connection between them, and yet why should one of them be locked in the second story of a house while the other one put a bomb under it and burned it up? perhaps after all it was as sergeant riley had suggested. "come on, boys; we'll go home," exclaimed mr. cook. "thank yez for coming with us," said sergeant riley, as mr. cook and the two boys rose to their feet preparatory to leaving. "not at all," said mr. cook cordially. "if there is anything further we can do to help, please call on us." "i will," said the sergeant. "thank yez again." "and don't forget to let us know what mr. wernberg has to say." "i won't." they went out and got into the automobile and a few moments later were home again. "after you put away the car, i want you to take a note down to the wernbergs for me," said mr. cook to bob as he mounted the steps of the house. "to tell them what happened to mr. wernberg?" "yes." "i should think it would be better to go and see them." "no doubt it would, but somehow i don't like the idea of having to go and talk to mrs. wernberg about it. i suppose i'm a coward." "i don't blame you," exclaimed bob, and after he had returned the car to its place in the garage he came back to the house to wait until his father should have finished the note he was writing. when it was ready mr. cook handed it to bob, who at once started for the wernbergs' house, accompanied by hugh. they discussed the recent turn of events in the mystery and were somewhat at a loss as to what their next move should be. now that the old deserted house was a thing of the past they did not know where to look for the seat of the conspiracy. they did decide, however, that in so far as it was possible they would keep watch on number twelve eighty-two elm street. they mounted the front steps of the wernbergs' house, and bob advanced toward the door bell. before he rang it, however, he spied an envelope lying at his feet, half concealed under the door mat. he stooped to pick it up, and as he glanced at it he uttered an exclamation of surprise. "look, hugh," he exclaimed. the envelope was of plain white paper and addressed to mr. wernberg. there was no street number on it, merely the name. this in itself was not particularly odd, nor was it the cause of bob's surprise. on the other side of the envelope, however, was scrawled a drawing. it was the picture of an alligator. chapter xvii a message "well, hugh, what do you think about that?" demanded bob. hugh looked blankly at the rude drawing on the back of the envelope. "i don't know," he said slowly. "why should they send mr. wernberg one of these?" "unless it's a message from one member of the gang to another." "but mr. wernberg is in the hospital." "the others may not know that." "that's true," hugh agreed. "this handwriting is the same as that on the messages that came to your father and to heinrich too." "i know it, and the same as in the list we found in the old house." "what do you suppose the alligator stands for?" "i've no idea. why did they steal percy?" "anyway we'd better ring the bell and deliver our message. we can't stand out here on the porch all day, you know." bob pushed the electric bell, and almost instantly the front door was opened by frank wernberg. it would seem as if he had been behind the door waiting all the time. his close-cropped light hair bristled fiercely, and his nose was still slightly swollen; his chin also was still raw where bob had planted his fist the day before. bob thought how much longer ago than that it seemed; so many things had happened in the last two days. "what are you doing here?" demanded frank brusquely. bob and hugh had been so surprised by the sudden opening of the door that for a moment neither one of them replied. "what do you want?" exclaimed frank. "we've got a letter for your mother," said bob. frank glared at them under lowering brows. "who from?" he asked. "that's for her to find out," said bob. "it's addressed to her you see." frank snatched the letter from bob's outstretched hand, and made as if he was about to go in and shut the door. "wait a minute," exclaimed hugh. "here's another." "what kind of a joke are you trying to play on me?" cried frank angrily. "none at all," said hugh. "this one is for your father." frank grew red in the face, "if this is a joke i swear you'll be sorry for it," he exclaimed hotly. "it's no joke at all," said hugh. "we found this letter lying here under the mat. i was just going to hand it to you." frank took the letter from hugh and looked at it suspiciously. then he turned it over and looked at the back of it. suddenly he turned pale. bob and hugh, watching him closely, noticed this fact, and bob, suddenly plucking up courage, determined to speak of it. "what does that alligator mean, frank?" he asked. the color rushed back into frank's face. he looked as though he were going to run. he swallowed hard two or three times, choked, and then swallowed again. "i don't know," he blurted out finally, and stepping inside slammed the door shut in the faces of the two boys. hugh looked at bob and smiled. "frank was certainly glad to see us, wasn't he?" he said sarcastically. "i should say so," bob agreed. "let's go home." they went down the steps and walked slowly in the direction of the cook home. "frank's a queer fellow," said hugh finally. "he certainly is," bob agreed. "do you think he knows what has happened to his father?" "i doubt it. i don't believe he would have been so surly if he had known." "what do you think about the alligator?" "i'm sure i don't know," said bob. "it must mean something though, and frank must know what it is. did you see how pale he got when he saw it!" "maybe it's the sign of some secret society like the black hand, or the ku klux klan, or something like that." "still i can't understand why they should send a warning to mr. wernberg if he is a member of the gang." "it may not have been a warning," said hugh. "perhaps it was just a message of some kind or another." "then why should frank have been so scared when he saw it?" "don't ask me. i'm getting more mixed up every minute." they turned into the cooks' yard and slowly approached the house. a man and woman were just disappearing around the corner. "who are they?" hugh inquired. "lena, the cook, and one of her beaux," said bob. "i thought heinrich was in love with her." "he is," laughed bob, "but he has a rival, and that's the man." "what's his name?" "karl hoffmann." "another german," said hugh soberly. "say, hugh," laughed bob, "you certainly are suspicious. you suspect good old lena, and now you suspect the man with her because he has a german name. why, that man hoffmann has worked for father for years, and father thinks the world of him." "that doesn't mean he may not be mistaken," hugh insisted. "why, father has even selected him as one of the guards for the factory," said bob. "i guess that shows how much confidence he has in him." "but suppose lena is disloyal," exclaimed hugh. "if karl hoffmann is in love with her there's no telling what she might get him to do." "but lena is not disloyal," said bob peevishly. he was becoming tired of hugh's constant slurs against the people whom his father employed. "well, i'd watch them all," said hugh. bob offered no further comment. he could not convince hugh that his suspicions were unfounded so he decided there could be no use in arguing with him. they entered the house and found mr. cook seated in the library alone. "did you deliver my note?" he asked. "we did," replied bob. "who came to the door?" "frank," and bob related their experiences to his father. mr. cook was much interested and puzzled by the manner in which frank had acted when he saw the drawing of the alligator on the back of the envelope. "we thought perhaps it might be the sign of some secret society," said hugh. "possibly so," agreed mr. cook. "let's see; the same sign was on the paper you found in the old house, heinrich got a note with the picture on it, and now this letter you picked up on the wernbergs' porch had it too." "and the handwriting was the same as on that postal card you got this morning," said bob. "i didn't see any picture on that though." "no," agreed bob. "neither did i." "i threw the card away," said mr. cook. "i was afraid your mother might find it and worry." "perhaps there won't be any more trouble, now that mr. wernberg is out of the way," suggested bob. "if he was the leader of the gang, his burns will keep him in the hospital and out of mischief for some time to come." "you didn't hear what happened this afternoon then?" asked his father. "no, what?" demanded bob and hugh in one breath. "you remember the railroad bridge, don't you?" "i guess we'll never forget that, will we, hugh?" exclaimed bob. "you don't mean that they tried to blow it up again?" "well, it looks so," said mr. cook. "one of the guards on the bridge this afternoon saw a man coming down the river in a rowboat. he called to him to halt, but the man kept right on. the guard challenged him three times, but as the man gave no answer he fired at him." "did he kill him?" demanded bob excitedly. "no," said mr. cook, "he didn't try to kill him. he just wanted to scare him, and when he fired the man jumped out of the boat into the water. the guard hurried down to the bank of the river, but the man had scrambled ashore and run off; you know it's quite a long distance from where the railroad tracks cross the bridge down to the water. the guard got a long pole and waded out into the river after the boat. he caught it finally and when he had hauled it ashore he found it was loaded with dynamite. of course no one knows, but they think he planned to blow up the bridge." "whew!" exclaimed hugh. "the man got away, you say?" "yes, unfortunately." "couldn't the guard see what he looked like?" "yes, he did see that, and here is the interesting part." "what do you mean?" "why," said mr. cook, "the man was rather slight, weighing perhaps a hundred and fifty pounds and he had a close-cropped black mustache." "the fake detective!" exclaimed bob. "was that who it was?" "the description fits him, doesn't it?" "yes," agreed hugh, "but he was out at the old house this afternoon. how could he be on the river at the same time?" "he was out at the old house early this afternoon," said mr. cook. "this episode at the bridge happened only about an hour ago." "he must have hurried right down there," exclaimed bob. "when he realized that the police were on his trail he probably decided he had no time to lose, and that's why he dared try such a thing in broad daylight." "where did you hear about it, mr. cook?" inquired hugh. "sergeant riley just told me over the telephone; i had called him up to inquire how mr. wernberg was getting along." "how is he?" asked bob. "pretty bad yet; once in a while he recovers consciousness, but only for a few minutes. besides he suffers so from his burns he can't do any talking." "and meanwhile his gang keeps on working," said hugh. "is that fake detective part of his gang?" said bob. "he's the one who blew him up." "i don't know," exclaimed hugh in despair. "we just go 'round and 'round in circles and don't seem to get anywhere at all." "but the fact remains, doesn't it, boys," inquired mr. cook, "that whether we know who the gang is, and what the relations are between the two gangs--if there are two--that somebody is hard at work plotting against this country? also they are becoming bolder for they know that their time is short; sooner or later they are bound to be caught." "you're afraid for your factory to-night, aren't you, father?" asked bob. "i am, indeed," said mr. cook. bob was on the point of asking if he and hugh might not help guard it when the telephone rang and his father was called away to answer it. chapter xviii karl hoffmann "let's go down and talk to heinrich," exclaimed bob when his father left the room. "aren't you going to ask your father if we can stand guard to-night?" "wait till after dinner. i'll ask him then." "do you think he'll let us?" "i guess so. it depends on how badly he needs us." they went out, and just at the corner of the porch met karl hoffmann. he had said good-by to lena and was on his way home. bob knew him well, as he did most of his father's employees, for much of his spare time was spent down at the factory. furthermore, on account of lena, hoffmann was a frequent visitor in the cook home. he was a big, fine looking fellow of about forty. he had black hair and a piercing black eye, a typical prussian, for it was from that province in germany that his parents had migrated some twenty-five years previously. he was a powerful man, standing nearly six feet in height, and not yet showing any tendency towards stoutness, so common among germans. "hello, karl," cried bob cheerily. hoffmann stopped short. his face had been drawn into a scowl as he strode along, and he had been deeply engrossed in his own thoughts. bob had often seen him that way after talking with lena, however. she was something of a flirt and received lightly her admirers' advances. many a time both heinrich and karl had been driven almost to desperation by the manner in which she treated them. neither did they like each other, because they were rivals. "hello there, bob," he exclaimed, his face brightening. bob had always been a marked favorite of his, and many a thing he had showed him about the machinery at the factory. "you look mad," said bob. "i was sort of mad," said karl. "i was worried." "anything i can do for you?" bob inquired, nudging hugh with his elbow. he loved to tease both karl and heinrich about their love affair. "no, thanks," replied karl seriously. "it will be all right i hope." "i hear you're making ammunition down at the factory," said bob. "yes." "keeps you pretty busy, doesn't it?" "it certainly does. we're going to work both a night and day shift next week." "you want to watch out for some of these bomb plotters," said bob. "there are a lot of them around here, i understand." "that so?" exclaimed karl. "i hadn't heard of any." "well, they're here all right." "we have the plant guarded, you know." "i know it. it's a good thing too." "i think it's unnecessary," said karl. "i told your father so, too." "you're more of an optimist than he is, i guess," laughed bob. "he's heard a lot of things that have made him sort of nervous." "that so?" demanded karl. "i wonder what they were?" "i don't know," bob lied. he thought that if his father wanted to tell his employees any details he would probably do so himself. just then hugh plucked his sleeve. "look, bob," he exclaimed. "here comes frank in to see you." bob swung around just in time to see frank wernberg on a bicycle turning into the driveway. he rode a few yards and then suddenly turned around and rode out again. coming to the street once more he dismounted from his bicycle, and gazed back at the cooks' house as if he was debating whether he should go in or not. finally, however, he seemed to decide against that course and jumping on his wheel rode off down the street. "he lost his nerve," exclaimed hugh. "you ought to have called to him." "a fine chance of that," snorted bob. "if he wants to he can come in here and see me, but i won't run after him." "who was that boy?" asked karl curiously. "frank wernberg," said bob. "wernberg?" exclaimed karl. "does his father live down on the corner here?" "yes." "i don't like that man," said karl soberly. "i hope he's not a friend of yours." "he is not," exclaimed bob warmly. "what do you know about him, karl?" "nothing much; i just don't trust him." "no one seems to like him," laughed bob. "i guess he won't bother us for some time to come though now." "why not?" demanded karl quickly. "he's sick." "what's the matter with him?" "i don't know," said bob evasively. he suddenly remembered that probably he had no right to talk about what they had done that day. "all i know is that he's in the hospital." "serves him right," exclaimed karl. "that's a good place for him and for all of his same kind." if hugh had had any lingering doubts as to whether or not karl was loyal they were now dissipated. if mr. wernberg was implicated in german plots against the united states, certainly no man who sympathized with him would hate him as karl hoffmann plainly did. "we may come down and help you guard the factory to-night, karl," said bob. "you'll be there, won't you?" "yes, i'll be there," said karl. "i wish you wouldn't come though." "why not!" "suppose something should happen and you got hurt?" "i thought you said there was no danger." "i don't think there is, but i know your father doesn't agree with me, and if something should happen to you, just think how badly he'd feel." "we want to help though," insisted bob. "let the men who are paid for it do the guarding." "but it's my father's plant," said bob. "you don't think i want anything to happen to it if i can help it, do you?" "if he wants you to come, all right," said karl. "still you take my advice and stay home." he said good-by to the boys and went off toward his house. he had to be at the factory early and wanted his supper before he went on duty. "well, hugh?" demanded bob after karl had gone. "what do you think of him?" "oh, he's all right," said hugh. "do you think he would be disloyal?" "no, i guess any man who hates mr. wernberg as much as he does can't be pro-german. still he was funny about not wanting us at the factory to-night." "i know why that was," exclaimed bob. "he thinks we're just a couple of kids and would only be in everybody's way." "i guess so," hugh agreed. "he seemed like a nice fellow all right." "he is, but heinie doesn't think so. let's go ask him about karl now, and i'll guarantee you'll see some fun. heinie gets mad the minute you mention his name." "he's jealous of him, isn't he?" "he surely is. lena likes karl better than she does him, i think, and i guess heinie knows it. that's why he doesn't like karl." "still i don't blame lena," observed hugh. "karl is certainly better looking." they found heinrich seated on a chair in the garage busily counting over a large pile of bills. when the boys appeared he showed the same embarrassment he had when bob had surprised him at the same work before. "the rich man again," laughed bob, but heinrich said nothing. "any trace of percy?" bob inquired. "no," said heinrich sorrowfully. "i guess he iss gone." "we've just been talking to karl hoffmann," said bob. "you don't suppose he could have stolen him, do you?" immediately heinrich's manner changed. he rose to his feet angrily, while bob nudged hugh. heinrich became pale with rage. "that scoundrel!" he stammered. "i would not be surprised if he would steal poor percy. he iss mean and low enough to do anything." "why, heinie," said bob mildly. "i always thought karl was a fine fellow." "he iss a low down snake!" cried heinrich. "i would not trust that fellow mit two cents." "lena likes him," said bob. heinrich became madder than before at this remark. he stuttered with rage, and advancing toward bob shook his clenched fist in his face. "sure she like him," he cried. "why not? he gives her presents all the time and it iss for that that she like him. she knows what a low down cur he iss, for i have told her so. only because he has money and can give her presents does she like him. but i will show her!" "what are you going to do?" demanded bob, somewhat alarmed by the violence of heinrich's manner. "i buy her presents now," exclaimed heinrich. "you see that?" he demanded, pulling the roll of bills out of his pocket. "you see that?" he repeated. "well, i got some money now, and i show her who can buy nice presents. she like me better than hoffmann when i get more money than he." heinrich looked at the bills held in his fist, and then jammed them back fiercely into his pocket. "where'd you get all the money?" asked bob. "you didn't draw it out of the savings bank, did you?" "no," exclaimed heinrich. "i earn it." "working for father?" "no, for mr. wernberg." "what!" exclaimed bob, completely taken by surprise. he and hugh looked at each other in astonishment. this was a new turn of events. "yes," said heinrich. "i do some work for mr. wernberg; he iss a fine man too." "what was the work?" inquired bob. he remembered that hugh had advised him to watch their chauffeur. he never imagined, however, that even if heinrich was guilty he would be so bold as to confess brazenly that he was employed by a man to plot against the united states. still, he had always suspected that poor heinrich was not quite right in his head. "i cannot say," said heinrich. "the work iss secret." "why, heinie," exclaimed bob. "i never thought you would do a thing like that." "why not?" demanded heinrich. "i do my work here, don't i? why should i not make a little extra money if i can?" "but mr. wernberg is a bad man." "he iss not," heinrich protested stoutly. "he iss one man who knows right from wrong." bob shook his head sorrowfully. it hurt him to discover that their chauffeur, a man he had grown up with and liked, was working hand in glove with mr. wernberg. he never would have believed it possible had he not heard it with his own ears from heinrich himself. it was a great shock to him and he knew how badly his father and mother would feel. of course he must tell his father. chapter xix a discussion "come on, hugh, let's go," exclaimed bob. heinrich had turned away from them and walked off angrily. the combination of lena and karl and mr. wernberg, had been too much for him to stand apparently. he was mad clear through. "well," said bob, when they were outside, "i never would have believed that." "i told you to watch them all," hugh reminded him. "i know you did, and i guess you were right. why poor old heinie should be such a fool is more than i can understand." "are you going to tell your father?" "i suppose i must." "will he tell the police?" "i don't know. i should think perhaps he'd have to, though." "it's too bad," murmured hugh. he knew how fond his friend was of heinrich. "at any rate karl is all right i guess," said bob. "i'll agree with you there," said hugh. "how about lena?" "don't ask me. i feel as if i couldn't think." mr. cook met them on the front porch and was at once impressed by the expression on the faces of the two boys. "what's wrong?" he demanded. "we've just had an awful shock," said hugh. "what is it? tell me, bob," his father urged. "heinrich is one of mr. wernberg's gang." "say that again," exclaimed mr. cook incredulously. "heinrich is working with mr. wernberg. you ought to see the pile of money he has been paid already." "why, bob," exclaimed mr. cook amazedly. "i think you must be mistaken." "he just told us himself," said bob. "he said mr. wernberg was a fine man and one of the few who knew right from wrong." "how did he happen to tell you all this?" bob related the circumstances to his father. when he had finished mr. cook remained silent for several minutes. "i am so sorry," he said finally. "i don't see why heinrich told you." "he was mad," said bob, "and jealous." "a dangerous man to hire for that kind of work i should think," exclaimed mr. cook. "if he would say as much as he did to you this afternoon i don't see what there is to prevent him from telling all he knows." "you mean he might give the whole thing away?" "exactly." "still," said bob, "heinie can be awfully stubborn sometimes." "i know it. we'd have to be clever to get a full confession from him i imagine." "i don't see what use he could be to mr. wernberg," said hugh. "it's a favorite method of these german plotters, hugh," said mr. cook. "very often they get some simple-minded, ignorant fellow like heinrich and make a tool of him. heinrich hasn't got brains enough to think of anything himself." "are you going to turn him over to the police?" inquired bob. "i was just thinking of that," said mr. cook. "i certainly would hate to do it." "but he may do some damage." "i know it and i think i know what i'll do. to-night i expect to be at the factory practically all night; i'll keep heinrich with me on one pretext or another. he'll be right with me all the time so that he won't be able to do any harm and besides i can watch his actions. i am still hoping that he may prove to be loyal." "i'm afraid he won't," said bob. "i'm afraid not too," agreed his father. "still i won't let him out of my sight and when morning comes we can decide what ought to be done about him." "if it isn't too late." "let's hope not," exclaimed mr. cook earnestly. "hugh and i would like to help guard the factory to-night," said bob. "i think we have plenty of guards," said mr. cook. "you'd better stay home and go to bed; you've had a busy time of it the last two days." "i know it, but we want to help," explained bob. "somehow i have a feeling that something is going to happen down there to-night." "suppose it does, and you get hurt. what would your mother say?" "that's what karl hoffmann said," exclaimed hugh. "karl is usually right too," said mr. cook. "he takes so much responsibility about my personal affairs that really i don't know what i'd do without him." "he was afraid we'd get hurt," sniffed bob. "karl likes you," said his father. "he doesn't want anything to happen to you." "we can take care of ourselves." "i know that," his father assented. "do you want to go very much?" "we certainly do," cried bob and hugh in one breath. "well," said mr. cook, "i'm proud of you for wanting to help, and under the circumstances i don't see how i can refuse." "that's great!" cried bob enthusiastically. "it won't all be fun by a good deal," his father warned him. "we know that, but we're ready to do anything that comes along." the two boys were much excited at the prospect of the guard duty. it seemed to them that at last they had been recognized as capable of aiding in the defense of their country. perhaps if they had known what awaited them they would not have been quite so enthusiastic. chapter xx another suspect hugh was going home for dinner, and was to return shortly afterward to accompany bob and his father to the factory. he left the house and bob started upstairs to prepare himself for the evening meal. on the landing of the stairs he heard some one talking over the telephone and stopped to listen. of late he had become suspicious of every one and had fallen into the habit of noticing every little thing that happened. it was the cook's voice and he was doubly interested at once. "yes," he heard her say, "this is lena." bob flattened himself against the wall and listened intently. "what's that?" lena demanded over the 'phone. "in the hospital, you say!" there was a pause while the other person talked to her. "i will try to be there," said lena. "i also have a message for you, but i don't know whether i should say it now or not; those blamed detectives are on to us." there ensued another pause while bob became more and more excited. what was this plot anyway that turned old and trusted servants against their masters? was no one to be relied upon? who could be trusted? "yes, i will tell heinrich," said lena speaking again. "good-by." she hung up the receiver and bob continued up the stairs, whistling and trying to act as if he had heard nothing. he met lena in the hall and she eyed him narrowly. "hello, lena," he exclaimed cheerfully. "fine day, isn't it?" "yes, mr. bob," she said, and passed on toward the back stairs. no sooner was she gone than bob turned and sped down stairs again to the library. he burst into the room breathlessly, causing his father, who was reading his evening paper to glance up in surprise. "father," exclaimed bob in a tense whisper, "lena's in it too." "what's that?" demanded his father. "sit down, bob." bob grasped a chair and sat down facing his father. "lena's in it too," he repeated. "in what?" "in the plot with mr. wernberg." mr. cook laid down his paper. "tell me what you know," he said soberly. bob repeated the part of lena's telephone conversation that he had heard. "you see," he exclaimed, "she spoke about the hospital and that must have meant mr. wernberg; then she said the detectives were on to them; finally she said she'd tell heinrich and also try to be there to-night." "you don't know what she is to tell heinrich and where she is to be to-night?" "no, sir," said bob. "that's all i heard." "well," exclaimed mr. cook after a moment's pause. "this is a nice state of affairs." "what are you going to do about it?" asked bob. "are you still going to wait until to-morrow before you report heinie to the police?" mr. cook passed his hand across his brow as if to wipe away the doubts that assailed him. "heinrich and lena both," he muttered. "what a pity." "i tell you what i'll do," he exclaimed finally. "i'll take heinrich along with me to-night just as i planned, and i'll tell your mother under no conditions to let lena go out this evening. in the morning we may know better what to do." "i have a better scheme than that," said bob eagerly. "tell me what it is." "take heinrich along with you and watch him all the time; that part is all right. but let lena go out if she wants to." "what's the point of that?" demanded his father. "for all we know lena may he able to do more harm than heinrich; certainly she's smarter." "let her go out," said bob, "and i'll go with her." "i don't see what you mean." "i'll follow her." "you'd have to be disguised." "i know it; i'll attend to that though." "it might lead you to some very dangerous spot," said mr. cook. "i hate to have you do it." "look here, father," exclaimed bob earnestly. "we're at war with germany, aren't we? well, just think of all those millions of men over in europe on the battlefields; all the english and french, and italians, and belgians, and russians, and all the others. if the united states is in the war we ought to be willing to do our part. our allies in europe are fighting for us as much as for themselves, and it seems to me that to disguise myself and follow the cook is a small thing for me to contribute to the common cause." "i guess you're right, bob," said his father. "why look here," continued bob. "just think of the way those men over there are every one of them risking their lives a hundred times a day. we just can't sit still and let them do all our fighting for us. we can give them money and food and i think we ought to expect to give our lives too if it is necessary. i know i don't want to hide behind somebody else and let him fight for me." "you're all right, my boy," exclaimed mr. cook, rising to his feet. he grasped his son affectionately by the arm, and there were tears in his eyes as he did so. "you're all right," he repeated, "and i'm proud of you. you've got the spirit that every true american should have, and which i believe they do have. when germany finds herself facing a million american troops and sees the stars and stripes floating from the opposing trenches she'll know she's beaten. i hope we'll show them that we mean business and the sooner we do, the quicker the war will be over." "what kind of a disguise can i wear?" asked bob. "i guess you won't need a very elaborate one. isn't there a false-face in the house with whiskers or a mustache on it!" "i think there is one i used last hallowe'en." "get that then," said his father. "we can rip off the whiskers and glue them on your face. put on an old suit of clothes and a sweater; wear a slouch hat and take along that hickory cane that i have. that ought to fix you up all right." "i guess it will," exclaimed bob, much excited at the prospect. "i'll go upstairs and look for the false-face now." "don't put it on until after dinner." "i won't," said bob as he hurried up to the attic in search of the disguise he was to wear. in a cupboard on the top floor he found the false-face and quickly tore the whiskers and mustache from it. he brought the handful of hair down to his room and hid it in his closet. he selected the oldest suit he owned and placed it on a chair with an old slouch hat he used to wear when he went fishing. the announcement that dinner was ready put an end to any further preparations for the time being. the meal was a quiet one and there was but little conversation. mrs. cook's thoughts were of harold and she was greatly worried about him; particularly as she did not know where his regiment had been sent. mr. cook, although he too was concerned about his elder son, was occupied principally with anxiety as to the plots that seemed to be brewing all about him, and the possible damage to his factory. bob, needless to say, was highly excited over the prospects of adventure that the evening held forth for him. finally dinner was over. mr. cook dispatched bob to the garage with a message to heinrich to have the car ready in half an hour. as bob ran across the lawn he met lena returning from the garage. "aha," he thought as he greeted her, "you saw heinrich all right, didn't you?" he was fully convinced now that their cook and chauffeur were agents of mr. wernberg, and partners in crime. a moment later he reached the garage. "father wants you to bring the car around in half an hour," he announced to heinrich, who was engaged in putting on a clean collar and necktie. "what!" exclaimed heinrich angrily. bob had never before seen their chauffeur question any order that his father had given. "i can't." "those are his orders," said bob, eyeing heinrich closely. "does he want me to drive him out?" "he does." "but i can't," cried heinrich. "i can't, i tell you; i have an appointment." "i guess you'll have to break it then," was bob's retort. heinrich wrung his hands in desperation. "what shall i do?" he moaned. "what shall i do?" "can't you change your appointment?" "i do not think so," wailed heinrich. "this iss terrible. do you think your father would change his mind if i should speak to him?" "i'm sure he wouldn't," said bob. "i know he wants the car and he wants you to drive it. i heard him say that positively." "this iss terrible," repeated heinrich. "what will they do mitout me?" "who?" "my friends." "it's too bad," said bob, more convinced every moment that mischief was afoot that evening. "i don't know what you can do about it though." "of course i have to go mit your father," said heinrich finally, heaving a great sigh. "i wonder if he will want the car for long." "i think he will." "very well," said heinrich, becoming resigned to his fate, "i will be there but only because i do not wish to lose my job. but i fear something will happen." "that's just what we want to prevent," thought bob grimly. "all right then, heinie," he said aloud. "father will expect you in half an hour." he hurried back to the house, warned his father that he should keep heinrich always within sight, and related his conversation with the chauffeur as an argument for this course. then he went upstairs, two steps at a time to make ready his disguise. while he was there hugh arrived and went up to bob's room. "what are you doing, bob?" he demanded. "putting on a disguise." "what for?" bob told him. "i want to go with you," exclaimed hugh eagerly. "two would be better than one anyway." "where are you going to get a disguise?" "i'll borrow part of yours. you can certainly spare enough of those whiskers to make me a mustache anyway." "you ought to have another hat." "you can lend me an old cap, can't you? i've got on the oldest suit i own." bob brought out the glue pot and with hugh's assistance was soon adorned with a set of black whiskers and a mustache. his hair did not match at all, but as he expected to wear a hat pulled far down over his eyes that fact did not make much difference. he put on the hat, and wearing his old clothes and a sweater looked at himself in the mirror. "whew," he exclaimed, "i'm certainly a hard looking character." "you certainly are," agreed hugh, "and you look about forty years old." "all the better," said bob. "now let's get you fixed up." with what was left of bob's whiskers a small black mustache was twisted into shape and glued to hugh's upper lip. it was remarkable to see what a great change in his appearance it made. "when we take these things off, all the skin on our faces will come too," said hugh inspecting himself in the mirror. "don't you care," exclaimed bob. "what we're interested in at present is to have them stay on to-night. how about a hat for you now?" he rummaged around on the closet shelf and produced an old cap and a derby. "put the derby on, hugh," he urged. "you'll look just like charlie chaplin." "that wouldn't do, i'm afraid," laughed hugh. "i'd have too big a crowd following me." "turn up the ends of your mustache and you'll look like the kaiser." "not for me!" exclaimed hugh hastily. "i don't want to look like anything german. i'll wear the cap, i guess. i think that's better than the derby." at that moment mr. cook appeared upon the scene. he stood and looked at the two boys approvingly. "well," he said, "you certainly look like a couple of tough customers all right. i'm glad you're going along, hugh; i think two will be better than one." "is lena still here?" asked bob. "still here," said his father. "she's getting ready to leave though and you two had better be prepared." "where's heinrich?" "he's due in about five minutes." "you'd better watch him, father," warned bob. "don't worry about that," said mr. cook soberly. "i suppose that you two 'things' will come to the factory later. i expect to be there all night." "we'll try to get there," said bob. "we'll keep track of lena as long as we can, and if it's possible we'll report to you at the office." "good," exclaimed mr. cook. "don't forget to be very careful, and don't get into trouble if you can help it." "we'll do our best," bob promised. chapter xxi on the street as mr. cook left the room the two boys heard the automobile come up the driveway and stop in front of the house. mrs. cook and louise were to spend the evening with an aunt of bob's a short distance down the street, and mr. cook was to take them there in the car. bob and hugh waited until they should all leave for they did not want to be seen by any one in their disguises. presently they heard the car start off and they knew the coast was clear. silently they slipped down stairs and out the front door. by the side of the house they paused for a consultation. "these whiskers itch awfully," exclaimed bob. "so does this mustache," said hugh. "i guess we'll have to endure it though." "where shall we wait?" "won't lena come out the back door?" "i guess so. at any rate she'll have to come around and go down the front walk, there's no other way for her to get out of the yard." "let's cross the street and wait there then." they followed that plan and presently were standing side by side in the shadow of a tree on the opposite side of the street. lena could be expected to appear at any minute and they kept a sharp lookout for her. "what do you suppose is ahead of us to-night?" asked hugh in a low tone. "i wish i knew." "i hope we aren't going off on a wild goose chase." "you've been saying right along that we ought to watch lena," bob reminded his friend. "i know that and i think it's a good plan. all i say is that she may fool us in some way if we're not careful." "how do you suppose mr. wernberg's getting along in the hospital?" "i don't know," said hugh. "i must say though that i'm more interested in lena." "i'd like to see our old friend, the false detective." "so would i. what do you suppose he is--" "ssh," hissed bob suddenly. around the corner of the cooks' house came a woman. she walked briskly and a moment later had reached the street. she gazed apprehensively up and down while the two boys shrank farther back into the shadow; then she started off in the direction of the city's business district. "that's lena," whispered bob. "come on." on the opposite side of the street and perhaps a hundred paces in back of the hurrying woman the two boys followed. "we'll have to keep closer than this when she gets down town," whispered hugh. "i know it," agreed bob. "she'd get suspicious now though." now and again lena stopped and glanced behind her. every time she did so the boys stopped too; evidently she was afraid of being followed. they met few people and those who did pass them apparently took them for a couple of tramps, for they paid no particular attention to them. a little distance down the street lena turned the corner to her right. the two boys as a consequence had to run in order not to lose sight of her. they were fearful lest she should slip away from them and therefore were greatly relieved when they came to the turn and saw her still in front of them. a few moments later she turned again, and then presently, turned still a third time. "she's trying to lose us," whispered bob. "maybe not," said hugh. "this is elm street." "where's twelve eighty-two!" "on the next block." the white stucco house was on the same side of the street with the boys, and as lena came opposite it she crossed over. bob and hugh stopped short under a large maple tree whose trunk cast a shadow affording ample protection from a nearby arclight. from this vantage point they watched the woman they were trailing. "she's going in," whispered bob, clutching hugh's arm excitedly. lena turned in from the side walk and started toward the steps of the white stucco house, number twelve eighty-two. half-way up she paused irresolutely. she acted as if she was puzzled as to what she should do; finally she turned, descended the steps rapidly and continued on down the street. "that was queer," whispered bob. "it looked as though she lost her nerve." "why should she be scared to go in where her gang is!" "don't ask me. come on." once again they took up the chase. lena seemed to walk more swiftly than ever now, and it was not an easy task to keep pace with her and still not be seen. the night was dark with low-hanging clouds, the street lamps affording the only light available. ahead they could see the reflection from the lights of the main street of the city. "do you suppose she dropped a note or anything on that porch back there?" demanded hugh suddenly. "i didn't see her do anything like that," said bob. "nor i. at any rate i guess the best thing we can do is to stick close to her." "yes, and we'd better keep closer too, now that we are coming to where the stores are. we'll lose track of her if we don't." "do you suppose any one will notice that we're disguised?" "i hope not. there's usually a big crowd on the streets saturday night though." "we'll hope for luck," said hugh earnestly. they quickened their paces until they were scarcely more than seventy-five feet in back of lena. there were many people passing them in both directions now, and apparently lena was not as suspicious as she had been; she glanced behind her no more. presently they turned into the main street. the sidewalks were thronged with people and everything was lighted up brilliantly in the glare of arclights and shop windows. lena was just ahead of the boys and it was not an easy task to follow her in the crowd. music sounded down the street. a troop of cavalry was approaching and every one lined the curb to see them pass. lena stopped and the boys took their places directly behind her. every trooper was mounted on a coal black horse, and they made a fine showing as they drew near; the crowd began to cheer and many waved small american flags that they were carrying. women waved their handkerchiefs as the horsemen passed, and much to both bob's and hugh's surprise lena waved her handkerchief and clapped her hands with the others. "what do you think of that?" whispered bob. "bluff," said hugh. "she's clever." the crowd began to break up and presently was moving up and down the street again. lena started on her way once more, and almost at her heels followed bob and hugh. they were beginning to wonder whether they were following a false clue. it might be that lena had dropped a message on the porch of the house on elm street, and if so her work was probably done and there could be no object in following her farther. suddenly hugh seized bob by the arm. "look at this man coming," he hissed. not thirty feet distant and walking directly toward them was the false detective. there could be no mistaking him. bob and hugh, forgetting for the moment that they were disguised were fearful lest he should recognize them as well. a moment later, however, an interesting event happened right before their eyes, and they forgot all else. as the "detective," the man with whom they had fought that morning, the man who had blown up the deserted house, and whom they suspected of having tried to blow up the railroad bridge in the afternoon, passed lena he held a slip of paper in his left hand. as she went by she took it with her left hand, though as far as the boys could see the two conspirators had not even looked at each other. lena continued on down the street as if nothing had happened, while the detective also kept on as though unconscious of having seen lena at all. he passed the two boys without even a glance. bob and hugh stopped short. "what do you think of that?" demanded hugh. "what'll we do?" "follow them," said bob quickly. "you follow him and i'll trail lena." without another word the two boys separated. chapter xxii bob acts quickly bob had almost lost sight of lena through this temporary delay and he hurried ahead through the crowd, bumping into several people, and drawing black looks from many for his rudeness. he was in a hurry, however. he had to catch up with lena, and there was no time to be polite. lena too was hurrying. she threaded her way in and out among the throngs of people, and bob was hard put to it to keep pace with her. as he rushed along he became more and more puzzled and confused as to what was taking place. there was no doubt in his mind that lena and heinrich were working in the interests of mr. wernberg and therefore were to be watched closely. apparently lena was in league with the fake detective too, else why should he stealthily slip a communication into her hand? but the detective had blown up the house when mr. wernberg was within it and had nearly caused his death. if they were all working together how was that fact to be reconciled with what had befallen him? probably mr. wernberg had been injured accidentally as sergeant riley had explained. at all events lena was hurrying along through the crowd and bob's task was to follow her. his father was watching heinrich and it would never do for bob to let his quarry escape him. lena followed the main street for several squares. the crowd was still thick, but bob kept his eyes on her. presently she turned down a side street, where it was easier to follow her and bob heaved a sigh of relief. he was sure he could keep track of her now, and his mind was easier. they passed fewer people all the time, and now the only illuminations were the street lamps and an occasional arclight. bob dropped further behind. his one wish was to avert suspicion on lena's part, and the sight of a tough-looking man with heavy black whiskers, old clothes, and a dilapidated slouch hat dogging her footsteps might well have made her uneasy. every hundred feet or so lena cast a quick glance over her shoulder. bob did not walk on the stone pavement, but skulked along in the shadow of the hedges and fences except when a passerby came along. consequently whenever lena looked behind her he stood still. it was exciting work. a half-mile or so down the street lena stopped. she stood under one of the street lamps, and after a sharp glance in all directions, stealthily drew a piece of paper out of the bag she carried. she was plainly nervous, and bob watched her intently. she was about to read the note that the fake detective had handed to her. it took bob only a second to make up his mind. the occasion called for quick action and he acted quickly. running swiftly and silently on the moist earth, he stole up behind lena. she was standing still, deeply engrossed in what she read on the paper she held in her hand. consequently she was unaware of bob bearing down upon her. when he was about ten feet behind her, bob suddenly dashed forward, even more swiftly than before, and before the startled cook knew what was happening he had snatched the paper from her hand and was speeding away with it. he ran only for a few steps, however. an exposed root from one of the big maple trees that lined the sidewalk caught his foot; he tripped, was thrown violently forward, and fell sprawling on his face. he did not relax his hold on the paper, however. it was crumpled, but he held it tightly clenched in his hand. the fall jarred him considerably. the knee of his trousers was torn and his hand scraped. his hat fell off, and as he slid along the ground on his face, half of his false whiskers were ripped off. he picked himself up as quickly as he could, however, and turned around to see what lena was doing. she was nowhere to be seen. chapter xxiii under the light hugh turned quickly and followed the fake detective through the crowd. the man sauntered along as if he was in no hurry whatsoever, so that hugh too had to walk very slowly. the man stopped and looked in at the windows of many of the stores, and close behind him every time stood hugh; he was at a loss to account for this behavior on the part of the man he was following, as his dilatory tactics were in sharp contrast to the way in which lena had hurried. every few moments the fake detective took out his watch and looked at the time. hugh decided he must have an engagement for later on in the evening, and that until then there was nothing for him to do. as nine o'clock struck on the city hall clock the man whom hugh had been following stepped into a drug store. there was a row of telephone booths along one side of the store and the man entered one of these and shut the door. hugh could see him through the glass, as he took down the receiver and gave the number to central. hugh loitered around the store, looking at the various articles offered for sale under the numerous glass cases, while at the same time he kept a careful watch on the telephone booth. the man talked for what seemed a long time and finally hugh was afraid to remain in the store any longer lest he should arouse suspicion. he went out and took his stand near the front entrance, in a spot where he could see every one who came in or went out. there were large posters in the store window urging men to enlist in the army and the navy. pictures of trim looking soldiers and sailors were on the posters and the cards bore urgent calls for recruits. "your country needs you _now_," ran the legend and hugh sighed to think that he was not yet old enough to answer the call. his ancestors had been americans for many generations, they had fought and bled in every war the country had declared, and hugh wanted to live up to the traditions they had established. he realized too that his country did need men, perhaps as never before. he knew that in order to defeat germany every ounce of strength the country possessed would have to be thrown into the struggle. as his father said, "germany is beaten, but they don't know it yet, and it may take years of stubborn fighting to teach them." hugh's thoughts were interrupted presently by the reappearance of the fake detective; he came out of the drug store and turning to the right walked off down the street. he hurried now, so that hugh had trouble in keeping pace with him. the man walked swiftly as if he had some definite objective in view, and hugh realized that probably the crisis of the whole affair was not far distant. suddenly hugh spied a rough-looking individual approaching them from the opposite direction; his clothes were dirty and the knee of one of his trousers legs torn. he recognized bob at once. the fake detective eyed bob as he passed, but probably took him for some tramp passing through town; certainly he looked the part. every one in the crowd edged away from him as he drew near, and hugh could not help wondering if he looked as tough as his friend. bob recognized hugh as he came along without a word of greeting, turned about and walked along beside him. he had seen the fake detective on ahead and though there was no chance for explanations, he knew that hugh was still on the trail. in a few moments they came to the city hall. the detective looked up at the clock on the tower, compared the time with his watch and then took his stand under one of the electric lights on the street in front. "he has a date here," whispered hugh. "we'll have to cross the street." they crossed over and under the pretense of looking at the billboards in front of the moving picture theater kept watch on their man. "where've you been?" demanded bob. "just following that man around," said hugh. "what happened to you?" and he looked at his friend's torn and dirty clothes. bob related the story of his experiences. he had searched vainly for any trace of lena and failing to find her had resolved to take one turn along the main street and then go down to the factory. he had met hugh as has been told. "but the paper lena had," exclaimed hugh. "you got it you say?" "i certainly did." "what did it say?" "read it," said bob, handing the crumpled sheet over to his companion. hugh started to unfold it, but before he could do so, bob grasped him by the arm and pointed across the street. "look," he exclaimed. a woman had joined the fake detective under the light, and the two were talking together. "it's lena!" said hugh excitedly. "but where did she come from?" "i don't know, but there she is all right." "he's mad about something," said bob. "probably because she lost that piece of paper." "that'll prove to him they're being watched." "i wonder if they suspect us." "let's hope not, yet," said hugh earnestly. "there they go," he added a moment later, as lena and the fake detective started down the street. they still were talking excitedly together and it was hard to tell from their manner whether the man was threatening lena or pleading with her. "another chase, i suppose," sighed bob. "i'm getting tired." "not a chase on foot anyway," said hugh, for just then the fake detective hailed a passing cab; he and lena stepped into it and a moment later were being driven rapidly away. chapter xxiv at the factory "well," exclaimed bob in dismay, "i guess they got rid of us that time." "why have they?" demanded hugh. "why can't we hire a cab and follow them?" "have you got any money?" "not a cent." "neither have i. i guess we're left." "aren't we fools?" cried hugh angrily. "how could any one be so stupid?" "there's no use in crying over spilt milk," said bob. "the thing for us to do is to decide what we ought to do next." "let's go down to the factory; i don't see what else we can do." "all right," said bob disconsolately. "i do hate to have to go and tell father that we've been tricked and beaten though." "he can at least get the police to come down and help guard his factory," said hugh. "probably no harm will come to it if they do that." "but how do you know his factory is to be attacked? it may be they are planning other damage to-night. we might have had a chance to stop it if we'd followed those two, and now they've got away from us." "your father ought to have reported lena and heinrich to the police anyway." "he said he'd keep watch of heinie, and no doubt he has. he expected we'd do as well for lena. we'd better go down and see him about it." "let me read this paper first," said hugh. he once again started to unfold the crumpled sheet that bob had stolen from lena. "you can't read it." "why not?" "try and see." hugh unfolded the paper and gave it one look. "why it's written in german," he exclaimed in surprise. "i know it is; that's why i said you couldn't read it." "we must get it translated." "let's take it down to the factory. we can get karl hoffmann to tell us what it says." without further ado they set out. they walked swiftly and exchanged but few words, for they were both occupied with their own thoughts; a feeling that something was hanging over their heads oppressed the two boys. the country was at war and plotters and spies were abroad in the land. the events of the last two days had convinced them that high ridge had its share of mischief makers, and they felt sure that that very night a blow would be struck. a walk of twenty minutes brought them to the factory. the low, brick buildings loomed ghostly in the darkness, with only here and there an electric light burning inside as protection against thieves. the small brick office was situated in front of the other buildings and here a light was shining brightly. a guard challenged them. bob recognized the man as one of his father's employees, and soon convinced him that he and hugh were all right. they passed on and a moment later were in mr. cook's office. mr. cook was seated at his desk and in a chair opposite him sergeant riley was ensconced. "well," exclaimed the sergeant as the boys entered, "if ever i saw two hard looking bums you two are it. 'tis a wonder one of my men didn't run yez in." "we were sort of afraid of that," laughed bob. "no one bothered us though." "where's heinrich?" inquired hugh. "in the next room," said mr. cook. "where's lena?" "we lost her." "what do you mean?" bob told his father what they had done. "it looks serious," said mr. cook thoughtfully. "sergeant riley has just come from the hospital and he brought me news of mr. wernberg." "how is he?" "he's better; he talked a little this evening." "did he?" cried bob eagerly. "what did he say?" "he didn't talk connectedly," said mr. cook. "he was only conscious for a few minutes, and wasn't well enough to hold a real conversation." "but he must have said something." "he did. he mumbled about bombs, and plans. he talked a lot about a factory, and kept saying, 'hurry,' over and over again." "didn't any one ask him what he meant?" "i asked him myself," exclaimed sergeant riley, "but he was not well enough to answer me or understand what i was saying." "do you think he referred to this factory?" inquired hugh. "the sergeant thinks so," said mr. cook. "there are only two others in high ridge that they would try to destroy probably, so you see the chance is one in three that he was speaking of this one." "i can't imagine a man plotting such things," said bob bitterly. "he thinks he's helping germany i suppose." "huh," snorted bob. "a nice kind of man that will earn his living in a country and then try to blow it up. is he going to get well?" "the doctors say he has an even chance," said sergeant riley. "well, all i hope is," said bob, "that when he does get well they take him and put him in jail for about fifteen years. have you got plenty of guards, father?" "i think so," said mr. cook. "i've got all i can get anyway." "hugh and i are ready to help you know." "i know it, and i may use you later to-night; we will need them more then probably. in the meantime why don't you go and lie down for a little while?" "we've got a paper here to be translated first," said bob. "give it to me," exclaimed mr. cook. "i'll call heinrich in." in response to his summons heinrich soon appeared from the next room. he looked pale and haggard as though he was tired and worn and worried. he glanced from one to another of the people gathered around the desk, but even his old pals, bob and hugh, gave him no more than a fleeting smile. "we have a letter or something here written in german, heinrich," said mr. cook. "i'd like to have you translate it for us, please." heinrich took the paper that was held out to him. every one watched him narrowly as he looked at it, and were amazed to see him suddenly turn deadly white. his hand shook violently and he had to lean against the desk to keep from falling. he gazed at mr. cook pleadingly, a hunted look in his eyes. "what does it say?" asked his employer. heinrich gasped and almost choked once or twice. he swallowed hard and finally found his voice again. "i don't know," he replied. "you mean you can't read the german?" that seemed to be as good an excuse as any, so heinrich seized upon it eagerly. "yes," he stammered. "that iss it." "i don't believe you," said mr. cook calmly. "please, mr. cook," begged heinrich. "don't ask me to read it." "but i want to know what it says." "i can't read it." "you don't mean that," said mr. cook. "you certainly can read it." "i can't read it," heinrich repeated. it was plain to be seen that he was suffering great mental agony; he glanced about him fearfully as if he expected to be attacked suddenly. he looked at the paper again and an involuntary groan escaped him. he appealed to mr. cook. "please let me go home," he pleaded. "you won't even leave this room until you've read what that says," exclaimed mr. cook, becoming angry and irritated at heinrich's refusal to do as he said. bob had seen their chauffeur stubborn before, however, and he knew that if he made up his mind to a thing he was as obstinate as only a german can be. heinrich merely looked at mr. cook sorrowfully. "i'm a policeman you know," said sergeant riley sharply. heinrich ignored the implied threat completely. "come on, heinie," urged bob cajolingly. "don't be foolish." "i can't read it," said heinrich again. "you know," said mr. cook, "we're suspicious of some things you have done already, heinrich. don't make it worse if you can help it." "i can't read it," said heinrich. bob knew the chauffeur well enough to know that there was no use in arguing with him further; it would only be a waste of breath and time. "i don't want to turn you over to the police, heinrich," said mr. cook. "that is what i shall do, however, unless you do as i ask." heinrich turned paler than ever at this, but the words had no other effect on him. "i can't help it," he muttered doggedly. "i can't read it." "let me see the paper," said sergeant riley. heinrich handed it over. "what's the little alligator doing on it?" queried the sergeant curiously. "heinrich can tell you," said mr. cook. "what does it mean, heinrich?" the chauffeur made no reply. he looked at the floor dejectedly but offered no remark. now and again he glanced about him nervously. just at that moment the door of the office was opened and karl hoffmann entered. heinrich looked at the newcomer, and there was hatred in his very glance. his fists were clenched tightly so that his knuckles showed white. he opened his mouth as if about to speak, and apparently with difficulty checked himself. karl hoffmann took in the scene with one glance and was plainly surprised by the gathering. at first he did not recognize bob and hugh, who still wore their disguises. both boys greeted him, however, and laughed at his surprise when he discovered who they were. karl himself looked pale as though he was working under a high tension; certainly the times were strenuous. he held something in his hand that apparently he wished to give to mr. cook. before he could speak, however, mr. cook anticipated him. "here is a paper, karl," he said. "it has german written on it and i'd like to have you translate it for us if you will." as karl took the paper heinrich started forward as if he would protest. he was pale and his lips were shut tight; his face was the picture of desperation. he looked as if he had reached the limit of his endurance and must speak. for a moment bob thought he was going to spring at karl. heinrich finally got control of himself, however, and relapsed into a sullen calm. karl took the paper and looked at it carelessly. suddenly his jaw dropped and he started back aghast. he turned almost as pale as heinrich had done. "where did you get this?" he demanded. "tell us what it says," urged mr. cook. "this is certainly remarkable," said karl, though by this time he had partly regained control of himself. "he won't read it, i bet," said heinrich fiercely. "keep quiet, heinrich!" exclaimed mr. cook sharply. "karl is a good american; of course he'll read. won't you, karl?" "certainly i will," said karl easily. he had entirely recovered his composure now. he had just opened his mouth to speak when he was interrupted by a volley of shots outside. instantly everything was in confusion. every one made a rush for the door and as it was yanked open a piercing shriek rent the air. chapter xxv a struggle in the dark the woman's scream was so full of terror, so agonized, and so blood-curdling that for a moment the mad rush out of the door was halted. every one stopped short in horror and amazement. sergeant riley was the first to regain his senses. "come on!" he shouted and plunged out into the night. close at his heels followed the others. that is, all except heinrich; he dashed into the room adjoining the office and remained there unnoticed. the air was filled with shouts and cries. men ran hither and thither, black shapes flitting up and down like shadows. "spread out!" shouted sergeant riley. "circle the factory and don't let any one escape." bob and hugh unconsciously kept close together in spite of the sergeant's orders. one end of the factory was situated on the shore of the molton river, and toward the river bank the two boys made their way. "what a scream that was," shuddered hugh. "awful," cried bob, and then he tripped over something lying on the ground, and pitched forward headlong on his face. a moment later he had regained his feet. "what tripped you?" demanded hugh. "look!" said bob, shivering as he spoke. he pointed to a misshapen heap of something lying on the ground at his feet. "it was soft, like a body." "the woman who screamed," cried hugh in terror. "strike a match." "i haven't got one." "we must pick her up and carry her into the office." "but she may be dead." "suppose she is," exclaimed bob. "we've got to do it just the same." "this is terrible," cried hugh. "can't we get some one to do it for us?" "every one is busy." "where's karl?" "he's busy, too. come on, hugh, we must do it. if she's not dead now she may die while we stand here and talk about it." hugh braced himself for the task. they could distinguish the vague outlines of the woman's form, as bob stationed himself at her head and hugh grasped her feet. "all ready," said bob. "lift her up." "suppose we are attacked while we're carrying her." "lift her up, will you?" demanded bob angrily. "what's the matter with you, hugh?" bob took hold of her shoulders and hugh grasped her ankles. she was heavy and absolutely limp so that it was very difficult to lift her from the ground. the two boys exerted all their strength, however, and presently were able to start on their way back to mr. cook's office, panting and straining as they went. the distance was not great, fortunately, and soon they opened the door of the office and deposited their burden on the floor. "why," gasped bob, starting back in surprise. "it's lena." "what?" demanded hugh. "it certainly is. look at the blood on her shoulder." "is she dead?" "i don't know." he took hold of lena's wrist and felt for her pulse. "her heart is still beating," he announced a moment later. "hadn't we better get a doctor?" "i should say so," exclaimed bob. "call up doctor clarke and tell him to come down here just as fast as he can." hugh hastened to obey, while bob secured a towel soaked in water and began to bathe the wounded woman's face. how had it all happened? perhaps one of the factory guards had surprised her at some criminal work and had shot her as she fled. bob did not know enough to understand whether she was badly wounded or not; at any rate she was still bleeding profusely. presently hugh reported that the doctor would be down just as quickly as he could. he had promised to start at once. "what shall we do?" inquired hugh. "don't you think we ought to stay here with lena?" "i don't see that we can do anything for her, and we may be needed outside. where's heinie? why don't we leave her with him?" "where _is_ heinie anyway?" exclaimed bob. he hurried to the door of the adjoining room, but there was no trace of the missing chauffeur. "he's gone, i guess," said hugh. "when every one rushed out in the excitement he must have slipped away. we'll never see him again." "how stupid of us," cried bob. "every one clean forgot him, i guess." "his escape doesn't settle what we have to do," said hugh. "let's go out and leave her here, i say. we don't know anything to do for her. anyway you told the doctor where to come, didn't you?" "i did." "come on then," and bob hurried out, with hugh following close behind. in front of the office they stopped for a moment, peering intently all about them and straining their ears for every sound. bob remembered the big hickory stick of his father's and stepped inside again to get it. "we're taking chances prowling around here unarmed," said hugh when his friend had joined him once more. "i know it, but what can we do?" "nothing, i guess. where do you suppose the others are?" "let's go find them." again they started in the direction of the river, not in a mad rush this time, but slowly and carefully picking their way. they skulked along in the shadow of the factory walls, ready for any emergency that might arise. they kept close together and if the truth were known both boys would have been very glad to have had an armed companion with them. they had covered perhaps a hundred and fifty feet or so, and ahead of them could just make out the dark bank of the river. suddenly they saw a man appear around the corner of the building, running toward them. bob and hugh crouched against the brick wall and waited for him to come near. all at once bob recognized the stranger and started forward. "karl," he cried. the man halted. "where are you going?" asked bob. "where are father and the others?" "down by the river," replied karl and once more broke into a run. a moment later he was lost to sight in the darkness. "seems to me he's in an awful hurry," remarked hugh. "father had probably sent him on an errand," said bob. "let's hurry and see if we can't find father and sergeant riley." "who do you think shot lena?" asked hugh. "i don't know. we'd better not talk here now." "do you suppose it could have been the fake detective?" said hugh regardless of bob's advice. "i don't know, but i don't see why he should shoot one of his own gang." "he blew up mr. wernberg though." "i know it, but i can't understand it, and as i said i don't think we ought to talk here." they proceeded in silence. both boys were eager to join the others and they wondered what they could be doing down by the river. perhaps they had captured the plotter and had dispatched karl for rope or handcuffs to secure him. at any rate nothing suspicious had happened since the shots had first been heard. the boys had progressed but a short distance further, when suddenly a great tongue of flame shot heavenward between them and the river. an ear-splitting detonation followed, and the very earth was rocked by an enormous explosion. both boys were thrown violently to the ground by the force of it, while showers of earth, bricks, and material of all kinds pelted down all about them. a moment later the boys were on their feet, still partly stunned and undecided as to whether they should run or not. "there may be another one coming," warned hugh. while they hesitated a man suddenly appeared running swiftly away from the direction of the explosion. "hey there!" challenged bob. "who are you?" for answer there came the flash of a revolver and a pane of glass in the window close beside the boys' heads was shattered. "stop!" shouted bob at the top of his voice and regardless of danger he started in pursuit of the fleeing man. hugh was not to be left behind at such a time and together they raced after the fugitive. suddenly he stopped, raised his right arm, and hurled his revolver. it struck the ground directly in front of hugh, spun around a number of times and hit him a sharp blow on his shin bone as it caromed. "let it alone," cried bob. "it must be empty." both boys were fleet of foot, but in the first fifty yards of the race the man gained on them. it was plain to see that unless something happened they would soon be outdistanced. bob realized that the time had come when chances were to be taken. he raised his father's hickory cane above his head, whirled it around a couple of times, and sent it spinning in the direction of the fleeing figure ahead. the one chance in a hundred was successful. bob's aim was true and the heavy stick flew straight to its mark. as the man ran, one end of it protruded itself between his legs; he was tripped up and, losing his balance, fell sprawling to the ground. almost instantly he was on his feet again, but the delay occasioned by his fall had been almost sufficient to enable the boys to catch up with him. they were barely two steps behind him now. "tackle him!" shouted bob. like two ends going down the field to get the quarterback who is receiving the punt bob and hugh leaped forward at the same time. they had both had experience in football and it stood them in good stead now. the man went down, both boys literally swarming all over him. "i've got his legs, hugh," cried bob. "grab his arms." the man kicked and struggled with all the strength that was in him. bob hung on for dear life, however. he held one of the man's feet in each hand and threw his body across his legs to hold them down. hugh scrambled forward and hurled his entire weight across the man's chest. their prisoner's fists were going like flails, but hugh persisted. the thought of this german plotting against the united states was more than he could endure and he dealt the man a stunning blow squarely in the face. a moment later the man's arms and legs were tightly pinned to the ground while the two boys sat astride him, complete masters of the situation. "i'd like to pound his head off," cried bob fiercely. "just look at that fire." the bomb had done its work, and already the flames were mounting higher and higher over the damaged portion of the factory. the fire whistles were blowing violently; some one had turned in the alarm promptly anyway. "what shall we do with him?" panted hugh. "you didn't knock him out when you hit him, did you?" "no. he's all right." "let's get him on his feet and take him up to the office then." "hang on tight." "don't worry about that. if he tries to get away we'll choke his head off." whether or not the man understood these remarks he offered no comment. hugh held him by one arm and bob by the other. they yanked him to his feet and marched him off in the direction of the factory office. strange to say their prisoner offered but little resistance; he dragged his feet somewhat but followed along sullenly. presently there was a clatter and a clang of bells and the fire engine dashed into the yard, shooting sparks in a broad yellow stream from its stack. there was much shouting and giving of orders, and a moment later the hose cart, and the hook and ladder made their appearance. whether or not it was the distraction caused by these events, bob and hugh never could explain to themselves. at any rate they must have relaxed their caution and paid less attention to their prisoner than they should, for with a sudden violent twist of his body he wrenched himself free and was gone. chapter xxvi an expedition is planned "catch him! catch him!" shrieked bob hysterically. the man darted away in the direction of the fire engine with the two boys pursuing him at top speed. the fugitive was fleet of foot, however, as had already been proved to bob and hugh. he was gaining rapidly on his pursuers, while their shouts and calls were lost in the general hubbub and confusion incident to the fire. a short distance along the course of the chase two barrels supporting a plank were standing. as the man passed them he hesitated long enough to dislodge the plank and upset the barrels. they rolled directly in the path of the two boys, one of them causing hugh to trip and fall. bob kept up the chase, however, but the factory yard was now filled with people attracted by the fire and the man he followed soon eluded him in the crowd. there was nothing for bob to do, but give up. he turned back and presently discovered hugh limping toward him. "hurt yourself?" he demanded. "i skinned my knee. where's our man?" "he got away in the crowd." "we're a couple of fine ones," exclaimed hugh disgustedly. "we certainly are," echoed bob. "i'm getting so i'm ashamed to see father; all i do is report failures to him." "we'd better go back to the office and see him though." they returned to the office and at the door met mr. cook coming out. he greeted the boys heartily, for he had been worried about them. "i'm glad to see you two," he exclaimed. "i was afraid something had happened to you." "oh, we're all right," said bob. "where's lena?" "what do you mean?" demanded his father. "i haven't seen her." "well, just look at that," said bob, pointing to a dark stain on the floor. "that's where she was lying; she was the woman who screamed." "you don't tell me!" exclaimed mr. cook. "was she badly hurt, and who shot her?" "we can't answer either question. all we know is that we found her outside, unconscious, and brought her in here. she was wounded in the shoulder and bleeding badly. we left her here and went out again." "why didn't you telephone for a doctor?" "we did. we sent for doctor clarke." "and here's a note from him on the table here," exclaimed hugh. as he spoke he handed the piece of paper to mr. cook. "'have taken patient to hospital in order to remove bullet,'" mr. cook read aloud. "golly," exclaimed hugh. "there's lots going on around here, isn't there?" "too much," said mr. cook soberly. "i hope that explosion hurt no one." "how about the fire?" asked bob. sergeant riley arrived just then and reported that the fire department had the blaze under control and that it was only a question of a short time before it would be entirely out. "'tis lucky it is no worse," he said seriously. "and it's also lucky that my insurance will pay for it all," added mr. cook. "the thing that makes me mad is that the german divils who exploded the bomb all got away," exclaimed the sergeant bitterly. "were there more than one of them?" asked bob. "we don't know for sure," replied riley. "one o' the men told me he saw two of them running away, but he may have been mistaken." "well, hugh and i caught one of them," said bob. "you did!" almost shrieked sergeant riley, bouncing out of his chair. "where is he then?" "we don't know." "what do yez mean?" "he got away from us, and we lost him in the crowd." "oh, my boy, my boy," wailed riley, nearly in tears. "why did yez ever let such a thing happen to you? that was our chance to put a crimp in the whole gang, and now i suppose they'll be after blowing things up worse than ever." "but we didn't do it on purpose," protested bob meekly. "i know yez didn't," said the sergeant. "if i had only been there! i can tell yez that if ever i get my hands on one of them fellers he'll never get away." "it's too bad," exclaimed mr. cook. "still i don't think the damage they did here will seriously interfere with our work for the government." "i hope not," said sergeant riley fervently. "i hope yez can make enough ammunition to blow the bloody germans clean out of france and belgium and sink every blooming submarine they have on the ocean." "i hope so, too, riley," said mr. cook. "there's no room in a decent world for people who act as the germans do." "first of all though we've got to fix it so they can't interfere with our factories over here," exclaimed the sergeant. "i wish we could catch this gang." "what happened to heinrich?" asked bob. "did he get away?" "he did not," said sergeant riley. "one of my men escorted him to the police station where he'll be waiting until we want him." "he didn't say what was on that sheet of paper, did he?" "not yet." "where's karl?" asked bob. "he was going to read it for us." "i don't know where karl is," said mr. cook. "he hurried off to look after part of the factory just before the explosion occurred. he's a good soul, karl. i wish all the german-americans were as loyal as he is." "did one of the guards shoot lena?" hugh inquired. "no," replied mr. cook. "karl and i asked them all, and not one of them had even seen her. it's a peculiar thing." "i wonder if our friend the fake detective could have done it." "he wasn't the feller you caught, was he?" asked riley. "no," said bob. "our man had whiskers, didn't he, hugh?" "yes," said hugh. "they may have been false," suggested the sergeant. "you've got false ones on." "and they still itch terribly." "why don't you take them off?" inquired mr. cook. "i guess you won't need them any more to-night, will you?" "that depends on what is going to happen," said bob. "have you any plans, sergeant?" "i wish i had," exclaimed riley. "what i want to find out is where this gang has its headquarters. when i know that i'll go there and pay a call." "i know where it is," said bob. "you do?" demanded the sergeant in surprise. "what are you two anyway; a couple of young sherlock holmes?" "not at all," laughed bob. "we are suspicious of a certain house though, and it might be worth while to go up there and take a look around." "that's the stuff," exclaimed riley eagerly. "i'll swear you all in as deputy sheriffs, and we'll get guns for yez and go up just as soon as we can." "we're only suspicious of this house, you know," said bob. "where is it?" "twelve eighty-two elm street." "i heard heinrich say something about elm street," exclaimed riley. "your clue may be a good one after all." "poor old heinie," murmured bob. "poor old nothing," cried riley. "who feels sorry for a german plotter?" "but heinie was stupid and they probably made a fool of him." "the fact remains, however, bob," said mr. cook, "that heinrich evidently was in with this gang and therefore he ought to be punished." "you're dead right, mr. cook," exclaimed the sergeant. "no matter whether a man's been made a fool of or not, if he's dangerous he ought to be locked up." "i suppose so," bob agreed. "i feel sorry for him though, more sorry than i do for lena. she has more brains than heinie and ought to know better." "meanwhile we ought to be on our way to elm street," exclaimed sergeant riley. "come on, boys, let's get started." chapter xxvii a raid and a surprise mr. cook's automobile was still standing outside, and a few moments later the little party of four were seated in it and on their way to the police station. bob was at the wheel. upon their arrival it was the work of only a few moments to have mr. cook and the two boys sworn in as deputy sheriffs. bob and hugh retired to the wash room and after more or less trouble succeeded in removing the false crop of hair from their faces. sergeant riley ordered two policemen in uniform to go with them, and when mr. cook, bob and hugh had been equipped with pistols and heavy night sticks, the band, now increased to six, were ready to proceed. they used the cooks' car again and presently were gliding silently along in the direction of elm street. two blocks distant from number twelve eighty-two bob stopped the car and every one got out. a short consultation was held and it was decided to separate. consequently mr. cook, hugh, and one of the policemen went down a side street in order to go around the block and approach the house from the opposite direction. bob, sergeant riley, and the other policeman were to wait a few moments and then move on up elm street. it was thought best to have bob with one party and hugh with the other as both boys knew the house and could lead the way with no possibility of mistake. it was exciting work and bob and hugh both felt very important and elated at being allowed to accompany the officers on this raid. furthermore they were going to see the inside of the mysterious stucco house, and perhaps clear up the whole mystery of the german plot and spy system in high ridge. after a few moments' wait bob, sergeant riley, and the policeman started to move slowly up the street. they met no one on the way, for it was now after midnight and people were mostly in bed. only one house had a light burning as far as they could see; that house was a white stucco one, number twelve eighty-two and the light was on the third floor. "here come the others," whispered bob to sergeant riley as they drew near their destination. orders had already been given and every one knew what he was to do. one of the policemen went around to the rear of the house and took his position by the back door. mr. cook was to guard the front entrance, and both men had instructions to do everything necessary to prevent the escape of any of the inmates of the house. the remaining four members of the party, led by sergeant riley, stole noiselessly up the steps and approached the front door. riley took a bunch of keys from his pocket, inspected the lock, and then selected one of his keys. at the first trial the lock responded; he grasped the door knob and silently and, with extreme caution, pushed open the door. the hallway was unlighted. sergeant riley took out his flashlight and pressed the button on it for a second as he inspected the hall. he uttered a low grunt of satisfaction as he noted that there was a carpet on the floor, and also on the stairs leading to the second floor. that meant their footsteps would not be heard. he beckoned to the others to follow, and softly stepped inside. scarcely daring to breathe, the four raiders advanced. they made no noise on the thick carpet, but a collision with a piece of furniture or a false step might have ruined all their chances for success. sergeant riley was in the lead, quick flashes from his pocket torch showing the way. after what seemed hours they reached the second floor. thus far nothing had occurred to make them think that they had been discovered, but the hardest part was yet to come. from the third floor came the sound of voices and a shaft of light from an open door pierced the darkness of the hallway. the men above were talking in german. there was a brief halt and then sergeant riley stole forward again. with breath in check and walking on tip-toe his three companions followed. the open door above was about five or six feet distant from the head of the stairs. they started up the last flight; the voices of the men above seemed raised in anger, and though bob of course could not understand what was said, he thought that the tone of one of them sounded strangely familiar. suddenly the stairs under sergeant riley's foot creaked. the little band stopped short, their hearts pounding; every one gripped his revolver a bit tighter and waited for developments. apparently the noise had not been heard, however, for the voices continued as before. the advance was resumed and finally sergeant riley reached the top of the stairs. he went a little farther and took his stand just beside the opened door and barely out of the light. as the others came up they stationed themselves directly behind the sergeant and close against the wall. it was a tense moment. bob and hugh could feel their hearts hammering so that it seemed to the two boys the noise must be heard. their faces were pale, and frankly they were frightened. suppose the men in the room should outnumber them and overpower them? certainly if they were the spies and plotters they sought, they would be desperate. then again it was just possible that the men were peaceful citizens, and that the affair would turn out to be a farce; that would be almost too humiliating. suddenly sergeant riley stepped forward into the open doorway. "hands up!" he ordered sharply, covering the inmates of the room with his pistol. his three companions crowded into the doorway alongside him. there were three men seated about a table in the room, and they were completely taken by surprise. they started to their feet with muttered exclamations of anger and astonishment, staring with wide eyes at the four pistols levelled at them from the doorway. one man hesitated and made a move as if to reach around towards his hip pocket, but sergeant riley was alert. "none of that," he cried. "put up your hands." the man hastened to obey and together the three stood and faced their captors. sullen and angry they looked, and not one of them spoke. "now, marshal," said sergeant riley, speaking to the policeman next to him. "i wish you would be so good as to relieve these gentlemen of any hardware they may have concealed about them." while riley and bob and hugh covered the three prisoners, the officer went rapidly from one to another and took a revolver from each one of them. he also examined their other pockets, but finding no additional weapons returned to his post by the door. while this little drama was being enacted bob had a chance to look about the room. it was scantily furnished, a table, four chairs, and a shelf along the wall constituting its equipment. on the shelf were a dozen or more bottles that looked as if they might contain chemicals; a square black box stood on the table and also a brass spring and what resembled a cord hanging from one side. bob decided it was a bomb. from a nail in the center of the ceiling a small alligator was suspended by its tail. bob recognized the missing percy, and decided that this must be the headquarters of the gang that had used an alligator as its symbol, and traced a picture of it on all the notes and warnings they sent out. while the furnishings of the room were interesting, the three men captured were far more so, and as bob saw one of them he experienced a distinct shock. the first was a man with dark hair, weighing perhaps one hundred and fifty pounds, and having a close-cropped mustache; the fake detective beyond a doubt. the second was a thin, wiry individual with a beard, and a swollen, red nose. he was the man who had escaped from his and hugh's hands at the factory, bob decided. his nose was swollen where hugh had hit him. this must be the man who had set off the bomb. the third prisoner was the one who furnished the surprise to bob, however. he was a man bob had known for years, and liked, admired, and trusted as well. he was karl hoffmann. "well," exclaimed sergeant riley, "it looks as if you men was through with your work. get out your handcuffs, marshal." up till now not one of the prisoners had spoken. when they saw the manacles being brought out, however, they shifted uneasily and karl spoke. "bob," he said. "this is all a mistake." bob would have liked to believe him but before he had an opportunity to say anything sergeant riley spoke up. "perhaps it is a mistake," he exclaimed. "we can talk that over down at the police station better than here, however." there was now little left to do. the handcuffs were quickly attached to the prisoners' wrists and hugh was sent to the second floor to telephone for the patrol wagon. the prisoners were marched downstairs, and mr. cook and the other policeman were summoned. mr. cook was as shocked as bob had been to see karl hoffmann among those who had been captured in the raid. there was nothing for it, however, but to see him loaded into the patrol wagon and driven away to police headquarters. chapter xxviii conclusion mr. cook, with bob and hugh, returned home. they had been in the house only a few moments when the telephone rang, and mr. cook answered it to find sergeant riley on the wire. "i want to come up and see yez," he said. "i've let one of your friends out of jail and i'll bring him along with me if you don't mind." he offered no further explanations, and the three friends were at a loss to understand what his visit could mean and who the "friend" might be. "it must be karl," said mr. cook. "no one can convince me he's disloyal." "i guess that's who it is all right," agreed bob. they discussed their experiences of the past two days, but no one was able to offer any satisfactory explanation for the strange events through which they had passed. there was only one thing of which they were certain and that was that a band of men who were working for germany had been plotting against the peace and welfare of the united states. it was not long, however, before sergeant riley arrived and every one was greatly astonished to see that his companion was none other than heinrich. "yes," said the sergeant. "here's your friend heinrich back again, and i guess he's here to stay this time." mr. cook was a trifle cool in his greeting to the chauffeur. not that he did not like him, but he had hoped to see karl with the police sergeant. he had been convinced of heinrich's guilt, while he had considered karl to be innocent. furthermore karl had been foreman of the factory for a number of years and had proved himself a most intelligent and valuable workman. "heinrich has a story to tell you," said sergeant riley. "you confessed, did you, heinrich?" asked mr. cook. he was under the impression that he had confessed in order to save himself, and glad as he was to have the mystery and uncertainty ended he did not like a "tell-tale." "he had nothing to confess," said riley. "tell your story, heinrich." "well," began heinrich nervously, "in the first place you all suspected me because i worked for mr. wernberg. mr. wernberg was working all the time for the united states." "what?" exclaimed mr. cook in surprise. "yes," said heinrich, "that iss what he was doing. he knew there was plots on foot and he knew every one in high ridge was suspicious of him. he decided to expose those plots and prove that he was a good american. he hired lena and me mit some others to help him." "lena, too, was all right?" demanded bob. "certainly," exclaimed heinrich. "of course she iss all right. mr. wernberg he knew who these plotters were, but he was not able to prove anything about them. he also knew that they were meeting in that old house out in the woods. the night before last he went out there in a big gray roadster to search the house." "i didn't know that was his car," said bob in surprise. "yes," said heinrich, "and i was mit him. you and hugh followed us and we knew it, so to scare you away i took the automobile and brought it home. you see mr. wernberg wanted to do it all himself." "we couldn't understand it," muttered hugh. "to think that you were fooling us all the time, heinie." "yes," grinned the chauffeur, "i fool you all right. well that night we could not find anything so we left and mr. wernberg went back the next afternoon to look around. one of the plotter's gang discovered that he was there and tried to blow him up." "but who locked us in that room?" demanded bob. "i did," said heinrich. "i thought you was part of the german gang." "didn't you see us?" "no, i only hear you talking. then i fire one shot to give you a scare." "and you almost blew bob's head off," added hugh. "i tried to shoot high," said heinrich. "then i hurry away to tell mr. wernberg that i had two of the plotters caught. when i was gone i guess one of the plotters came there and you had a fight with him." "the fake detective," exclaimed bob. "his name iss kraus," said heinrich. "he has a little mustache, and in the afternoon he blew up the house, because he knew we were after him and he wished to destroy all evidence." "that's when mr. wernberg got hurt," said mr. cook. "what was he doing in the house, heinrich?" he was amazed at the way the mystery was clearing itself up. "as i told you," said heinrich. "he was looking around for evidence against the gang." "why didn't he notify the police if he was suspicious?" "as i told you," repeated heinrich patiently, "he wished to do all himself and when he turned those men over to the police no one could say he was forced to do it. they sent him lots of warning notes because they knew he was after them." "what did the alligator mean?" "it iss the sign of a secret society; all germans in high ridge know that. it was that snake hoffmann who stole poor percy to kill him and hang him up in the room where they had their office." "how long has karl been a member of the gang?" asked mr. cook. "ever since germany went to war with england," said heinrich. "nearly three years." "but he never talked as though he sided with germany." "the ones who mean trouble never do," said heinrich. "karl knew enough to keep his mouth shut. you see you never suspected him." "tell me about lena," exclaimed mr. cook. "why was she meeting that man kraus down town tonight and going around with him if she was not working with the gang?" "she pretended to karl hoffmann that she was working mit them. all the time she was acting as a spy for mr. wernberg. because karl hoffmann was in love with her he told her lots of things, and it was in that way we got most of our information." "pretty clever, eh?" exclaimed sergeant riley, approvingly. "there's another thing, heinrich," said mr. cook. "why wouldn't you read what was written on that paper tonight?" heinrich looked sheepish. "i could not," he said. "kraus had become suspicious of lena; he feared she was going to betray them and the note was a warning to her. it said that if they were caught they would see to it that she went to jail mit them. at that time you were all suspecting poor lena, and i was afraid you would send her to jail before she had a chance to prove to you that she was loyal." "you're in love with lena, aren't you?" asked mr. cook. "we are to be married," said heinrich, proudly, his eyes shining. "did karl suspect that lena was treacherous?" "i think not until he saw that note." "he was going to read it to us though." "he would not have read it," cried heinrich hotly. "he would have made up something, not what it said at all." "who shot lena?" "kraus shot her. she was going to your office to warn you that your factory was going to be blown up, and he shot her to prevent that." "who was the man with the whiskers?" asked bob. "his name iss mueller. he iss the one who set off the bomb tonight." "that's what we thought," exclaimed bob. "well, hugh, you hit him one good one anyway, didn't you?" "i hope so," said hugh. "there was four of them altogether," said heinrich. "kraus, mueller, hoffmann, and a man named schaefer who went to blow up the railroad bridge friday night and has not been heard of since." "we know where he is, don't we, hugh?" laughed bob. "where iss he?" demanded heinrich. "in jail, i guess," said bob. "we caught him on the bridge with a bomb." "good boys," said heinrich warmly. "why were you so angry when you had to go with father tonight?" asked bob. "where was your engagement?" "i was going with lena to twelve eighty-two elm street, where schaefer lived. you see lena was already a member of the gang, so they thought, and i was to join too, so we both could watch them better." "somebody telephoned lena about meeting them there this evening." "yes, it was mueller. he thought he had a recruit in me." "well, heinrich," said mr. cook, "i guess that explains pretty nearly everything, and i'm sorry i ever suspected you." he shook hands warmly. "oh, that's all right," smiled heinrich. "i had to get suspected with the job i had. that was part of the game." at that moment the door bell rang and dr. clarke was ushered in. "i thought you might be interested in the hospital patients," he said. "mr. wernberg will recover all right, and lena is not badly hurt. she keeps calling all the time for somebody named heinrich. do you know him?" "will you excuse me, mr. cook?" exclaimed heinrich, and, without waiting for a reply, he dashed out of the room, nearly falling over two chairs in his haste to get away to the hospital. "he seems to be in a hurry, doesn't he?" laughed the doctor. "i must be going, too," said sergeant riley. "i have some boarders down at my hotel who may need attention." "well, good-night, sergeant," exclaimed mr. cook, shaking hands with the doughty officer. "i'm sorry hoffmann was mixed up in this business, but i'm glad it's all cleared up. i hope we'll have no more trouble." "ye won't, as long as yez have two young fellers like bob and hugh working for yez," exclaimed riley. "the united states needs boys like that; this war is going to be a long and hard one in my opinion." "i'm afraid so," mr. cook agreed. "i guess we'll come out all right if we all work hard and stick together though." "that's it," exclaimed riley. "we must all work together. our personal feelings don't count. it's what our country needs." he said good night all around and went out. * * * * * the next morning bob was out in the yard inspecting a plot of ground where he was going to have a garden. he could not enlist, but he was going to "do his bit" by raising a few vegetables, and thus help to supply the country with its necessary food. he heard a step behind him and turned to see frank wernberg. frank held out his hand. "shake hands with me, bob," he exclaimed. "i want to tell you that i was wrong about that the other day, and you were right." bob responded heartily. "yes," said frank. "i was dead wrong. i had thought from the way father talked that he was pro-german, but i found out that he wasn't at all. when it came to a question of deciding between his country and germany there was never any doubt about where he stood." "i know that, frank," said bob. "i wish every one of german birth or descent over here felt the same way." "i think most of them do," said frank. "i guess that's right," bob agreed. "look at lena and heinrich." "well, all i wish now," exclaimed frank, "is that we could enlist." "so do i," cried bob enthusiastically. "wouldn't it be wonderful if you and hugh and i could enlist and go together?" the new adventures are recorded in the story entitled, bob cook and the german air fleet. the end the german spy system from within by william le queux published by hodder and stoughton, london, new york, toronto. this edition dated . the german spy system from within, by william le queux. ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ the german spy system from within, by william le queux. preface. the amazing ramifications of the german spy system in england are, unfortunately, not even to-day fully realised by the british public, or admitted by the government. in face of the hard facts contained in this book, in face of the serious statements of members in the house of commons, and in face of what the public are themselves daily reporting to the "authorities," the present apathy of the government, and its refusal to admit the peril and deal with spies with a firm hand, is little short of criminal. seven years before the outbreak of war, by a mere accident while in germany, i was able to place before the intelligence department of the war office certain facts which, on being thoroughly investigated, resulted in the establishment of a department for contra-espionage. therefore, however lightly the government may to-day affect to treat the question, the fact remains that they have, all along, known of the existence of a horde of german secret-agents in our midst. nevertheless, even as recently as march , the government, in response to urgent appeals, blankly refused to vest in one minister powers to deal with enemy aliens and spies, in place of the present divided policy. truly deplorable it is to think that to-day, while we are fighting for our very existence as a nation, spies are permitted entire freedom, and are nobody's business. this most vital question has been shuttle-cocked between the war office and the home office until it is now impossible to say where the responsibility really lies. the one fact, however, which cannot be disguised from the public is that, if the germans made a raid upon our shores, the government, so self-satisfied, would suddenly awake to find, as france and belgium did, an army of spies busily assisting in our undoing. "ex-intelligence officer" has, within the covers of this book, plainly shown how systematic espionage is, and that it has been for many years a most cherished part of german war administration, developed with much forethought, and with characteristic teuton cunning. that a settled and widespread system of spies exists in great britain at the present moment is well-known, both to the government and to the public, yet certain ministers would have us close our eyes and accept the extraordinary assurance given by mr mckenna, early in the war, that the spy-peril has been stamped out. but is it stamped out? i here assert that at no moment of our national history have we been confronted by a graver peril from within, than that with which we are confronted to-day. the public are daily realising more and more that they are being hoodwinked and bamboozled by this shuttlecock policy, which is playing so completely into the enemy's hands, and is allowing dastardly preparations to be made to hasten our downfall. the inflamed state of public opinion is only too apparent by the mass of correspondence which i have received from all classes, from peers to working men, regarding the publication of my book "german spies in england," and, further, by its phenomenal sale. every letter of the piles before me as i write, complains bitterly of the apathy and disregard with which the authorities treat the reports made to them of the doings of spies, and all express disgust at the refusal to stir in a matter which so closely affects our national security, or even to institute the smallest inquiry. over the whole subject mystery and mystification brood. the present policy--in face of what the government know, and what i myself know, as one who has spent the past seven years in studying the german secret service system and patiently watching its agents--allows, for example, baron von bulow, brother of the german ex-chancellor, to live comfortably at putney, in the full enjoyment of a telephone; it mysteriously reverses many military orders for the removal of alien enemies from prohibited areas, providing always that those persons are of the better class; it allows signals to be sent nightly from our shores to the sea, and vice versa; it releases about , aliens monthly from the internment-camps; it has attempted to gag the press, and is, to-day--as i will presently prove--stifling all inquiries into the doing of spies among us. in no other capital in the world, save london, would such a disgraceful scandal be for one moment tolerated, as that which any reader may investigate for himself, providing he is careful not to obtrude his british nationality, namely, the toasting of the "day" of britain's downfall by these self-same enemy aliens, who, recently released from the internment-camps, now nightly meet and plot in the various little foreign restaurants in the neighbourhood of the tottenham court road. here, round the small tables in the underworld of london, sit enemy men and women, openly expressing the most intense hatred of us, gloating over their own piratical deeds and barbarities, and declaring that in england, ere long, there is to be repeated the same savagery and unbridled lust with which poor belgium was swept from end to end. this is no idle statement. i have been present, posing as an italian and a neutral, and i have seen and heard. indeed, in those places, news from germany is known hours before it is known to our military or naval authorities, and i have heard it declared openly that the vanguard of spies among us are ready to act at a given signal--which is to be the appearance of zeppelins over london--to blow up bridges, water-mains, and railways, destroy telephones and telegraphs, and commit the most widespread havoc, incendiary and otherwise, for the purpose of creating a panic, and preventing the movements of troops. naturally, one asks, where are the police? on discovering this scandalous state of affairs i went to new scotland yard to ask that same question. i had interviews with various officials, and after over an hour's prevarication and elusive replies to my rather disconcerting questions, i succeeded in eliciting the very illuminating fact that they were unable to act without the consent of the home office! why, one may ask, is it withheld? why should we risk our well-being by allowing these hot-beds of conspiracy and crime to be officially protected, while a man may be hauled before the magistrate for the heinous offence of not having a rear-lamp to his cycle? what a comedy! mr justice ridley has rightly said: "we must make an end of spies." yet the fact that spies are being officially winked at can no longer be doubted. before me, i have fully two hundred cases reported by responsible citizens in various parts of the country in which the "authorities"--who seem, by the way, to have no authority at all--have refused even to make the most superficial inquiry, or else a constable in full uniform has been sent to interview the person under suspicion! let us calmly consider the present situation. the mystery of the official protection afforded to spies has been greatly increased during the month of march, and the public confidence has been further shaken in consequence of the statement of mr bonar law in the house of commons, who not only declared that there were, on march st, male alien enemies still residing on or near the coast, but also made a most interesting revelation. the admiralty, he said, in order to test whether signalling was really going on from the shore, sent a trawler to sea with instructions to show german signal-lights. and these were instantly answered! what was done? nothing! and, judging from the experience of the public, this is hardly surprising. perhaps a case in point may be of interest. in the middle of february, from an officer in his majesty's service, i received information that certain highly suspicious signals were being made nightly between the kent coast and london. therefore i went forth at once to investigate, in company with the officer in question, who is a qualified signaller and wireless expert, and a non-commissioned officer also qualified in signalling, while i myself know something of signalling and wireless. for a fortnight we were out nearly every night in a motor-car--sometimes watching from the tops of hills, a cold and weary vigil from dark to dawn--until we had established, beyond all shadow of doubt, the houses whence the mysterious lights emanated. these houses--several of them being residences of well-to-do people, and all in high commanding positions, had, in each case, an alien living in them, whose name and calling i succeeded in obtaining. then, one night, while posted on a hill commanding nearly the whole of surrey, and having taken down their code-messages on many occasions, we resolved to make a test, and with a powerful signalling-apparatus, i suddenly replied to one of the signals, repeated part of the code-message, and in pretence of not understanding the remainder, asked for its repetition. at once it was flashed to me and read by all three of us! in the message, which, later on, was submitted to an expert in ciphers, occurred the numeral five. it was more than a coincidence, i think, that only an hour before that message had been flashed, five german aeroplanes had left the belgian coast on their way to england! on three separate occasions, from various high positions in kent and surrey, we flashed german signals, which were at once responded to. then, having fully established that messages were being nightly so exchanged, to and from the metropolis, always with the same three code-letters as prefix, and having definitely fixed those houses harbouring the spies, i considered it my duty, as an englishman serving his country, to call in the assistance of the intelligence department of the war office, and to them i furnished a full report, together with the signals sent and received. though my facts were vouched for by three officers and a signaller, and four civilians. i, at first, did not even receive the courtesy of a reply to what i had declared to be a matter of extreme urgency. two nights after sending in my report, some officers of the royal naval air service discovered a powerful car containing two men reconnoitring certain main roads in a surrey valley actually beneath the residence of one of the enemy signallers, and they naturally stopped it. the strangers were questioned, so suspiciously were they acting, while in the meantime one of the officers reported by telephone to the admiralty and asked for instructions. but the amazing reply received was that they had no authority to stop the car! as for myself, i again wrote to the intelligence department of the war office, but after eleven days all they would deign me was a mere printed notice informing me that my report had been _received_. to this i replied, asking that immediate steps might be taken to investigate and arrest the signallers as dangerous to the state--more dangerous perhaps even than the cyclist without his back-lamp--but to that letter i have not even received an acknowledgment! another instance may perhaps be of interest. i discovered that, among the belgian refugees from antwerp who had received charitable aid in one of our biggest seaports, were two men upon whom considerable suspicion had fallen. one posed as a smooth-tongued priest, and wore that garb, while the other was a "friend," apparently somewhat lower in the social scale. the priest asserted that he had been head of a college near antwerp; and in consequence of his pious profession, he was, as was but natural, made much of by the ladies in the city in question. one day this priest, who it had been noted had been unusually inquisitive, and had been constantly strolling round the extensive docks and quays, and had watched the military preparations in case of a raid, suddenly applied to the local belgian relief committee for money to return to antwerp. questioned, he told rather a lame story about some of his pupils having returned, while his friend, who also applied at the same time for leave to return, gave as excuse that he had to go to look after his cows! one wonders how many the germans had left him. or, perhaps he was a humorist, and meant the black cows--those mystic signs employed by von kluck's spies. the relief committee, apparently, were not exactly satisfied with the stories; nevertheless, they eventually granted the pair money for their journey back to belgium. a report of this i furnished immediately to the intelligence department, offering to send them information when the pair left the seaport, in order that they might be met on arrival in london and questioned, and i also supplied them with the time of the train by which they were to leave london for flushing. the whole matter was ignored, and an official acknowledgment, printed, of course, was sent to me _three days after the fair had gone_ across to flushing--full of most important information, as was afterwards discovered! here is yet another instance. in liverpool the special constables were performing most excellent work in hunting out alien enemies and sending them to internment-camps, when, of a sudden, an order came--whence nobody appears to know--to arrest no one further, for, as the order put it, "such action may create public alarm." why is it, too, that men of wealth and influence, bankers, brokers, financiers and birthday-baronets, german-born privy councillors, and other alien enemies who happen to possess money, are caressed and given such latitude to exert any evil influence they may like upon us? why, also, was baron von ow-wachendorf, a lieutenant in the yellow uhlans of stuttgart, just under thirty years of age, permitted to practise running in hyde park so as to fit him for his military duties: and why was he-- on march st--allowed to leave tilbury for holland to fight against us? these are questions upon which the public should demand satisfaction, and to arraign those responsible. i here wish to state, most emphatically, that i am not a politician, neither am i criticising, for one moment, the splendid military administration of lord kitchener. if the spy-peril were placed in his capable hands--with complete power to act, to arrest, and to punish-- then i would, at this moment, lay down my pen upon the question. yet, as one who was among the very first--perhaps the first--to discover the secret plans of germany and to report them, i consider it my duty, as a lover of my country, to warn the public. the time has passed for mincing matters, or for the further protection of traitors in our midst. i here cast no reflection upon any single person, and further, any person mentioned in this article is beyond the pale of my statement, but i here assert that i have had, in my possession, a list--actually shown to me by a friend at wilhelm-strasse, who was _their paymaster_--of persons in england and america who have been in receipt of german money, and who, by dint of it and of secret influence, have risen to high degree, and, in some instances, to places with fat emoluments. motives of patriotism alone prevent me from revealing that list at this hour of our national crisis. the many truths contained in the following chapters of this book must surely reveal to the reader the edge of the volcano upon which we are now sitting. notwithstanding all the false official assurances, the sleepiness of the much-vaunted intelligence department, and the fettered hands of the police--both metropolitan and provincial--must surely give the man-in-the-street to pause. spies are to-day among us in every walk of life, and in almost every town in great britain. every single man and woman among them is impatiently awaiting the signal for the destruction of our homes and the ruin and massacre of our dear ones, and yet we are actually asked to believe that no danger exists! the same kid-gloved policy which, at a cost of , pounds has provided a pleasant mansion with charming grounds, and a staff of valets, servants, etc, for german officers, many of whom were responsible for the barbaric outrages on innocent women, and the massacre of children in belgium, has also placed a protecting hand upon our alien enemies. assuredly this is an injudicious policy, for it has already created a very grave suspicion and distrust in the public mind. the "authorities"--whoever the persons in real authority may be--know full well how, with every outgoing mail to holland or scandinavia, there goes forth a mass of information concerning us, collected by spies, and forwarded to neutral countries, where it is again collected by german secret-agents, and forwarded to the german secret service in berlin. these letters are generally written, either in invisible ink or in cipher-ticks, upon newspapers or magazines, which are merely placed in unsuspicious-looking wrappers addressed to somebody, usually with an english name, in holland, denmark, or sweden. i have before me two such letters posted in hertfordshire. further, we have undoubted communication existing nightly from the sea to london by means of the line of signal-lights which i have described, and further, these, it has lately been proved, extend north, from the neighbourhood of harrow, right up to leeds, manchester, and liverpool. there are other fixed lights, too; brilliantly-lit windows and skylights, which show each night, and are intended as beacons for the guidance of the enemy's aircraft. yet, all the time, we pursue the foolish policy of trying to hide london by darkening it, and, at the same time, shine searchlights at the self-same place and at the same hour each night--apparently to betray to the enemy our most vulnerable points. it was not long ago that, in this connection, my friend mr geo. r. sims pointed out the existence of a line of these guiding-lights, extending from willesden across to buckingham palace, and happily, through the exposure he made, those of our "friends" who maintained them have now been forced to leave them unlit. germans have been found in possession of hotels and mansions in strategic positions all over the united kingdom, and to-day numbers of alien enemies--thanks to the order which has released them from the internment-camps--are actually employed at the various great railway termini in the metropolis! fancy such a state of affairs being permitted by imperial germany--a country in which british prisoners of war are half-starved, as evidenced by a cleverly composed letter before me from one who is unfortunately a prisoner, and which passed the german censor, whose knowledge of english was not so extensive as to cause him to suspect. when the reader has digested the pages which follow--chapters which give a very lucid, calm, and first-hand idea of the low-down methods of german espionage, he will, i venture to think, agree that it is of no use to cross the barbarian's sword with a peacock's feather. germany intends, if she can, to crush and to humiliate us, to devastate our homes, to outrage and massacre our dear ones, and by every subtle and dastardly means, to bring upon us a disaster so stupendous as to stagger humanity. shall we remain lulled to sleep further by assurances which are not borne out by facts? germany's advance guard of spies are already here, rubbing shoulders with us, many of them smug and respectable citizens passing among us entirely unsuspected, members of our churches, honoured, and believed to be britons. some are alien enemies, others are traitors, who have imperilled this country's safety for the lure of german gold. in another place i have fully explained how the german government held out an alluring bait to myself. if this was done to me, then surely it has been done to others. we are britons, fighting for our king and our country. our fathers, husbands, sons, and brothers, have gone forth to battle for the right and hurl back the barbaric teuton-tide which threatens to overwhelm us. some, alas! already lie in their graves. is it therefore not our duty to those we hold dear to see that spies shall not exist in our midst? if the government are so utterly incapable of dealing effectively with the problem, as they are now proved to be, then why do they not allow the formation of a central board, with drastic powers, to end at once this national danger, which grows more acute with the dawn of every day? i am no alarmist, nor am i affected with spy mania. i am merely here writing a plain and bitter truth, the truth which i have learnt after years of experience and patient inquiry. if space permitted, i could relate a hundred stories of espionage, all supported by evidence; stories which would contain as much excitement as any i have ever written in the guise of fiction. but my only object in this preface is to urge the public to read this book, to inquire into and study the problem for themselves, and to assure them that the words of "ex-intelligence officer" are full of very grave truths, which cannot be ignored or refuted. it is for the public themselves to demand satisfaction in a very determined and outstanding manner. the voice of the country is unanimous that we are being trifled with, and surely it is a thousand pities that mistrust should thus arise, as it is rapidly arising, at this grave crisis of our national history. the public have been told definitely by mr tennant that "every enemy alien is known, and is now under constant police surveillance." if the public, in face of the mass of evidence accumulating to the contrary, will still believe it, then let them rest in their fool's paradise until the day of awakening. if not, then they, through their representatives in parliament, have the matter in their own hands. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ william le queux. devonshire club, london s.w. april . foreword. british and other official circles know more of the german secret service than the public are aware of, and there is little that is done by german agents without the cognisance of the countries affected by their work, at the present time. the following pages make no attempt at unveiling all the secrets of the german system, for that would involve not a book, but a library. what has been done is to present such evidence with regard to the system as can be verified from unquestionable sources--the book given here in no case goes beyond the truth, and is capable of proof, with the exception of the chapter on _agents provocateurs_, of whose work no direct proofs are available to the general public. in this case the writer has been careful to state facts in such a way that they carry their own proof. further, as an ex-member of the intelligence staff, the writer has had access to information respecting the british secret service which is not generally available, but patriotic motives would alone be sufficient to withhold this information. all that is said with regard to the british methods of counter-espionage, or with regard to the measures adopted by any other government against german spying, is compiled from information available in the columns of the press to all who care to read. the book is written in the earnest hope that it may do something toward revealing the nature of the german spy system to incredulous folk, for by opening the eyes of the public to such a definite danger one is a step nearer to the crushing of german militarism. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ the author. chapter one. a review of the spy system. in all things pertaining to the conduct of war germany of to-day has copied as far as possible the methods of napoleon the first. in military strategy, german experts have fallen far behind their model--or rather, they have never approached his methods, because they have never fathomed the secret of his success. von clausewitz, the greatest german military writer, planned his "on war" on napoleonic lines, but left out the greatest factor of napoleon's work. as he saw the work of the great conqueror, napoleon made use of accident: in reality, napoleon made the accident, and this von clausewitz could not comprehend. french genius rediscovered the napoleon strategy, but even unto this day german military methods leave out the idea of making circumstances instead of being limited by them. thus, in striving to attain the napoleonic ideal in things military, germany has failed. but napoleon established a new branch of military organisation when he codified and arranged a system of espionage, and, in adopting from him this systematisation of what had hitherto been a haphazard business, german builders for a world-empire have gone far beyond their model, so that to-day the german spy system is the most perfect ever organised, not even excepting the system of venice in its palmy days, where all was written and nothing spoken, nor that of russia in comparatively modern times. the german system falls naturally under several heads. to take them in reverse order of importance, there is first the commercial system of espionage, which takes the form of sending out men who accept posts as clerks in foreign (to germany) business firms. these men come, especially to england, ostensibly to learn the language, but in many cases they have received thorough tuition in idiomatic and commercial english from some member of the british colonies existing in such centres as berlin and dresden. they accept a very low wage for what are in reality services far beyond their pay in value. they gain access to books and price-lists, and to lists of customers, by means of which they are able to give exact details of the markets to which british goods are sent, and the prices, rates of freight, discounts, etc. these particulars are transmitted in full to germany, and with them the german competing firms are able to undercut british firms in foreign markets, and to secure british trade by always making their estimates a little lower than those of the competing british firms. since in commerce all is legitimate in the interests of one's employer, the only comment to be made on this method of spying is that it is despicable in that it involves the deliberate abuse of hospitality, and thus no code of ethics can be found to justify it; but business and ethics are two different things. this commercial spying, however, is but an offshoot from the great espionage system perfected by stieber, chief of german secret police and privy councillor, of whom more anon. the main system is concerned with military and naval matters, and various points discovered in connection with this main system show that germany has for many years made up its mind to embark on a war of aggrandisement--whether or no the war lord of popular conception was fully in agreement with the idea is another matter, and one that history will probably show. the superiority of the german system to that of other and what may be termed competing nations is evidenced by one apparently unimportant fact. when french and british spies have been caught in germany, and sentenced to terms of imprisonment in german fortresses, in a great number of cases it has transpired that the offenders were military officers still on the active list. they had been specially chosen for their work, perhaps; they had undertaken it with the highest of motives, also, perhaps; and they had understood the grave risks they ran in that their governments would afford them no direct protection in case of their being detected. but they were officers on the active list, soldiers by profession. now, on consideration, the calling of a spy reveals itself as one of doubtful honesty, no matter what the motives prompting the spy may be-- and the soldier is at all times supposed to be a man of honour and strict integrity--which he usually is. whether the spy be a british, french, russian, or german subject, he is engaged in abusing the hospitality of the country on which he is spying, and, from a military point of view, is not playing the game. so little is he playing the game, in fact, that in time of peace his government refuses to recognise him if he fails, and in time of war he gets no combatant rights, but is shot out of hand by the enemy into whose hands he falls. the formality of a trial is unnecessary, if the fact of espionage, accomplished or attempted, be apparent. guilty of what cannot be called other than a mean act, attempting to endanger the lives of soldiers by unsoldierly methods, in revealing himself as a spy a man condemns himself and passes his own sentence--which is as it should be. and yet two of the great powers permit commissioned officers to undertake this dirty work, as it must be called! germany has realised that special men ought to be employed for this special, necessary, but at the same time despicable business. your perfect spy is a man of criminal impulse, a moral pervert of sorts, and, recognising this, stieber and his followers in the government of the system have organised a separate branch of the great german general staff, a branch made up of chosen men and women, of whom the men may at one time have held military or naval commissions in this warlike nation, but very few are officers on the active list. it has been realised in this land of nearly perfect espionage that the duties of a spy and those of an officer of the services--of either service--are not compatible. the german secret-service corps which stieber organised is a matter of three main departments: the military, the naval, and the diplomatic spy corps. under the last-mentioned head must be grouped the work of germans in foreign countries, notably in france and to a certain extent in england, with a view to influencing labour by means of strikes and industrial unrest, a system of influence which often approaches closely to and sometimes interlinks with commercial espionage, though it is primarily directed to the paralysis of a possible enemy in case of war, and the facilitating of a german attack on the country in which the work is being done. for always german strategy has been that of attack; whatever protestations of peaceful intents the german nation may make, there can be no doubt of its real designs when one considers the trend of all its policy in recent years, the nature of its naval and military increase of effort, and, as far as revelations show, the methods pursued in its espionage system. germany as a whole has meditated attack with a view to extension of territory and commercial advantage for years, and no apologist can adduce evidence to justify, on the score of a defensive policy, such preparations for war as the country has made. one instance of the methods pursued by the espionage department will illustrate this. the fortifications of maubeuge, the french fortress which fell to the german attack in so marvellously short a time, were proof against anything short of the heaviest siege-artillery, and, before this class of artillery can be mounted for use against a town or fortress, gun-platforms levelled and supported by masonry equal to the strain imposed in firing the guns must be constructed. the construction of these platforms involves much calculation and measurement, and is not a matter of such time as was involved in the fall of maubeuge, but of a much longer period. the explanation of the use of siege-guns against maubeuge, and the rapid reduction of the fortress, is said to lie in the purchase of about acres of the woods of lanieres, about four miles from maubeuge, by an agent for frederic krupp, the builder of the siege-guns with which maubeuge was reduced. the firm of krupp, for whom this purchase was made as far back as , announced its intention of building a locomotive factory on the ground acquired; but, long before the present war was declared, krupp constructed the platforms on which siege-guns could be mounted to command maubeuge, and totally neutralised the value of the fortifications as well as turning out locomotives. here is evidence, if evidence were necessary, of germany's deliberate intent to make war in its own good time; not merely to defend german frontiers, but to attack and reduce a neighbouring state by the use of methods which any nation save this one would regard as too dishonourable for use. since the system of espionage has reached to such lengths as this, it will be seen that the stories of spies and their work, in which the public delights, are built up out of the doings of comparatively innocent agents, who are credited with dangerous tendencies and many melodramatic and impossible actions. that minor plans and persons do exist is certain, but for the most part the spying of which the public hears is merely incidental to the great whole--a whole composed for the most part of far different elements from the clerks, hotel-waiters, and other minor incidentals on which the imagination is fed, in order that the reality may more easily escape detection. there are in existence many books purporting to tell the actual work of spies and to expose the system under which these spies work, but it may be said at the outset that no full exposure of the spy system of germany has ever been made. stieber, in his memoirs, told exactly what it suited him to tell, but he did not give away any essential secrets of organisation, nor has any other writer done this, up to the present. all that we have in the way of real evidence consists in things as well attested by fact and result as the incident of maubeuge and the gun-platforms, related above; in selections from the memoirs of spies of those portions which bear in themselves evidence of truth, and in reports of police-court proceedings in england and france. from these sources we can piece together a fairly accurate conception of the whole business of the spy; but, as regards books purporting to detail the experience of spies, or the character of the organisation under which they work, we must accept these experiences and the rest with all possible reserve, remembering that, the more melodramatic and the more plausible they may be, the more they should be questioned as regards accuracy. moreover, there is sufficient evidence to show that the system is so extensive, and that its ramifications are so far-reaching, that no one book could contain all details of the various kinds of work entailed on the german spy system. it is possible only, in a book dealing with the system, to indicate the main lines on which spies in connection with military and naval matters work, and to give some concrete examples of their failures and successes. naturally, there is far more material available as regards failures, for the work of the successful spy is of such a nature that it rarely comes to light; it is more often unheard of until, as in the case of the gun-platforms constructed in time of peace about maubeuge, the work itself is put to use. chapter two. stieber. those who label stieber as "von" in speaking of him are about on a level with any who would choose to confer on crippen, of unlamented memory, the title of baronet, for the two pretensions are about equal, so far as right to them is concerned. karl stieber was born at mersebourg, a town of saxony in prussia, in the year . his parents were people of the middle class, good and inconspicuous prussians who destined their son for the profession of the law, in which he qualified as a barrister, but in which he achieved no distinction. it was not until , when he was nearly thirty years of age, that stieber first came to notice. in that year he obtained employment in the factory of schoeffel brothers in silesia, where the socialistic movement that has gained so great a hold on modern germany was even then beginning. stieber, seeming to throw in his lot with the workmen, was in reality waiting to see which way the cat would jump before he compromised himself beyond withdrawal from either side. in the meantime, he won the heart of a daughter of one of the directors of the firm, and displayed his abilities in the matter of espionage by compromising the other director--his future wife's uncle--in the socialistic movement to such an extent that the unfortunate man was accused of plotting against the government and inciting the workmen to revolt. by his denunciation of schoeffel, who was sentenced to a year's imprisonment for acts which stieber himself had committed, stieber procured employ in the police service, entering the ranks of the revolutionary workmen ostensibly as one of the warmest adherents of the popular movement, but in reality its worst and most insidious enemy. in this guise he succeeded, in the course of popular and excited demonstrations in berlin, in attracting the attention of frederick william, the then king of prussia. the year was a time of revolutionary movements, and stieber chose the right side. when, in , the prussian government began the measures of repression which have been continued in the case of the socialist element down to the present day, frederick william appointed stieber to the post of _polizierath_, a position in which he was superior to and beyond control of the commissioner of police. this was the inauguration of the system which stieber perfected. hitherto, military espionage had been in the hands of the military themselves, and, with their customary reverence for precedent, the military were inclined to resent this appointment of an outsider to the control of what had been especially their department. further, the regular police viewed stieber with disfavour--it was not to their liking that an informer such as he should be set over them, and able to work independently of their control. it speaks much for stieber's genius for organisation that he combated both these influences successfully, and established himself--with the aid of royal patronage and protection, of course--at the head of a special organisation which was quite independent of either military or police control. up to the system grew--in his memoirs stieber tells, with a conceit quite in keeping with his other qualities, how he worked on the confidence of his sovereign with minute reports concerning the doings of court personages. he seems, in fact, to have taken pleasure in the recital of his meannesses, which his perverted moral sense caused him to see as exploits worthy of pride. it was as if, having nothing of moment on which to exercise his cunning, he kept himself in practice on anything or anybody that might be at hand. thus until, in , he was charged with the work of extending into neighbouring countries the system he had already perfected in prussia. the cost of the business was charged against "service of the interior," and, in addition to the sum expended on internal espionage, a sum of , pounds was set aside for the campaign which prepared the way for the wars in which prussia rose to the standing of a first-class european power. through the severity of his measures in prussia itself, stieber caused such a popular outcry that he was relieved of his post as chief of police, but bismarck, then coming to power, employed his hound in equally useful work outside the bounds of the kingdom by sending him through bohemia, where, by establishing spies all along the route that the army would have to traverse later, stieber laid the foundations for the campaign that was to end so disastrously for austria at sadowa. by , when the prussian campaign against austria opened, stieber had bohemia so thoroughly planted with spies that every step of the austrian forces was known to their opponents before it was taken, every village had its informer ready for the prussian troops when they entered, and, though the system of mapping out posts of defence and military positions had not then reached to the perfection it has since attained, it may be said that the campaign against austria was half won by stieber before it was entered on by the prussian army. these things have so far passed into history that they have become general knowledge; but how stieber enlisted and placed his spies--the actual routine and full secret of the work--he is careful not to tell. it may be assumed that, among other qualities, he possessed the power of reading his fellows; he was a genius in psychology, and knew his spy when he saw one. hence his success, for which he was made chief of the "active service police," a force never recognised in this way up to his time, and a post created practically by his own ability in his special line of work. from his years of exile he had learned the lesson of dealing as lightly as possible with the people of his own country, and henceforth he associated himself with the development of systems of espionage in other countries, notably in france, where he made all preparations for the war of , and made them so thoroughly that it is common knowledge now how the german invaders knew the country in which they were fighting better than did napoleon's own troops. he worked quite independently of the diplomatic corps, established his own agencies in france, and set up his "fixed posts," in a manner which has survived to some extent up to the present day both as regards france and other countries. at this time the work which he was in process of organising was a thing so new that it received little attention from the french authorities of that day, and the system may be said to have reached its zenith of perfection with the war of , when in every french town and village of the north-east was a "fixed post," or, in plain english, a spy in the pay of the german secret service. so complete was the information furnished that the personal histories of individuals, their failings and eccentricities, were catalogued, and scandal was tabulated in the archives of berlin for use in case it should be required, while fortifications and districts were mapped out with a thoroughness such as the military surveyors of france could not excel. when the war came the prussian troops marched through the country and knew its resources and difficulties even better than the inhabitants themselves. how this was accomplished will be shown later in detail. meanwhile stieber, as privy councillor and confidant of bismarck, gradually overcame the antipathy of the military caste--an antipathy which his useful work in bohemia had gone far to allay. according to the account given in his own memoirs, he discovered that an attempt was to be made on the life of the czar alexander when the latter attended a grand review in company with napoleon at longchamps. it was bismarck who conceived the idea of not only letting the attempt take place, but of frustrating it and having the would-be assassin arrested, since, as bismarck planned, french justice would not impose the capital sentence for the merely attempted crime. the result justified the forecast, for the assassin was not executed--and alexander remembered, when came, that france had let off lightly (from a russian point of view) the man who would have murdered him. in consequence, prussia had nothing to fear and napoleon had nothing to hope from russia when the war began. stieber could have stopped the attempt at assassination, had he chosen; but, by allowing things to fall in the fashion that they did, bismarck made certain that there would be no franco-russian alliance. it was characteristic of prussian diplomacy and prussian methods, and it was a trick after stieber's own heart, as his memoirs show. with this brief and necessarily incomplete sketch of his career up to the personal history of stieber as a man may be said to end, as far as the present german spy system is concerned, for from that point onward the system became of more account than the man. so far, his work was all personal in character; he conducted his own campaign in bohemia, and he organised the french espionage by personal work, but after he became so great a power that the system went on and expanded with him as its head--it was no longer a matter of a man and his work, but a department and its control. its efficiency is largely due to him, even now, and there is no doubt that he brought into working the most perfect methods of espionage ever known. his memoirs must not be taken too literally; it is necessary to read between the lines, for stieber was a man of inordinate vanity--though this never interfered with the efficiency of his work--and, if he is to be believed, there was nobody in all prussia of so much importance as himself. he had no moral sense--it was a quality missed out from his composition altogether, and the memoirs show him as a criminal by instinct, able to gratify criminal impulses by protected acts. for in no other way can be explained his obvious pleasure in the commission of what, under any other circumstances, would rank as crimes, fraudulent and despicable to the last degree. the "syndicalism" of the present day is a realisation of a dream that stieber dreamed--not for the purpose of benefiting the working classes, though, but with a view to rendering an enemy powerless against germany in case of war; the division of the german secret service into two branches, known respectively as the department of political action and the department of espionage proper, was intended by stieber to set up a section, under the former title, which should take advantage of the working classes in france--and in england as well--by causing them to act innocently against the best interests of their country in the belief that they were following out their own ideals and winning freedom for democracy. espionage proper is concerned with more purely military enterprise, and was the earlier creation of this arch-spy. stieber died in , full of honours, and much regretted by those whom he had served. he had done more than any other man to sow dissension between france and russia; he had contributed largely to the humiliation of france, and had made possible the subjugation of austria in a seven weeks' war; he had served his country well, having given it the most effective system of espionage that the world has ever known. if the principle that "the end justifies any means" be accepted, he had done well for prussia before and for germany after--but his place is among the criminals and perverts of the world, not among its great men. chapter three. training. the selection of the higher class of spy, in these days, is very largely a matter of chance. almost in every case the man selected must be bi-lingual, while, if he has three languages at his command, so much the better for him--and for his employers. in purely military espionage, that which concerns plans of fortifications, estimates of strength and movements, topographical surveying, ascertaining the character of officers, and the possibility of influencing them either by bribery or blackmail, and general secret-service work likely to be of service to the great german general staff, capable and clever men must be selected. the "german waiter" of melodramatic fancy has little part in this class of work; for one thing, a waiter has to perform stated work at stated times, and he is liable to suspicion being cast on him if he is a man of irregular habits or is in any way unable to account naturally for his spare time. the clerk in an office is subject to the same disabilities, and as a whole it may be said that the clerk and waiter class, if they are engaged in espionage at all, are the small fry of minor supernumeraries, agents acting on behalf of the spies who pay them, instead of spies in the direct employ of the german government. they are not given such work as would involve their possessing enough knowledge to make them dangerous in themselves, and are not the class whose work need cause uneasiness. the real spy needs all his time and all his freedom of movement, and he is placed in such a position that he has these to the full. his training is a hard schooling of months. to be efficient for his work, he must be a qualified surveyor, able to make plans of areas of ground from observation and often without instruments; he must, at the same time, be a capable photographer, for obvious reasons. he must be able to judge distances under all conditions of weather and light--as an instance of this may be mentioned the fully authenticated case of the spy who was set to study the forth bridge, and who was expected to supply his government with full details of the bridge, of how men could be placed with a view to its instant destruction at a given signal, of the geological nature of the land into which the foundations of the bridge were built, and of the quantities of explosive required to reduce the structure. the man selected to obtain this information had to accomplish his task without arousing suspicion; he had to judge his distances solely by pacing, observing angles, and subsequent triangulation, and in this respect his work was perfectly accurate, for he judged the distances to a matter of yards and heights to the foot. though these coincided with information at the disposal of any member of the public, apparently the great german general staff placed no faith in published information, or at least wanted it confirmed. further, the military spy must know units of the british army at sight, and must have at hand if not actually in his mind the code-word by which each unit is tabulated at berlin. he must know the code-words, also, for various patterns of gun, must be conversant with classes of explosive and patterns of shell, and must be able, if luck and his own ingenuity should favour him, to carry in his mind sufficient of the nature and plan of a fortification to be able to draw a map of the work to scale, as nearly as possible, from memory. in all purely technical details of his work the military spy is trained in matters military before he sets out on the smallest piece of work, and he passes examinations just as a member of the military service would, except that his examinations are stiffer than those of the officer, and he is required to know all where the officer is only asked to acquire a part. for, in technical matters, the military spy must never be at a loss; he must be able to place guns and men, works and engineering details, with accuracy, since misinformation is worse than none. in the actual method employed in obtaining information much is left to the judgment of the spy. it is a platitude that no two battles are ever identical in character, and thus the plans of military commanders must vary with the line of country, the strength of the forces engaged, and many other points: in the same way the spies who pave the way for germany's soldiers are never confronted by the same conditions twice, and they must adapt their methods to fit the circumstances of each case. in this, the more delicate and difficult part of their work, no amount of training can avail them, but all depends on their natural ability to make use of men and circumstances, a quality which is more to be classed as work than as training, since it is either part of the composition of a man, or is definitely lacking and not to be imparted by any training. naval spying is practically analogous with military work in character, except that all the training must be devoted to familiarity with the details of naval work and construction--in the matter of coast fortifications, the work of naval and military spies overlaps to a certain extent. but, in addition to coast defence works and dockyards, which call for the activities of both naval and military spies, there are the details of every class of battleship to be learned. topography is the first point, common to both branches, and trigonometry is an accessory to this, practically. but naval construction and drawing are peculiar to the naval spy, who is handed on to the care of an expert officer of the german naval intelligence department, as a rule, and so familiarised with the details of various classes of torpedoes, mines, submarines, and guns, that he is able to recognise any one of these things at a glance, and tell the particular class and power which it represents. further, the naval spy is made acquainted with the build and outline of every class of naval vessel in the world. he is first schooled in the details of the various battleships, cruisers, and smaller craft belonging to the great powers, and, later, is taught to recognise these vessels by silhouettes, from which he gains sufficient knowledge to recognise any ship either by day or night--assuming that the night is of such a character that the ship is at all visible. he studies uniforms and insignia of rank, signals and codes, and at the end of his training is a fully qualified naval officer so far as the theory of naval matters goes. in the yards of wilhelmshaven and kiel is opportunity of putting his knowledge to the test, and he has to satisfy his examiners on all the points on which he has been coached. with regard to diplomatic espionage, the coaching bestowed on the two branches already mentioned is not undertaken, for the diplomatic spy--in the narrower sense of the phrase, since all spies must be extremely diplomatic--is chosen, as a rule, from among the ranks of naval and military spies. in order to undertake diplomatic missions, and supplement the work of the german embassies in the various european centres, a spy must be a very good man indeed, as far as his work is concerned. he must be as was stieber, absolutely ruthless and without scruple; he must be a good linguist, a man of good presence and address, and a tactful man as well. the corps of diplomatic spies is a small one, for this work is the best paid of all, the most delicate and intimate of all, and it is not a class of work of which there could ever be enough for a large staff, even in the state of european politics that existed at the outbreak of this last german war, since the diplomats of germany are themselves sufficient, as a rule, for all needs of this kind. the diplomatic spy is called in for services which a diplomat is unable to undertake, and also as a check on the work of diplomats--he is, as it were, a member of a system which assures the efficiency of the diplomatic system. his training lies in the commissions entrusted to him in military and naval capacities: by super-excellence in the performance of his duties in these departments, he shows himself sufficiently able and efficient to warrant his being trusted with less obvious and more confidential tasks. he works, as do all the members of the german spy system, independently of all other workers for the good of the state. for in every case the spy works alone, lest in compassing his own downfall he should bring about that of others as well. this was a principle inaugurated by stieber, who believed in trusting no man more than was absolutely unavoidable. it must not be thought, from these few details of the training given to the official spies of the german system, that every member of the espionage corps is thus trained. training such as is detailed here is only for the chief spies, the picked men who accomplish great things; few men could come out satisfactorily from the examinations set to these military and naval spies--few men, that is, of the class from which spies are recruited. the spies at "fixed posts," for instance, get very little training, since their duties do not involve nearly as much technical work as do those of the travelling members of the fraternity. since much of the total of about , pounds per annum known to be distributed among the members of the german secret service (in addition to the probably larger sum of which no records are available) goes to the occupants of these fixed posts, it is obvious that the highly trained spy is in the minority. the highly trained spy, however, forms the nucleus and head of the system--he is a superior officer to the fixed post man or german tutor in a foreign family. the military and naval branches of the service are controlled by the great german general staff, while the diplomatic branch is controlled direct by the german foreign office, and, although recruited from among the military and naval branches, is independent of general staff control. these divisions of the system must be taken as only approximate, for they interlink and work in and out each other to such an extent that no definite line can be drawn between them as regards actual work. they are all extensions of the plans that stieber planned, and in all that pertains to the work of german espionage his hand is evident, his work persists, more than twenty years after his death. here a word on the influence of prussian militarism may well be spoken, for the influence of that cast-iron administration is evident even in the organisation of the secret service of germany. it is now twenty-two years since stieber passed out from the system, but so unimaginative is the militarist rule of german statecraft that stieber's ways have not been improved on. they have been altered in minor details, but the plan has been retained, and, though it may be urged that since stieber's system was the most perfect known there was no need to change it, yet the passing of years has revealed many of the details of that system, and it would have been better for germany if the espionage system had been more flexible, more experimental. though the very inner workings of stieber's system are secrets from ordinary people to this day, they are no secrets from other governments; the german methods have been copied and improved on by more than one government, and in some things germany, which had the only perfect system of espionage in , is actually behind the rest of the world now. for craft has been met with craft, and while the protective measures of other nations have advanced, germany has stood still. with regard to matters military, beyerling emphasises this fully in his book, "jena or sedan?" but, of course, no emphasis has been possible in the case of the spy system. yet evidence is afforded in the trial of karl gustav ernst at bow street, to which further reference will be made later, and in many other cases which prove that german spies are known and their methods known to the governments of other countries, where ample protective measures have been taken. the character of the spy himself is such that changes in the system which controls him are necessary--constant changes--but the mould in which the german mind is shaped is such that this fact has never been sufficiently appreciated, even by the great german general staff. the german spy system is still a dangerous organisation, but there are others equally well planned and equally efficient. had there been another stieber to take control, germany might still have had the only perfect system of espionage; but such genius as he displayed only comes once to a people in a century, and a second stieber has yet to be found in germany to make its secret service as efficient as in the days when stieber maintained control. chapter four. military spies. the german system of military espionage can best be studied by an analysis of the working of the system in france from the year onwards. so far as the outside world is concerned, the military invasion of france by germany began at the end of july , but in reality the invasion began in the latter half of , when stieber, chief of the german secret police, began the placing of his fixed posts throughout the country. no less than , spies were placed in the departments of northern and eastern france, and the feats of this army made possible the work accomplished by von moltke. in his memoirs stieber relates how bismarck, when informed that jules favre wished to negotiate for the surrender of paris in , sent for stieber and instructed him that favre was to be kept under observation while negotiations were in progress. bismarck and favre met at versailles, where, on favre's arrival, he was escorted to a carriage driven by one of stieber's men, and was driven to an establishment on the boulevard du roi. this, though favre was ignorant of the fact, was the headquarters of the german active service police. favre was courteously received, and presented with a body-servant to whom the highest accomplishments were accredited. the body-servant was none other than stieber himself. favre lodged in this house throughout all the negotiations for the surrender of paris. so far as favre knew, the owner of the house was a good parisian and a resident of versailles; in reality the place was the headquarters of the german secret-service system, and its owner was one of the fixed spies placed by stieber before the war began, and thus ready to afford all information with regard to his own district to the german forces on their arrival. for the period of favre's stay, stieber waited on him hand and foot, attending to his meals, to his bedroom and clothing, and performing all the duties of a valet. under this pretext it was perfectly easy for stieber to ransack all favre's clothing luggage, and personal equipment, and the arch-spy claims in his memoirs that much of the information he obtained in this way was extremely useful to bismarck during the negotiations on which the conclusion of peace was based. certain proposals made by the minister of the interior during this period in which stieber was at the head of the secret police are worth quoting with regard to the establishment of spies throughout france, subsequent to the war of , in order that strict watch might be kept on the conquered country. the proposals were as follows: "all the fixed agents must hold not merely salaried positions (that is, in offices, workshops, etc), for they might at any time be dismissed from their posts, and in that case would no longer have any plausible reason for remaining at their points of observation. such positions, too, possess considerable disadvantage for our agents, in that they restrict their actions and hamper their freedom of going and coming, and bring them too much under notice. "for these reasons, it must be laid down as a condition of the employment of a spy that he shall be obliged to keep some kind of an establishment, which he may select so long as it is, at least externally, thoroughly in keeping with the commercial or other requirements of the country in which he is engaged. whatever establishment it be, whether an office for the settlement of disputed claims, or a property register, or a business of a purely commercial land, such as groceries, cafes, restaurants, hotels, etc, it must be soundly established and possess a substantial good-will. "it must be borne in mind that it is necessary for our agents to inspire confidence in circles where they have their centre of action, and to inspire that confidence by outward indications of a commonplace bourgeois existence; by tactful charity and by making themselves useful in societies, associations, communities, and so forth; and by acquiring strong social positions, so that they may be well received and regarded in all quarters. "while we must limit the expenditure which our agents are permitted to incur, it is necessary that we should give them absolute assurance that any deficit of the undertaking which they carry on would be made good by the service under the head of general expenses." since the annual expenditure of germany for work of this kind is admitted to amount to , pounds a year, it may be gathered that the espionage service is a complete one. the sum stated is admittedly spent; how much more is spent it is impossible to conjecture. the spies placed at fixed posts are given salaries varying between two and four pounds a week according to the importance of the post and the duties which the spy is expected to perform. to this is added any out-of-pocket expenses to which the spy may be put in the maintenance of his business or position. these spies at fixed posts are under the control of headquarters at brussels, lausanne, and geneva, whence their salaries are paid monthly under the form of business remittances. there is also a system of inspectorship by means of which each fixed post is visited at regular intervals, either by women or by professed commercial travellers, who collect the written reports in order to avoid possible inspection of these reports by the french postal authorities. further, this system admits of instructions being given verbally by the travelling inspector to the spy at each fixed post. at the outbreak of the present war the number of fixed spies known to exist in france was over , . the recruiting of this army of spies was begun by stieber in , when he requested that there should be sent, to the fourteen departments of france in which occupation was essential to the success of a german attack, about , farmers, agricultural labourers, and others who should be permanently employed in the several districts, together with an even larger number of women servants to be placed among the various classes of the french population. these, however, were to receive pay from ordinary french commercial sources, and were to be under the control of the higher grade of spies established in businesses or otherwise independently employed at the fixed posts. the latter were specially chosen from among people of teutonic origin, not only in germany, but also in switzerland and belgium, whence they were sent to take up their posts after receiving the necessary preliminary training to fit them for their work. the occupant of a fixed post at the present time, whether in france or any other country, is nearly always a german, and has at his beck and call a host of other emigrants from germany, who are legitimately employed in various capacities, have had no government training, and expect no fixed salary for their work. they are the small fry of the business, and do not come into contact with any higher officials than the fixed agent, who enables them to supplement their legitimate salaries by retailing bits of slander and gossip. the absence of one or more of them would make no difference to the system; as a matter of patriotism, they simply retail what they hear to a fellow-countryman, and, in this sense, every german in a foreign country may be reckoned as a spy, though for official purposes only a certain number of secret-service agents exist. the recognised agent is placed at some point at which he is able to maintain espionage over a garrison, a military post, or something connected with the defensive or offensive organisation of the country concerned. his business at the outset is to be thoroughly agreeable and make himself well liked in the circle in which he moves. assuming that he is located in a small garrison town, he sets up a business of some kind which will give him admittance to military circles, and, no matter how bad times may be, his business goes on. in the meantime he contributes unostentatiously to charities, attends all entertainments, and does his best to make himself and his business known in the community of which he is a member. sooner or later, he makes friends out of one or two of his acquaintances; so far as can be seen he leads a benevolent, open, harmless sort of existence, and is a thoroughly good fellow, and eventually he gains close contact with some member of the garrison, either officer or non-commissioned officer. in the latter case, the spy will take care that the non-commissioned officer is in some position of trust where he is able to obtain useful information. so far as his friends are concerned, the spy proves to be not entirely ignorant of matters military. he manifests a mild interest in drill, formation of troops, fortifications, guns, etc, but he is not in any way keen over these matters. like any other inhabitant of the country in which he resides, he is willing to discuss the "shop" matters of his associates, and will even indulge in mild arguments, making mistakes and submitting to correction from those more experienced. gradually he gets more and more into the confidence of his friends, who, while they reveal nothing of importance, let fall a word here and a word there in his hearing, knowing him to be thoroughly trustworthy; out of these various words a fairly detailed report can be compiled. in the meantime, the small fry of the business are constantly bringing gossip. if a new gun is to be mounted, the spy hears about it; if the strength of the garrison is to be altered, the spy is cognisant of the fact; sooner or later, he gets to know domestic details with regard to the officers of the garrison. a certain lieutenant drinks too much, or a captain is very fond of a hand at cards; in the former case the spy is quite willing to drink level with the lieutenant, and in the latter he is willing to lose money to the captain, such money being put down to special expenses, and accounted for in his monthly statement. it will be seen that in such simple ways these the fixed agent is able to obtain an immense amount of personal and other information by perfectly simple methods. it may be urged that the greater part of this information could be obtained in legitimate ways and with no expense to the german government; but the system which stieber inaugurated is above all things thorough, and there is a system at berlin of tabulating and card-indexing all information received from fixed posts; of analysing, checking, and comparing, until absolute certainty is reached with regard to the accuracy of detail. for instance, a certain newspaper may announce that the armament of certain fortifications has been increased by a new four-inch gun. a fixed agent will add to this information the position of gun, weight of shell, rate of fire per minute, name of officer in control, and the fact that it is mounted on a disappearing platform--details which are noted and checked with a view to their possible usefulness in the future. the extent of this usefulness may be estimated when the fall of namur or maubeuge is recalled. the officers in control of the attacking german batteries knew exactly how many guns they had to silence, the position, bore, and rate of fire of these guns, and the points at which their own batteries could best be placed, with a view to fire effect and invisibility. in the case of maubeuge they knew more: they knew where to find the necessary concrete platforms on which to place their own heavy artillery, in order to silence the french guns--and this must be attributed to the development of the system of fixed posts. not only does the great german general staff know details of fortifications and technical matters, but it is also kept posted up in the character and abilities of officers who come under the observation of the fixed agent. reports sent in to headquarters are concerned with personal peculiarities and scandals to an extent undreamed of by the persons concerned. if any officer is open to bribery, the fact is ascertained; if any officer's wife is open to blackmail, the blackmail is instituted, and the price of silence in every case is information with regard to matters of which the husband is cognisant. further, the topographical information supplied includes details of the nature and state of roads, telegraphs, bridges, depths of rivers and streams, positions of fords, nature and condition of every building and farm, supplies of forage and food, horses available, and every detail which is likely to be of service. the ordnance-maps supplied to german officers are marvels of map-making; every insignificant cottage, stile, clump of trees, and peculiarity of the landscape is indicated, and, by the use of maps of this kind, the march on paris in was carried through without a hitch. in like manner, all preparations for the prussian advance through belgium, and the projected victorious march on paris, were made and completed years ago, with the assistance of the fixed agents. the german entry into brussels, when , men marched through a strange city without the slightest confusion, has been described as a triumph of organisation. this it undoubtedly was; but the credit did not lie with the military commander, for the agents who had been busy through many months preparing the way of the army were responsible for that army's successful advance. officers had only to follow detailed instructions presented to them by headquarters. with equal care the entry to paris was planned: quarters were assigned to each regiment of the invading army; each officer knew exactly the part that would be his in the spectacle, and every step of the entry to the french capital had been arranged in detail by german fixed agents, who had resided for many years in northern france, and in paris itself, as peaceful citizens. reports of german occupation of french towns and even photographs from the theatre of war draw attention to various houses on which has been chalked--"spare this house." in many cases, doubtless, this is intended as a return for unexpectedly hospitable reception, but in many other cases it indicates that the house in question was the residence of a fixed agent, to whom german officers came on their entry to the place in order to learn all that was possible with regard to resources of the town or village, and all that could be told of the movements of the enemy. it has been urged, and with apparent reason, that the value of espionage ceases as soon as armies take the field, since the work of the spy can only concern preparations for hostilities, and, when war has begun, actual strength decides the issue. this, however, is not the case when german military espionage is in question; in many cases the fixed agents have been so long established at their posts that they rank in the eyes of normal inhabitants as a part of the life of the place, and, by maintaining their positions, they are able to ascertain for the benefit of their own commanders particulars of the dispositions of hostile forces. elaborate systems of signalling are in use; carrier pigeons are used, but only to a limited extent; the ways of the red indians, who made the most perfect spies ever known, are copied in indicating events by the movement of stones, chipping of bark on trees, breaking branches, and other ways little likely to be detected, while the more civilised method of lamp-signalling is also practised. altogether, the german military spy forms a very efficient and formidable part of the german military force, both before and after the opening of hostilities. his value decreases to a certain extent when action has been entered on, and, in a definite battle like those along the line of the meuse and the line of the aisne, he is practically useless, but in case of an advance on the part of the german forces he is invaluable, by reason of the information he can give with regard to the nature of the country and the dispositions of the retreating army. chapter five. naval espionage. the routine of naval espionage is very similar in character to that followed by military spies. the naval spy, however, must be a rather more intelligent and highly trained man than his military confrere, and cases that have come to light prove that his position is one of more responsibility, and that he is entrusted with more funds for the carrying out of his work. it is an interesting fact that, for many years past, officers and men of the german naval service have been employed along the east coast of england in compiling extremely detailed plans of places and fortifications. the accuracy of these plans is ascertained by persistent redrawing done by new members of the naval espionage staff, and all changes in building, roadmaking, bridge-construction, and as far as possible the interior work of fortifications, are duly recorded on the berlin maps. not that this information is of definite working value at the present time, but the principle of secret-service headquarters is that no item is too trivial for record, and information is acquired without regard to its direct uses, but in view of the fact that it may possibly be of some use at a future date. the adoption of such a principle involves an immense amount of work in checking and sorting the masses of information obtained, but beyond doubt the principle itself has gone far to assure such successes as german arms have obtained, either on land or at sea. in addition to the work of fixed naval posts, stationed at dockyards and harbours, the work of spies at sea must not be overlooked, either in time of peace or in war. in the former case an innocent-looking trawler or private yacht is useful for taking soundings, ascertaining channels, and even locating naval mines used for purposes of harbour defence and fired by land contact. in time of war the services which may be performed by such vessels are even more valuable; the reports of the sinking of three british cruisers by german submarine attack are fairly unanimous with regard to the presence of a trawler in the vicinity of the spot at which the engagement took place. all that can be definitely learned with regard to this trawler is that she was not a british boat, and it is reasonable to assume that her business consisted in signalling to the submarines particulars which they may have been unable to obtain themselves, or in shielding them from sight during their approach towards the cruisers. although there are no substantial proofs of this assumption, it is hardly likely that the vessel was a trawler engaged in usual and legitimate business. the work of the naval spy in time of peace is best illustrated by the record of cases which have actually come to light through actions taken in the courts. one noteworthy case is that of sub-lieutenant ullmo, a gifted naval officer of the french service, serving in the republican warship _carabine_. ullmo was an officer of undoubted ability, but he came under the influence of a female spy, known to him and his fellows as lison, who persuaded him to set up an establishment for her and managed to secure his assent to a plan by which this establishment, maintained at his expense, was to be converted into an opium-den. so great an ascendancy did lison gain over her victim that in a period of two years he had spent , pounds, which was all that was his in the way of capital and income apart from his pay. his position in the service rendered money a necessity, and, once his private fortune was gone, lison pointed out to him that more money could be obtained. as soon as she spoke of the means by which he could obtain money he repudiated the suggestion, but, by working on his jealousy with regard to her acquaintance with a brother officer, she secured his consent to a bargain by which he was to give up the secret documents kept in a safe on board his ship, in return for a price which was fixed at more than ten times his previous competence. the bargain was to be arranged by the medium of advertisements, and it was through the wording of these advertisements that the plot was detected by the french secret service. ullmo's reward for his treachery was degradation from his rank and imprisonment for life, and lison put in an appearance at his trial in order to watch the proceedings as an uninterested spectator. the system of counter-espionage thus evidenced on the part of a foreign government has its counterpart in the british service. since britain is the most powerful enemy germany has to fear in a naval sense, it follows that german naval espionage is principally directed against britain, and that the establishment of naval spies is greater in this country than in any other. it is safe to say, however, that the majority of the fixed posts of the german naval service in britain are known to the police, and that, as soon as information which, in the opinion of the british naval authorities, is of value, is in danger of being communicated to germany, action is taken to prevent the transmission of the spies' reports to headquarters. a case in point is that of doctor max schulz, who, charged with espionage at devon assizes, was sentenced to a year and nine months' imprisonment for acts attempted rather than acts committed. according to his own account, schulz became implicated in the work of the military branch of the german secret service in , when he was engaged to obtain reports about british military and naval affairs for statistical purposes. although no more was said, there can be no doubt that schulz realised quite well the nature of the work he was undertaking, especially as, on the evidence of sir rufus isaacs, who prosecuted at the trial, he was able to offer pounds a year to a british subject for continuous information of a confidential character. he began his career as a spy by ineffectual work in ireland, following up this by a visit to toulon, still in search of information. after various adventures, he returned in to plymouth, and thence went for a trip up the river yealm on a yacht called the _egret_; here, according to the evidence of crown witnesses for the prosecution, he was visited by a mr duff and a mr tarrant, to whom he made overtures with regard to the obtaining of information concerning naval matters. the charges against schulz, as outlined by the attorney-general in opening the case, were four in number. the first charge was that, in the summer of : "he, at the borough of plymouth, having possession or control over knowledge which had been obtained by means of an act which constituted an offence against the official secrets act, communicated or attempted to communicate the same to a person to whom the same ought not in the interest of the state to be communicated at the time." the second charge amplified the first in that schulz was accused of having intended to communicate his illegally gained knowledge to the government of a foreign state. the third and fourth counts against him were that he had "endeavoured to procure samuel hugh duff and edward charles tarrant respectively to communicate to him information relating to the naval affairs of his majesty which ought not in the interests of the state to be communicated to any person." sir rufus isaacs stated, in his outline of the case for the prosecution, that schulz had offered duff a salary of pounds a year, with a possibility of this sum being doubled, for confidential information. schulz alleged that the confidential information in question would be published in a german newspaper, but, at the time of schulz's arrest, there had been found in his possession a letter which proved the purpose for which the information was required. one passage of the letter which was read in court is enlightening as regards the detailed information required of german naval spies. the passage is as follows: "how do matters stand with the commander and lieutenant respectively? can nothing at all be expected from them? reserve officers are no use. they do not procure any valuable secrets because they do not have access to them. confidential books and reports are what is wanted, and what you must procure at all costs if our relations are to continue." sir rufus isaacs stated, and the evidence proved, that a man named tobler, who did not visit england, kept schulz supplied with money. a number of telegrams were produced, written in code, of which the prosecution had found the key. the deciphered telegrams read: "in greatest danger. wire immediately pounds." "in greater trouble and danger. all prepared for departure. wire immediately pounds and date of meeting." instructions from tobler to schulz included a list of questions which schulz was to put to mr duff, and the list included the following: i. are officers or men granted leave, or have those on leave possibly been recalled? ii. is there any sign of coals, stores, ammunition, etc, being accumulated? iii. what is the feeling in naval circles? iv. how do officers and men discuss the situation? v. are crews being increased, are ships being prepared, or has commissioning of ships suddenly taken place? these questions, the attorney-general pointed out, were intended as tests for mr duff. other questions, put apparently with more serious intent, included the following: i. what is the opinion of officers of the british navy as to the result of war between england and france, on the one hand, and germany on the other, and the likelihood of the same over the morocco question? ii. what ships of the third division were put out of service on july , or about the end of july, or have reduced their crews, and the reasons for so doing? iii. how many officers and men are still on board, and why was the programme altered after it was stated that the third division should be full up? before answering these questions mr duff communicated with the police, and it was stated in the initial proceedings against schulz that, if british people usually acted in the way that mr duff and mr tarrant had done, and in the way that detective-sergeant martin, whom they consulted, had acted, england would have nothing to fear from any system of espionage. the evidence given by mr tarrant went to show that schulz had offered him a salary of pounds a month for acting as "military and naval correspondent" to a german paper, for which schulz was to act as agent and intermediary. the only defence set up was to the effect that schulz was a _bona-fide_ journalist, and had no ulterior motive in attempting to obtain information. the tobler correspondence was too strong evidence to the contrary, and the well-merited sentence of a year and nine months' imprisonment in the second division was imposed. it is characteristic of the german spy system that, after his release from jail, schulz was disowned by his previous employers. later cases, like that of ernst, to which reference will be made later, go to prove that both in england and france a system of counter-espionage has been organised, which goes far to neutralise such efforts as that detailed above. so persistent is the german thirst for information that one man who came into the british courts as defendant had actually received payment from german sources for information which he was virtually proved to have obtained from whittaker's almanac and like sources. this, however, only goes to show that the object of the german secret service is to check such information as it may receive, by means of duplicate and triplicate reports. there is little likelihood of the system of german naval espionage having any definite effect in england until an invasion has been successfully accomplished, for there is a wide difference between learning the strength of a coast defence and overcoming that defence. both in naval and military matters, also, the plan has long since been adopted of changing orders at irregular intervals, so that, in case of active service requirements, the strength and dispositions of the forces vary from month to month and even from week to week. signal and telegraphic codes are changed, routine is altered, and, altogether, such differences are effected in various ways that information supplied by spies one week may be quite valueless the next. not that it is advisable to underrate the spy peril or the value of the german system, but at the same time it is equally unwise to overrate the possibilities of the system. were another stieber forthcoming, germany might yet accomplish all that it set out to do with the assistance of its secret service; but, under present conditions, such success is extremely unlikely. chapter six. diplomatic espionage. the way in which stieber, as body-servant to jules favre, was able to assist in the negotiations for the surrender of paris in has already been detailed, and this forms a fair sample of what can be done in the way of diplomatic espionage, as distinctly apart from the gaining of purely military information or details of a definite naval character. but it is only one instance; the spy in the employ of the german foreign office is capable of making himself useful in many ways, and into this class of work also the influence of women enters to a very large extent. the woman spy of fiction, though not absolutely a myth, is very rare indeed. the siren of beauty and wit, mysterious as she is fascinating, makes a very pretty picture for a sensational melodrama; but it must be fairly obvious, on reflection, that she would defeat her own ends by the very mystery that is popularly supposed to surround her. further, diplomats entrusted with confidential and delicate tasks are hard-headed men of the world, capable of seeing through the wiles of such dames of mystery as the fiction-writer would have us believe in, existing in the highest society and able to subjugate a man by a glance. a story has recently been told to the effect that one of these charming adventuresses was able to spoil the work of no less a person than a russian ambassador, the said ambassador being a man of mature years and such judgment as one would expect in the holder of the power that he represented. the spy alleged that the lady in question was able by her charms to throw the ambassador entirely off his guard, so that his mission was spoiled and he incurred imperial displeasure and lost his post. it is a pretty story, and would pass well as an effort of imagination; the only trouble is that the alleged confessions of the spy include this pretty story as truth, which it most distinctly is not. the affairs of nations are not conducted in such a manner as this, for there is sufficient wisdom in the various courts of europe to recognise the existence of all dangers, and to impose on their representatives such safeguards as shall neutralise the attempts that may be made at spoiling treaties and sowing discord by means of pretty women and susceptible men. the reason for the telling of such stories lies in their being extremely plausible, extremely attractive, and extremely saleable. real diplomatic spying is a much more sordid and much meaner business than the fiction-writer places before his or her readers. it consists in listening at doors, reading and replacing letters, and tricks of the kind which would be perfectly obvious if the person spying were not so thoroughly trustworthy--to outside appearance. the diplomatic spy may be a servant, a military attache, a courier in the ostensible service of a government--he may be anything, but always he is a supremely trustworthy person, one who has no need to conceal the fact that he is highly intelligent and well fitted for his post, whatever that may be. his reputation among the people with whom he is brought in contact may be and usually is a matter of years' standing, for only the absolute assurance of his honesty enables him to carry on his work. it is the recognised duty of all ambassadors, military and naval attaches, and consuls, to collect information in any possible way, and to pay for it, and it may be guessed that their staff of informers is a large one. further, under the heading of diplomatic spies must be included the internal espionage of germany, by means of which all the various members of the royal family at berlin are kept under surveillance and reported on. potsdam neglects nothing in this way, as the memoirs of louise of saxony prove beyond dispute. some time ago the head official of the system of internal espionage in germany was exposed at the height of his success, and thus an idea of the actual working and extent of the system was rendered obtainable. the person in question, colonel baron von tausch, established on his own account a _bureau d'espionage_, and carried his investigations to such a point that the minister of foreign affairs, after having made representations to the kaiser, took action against von tausch for libel and conspiracy. from evidence made public at the trial it appeared that von tausch, who wished to obtain information for his master with regard to the nationalist movement in prussian poland, had ordered baron von luetzow to win the affections of the daughter of a polish noble who was in the front of the nationalist movement, and, by this means, to gain the confidence of the girl's father. luetzow complied, won the heart of the girl and the confidence of her father, and then returned to berlin, leaving the girl behind. this was one instance of the methods used to obtain information. correspondence, produced in court, introduced into the case the name of count philip zu eulenberg, sometime german ambassador at vienna. eulenberg, one of the boy-friends of the kaiser, developed into a moral degenerate, and the whole of the berlin court--at least, all that part of it which had the best interests of the kaiser and the empire at heart--deplored the retention of eulenberg in the imperial favour. in eulenberg's degeneracy was exposed by maximilian harden, editor of _die zukunft_, who was prosecuted for his audacity in attacking one of the emperor's friends, and forced the prosecution to withdraw by stating that he had enough correspondence in his possession to ruin the reputations of members of the imperial family and half the officers of the imperial guards. the correspondence produced at von tausch's trial was chiefly noteworthy for a letter addressed by the chief of the secret police to eulenberg, in which the former claimed that he had successfully accomplished espionage work which, he hoped, would have the effect of mining the foreign minister for good. shortly after, as evidence showed, eulenberg sent to von tausch the ribbon of a high austrian order which had been presented by the austrian government, evidently as recognition of services performed in connection with the german foreign minister. numerous scandals were brought to light, all proving that no trick or subterfuge had been too low for von tausch's stooping. it was shown, for instance, that prince egon hohenlohe, as bad a character as eulenberg, had conceived a dislike for one of the chamberlains employed in the establishment of the duke of saxe-coburg-gotha. he therefore set von tausch to work at ferreting out this man's humble antecedents, which were then published anonymously in various german papers. the result was a public scandal, and the unfortunate man had to resign his post in consequence. various other people had discovered that von tausch was equal to practically any task of spying with which they cared to entrust him, and, as each one rewarded his efforts with some kind of decoration in addition to more substantial payment, he appeared in court loaded with insignia of various orders. naturally, his appearance as defendant in a libel case caused consternation in berlin, for there was no telling where the revelations concerning his doings would end. eventually the matter was brought to the notice of the kaiser himself, and, when the intolerable pride of wilhelm is taken into account, it is easy to understand that he took all possible steps to prevent further revelations concerning the internal espionage maintained on his court and relatives from coming to light. von tausch was, in the first place, under the orders of the kaiser himself, and, were more revelations to be made, there was no telling how much of the servant's doings would be attributed to orders from the master. conviction was impossible, for von tausch knew too much to permit of his being made the enemy of the imperial court by imprisonment, or in fact by any punishment. still, after dismissal from the bar of the ordinary tribunal, he was tried as a bavarian before a court of honour, and was adjudged to have been guilty of conduct so unbecoming to one in his position as to render him unfit for further service. as a man unfit to associate with gentlemen, he was expelled from the service in disgrace. but wilhelm remembered his faithful servant after the court of honour had finished with him. von tausch was retired into private life with the honours of a diplomatic servant on the retired list; that is to say, he was at liberty to enjoy his very adequate pension, together with such fortune as he had contrived to amass during his term of service as chief of the secret police. von tausch is typical of the german service of internal espionage; there is nothing romantic about his work, nothing that is worthy of memory or that shows him in other than a detestable light--and yet the german courts are constantly under such supervision as he maintained, and with the full concurrence and encouragement of wilhelm, who believes in vigilance at the cost of honour and of everything that normal men hold as compatible with honour. the private diary of louise of saxony has details of the pettiness and meanness of these agents of discord and destroyers of confidence among the highest personages of german courts. "the king's spy," says the diary, "constituted herself post office of villa foschwitz--a duty appertaining to her rank, and i wager that she works the black cabinet to perfection. [_cabinet noir_. the secret-service headquarters of the german post office.] of course, i am now careful in all that i write, and advise my friends to be. the spy planted in my household has been permitted to see much of the innocent correspondence passing between me and leopold. she has reported that i have turned over a new leaf. result: my debts have been paid. further result: a gracious letter from the king's house marshal praising me for the good influence i am exercising over leopold. truly, the world wants to be deceived." another extract states: "caught the tisch stealing one of my letters. happily there was nothing incriminating in it, though addressed to ferdinand--just the letter the crown princess would write to a privy councillor. but the petty theft indicates that she suspects. prince george, i am told, receives a report from her every day." the note of the diary emphasises the littleness of life that permits of the existence of such a system as this, a perpetual sowing of discord by means of the repetition of tittle-tattle which can have no real bearing on affairs of moment. the lady designated "tisch," by the way, was but a clumsy exponent of her art, for, discovering that her royal mistress kept a diary, she reported the fact to frederick, louise's husband, who taxed his wife with the existence of the diary and its indiscretions. thereupon louise turned upon the tisch, and informed her that, since she was planted in the royal household for the purpose of playing the serpent, she must confine her work to reporting on comings and goings, on external conduct, so far as louise herself was concerned. in every royal household of the empire similar spies are placed, and in every government office as well. every government office is kept open in berlin at all hours of the day and night, and, when the emperor wishes to assure himself that all is working as he would have it, he rings up the particular office from which he requires assurances of efficiency. or, by means of one of the many telephones that are at the disposal of the war lord at all hours, he turns out a garrison at the dead of night, in order to be certain that there is full watchfulness and efficiency there. the idea of being always on the alert, always prepared, is at the root of these tricks, and the secret service for internal espionage is maintained for the same purpose--that the people of the empire and their rulers may be always ready against "the day." an instance of indirect diplomatic espionage is afforded by the publication of one of the plans for the invasion of england, drawn up by baron von edelsheim, a few years ago. edelsheim proposed to turn into england a force of about two hundred to three hundred thousand men, commanded by officers who have _a perfect knowledge of the country_. he says: "the preparation for landing operations must be furthered in time of peace to such an extent that in time of war we may feel sure of having the advantage of surprising the enemy by our celerity in mobilising and transporting our troops. the troops which are to be mobilised must be determined in time of peace, their transport by railway, their harbours of embarkation, and the preparations for embarkation, must be prepared in order to ensure the greatest possible celerity. the aim of our operations must be kept entirely secret, and attempts should be made to deceive the enemy, at least with regard to the purpose for which the first operations are undertaken." now, the publication of such a paragraph as this, with the certainty of its being translated and republished in english, could serve no useful german purpose on the face of it. edelsheim was no theoriser speaking without imperial sanction, or devising a plan apart from the plans of the junker party. he stated the obvious, and moreover stated an obvious thing which on the face of it was not a wise one for the junker party to confess, for, if absolute secrecy were an essential, then the very declaration that such a thing as invasion of england was remotely contemplated was against the spirit of the plan. the publication of the paragraph, we may rest assured, was not decided on without good reason, and edelsheim must rank as a diplomat rather than as a diplomatic spy, for the act comes scarcely under the heading of espionage, widely as that term must be interpreted in the case of the german secret service. as for the diplomatic spy abroad, he is to be found--but not to be recognised--in official circles. it is extremely doubtful whether his pay comes out of the , pounds set apart annually by germany for secret-service purposes, for the pay of such men as are employed in hunting out the secrets of foreign diplomatic circles is necessarily extremely high. with regard to the work itself, very little is known. in the other branches of the german secret-service failures are usually conspicuous by their appearances in police-courts and criminal trials; but this disability seldom enters into the life of the diplomatic spy. in the first place, being a man specially selected from among the ranks of naval and military spies, the diplomatic spy seldom makes mistakes-- seldom, that is, in comparison with members of the other two branches, who also are remarkably careful to avoid errors of judgment; consequently, there are very few chances of detecting diplomatic spies through their failures. in the second place, diplomatic spies, by reason of the nature of their work, do not come into the criminal courts when they make mistakes and get caught--the nature of their work precludes this possibility, for usually their tasks do not involve any infringement of the penal code as this refers to the spy and his work. again, diplomatic spies are so highly placed, and so thoroughly trusted, that to bring on them the punishment of normal criminals would cause too much outcry and scandal; their work is neutralised as far as possible by systems of counter-espionage, and in case of one being detected he simply ceases to be employed by his own government, which disowns all responsibility for his acts. these things render details of the work of diplomatic spies almost impossible to obtain. several books have been published, purporting to detail the work of diplomatic agents, but their contents may be discounted as far as accuracy goes; they make good reading as fiction, and that is all they are, for the most part. if in any stories detailed in them the writers have told the truth, it may be considered a matter of accident. one case, which may be regarded as authentic, is narrated by von blowitz, but it is dated so far back that all the participators in the incident are dead, and it may be said as a whole that the world grows wiser as it grows older, so that the case of which von blowitz speaks is no guide to the doings of to-day. further, that particular case concerns a woman spy, of which class more anon. chapter seven. communications. such reports as the german agents at fixed posts have to make to their employers are communicated, whenever possible, by means of the travelling inspectors, for the postal service is not to be trusted where espionage is concerned. during the french revolution there was originated what was known as the "cabinet noir," or secret service of the post office in france, of which the duties were to intercept, open, and where desirable destroy or replace, such letters as were deemed unfit to reach their senders, in the best interests of the state. berlin, with its genius for developing other people's inventions, adopted this idea, and made of it one of the regular weapons of the secret service. it operates not only internally, but also internationally, and any suspected letters are freely opened and read; sometimes they are suppressed altogether from their recipients; sometimes false letters, giving contrary instructions, are substituted, and suspected spies of other powers are caught by this means. the idea has been generally adopted by most countries; but, in practically any country but germany, the idea of personal and national honour is sufficiently strong to keep absolutely secret the doings behind official doors. for instance, at the trial of the spy ernst at bow street, it came as a surprise to many people to learn that the british postal authorities possessed powers under which they might open any suspected missives, with a view to ascertaining their contents when deemed essential for the safety and well-being of the state. it is common knowledge in germany that no letter is safe from being opened, and the powers which the british post offices exercise only in case of genuine suspicion are utilised in germany to a far greater extent. further, the officials at the berlin post office "cabinet noir" do not always maintain the absolute secrecy that their work demands, and sometimes there creep out details of other things as well as espionage. apparently, every german official has his price in his own country, and the habit of spying is so ingrained in the race that commercial secrets are bought and sold not only in the interests of german firms as a whole, but in the interests of one rival german firm which desires to steal a market from another firm of teutonic name and standing. it appears that stieber, by organising his colossal system of espionage, laid the foundations of national pettiness and deceit--the german character as a whole has been undermined by the knowledge that nobody is safe from espionage, and all acts are liable to be reported, while blackmail is a flourishing industry. in the event of active service, the german system of communication between spies and the army in the field is very largely on the lines laid down by klembovski, whose "military espionage in peace and war" is one of the recognised textbooks on espionage. so clearly and well does klembovski indicate the methods to be followed, that certain passages of his work with regard to this matter of communications are worthy of reproduction as they stand in his original work, in order to assist in a conception of the means employed. it is not always possible, he says, for the spies to report personally to their chief about the results of their investigations; therefore it is of interest to consider the methods of communication by means of which they can forward the required information to the stipulated place. these methods of communication are to be grouped in three divisions, according to their nature: . optical signals; . agreed communications by writing; . despatches in cipher. . _optical signals_.--in operations in heavily wooded districts which obstruct reconnoitring by cavalry, or in the operations of detachments which consist only of infantry, the assurance of guarding against danger which is obtained by means of the despatch of patrols in the direction of the enemy embraces no especially broad stretch in the front of the troops. in such cases the duty of reconnaissance can be allotted to spies, who should collect the simplest and fullest possible information about the enemy. for example: presence or absence of the enemy in certain directions and at certain distances; the approximate strength of his troops; whether the enemy is on the march, at rest, or occupying a position. such information is especially of importance to such detachments as possess cavalry, for the commander of the detachment can, if he has fresh knowledge of the presence and dispositions of the enemy, execute cavalry reconnaissances far better than he could without the knowledge to be obtained by spies. he can estimate the number and strength of the patrols which he intends to send out, and can give them the correct direction of marching to achieve their purpose, etc. for communicating such information the simplest signals are desirable. signals should be employed which on the one hand will not arouse the suspicions of the enemy, and on the other hand will not require special instructions and explanations, and will not occupy too much time either in preparation or sending. if the country to the front of the troops offers a wide view, a spy sent on in advance can make fires, whose number and arrangement has a previously agreed meaning. among the enemy's outposts the making of fires will seldom be practicable, since it would at once arouse suspicion. in these cases the spy can make use of houses which can be seen from a distance on all sides, since the appearance and disappearance of a light in the windows, or the opening and shutting of the shutters, can have a recognised sense and meaning for the troops from whom the spy is sent. optical communication of news is seldom possible in wooded country, or at any rate only if the troops advance, and not if they retreat or remain stationary. in these cases the spy sent in advance can inform the troops by various agreed signs, such as breaking or tying together small trees and branches, moving turf, writing agreed-on signs with chalk on bark of trees, fences, houses, and big stones or rocks. smugglers in some russian districts use little stones, which they put down by the way on single big stones, heaps of earth, and leaves; as the number and position of the stones with regard to one another varies, so the smugglers mutually impart valuable information to each other. this method should be borne in mind for adoption by an army in the field. . _agreed communications by writing_.--in many cases secret communication by writing can be carried on in the guise of quite ordinary correspondence, in which the speech is of trade and family matters, etc, so that a stranger, who was not initiated into the secret meanings of the special words, would attribute no special meaning to them. such letters would be addressed to persons who are prominent through their business in official positions--lesser state officials and merchants, for instance. in july , at the imperial court of justice at leipzig, the trial took place of the alsatians--klein and greber for espionage. in the indictment of the public prosecutor it was said, among other things, that the defendant klein had never been directly in correspondence with the bureau at whose head was colonel vincent, but he knew that his despatches had been communicated to the war office from which colonel vincent took his orders. in order to arouse no suspicion, the correspondence was given the appearance of letters which passed between relatives; herein lay the reason for the constant repetition of christian names, and the good wishes for uncle, aunt, and other persons who certainly did not exist, or under whose names personalities would be understood that were very well-known to the french secret service. usually the sender of such correspondence agrees with the recipient as to the way in which the communications shall be read. for example, in prince conde, who lay in prison on account of participation in the plot against the guises and catherine de medici, received a letter which, perused in the ordinary way, could arouse no suspicion. but, in reading it, conde missed out every other line, obtaining by this means a perfect meaning to fit the situation in which he was placed. there is also a mechanical method of conducting a secret correspondence, for the deciphering of which both sender and recipient must have "castings," or small metal plates exactly similar, which are divided by lines into squares. some of the squares are cut out, the two plates being kept exactly similar and then the sender lays the square plate on the paper and writes his message in his usual writing on the cut-out squares; then he takes the plate from the paper and fills in the empty squares with casually chosen words, taking care, however, that some meaning is made from the double writing, so as to replace the real meaning when the plate is applied. on receipt of the letter the addressee lays his square on it, and comfortably reads everything that interests him, since the superfluous words which the sender wrote later are covered by the squares in the plate which have been left by the cutting-out. all complex codes and similar means of communication occupy much time, so they are not for spies to use in time of war, though one can employ them in peace time. certain solutions can be employed as inks, so that, when dry, they leave no trace on the paper; then one has only to warm the paper over a lamp, and the writing stands out clearly. this method, however, has been very largely used, and a blank sheet of paper is always an object of suspicion. and, in view of the meaning which an apparently simple letter may bear to eyes that can decipher the hidden meaning, it should be a rule in war to destroy all captured correspondence of the enemy. this rule should also be observed on the arrest of any suspected person. . _cipher correspondence_.--there are a great number of systems of cipher-writing; one of the simplest is described in the following letter of marshal soult to general neil, dated september , , in which soult writes: "his majesty advises me to agree upon a cipher with you, which you will have to use in future in your correspondence with the chief of staff of the army. in the execution of this you can, in my opinion, best make use of a pamphlet (of which the title is given in the letter). the first figure will give the number of the page; the second figure the line, reckoned from above, not counting the heading. the third number will serve as indication of the required word or letter, and give its position in the line indicated by the second figure: if the figure means a whole word, you will underline it; if it only means a letter, you will not do so. commas must be put between the indicating figures." the disadvantages of this system consisted in the slowness of construction and deciphering of the message, since it would almost always be necessary to indicate not whole words, but each letter separately, for which three figures are necessary each time. to avoid the latter disadvantage a dictionary can be employed for the execution of the cipher, whereby in most cases one could succeed in giving the whole word with two figures. a certain officer proposed to set up for this purpose a special military dictionary, similar to the marine signal-books existing in all countries. in this dictionary one could enter in alphabetical order all figures, letters, constantly occurring syllables, and complete military expressions. the officer in question was of the opinion that , ciphers would be quite enough to form a complete code. thus all figures, letters, words, etc, would be numbered in the book in succession from beginning to end. in the preparation of reports one could then indicate by one cipher a figure, a letter, a syllable, and sometimes a whole word or even a whole phrase. the disadvantage of such a system consists in that its foundation is always the same, and that the printed dictionary could easily be secretly obtained from all neighbouring states. in order to obviate this, a few alterations were subsequently proposed. one alteration was to the effect that one could take a given number to serve as a key; in preparing reports the key-number would always be added to the number under which is designated the required word in the dictionary. it may be assumed that the word "regiment" is required to be coded, and this word is number in the dictionary; the key-number is ; so in the report the word is indicated by . it is of course obvious that one could subtract, instead of adding, the key-number. another alternative consists in having two different key-numbers. in the report the words are indicated by figures always changing, first in the case of the one, and then of the other key-number. in this way one and the same word, indicated twice in the report, may each time be indicated differently. for instance, the word "division" is number in the word-book; the key-numbers are , and , . the first time the word "division" is indicated by the number , (that is, , -- ) and the second time by , (that is, , -- ). the main disadvantage of all these various means of communication lies in that a book is essential, from which the deciphering will have to be done. the book in question is easily lost, or is not at hand at the required moment, and then the cipher is not only useless, but the work caused in obtaining the message is wasted. an instance of this occurred in , when one of the german generals received a message which he could not decipher at once, since the dictionary which the headquarter staff had arranged with him as a code-book was in a wagon which had been left behind. the same misfortune befell the commander of a french territorial division at chalons-sur-marne, who could not decipher a telegram, since by an oversight he had sent his cipher with the archives to chateau thierry. for the ciphering of messages by spies the above systems are also disadvantageous because most spies can carry no books with them on their missions. thus writes klembovski, who made a study of espionage on active service, but was unable to arrive at any method of transmitting messages which should be free of marked disadvantages. as to his contentions regarding the use of ciphers, it has been stated--though on what authority is hard to ascertain--that the german secret service will decipher any message in any language in a given space of time, no matter what code may be used. in one of edgar allan poe's stories there is a means shown of deciphering practically any code in which the characters are constant-- that is, in which the same sign represents the same letter each time it is used--and it is quite probable that one used to the deciphering of code-messages could work out any code. for a code must be built up on some system, and therefore some reversal of the system must exist by means of which the message can be deciphered without the aid of a key. berlin recognises the uses of pseudo-clergy in time of war, for quite a number of german village clergy are impecunious and of a distinctly low class, and thus the army is not averse to their imposture. men of this kind are selected for service in the field, where it is anticipated they can make themselves useful, under the pretext of ministering to the wounded, by extracting information about the movements of troops, etc. it is arranged that, in the event of a retreat, the clerical spy shall convey to the pursuing force detailed information regarding the losses in men and guns of those retreating, the numbers of men still unwounded, and the _moral_ of the troops, by means of signals as detailed above-- broken branches of trees, specially placed stones, and other things. one favourite system of espionage on active service, from the german point of view, consists in the use of the red cross van. under the rules governing international war, the red cross van may go anywhere, even into the enemy's lines, to pick up wounded, and the german forces, "making war by all the violent means at their command," have not scrupled to make use of red cross vans both for espionage work and as shelter for machine-guns--authentic cases are reported in which treacherous fire has been opened on the troops of the allies in this way. another method of obtaining information consists in sending two scouts out with a coil of wire, when in the presence of the enemy. the scouts, bearing one end of the wire, are instructed to approach the enemy's lines, at night, and of course, when they have approached within sight, they are shot. the wire no longer "pays out" from the end kept in the lines, and the length unrolled, when hauled back and measured, gives the artillery-range almost to a nicety. communications in times of peace are never made direct to headquarters. the fixed spies, as already remarked, employ such agents as they may choose and their rate of pay allows. their reports are collected by the travelling spies, who are under the control of agents of sections, stationed in belgium and switzerland (up to the outbreak of war) but not in germany. from the agents of sections reports go to the central bureau of the secret service at berlin, where sorting and classification of news supplied is pursued, and all that part of the world which could possibly be inimical to germany is card-indexed. it is a sordid, sorry, mean business, utterly devoid of the romance and glamour with which the spy of fiction has invested it, and, whatever the fate of german armies in the field may be, the secret service of germany has done more than anything else to pervert the moral sense of the nation. chapter eight. women spies. in any account of the german spy system one invariably harks back to stieber when passing to a review of any fresh branch of the system. psychologist as he was, stieber recognised that such a system as he proposed to establish in france prior to the war of could be rendered more effective if women were employed in conjunction with men. thus he requested that there might be sent from prussia to france a certain number of domestic servants, governesses, women-workers, and others who might, by gaining access to the family life of the french people, pass on to the fixed agents information which might be useful. further, he requisitioned the services of a smaller number of attractive-looking girls who were to be placed out as barmaids, and in similar positions, where they could incite men to talk a little too freely for the benefit of the grosser general stab of berlin. stieber reckoned that women could learn what men would miss, in many cases, and the event proved him right. he was careful, however, not to employ his women spies in positions of extreme trust, for he had learned, by the time that he was ready to organise his system, that the prussian woman--it is unwise to include more--was not to be trusted with a secret. out of the many failures to be credited to spies, most of all are laid to the accounts of women, mainly through the women in question having lost control of their heads through their hearts, and having become more or less infatuated with men whom they ought to have regarded as their prey, but whom they would no longer betray. it seems that the temperament in a woman which best fits her for spying also renders her likely to fall victim to her own affections, as far as her efficiency in espionage is concerned, for the german secret service, though it may overlook one mistake--no more--on the part of a male agent, disowns a woman spy as soon as she errs, without any exception. the case of lison, who ruined lieutenant ullmo, is partly a case in point. not that this vampire lost her head in the things she did, or acquired any undue affection for ullmo; but she bungled her case after having rendered good service to the german secret service. the mistake was not overlooked--the german secret service no longer knew that such a woman as lison existed when once the trial of ullmo had opened. her error put her out of the spy system for ever, and, no matter what became of her, she never received another pfennig from her former paymasters. the woman spy is largely utilised in the matter of internal espionage; in berlin, for instance, society women are able to form _salons_, more or less worthy of that historic title, at which they can hold gatherings of men and women and gather up the tittle-tattle from which scandals are constructed, and consequent pressure can be brought to bear on various persons as desired. in another circle, women keep houses at which men congregate, and here the charmer of fiction is dimly reflected, for personal attraction on the part of the female spy plays a large part in her power of acquiring useful information. still lower in the scale are domestic servants, who overlook correspondence, overhear conversations, and in many other ways act as bearers of news which would otherwise go unheard by the berlin headquarters. on foreign service women spies in responsible posts are rare, but dangerous in reverse proportion to their numbers. one of stieber's women learned all the secrets she sought, simply by supplying a young french officer with as much cocaine as he asked. had the officer in question discovered other means of procuring as much powdered cocaine as he wanted, the spy in question would have been forced to offer some other reward for information. but he relied on the spy, and, in common with most drug-takers, was sufficiently morally enfeebled to be persuaded to give up all the information at his command. some of these foreign service female spies are artists in their profession. one may take the case of such a one who keeps a discreet establishment, say, in a garrison town. she welcomes visitors, and is a very tactful sympathiser with hard-worked officials in government offices. she offers encouragement, advice, and sympathy as regards work and worries, and sides with the complainant in any grievance regarding the arrogance of superiors. her introductions, in the first place, give her a definite social standing, and, like the male fixed agent, she is so connected with the life of the place as to seem quite a part of it-- she is above suspicion in every way. it follows, given the type of woman who attracts men, that men talk to her far more than to members of their own sex; they find her companionship restful and soothing-- especially the younger men--and are easily led on to talk of themselves, their hopes and their work. they talk in all innocence, and are encouraged by the listener to talk always more and more; and, after a month, or two or three months, perhaps, there falls one sentence which is as a straw that marks the direction of the wind--and that sentence finds its way to berlin, where it is card-indexed. acquaintance ripens to friendship; to the outer world's sight two people talk of things that interest them, but in reality the spy, having completely won the confidence of the man she set out to make her victim, leads him to talk of his work in a manner that he would have deemed impossible when first he met this attractive woman. there is on record one failure among women spies which illustrates the danger of employing them. the spy in question was sent out to win the affections of a young attache at a french embassy, and this she accomplished through the simple expedient of teaching him the german language. in a regular course of lessons which the young diplomat underwent at the hands of the lady he found out that he was not so much attracted by her, after all; but she fell in love with him in earnest. thenceforth she was not only useless, but a danger to the german headquarters, since she was in a position to impart information instead of to extract it as berlin desired. it must be obvious, when one considers the extent of the organisation that stieber set up, and the nature of the reports furnished by the staff, that an enormous amount of service work is done to no purpose; but this is inevitable, like the keeping-up of a navy which remains idle for fifteen or twenty years, but must still be maintained at full strength. thus this corps of women spies is maintained and its reports are received and studied and tabulated. much of the information sent in by women is, of course, hopelessly useless; but out of the mass of chaff sufficient grain is sifted to make the continuance of the work worth while--in german estimation, at least. it is a known fact that the government of berlin have not only overlooked but favoured the establishment of houses of ill-repute in the city, simply because through the keepers of these houses valuable information is to be obtained. young men were lured to a certain notorious establishment in berlin from the foreign embassies, and even from departments of the berlin government itself. in the first case the object was information with regard to the procedure at the embassies, and in the second case information was desired as to the integrity or lack thereof on the part of those entrusted with the control of german national affairs. the woman who ran this establishment had laid to her own count many ruined reputations and ruined lives in the course of her career. it is known that the permanent spies, known in the vernacular as "post offices," have to send in to headquarters certain information. this information is tabulated as follows: all possible information relating to general officers and their equals in the country concerned, including personal as well as official details. particulars of all who pass from military colleges to commissions, and all who pass from naval colleges to the navy. particulars of all directors and examiners of military and naval colleges. particulars of the official duties add personal habits of all officials in charge of arsenals, powder factories, store depots, and other works connected with military and naval organisation. staff officers, aides-de-camp, and generals' orderlies--particularly concerning the lives and habits of these. officers or officials employed in the ministry, secretaries and under-secretaries in government offices, _especially those whose circumstances are low or whose affairs are in disorder_. if the varied nature of this work is borne in mind, and the many opportunities a woman would have for learning details of the personal side are considered, it will be seen that the work of the woman spy can be invaluable. as already remarked, germany wants to know not only the things that are of immediate use, but also the little things that may be of use in certain contingencies--possibly useful as well as certainly useful and probably useful information is welcome. and, in the average french or english household of the official class, either in france or england, a german domestic, perfectly capable at her work and in every way above suspicion on the part of her employers, can render enormous service to the german secret service, simply by keeping her ears open. for the servant, whether spy or honest employee, knows nearly everything there is to be known about her employers. if the master's financial affairs are in such a state that bribery might be tried with a remote chance of success, she is aware of it; if the mistress has compromised herself in any way, and is open to blackmail, the domestic is more likely to know of it than any one else, for she has unquestioned access to letters where even the husband is ignorant of their existence--nobody thinks of suspecting her of more than mere curiosity, at the worst. the object of the system inaugurated by stieber is to work along the lines of least resistance, to ensure safety and efficiency by choosing means so obvious as to be negligible--and that system has produced great results, past question. more especially is this method noticeable in the case of the german spy: it is not the adventuress of fiction who does most of the useful work, but the inconspicuous and apparently thoroughly trustworthy woman, who, whatever her station, has an obvious reason for occupying it, and is above reproach or suspicion. not that the adventuress has not her share as well. a woman carried out most of the underground work connected with the morocco loan; a woman stopped the clandestine marriage of one of the imperial princes, and another woman arranged a marriage between a bourbon king and a member of the house of hohenzollern. yet another, according to von blowitz, brought off as skilful a coup in connection with the theft of documents as has ever been known. but these things are exceptions to the regular work of women spies, which is for the most part unromantic, petty, and mean--as is most espionage work, whether man or woman be concerned in its accomplishment. in active service the woman plays a very small part, for the endurance of a man is required to undergo such rigours as usually fall to combatants and spies alike once the armies have taken the field. here, however, women are of use in carrying messages and in similar minor capacities. such of them as manage to keep their places in civilian establishments may be of great use in learning projected plans--though plans are usually kept too secret, since the organisation and extent of the german system of espionage is fairly well-known in official circles of other countries. during the siege of liege men masqueraded as women in order to obtain information for the german commander. in one particular case four ladies were observed in the town, and certain small points of make-up and attire caused the police to entertain suspicions. the ladies were seized and examined, and very few inquiries were sufficient to settle the question of their sex, while further inquiries certified them as german spies--and they paid the penalty of their daring. before execution, spies captured in the present war have stated that they have been forced to take on their tasks; certain persons are selected by lot out of the army, and are given choice of the disguise with which they must go out to the front. in many cases the disguises are hopelessly inadequate, and all the men who go out know that they are going to almost certain death. but the man who, without some rehearsal, goes out disguised as a woman, is not only facing death, but looking for it--as do these german soldiers in like case. cases have come to light in belgium in which wearers of the red cross have proved to be spies; women have been caught acting as nurses, keeping to their posts simply for the purpose of obtaining such information as shall be useful to the german forces. such cases are rare, for the red cross nurse is usually well authenticated and deservedly above suspicion, but the rarity of the cases and the very small likelihood of detection renders them correspondingly dangerous. from their positions and duties they are in the very heart of things, and are able to get more information than those in other positions, though the transmission of news, after it has been obtained, is by no, means an easy business. eastern and northern france, before the war, were full of women spies, planted under the fixed post system. they were mainly auxiliaries, for it was seldom that the charge of a fixed post was entrusted to a woman, for the simple reason that it is not easy for a women to set up in any kind of business and maintain it--at least, not so easy as it is for a man. the majority of these women spies in french departments were domestic servants, teachers, or less reputably engaged as waitresses in establishments for the sale of alcoholic liquors. for the last-mentioned class, the chief requirements in every case were that they should be decidedly attractive, unscrupulous, and able to make men talk. for remuneration, they depended mainly on their legitimate employers; the fixed agent, at his own discretion, paid out sums to them which made it worth their while to gather information, but they were expected to five on the country which they had come to betray to the staff at berlin. since this treachery characterises the groundwork of all german espionage, and the plans of the military organisation are built on espionage, it follows that in the nature of things the german empire must end: treachery is an ill foundation on which to build. chapter nine. general espionage work. the nature of the work undertaken by spies of the higher orders places them, at times, in possession of a good deal of information which, should the spies choose to use it improperly, becomes a danger to the german government. this is not good for the spies concerned; in some cases they are trusted too far--for even such an organisation as the german secret service can make mistakes at times--and then they vanish. one case was that of an ex-service officer on the russian frontier, who, unfortunately for him, fell in love with a russian lady, and found that his duty was not so strong as his love: it was ascertained that not only was he lax in his espionage, but that he was actually making his work of benefit to the russian service rather than to his own people. a noted duellist was sent to the spot, with orders to challenge the recreant spy--and as a result the spy was killed. the instance is not an isolated one, and in some cases the headquarters at berlin, realising that a man or woman knows enough to be dangerous, deliberately betrays the person concerned to the authorities of some other power, with a view to removing dangerous evidence, by means of imprisonment, until such time as the evidence shall be no longer dangerous. such a case, undoubtedly, was that of the man graves, whose arrest was largely due to a wrongly addressed letter sent to him from his headquarters--or at the instigation of his headquarters. the system pursued at the german headquarters is such that mistakes are not made by accident, but, if they occur, there is a definite purpose behind them. graves knew too much, and suffered for it; he was a clever man and a good spy--but there were others equally good, and, since he had come to know more than the heads of the german secret service thought fit, he was removed, by being imprisoned in an english prison, to a point where his knowledge was no longer available for his own use. it may be urged that, in view of the nature of the work involved in espionage duty, it would be hard to find people to undertake that duty, at least, to the extent alleged in the case of the german empire and its secret service. such a contention as this, however, proves ignorance of the german, and especially of the prussian character and way of viewing moral problems. in this connection it is worthy of note that herr richter, the leader of the opposition in the reichstag, once raised a protest with regard to "the more than doubtful morality of the individuals employed" in the police service of the country; that is, the persons employed in secret police work. in reply, the minister for the interior, von puttkamer, stated that "it is the right and duty of the state to employ special and extraordinary methods, and even if that honest and estimable functionary, police-councillor rumpff, has employed the methods of which he is accused, in order to secure for the state the benefits of useful intelligence, i here publicly express to him my satisfaction and thanks." the methods to which herr richter took exception included the suborning of high officials in magisterial, political, and industrial circles, more especially by the temptations afforded by the keeping of such disorderly houses as the woman krausz made infamously notorious; the engaging, as secret agents, court officials, reichstag deputies and their wives, and all who could in any way help on the business of information without regard to the moral or social degeneracy that might be brought about by these "honest and estimable" methods. since the responsible ministers of the country countenance rank immorality and vice in the search for information, it follows inevitably that the life of the nation as a whole is lowered in tone by the existence of the spy system; things that, to people of normal view-point appear detestable, become things that all may do without shame. here in england a spy is given his real value--he is looked on as no true man: in germany, on the other hand, the business of a spy is as honourable as any other; the outlook of the nation has become perverted by the system that stieber set in working--stieber himself was germany's greatest enemy, but the country has not yet realised this. and, with this perverted morality, this condoning of evil for the sake of the good that may accrue, there is no lack of material from which to fashion spies. the german empire has become not only commercialised, but debased; the german view of solemn treaties, and the german justification of broken oaths on the ground of expediency, are typical of the german view-point in all things. nothing is dishonourable, except to be found out, is a fairly accurate way of expressing the german view-point as regards rules for the conduct of life. with this much understood, it is easy to understand that, in dealing with a german--with any german--one is dealing with a potential spy, for the whole nation is subject to espionage and attuned to it, regarding it as a part of daily life. from money-lender and social hanger-on down to workman and loafer, spies may be made out of all grades of the social scale, and are made. through the medium of a workman spy, the plans of the lebel rifle were in german hands before ever one of the rifles in question was handed out for the use of french troops. at the other end of the scale is von puttkamer, minister of the interior, sanctioning anything and all things, irrespective of the harm they may do to the moral nature of the german race, so long as "information" is obtained. the taint is in the race, so permeating all classes that neither man nor woman can be regarded as free of it. the actual word "spy" is capable of various interpretations, and the real and acknowledged spies of the german system, numerous though they are, do not form nearly as large a total as the people who help the espionage system to maintain its efficiency. the spy _par excellence_ is one who has in him or in her a decidedly criminal instinct. men and women of this class make the best spies, from the point of view of their employers; and by reason of this the german system, since stieber passed out from it, has been more effective in the elucidation of details than of large essentials--something is missing from the moral pervert who makes the best spy, or it may be that there is no longer at the head of the secret-service organisation such a genius as stieber, who could make his small creatures accomplish large designs. stieber, zerniki--one may choose out half a dozen or so of names just as in criminal records one may choose out the names of peace and crippen, or even of the borgias, as capable of great things in crime. but the spies of later days in the german secret service have not been put to great uses, or the temper of the british people would not have been misunderstood to the extent that led to ireland being looked on as "a revolting province," or the colonies of britain as only waiting for a chance to escape from british rule. the general work of the spy seems to have degenerated along with the nation that founded the system, down to petty ends and inconsequent results; we have seen, in this present war, that the occupation of brussels was carried through without a hitch owing to the machine-like perfection of the german spy system--there was cause for congratulation, from a german point of view. but we have seen none of the great coups that made the campaign of as great a triumph for stieber as for bismarck and his royal master. the anti-espionage system of british secret service is worthy of note in connection with the decline of the german system of espionage. in this connection the _scotsman_ report of the trial of graves bears quotation, more especially the deposition of inspector trench, who described the effects found on graves at the time of his arrest. "the prisoner, on being arrested at his hotel, had in his possession a doctor's book, apparently empty. this was found, on inspection, to contain two leaves stuck together. in the middle were sentences and figures--a code which had been subsequently deciphered by a process of subtraction from the a.b.c. code. "he also had... cartridge cases of the latest army pattern. the code-notes contained phrases like `clearing practice,' `have lowered defending nets,' `land fortifications are manned,' etc." further, graves had lived in edinburgh as "a medical student taking his last degree in science," but had not been near any hospital, and had used the paper and envelopes of a well-known english firm for his correspondence, in order to avoid inspection of his letters by the post office. the statement in court of facts like these points not so much to the cunning of the man graves, but to the way in which, from the time of his taking up residence in edinburgh as "a medical student," he must have been shadowed and kept under observation. the deciphering of the code, the certainty as to paper and envelopes used, and other things that came out at the trial, are small points in themselves; but they go to show that, if the german secret service were relatively as good to-day as in the days when stieber used his intelligence to keep the system ahead of all others, graves would never have come to a british jail; for, in the first place, the german secret service would not have employed a man who already knew too much, and, in the second place, as soon as any methods were known to the british police they would have been changed for others, even to the code which could be interpreted without the aid of a key. with regard to the quality of treachery, latent in all spies, the german secret service does its best to overcome this difficulty by the retention of a certain portion of the pay with which the spies are credited. when once a man or woman has fairly entered on the work of espionage a proportion of the pay is held back by the paymaster, so that there is always a considerable sum owing. this is supposed to act as an incentive to loyalty, and in most cases it undoubtedly has that effect, for no man likes to commit an act which will involve the forfeiture of a sum of money really due to him. bearing in mind the cupidity of the average spy, it will be seen that no stronger deterrent of treachery could be devised. in the case of the military spy, the french service affords more opportunities for the german agent than does the british. in the british service the officers of commissioned rank have many faults, but they are in nearly every case gentlemen, in the best sense of that much-abused word. in the citizen army of france, on the other hand, an officer may be anything--and in this is intended no disparagement on the brave army of our present allies. the republican system admits all to its ranks--perhaps it would be better to say that it compels all to enter its ranks--and the republican ideal places a commission in the reach of all, without regard to birth or social standing. in many ways this is to the good, for it fosters the republican spirit in the army, and at the same time makes an efficient fighting machine; but it admits to the commissioned ranks, perhaps once in five hundred times, a man who is sufficiently unworthy of his country and its uniform to be guilty of acts which point to his openness to corruption. the case of ullmo, though it concerns a naval officer, was one in point; it is not to be alleged that a british officer, enslaved by drugs and otherwise debased, would not have done as ullmo did; but it is to be alleged that the debasing of ullmo, which brought him down to the point at which subsequent corruption was not only possible but easy, is almost impossible in the british service--such a man would have been cashiered before he reached the point at which ullmo fell to actual treachery and crime. the republican system has its drawbacks, and a retention of the laws of caste to an extent which compels all commissioned officers to an acknowledgment of caste, is not altogether undesirable--except from the view-point of the spy. on the confession of a french writer on the subject, there are officers in the french service who form a "class of officers whose private life is no better regulated than their professional conduct." in such the spy finds comparatively easy prey; but their counterparts do not exist in the british services, for the caste laws of army and navy alike forbid ill-regulated lives, and officers of both services must be above suspicion when off parade. the universal service of france renders such a state of affairs almost impossible in the republican army. where every man is a soldier, the staff of officers is so much greater that the presence of a few black sheep is practically unavoidable--and it must be said in common fairness that the french officer is more sternly supervised than his british confrere--yet lapses on the part of commissioned officers are more common than in the british services. yet one other point must be borne in mind in connection with the general work of the spy. happenings in , combined with stieber's memoirs, make clear that the hanging of peasants in the later stages of the war excited even the criticism of stone-hearted bismarck, who saw in these occurrences a policy which might some day bring retribution. but to this stieber answered: "in war one must take the measures of war. it is the duty of our soldiers to kill the soldiers of the enemy who from motives of duty oppose our march. we spies claim the right to hang those who spy on us." the declaration is illuminating. here were the members of the german secret service facilitating a conquest by dastardly measures, by abuse of the hospitality of the country which the prussian troops subsequently invaded. yet, if the inhabitants of that country dared to attempt to give information to their own countrymen, they were to be hanged. espionage is responsible for many evils: stieber shows here that it is responsible for the blunting of the moral sense of his fellow-countrymen, and that the espionage system of laid the foundations of the prussian disregard of human life, and the utter brutality and savagery displayed by prussians in this present war of . "a peasant was caught in the act of watching a prussian convoy," stieber writes in his memoirs, "and was falsely accused of having fired upon it; he was hung up by ropes under his arms in front of his own house, and was slowly done to death with thirty-four bullets fired in succession. in order to make an example, i decided that the body should remain hanging for two days, under the guard of two sentries." a thing like this is worth memory to-day, in view of what has happened at louvain and aerschot and other scenes of belgian outrage. the germ of prussian barbarism must have been in the race, but stieber and his kind have fostered it and caused its growth to the extent that has made of germany a name of shame among the nations of the earth. chapter ten. agents provocateurs. this subject of political work, apart from espionage proper on the part of german agents, is a delicate one, for proof is not only hard to come by, but direct proof is practically non-existent, owing to the nature of the work. the most that can be done is to take cases of political work which, on the face of them, are such that no honest citizen would attempt: by a process of mental elimination one may arrive at the source of such work, though the result of the process is little more than conjecture. still, half a dozen or so of results, all pointing the same conclusion, are of value, and, in spite of the absence of definite proof, police-court and criminal-court trials and the like, there can be no reasonable doubt that the work of the _agent provocateur_ goes on, and that the central office at berlin pays in order to keep it going. harking back once more to stieber, it will be remembered that, at the outset of his career, he took service in a mercantile firm, and identified himself with german socialism of the revolutionary kind. he learned at first hand the power which socialism has among the working classes; he learned that, with very little reality behind the promises, it is easy to make a workman do nearly anything, if only the promises as regards the future of the working class are large enough. he came to his own as a master in espionage and treachery--by betraying the men to whom he posed as a leader--at almost the first beginnings of the german socialistic movement, and he watched that movement grow as the years went on. he saw that working men had a passion for organising in defence of their rights, and that they could be led by nearly any appeal which proclaimed their rights, no matter how extravagant the proclamation might be. further, he saw that in germany, under the empire, workmen's rights would never win them anything--repression was too efficiently conducted, and there was no good in the workmen's movement for him; so he joined in with the forces that unto to-day ( ) govern germany and suppress all that makes for real democratic government. stieber was an opportunist, and knew well which side would best reward him. later on in his career he gained opportunities of studying the social conditions involved in the political constitutions of other countries; after the constitution of france interested him, and, studying it as he studied all things, with a view to the furtherance of his plans, he saw that much nominal power was placed in the hands of the people-- illiteracy and ignorance were no bars to the free expression of opinions, and, further, a man might agitate and stir up discontent among the working people to his heart's content, compared with what might be done in germany, and there was no aristocracy nor any bureaucracy to say him nay. now, said stieber, if these workmen could be stirred up in a way that would make them distrustful of the governing classes: if class could be set against class, unions formed, and the men led to strike and paralyse industry at a given time--say, at a time when germany wanted to make war--the benefits accruing would be immense; but not to france. we have no definite proof that modern syndicalism and its evils arose out of stieber's efforts. we have certain evidence, and certain coincidences, that are nearly as good as definite proof. for instance, there is no actual proof of this contention in the fact that the incident of the _panther_ and agadir, which so nearly precipitated the whole of europe into war, was practically coincident with one of the worst strikes that the history of british industry can show; but there is proof that, for years past, german agitators have been teaching both british and french workmen the way to organise "in defence of their rights," and have been advocating syndicalism and the weapon of the general strike as a panacea for all evils to which the classes subject the masses. with the economic aspect of the question we are not concerned for the purpose of this book, and lest we be misunderstood let us pay tribute to the fine loyalty of the leaders of labour in this country; to such men as will crooks, who have helped to bring the nation into line in the hour of national peril, and are men worthy of all honour and all praise. we are concerned more with certain coincidental happenings, like that of agadir and our own great strike, and certain other happenings which point to the same conclusion--that germany has tried, by means of industrial unrest, disaffection, and other means, to weaken the hands of potential enemies in the hours when strength was most needed. first of all, it must be noted that the two chief essentials to the mobilisation of troops for war, and the placing of a navy on a war footing, are an efficient railway and transport system, and the assurance of an adequate coal supply. we may call it a coincidence, and no more, that the two industries which have made most progress towards syndicalism and the use of the general strike, both in england and france, are those of transport and coal-mining. the first piece of evidence may be regarded as coincidence pure and simple, and it is only when the coincidences mount up that they may be accepted as evidence of weight. in order to render effective the railways of the country, which as far as france is concerned are on strategic plans toward the western frontier, germany has increased its establishment of railway engineers to fifty-four military companies. that is to say, no matter what sympathetic action might have been taken by german railwaymen in case of an international strike, the german railways could still have run with full staffs, and every man was trained to his place on the lines that would be concerned in the mobilisation and placing of troops on the western frontier of the country, to act against france. no syndicalist movement could shake german power--the defensive action was too strong for that. further, the railways of the state system, organised with a view to mobilisation of troops rather than peace requirements, are controlled not by capitalists, nor by political figures, but each by a colonel of the german army, at the head of his military division of railway engineers, and the officers, non-commissioned officers, and men of these railway engineers are qualified railwaymen; their military duties consist in the efficient performance of railway work. for it is no use forging a weapon that will, in time of need, prove as dangerous to the holder as to the one it is aimed against. as a final guard against trouble of this kind, stieber laid down as a definite rule in : "that no native of alsace-lorraine, even though performing his military service in germany, should be either recruited or admitted in any capacity whatever for employment on the said railways." as to general offensive action, the first sign thereof lies in the vote, in february of , of a credit of , thalers "to defray the expense of foreign publications useful to the policy of the empire," combined with the appearance, in france, of the famous "mesnard pamphlet" five months later. the pamphlet in question was a deliberate incitement to the men employed on french railways to take matters into their own hands and carry republicanism on to sheer anarchy. "if you want your employees to be attentive and polite to the public," says the author, "try to give those employees a somewhat better idea of whom it is they toil and sweat to benefit. at present all that we know is that our work is not done precisely for the love of the thing, nor does it result in any improvement for ourselves. this being so, our sole object is to keep our situations and get through with our tasks. as far as the public are concerned, we take no notice of them, while they for their part behave in the most abusive manner toward us... "the employees should elect their chiefs themselves in accordance with the principle of universal suffrage... it would be merely logical if the employees had the right to choose who should give them orders, and to turn out those who proved unjust or incapable... "the last resource of railway workers in search of justice is a strike. a strike is a legitimate weapon, and the fact cannot be contested. if it is suppressed, its suppression constitutes an abuse of the rights of the stronger party. with the organisation which the syndicate cannot fail to have in a short time, we shall have arrived at a position at which we can contemplate the possibility of a general strike of all the railways and of similar institutions if necessary. it is highly important that everybody should think over this problem. no partial strikes, but patience and then a general strike..." then, fearing lest mobilisation of the army of france should defeat the ends to which this pamphlet was designed, its authors went on to say that railwaymen would not be forced to mobilise to prevent a strike. "we know our duty as patriots, and we know when we must be soldiers; but if you gentlemen, you officers, do not know it, then leave us alone to manage our own affairs, or we shall call in the prussians." these extracts from the pamphlet itself show its general tenor, but though one may search through all its pages there will be found no definite and legitimate ground for the proclamation of the general strike which "mesnard" advocates so stirringly. the whole publication, which must certainly rank among the "foreign publications useful to the policy of the [german] empire," is an attempt to stir up class hatred, to get the men to mobilise against military service at a given word of command, and to paralyse the railway services of france when german aggression should consider such a step necessary. for the evidence has become too strong for us to take this as mere coincidence, nor did the french government regard it as such. even the railwaymen's unions of france repudiated the document, and one of the heads of a trade union in france stated openly as his opinion that it was the work of germany and an attempt at the establishment of german influence. the pamphlet itself, which was widely circulated among railwaymen until government action stopped its distribution, came from geneva, one of the headquarter stations of the german secret service, and the residence of one of the most highly placed officials in the espionage system. the direct effect of the mesnard pamphlet was small, but evidently the policy that it outlined was found worth following. the first great demand of the syndicalists on behalf of the railwaymen of france was made at the time that the dreyfus trial was causing definite friction between france and germany in official circles. on this occasion a general strike was actually declared, but it was a fiasco. yet again, railway troubles in france grew ever greater as relations grew strained between the two countries toward the dawn of the second decade of this century. the agadir incident was coincident not only with labour troubles in england, for if the railways of france could have been paralysed at the time of a declaration of war by germany, the result would have been equivalent to a decisive german victory over french troops in the field. inquiry into syndicalist work in france and england alike will show that the funds of the syndicalists have benefited, if they have not been mainly supported, by german contributions. then, again, if one examines the career of the average fiery, anarchistic orator, who declaims against law and order, and does his best to stir up men irrespective of national rights, it will be found in many cases that the orator in question is in some way connected with germany. he may not be a german, but he is in such a position that german influence is at least possible--and stieber himself was apparently heart and soul with revolutionary german workmen, while in reality he was busy betraying his associates to the secret police whom he subsequently governed. the working man himself is disinterested, and believes that he is acting for the best in his own behalf, and in that of all oppressed humanity. but his leaders cannot always be regarded in an equally charitable light. german efforts do not stop here. almost simultaneously with the outbreak of hostilities a placard was distributed broadcast in ireland, with a view to ensuring the desired action on the part of the "revolting province." the placard in question has been attributed to the few fenians still remaining in ireland; but such an aspersion on the character of these men is the rankest injustice, for even the most rabid of the anti-english in ireland have realised that a world-war transcends domestic affairs, and irishmen of all shades of opinion have shown themselves ready to fight the battles of freedom against prussian militarism. the placard in question is decidedly a "foreign publication useful to the policy of the [german] empire," and it reads as follows: irishmen--fools! have you forgotten that england is your only enemy? have you forgotten kathleen-ni-houlihan, that you are willing to shed your blood to win england's battles? have you lost your wits, that you believe all the ridiculous lies published against the germans in the jingo papers? have you forgotten how the english treated the boers? have you forgotten 'ninety-eight? have you forgotten the manchester martyrs? have you forgotten the k.o.s.b. murders? have you forgotten that the future lies in your hands? have you forgotten that england's difficulty is ireland's opportunity? god save ireland! thus the _agent provocateur_ at his very worst. germany has confessedly set out to make war by "all the violent means at her command," but not by violent means alone. such work as this placard makes evident, though, shows plainly how germany has mistaken the temper of a people, for the munsters and the irish guards have given their answer to the questions put. the flagrant error and waste of effort is like that of von holeben, who, when german ambassador to america, strove to stir up strife between america and england until his efforts became common talk in washington, and berlin was forced to recall the blunderer. yet more efforts of the same kind have been made in america since the outbreak of war, and at least one highly placed german official has received definite notice from washington that he must either stop his work of sowing discord or leave the country. these are but instances. the whole history of syndicalism, the whole history of setting class against class in the case of industrial unrest, and of irish disturbances in recent years, point to some influence working independently of the rights and betterment of the classes concerned in the agitations. in the case of ireland, we may assume that the majority of irish patriots have the best interests of their countrymen at heart; but the placard of which the contents are quoted above never emanated from any irish patriot; it was a definite and ineffectual attempt to stir up the worst passions of which humanity is capable in the hour of england's greatest need, at a time when all irish patriots were voicing unity and support to their government, whether they were home rulers or orangemen--the action of ireland has proved that. in the case of working men's unions, the action of the men themselves has always been to a definite end, both in england and in france; to the end that they might obtain better conditions of life, just laws to govern their work, and the elemental rights of man. but, in addition to these things, there have been of late years agitators who would claim for the working men of the two countries that germany had most cause to fear, not only the rights of their class, but a right to disregard the rights of all other classes, and take absolute power into their hands at a signal from some leader. efforts have been made to induce men to strike for little, for nothing; to cause them to render a whole country powerless by their action, and to do indirect injury to themselves. such action as this points to the working of a force not necessarily beneficial to the workmen themselves, but certainly inimical to the country to which the workers happen to belong. and, always keeping in mind stieber and the debasement of aim he has brought on his own country, together with the fact that industrial unrest is in the first place a german product, we may say that coincidence does not account for all the syndicalist efforts that have been contemporary with rumours of war. chapter eleven. steinhauer's work. the trials of schulz, graves, and others who have made appearances in the british criminal courts recently--or comparatively so--showed us the spy at work in extricating information; they demonstrated one phase, and a dangerous phase at that, of the business. no recent trial, however, has proved of such importance in connection with a study of the system as that of ernst, which, quite apart from the doings of the accused man, shows the work of steinhauer, the potsdam director of the fixed agent, or "post office," as the fixed spy is designated in the slang of espionage. since the case of ernst is still _sub judice_ at the time of writing, only the bare official report can be given, at least as regards the conduct of the accused; but even with this limitation there is more to be learned from the case of ernst and his alleged doings than from any other recent case, for the allegations of the prosecution involve evidence as to the headquarter office at potsdam managed by steinhauer, who supervises the working of the fixed agent as well as that of travelling spies and secret-service headquarter methods--evidence which is sufficiently plain and complete to substantiate all the statements made as regards the foreign work of the german secret service in the course of this book. karl gustav ernst, hairdresser, of caledonian road, islington, was first charged on august , , with contravening the official secrets act with a view to his being dealt with under the aliens restriction act. he denied knowledge of the charge against him, which he described as "ridiculous," and, after remand, was ordered deportation. conveyed to brixton prison, to await a suitable opportunity for his being sent to germany, he appealed to the home office for release. his appeal included claims to the effect that he was absolutely innocent of any crime, that he had nothing whatever to do with the official secrets act, and that, since the police had produced no documents in court, they had evidently discovered nothing of an incriminating nature at his place in caledonian road, where he _had carried on business as a hairdresser for sixteen years_, with a pentonville official among his customers. inquiries proved the truth of a claim that he made to the effect that he was a british subject, which rendered it impossible to detain him under the aliens restriction act. he was consequently released, and rearrested outside the prison gates as a spy on the country in which he had voluntarily become a citizen by means of naturalisation. the charge against him now is that is he traitor as well as spy. his position with regard to the original charge and sentence of deportation is worthy of note. for sixteen years he had been in business in caledonian road; that is to say, he had resided in his place for such a length of time that there were no grounds for suspicion against him on the part of the inhabitants of the district. he was a part of the life of the place, almost an old inhabitant, when his doings rendered him worthy of the notice of the police. this is characteristic of the fixed agent in french centres, as already stated here. on september , , the present case was opened against ernst by mr bodkin, who appeared for the director of public prosecutions at bow street police-court. the charge was to the effect that ernst had "obtained and communicated, and attempted to obtain and communicate to one steinhauer, certain information calculated to be useful to an enemy." mr bodkin stated that the prisoner first came under the suspicion of the authorities in october of , and it was evident that from then until january of he had been a spy in the pay of the german secret service. the man who was practically ernst's master was one steinhauer, a member and organiser of the german secret service, whose name had figured in practically every espionage case investigated in this country for the past three or four years. acting under steinhauer's orders, the prisoner was alleged to have been deputed to accomplish certain duties which fell under two heads. in the first place, it was alleged that he was to receive from steinhauer, who was located in germany, letters enclosed in envelopes which gave them the appearance of ordinary business communications, and to post them in england to various members of the organisation. in the second place, it was alleged that he was to make inquiries on his own account with regard to persons and places which, in the opinion of steinhauer, would be useful to the german secret service. his salary consisted of out-of-pocket expenses and a retaining fee of one pound a month, which, when ernst pointed out the risk attaching to what he was doing, and the importance of his work, was increased to one pound ten shillings a month. mr bodkin stated that "the system was perfectly well-known from the commencement in , and the hairdresser's shop in caledonian road was accordingly kept under observation." the observation included the opening of letters addressed to the accused, which were traced and the tracings filed before delivery of the originals to ernst. there were included among these letters a large number of communications from germany, chiefly from potsdam, and ernst himself sent many communications to potsdam and berlin. his letters were posted in different districts of london, while the letters coming from germany to him were written on english note-paper and enclosed in english envelopes, which the prisoner had forwarded to steinhauer for use--in one instance the paper and envelopes had been sent as "samples," the package being so weighty that steinhauer had to pay excess postage at the other end. by opening both outgoing and incoming correspondence the authorities were placed in possession of a mass of valuable information as regards not only ernst, but also other members of the system in england. for the purpose of the correspondence with ernst, steinhauer was alleged to have adopted the alias of "mrs reimers," and ernst himself, the prosecution stated, changed his name from time to time, having letters addressed to his shop as to "j. walters, care of k.g. ernst," and sometimes to "w. weller." these two names were the prisoner's own suggestion to steinhauer. the latter sent letters not only to ernst himself, but also missives to be forwarded to various places, including chatham, sheerness, and portland harbour. these letters were opened by the authorities under powers which they possessed for dealing with such cases, and tracings were taken before the letters were delivered. ernst was requested by steinhauer to find out all that he could about certain persons named, on the ground that they were connected or believed to be connected with the intelligence department of the war office. one of the firms upon which he was called to make inquiries and report had an office in the city opposite to the office occupied by the late captain stewart, who figured in the german courts in an espionage case, and subsequently was imprisoned in a german fortress. in one of the envelopes sent to ernst by steinhauer were two letters, one of which was addressed to a british sailor, and the other to a german located at portland harbour. further, the prosecution alleged, ernst was in constant communication with persons named kruger and krumer, in connection with espionage work, while one of his letters referred to a magazine article which described the defences of the east coast. another letter contained reference to the espionage case against parrott, which took place in the autumn of . after january of , steinhauer requested ernst to make inquiries about a person living in somerset, and to this ernst replied that he could not spare the time to do so, though he had previously gone up to sheffield on business of a similar nature. here, with the taking of some formal evidence, the first hearing of the case closed, and at this point mr s.y. tilly, who had been retained for the defence of the prisoner, said that if he had been in possession of the information outlined by mr bodkin it would have made a difference in his procedure in the case. he had been assured by the prisoner and the prisoner's friends that ernst was a perfectly straightforward british subject: but, in the circumstances revealed by mr bodkin's statement, he felt compelled to withdraw from the case. the act was sufficiently unusual to excite comment on the part of the court authorities; but mr tilly withdrew. the second hearing took place on october , , when the first witness called, a clerk in the secretary's office at the general post office, deposed to having opened and copied the letters which bore as postmark either "potsdam" or "berlin." these letters were written in german, and many of the envelopes contained letters which were to be reposted by ernst to other addresses. some of the letters to ernst were signed "st," and one of them, bearing the postmark "berlin - - " contained an envelope addressed to "mrs seymour, , alexandra road, sheerness." mr bodkin explained that this was the pseudonym and address of the man parrott, who figured in an espionage case in the autumn of . another letter to ernst, the witness further deposed, was dated "potsdam, january , ," and signed "st" it contained a request that envelopes, bearing the printed name of the makers, should be sent to the writer. then, on february , the same correspondent addressed ernst: "please post the enclosed letters at once, and send me, if you please, fifty envelopes as sample which you sent. then write me a letter, if you please, a letter in good english, in which a customer asks for letters to be forwarded to him on the continent addressed to `poste restante, etc.'" there were enclosed with this missive two letters, addressed respectively to "f. ireland, mess , h.m.s. _foxhound_, care of g.p.o.," and "a schutte, , castletown, portland harbour." another letter produced, bearing date of january , , signed "st," and dated from potsdam, contained the following: "according to information from newspapers, a fireman has been arrested on the english cruiser _foxhound_. if that is kr's nephew, then it is certain he was dragged into it through the carelessness and stupidity of kr. perhaps you can get into communication with k., but by all means be cautious. if my suspicions are correct, then kr. will be watched. above all--caution. should you have an opportunity to speak to him then ask him at the same time respecting a certain schmidt he once recommended to me. he [kruger] must be cautious, and especially show no address. that is to say, only go there when you know there is no danger to you. i mean, he must not start speaking german to you in the presence of others. please let me hear something soon." mr bodkin explained that ireland of the _foxhound_ was a nephew of a man named kruger, who took the name of ireland when he joined the navy. another letter addressed to the prisoner from potsdam, and dated february , , contained the following: "many thanks for your valuable letter. in future it will be done so. do you also desire that the letters i send you be sent `care of'? please reply to me as to this. please deliver at once enclosed letter addressed to kronan. expenses please charge. best greetings.--st" a letter sent to the prisoner for reposting was addressed to "h. graves, esq, b.m., b.sc., , craiglea drive, morningside, edinburgh," and in this were three five-pound bank of england notes. on march , , steinhauer signed his name in full, and enclosed marks, requesting ernst to obtain for him a copy of a london daily paper, which contained a detailed article on espionage, published a little time before the close of the stewart espionage case. copies of the letters sent through ernst to "mrs parrott, alexandra road, sheerness," and to "h. graves," at edinburgh and later at glasgow, were put in as evidence, but these were not read in court. one of graves's letters was enclosed in an envelope which bore the name of a well-known firm of chemical and drug manufacturers, as detailed in the evidence at the trial of graves. mr bodkin, commenting on this, said that the envelope was probably stolen. on march "st" (steinhauer) wrote from potsdam to ernst: "k. has excited himself for nothing. the youth is free. i will tell you the story orally next time." mr bodkin remarked, by way of explanation, that the youth ireland had been discharged. another letter addressed to mr graves, at the central hotel, glasgow, dated april , , and forwarded through ernst, contained bank-notes for pounds--this was very nearly the last letter ever sent to graves, judging from the time of his arrest and trial. on march a letter from potsdam contained a request for the prisoner to inquire whether a certain person living near hyde park was a busy man, and whether he was connected with the english government. then, in july of , "st" must have grown suspicious of the correspondence having been examined, for he wrote: "there is another point that i wish to impress on you, and that is, always to post registered letters in different post offices or districts. but you do that probably on your own accord." yet again, in a letter dated september , from potsdam, steinhauer emphasised the need for caution. "you can imagine," he wrote, "for yourself that we need in all directions only good, sure, and trustworthy people. we must be safe from surprises on the part of the women. will you take another name instead of walters?" evidence of another travelling spy was afforded by letters addressed to "f. gould, queen charlotte hotel, rochester," and to "charles graham, care of mr gould," at the same address. the one directly addressed contained two five-pound notes, and the "care of" letter contained three of these. so far, the evidence had concerned letters addressed to ernst, and then the witness went on to tell of the letters sent by ernst to steinhauer. witness had from time to time opened these letters, acting under his official instructions, and had found they were posted in london to mrs or miss reimers, care of steinhauer, at a potsdam address. they were all in handwriting which he recognised as that of the prisoner, when given the opportunity of comparing the writing, and were variously signed "g.e.," "w. weller," and "j. walters." certain extracts from these letters were read in court by mr bodkin, and the following passages may be quoted: "dear mr steinhauer,--allow me to make a few suggestions which came into my head while reading the case of grosse. you will be able to see that your agent grosse had not the slightest consideration for your other agents. no more could be expected from a man who has already done ten years' penal servitude. therefore, i beg that when you give any one my address, you give a different name, such as w. weller. "i have immediately posted both letters. [to schutte and ireland.] herewith enclosed two sample letters. i should also like to mention that the papers are making a gigantic row respecting the stewart affair. to-day several papers had the interview and confession which he has made. w. weller." the "sample" letters referred to may be judged from the following, read in court from one of them: "dear sir,--my business has caused me to go to switzerland for a short time, and, as i shall not be back in london for about two months, i should like you to send on my letters, marked poste restante. any expenses you might incur i will make up on my return to london." another letter was as follows: "dear mr steinhauer,--i should be very pleased if you would address letters to j. walters, care of ernst. in future i shall sign my letters j. walters, so that no mistake can be made... with regard to your other order, i beg you to excuse me, as i don't at all wish to meet kruger. i have seen him once, and he does not please me. i myself got a letter for somebody, care of the _foxhound_. i did not post the letter in my vicinity, but in the west end. the newspapers have the sailor's photograph, and he is said to be named ireland, and to have been born in germany. i shall have nothing to do with it." another letter was mentioned in which the accused was alleged to have referred to what he described as "a fine article" in a monthly magazine with regard to the east coast defences, and he also enclosed a cutting from a newspaper which detailed the arrest of doctor graves of edinburgh. ernst's comments on this, as read in court, were: "it shows how dangerous it is to have letters addressed poste restante. i only say of myself that for one pound a month i will not live in fear, as i have indeed a good business which maintains me. in april i shall end my second year in your service, and i should like to ask that my salary be increased. a confidential post such as mine is worth shillings a month." further letters produced referred to the parrott case, and one of these contained a cutting from a paper giving a report of the evidence against parrott in the police-court. when asked if he wished to question the witness, ernst replied that he was unable to employ a solicitor, and had determined to reserve his defence until he appeared on trial. with that the hearing of the case was adjourned for a week. the detailed evidence, summarised above, is extremely interesting and enlightening, in that it outlines, with a few gaps, the working of the fixed post system, and further discloses that, in addition to the headquarter stations established at brussels, lausanne, berne, and other places outside germany, a headquarter station exists by means of which the fixed agents are enabled to communicate direct with berlin. moreover, this case demonstrates very forcibly the measures taken for counter-espionage, and shows that germany needs another stieber if the secret service of the present day is to be made as efficient as in the time of the first franco-german war. since the alleged treachery of ernst was in the knowledge of the police from the beginning of the time stated as his period of work, and since the alleged effect of his establishment as a fixed agent was to produce more arrests by the english and scottish police than useful news for germany, one is at liberty to entertain very grave doubts of the efficiency of a system which includes such establishments as this. the capture of letters, and their opening and tracing, is worthy of note, especially when it is remembered that not only were the post office authorities able to capture _incoming_ letters--a comparatively simple matter, once their suspicions were aroused--but also were able to trace and find the letters that ernst was alleged to have posted to potsdam--not so simple a matter, when it is remembered that he is alleged to have posted his missives from all over london. the chief feature of the case, as reported, is the credit it reflects on the british system of counter-espionage, and the way in which german efforts are neutralised. the length of time the prisoner had resided in england was in accordance with the system pursued at berlin, of planting men for use when they had passed out from chance of suspicion by reason of their having become to all intents citizens of the country on which espionage is required. the fact of naturalisation is proved to have no significance--nor, since a german retains his nationality if he wishes it, in spite of having been naturalised in any other country, should naturalisation be held as a bar to suspicion. the position held by the defendant, in which he was able to carry on an independent business of his own, is quite in accordance with secret-service methods--these are the men berlin wants for its fixed posts. the only discrepancy with known methods lies in the rate of pay known to be allowed to fixed agents in french centres, but this may be accounted for by the fact that ernst is alleged to have completed only a short period (two years or so) in the employment of the berlin secret service. such evidence as the prosecution gave, as shown in the foregoing report, is worthy of very careful attention with regard to the working of the espionage system. for such a post as that which ernst is alleged to have filled is but a link in a chain, and the chain is a long one. chapter twelve. other recent cases. bibliography. the work of the supply ship captured recently in a port on the east coast of scotland hardly comes within the limits of this book, but it is significant as showing the daring of german methods, which apparently include the obtaining of supplies from an enemy's country by means which endanger neutral shipping--so long as the neutral ships can be found to take the risks. it was noted by the naval authorities that german submarines had been displaying activity at such a distance from their legitimate ports of supply as to render probable and almost certain the existence of other sources of supply. a watch was consequently kept for suspicious neutral shipping, and in the end a capture was made. a vessel came into port and proceeded to load for departure, and the customs officers could find nothing wrong with her. her papers were in order, her cargo contained nothing in the nature of contraband of war, and there was no cause for detaining her, as far as could be seen. but there were noted on the deck of the vessel, neatly coiled, cables and cables, enough to furnish a whaler on a three-years' sailing voyage and leave over sufficient to start a ropemaker in business. all over the decks bulky coils of hawser lay, and though, at any other time, the hawsers might have passed without notice, it was felt by the customs men that the superabundance of rope justified further investigation than had already been bestowed on the boat. so one of the coils was unfastened, its wrappings removed, and the cable itself was uncoiled. then was it found that there was merely a shell of rope, which served as covering for a steel drum containing oil fuel suited for the use of submarine engines. and there the story ends. the other case which i propose to quote shows equal audacity. at the guildhall court there appeared, on october , george newton spencer, who described himself as a clerk, and gave his address as lubeckerstrasse, , hamburg, germany. he was charged with "unlawfully inciting mr frank henry houlder (houlder brothers, limited, leadenhall street and liverpool) to trade with the enemy." mr humphreys stated in opening the case for the prosecution that the charges against the accused were based on the trading with the enemy act of . the accused was a british subject (as they all seem to be) who had been long resident in germany, and had been clerk to a shipping company with a rather long name, but which might be translated as the transport shipping company of hamburg. the accused appeared to have been sent over to this country by his employers towards the end of september for the purpose of negotiating what, from their point of view, was a most important transaction. although an englishman, and of the age of thirty-two years, no difficulty was made by the german military authorities over the accused obtaining a pass to travel in germany and leave the country. there was little doubt that the object of his visit was known to the authorities, who gave him that permission, although, from the german emperor's point of view, he was an alien enemy. the prisoner arrive in london on september , and on the next day he called on mr houlder. he introduced himself by producing a document in english, signed by his employers, which contained the proposal which had been made the subject of the charge. the proposal was as follows: there were six ships owned by the company at hamburg, on which messrs. houlder had mortgages amounting to about , pounds. these ships, on the outbreak of the war, and certainly in september--were either in neutral ports, and therefore temporarily lost to their owners, or were prizes of war, and as such temporarily--and probably finally--lost to their owners. the proposal to messrs. houlder--to whom was payable , pounds on november , and , pounds on november , was to the effect that they should pay over , pounds to the hamburg firm, and take over three of the steamers. the result would be that the mortgages on all six of the vessels would be wiped off, and messrs. houlder would become the owners of them, while the steamship company at hamburg would have , pounds in cash to enable them to carry on their business. the fact that one of the steamers was a prize of war in gibraltar, and would probably be sold as such, made the proposal still more remarkable. since, under these circumstances, messrs. houlder could have no title, the hamburg firm were virtually, asking for cash for nothing. mr houlder did not seriously consider the proposition, but, having made up his mind what to do, told the defendant he would have to consult his solicitors, and mentioned the existence of the proclamation which he assumed would prevent them from carrying out the transaction. defendant replied to the effect that his employers had communicated with the german foreign office--as they had no proclamation--and had received permission to carry out the transaction. he handed mr houlder a bundle of documents in german, which showed that the defendant's employers in hamburg, before ever they attempted to put this transaction in form, obtained leave from their own authorities, to whom they stated their own frank view-point with regard to the matter. it was set out that monetary benefit to a certain amount would accrue to the hamburg company as a result of the transaction, and that the vessels were all old freight steamers, of no possible use to the german navy--neither were they fit for transport purposes. the berlin secretary of state for home affairs replied that no objection would be taken to the transaction. mr houlder communicated with the admiralty instead of with his solicitors, and in the meantime the defendant went to a firm of marine insurance agents and made a similar proposal--this time to the extent of about , pounds cash benefit to the hamburg firm. in neither case was any application made to the authorities in england for a licence to break the law regarding trading with the enemy. the total effect of the proposals, had they been carried through, would have been to place the hamburg company in possession of about , pounds, with no compensating advantage whatever to the british firms--and the defendant was committed for trial. he received sentence of imprisonment for his treachery on october , , after due and proper trial. the only point worthy of comment in connection with this case is the doubtful morality, in a business sense, of german firms. we may set aside the fact that a contravention of an enemy's law was attempted, for no country would consider or regard the laws of a country with which it was at war, unless they involved principles of definite conduct and were the laws of civilisation rather than the laws framed for the protection of the said enemy in time of war. the point at issue is that a shipping company of hamburg, by its offer of valueless titles in exchange for hard british cash, was attempting such a form of sharp practice as would land any british trader in the criminal courts for fraud. one is forced to the conclusion that among many germans, and even among german firms whose standing ought to guarantee the cleanliness of their hands in business, there is no such thing as honesty, at least where dealing with a foreign firm is concerned. these people asked two london firms to break british law, and to be swindled. by german ethics, evidently, this is fair play and just dealing. it is an effect of the spy system on the moral fibre of the nation, rather than an instance of the working of the spy system itself--though the british subject who passed out from germany at an acute point of the war between the two countries, without being questioned by german authorities, looks perilously like a spy at work, and the nature of his other missions in england, had he been left at liberty, calls for some speculation. much may be learned with regard to the present working of german spies by intelligent perusal of the war reports, especially those coming from france, for the russian theatre of war is so tremendous and so far off that the small details seldom come through--the details small in themselves, but of far-reaching import. as an instance may be again mentioned the way in which german troops, occupying a town, chalk on certain doors "spare this house"--there is a world of enlightenment in the three words. similarly, in advance and retreat the germans have their agents with them or near them, and often the report makes tacit admission of the fact, in such a way that it is clear to one who reads with the espionage system in mind. the work of these agents is as endless as it is dishonourable and deadly--a poison that works just as efficiently as the legitimate weapons of war--and often more efficiently, since one can guard against an open weapon, but against the treachery that uses naturalisation and all things to further the ends of the monster trampling across the earth, there is no guard that soldiers can use as they use their weapons against troops opposed to them. the bibliography of espionage--german espionage--is a brief one, so far as books of value are concerned. first and foremost stand stieber's memoirs, which tell all that stieber chose to tell--and that is a good deal. the work has been translated into french, but not into english. there is the "indiscretions" of wollheim, a book which gives some idea of the system, but is mainly concerned with incident. the memoirs of busch, bismarck's friend, afford further light on the system, but only in a fragmentary way. "military espionage in peace and war," by w.n. klembovski, a russian staff officer, is more a manual of what ought to be done by purely military spies than a book descriptive of the german system. "espionage militaire," by lieutenant froment of the french army, is open to the same class of criticism, as is to a certain extent "espionage," by n. de chilly, though the last named is a more informative book. "the german spy system in france," an english translation of paul lanoir's book on the subject, is a brief but well-compiled review of what germany has accomplished in the way of espionage since in france, and although rather pessimistic in tone as regards french counter-measures, ranks as a work of value. as a rule "confessions" of spies may be disregarded, though they make good melodramatic reading. the nature of the subject is such that those who would tell the whole cannot, and those who can will not. bearing in mind the effect of thorough espionage on the german nation as a whole, it is to be hoped that in the near future the whole system will be swept away, together with the form of government that gave it birth and room to grow. chapter thirteen. appendix. since the preceding pages were written, and as proofs are being passed for press, the following statement has been issued for publication by the home office with regard to british counter-espionage measures: "in view of the anxiety naturally felt by the public with regard to the system of espionage on which germany has placed so much reliance, and to which attention has been directed by recent reports from the seat of war, it may be well to state briefly the steps which the home office, acting on behalf of the admiralty and war office, has taken to deal with the matter in this country. the secrecy which it has hitherto been desirable in the public interest to observe on certain points cannot any longer be maintained, owing to the evidence which it is necessary to produce in cases against spies that are now pending. "it was clearly ascertained five or six years ago that the germans were making great efforts to establish a system of espionage in this country, and in order to trace and thwart these efforts a special intelligence department was established by the admiralty and the war office which has ever since acted in the closest co-operation with the home office and metropolitan police and the principal provincial police forces. in , by the passing of the official secrets act, , the law with regard to espionage, which had hitherto been confused and defective, was put on a clear basis and extended so as to embrace every possible mode of obtaining and conveying to the enemy information which might be useful in war. "the special intelligence department, supported by all the means which could be placed at its disposal by the home secretary, was able in three years, from to , to discover the ramifications of the german secret service in england. in spite of enormous efforts and lavish expenditure of money by the enemy, little valuable information passed into their hands. the agents, of whose identity knowledge was obtained by the special intelligence department, were watched and shadowed without in general taking any hostile action or allowing them to know that their movements were watched. when, however, any actual step was taken to convey plans or documents of importance from this country to germany the spy was arrested, and in such case evidence sufficient to secure his conviction was usually found in his possession. proceedings under the official secrets acts were taken by the director of public prosecutions, and in six cases sentences were passed varying from eighteen months to six years' penal servitude. at the same time steps were taken to mark down and keep under observation all the agents known to be engaged in this traffic, so that when any necessity arose the police might lay hands on them at once, and accordingly on august , before the declaration of war, instructions were given by the home secretary for the arrest of twenty known spies, and all were arrested. this figure does not cover a large number (upwards of two hundred) who were noted as under suspicion or to be kept under special observation. the great majority of these were interned at or soon after the declaration of war. "none of the men arrested in pursuance of the orders issued on august has yet been brought to trial, partly because the officers whose evidence would have been required were engaged in urgent duties in the early days of the war, but mainly because the prosecution, by disclosing the means adopted to track out the spies and prove their guilt, would have hampered the intelligence department in its further efforts. they were, and still are, held as prisoners under the powers given to the secretary of state by the aliens restriction act. one of them, however, who established a claim to british nationality, has now been formally charged, and, the reasons for delay no longer existing, it is a matter for consideration whether the same course should now be taken with regard to some of the other known spies. "although this action taken on august is believed to have broken up the spy organisation which had been established before the war, it is still necessary to take the most rigorous measures to prevent the establishment of any fresh organisation and to deal with individual spies who might previously have been working in this country outside the organisation, or who might be sent here under the guise of neutrals after the declaration of war. in carrying this out the home office and war office have now the assistance of the cable censorship, and also of the postal censorship, which, established originally to deal with correspondence with germany and austria, has been gradually extended (as the necessary staff could be obtained) so as to cover communications with those neutral countries through which correspondence might readily pass to germany or austria. the censorship has been extremely effective in stopping secret communications by cable or letter with the enemy; but, as its existence was necessarily known to them, it has not, except in a few instances, produced materials for the detection of espionage. "on august the aliens restriction act was passed, and within an hour of its passing an order-in-coundl was made which gave the home office and the police stringent powers to deal with aliens, and especially enemy aliens, who under this act could be stopped from entering or leaving the united kingdom, and were prohibited while residing in this country from having in their possession any wireless or signalling apparatus of any kind, or any carrier or homing pigeons. under this order all those districts where the admiralty or war office considered it undesirable that enemy aliens should reside have been cleared by the police of germans and austrians, with the exception of a few persons, chiefly women and children, whose character and antecedents are such that the local chief constable, in whose discretion the matter is vested by the order, considered that all ground for suspicion was precluded. at the same time the post office, acting under the powers given them by the wireless telegraphy acts, dismantled all private wireless stations; and they established a special system of wireless detection by which any station actually used for the transmission of messages from this country could be discovered. the police have co-operated successfully in this matter with the post office. "new and still more stringent powers for dealing with espionage were given by the defence of the realm act, which was passed by the home secretary through the house of commons and received the royal assent on august . orders-in-council have been made under this act which prohibit, in the widest terms, any attempt on the part either of aliens or of british subjects to communicate any information which is calculated `to be or might be directly or indirectly useful to an enemy'; and any person offending against this prohibition is liable to be tried by court-martial and sentenced to penal servitude for life. the effect of these orders is to make espionage a military offence. power is given both to the police and to the military authorities to arrest without a warrant any person whose behaviour is such as to give rise to suspicion, and any person so arrested by the police would be handed over to the military authorities for trial by court-martial. only in the event of the military authorities holding that there is no prima-facie case of espionage or any other offence tryable by military law is a prisoner handed back to the civil authorities to consider whether he should be charged with failing to register or with any other offence under the aliens restriction act. "the present position is, therefore, that espionage has been made by statute a military offence tryable by court-martial. if tried under the defence of the realm act, the maximum punishment is penal servitude for life; but if dealt with outside that act as a war crime the punishment of death can be inflicted. "at the present moment one case is pending in which a person charged with attempting to convey information to the enemy is now awaiting his trial by court-martial, but in no other case has any clear trace been discovered of any attempt to convey information to the enemy, and there is good reason to believe that the spy organisation crushed at the outbreak of the war has not been re-established. "how completely that system had been suppressed in the early days of the war is clear from the fact--disclosed in a german army order--that on august the german military commanders were still ignorant of the despatch and movements of the british expeditionary force, although these had been known for many days to a large number of people in this country. "the fact, however, of this initial success does not prevent the possibility of fresh attempts at espionage being made, and there is no relaxation in the efforts of the intelligence department and of the police to watch and detect any attempts in this direction. in carrying out their duties, the military and police authorities would expect that persons having information of cases of suspected espionage would communicate the grounds of the suspicion to local military authority or to the local police, who are in direct communication with the special intelligence department, instead of causing unnecessary public alarm, and possibly giving warning to the spies by public speeches or letters to the press. in cases in which the director of public prosecutions has appealed to the authors of such letters and speeches to supply him with the evidence upon which their statements were founded in order that he might consider the question of prosecuting the offender, no evidence of any value has as yet been forthcoming. "among other measures which have been taken has been the registration, by order of the secretary of state, made under the defence of the realm act, of all persons keeping carrier or homing pigeons. the importation and the conveyance by rail of these birds have been prohibited; and, with the valuable assistance of the national homing union, a system of registration has been extended to the whole of the united kingdom, and measures have been taken which it is believed will be effective to prevent the possibility of any birds being kept in this country which would fly to the continent. "another matter which has engaged the closest attention of the police has been the possibility of conspiracies to commit outrage. no trace whatever has been discovered of any such conspiracy, and no outrage of any sort has yet been committed by any alien--not even telegraph-wires having been maliciously cut since the beginning of the war. nevertheless, it has been necessary to bear in mind the possibility that such a secret conspiracy might exist or might be formed among alien enemies resident in this country. "accordingly, immediately after the commencement of hostilities, rigorous search was made by the police in the houses of germans and austrians, in their clubs and in all places where they were likely to resort. in a few cases individuals were found who were in possession of a gun or pistol which they had not declared, and in one or two cases there were small collections of ancient firearms, and in such cases the offenders have been prosecuted and punished; but no store of effective arms--still less any bombs or instruments of destruction--have so far been discovered. "from the beginning, any germans or austrians who were deemed by the police to be likely to be dangerous were apprehended, handed over to the military authorities, and detained as prisoners of war; and, as soon as the military authorities desired it, general action was taken to arrest and hand over to military custody germans of military age, subject to exceptions which have properly been made on grounds of policy. about , germans and austrians of military age have been so arrested, and are held as prisoners of war in detention camps, and among them are included those who are regarded by the police as likely in any possible event to take part in any outbreak of disorder or incendiarism." available by internet archive (https://archive.org) note: project gutenberg also has an html version of this file which includes the original illustrations. see -h.htm or -h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/ / -h/ -h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/ / -h.zip) images of the original pages are available through internet archive. see https://archive.org/details/boyspiesofphilad otis transcriber's note: text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). text enclosed by equal signs is in bold face (=bold=). [illustration: "you seem to be afraid a fellow will get away," seth said bitterly.] the boy spies of philadelphia the story of how the young spies helped the continental army at valley forge by james otis a. l. burt company publishers new york copyright by a. l. burt under the title of with washington at monmouth the boy spies of philadelphia contents. page chapter i. a "market-stopper." chapter ii. under arrest chapter iii. in sore distress chapter iv. a bold scheme chapter v. the patrol chapter vi. released chapter vii. on the alert chapter viii. barren hill chapter ix. robert greene chapter x. conciliatory bills chapter xi. a recognition chapter xii. important information chapter xiii. the evacuation chapter xiv. lord gordon chapter xv. on special duty chapter xvi. tory hospitality chapter xvii. in self-defense chapter xviii. preparing for action chapter xix. a friendly warning chapter xx. the victors the boy spies of philadelphia chapter i. a "market-stopper." on the morning of april , , three boys, the eldest of whom was not more than sixteen years of age and the youngest hardly a year his junior, were standing on that side of the town-house nearest the pillory, in the city of philadelphia. they were not engaged in sportive conversation, nor occupied with schemes for pleasure, as is usually the case with boys of such age; but wore a graver look than seemed suitable to youth under ordinary circumstances. these boys were witnessing and taking part in events decidedly startling--events well calculated to impress themselves upon the minds even of children. it is hardly necessary, because such fact is familiar to all americans, to say that on the th of september, , general howe took possession of the city of philadelphia, and it was yet occupied by the british forces on this d day of april, . the past winter had been one of gayety for the wealthy tory inhabitants of the city, since the english officers were pleased to spend their time in every form of revelry, and ever ready to accept the more than generous hospitality which was extended by such of the citizens as were desirous of remaining under british rule. the officers of the army indulged to the utmost their love for luxury and ease while serving in the command of the indolent howe, and the privates had so far followed the example set by their superiors that the king's troops had become more demoralized by this winter of idleness than could have been possible under almost any other circumstances. so great was this demoralization that benjamin franklin was able to say with truth, when taunted with the fact that the enemy had captured the city: "general howe has not taken philadelphia; philadelphia has taken general howe." it was at about the time of which this story treats that the british government decided to give command of the forces under general howe to sir henry clinton, and those of the population loyal to the cause of freedom were considerably exercised in mind as to how this change of officers might effect them. the three boys, who have as yet hardly been introduced, were by no means prominent in the cause of freedom; in fact they had but just arrived at an age when they began to realize their responsibilities, and as yet had been powerless to perform any great deed in behalf of the cause. the eldest was jacob ludwick, son of that christopher ludwick, baker of germantown, who, having amassed considerable property before the beginning of the struggle for freedom, gave one entire half of it for the cause, and swore at the same time never to shave until the united states were free and independent. as is known, washington made him baker-general of the army; but as yet young jacob had never been able to gain his father's consent to his enlisting. the second of the trio in point of age was seth graydon, son of that widow graydon who kept a boarding-house in drinker's alley, which had been largely patronized during the winter by officers of the forty-second highland and the royal irish regiments. the third was enoch ball, also the son of a widow, and his mother it was who had for several years taught french and dancing in her home on letitia street. these three boys had grown old beyond their years during the past winter. they had witnessed, and more particularly in the case of seth graydon, the revelry of the officers who had come to whip into submission the struggling patriots, and well knew to what desperate straits, even for the common necessities of life, were driven the families of those men who had enlisted in the american army. they saw the invading foe and their sympathizers enjoying every luxury of the table, while hundreds of the poorer classes were literally starving. those loyal to the american cause had suffered severely from lack of food and fuel, and were now questioning as to whether, under this newly appointed commander, they would not be called upon to bear yet greater troubles. neither of these three lads had ever been hungrier than boys of their age usually are at all times; yet they realized what suffering might come, if, as had been rumored, sir henry clinton was an officer who believed harsh measures necessary when dealing with "rebels." "there's no doubt about the order having been given," seth said in reply to a question from one of his companions. "the officers were discussing it last evening, and seemed to think, as they always do, that i can work them no harm through learning their secrets. the time shall come, however, if they stay here much longer, when i will prove that even a boy can be of service to his country." "but what is the order?" enoch ball asked impatiently. "the entire army is to be in readiness, with three days' rations, to start at a moment's warning on some maneuver which will be executed between now and the fifth of this month." "do you suppose general howe intends to march to valley forge?" jacob asked, with no slight show of anxiety as he thought that his father might be in danger. "that cannot be. since the british took possession of philadelphia there have been many better opportunities for them to fall upon general washington and his command than now, and it is not likely the enemy would have remained idle all winter waiting to strike a blow after our friends were prepared for it." "but _are_ they prepared for it?" jacob asked. "so i heard lord gordon say last night. he declared that, thanks to the instructions of the baron de steuben, the american troops were never in better condition, so far as discipline is concerned, than they are at present, and now that the sufferings caused by the severe winter have come to an end, they are in good spirits." "but if the command is to be taken from general howe, why is he getting ready for any movement?" "if i could answer that question, enoch, i might be able to give even general washington information for which he would thank me." "do you know why general howe is to be removed from his command?" "i have heard the british officers say he was severely censured by parliament for his blunder in causing the disaster to burgoyne's army by going to the chesapeake as he did. it seems that he has asked permission to go home, and that is why sir henry clinton has been given the command." "this maneuver to be executed before the fifth may be one which has been ordered in advance by clinton," jacob suggested. "if such had been the case, the officers who were discussing the matter would have said so." "whether it be the one or the other, i do not understand how we can be benefited by having the information. why did you say that at last we had work to do?" "for this reason, enoch ball: we are now old enough to be of some service to the cause. jacob's father refuses to allow him to enlist. mother insists i must remain at home while the british are in possession of the city, and that is also the reason why you are not already a soldier. now even though we are not in the army, it may be possible for us to aid our friends, and surely nothing at this time can be more important than making them acquainted with the fact that the britishers are getting ready for some important movement." "but how can we let them know?" enoch asked with considerable show of trepidation, for it was not yet two weeks since he had seen a man flogged with an hundred lashes because of its being suspected that his intention was to enter the american lines. "it is not impossible for one of us to find an officer within a few miles of the town who would forward the information. i believe i know where general reed and general cadwalader are, or, at least, how to reach them." "would you attempt to leave the city on such an errand?" "i would, and will." "and you expect us to go with you?" enoch continued, showing yet greater signs of fear. "not unless you choose." "two can do the work as well as three," jacob interrupted. "if you and i go, seth, there is no reason why enoch need be afraid, for we shan't need him." "but do you think i would let you make an attempt to aid the cause, and not be with you?" "you are frightened now at the very thought of it," jacob replied scornfully. "yes; and if i am, what then? i may be afraid, for it was terrible to see that poor man's back cut with the lash; but yet i should go if you went." "now you are showing yourself to be brave, enoch," seth said approvingly, but before he could finish the sentence a shouting, yelling mob turned from high street[a] into second, and the boys darted forward to learn the cause of the commotion. "they have captured another market-stopper," jacob said a moment later as they neared the noisy throng. the term he used was one given by the british to those americans stationed near the city to prevent such farmers as had no scruples against selling provisions to the enemy from disposing of their wares save to those who favored the cause. during the winter just passed general howe had attempted to do little more than keep the roads open in order that the country people might come in with their marketing, and severe was the punishment he caused to be meted out to those who would thus attempt to shut off the supplies. "it is the farmers themselves who should be whipped!" jacob cried indignantly. "they care not how much aid is given to the enemy so that money comes into their pockets, and the freedom of their country is as nothing compared with the price at which eggs, butter or potatoes can be sold." "it is better to keep a quiet tongue, jacob ludwick," seth whispered. "there are too many redcoats for us in the crowd, and if one of them should hear your words, that soldier would not be the only one pilloried this day." "i do not care to fall into their clutches, and therefore i remain silent while good patriots like this light-horseman are being abused; but if it ever happens that the odds are more nearly even i shall say for once to a redcoat what is in my mind." "and get a flogging for your pains, without having done any one good?" "as to whether i am whipped depends upon how well the britisher can fight, while i'm certain great good will be done me by the opportunity to use my tongue as i please." "don't talk so loud," enoch whispered impatiently. "we shall all find ourselves in the jail or on the pillory unless you are careful." it was quite time jacob put a bridle on his tongue; the throng of idlers and soldiers who were amusing themselves by pelting the light-horseman with stale eggs, decaying vegetables, or other filth, had now approached so near the boys that words even less loudly spoken could have been overheard. the prisoner made no effort to protect himself from the unsavory shower; he probably realized that any attempt to do so would only result in his being used more roughly, and did his best to appear unconcerned. "do not stay here while he is being whipped," seth whispered. "what we saw this day a week ago was more than enough for me, and i hope i'll never witness another flogging." "wait awhile," and jacob went nearer the prisoner. "i do not think this one is to be served in that way. see! they are going to put him on the pillory, and by stopping here until the beasts are weary of abusing a helpless man we may be able to render him some assistance." seth no longer insisted on leaving the place; the thought had come into his mind that this soldier could tell him where the information he believed the americans should have would be the most valuable, and it was not improbable they might have an opportunity to talk with him privately. during half an hour after the prisoner had been placed in the pillory the mob jeered, hooted and pelted him with missiles of every description, and then, one by one, tiring of the inhuman sport, they left the yard for fresh amusement, until the three boys and the horseman were alone, save for the curious ones who, passing by on the street, stopped a moment to look at the soldier. "it will not always be allowed that the men who are fighting for our liberties can be treated like this in philadelphia," seth said in a cautious tone as he stepped so near the pillory that those at the entrance of the yard could not overhear the words. "are you a friend?" the prisoner asked with some show of surprise. "i had begun to think there were none left in this town since howe has made so brave a show, while we at valley forge have been starving." "there are as many friends to the cause in the city as before the britishers came; but it can do no good for that fact to be known while we are powerless to act." "you are old enough to serve in the ranks, and should be there, if you would aid the cause." "so we shall be in good time, friend; but it is not all who are the most willing that can do as they choose. this boy," and seth pulled jacob forward, "is the son of ludwick the baker, of whom you must have heard." "heard, lad? why i know chris ludwick as well as i know myself! do you tell me that he won't allow his son to enlist?" "he has promised to give his consent this spring, and when jacob signs the rolls enoch and i will go with him." "then you will have done only that which is your duty. if general washington could have as many men as he needs, this war would soon be ended, with the united states free and independent." "we shall do our share," seth replied, speaking more hurriedly lest those who had captured the prisoner should put an end to the interview before he had accomplished his purpose. "if you believe us to be friends, tell me where we can find an officer of the american army?" "i have heard you say you were friends; but even if i was able to answer your question i should hesitate about giving any information until i had better surety of your purpose than words which might be spoken by any one." "then you shall know why i asked, and after that say if we may be trusted. my mother keeps a boarding-house, and among her guests are several british officers; last night i heard them talking about an order which has just been issued, to the effect that a large portion of the army is to be ready to move at a moment's warning. from what they said, it seems certain some important move is to be made before the fifth of the month." "why are you so certain as to the date?" the man asked after a brief pause, during which he appeared to be settling some question in his own mind. "it was so said by the officers." "and you have no idea of what may be on foot?" "i know nothing, except as i have told you. those who were talking appeared to be ignorant of what it meant." the prisoner remained silent several moments, and then said in a whisper: "i shall trust you, lads, for it seems necessary the information should be known at headquarters. if you are deceiving me, you must always remember it as a scurvy trick, and one not worthy even a tory." "but we are not deceiving you, nor are we tories. you know what would be the penalty if we were discovered trying to send information to the continental army, and yet we are willing to take all the risks, if thereby we can aid our friends." "that you can, lad, if it so be what you have heard is true. will you be able to leave town at once?" "within an hour." "very well, you cannot go too soon. if you travel six miles on the delaware road i'll answer for it that you meet some of our friends who will conduct you to those whom you wish to see. don't tell your story to any officer lower in rank than a colonel, and do not be surprised if those whom you meet give rough usage at first. hold both your tongue and your temper until the purpose has been accomplished, and then i warrant you will be well thanked for the service." "we will go at once," jacob said decidedly. "is there anything we can do for you, friend?" "what i most want is to get my neck and wrists out of this contrivance, and that is exactly what you can't help me in the doing. i suppose i should be thankful for being let off so lightly." "indeed you should!" enoch replied quickly. "the britishers have been flogging the market-stoppers, and that punishment is truly terrible." "i have seen those who had a taste of it," the prisoner said grimly, "and have no desire to take a dose. but do not stand here talking with me when you have valuable information to give our friends. when you meet with soldiers of our army, say that ezra grimshaw sent you to speak with colonel powers." "is your name grimshaw?" enoch asked. "yes, lad. if you can get speech with colonel powers you need have no fear of rough treatment. now set out, for time may be precious. which of you is to do the work?" "all," enoch replied quickly, as if fearing that, because of the timidity he had displayed, his friends might deprive him of the opportunity to do his share. "there is no need of but one," grimshaw said decidedly, "and many reasons why three should not make the venture, chiefest of which is, that so many might attract the attention of the enemy's patrol, while a single boy on the road would pass unchallenged." "it is not right one should have all the honor, while the others are deprived of their share," enoch replied decidedly. "lad, is it honor for yourself or the good of the country you have most at heart?" grimshaw asked sternly. "i want to be known as one who did not remain idle when he was needed." "if you really desire to do good to the cause, decide among yourselves as to who shall go, and then let the other two aid him all they can. do not spend the time in squabbling, but set about the business without delay." there was no opportunity for him to say more; at that moment a party of british officers entered the yard, evidently bent on amusing themselves by making sport of the prisoner, and the boys were forced to step aside. seth beckoned for his comrades to follow him, and not until he was on high street did he speak. then it was to say: "grimshaw was right; we must not quarrel as to who shall go, but settle the matter at once. of course each one wants----" "i should have the chance," jacob said decidedly. "either of you may have some trouble to get away; but it is not so with me. my aunt will not worry if i am absent a week; she knows i----" "either enoch or i would have permission to leave home if we explained the reason for going, and, therefore, are as much entitled to the position of messenger as you," seth interrupted. "then how shall it be decided?" "we will draw lots. here is a straw; will you hold it, jacob?" "not i, for i want the chance to make my choice." "then i will do it," and seth turned his back to his companions an instant, saying, as he faced them once more, "i have broken the straw into one long and two short pieces. he who draws the longest shall start at once." jacob insisted on making his choice first, arguing that such advantage should be his because he was the eldest, and, after considerable study, drew one of the fragments from seth's hand. it was so short that he knew the position of messenger was not for him, and stepped back with an expression of bitter disappointment on his face. enoch was no more successful, and seth said triumphantly, as he held up the piece remaining in in his hand: "it is for me! if you two will tell mother where i've gone i'll start at once." "that part of the work shall be done properly," jacob replied, all traces of ill-humor vanishing from his face. "if she allows it, i'll take your place till you get back." "mother will be glad to have you there. try to hear all the officers talk about; but do not let it appear that you are listening." "don't fear for me. shall we walk a mile or so with you?" "it would do no good, and might not be safe. tell mother i shall be back to-night, or early to-morrow morning, for i don't intend to let the grass grow under my feet." "keep out of the britishers' way, or we may have to go down to the town-house in order to see you again," enoch said with a furtive hand-clasp as the three separated, two to go to drinker's alley, and the third to render to the cause what service was in his power. footnote: [a] now market street. chapter ii. under arrest. there was no doubt in seth's mind but that it would be comparatively easy to perform the mission which he had taken upon himself. he believed the only difficulty to overcome would be that of finding colonel powers, or an officer equal or superior to him in rank. so far as making an excursion on the delaware road was concerned, it seemed an exceedingly simple matter, and seth thought, as he set off at his best pace, that it was possible a fellow could aid the cause very materially without being called upon to endure much suffering, or to perform any severe work. he met several of the country people coming into the city with poultry, eggs or butter, they being quick to take advantage of the fact that the road had been lately cleared of market-stoppers by the raid which resulted in making of ezra grimshaw a prisoner. during the first half-hour of his journey he fancied that every person he met looked at him scrutinizingly, as if suspicious because he had left the city; but this sensation soon wore away as the time passed and no one molested him, after which he really began to enjoy this impromptu excursion. when an hour had passed, during which time seth walked at his best pace, he decided he was at least four miles from the town, and the likelihood of being stopped by the british patrol no longer seemed probable. grimshaw had told him if he traveled six miles in this direction he would meet with detachments of americans, and he believed he was now in that portion of the country where his mission should be successfully ended. there had not come into his mind the possibility that he could by any chance be considered a suspicious character by those whom he would aid, and he thought that it had been an excess of precaution to send word regarding the journey to his mother. "i shall be back by the time jacob and enoch have had a chance to tell the story," he muttered, "and it would have been as well if i hadn't allowed mother an opportunity to worry about me. general howe must have little fear of those whom he calls rebels if he allows people to leave the city as readily as i have done." twenty minutes later he was made glad by the sight of half a dozen horsemen on the road in advance of him, for he felt positive they were none other than those whom he wished to meet. now it was no longer necessary he should press forward rapidly in order to accomplish his purpose, for the mounted party came toward him at full speed. "where are you from, lad?" the leader asked as he drew rein directly in front of seth. "from the town," the young patriot replied readily, positive of receiving a friendly greeting as soon as his errand was made known. "i want to see colonel powers. ezra grimshaw told me i would find him hereabouts." "where did you see grimshaw?" the horseman asked more sternly than seth thought necessary. "on the pillory. he was captured by the britishers somewhere out----" "yes, we know all about that," the man interrupted, "but grimshaw would never have told anybody where we might be found." "but he did," seth replied stoutly, "and it was under his advice that i came out here to see colonel powers." it seemed strange that this statement should be questioned, yet the young messenger was quite certain from the expression on the faces of the horsemen that such was the case, and as they glanced at each other suspiciously and incredulously, he hastened to add: "i have information which should be made known to the leaders of the continental army, and grimshaw told me to come here and repeat it to colonel powers." "you have information?" the leader asked sharply. "and who may you be, sir?" "seth graydon." "are you the son of that widow graydon who keeps the boarding-house for english officers?" "yes," seth replied without hesitation. "i heard----" "how did you get speech with grimshaw if he was on the pillory?" one of the men asked abruptly. "i, with two friends, was near the town-house when those who made the capture brought him in, and by waiting until the curious ones had gone away it was not difficult to speak with him privately." "was he flogged?" the leader asked. "no, sir." "nor treated more severely than being put on the pillory?" "no, sir." "and yet he told where we could be found?" "yes, because he was eager one of us should have speech with colonel powers." "if the british officers who board with your mother have sent you on this errand they will be disappointed at the result of their scheme. the tories of philadelphia are not giving out valuable information to those who are faithful to the cause." the leader spoke so sternly that for the first time since he parted with his comrades seth began to feel uncomfortable in mind. "but i am not a tory!" he cried stoutly. "then you have not taken due advantage of your surroundings," the officer said with a laugh. "a great hulking lad like you would be in the continental army if he had any love for the cause, instead of playing the spy for the sake of british gold." "but i am not playing the spy," and now seth began to grow angry. "i came out here to render you a service, at the risk of being flogged if it is known that i left the city for such a purpose. i intend to enlist as soon as the britishers have left philadelphia." "indeed? is that true, my lad? you will enlist when we are on the winning side, and not before, eh?" "can i see colonel powers?" seth asked hotly. "or will you take me to some one equal in rank with him?" "you shall have an opportunity of seeing an officer in the continental army, don't fear as to that; but if you count on going back to philadelphia in time to give valuable information to the britishers, you are mistaken. they will look for their spy quite a spell before seeing him." "i tell you i am not a spy!" seth interrupted. "that you shall have an opportunity to prove. have you any weapons?" "indeed i haven't." "look him over, hubbard, and make certain he isn't telling more lies," the leader said to one of his followers, and the man dismounted at once, searching seth's person so roughly that the boy forgot grimshaw's warning to control his temper. "you shall be made sorry for this!" he cried hotly. "you shall learn----" a blow on the side of the head caused him to reel, and he would have fallen but that he staggered against one of the horses. "howe's tory brood grow bold, thinking their master as powerful as he would make it seem," the leader said with a laugh, and added in a threatening tone to seth, "march ahead of us, young man! don't make the mistake of thinking you can give us the slip! your desire to see an officer in the continental army shall speedily be gratified." "if this is the way you treat those who would do you a service, it is little wonder you fail to receive much valuable information!" the boy cried angrily. "keep your tongue between your teeth, and march on! any further insolence, and you shall be made to understand that howe is not the only person who can order floggings administered. forward, men, and shoot the tory spawn if he makes any attempt to escape." seth recognized the fact that it would be worse than useless to resist, and obeyed sullenly. at that moment he was very nearly a tory at heart, for such treatment seemed brutal in the extreme after he had ventured so much in the hope of being of service to his country. "if this is the way those who would aid the cause are received i don't wonder general washington finds it difficult to raise recruits," seth said to himself. "when i have told jacob and enoch of my reception by those whom we called friends there will be three who won't enlist as was intended." it seemed to the boy as if there was no excuse for his thus being made a prisoner, and he felt only bitterness toward those who, an hour previous, he would have been proud to assist. the troopers kept him moving at his best pace, urging him in front of the horses with their naked swords, hesitating not to prick him roughly now and then when he lagged, until two miles or more had been traversed, when they arrived at what was little more than a trail through the woods, leading from the main road, and here he was ordered to wheel to the right. just for an instant he was tempted to make one effort at escaping; but, fortunately, he realized the futility of such a move, and went swiftly up the path as he had been commanded. twenty minutes later, when he was nearly breathless owing to the rapid march, the party had arrived at what was evidently a rendezvous for the american patrols. it was an open space in the midst of dense woods, and here a dozen or more horses were tethered to the trees, while as many men were lounging about in a most indolent fashion. "what have you got there, jordan?" one of the idlers cried, and the leader replied with a coarse laugh: "a young tory who is trying to win his spurs in a most bungling fashion." "from the town?" "he is the son of the woman who runs a boarding-house for british officers, and claims to have been sent by grimshaw." "where is grimshaw?" "on the pillory, so the boy says. he was captured this morning by some of the queen's rangers." "he is like to have a sore back when he shows up here again." "we will send them one in return," captain jordan replied, pointing to seth. "it won't be a bad idea to show howe that we can swing the whip as well as his redcoats, and if ever a cub deserved a flogging it is this one." "we've got nothing else to do, so let's try our hand on him," some one cried, and seth looked around terrified. if these men decided to treat him as a tory he would be powerless against them, and there seemed little chance he could convince the troopers of the truth of his statement. two of the soldiers began cutting birchen switches, as if believing the suggestion would be carried into effect immediately, and seth's face grew very white. "we'll dress him down to your liking captain, if you give the word," one of the men who had begun the preparations for the punishment cried, as if eager to be at the work. "it's time we commenced to show the britishers that the floggings are not to be all on one side." captain jordan, although the first to make such a suggestion, was not prepared to give the order, knowing full well that he would be exceeding his authority should he do so, and replied with a laugh: "we shan't lose anything by waiting, so there's no need of being in a hurry. look out for the prisoner, hubbard, and see to it that he don't escape you." the trooper thus commanded seized seth roughly by the shoulder, and half-dragging, half-leading him to a tree on one side of the clearing, proceeded to fetter the boy by tying him securely. "you seem to be afraid a fellow will get away," seth said bitterly. "fifteen or twenty men should be enough to guard one boy." "very likely they are, lad; but we don't intend to give ourselves any more trouble than is necessary. you will stay here, i reckon, and we shan't be put to the bother of watching you." there was something in the man's tone which caused seth to believe he might be made a friend. by this time he realized it was worse than useless for him to display temper, and that it might yet be possible to escape the threatened punishment. therefore he said in a conciliatory tone: "does it seem so strange to you, my wish to be of benefit to the cause, that you cannot believe my story sufficiently to allow me an interview with colonel powers?" "i don't see where the harm would be in that, lad; but it isn't for me to say. captain jordan is in command of this squad." "but hark you, mr. hubbard. i have told only the truth. if my mother, a poor widow woman, is forced to take english officers as boarders, does that make of me a tory?" "well, lad, i can't rightly say it does, though after the junketin's you people have had in philadelphia this winter, i allow all hands are more or less afflicted with that disease." "but i am not. the story i told about meeting grimshaw is true. one of my companions is the son of chris ludwick, whom likely you know; we drew lots to see who should come here, and i was pleased because the choice fell on me. do you think it right that i should be flogged and sent back before your officers have had time to find out whether i am telling the truth or a lie?" "no, lad, i don't, for i allow you have had plenty of chances to hear that which would be valuable to our side; but whether you would tell it or not is another matter." "why shouldn't i want to tell it? are the soldiers of the continental army the only men in the country who love the cause?" "those who love the cause should be in the army when men are needed as now." "before general howe took possession of philadelphia i was too young to be received as a soldier--am too young now; but shall make the attempt to enter as soon as possible." "would you be willing to enlist to-day?" "not until i have talked with my mother. she depends upon me for assistance, and it isn't right i should leave home without her permission. but that has nothing to do with the story i came to tell. i swear to you i have heard that which should be known to your officers. i told it to grimshaw, and he insisted i should not repeat it to any one of lower rank than a colonel." "then it must be mighty important information." "so it is; yet without giving me an opportunity to tell it i am to be kept here and flogged." "that is captain jordan's affair," hubbard replied; but seth understood that his words had had some effect upon the man, and he continued yet more earnestly: "there can be no harm in taking me to colonel powers, for after that has been done you will still have the opportunity to give me a flogging. when i have repeated that which i came to say i shall yet be a prisoner." hubbard made no reply to this, but walked quickly away to where jordan was talking with a group of the men, and seth began to hope he could yet accomplish his purpose, although he was far from feeling comfortable in mind as to what might be the final result of his attempt to aid the cause. during the next half-hour no one came sufficiently near the prisoner to admit of his entering into another conversation. the men were discussing some matter very earnestly, and seth believed he himself was the subject. then the scene was changed. ten or twelve horsemen rode into the open, and by their uniforms seth understood that officers of a higher rank than captain jordan had arrived. the newcomers did not dismount, but received the captain's report while in the saddle, and then, to the prisoner's great delight, rode directly toward him. "what is your name?" the eldest member of the party asked. "seth graydon." "is it true that your mother has as boarders many officers of the british army?" "yes, sir. there are seven from the forty-second highlanders, five of the royal irish regiment, and lord cosmo gordon." "and you overheard a conversation at your mother's house which you believed would be of value to us?" "yes, sir," and seth told in detail of his conversation with ezra grimshaw, concluding by asking, "are you colonel powers?" "i am, my lad, and see no reason for doubting your good intentions. you have been roughly treated, it is true; but it has not been serious, and you must realize that the soldiers are suspicious because of the many attempts at treachery this spring. you say you told grimshaw what you had heard? did he insist you should repeat it to me in private?" "no, sir. i was simply to tell no one of lower rank." "then what have you to say?" seth detailed the conversation he had heard in his mother's house, and colonel powers questioned him closely regarding the comments which had been made by the british officers at the time the subject was under discussion. when he had answered these questions to the best of his ability, the colonel beckoned for captain jordan, and said harshly: "i wonder, captain, that you and your troops should be so afraid of one boy as to bind him in such a manner. he has brought most valuable information, and should be richly rewarded for his services, instead of being trussed up in this fashion." the captain looked confused as he released seth, and while doing so whispered in the boy's ear: "i am sorry, lad, for what has happened, and that is all any man can say." however much ill-will seth may have felt toward his captor just at that moment, he had no desire to show it. the words of commendation spoken by colonel powers were sufficient reward for all he had undergone during his time of arrest, and he felt almost friendly-disposed, even toward those of the troopers who had so eagerly begun to prepare the switches for his back. "you shall have an escort as far toward the town as is consistent with your safety and ours," the colonel said when seth was freed from the ropes. "i thank you for your service, and shall, perhaps, at some time be able to reward you better. when you decide to enlist, come to me." then the colonel, beckoning to his staff, rode away with the air of one who has an important duty to execute, and captain jordan held out his hand to his late prisoner. "forgive me, lad, and say you bear me no ill-will." "that i can readily do, now my message has been delivered," seth replied promptly, and the troopers gathered around, each as eager to show his friendliness as he previously had been to inflict punishment. a horse was brought up, and the captain, now the most friendly of soldiers, said to seth: "we'll escort you as far as the creek; further than that is hardly safe. you can easily reach home before dark, for the ride will not be a long one." "i can walk as well as not, if you have other work to do," seth replied. "we are stationed on the road here to stop the country people from carrying in produce, and by giving you a lift shall only be continuing our duties." seth mounted; the captain rode by his side; half a dozen men came into line in the rear, and the little party started at a sharp trot, which, owing to his lack of skill as a horseman, effectually prevented seth from joining in the conversation the captain endeavored to carry on. in half an hour or less the squad had arrived at the bank of the creek, and seth dismounted. "the next time you come this way i'll try to treat you in a better fashion, lad," captain jordan said, and seth replied as the party rode away: "i don't doubt that; but the next time i come it will be with more caution, fearing lest i meet with those who will be quicker to give me the tory's portion than were you." then he set out at a rapid pace, congratulating himself his troubles were over, and that he would be at home before any of the inmates of his mother's house should question his prolonged absence. he believed his mission had been accomplished; that he had rendered no slight service to the cause, and that there was no longer any danger to be apprehended. he whistled as he walked, giving but little heed to what might be before or behind him, until, within less than five minutes from the time he had parted with the american horsemen, he was confronted by a squad of the queen's rangers, commanded by a lieutenant. "take him up in front of you," the officer said to the trooper nearest him. "we can't be delayed by forcing him to march on foot." "what are you to do with me?" seth cried in surprise, for this command was the first word which had been spoken by either party. "that remains to be seen," the officer replied curtly. "but there is no reason for arresting me," seth continued. "i am the son of mrs. graydon, who keeps the boarding-house in drinker's alley." "ah! indeed?" "certainly i am, and any of the officers who live there can vouch for me." "those who vouch for you would be indiscreet," the lieutenant said sharply. "you are under arrest, and it is possible may persuade the commander that mrs. graydon's son does not hold communication with the rebels; but any protestations on your part would be useless, so far as we are concerned, for we saw you escorted by a squad of rebel horsemen. mount in front of the trooper and make no parley. general howe has a short shrift for spies, and we shall not spend our time here convincing you that your treason has been discovered." seth was almost helpless through fear. since the rangers had seen him riding in company with continental troopers there was little question but that he would be considered a spy, and he knew what would probably be the punishment. chapter iii. in sore distress. seth was literally overwhelmed by the misfortune which had come upon him. after colonel powers interposed to prevent the threatened whipping by the american soldiers, he believed his troubles were over, and that he might be made prisoner by the british was a possibility he never contemplated. it was not necessary any one should explain to him how dangerous was his situation. the lieutenant and his men had seen him escorted by a body of "rebel" troops in such a manner as to show they were friends, and then he had come directly toward the city, all of which would be sufficient to prove him a spy in these times, when an accusation was almost equivalent to a verdict of guilty. and poor seth was well aware what punishment was dealt out to spies. he had seen one man hanged for such an offense, and remained in the house on two other occasions lest he should inadvertently witness some portion of other horrible spectacles. he knew the evidence against him was sufficient for conviction, and understood that, once sentence had been passed, there was little or no hope for mercy. it is not strange, nor was it any proof of cowardice, that he was so overcome by the knowledge of his position as to be thoroughly unnerved; and when, on arriving at the outskirts of the town, the lieutenant ordered him to dismount and walk, he was able to do so only after being assisted by a soldier on either side. like one in a dream he understood, as they went toward the prison, that all the idlers on the streets followed, hooting and yelling, and once he fancied some person called him by name, but it was as if he could not raise his head to look around. the only facts he fully realized were that he stood face to face with a shameful death, and that by the rules of war he fully deserved it. he had been so proud when it was decided by lot that he should carry the information to the continental army, and believed himself so brave! now, however, he understood that he was acting as a coward would act, and tried again and again to appear more courageous. "if my death was to be of great benefit to the cause, it would not seem so hard," he repeated to himself more than once during that disgraceful journey through the streets, while he was being jeered at, as many american soldiers had been, when he was among the rabble, although not of them. if he was wearing a uniform of buff and blue, he knew that among those who saw him would be many sympathizers; but in civilian's garb he could not be distinguished from some vile criminal, and there would be no glory in what he was called upon to suffer. the rangers led him past the town-house, and in the yard, still standing on the pillory, he saw ezra grimshaw. the soldier must have recognized the boy as he passed, but yet he gave no token of recognition, and so sore was seth's distress that he failed to understand how much more desperate would be his strait if the "market-stopper" had greeted him as a friend. when the jail-door closed behind him with a sullen clang it sounded in the boy's ears like a knell of doom, and he firmly believed that when he next passed through the portal it would be on his way to the scaffold. after being heavily ironed he was thrust into a cell so small that he could hardly have stood upright even though the fetters were removed, and there left to the misery of his own thoughts. during the march through the city he had not raised his head, save while passing the pillory, therefore was ignorant of the fact that jacob and enoch had followed him as closely as the soldiers would permit, hoping an opportunity to whisper a cheering word in his ear might present itself. even though seth had not been so bowed down by grief, it is hardly probable his friends would have been allowed to communicate with him; but he might have been cheered by their glances, knowing he was not alone among enemies. yet even this poor consolation was denied him, and when the door of the jail finally hid him from view, enoch and jacob stood silent and motionless in front of the sinister-looking building, gazing with grief and dismay at each other. "how _do_ you suppose they caught him?" enoch asked after a long time of silence, during which jacob had led him out on to high street lest their sorrow should be observed by some of the enemy, and they arrested on the charge of having aided the alleged spy. "we shall most likely hear the story the rangers tell, for it will soon be known around town, although we shan't be able to say whether it's the truth." "do you suppose he found any officer of our army?" "i think he must have done so. it isn't reasonable to suppose they made him a prisoner simply because he walked out into the country. besides, i heard one of the rangers tell a friend that seth was a spy. perhaps they captured him just as he was leaving the continental camp." "do you think they will hang him?" and enoch's voice trembled as he asked the question. "yes, if it is proven he's a spy, and the britishers who made the capture will take good care their stories are strong enough to do that." "but, jacob, must we remain quiet while they are killing poor seth?" and now the big tears were rolling down enoch's cheeks. "we shall be forced to, if the matter goes as far as that. we must do what we can before he is put on trial." "but, what _can_ we do? we have no friends among the britishers, and even though we had it isn't likely we could prevent general howe from doing as he pleases!" "then you believe we can do nothing?" jacob said almost despairingly. "it doesn't seem possible, although i would suffer anything, except death itself, to help him. oh, jacob!" enoch cried as a sudden thought came into his mind. "we must tell his mother where he is, and that will be terrible!" jacob made no reply. he believed it unmanly to cry, and the tears were so near his eyelids that he dared not speak lest they should flow as copiously as enoch's. the two were walking up high street, unconscious of the direction in which they were going, when jacob gave vent to an exclamation of mingled surprise and joy as he cried: "what a stupid i have been not to think of him! he would be a very pleasant gentleman if he wasn't a britisher!" "whom do you mean?" and enoch looked around in perplexity. "there! on the other side of the street, coming this way!" "i don't see any one except lord cosmo gordon, who lives at seth's home." "and that is the very man who will help us if it is possible for him to do anything." "do you mean that a britisher would speak a good word for seth after it is known he has been carrying information to the continental army?" "i'm not so certain about that; but i feel positive if any of the enemy would do a good turn, that one is lord gordon. have you ever seen a more pleasant gentleman?" "he has always been very kind; but then he did not know we were willing to work against his king." "of course he knew it! how many times has he called us young rebels, and declared that when we were ripe for the army he would take good care we did not get the chance to enlist?" "he was only in sport, and would talk differently if he knew what we have done." "it can do no harm to try. seth is likely to be hanged as a spy, and no worse punishment can be given him. i am going to tell lord gordon the story. will you come?" enoch hesitated just an instant as the thought came to his mind that by acknowledging their share in what had been done they might be making great trouble for themselves, and then, his better nature asserting itself, he replied: "i will follow you to do anything that might by chance help poor seth." jacob had hardly waited for him to speak. lord gordon was already opposite, walking rapidly past, and unless they overtook him at once he must soon be so far away that an undignified chase would be necessary. master ludwick crossed the street at a run, enoch following closely behind, and a few seconds later, to his great surprise, lord gordon was brought to a standstill as jacob halted directly in front of him. "ah! here are two of my young rebels! where is the third? i thought you were an inseparable trio." "i don't know what you mean by that, sir; but we're in most terrible trouble, and you have always been so kind, even though you are a--i mean, you've been so kind that i thought--i mean, i was in hopes you could--you would be willing to----" "i can well understand that you are now having trouble to talk plainly," lord gordon said with a smile. "i gather from the beginning of your incoherent remarks that you have come to me for assistance. the rebels have at last turned to the british for relief!" "but this is something terrible!" jacob exclaimed vehemently, and then, after trying unsuccessfully to think of the proper words, he cried, "seth is going to be hanged!" "hanged! you rebels don't go to the gallows so young; in fact evince a decided aversion to anything of the kind. now take plenty of time, and try to tell me what disturbs you so seriously," lord gordon said with a hearty laugh. "i had an engagement at the tavern; but am willing to break it if i can do anything to make good subjects for his majesty of you three boys." "but this is no laughing matter, sir," jacob cried, despairing of being able to make the englishman understand how desperate was the situation. "seth graydon has been arrested as a spy, and is in prison at this instant!" "what?" and now the smile faded from lord gordon's face. "do you mean our seth--your comrade?" "indeed i do, sir!" "but it is incredible! he hasn't been out of the city, and although i suppose he has hopes of some day entering the american army, as all you young rebels have, he is not in a position where he could play the spy, however much he may be willing to do so." jacob looked confused; he was not certain but that he might be injuring his friend's cause by confessing the truth, and yet at the some time it was not reasonable to suppose lord gordon could render any assistance unless he understood the entire affair. "tell his lordship the whole story," enoch said in a low tone. "i am certain he would not use it against any of us." "yes, my lad, it will be better to tell me the truth. i do not promise to aid you; but i will treat as confidential anything you may say." the officer's tone was so kindly that jacob hesitated no longer. he told all he knew regarding the matter, making no attempt to conceal the fact that seth had listened to the conversation of the guests in his mother's house, and when he concluded lord gordon stood silent, like one who is trying to settle some vexed question. then he said, as if to himself: "this will be sad news for his mother, and she is a worthy woman!" "it will just about kill her!" enoch cried. "did she know he was going to meet the rebels?" and now the officer spoke sternly. "indeed she didn't, sir. enoch and i told her he had gone out on the delaware road; but made it appear that we were ignorant as to why he went." "why should you not have told the truth?" "we were afraid she might think it her duty to tell you, because what he learned had been gained--well, perhaps it wouldn't have been just right to take such an advantage except in a case like this, where no fellow could sit still knowing his friends might be running into a trap." "don't you think mrs. graydon ever carried any information to the american camp?" "i am sure she never did--not since general howe has been in this city," enoch replied promptly. "why are you so positive?" "i've heard her say that if we are willing to take your money, we should at least be true to you for the time being." "it is quite evident you boys are not of the same opinion." "we expect to go into the army very soon, and it is our duty to do all we can to aid the cause," jacob said stoutly. "and you know, while you are trying to aid the cause, what is to be expected if you are captured?" jacob understood that he was not aiding his friend by speaking boldly, and lord gordon had so clearly the best of him in the matter that he was wholly at loss for a reply. "we never believed that by going to where seth would meet the continentals anything more could come of it than a flogging, and that seemed terrible enough," enoch cried. "seth had no idea he might be arrested as a spy!" "we won't quibble about the fine points of the case, my lad. it is a fact that he has voluntarily placed himself in a position where he certainly appears as if he had been acting the spy, and there is, perhaps, not an officer in his majesty's army, except myself, who would believe that this is his first wrongdoing." jacob was on the point of saying that there could be nothing wrong in aiding one's country, but, fortunately for seth, he realized in time that lord gordon considered the americans rebels, rather than patriots, and to him anything of the kind would not seem praiseworthy. "can't you help him, sir?" enoch asked imploringly, understanding that nothing could be gained by discussing the matter. "i am afraid my influence is not sufficient to effect anything while the charge is so serious. there is but one punishment for spies, and it is seldom crimes of that kind are pardoned." "then must poor seth be hanged?" "i shall do what i can to help him, my lad, of that you may be certain. possibly we may be able to have a lighter charge brought against him, and to that end i will work. his mother must know he is in prison, but need not be told he is there as a spy. disagreeable though the task will be, i take it upon myself to acquaint her with some of the reasons for his absence, and also promise to do all in my power to save his life." "if general howe will let him off with a flogging, jacob and i are willing to come up for our share of the punishment as the price of setting seth free." "that is a generous offer, enoch, whether it be a fair one or not. meet me at the city tavern to-morrow forenoon at ten o'clock, and i will then let you know what can be done." both the boys would have thanked the kindly englishman for the interest he displayed in their comrade, but that he checked their grateful words by saying hurriedly: "it is exceedingly bad taste to have a scene on the street, boys, therefore we will say no more about it to-day. perhaps when i see you to-morrow there will be no occasion to thank me, for i really have but little influence with general howe. don't show yourself to mrs. graydon to-night, for she would soon learn the sad news from the expression on your faces, and, unless it is absolutely necessary, i do not propose that the worthy lady shall know in what sore distress her son is, through his own recklessness." then lord gordon walked rapidly away, allowing the boys no time to make a reply, and although he had not given them very much encouragement, both felt decidedly relieved because of the interview. "if he can't help seth there isn't a britisher in this city who can," jacob said with emphasis. "he's the only one i know of who'd even take the trouble to talk with a couple of boys." "but what are we to do now? i don't feel as if i could go home while poor seth is in prison, and most likely thinking every minute of the scaffold." "we can't do him any good by walking around the streets, and i don't want to go out to germantown, because i might not be able to get back in time to meet lord gordon. suppose i sleep at your mother's house to-night?" "i'll be glad to have you, and she will make no question. are we to tell her?" "i think we shall be obliged to. it may be we can do something to help seth, and she must know why you are absent from the house, in case it so happens we want to be away." if enoch had feared his mother would reproach him for having taken even a passive part in what might lead to seth's death, he was mistaken. she spoke only of her sympathy for mrs. graydon, and the hope that lord gordon would aid the unfortunate boy in some way. "if i was in seth's place, mother, should you blame me for having tried to aid the cause?" "no, my son. you are old enough to know your own mind, and should be at liberty to do that which you think right." "then you would make no question if i wanted to enlist?" "that is for you to decide, my boy. your mother's heart would be very near breaking if you were killed; but her sorrow could be no greater than is borne uncomplainingly by many mothers in this country where brave men are struggling for freedom." never had enoch appreciated his mother's love as he did at this moment, and when he and jacob bade her good-night both boys kissed her with unusual tenderness. fully an hour before the time appointed jacob and enoch were at the rendezvous waiting for lord gordon. many times that morning had they heard comments made upon seth's arrest, and the opinion of all was to the effect that he would suffer the fate of a spy, whether he was really guilty or not. "the appearances are against him," a gentleman friend of enoch's mother said when the story had been told him in the hope he might aid the prisoner in some way. "those who made the capture say they saw him escorted to the bank of the creek by a squad of continental troopers, and that he appeared to be on the most friendly terms with them. that is sufficient to prove him a spy, and i question if there is in this city a single person, with the exception of general howe himself, who could serve him." both the boys heard this remark, and were no longer hopeful regarding lord gordon's ability to save their comrade, however much he might desire to do so. the officer was punctual to the appointment he had made, and at once invited them into the coffee-room of the tavern, saying as he did so: "it is not well we should stand on the street where all may see us, for it may be important that i should not appear to be on friendly terms with you." when they were where a conversation could be conducted with some degree of privacy the boys waited for their companion to speak, but he remained silent, as if in deep thought, until enoch asked timidly: "will it be possible for your lordship to help poor seth?" "i am not certain, my lad, although i hope so. the case is far more serious than i deemed possible yesterday. i believe the story you told; but you could not persuade others it is true, and i have no doubt but that he will be found guilty." "does his mother know?" enoch whispered. "i thought it best to tell her at least a portion of the story, for she would have heard it from the gossips before this time. i have not concealed from her the fact that he is in a most serious position; but at the same time have allowed the good woman to believe i could effect his release." "and now you do not think that will be possible?" instead of replying to this question lord gordon asked suddenly: "how far would you two boys go in trying to release your comrade?" "we are ready to take any chances," jacob replied firmly. "does that mean you would imperil your lives in the effort to save his?" the boys looked at each other in something very like alarm, for lord gordon's tone was exceedingly grave, and then enoch replied in a voice which trembled despite all his efforts to render it steady: "i am willing and ready to do anything, no matter what, to help seth." "so am i," jacob added emphatically. while one might have counted twenty lord gordon remained silent, looking like a man who is uncertain as to what he ought to do, and then he said quietly: "then meet me opposite the town-house at half an hour before midnight. it is only by desperate measures that his life can be saved, and i am ready to aid you in so far as i can without dishonor. it will not be well for us to be seen together, neither are you to visit mrs. graydon. be at the rendezvous promptly, and seth shall be free by sunrise, or there will no longer remain any hope of aiding him." without giving them an opportunity to question him, lord gordon walked out of the building, leaving them gazing questioningly into each other's eyes. chapter iv. a bold scheme. the boys were so thoroughly surprised by lord gordon's making an appointment with them as hardly to be conscious of what they did immediately after he left the room. they sat motionless as if in bewilderment, each fancying he had an inkling of his lordship's intentions, and not daring to believe that which was in his mind. both must have remained in this condition of stupefaction many moments, for finally one of the attendants came up, tapped jacob more energetically than politely on the shoulder, and intimated that if he did not wish to be served with anything he could spend his time quite as profitably, so far as the management of the tavern was concerned, in some other place. master ludwick, understanding that he had the right to be in the hostelry, because of having been introduced by one of the landlord's best patrons, and angry at being treated as if he was not a desirable guest, said sharply: "we are here because lord gordon invited us to enter with him, and we shall stay until it seems best to go." the servant muttered something which was probably intended as an apology, and made no further attempt to drive the boys from the coffee-room; but enoch did not feel altogether at ease after this incident. "let us go, jacob," he whispered. "as the servant said, this is no place for us, and, besides, we cannot be as private here as i would like while speaking of lord gordon's intentions." "i should have gone before but for that impudent fellow, and now we have stayed so long that it cannot be said we ran away because of his words, i am ready. where shall we go?" "anywhere, so we can be alone." "to your house?" "no. if i do not mistake lord gordon, there is serious work before us this night, and i would rather not be where mother could question me." "why?" "because i should betray that which is in my mind when she first began to talk, and if i am correct in putting a meaning on his lordship's words, it is better that no one save ourselves knows what is to be done, lest by the knowing they could be considered as in some way guilty of our acts." by this time the boys were on the sidewalk in the midst of a group of idle officers and civilians who were commenting upon the news of the day, and the major of the forty-second highlanders, who was well known to both jacob and enoch because of the fact that he boarded at seth's home, was speaking sufficiently loud for them to hear his remark as they passed. "according to the report of the lieutenant of the rangers, there can be no question but that the little rascal has been in communication with the american forces for a long while, and it is not difficult now to understand how information of our movements reached the rebel officers. among ourselves at the boarding-house we have talked freely, little thinking a boy, hardly more than fifteen years of age, was playing the spy; but his career will shortly be ended." "when will he be court-martialed?" the major's companion asked. "to-morrow afternoon, and probably hanged on the following morning." "then you have no doubt as to the result?" "there can be no doubt, my dear sir. the evidence is so conclusive against him that i see no loophole of escape. all i regret is that he has been allowed to ply his trade as spy so long and so advantageously." "come away, jacob," enoch whispered, clutching his comrade nervously by the coat-sleeve. "it is fortunate for poor seth that all the britishers are not as hard-hearted as the major." "we should stay long enough to convince him he is telling that which is not true," master ludwick replied stoutly; but at the same time obeying the pressure of his friend's hand by moving away from the group. "it would be difficult to persuade him he was speaking that which is false. you remember lord gordon told us he was probably the only person in the british army who would believe our statement in face of the proof against poor seth." "lord gordon is a man, even though he is a britisher." "and i hope the time will come when i can do him as great a service as he is willing to do seth." enoch gave words to this desire simply as a mode of expressing his admiration for the kindly-hearted officer who would forget a quarrel of nations to aid a widow and the fatherless. he little dreamed that before many weeks had passed he would be in a position to do lord gordon quite as great a service as that gentleman was evidently about to do for seth. the two boys continued on up high street to sixth, and then through walnut to the long shed adjoining the state-house yard, where the indians who came into town on business were accustomed to take shelter, and there they halted for a consultation, or, rather, to settle in their own minds what his lordship meant when he appointed an interview at midnight near the pillory. "he despairs of trying to aid seth through general howe," enoch said as if thinking aloud. "and intends that we shall help him break jail," jacob added. "in that case the poor fellow will still be in danger of being hanged, in case the british ever catch him again." "very true; but he will be much better off, according to my way of thinking, with a price set upon his head by general howe, providing he is with the american army, than if he remains here until day after to-morrow, when, as the major says, he will most likely be hanged." "of course that is true. i was only thinking that if we succeeded in effecting his release we should not remove the danger from him, so far as the british are concerned." "i am well satisfied if so much can be done. i wish lord gordon had thought it best to give us more of an idea regarding his plans, so we might make our preparations." "but what could you do if we knew positively that he intends to help seth escape from jail?" "nothing, although it seems as if we would be better able to perform the work if we made some preparations." "do you think it will be necessary for us to run away with him?" "that must be as lord gordon says. your mother knows exactly the condition of affairs, and will understand that we are working in seth's behalf, in case you should not come home to-night. if you and i accompany him in his flight, i will trust to it that his lordship finds a way to send word to our people without making any trouble for himself. and in case we go we shall be no worse off than a great many others in this country. remember judge mckean, who last year was hunted like a fox through the state, forced to move his family five times, and hide them at last in a little log hut in the woods. knowing what he and his suffered for the cause, we should not complain however hard our lot may be." "i am not complaining, jacob. i stand ready to bear anything which falls to my share, if by so doing i can be of service to the cause; but it isn't possible we could ever do as much as judge mckean, who signed the declaration of independence." "we can at least do our share toward making good the statement which he signed, and as to the future, so that we get seth out of the britishers' clutches we won't trouble our heads. it seems to me the most important question now is, what we are to do between this and midnight. we ought not to be seen loitering around the streets." "suppose you go down to my home and ask mother to give us as much food as will last us twenty-four hours. we will then go out near the carpenter mansion, where we can remain hidden in the grove until night. such of the provisions as we do not eat during the day will suffice for seth to take with him in his flight." "that is a good idea, enoch, and it will be doing something toward preparing for the night's work. now, where think you will seth easiest find the american forces? where he saw them yesterday? or in the direction of valley forge?" "i think that is a question lord gordon himself can best decide, for he will most probably know in which direction it would be safest for seth to travel. shall i wait here, or walk part of the way home with you?" "stay where you are. i will be back in half an hour." mrs. ball must have suspected that the boys were engaged in some important work, for, like the wise woman she was, she complied with her son's request, asking not so much as a single question, and scanty though her store of provisions was, collected such an amount as would have sufficed to feed two hungry boys at least three days. wrapping the collection neatly in a cloth, she placed it in a small bag, saying as she did so: "it will be easier to carry in this, with not so much chance of wasting it. tell enoch that his mother's prayers will follow him until he comes back to her, and say that he is to remember how eagerly she watches for his return." "i think he'll be back before to-morrow, mrs. ball; but if he isn't, don't you worry. there's a certain britisher in this city who's got a heart under his red coat, and if it happens enoch is to remain away very long, that same britisher will send you word." "god bless you, boys! god bless all of you, and prosper you in your undertaking!" there was a suspicious moisture in jacob's eyes as he hurried through letitia street to where his comrade was awaiting him; but by the aid of one corner of the bag he succeeded so far in effacing the telltale sign of weakness that no one would have suspected how very near he was to breaking down entirely, simply because of the kindly words spoken by the mistress of the dancing school. the hours passed slowly and wearily to the two boys who had nothing more to do than spend the time in waiting; but finally the moment came when, in order to keep the appointment, they must leave their retreat in the grove, and it was with a sense of decided relief that they hurried forward, although knowing that they were hastening on a perilous venture. on arriving at that side of the town-house where stood the pillory, not a person was to be seen. fortunately they had met with no one, not even the patrol, during their walk down from sixth street, and as they stood behind the instrument of torture whereon grimshaw had passed so many painful hours it was safe to assume that no person unfriendly to their design was aware of their whereabouts. five, ten minutes passed, and yet no sign of life upon the deserted street. "something has happened; he cannot come," enoch whispered nervously. "i will answer for him," jacob replied confidently. "he isn't the kind of a man who would back out after promising, and he knows we will wait for him even though he is two hours late." "if any of the britishers should see us, we would be put under arrest." "but there is no danger of that, not while we stay here, and the night is so dark that the redcoats would be obliged to hunt around a good while before finding us. i don't think it is safe to talk, because--here comes some one! now the question is whether it's the man we are waiting for." in the gloom the boys could faintly see a dark form coming up the street, and with loudly beating hearts they waited until the figure was nearly opposite, when a low whistle broke the silence, and enoch said with a long-drawn sigh of relief: "it is him. no one else would make a signal here." then, without waiting for an opinion from his comrade, he stepped out in view, and the newcomer directed his steps toward the pillory. it was lord gordon, and he said, as he approached: "you have a good hiding-place here, and we'll take advantage of it, because i have a few words to say before we proceed to business." then, stepping back behind the scaffold, he continued in a low, grave tone: "unless i was firmly convinced that the story you told me regarding seth's movements was true, and unless i believed you when you say this is the first time he has ever carried information to the americans, i should not attempt to aid you. that which i am doing may seem dishonorable to those who do not know all the facts in the case. my own conscience approves, however, and i shall do what, as an officer in the british army, i ought not to do, in order to save from a disgraceful death a boy who has been indiscreet--not guilty as a spy. but although i can thus satisfy my conscience, i could not have my actions known to the commander of the forces without laying myself open--and justly--to a charge of treason. therefore i ask that from this moment you boys forget that i ever gave advice or assistance in the matter." "no one shall ever hear your name from us," jacob said when lord gordon paused as if for a reply. "i shall trust you, my boy, for although i am doing no dishonorable act, as we view the matter, my honor would be at stake if you should incautiously betray my share in this affair. i think now you understand the position which i occupy, and we will say no more about it. this is the only way by which we can aid your friend. if he is here, he will be brought before the court to-morrow; conviction is absolutely certain to follow, and then comes the execution. to plead with general howe would be not only a waste of words, but cause suspicion in case the boy should escape later. i have here an old pass, signed by the general to visit the prison, issued in blank so that it may be used by any one. i have filled in your names. you will present it boldly at the door. there will be no question raised. you will be conducted to the prisoner's cell, and there you are to remain until a soldier opens the door, and repeats these three words: 'it is time!' then walk out unconcernedly, all of you. if the plan which i have arranged is successful, you will see no one save the man who gives the signal. it can only fail through some officer or soldier going advertently into the corridor, in which case the prisoner will be in no worse position than before; but you will share his cell because of having attempted to effect his escape. should this last unfortunately occur, both of you will probably be severely punished--flogged, i should say--and that is the risk which you must take if you would aid seth. barring the inopportune coming of some person, the scheme will go through without trouble, for the man on duty is an old follower of mine, upon whom i can depend to the death." "will he not be punished for allowing seth to escape?" enoch asked. "that part of it i can manage. all which concerns you is to get yourself and your comrade out of prison once you have entered." "where shall we go in case we succeed?" jacob asked. "that you must decide for yourselves. my advice would be for seth to push on toward the headquarters of the american army at full speed, and you boys return to your homes." "but it will be known that we visited seth, because you say our names are on this paper." "that pass will not be seen by any one, unless it chances you are discovered, and then the soldier on duty will use it as his warrant for admitting you at such an hour." "why shouldn't we go with seth?" jacob asked, detaining lord gordon as he would have moved away. "because one boy has better chance of making his way across the country unobserved than three would have. and again, perhaps i am not willing to assist in increasing the number of the rebel forces to such an extent. however, you are at liberty to do as you choose about it. i have simply advised that he go while you remain here. now my portion of the work is done; it remains for you to execute the plan; and i hope most sincerely you will succeed. no, we won't have any thanks, or formalities of that kind, my lad," the officer added when enoch took him by the hand as if he would have kissed it. "i have done only that which seems right; but which to the world will seem wrong. perhaps some time in the future, when we are no longer supposed to be enemies, you can give free words to your gratitude. be stout-hearted; move as if you had a right to go and come as you please, and do not lose your courage in event of failure." lord gordon disappeared from view immediately after he ceased speaking, and during fully a moment the two boys stood facing each other, silent and motionless. "this won't do," jacob said with an effort. "if the plan proves a success, the earlier seth is on his way the more chances he will have of reaching our forces. if it is to be a failure, why, the quicker we know it the sooner we'll be out of our suspense. are you ready?" "yes," enoch whispered; "but i am terribly frightened, jacob." "so long as you don't show it there's no harm done; but i am beginning to believe that you are braver when you are frightened. will you take the pass, or shall i?" "you keep it. i will follow; but do not think i could conduct the affair as well as you." "then come. try to think of nothing but the fact that unless we succeed seth will be hanged, and i allow that's enough to keep us well up to our work." swiftly, and in silence, the boys walked to the prison where their comrade was confined, and there jacob knocked vigorously on the iron door, as if about to demand what was his right, rather than to ask for a favor. a soldier answered the summons, and as he looked at the pass which master ludwick held out enoch fancied a peculiar expression came over his face, as if he had been expecting to see that particular piece of paper. jacob stepped over the threshold without waiting for an invitation, and his comrade followed. the soldier, who had not spoken, led the way in silence down the corridor, unlocked a heavily barred door cautiously, as if it was his desire to avoid making a noise, and motioned for the boys to enter. it was so dark in the small cell that the visitors could not distinguish any object. "seth!" jacob whispered. "where are you, seth?" a glad cry of surprise came from out the darkness; a clanking of chains was heard, and the despairing prisoner cried hysterically: "oh, jacob! jacob! is it you?" "it is indeed, seth, and enoch is with me," master ludwick said in a whisper. "you had best not talk loud, for there is no reason why any one save the soldier on duty should know we are here." "but how did you get in?" "never mind that part of it, seth. at least not until we are outside." "outside! what do you mean?" "through a friend, whose name must not be spoken, there is a chance you may escape, and it is necessary we are ready to act instantly the signal is given." "but i don't understand----" "don't try. simply know that perhaps you will walk out of here this night free, and keep your mind steadily on the fact that if we succeed you must be precious near the american forces by daylight." "but how is he to walk with those chains on him?" enoch whispered. "that is something we never thought of, and it will be impossible for him to go on to the street fettered as he is." "now i begin to understand!" seth exclaimed. "a soldier came in here half an hour ago, and after looking over these irons as if to make sure they were fastened, left the key in the lock of the fetters which are around my wrists. do you suppose he intended to do so?" "that is exactly the idea, and we can thank--our friend for having thought of it. let me see if we can get them off in the darkness." aided by seth's directions jacob had little difficulty in removing the fetters, and he whispered as he handed the leg-irons to enoch: "put these under your coat." "why?" "it may be of service to him who has assisted us, in case the fetters disappear as if seth wore them out of the prison. we will throw them away once we are free, if indeed we ever are." at this instant the cell-door was opened softly, and the boys heard a hoarse whisper: "it is time!" "that is the signal!" jacob said nervously. "now, seth, follow close at my heels. don't speak to any one, nor show signs of fear. this is the moment when we shall succeed, or find ourselves in a worse plight than before. are you ready, enoch?" "go on! i'll keep close behind seth." the three boys, trembling with suppressed excitement, hardly daring to breathe, stepped out into the corridor with as much boldness as it was possible to assume. no one could be seen save the sentry at the outer door, and he stood, musket in hand, more like a statue than a living being. the thought came to jacob that this guard could not have been the one who gave them the signal, otherwise he would have made some gesture for their guidance, and as they walked straight toward him the boy believed the bold scheme was already a failure. the soldier remained motionless until jacob was so near that he could touch him, and then he swung open the heavy door. jacob stepped out on the sidewalk almost fearing to turn lest he should see that seth had been detained. the prisoner followed without molestation, and as enoch emerged the door closed, the creaking of the heavy bolt as it was shot into its socket telling that the prison was barred once more; but the prisoner was on the outside. chapter v. the patrol. seth appeared like one in a daze as jacob and enoch, ranging themselves on either side, hurried him up the street. knowing what apparently convincing proof there was against him, the prisoner had given up all hope from the moment he was locked in a cell, and his escape, having been effected so readily and so quickly, seemed more like a dream than a happy reality. until they arrived at sixth street, which was as far as the town extended in that direction, not a word was spoken, and then jacob, unloosening the bag of provisions which he had carried over his shoulder, said as he handed it to seth: "here is sufficient food for two days. you are to make your way toward valley forge without thinking of fatigue, for should you be captured again no one can save you from a disgraceful death." "but tell me why i was allowed to come out of jail?" "a friend of yours, whose name must never be mentioned, arranged everything. we had only to go in and walk away with you." "what friend have i got who is so powerful?" seth asked in amazement. "we are bound never to speak his name in connection with your escape, for what he has done this night would seem like treason to those who did not believe our story. you will guess in time, and it is enough now that you are free." "but am i not to see mother?" "you must go without delay. we will tell her what has happened, if she doesn't hear from other sources that a prisoner has escaped, and she would be the first to insist that you hurry away from this town, rather than linger where those who might capture you would be certain to kill." "where are you going?" "we have been advised to return home; but depend upon it, seth, we shall see you in the continental army before many days have passed, for now it is our firm intention to enlist at the first opportunity. remember that you will not be safe until you are with our friends, and that it is likely you can continue the flight uninterruptedly during the hours of darkness. when the morning comes you must be more cautious. now don't linger. good-by, seth dear, and remember that we will see you again as soon as possible." the escaped prisoner clasped his friends by the hands for a single instant, and then turned as if reluctant to leave them. jacob pressed enoch's arm in token that the parting must not be prolonged, and the two hurried away, leaving seth to complete the work which had been so well begun. "it seems as if we were running away from him," enoch said five minutes later when they were hurrying down the street. "and that is exactly what we are doing. so long as we stayed he would have lingered, and time is too precious to him to admit of its being spent in idle conversation." "even now it hardly seems possible we have really gotten him out of prison." "that is because matters moved so swiftly after we began. thank god there is no question about his freedom, and, with so many hours the start, i don't believe he is in much danger of being overtaken." "not unless his escape is discovered very soon." "that is not likely to happen, for at this hour none of the britishers would visit him, and we may count on the whole affair remaining a secret until some time after sunrise to-morrow. of course i shan't think of going to germantown to-night, and shall sleep with you once more." "mother will be glad to see us back. the fact of your asking for provisions most likely caused her to believe we were going on a journey, and i know how worried she will be until we are with her once more." the boys were walking at a rapid pace. the streets were deserted, and there appeared little likelihood of their meeting any one before arriving at enoch's home. it seemed as if everything was working in their favor on this night, and jacob was on the point of giving words to his happiness because of the successful issue of their scheme, when the measured tramp, tramp, tramp of men told that an armed force was abroad. "it is the patrol!" enoch whispered. "now unless we can keep out of sight there is a chance for trouble!" "don't run!" his companion said sharply as he was quickening his pace, evidently with the intention of darting into the nearest doorway. "flight would arouse suspicion, and most likely we have been heard talking. our only course is to walk boldly on, as if we had good reasons for being abroad at this hour." that they had been observed even in the darkness was apparent as the officer commanding the patrol stepped quickly toward them, and the boys involuntarily halted. "who are you, and what are you doing abroad at midnight?" "i live in germantown," jacob replied, not thinking it wise to mention his own name, for ludwick the baker was well known to the enemy, "and am visiting my friend, enoch ball, who lives on letitia street. we have been out in the country, and were delayed longer than was anticipated." "i have heard it mentioned that young ball and chris ludwick's son were friends of the spy who will soon be hanged," one of the soldiers said. "is the baker your father?" the officer asked sharply. "he is." "and you and the spy are cronies?" "yes." "fall in then! it will be as well that we have a full explanation as to why you are out at this time of night." "do you mean that we are prisoners?" enoch asked in dismay. "exactly, and as i do not propose to give further explanation, you may as well move on at once. don't attempt to play any tricks, or it will be exceedingly unpleasant." not until this moment did jacob remember that he and enoch were carrying the fetters which had been removed from seth's legs and arms, and now he deplored most bitterly his excess of precaution in taking them away from the jail. he had thought that by removing the irons seth's escape would appear more of a mystery; instead of which they had simply kept evidences which might convict them of complicity in a deed that would be most severely punished. he had made a mistake in thus being so cautious, and instantly this fact came into his mind he made a second and yet graver one, by attempting to dispose of the telltale fetters. as he flung the irons from him by a quick movement, which he hoped might fail to attract attention, they struck with an ominous clang upon a rock in the street, and at the same instant the officer seized him by the collar. "one of you see what that was he threw away! these boys who have had an excursion into the country may not be as innocent of wrongdoing as at first appeared." it was not difficult for the soldiers to find the heavy fetters, and the officer appeared perplexed when they were brought to him; turning he asked sternly: "where did you get these?" jacob made no reply. "search him!" was the sharp command. "search them both!" as a matter of course the second pair of irons was found in enoch's possession, and now the boys were no longer ordered to "fall in," but were marched to the prison closely guarded by a soldier on either side. they had succeeded in effecting the release of their friend, and by so doing had placed themselves in a decidedly disagreeable, if not dangerous, position. the same soldier who had allowed them to march out of the jail with the prisoner received them when they were brought in, and as he opened the door in response to the summons of the patrol an expression of surprise, almost dismay, passed over his face. it was gone instantly, however, and once more he was the same automaton it is believed a soldier should be. "you will lock these prisoners in securely, and take care that no one has access to them until the officer of the day sends his instructions." once more the boys walked through the dimly lighted corridor, passed the cell from which seth had so lately escaped, and were thrust into the one adjoining. then the door was locked upon them, and they were left in the darkness to their gloomy reflections. "i don't reckon we shall find much of a bed in this place," jacob said grimly, as he felt his way around what seemed little more than a cage. "but we ought to get along for one night in such a hole without grumbling, considering what we have accomplished." "they will understand because of the fetters that we helped seth away," enoch said in a tremulous tone. "we knew we were taking chances when the work was begun; but i don't think even general howe will go so far as to declare us guilty unless he has some proof that we did such a thing." "the fetters should be enough." "i don't think so. they must be like plenty of others belonging to the britishers, and who shall say they were the ones seth wore? look here, enoch, the situation is this: we must hold our tongues, absolutely refusing to answer a single question, no matter if they flog us, for once we confess, or admit anything, we shall be in a bad plight." "do they hang people for helping spies escape?" "no, enoch, you must not get any such ideas into your mind. if you begin to think we are in danger of death you will lose courage, and unless i'm mistaken we shall need plenty of it before we are through with this work. let's make ourselves as comfortable as possible, and keep our thoughts from disagreeable subjects." bravely as jacob tried to combat his and his friend's gloomy forebodings, both the boys were wretched in mind as well as body. to sleep even under the most favorable circumstances, so far as bodily comfort was concerned, would have been well-nigh impossible while they were in such a condition of mental depression, and even though there had been nothing to cause alarm, wooing slumber on the stone floor was a most difficult task. jacob positively refused to speculate as to the dangers which might threaten, and enoch was absolutely unable to talk of anything else, consequently little or no conversation was indulged in, and when the morning came both listened intently for those sounds which would betoken that the prisoner's escape was discovered. they heard voices in the corridor concerning some movement which had been made during the night, and, going close to the door, jacob learned that a body of troops had left the city the evening previous. for what purpose he could not learn, but judged that it was the movement which seth had learned of from the officers in his mother's home. there came into the boy's mind the thought that some important maneuver was being executed, and he fancied they must be benefited thereby, since the attention of the commanding general would thus be diverted from them. it was not until many days after that he learned this movement, supposed to have been so important, was nothing more than the advance of fourteen hundred soldiers to the relief of some refugees who were being besieged by the americans at billingsport. an hour after sunrise the boys heard the creaking of bolts as the cell adjoining theirs was opened. then came an exclamation of surprise, hurried footsteps, and they knew seth's escape had just been discovered. "he has had at least eight hours, and should be well on his way to valley forge by this time," jacob whispered triumphantly, and enoch replied: "if we had only gone with him the scheme would have been a great success." two hours later the cell-door was opened, and the prisoners ordered out in charge of a squad of soldiers, jacob whispering as they crossed the threshold: "remember, enoch, don't give any information, no matter what they may do!" the boys looked in vain for a friendly face as they were marched out of the prison between two files of soldiers, but none met their gaze. if there were any sympathetic ones among the crowd of curious people who gathered around the prisoners and their escort, none dared betray the true state of their feelings lest they be accused of treason, and the two had a very good idea of the sense of loneliness amid a throng which must have come to seth while he was being conducted through the city. at the town-house the prisoners were halted for a few moments on the sidewalk, and then taken inside, where were several officers seated around a table on which were many papers. here their names were asked and given, and then came the question which both knew must not be answered: "why were you on the street last night at an hour past midnight?" "if we make any explanation, except that which you have decided we must make, it will not be believed," jacob replied stoutly, although he was far from feeling brave just at that moment. "do not fall into the mistake of being impertinent, you young rebel. anything of that kind will only aggravate the offense." "we have committed no offense, sir. since you british have been in possession of the city we have kept the peace, molesting no man." "is it not true that you have been carrying information to the rebels?" "no, sir; we have done nothing of the kind." "the spy who was arrested while returning from the american lines was a particular friend of yours?" "yes, sir." "and you knew why he left the city on the day he was arrested?" "yes, sir." "did you aid him in any way?" "there was nothing we could have done." "do you know that he has escaped?" "yes, sir." "then you must have helped him." "it was not necessary we should do that in order to learn he had given you the slip. we were put into the same prison he occupied, and could readily hear the soldiers talking when it was discovered he had gone." "it is evident these young rebels have been well schooled, colonel, and you will never arrive at the truth save by harsh measures," one of the officers said petulantly to him who was conducting the examination. "a dozen lashes would soon put them in the proper frame of mind for telling the truth." "such means must be employed if milder measures fail; but i do not care to go into the business of flogging children if it can be avoided." "but these rebels are far from being children. they are active enemies against the king, and should be given the same treatment accorded their elders." "my lad," the colonel said, turning once more to jacob, "there is no necessity for spending time at cross-purposes. seth graydon, the spy, has escaped; you are known to have been very friendly with him--have acknowledged you were aware in advance of his visit to the rebel camp. you were found loitering on the street after midnight, and when apprehended had about your persons fetters similar to those which he wore. your best plan is to make a free confession of how you aided him in escaping, for by so doing you may avoid exceedingly harsh treatment." "we thank you for the advice, sir, because it seems as if you really meant it for our good; but we have nothing to confess. of course, you can flog us as often as you see fit; but that will not effect anything." "you mean that you are determined to hold your tongues as long as possible?" one of the party said. "we shall say no more than we have said already. it is true we were out last night; we had been spending the afternoon in the grove back of the carpenter house, and were walking peaceably toward letitia street when taken into custody. that is all we can tell, and flogging will not bring more." the officers conversed together several moments in a tone so low that the prisoners could not distinguish the words, and then the colonel, who had acted as spokesman, said sharply: "hark you, lads. you are not to be punished now for your refusal to speak, because i wish to report the case to the commanding general before resorting to harsh measures; you shall have time to consider the matter thoroughly, and when questioned again will be forced to make answer. sergeant, remove the prisoners, and see to it that no one is allowed to communicate with them." the boys were decidedly surprised at such leniency; both expected a severe flogging, and failed to understand why it had not been administered. during the march back to the jail the sergeant in command of the squad said in a friendly tone to his prisoners: "you boys must not make the mistake of thinking you can better your position by refusing to answer the questions asked. i do not understand why colonel monckton let you off so easily this time, for he is not given to being tender with the whip; but this i can assure you, that at the next refusal to speak the punishment will be inflicted, and none the easier because it has been delayed." "we have nothing to tell," jacob replied quietly. "if a friend of ours is your prisoner are we responsible for his safe-keeping? if he escapes, is it certain we are guilty of having aided him in avoiding a disgraceful death under a false charge?" "the fetters found in your possession are sufficient proof that you were concerned in the matter." "i do not understand how that can be, sergeant. if we had been able to get him away from your men, and out of jail, do you think we would be foolish enough to carry his fetters in our pockets?" "if you did not do so, how came you by the irons?" "that is a question we can't answer. why not demand to know who paid for our coats, or where we procured our hats?" "your sharpness won't avail you, lad, when next you are brought before colonel monckton. i would like to have you escape the whip, for i'm not friendly disposed to such things, especially when a boy is to be flogged; but if you won't take advice you must suffer, and there's the end of it." "we thank you for your kindness, sergeant," enoch said, speaking for the first time since they left the prison; "but there is nothing for us to tell. we can explain about the fetters; but shall insist that colonel monckton has no right to flog us until he has some proof to connect us with seth's escape." "he thinks he has proof enough already, and so do i, for the matter of that. it's none of my broth, though, and i hope i'll be off duty when you're brought out for punishment." "when is it likely to happen?" jacob asked. "that is what i can't say. it may be to-morrow, or a week from then; but it's bound to come some day if you continue as stiff-necked as you are this morning." the conversation with this particular member of the british army was ended, and the remainder of the journey made in silence. on arriving at the prison they were handed over to the same soldier who had been on duty when they entered the gloomy place twice before, and he conducted them to the cell in a stolid manner, apparently paying no heed to either, save to assure himself they did not give him the slip. when he had thrust them into the cage-like apartment, however, and while he was standing at the door gazing around as if to satisfy himself everything was as it should be, he whispered cautiously: "you have done well, lads. some one we know says that you are to keep up your courage and hold your tongues." then the door was closed with a resounding crash, as if the jailer feared one of the prisoners might reply, and was desirous of drowning the sound of his voice. "he must have received that message since we left colonel monckton, otherwise it would not be known that we had refused to speak," jacob whispered, and there was a hopeful ring in his tone. "the 'one we know' was where he heard all we said." "but it isn't likely he could help us without bringing down suspicion on himself." "it should be enough that he knows what is being done. we have one friend among the britishers, and that is more than seth could have said when he was in jail. i wonder if they count on giving us anything to eat?" "i don't feel as if i should ever be hungry again," enoch replied mournfully. "but you will, and you must! if we lose courage now it can only make matters worse, without bettering them any. i reckon on getting out of this in time, and of escaping even a whipping." "how?" "that's what i don't know; but it is better to think that way than to sit here fancying each moment we feel the lash of wire across our backs. hello, we're going to have a visitor!" the door was opened; but no one entered. a soldier shoved carelessly into the cell a jar of water and two loaves of bread, after which the door was closed again. "it doesn't look as if we should hurt ourselves by eating too much," jacob said with an effort to appear light-hearted; "but it is a good deal more than many friends of the cause in this very city will have set before them to-day. come, enoch, let's dispose of our rations in order to be ready for the next supply when it is brought." chapter vi. released. during five long, weary weeks did jacob and enoch remain prisoners, and although they lived in momentary expectation of a public flogging, the punishment was not inflicted. twice more were the boys taken before colonel monckton, and on each occasion he gave them to understand that unless satisfactory answers were returned to his questions they would be whipped severely. jacob, who acted as spokesman, refused to obey the command, as he did on the first occasion, alleging that he could not explain how the fetters came in their possession without rendering a third party liable to suspicion, and claimed he had rather "be flogged until he was nigh dead" than cause suffering to an innocent person. the british soldier who had allowed seth to leave the jail unchallenged was on duty fully half the time the boys were held as prisoners, and now and then spoke words of cheer, giving them to understand that they were indebted to lord gordon for their escape from a public flogging. during the first four or five days of captivity they questioned the soldier eagerly, and at every opportunity, regarding the possible recapture of seth; but he had no information to give them, and this fact was decidedly more satisfactory than if he had been able to tell them of his whereabouts, since it showed that their comrade was yet free. after a week passed there was no longer any doubt but that seth had succeeded in gaining the american lines, and being thus assured they had saved his life, the boys could have borne even a public flogging with a certain degree of equanimity, because of what had been accomplished. as a matter of course enoch could have no communication with his mother, for orders had been given that the prisoners should be allowed no visitors. he believed, however, she knew all concerning him that could have been told, through lord gordon. it was possible for the boys to have a general idea of what was going on outside, owing to the conversations which they could overhear between the soldiers, and it seemed as if the one whom they looked upon as a friend made it an especial point to converse with his fellows where they might overhear all that was said. thus it was they were aware that, on the th and th of the month, detachments of british troops went out successfully against the continentals; that on the th abercrombie led his men against lacey near the crooked billet, forcing that officer to flight, killing nearly a hundred soldiers, capturing fifty prisoners, and destroying or bringing away all his baggage and stores. it was on the second day after sir henry clinton arrived in philadelphia that jacob and enoch were released from prison. no formalities accompanied this, to them, very desirable change of condition. ten days previous they had been assured by colonel monckton that there was sufficient proof to connect them with seth's escape, and that their punishment, unless they confessed, would be exceptionally severe. therefore it was that they were quite as much surprised as delighted when, on this particular morning, the cell-doors were opened and the officer in charge of the prison announced that they were at liberty to depart. "you will be closely watched," he said warningly, "and rest assured that at the first suspicious action on the part of either, both will be brought here again. a second arrest will be more serious than the first." "if i have my way about it there won't be any second arrest," jacob said emphatically, and when the outer door of the jail was opened he and enoch darted swiftly through, as if fearing the permission to depart might be reconsidered if they should linger in leaving. when the boys arrived at enoch's home mrs. ball was not particularly surprised to see them nor was it necessary they should make any explanations as to the cause of their long absence. she had received, at least three times each week, an unsigned letter containing full particulars as to their condition, and had known several days previous that they were about to be discharged. "well, lord--i mean our british friend, is what you might call a right up and down good fellow, even if he is fighting on the wrong side!" jacob exclaimed when mrs. ball explained why she had not been particularly anxious regarding her son during his long imprisonment. "if all the king's soldiers were like him, i allow there wouldn't be very much fighting in this country." "he has taken a great deal of trouble to do a favor to three boys who had no claim upon him," enoch added reflectively. "but he believed seth was innocent, and began the good work by trying to prevent his brother officers from killing one who was no spy," mrs. ball suggested. "yet seth was not what you might really call innocent, nor, for that matter, were any of us, because he did carry information to our friends, and we stood ready to help him." "but you were not spies." "no, mother, not exactly; but much as i hate the british, i am bound to admit they had good cause for punishing us. i think the time has come when jacob and i should join seth at the first opportunity." "you mean that you will enlist?" his mother asked anxiously. "it is our duty; but if you should say that you were not willing yet----" "i shall say nothing of the kind, my son. you are old enough to decide for yourselves, and if you think duty calls you it isn't for me to set up my own desires against it. you must remember, however, that you are now looked upon with suspicion by the enemy, and it will not be as simple a matter to gain the continental camp as it would have been before seth was arrested." "we shall succeed in doing it, never you fear," enoch replied in a tone of assurance, and thus it was settled that at the earliest possible moment he and jacob would enlist in the american army. as the days passed, however, the would-be recruits learned that it was not as easy to leave the city unobserved as it previously had been. it was well known general washington was ready for the summer campaign, with his troops better disciplined and better equipped than formerly, and the british officers, understanding that sir henry clinton was making an estimate of their abilities before assuming command of the army, were particularly vigilant. neither jacob nor enoch had ventured to ask for an interview with lord gordon. they understood it might place him in an awkward position if they did so, and that their gratitude could best be shown by treating him as an enemy. neither had they seen seth's mother since their release. it was only reasonable to suppose that lord gordon, being an inmate of her house, had kept her as well informed as he had mrs. ball. therefore the boys would be serving her interests as well as their own if they refrained from paying her a visit. it was arranged that they should take advantage of the first opportunity to leave the city, without feeling obliged to give enoch's mother notice of the fact, and from the hour when they had been allowed to leave the jail they spent their time roaming around the town, hoping to meet some one who might be able to aid them. more than once did they discuss the advisability of setting out alone in the direction of valley forge, with the hope that they might, before traveling many miles, come upon a detachment of americans; but each time the subject was introduced they decided that the chances of success were against them, owing to the vigilance of the british. twice had they been halted by the patrol, when, without any intention of setting forth on a journey, they had wandered heedlessly near the outskirts of the city, and warned each time as to what would be the result if they were discovered in trying to gain the "rebel" lines. during such enforced idleness they heard much of the carnival, or "mischianza," as the officers termed it, which was to be given as a testimonial in honor of general howe on the eve of his retiring from the command of the forces, but had not believed they would be in the city to see the grand display. the boys knew that general burgoyne, assisted by major john andre, had charge of the preparations; that a mock tournament was to be a portion of the entertainment, and that it would be held at the country-seat of mr. wharton on the delaware river. they heard that a supper-room was being built for the occasion; that mirrors, pictures, and ornaments designed to hold candles, were being borrowed from the wealthy citizens; but yet so great was the desire of both to enroll themselves as soldiers in the patriot army that neither gave much attention to the proposed entertainment, until the morning of the th of may, when they were still vainly searching for means of escape. during that day at least they forgot their desires in the wonderful scene which was presented. as a matter of course jacob and enoch saw only such portion of the entertainment as was given in public; but major andre himself wrote an entertaining account to his friends in england which is given here as interesting, inasmuch as it was the first display of the kind ever made in north america. "a grand regatta began the entertainment. it consisted of three divisions. in the first was the ferret galley, having on board several general officers and a number of ladies. in the center was the hussar galley with sir william and lord howe, sir henry clinton, the officers of their suite, and some ladies. the cornwallis galley brought up the rear, having on board general knyphausen and his suite, three british generals and a party of ladies. on each quarter of these galleys, and forming their division, were five flatboats, lined with green cloth, and filled with ladies and gentlemen. in front of the whole were three flat-boats, with a band of music in each. six barges rowed about each flank, to keep off the swarm of boats that covered the river from side to side. the galleys were decked out with a variety of colors and streamers, and in each flat-boat was displayed the flag of its own division. "in the stream opposite the center of the city the fanny, armed ship, magnificently decorated, was placed at anchor, and at some distance ahead lay his majesty's ship roebuck, with the admiral's flag hoisted at the foretop masthead. the transport ships, extending in a line the whole length of the town, appeared with colors flying and crowded with spectators, as were also the openings of several wharves on shore, exhibiting the most picturesque and enlivening scene the eye could desire. the rendezvous was at knight's wharf, at the northern extremity of the city. by half-past four the whole company were embarked, and the signal being made by the vigilant's manning ship, the three divisions rowed slowly down, preserving their proper intervals, and keeping time to the music that led the fleet. "arrived between the fanny and the market wharf, a signal was made from one of the boats ahead, and the whole lay upon their oars, while the music played 'god save the king,' and three cheers given from the vessels were returned from the multitude on shore. by this time the flood tide became too rapid for the galleys to advance; they were therefore quitted, and the company disposed of in different barges. this alteration broke in upon the order of procession, but was necessary to give sufficient time for displaying the entertainments that were prepared on shore. "the landing place was at the old fort, a little to the southward of the town, fronting the building prepared for the reception of the company, about four hundred yards from the water by a gentle ascent. as soon as the general's barge was seen to push from the shore a salute of seventeen guns was fired from the roebuck, and, after some interval, by the same number from the vigilant. the company, as they disembarked, arranged themselves into a line of procession, and advanced through an avenue formed by two files of grenadiers, and a line of light-horse supporting each file. this avenue led to a square lawn of two hundred and fifty yards on each side, lined with troops, and properly prepared for the exhibition of a tilt and tournament, according to the customs and ordinances of ancient chivalry. we proceeded through the center of the square. "the music, consisting of all the bands of the army, moved in front. the managers, with favors of white and blue ribbon in their breasts, followed next in order. the general, admiral, and the rest of the company, succeeded promiscuously. "in front appeared the building, bounding the view through a vista formed by two triumphal arches erected at proper intervals in a line with the landing-place. two pavilions, with rows of benches rising one above the other, and serving as the wings of the first triumphal arch, received the ladies, while the gentlemen arranged themselves in convenient order on each side. on the front seat of each pavilion were placed seven of the principal young ladies of the country, dressed in turkish habits and wearing in their turbans the favors with which they meant to reward the several knights who were to contend in their honor. these arrangements were scarce made when the sound of trumpets were heard in the distance, and a band of knights, dressed in ancient habits of white and red silk, and mounted on gray horses richly caparisoned in trappings of the same colors, entered the lists, attended by their esquires on foot, in suitable apparel." major andre continues his letter with a long and detailed account of the tournament which followed, and thus concludes: "the company were regaled with tea, lemonade, and other cooling liquors when they entered the house. on the same floor with the ballroom were four drawing-rooms with sideboards of refreshment. dancing continued until ten o'clock, when the windows were thrown open, and the display of fireworks began. at twelve o'clock supper was announced, and large folding-doors, hitherto artfully concealed, being suddenly thrown open, discovered a magnificent saloon with three alcoves on each side which served as sideboards. fifty-six large pier glasses, ornamented with green silk artificial flowers and ribbons; one hundred branches with three lights in each, trimmed in the same manner as the mirrors; eighteen lusters, each with twenty-four lights, suspended from the ceiling, and ornamented as the branches; three hundred wax tapers disposed along the supper-table; four hundred and thirty covers, twelve hundred dishes, twenty-four black slaves in oriental dresses, with silver collars and bracelets, ranged in two lines, and bending to the ground as the general and admiral approached the saloon. then came the drinking of healths and the toasts, and after supper the dancing was continued until four o'clock." it was while the citizens as well as the soldiery were gathered on the riverside, watching the imposing spectacle, that jacob and enoch, instead of following the example of those around them and crowding as near to the water's edge as possible, were standing on a slight elevation some distance from the penny-pot house landing, when they were accosted by a rough-looking fellow, who, to judge from his dress, was a farm laborer. "i allow you two lads have allers lived here in philadelphia, eh?" he began, as if more for the purpose of making an acquaintance than to gain information. "you surely can't take us for britishers?" jacob said laughingly. "that is not your misfortune," the man replied. "you can be as loyal to the king in the colonies as if you had been born in london." "and if we _had_ been born there we might consider it our duty to be loyal to him; but inasmuch as we are philadelphia boys the case is different," jacob replied boldly, despite enoch's warning glance. "it is safer to keep the matter a secret if you count on being disloyal," the man said with a grin. "that is impossible in our case, for two who have been in prison five weeks would be distrusted if they suddenly conceived a love for the king." "so general howe believes you are dangerous characters, eh? it seems as if he was afraid of the boys quite a considerable, for i have heard tell how he had old chris ludwick's son locked up." "so he did, and i happen to be that son." "you?" the man exclaimed with a pretense of surprise. "and who is this with you?" "it is enoch ball. but hark you, friend, i don't understand that you have got any right to ask questions, and perhaps i have given you all the information necessary." jacob spoke sharply, for there came into his mind the thought that this stranger was displaying altogether too much interest in what did not concern him personally. "i don't allow you have," the man replied, glancing furtively around, as if to make certain there were no eavesdroppers near. "if you are chris ludwick's son, you was jailed by the britishers for helping one seth graydon, said to be a spy, escape from prison." the man spoke in such a meaning tone there was no longer any doubt but that his questions meant something more than idle curiosity, and both jacob and enoch turned upon him suddenly. "what do you know about seth graydon?" the latter asked sharply. "you will learn fully as much if you don't make such a noise," the stranger replied in a low tone. "i can't say that i know anything particular about seth, except that he wanted me, in case i happened to run across jacob ludwick and enoch ball, to give them his best compliments." "where is he?" jacob asked eagerly. "i allow you can make a pretty good guess, so there's no need of my going into particulars, especially round here, where the chances are it might lead a fellow into trouble." "where did you come from?" "it is best not to ask too many questions, jacob ludwick. the least that is said in this 'ere city is the soonest mended. if it should happen, though, that you knew anything which might be important for your friends to know, now is the time to repeat it, and i'll take care it reaches the proper quarter." "then you are----" "i work on a farm up the schuylkill with a quaker by the name of parker, and am down here to see the brave doings of the king's officers." "do you know where we can join any portion of the american army?" "for what purpose?" "we count on enlisting as soon as we are able to leave the city; but the britishers have kept a close watch on us since we were let out of jail, and thus far it has been impossible to get away." "take my advice, and stay where you are a spell longer. it won't be many days before there'll be a change around here, and after that perhaps you won't be so closely watched. if you should happen to hear anything that would benefit your friends, and want to sent them word, you might find me somewhere near about the blue anchor, almost any forenoon, when i have disposed of my produce." there was no necessity for the man to make further explanations; the boys understood that in his assumed character of a farm laborer he was acting the spy, and by bringing in produce to sell would have no trouble in entering or leaving the city. it was just such an acquaintance as jacob had been particularly anxious to make; but he was disappointed and perplexed because the proposition that he and enoch enlist was not received with favor. "it isn't likely we could learn very much that would interest you," master ludwick said after a brief pause, "for since our arrest we have but little chance of hearing any british secrets." "you are not hindered from roaming around the town as you wish?" "oh, no; we are prevented, however, from going very far into the country, and have been stopped several times by the patrol." "then spend your time observing the movements of the troops, and take particular notice if any activity prevails among the soldiers to-morrow night. you can be of more service here during the next two weeks than you could in the ranks." "but you are in town every day, and can see quite as much as we." "i only remain here long enough to sell my wares and to drink a pint of beer at the blue anchor. it would seem strange if a farmer was overfond of watching the soldiers. there are several in town who, during such time as we are haggling over the price of vegetables, manage to let me know what they have seen, and when it was made known that we wanted to increase the number of our friends here, seth graydon told general dickinson you would be willing to do all in your power." "seth was right. we are more than willing; but hardly know how to set about it." "there's but little more to do than loiter around the city listening to the general gossip, and observing the movements of the troops. you boys certainly are bright enough to know by general appearances if any great force is making preparations to leave, and even though you have been under arrest for aiding a boy whom the britishers called a spy, i don't think you would be interfered with if you exercised proper caution. it is especially necessary that our friends are all on the alert during the next forty-eight hours, and i shall come into town very early to-morrow morning, and again in the afternoon, so that you will have two chances to report anything you may have learned." "is there reason to believe the british will make a move within that time?" "they certainly will, if, as is probable, the tories between here and valley forge bring in information of what is being done." "is general washington to make an attack?" jacob asked eagerly. "hardly that; but some of his forces will move toward this city very shortly, and it becomes highly important he should have early information of what the enemy may do when they learn of it. we have talked here as long as is safe, for, although people seem intent upon the brave show general howe's officers are making, there may be some whose business it is to pay attention to their neighbors." the stranger lounged away as if following with his eyes the spectacle upon the water, and when he was gone jacob said in an exultant tone: "it seems that we can be of some service to the cause even if we do not enlist." "yes, and seth did us a good turn when he said we were ready to perform our share in the work." "yet since we met this stranger, enoch, we have agreed to become spies--there is no other name for it--and if we should now be put under arrest by the britishers, there would be good cause for dealing out to us that punishment which seth escaped." chapter vii. on the alert. although fully aware of the fact that by following the suggestions of the stranger they were jeopardizing their lives, jacob and enoch felt very proud because of the confidence in them thus apparently displayed by the leaders of the cause. they had no idea as to the identity of the man with whom they had talked, but it seemed positive he was one in whom the continental officers trusted implicitly, otherwise he would not have been selected for so dangerous and responsible a position as that of gathering information in the very heart of the british camp. it was evident, at least to the boys, that he had sufficient authority to thus attach them to the american army, and both were well content to delay signing their names on the enlistment rolls, because of the fact that they were occupying much more responsible and dangerous posts by remaining in the city. it was not probable the enemy would be contemplating any important movement while the festivities were in progress, yet jacob and enoch walked to and fro through the streets of the now almost deserted city, believing their new duties demanded such diligence; but seeing nothing more formidable than an unusually surly patrol who were out of temper because forced to be on duty while their comrades were participating in the merry-making. not until nearly midnight did they return to enoch's home, and by daylight next morning both were on the alert once more. during the forenoon they saw in the market-place, haggling over the price of a cabbage as if his only thought was to sell his wares to the best advantage, their acquaintance of the previous day. jacob would have entered into conversation with the man but for the fact that enoch restrained him by saying: "it is not well to be seen talking with him when it is unnecessary, lest we rouse the suspicions of the britishers. we have nothing to report, and he will so understand it when we pass by without speaking." "but he may have something to say to us." "if he has we shall soon know it; but unless he makes a sign we had better keep on our way." the seeming farmer paid no attention to the boys; that he saw them was evident, but he did not so much as raise his eyes after one quick glance, and jacob understood that enoch was wiser than he in such matters. during this day it was as if the enemy was resting from the fatigue of merry-making; but few officers were to be seen on the streets until late in the afternoon, and at the different barracks there was even less than the ordinary amount of noise. it was five o'clock when the boys turned from high into second street believing their day's work nearly done. the sidewalk in front of the city tavern was thronged with officers and civilians, and jacob whispered: "i wonder what is going on there? some of the crowd appear to be excited." "suppose we pass the place singly, for by so doing we shall have a better chance to linger. you go ahead, and i'll follow when you are halfway through the crowd," enoch suggested, and jacob acted upon the idea at once. before he was well among the throng he heard that which caused him the liveliest surprise. "so lafayette's tattered retinue have abandoned their mud-holes, have they?" a gentleman who had just come up said to a group of officers, and one of the latter replied: "there appears to be no doubt about it. a quaker on whom the frenchman quartered himself has sent word that he is at barren hill, with twenty-five hundred picked men and five cannon." "what does it mean? can it be possible washington believes for a single instant that his rag-tag and bob-tail can stand against general howe's forces?" "it is difficult to say just what the rebel commander believes," one of the officers replied with a laugh. "there are times when he behaves as if he thought he could annihilate us, and then suddenly he turns tail as if afraid of his life." "but if he contemplates any audacious movement, why does he send lafayette?" the citizen continued. "he is hardly more than a boy, and surely washington must have more experienced officers." "he has no abler soldier than lafayette, boy though he is. he has had the advantage of a thorough military education, and will make better play for us than many of the elder men." "do you apprehend any difficulty in disposing of him if he continues his march? i should say he might be advancing on germantown, if he makes his first halt at barren hill." the officers were greatly pleased at this question, and the spokesman continued, as soon as his mirth had subsided sufficiently to admit of his speaking: "we shall make short work of him if we are allowed to take the field; but i question if general howe will pay any attention to the movement until it has developed further." jacob was forced to pass this particular group lest the fact that he was listening to the conversation should become known; but before getting out of the throng he heard all the particulars that could be given relative to the advance of the "rebels." some of the gossipers believed washington intended to make an attack on philadelphia; others had the idea that he was preparing to retreat, fearing lest sir henry clinton, after taking command of the army, would press him too warmly, and that this movement of lafayette's but cloaked the design. not a few thought that the rebels had decided upon a vigorous campaign, of which this unaccountable advance was proof, and before many moments such belief was shared by the majority. once jacob had passed beyond the excited throng he waited with the utmost impatience for enoch to join him, and when, after what seemed an exceedingly long time, his comrade came up looking surprised and alarmed, master ludwick motioned for him to follow toward the bank of the river. not until the boys stood where there was no possibility the conversation could be overheard did jacob speak, and then it was to say: "now we understand why the man who talked with us was so anxious to learn what might be done by the britishers. he knew general lafayette was about to move, and expected troops would be sent out from here at once." "if that is done we shall be of but little service, for the soldiers will march as fast as we can." "that remains to be seen. the time has come when we can do work that will be of importance, and we must not lose the opportunity." "then we had best get around by the barracks; we can be of no service while we stand here talking idly." "it is not idle talk, as you shall see. the thought has come to me that if the enemy makes any move to-night it is our duty to take the news to general washington, or general lafayette, before the britishers can get very far on the road." "i don't understand how it is to be done." "are you willing to run a big risk?" "i am ready to do anything in aid of the cause." "then listen. i know where wharton, the tory, has two horses stabled, and it will not be hard work to get them out after the groom has gone away for the night. if anything is done by the britishers which our friends should know, we can take them, follow the schuylkill up till we come to the bridge, and be at general lafayette's camp before daylight." "but that would be stealing!" enoch cried. "i don't think so, under the circumstances. it will be only an honest act, for we do it to save the lives of our friends." "that would prevent our coming back to philadelphia while the britishers are here, and the stranger said we might be of more service in this city than we could in the army." "so we shall if we carry such important news, and it is better for us to leave here on an errand like that than remain idle when the cause may suffer." "i will do whatever you say is right, jacob, but do not want to serve our country by becoming a thief." "that you will not become, i tell you!" jacob cried impatiently. "it shall be as you say." "very well. now i will go in one direction and you in another. we'll meet on high street near fourth. if nothing has been seen we must continue to walk around until certain the britishers do not intend to leave the city." having thus mapped out his plan jacob started up walnut street at his best pace, and enoch went in the opposite direction, feeling rather doubtful of such honesty as displayed itself by the theft of two horses. not until eight o'clock in the evening did either of the boys see anything to denote that the enemy's troops would be moved that night, and then it was as if all the preparations had been made in an instant. it was enoch who was standing in front of general grant's quarters when that gentleman came out attended by two of his staff, and the boy heard him say petulantly: "we are forced to go on a wild-goose chase, while the more fortunate fellows are enjoying themselves at the play. i expected to see at least two acts of douglas, and had invited some ladies to accompany me." "are we likely to go far?" one of his companions asked. "to barren hill; and on arriving there we shall find our french bird has flown, although general howe is so certain of capturing him that he has invited a large party to take supper with the proposed captive to-morrow night, while admiral howe has given orders to have a frigate made ready for sailing with lafayette on board. it would create a sensation if we should send the marquis to england as a prisoner!" "indeed it would, and i only hope he will give us half a chance to catch him. how large a force shall we have?" "five thousand in my column and two thousand under grey." "that will be plenty to do the work, and it isn't impossible we may succeed in surprising him. our preparations have been made very quietly." "only those engaged in the service have any idea of what it is proposed to do, and all of us have been sworn to secrecy. i shall----" the speakers moved on, and enoch could not distinguish the remainder of the conversation; but he had heard enough to change his mind as to the honesty of stealing horses, and now thought only of the possibility that they might not succeed in such purpose. hastening to the rendezvous at full speed, he found jacob awaiting him and displaying every evidence of agitation and impatience. "i thought you would never come," he whispered eagerly. "we have no time to lose, for i have seen more than a thousand soldiers in the ranks ready for a march." "and i have heard exactly how many are to go; but we must hurry to the tory's stable, for there is no time to lose!" and enoch urged his comrade forward, telling him while they walked so swiftly as to be almost running that which he had learned. "no two boys ever had such an opportunity as we've got now!" jacob said triumphantly. "if we can be the first to carry the news to general lafayette, it will be a work that even general washington would thank us for! we shall find no difficulty in enlisting in any regiment we choose, and who knows but we'll be made officers?" "i don't understand how that could be, when we are not even soldiers; a man must have had experience before he can command others." "couldn't we soon gain that?" "we'd better give all our attention to getting the horses. if we succeed in finding general lafayette i shall have reward enough, and a commission as colonel wouldn't make me any happier." "i'd rather be an officer than a private," jacob replied decidedly, "and we're now in a fair way to wear swords." the pace at which they were traveling was not well suited for a prolonged conversation, and the boys were panting so heavily that it was absolutely necessary to remain silent until they were in the vicinity of the tory's stable. the building was situated a hundred yards or more from the dwelling, and no one could be seen in the vicinity. jacob forced his companion to halt where a clump of bushes hid them from view of any one who might pass that way, until they had regained their breath, and then said hurriedly: "i know the man who takes care of the horses. he boards at the third house from here, and doesn't often come back in the evening after his day's work is done. the stable door opens toward wharton's house, and our greatest danger will be in getting the animals out. i'll go ahead; if you fail to hear anything for five minutes, follow me." "go on; don't waste any more time, for if the soldiers set out ahead of us we shall find it difficult to pass them." master ludwick made his way toward the building as if stealing horses was a work with which he was thoroughly conversant, and when the specified time had elapsed enoch followed. the fact that a play was being performed at the theater, and also that nearly all the male population of the city were congregated in the business portion of the town discussing this unexpected move on lafayette's part, was of material aid to the boys in their undertaking. not a light could be seen in the tory's home, and it was situated so far out of the city there was little fear pedestrians would pass at that hour in the evening. when enoch entered the barn he understood by the subdued noise that master ludwick was bridling a horse, and he whispered: "are there two here?" "yes; i've got a bridle on one, and if you'll hold him i'll take out the other. we can't stop to find saddles." "there's no need of anything of that kind, but i think we should have something in the shape of whips, in case we're pursued." "we can find a stick once we are clear of the city. have you got hold of the bridle?" "yes; i'll take care of this fellow. get the other quickly, for if any one should come now we'd be in a bad plight. i had rather be in prison as a spy than a horse thief." that jacob was familiar with the interior of the stable was proved by the celerity of his movements. although enoch was in that frame of mind when the seconds drag like minutes, it seemed to him as if he had but just taken charge of the first animal before his comrade had the other in the floor. there was hardly time for one to have counted twenty when master ludwick opened the stable door cautiously as he whispered: "mount, enoch, and ride at a walk until we are so far away that the hoof-beats won't be heard in case any of the family should chance to be at home. remember, we must keep together as long as possible; but if it happens that we are separated, each must do his best at finding general lafayette's camp!" "don't stop to give orders now, but come on!" enoch replied nervously as he mounted, and in another moment the young patriots were riding slowly up the street. neither dared to speak, and the noise of the animals' feet on the hard road sounded so loud in their ears that it seemed as if any one half a mile away must hear it. both the boys understood, however, that considerably more noise would be made if they allowed their horses to trot, and, dangerous though the position was, they reined their steeds down to a walk until fully a quarter of a mile had been traversed, when jacob said grimly: "it's time to let them out now, and if we are caught it won't be because we haven't been cautious enough!" the horses, impatient at having been restrained, darted forward swiftly when the reins were loosened, and enoch cried in delight: "they are in the proper trim for rapid traveling, and we should be able to keep ahead of foot soldiers, for, of course, we are in advance of them." "i don't believe the britishers have started yet, and it's almost certain there is no enemy between us and the american force. we've just the same as won our swords already!" "never mind the swords if we----" enoch ceased speaking very suddenly as a voice, coming apparently from the thicket that bordered the road, cried sternly: "halt! halt or i fire!" instead of making any reply jacob struck his horse with both heels, darting ahead of enoch for the time being, and in another instant the command rang out: "fire! then see that they do not escape!" "they're mounted men!" enoch cried in fear as he bent over the neck of the horse, involuntarily glancing back just as a broad sheet of flame lighted up the trees a short distance in the rear, and he heard the whistling of bullets over his head almost at the same instant that the reports of the weapons rang out. "are you hurt, jake?" he cried anxiously. "not so much as a scratch; but this isn't the time to talk. those fellows have horses, and it's a question how long these can hold out. wharton never was known to keep very good stock, so father says." enoch was not exactly in that frame of mind where he could best speculate upon the faults or merits of the tory's horses; but he was thoroughly aware that he and his comrade would soon have a very good idea of the abilities of these two animals as compared with those in the rear. glancing back hurriedly the boy saw a group of horsemen in sharp pursuit, and he decided there could not be less than half a dozen, all of whom were in uniform. the thought came into his mind that this party had been posted on the road to prevent any one from carrying information to the enemy, and now, when it was too late, he remembered that he and jacob had twice before been turned back by a patrol at this very point. "we should have remembered it," he said to himself. "it would not have been much out of our way if we had ridden across the field, and then we shouldn't be pressing our horses at their best speed when the journey has but just begun." it was too late now to indulge in regrets. the pursuers were making every effort to end the chase quickly, and there was good reason to believe the weapons would again be used, when a chance shot might end the chase by crippling one of the animals even if it failed to hit a human target. enoch was not urging the steed he rode to its best pace, but contented himself with holding the advantage he had over the enemy; while jacob had used his heels as spurs to such effect that his horse was far in advance. during half an hour the race was continued, and then the animals showed signs of fatigue. now it was necessary for enoch to urge his on, while jacob's, less fresh because of the first great burst of speed, was slowly falling to the rear. "i won't run away from you," enoch said encouragingly. "their horses must be as tired as ours; but if they've got better wind, i'll be by your side when we're overtaken." "no, no, you mustn't do that!" jacob cried sharply. "if only one can get through the work will be done, and i deserve to be overhauled because i sent this beast ahead at such a furious rate when we first started. do your best to give them the slip, and pay no attention to me; but when you see seth again tell him i tried to do as much for the cause as he did." "i shall stay by you," enoch said decidedly as he reined in his horse. "they are getting no nearer, and--look out!" the warning cry had hardly been uttered when the reports of muskets or pistols rang out once more; but this time the whistling of the bullets could not be heard. "they have lost ground!" enoch cried joyfully. "don't punish your horse so much, but slacken the pace a bit till he gets his wind. we'll best them yet." again and again the weapons were discharged, but the boys no longer bent their heads, for they were out of range, and the race was well-nigh won. five minutes later the pursuers were lost to view in the distance, and jacob cried in a tone of relief: "we've outridden them at last; but if they had held on five minutes longer, it would have been all over, so far as i'm concerned, for i don't believe this beast could have held a trot half a mile more." "let him walk awhile, and we'll keep a good lookout in case they should make another try for us. do you know the roads hereabouts?" "yes; all of them. if it was daylight you could see my home from the next hill. there is no short cut hereabouts that they can take to get ahead of us, and we're certain to go through all right!" chapter viii. barren hill. the boys now had good reason to believe that the most difficult portion of their work was accomplished. it was not probable they would meet any of the enemy while riding in this direction, and all that now remained was to find general lafayette's command. this last both the boys fancied might be easily done, for jacob was familiar with the roads in that section of the country, and should be able to lead the way to the camping-place. the horses would be recovering from the effects of their long race if allowed to continue on at a walk, and such gentle exercise, heated as they were, was better than to bring them to a halt. "i reckon we've earned our swords," jacob said, after he was satisfied the enemy had abandoned the pursuit and there was no longer any danger to be apprehended. "it's mighty lucky for us we met that spy on the day of the carnival!" "i think we'd better finish the work before crowing very loud," enoch replied with a laugh. "as to whether we are given swords or not troubles me very little, for i had rather be a private than an officer." "that's because you don't know how much easier it is to command than be commanded." "but how is it when a fellow doesn't know how to command?" "he can soon learn." "well, it doesn't seem to me there is any good reason why we should discuss the matter, for the swords haven't been offered us, and perhaps never will be." "if we don't receive them it'll be because our services are not appreciated. hark! do you hear anything?" and jacob reined his steed to a standstill as he listened intently. far up the road, in the direction where the boys supposed the advance of the continental army was encamped, could be heard the hoof-beats of horses, sounding nearer and nearer each instant. "they are coming this way!" master ludwick said at length. "do you suppose it is possible our friends have any idea of making an attack on general howe's forces?" "they must do that, or be prepared to resist one. now if ever is the time when our news will be of value." the boys rode forward confident the approaching travelers were friends, and a few moments later two mounted men could be seen dimly in the gloom, approaching at a quick, but not hurried, pace. "hello, friends!" jacob shouted, guiding his horse to the middle of the road as if to bar the passage. the newcomers halted suddenly, and one of them asked in a low tone, speaking to his companion: "who have we here? surely it cannot be that any of the enemy are so far from the city." "we are friends if you are members of the continental army," jacob cried. "and that is what we are; but why do you take the middle of the road as if to dispute our right to pass?" "i am the son of christopher ludwick, and this fellow with me is enoch ball. we have ridden at risk of our lives, having been chased and fired at by a squad of britishers, to give general lafayette news of the enemy's movements." jacob spoke in an important tone, much as though the sword he dreamed of was already hanging by his side, and had even now assumed a swagger such as he thought essential in an officer of the army. "we have just come from the general's headquarters, bound for new jersey; but if your information is of importance it may be to our advantage to turn back. are the enemy informed of general lafayette's movements?" "general howe knows all about it; the quaker at whose house the marquis quartered himself sent in the full particulars. from all we could learn, two forces, one of five thousand and the other of two thousand men, have been sent against you." "have been sent?" one of the officers repeated. "do you mean they have already started?" "i saw more than a thousand in the ranks ready for marching before we came away, and they must have left town about the same time we did." "but how are you so certain as to the exact number?" "enoch heard general grant talking with one of his staff, and the britisher said general howe was so sure of capturing the marquis that he had invited his friends to meet the prisoner at supper to-morrow night." the two men spoke together in whispers a few seconds, and then he who had acted the part of spokesman asked: "are you the boys who were imprisoned on the charge of having aided young graydon to escape?" "we are." "then there seems to be no question as to the truth of your statement----" "the truth of it?" jacob interrupted. "why, we saw the soldiers ready for the march." "will you come with us to general lafayette?" "of course we will! it was to find him that we set out." the two officers wheeled their steeds, and began to retrace their steps at a rapid pace, the boys following close behind. after a few moments one of them, half-turning in his saddle, asked how the young messengers had procured horses, and jacob readily told him the story of despoiling the tory. "you boys have begun well in the service of the cause, and if you continue with the same zeal, should be able to give a good account of yourselves before the struggle is ended." "that is what we hope to do," enoch replied, and jacob whispered to his comrade: "he didn't say anything about our being given commissions for this night's work." "and it isn't likely any one else will," enoch replied with a laugh. "it should be enough for us that we have rendered an important service, and it seems selfish to be talking of a reward even before the work has been done." "we'll see what general lafayette thinks about it," and jacob spoke in a tone of irritation, after which he relapsed into silence, not venturing to speak again until the little party had arrived at an encampment completely surrounding a small farmhouse, before which the officers drew rein. sentries were pacing to and fro in front of the building, and the boys understood that they were at general lafayette's quarters, the owner of which was the person who had sent information to the british commander. not until after considerable parley were they admitted to a room strewn with military accouterments, in the center of which stood a table bearing the remnants of a meal. here they were forced to wait several moments, after which a young, not particularly prepossessing-looking man entered, only partially dressed. the two officers saluted him with evident respect, while jacob and enoch showed signs of dissatisfaction. it did not seem possible to them that this boyish-appearing officer could be the famous frenchman of whom they had heard so much, and both were sadly disappointed, because, as they believed, an interview with the commander himself was to be denied them. "this is general lafayette," one of the officers said to jacob, "and you can tell him your story." "this the general?" master ludwick cried in amazement. "you expected to see an old man?" lafayette asked with a smile. "well, i didn't think you was--i mean, it didn't seem--i thought you might----" "never mind what you thought, my friend. if you have important information to give it will be well if i hear that at once, and your opinion regarding myself can be told at a more convenient season." jacob was so thoroughly confused as not to be able to tell a connected story, and it became necessary for enoch to act as spokesman, a post he filled with great satisfaction to all, except, perhaps, his comrade, who was angry with himself because he had foolishly allowed his surprise to so far overcome him as to tie his tongue. "so i am to take supper with general and lord howe and their friends, am i?" lafayette said as if to himself when enoch's story was ended. "with seven thousand men against us the situation may be desperate, but i do not think i shall go to philadelphia this night." then he gave hurried commands to his officers, and when the two left the room he turned to the young messengers with a smile which changed the entire expression of his face, and caused enoch to believe he had never seen a more kindly gentleman. "you have done nobly to bring this news, which is most important not only to me personally, but to the cause we all serve. as to the theft of the horses, you need give yourselves no uneasiness. i will send word to mr. wharton at the earliest convenient moment, stating that i impressed them into the service of the united states, and forward him an order for the payment of the animals. it will be better you should remain with this command awhile, since it may be dangerous for you to go in either direction alone. procure from the quartermaster food for yourselves and the beasts, and take such rest as is possible until we make a move." enoch understood that the bow with which they were favored was an intimation that the interview had come to an end, and at once went toward the door; but jacob remained facing the general as if his business was not yet concluded. "have you anything more to tell me?" lafayette asked. "i thought perhaps you counted on saying something else," master ludwick stammered. "i think we have finished our business. perhaps at some future time we may have a better opportunity for conversation." after this jacob could do no less than follow his companion, and when they were outside the building he said, in a tone of dissatisfaction: "it don't seem to me that we got much thanks for what we've done." "what could you want more? we know that perhaps we have been the means of saving this whole command from capture." "that's exactly what we have done, and yet he didn't say a word about giving us a sword, or even a corporal's commission." "you expected too much. if general lafayette is willing to give his services to a people who were strangers to him, he has a right to believe that a couple of boys like us are willing to serve our country without reward." jacob was about to make what might have been an angry reply, when he was suddenly seized from behind in what was no unfriendly embrace, as a familiar voice cried: "i counted on seeing you fellows as soon as you were let out of jail; but didn't think you'd steal up on us in the night. have you been trying to get an interview with general lafayette at this hour?" it was seth who spoke, and several minutes elapsed before the three boys had so far concluded their greetings as to be able to carry on a coherent conversation. then, in obedience to his friends' urging, seth explained how he had succeeded in reaching the american lines on the night they parted with him on the outskirts of philadelphia. it was not such a story as would cause much excitement, owing to the lack of adventure. from the moment he left them until he was at valley forge he saw nothing of the enemy. the food provided by mrs. ball was ample for all his wants, and the journey which he had believed would be bristling with danger was hardly more than a pleasing excursion. he had been received with a hearty welcome by the americans, who, through their spies in philadelphia, had heard of his dangerous situation, and was allowed to enlist in whatever branch of the service he desired. he enrolled himself in the new jersey militia, commanded by general dickinson, because among them were several acquaintances, and had done a soldier's duty from that day. jacob expressed considerable surprise that he had not been rewarded in some way because of all he had suffered, and seth's reply occasioned master ludwick no slight amount of astonishment. "that would have been strange indeed, to reward me for simply trying to do something in aid of the cause." "but you gave information which must have been valuable to the americans." "it was, so i have since been told, and surely such knowledge is sufficient reward." "i ain't so certain about that," master ludwick replied doubtfully. "now i had an idea that enoch and i would be made officers at the very least, because of bringing news which may prevent general lafayette from being made prisoner; but if you haven't got so much as a uniform for all you've been through with, perhaps we shan't fare any better." seth laughed long and loud at the idea that jacob had expected to be made an officer in the continental army before he had even so much as handled a musket, and said, when his mirth had subsided sufficiently to admit of his speaking: "after you are in the ranks you'll learn that such rewards as you expected could not well be given, unless the army was to be used as an ornament, instead of for fighting. i suppose of course you will enlist?" "it looks as if that was all we could do," enoch replied. "it wouldn't be safe for us to go back to the city, for some one of the squad that pursued us might remember our faces. yes, the time has come when we should become soldiers, and it seems to be more than ever our duty since we are within the american lines by accident." "and you will enlist in the regiment to which i belong?" "it seems as if we should be with the pennsylvania troops." "i don't understand that it can make any particular difference, for you will do your duty in one place as well as another." "of course we want to be with you," jacob added thoughtfully, "and if you really believe there's no chance of our being made officers, i suppose we can't do better than join your company." "then you may as well sign the rolls at once, for i question if general lafayette will recommend you for promotion until you know what a private's duty is. did you see one of our friends in philadelphia, whom i sent to you?" "do you mean a man who was dressed as a farm-hand, and came into the market to sell vegetables?" "yes." "we met him on the day the britishers had their celebration, or whatever it may be called. who is he?" "a member of the company to which i belong; a true patriot, and one who is willing to risk his life over and over again if by so doing he can aid the cause. his name is robert greene, and when i heard that he wanted to be directed to several people in the city who might be able to give him information, i told him about you. the fact that the britishers kept you in jail so long was sufficient evidence you were to be depended upon." then seth insisted that his comrades tell him the story of their troubles after he escaped, but before his curiosity could be fully satisfied the entire camp was aroused. it was nearly time for the sun to rise, and general lafayette had begun making preparations to escape from the trap into which he had voluntarily walked. three messengers from different points had come into camp to give notice of the british advance, and the commander knew by this time that grant's troops were halted at the forks of the roads leading, one to barren hill, and the other to matson's ford. it was also learned that a considerable number of men had been sent to chestnut hill, while grey with his force of two thousand was at the ford, less than three miles in front of lafayette's right flank. thus it was that the americans were almost completely surrounded, the only avenue of escape left open being by way of matson's ford, the approach to which was very near where grant had halted his five thousand men. the older soldiers whom the boys heard discussing the situation were of the opinion that general lafayette was in a trap from which he could not escape, and, in fact, the majority of the americans believed they must soon be made prisoners of war, which would be a small disaster as compared to the blow given the american arms before the summer campaign was fairly opened. "it begins to look as if we had jumped out of the frying-pan into the fire," jacob said as he stood with his comrades listening to the comments of those around him. "we're likely to go back to philadelphia sooner than we counted on, and mr. wharton will be after us as horse thieves." "come with me," seth suggested. "i do not believe general lafayette is in as bad a fix as some try to make out; but if he is, it will be better for you to be captured with muskets in your hands, rather than as fellows who came here solely to bring information of the enemy's movements." "how can we do that while we have the horses? i don't propose to give them up unless we're forced to, and that is what would happen if we followed you." there was no longer time for seth to discuss the matter with his friends. the drums were beating the call for the men to "fall in," and he was forced to take his proper station in the line. while jacob hesitated, and enoch was doing his best to persuade him that it would be wisest to leave the horses to their fate, the booming of heavy guns close at hand startled the boys, and master ludwick was looking anxiously around for some convenient way of escape, believing the british close upon them, when one of the officers they had stopped on the road came up. "you look frightened," he said laughingly. "that's just what i am," jacob replied grimly. "i don't want to be taken back to the city as a horse thief, and it now seems as if that was what is about to be done." "there is no cause for fear yet awhile. those cannon are being served by our men, and i allow they will deceive the britishers, even though no great execution follows." "but it sounds like a regular battle." "i admit that, my boy; but unless i am mistaken we shan't see anything in the way of an engagement this morning." "do you think general lafayette will----" "have patience and you shall see what is to be done. the troops will soon begin to move toward matson's ford, and you two had better make your way in that direction at once." "but some of the soldiers said the britishers were very near there." "so they are; but i fancy we can prevent them from knowing what is being done until our troops are in a place of safety, for, as a matter of course, there can be no question of pitting twenty-five hundred men against more than seven thousand. take my advice, and get to the ford as soon as possible." enoch insisted that their wisest course was to act upon the officer's suggestion, and although jacob appeared to think he should receive personal orders from general lafayette regarding himself, he finally did as his comrade desired, and, mounted on mr. wharton's horses, they followed the main body of the troops. not until after the movement had been successfully executed, and all the men and baggage withdrawn to a place of safety, did the boys understand how it was done. then the maneuver was explained to them by a soldier whose acquaintance they made during that day. "lafayette proved himself adequate to the occasion. in a moment, as it were, his dangers were revealed, and the one possible means of extrication resorted to. dispositions were made in the churchyard as though to receive grey; his artillery, by a well-directed fire, encouraged the idea that he purposed to engage. his real aim was, of course, flight, and by the ford; but to attain it he must pass within a short distance of grant, who was nearer to it than himself. he feigned movements as though for an attack, and by an occasional display of the heads of columns he for a time persuaded the englishman that an action was imminent. meantime the troops, as fast as they could come up, were hurrying across the ford, until at last the artillery and a body of oneida savages only remained on this side of the stream. these were also now brought over, and on the high ground beyond our men were secure. grant at last came up, and ordered the advance to move on, but too late. they saw but a party of our troops dotting the surface of the water like the floats of a seine. the prey had escaped. grant was hopelessly in the rear; and when grey's column closed in there was nothing between the british lines. the only skirmishing even that seems to have occurred was between a body of light-horse and the oneidas. neither had ever encountered a like foe; and when the cavalry unexpectedly rode among the savages, the whooping and scampering of the one, and the flashing swords and curveting steeds of the other party, excited such a common terror that both fled with the utmost precipitation. irritated and empty-handed howe marched back to town, with no one but his own officers to blame for his ill-success."[b] footnote: [b] winthrop sargent's "life of john andre." chapter ix. robert greene. during the retreat to valley forge jacob and enoch did not see seth, who, as a matter of course, remained with his regiment. the two boys who had brought the earliest information regarding general howe's movements rode the horses taken from the tory, and, therefore, were not inconvenienced by the forced march; but they had good opportunity of learning something concerning a private soldier's duties and labors which they had never realized before. "now you can see that i wasn't such a very big fool because i wanted to be an officer," jacob said as they neared the encampment at valley forge. "look at the privates staggering under a load big enough for a horse, while those who have commissions ride or walk at their leisure, with nothing to carry but a sword." "i didn't laugh at you for _wanting_ to be an officer, but because you seemed to think it would be easy to perform the duties of one." "i'm not certain that i shall enlist unless general lafayette gives us a better show than the rest have got." enoch looked at him in astonishment. "do you mean that you hesitate to become a soldier now we are where it is possible to enlist?" "that's it exactly. if nothing turns up in our favor, i shall think twice before signing the rolls," jacob replied with an air of complacency, much as if he believed his enlisting would be of the most vital importance to the cause. "what will your father say when he learns that you do not care to be a soldier? he must be here at valley forge, and most likely we shall soon see him." "when father knows that we are given the cold shoulder after doing the work we did last night he will think as i do." "i shall join the company of which seth is a member, and you had better do the same thing. of course we can't stay here in the encampment unless we enlist." "don't be in too much of a hurry to tie yourself down; but wait until i have seen father." enoch would have much preferred to enroll himself as a private in the continental army without delay; but jacob urged him so strongly to wait at least twenty-four hours that he could not refuse without giving offense to his comrade. "what are we to do?" he asked as they rode into the encampment in advance of the retreating force, being allowed to enter the lines after explaining who they were, and why they had come. "you stay near here, while i look for father. he will find us a place in which to sleep to-night, and supply us with food." "shall you be gone long?" "it doesn't seem likely; but you must stay near here, for i should never find you if you strayed away. i had no idea there were so many men in the continental camp." "did you think the army would be composed of seth, you, and i, and all three of us holding commissions because by chance we did our duty?" "perhaps you won't make sport of me to-morrow at this time, and it may be you'll learn that i wasn't very far wrong when i said we should be rewarded for our services." "we won't discuss that matter again," enoch replied laughingly, "otherwise you may not find your father to-day. don't be gone any longer than necessary, for it won't be particularly jolly standing around here holding a horse that ought to have his breakfast." "i'll be back as soon as i can," jacob cried as he rode away, and enoch turned his attention to the returning troops, finding much to interest him as the different regiments marched into the encampment, filing to the right or the left to occupy their old quarters. he saw seth as the latter's company came up among the last, and, but for his promise to jacob, would have followed in order to learn where his friend might be found later. finally the last of the soldiers arrived; the camp resumed its wonted air, much as though twenty-five hundred men had not marched out full of hope, and come back again dispirited, if not disheartened. one, two, three hours passed, and jacob was yet absent. enoch had about decided to leave his unprofitable station, regardless of the trouble it might cause master ludwick to find him, and seek out seth, when he was accosted by a soldier whose face looked familiar, but whose identity he could not recall. "so you got into the continental camp sooner than you expected, eh? it was a good bit of work you did, but, save for the urgency of the case, i could wish you had never left town." "it seems to me i have met you before; but i can't remember where," and enoch looked at the man scrutinizingly. "it isn't strange you should fail to know me in this garb; i was dressed as a farmer when you saw me last." "you are the one who talked with us on the day of the carnival!" "exactly, and now perhaps you can understand why i am sorry because it became necessary for you to leave town." "yet we couldn't do very much toward helping you in your work." "what you have done since last evening shows of how much assistance you might be. two boys can loiter here or there without exciting the suspicion which would naturally be aroused if a man was observed doing the same thing." "i can't say i'm sorry we came away. it seemed necessary we should do so----" "and so it was, my boy. you did just right in getting to barren hill at the earliest possible moment." "it was jacob's idea. i do not believe i should have thought of getting the horses but for him, and he planned the whole affair." "yet he is dissatisfied because general lafayette did not embrace and kiss him on both cheeks, at the same time making him at least a colonel, isn't he?" enoch laughed heartily, and finally asked curiously: "how did you know anything about that?" "it comes natural for me to pry into every one's business, and it may be i heard you two talking, or read it in master ludwick's face. but why is it you do not expect a rich reward?" "because we have simply performed our duty, and when that is done in behalf of the cause one is rewarded by the knowledge that he has been of some service." "it would be better for the cause if more were of your way of thinking," greene said in a low tone, and added quickly, "what do you propose to do now?" "enlist." "in what branch of the service?" "i would like to be with seth graydon, and, if possible, shall join his company." "what does master ludwick say to that plan?" "he has gone to consult with his father, and i am waiting here for his return." "if he finds old chris, and complains because he has not been rewarded, i predict that he will come back with a sore body, for our baker-general is a true-blooded american even though he was born in germany, and will not have any patience with such ideas as his son entertains. tell me, enoch ball, would you be willing to serve your country in another way than by becoming a soldier?" "i would do anything in my power." "now more than ever is it necessary we should know all that is being done in philadelphia. clinton is soon to take command of the british army, and no one can guess what his policy will be. it would not be safe for seth graydon to volunteer for such work, because the britishers would hang him off-hand if he ever fell into their clutches; i'm not certain i could trust master ludwick implicitly, but i would like you for a comrade." "but i am known in town." "not to so many that it would interfere with your doing all that might be required. if you should return home at once--this very day--it would not be difficult to persuade suspicious ones that you had never left the city." enoch was almost frightened by the proposition. he understood how much danger would be attached to such work, and fancied the enemy knew perfectly well who had carried the first information to general lafayette; but yet he replied in as firm a tone as he could assume: "i am ready to do anything, or go anywhere that is best for the cause." "it is bravely spoken, my boy. do not fear that the enemy are looking for you; i question very much if general howe or his officers have the slightest idea that any information was carried to general lafayette, save by the country people who saw the forces on the march. will you be ready to go back with me this evening?" "yes; i only want to see seth and jacob a moment, and it is not really necessary i should do even that, for i could leave word i would soon come back." "there is no reason why you shouldn't wait till master ludwick returns, and then i will show you where seth's regiment is encamped." greene seated himself on the ground as if perfectly willing to remain there any length of time, and after tying the horse's bridle to the wheel of a cannon enoch sat down beside the spy. "how long have you been doing this kind of work?" he asked. "playing the spy, do you mean? i began last fall, when our army went into winter-quarters. there was some fear then that general howe might take a notion to stir our folks up at a time when they were having about all they could do to keep body and soul together, without thinking of fighting, and i volunteered for the work. it seemed dangerous at first, as it now does to you; but i soon got over that idea, and grew to like the task." "you would be hanged if captured?" "true, and it is not a pleasant way of going out of the world; but i am in no more danger of death than if i went into a battle, and some one must do the work." "yet seth was captured the very first time he tried to give our friends information." "that may be accounted for by the fact that he was not a spy; if he had been he would never have allowed the continentals to escort him where he might be seen by the enemy. a man engaged in such business does not take any unnecessary chances, and is always on the alert lest his true character be discovered. that which i propose you shall do, however, is not as dangerous as it now appears, and i am positive you will not dislike it. tell me, have you seen nothing since you met the army to dispel the supposed charm of a soldier's life?" "i never thought there could be any sport in being a soldier, and what i have seen is only such as i have believed was the fact. why is it that i have not met more officers?" "perhaps because lafayette's advance was not considered an important movement, and, therefore, he had only his own staff with him. you would see plenty of generals by staying here a few days, and some of them as useless as they are gaudy in dress." "it seems that you are not friendly with all of them," enoch said with a smile. "i am only a private, therefore could not be on intimate terms with the most humble of them; but i have seen very much, and heard more, since i began to play the spy, that shakes my faith in some of the officers under general washington, and the one i most distrust is he who is next in rank to the commander-in-chief." "what do you mean?" and now enoch's curiosity was excited. "hark ye, lad, it is not for me to speak against my superior officer, whether he be a captain or a general, but if you and i are to work together you should know it, for i want you to keep your ears open very wide whenever his name is mentioned, particularly by those who are enemies to the cause. he it is that i fear more than i do howe or clinton." "what is his name?" greene bent forward that he might whisper in his comrade's ear: "charles lee, senior major-general under our washington." "i have heard of him." "where?" the spy asked eagerly, as if believing he might hear something to still further confirm his suspicions. "i can't say; but perhaps it was no more than the mention of his name as one of general washington's officers. tell me about him." "as i said before, it does not become a soldier to speak ill of his superior officer; but you shall hear what the world knows about general lee. he was formerly in the british army, and served under burgoyne in portugal, where he was made lieutenant-colonel. he was with braddock when that officer was defeated on the banks of the monongahela, and with abercrombie at ticonderoga. after that he lived for some time with the mohawk indians, and was such a restless, jealous, quarrelsome man that they gave him the name 'boiling water.' he left the king's service, and came over here in ' , claiming to be in sympathy with the colonists, and succeeding so well in his pretensions, or his faith, whichever you choose to call it, that when the continental army was organized he received a commission as major-general. that didn't satisfy him, patriot though he claimed to be, and he demanded that congress make good to him any loss he might sustain by reason of having given up his commission with the british army. in ' congress loaned him thirty thousand dollars, without any security other than his own name on a bond." "he got a good price for his services. why, even general washington himself hasn't been given that much!" "no, nor any part of it, outside of his pay. now what has lee done for the cause? when general washington was pursued across new jersey in ' by cornwallis, lee followed with a heavy force; but although called upon again and again by the commander-in-chief to strike a blow at the pursuers, he refused to obey--or neglected to do so, which amounts to the same thing." "why?" "perhaps because he hoped some disaster would befall general washington, and he be given command of the army. then, long after cornwallis gave up the chase, lee hung around new jersey until he found a chance--that's the way i put it--found a chance to be captured by a small british scouting party, and was taken prisoner to new york. he was soon hand in glove with general howe and his officers, and there are many of our people who say he told all he knew regarding our condition and plans. then came the farce of exchanging him for some officer we had captured, and only two weeks or less ago he showed his cloven foot again, according to my way of thinking." "in what way?" "the congress ordered that the oath of allegiance be administered to the officers here at valley forge before the beginning of the campaign, and lee was forced to come up with the others. when he and two or three more had their hands on the bible, he took his off when general washington began to read the oath. the commander waited for him to put his hand back, and he withdrew it again before the words could be read. then general washington asked what he meant, and he said--these are the very words as they were told me by one who was there--'as to king george i am ready enough to absolve myself from all allegiance to him, but i have some scruples about the prince of wales.'" "what did he mean by that?" "according to my idea it was only an excuse to get out of taking the oath, but those present seemed to think it only one of his odd traits, and passed it over as something not to be remembered. i bear it in mind, though, and want you to do the same if you are ever where it is possible to learn anything regarding him." "but it isn't the duty of a private to watch his superior officers," enoch ventured to suggest. "it is in this case, for i look on general charles lee as a man who can, and will, if he gets the chance, do more against the cause than even howe himself." enoch was impressed by what greene had told him; but he did not believe it could ever be possible for him to detect an officer, second in rank only to the commander-in-chief, in treasonable practices. besides, it appeared to him a very disgraceful duty to impose upon a boy who was not yet a soldier, and, perhaps, would have remonstrated, but that jacob appeared just at that moment. master ludwick was not looking particularly cheerful, and greene whispered as he approached: "i'll venture to say that old chris the baker has been giving his son a lesson on the patriotic idea of expecting a rich reward whenever he chances to be of service to the cause. old chris isn't that sort of a man." it seemed very much as if the spy was correct in his guess, for jacob had nothing more to say against enlisting, but appeared anxious to know when enoch proposed to sign the rolls. "have you decided to do so?" "yes," was the curt reply. "to-night?" "if i don't there won't be much chance of getting rations." "but i thought you counted on staying with your father?" "i have changed my mind," jacob replied as if the subject was not a pleasant one. "what have you done with your horse?" "father thought he ought to be turned over to the army, and then i couldn't be accused of stealing him for my own benefit." "i reckon i'd better do the same thing," enoch said, trying not to smile when greene indulged in an expressive wink. "where can it be done?" "i'll show you the ropes, or, what is better, do the business for you," the spy replied. "i reckon you want to see seth graydon a spell before we leave?" "that is what i would like to do." "go in that direction," and greene pointed to the right, "until you have passed a lot of cannon; then turn to the left, and you'll be in the midst of the jersey boys. i shall find you there, and we'll call on general dickinson before starting." "what did he mean?" jacob asked as the spy walked away with mr. wharton's steed. "are you counting on going anywhere?" enoch explained to his comrade what it was greene had proposed, and concluded by saying: "we'll have a talk with seth. if he thinks i can really be of as much service in the city as here, i shall go." "and i'll be with you! this enlisting ain't what i've always thought it was, and if i can get out of camp without father's knowing it, i'll be all right." "without his knowing it? do you think he would object to your going back?" "i don't _think_ anything about it, 'cause i know. there's no need of telling any one else, enoch, but he raised an awful row when i talked about being an officer, and when i said i guessed i wouldn't enlist he flew into a terrible rage. he acted as if it would just suit him for me to be marched out somewhere and shot at." it was with difficulty enoch could refrain from laughing at the disconsolate expression on jacob's face; but he succeeded in checking his mirth sufficiently to say in a sympathetic tone: "of course he doesn't want you shot, jacob; but you must remember how much your father has done for the cause, and i suppose it made him angry when you spoke of being paid for the little we did last night." "made him angry? why, he flew way off, an' i thought one spell that he was going to flog me. if i can get away when you do, it'll be all right." "i have been told that it isn't possible to walk out of a military camp whenever you choose. you must have a pass, or something of that kind." "we didn't have any trouble to get in here." "not after we told who we were and that we intended to enlist." "you said that; i didn't." "yes; but you came in, and i don't think it will be very easy to get out again unless your father knows you are going." "then i shall stay here as long as i live, except that fellow greene would be willing to say i could do a deal of good in the city. will you ask him?" enoch promised to do as his friend wished, but at the same time he did not believe the spy would be very eager for this addition to the party. the boys had been walking during the conversation, and by the time it was concluded they had passed the artillery park, arriving at that portion of the encampment where the new jersey troops were quartered. seth was on the lookout for them, and the warmth of his greeting was particularly pleasing to master ludwick, who felt decidedly sore in mind. chapter x. conciliatory bills. that seth was proud of being an officer in the continental army both jacob and enoch understood during the first hour spent in his company. the fact was clearly apparent in his manner of showing them around the encampment, explaining the location of the different troops, the routine of a soldier's life, and displaying his proficiency in the manual of arms. "i never had an idea that there was so much to be learned before a fellow could make any show as a soldier," he said when, the exhibition drill being ended, he led the two boys to his quarters. "it seemed to me only necessary to stand in line, or be able to load a musket; but that is a very small portion of the work." "i suppose you know it all by this time," jacob said in an envious tone. "indeed i don't. i have only just begun to learn; but if i'm not a good soldier within a year, it will be because peace is declared too soon, or i have been wounded or killed. the members of our company are well trained, and seem willing to help me along." "if i couldn't find out all there was for a private to know in a week, i'd give up trying," master ludwick declared emphatically. "then you may as well never try." "i'm not certain that i shall." "what?" and seth looked thoroughly astonished. "i thought your greatest desire was to enlist?" "i've changed my mind about that since last night." "since last night? why, after what you two have done it seems as if the only thing left was to enlist. you surely can't go back to philadelphia----" "that isn't so certain. enoch is going with greene, the spy, and if i can give father the slip i shall travel in his company." as a matter of course seth was eager to understand what master ludwick meant, and in the fewest possible words enoch explained the proposition that had been made to him. "i suppose of course it's your duty to go if you can be of any service," seth said slowly; "but i have counted so much on having you and jacob for comrades that it will be a big disappointment. it is too bad for you not to be members of the army now when it seems as if the end of the struggle was close at hand." "what has happened to make you think anything of that kind is near?" enoch asked in surprise. "philadelphia is still in the possession of the british; general washington has not moved from these his winter-quarters, and at the very beginning of the campaign general lafayette has been forced to retreat." "but the alliance will make a great difference. now that we are to have the assistance of the french troops----" "what do you mean?" and both enoch and jacob looked bewildered. "haven't you heard that the french king has acknowledged the independence of the united states, and declares that he will befriend us?" "i knew last winter it was hoped such might be the case, but don't understand that anything has been effected toward that end as yet." "then general howe has succeeded in keeping the news from our people better than i supposed possible. you should have been in camp here from the third to the seventh of this month, and then you would have understood what hopes every one is building upon the alliance. it was announced to the army on the third, and on the seventh the soldiers celebrated the good news." "i wish our friends in philadelphia could know of it," enoch said, half to himself. "they will know before a great while, that you may depend upon. it is rumored here that war is to be declared between france and england, and that what are called 'conciliatory bills' have been offered in parliament." "what do you mean by conciliatory bills?" enoch asked in perplexity. "as it has been explained to me, the british government will make peace with the colonies----" "that is what the king will try to do," a voice cried, and, looking up, the boys saw greene, the spy, who had approached near enough to overhear a portion of the conversation without having been seen. "nothing short of our independence will, i hope, please our leaders. the bills you speak of are merely deceptionary measures, so general washington says. the king will give us a little more liberty than we have had; but doesn't propose to allow us to become a nation by ourselves. you don't seem to be aware of how well we are progressing, enoch, my boy. the french king has declared himself our friend; there is no question but that war will soon be proclaimed between france and england, and what more particularly concerns you is, that the british are making preparations to evacuate philadelphia." enoch and jacob looked at the speaker in surprise which bordered on bewilderment. "do you mean that general howe will march out of the city when there is no necessity of his doing so?" "he will unquestionably march out very shortly; but there is good reason for the move. he has accomplished nothing by remaining there, and fears he may find himself in trouble. four days before the carnival howe issued an order for the heavy baggage of the army to be prepared for embarkation at the shortest notice, and for the soldiers to lighten their personal luggage. if that doesn't mean that the britishers are getting ready for some kind of a move i'm very much mistaken. there is yet more news for you, boys. it is evidently a fact that peace commissioners have been appointed by the king, and are now on their way to this country." "can that be possible?" enoch asked, and seth nodded his head triumphantly as he replied: "you should have been here at valley forge to learn the news, not in the city where the britishers suppress everything that isn't pleasing. there can be no question about the commissioners, as mr. greene says, for it is reported in the army that washington wrote to congress regarding the conciliatory bills and the fact that the commissioners are coming to this country, saying in the letter: 'nothing short of independence, it appears to me, will do. a peace on any other terms would, if i may be allowed the expression, be a peace of war.' you can see we are progressing famously, and that the time is come when the king realizes how nearly we have gained our independence." "then if i go to the city with mr. greene i may be fortunate enough to see the britishers marching out?" "who can say but that you will be the first to bring the news to this army that the capital of our country is no longer in possession of the enemy?" the spy added in a triumphant tone. "now, i fancy, master ball, you will have no hesitation about doing as i wish?" "i am ready to go whenever you say the word." "then it is time we were making a move. general dickinson wants to have a word with you before we go, and i propose to set out as soon as your interview is ended." "what about my going too?" jacob asked eagerly. "surely i have been able to do as much as enoch--perhaps more, for he is willing to confess that but for me he would never have known where to get horses for last night's ride." "that matter is already settled, master ludwick," greene replied with just a suspicion of a smile. "i committed to your father's care the horse enoch rode, for it would have cost me too much time to have turned him over to the quartermaster in due form, and then promised that i would not countenance your leaving camp." "so my father had an idea i would want to go?" "yes, when he learned i was to take enoch." "he may think he can keep me here; but i doubt it," master ludwick said sharply. "it will be necessary for him to watch me very closely, because it doesn't appear to be such a hard matter to give him the slip." "you may think differently after making the attempt. do you fancy the men here are allowed to roam about at will?" "i reckon i shouldn't have much trouble in getting away if i tried hard." "you will soon learn to the contrary, if you make the attempt. at all events i am bound by my promise not to allow you to accompany enoch and i. seth, if you want to send any word to your mother we may have an opportunity of speaking with her before many days." "if enoch sees her he knows what i would say. i am more than contented, for i am happy at being a soldier at last, and hope before this campaign ends i shall have done that which will prove i am true to the cause." greene was not disposed to make any further delay. his instructions were to be in philadelphia before the following morning, and since at least half of the journey must be made on foot, there was no more than sufficient time remaining to accomplish his purpose. seth and jacob accompanied enoch to general dickinson's quarters, and waited outside until his interview with the commander of the new jersey militia was at an end. "what did he say to you?" master ludwick asked when enoch finally emerged from the building. "nothing of much importance that i am at liberty to repeat," enoch replied guardedly. "he thanked you and i for what we did last night----" "i should think it was about time somebody thanked us," jacob grumbled. "surely general lafayette spoke very kindly." "yes; but that is all he did do." "well, general dickinson didn't say very much more, and surely our night's work wasn't so dangerous after all." "weren't we chased and fired at?" "yes; but not hit." "then i suppose if we had been killed they would have thought we had done something wonderful," jacob grumbled. enoch did not care to enter into any argument with his friend concerning a matter which, in his opinion, had already been fully discussed, and put an end to the conversation by extending his hands to his comrades as he said: "good-by, fellows! if nothing happens to me, and the britishers do leave philadelphia, you'll see me precious soon after they have gone." "try mighty hard to be the first to bring us the news," seth said in a cheery tone as he pressed enoch's hand warmly, and jacob added: "you two fellows seem to be having all the luck, even though i am the one who does most of the work." "you get just as much luck as any of us," enoch replied, "and perhaps more than seth did, for he had to walk all the way to valley forge, and you rode. now you have a good opportunity to enlist, and i hope you will do so instead of moping because matters are not exactly to your liking." then master ball, motioning to greene that he was ready for the journey, set off down the path which led to the main road. "that boy of ludwick's has got something in him if he would only give it a fair chance to come out," the spy said when they were a short distance away. "the trouble with him is that he made up his mind he had done a wonderful thing in bringing information of the enemy's movements last night, and counted so surely on being given a commission as a reward that it has unfitted him for ordinary duties." "jacob means well at heart." "i believe you, lad--that is to say, he did up to last night, but that little affair seems to have spoiled him entirely." "he will soon get over it, and by the time we come back, if we ever do, he will be in a fair way to become as good a soldier as seth appears to be." "don't make the mistake, lad, of questioning whether we are ever coming back. i grant you the work we're on is dangerous; but the chances of our being captured are not as great as the possibility of our being killed if we were going into battle. to anticipate danger is, to my mind, a good bit like inviting it, and the man who expects to be shot has given himself a deal of unnecessary worriment, if it so chances he comes out of the engagement unscratched. if, when we get to work, you are constantly thinking your arrest as a spy is certain to happen, you won't be so keen on the scent of news as you would if the venture was, to your mind nothing more than a pleasant excursion." "i suppose you think i am frightened. well, i am: but that won't interfere with my doing all you require." "i don't believe it will, lad. you have got the right kind of pluck, and i am counting on your distinguishing yourself between now and the time the britishers leave philadelphia. here are our horses, and this time you are riding a nag belonging to the colonies; not one you have been obliged to impress." "i thought we would be forced to walk!" "we shall ride as far as it is safe to do so, and stop at the farm where i am supposed to be working. the man who owns it is a true friend to the cause, and through him i am enabled to do very much more than would otherwise be possible, for he supplies me with all the vegetables i can sell. it isn't such a bad idea for him either, for he gets the money at the same time he is serving his country, and the market-stoppers never trouble me." "what do you intend i shall do in town?" "first of all, simply go home, providing we arrive there so early in the morning that you can get in without being seen. if your mother reports that the britishers have been looking for you, leave town immediately, and make your way back to the farm without giving any heed to me. in such case i shall be deprived of your services, for we cannot keep you here if you are under suspicion. should it chance, however, as i anticipate, that you are not known to have done more than aid seth graydon's escape, you will simply loiter around the city as you have been doing, meeting me in the market-place when you have anything to report, and, in case of important news, such as you learned last night, make your way to the farm at the earliest possible moment." "you spoke to seth of the chance that i might see his mother?" "yes, there is no reason why you should not go there, if matters are as i suppose. in fact, enoch, you will do exactly as you have been doing, and with the assurance that i shall be on the alert in case any danger threatens." greene spoke of the duties to be performed in such a matter-of-fact tone, treating the business as if it was nothing out of the ordinary, that long before they arrived at the place where the horses were to be left all sense of peril which had hung over enoch was dispelled, and he felt confident of being able to successfully perform the work required of him. not until nightfall was the first stage of the journey ended, when the two partook of an appetizing meal, rested an hour, and then set their faces cityward, each carrying on his back a small assortment of vegetables. "we shall be there a good while before morning," enoch suggested when the long tramp was begun. "i count on arriving shortly after midnight." "but you can't go to the market-place until sunrise." "neither do i want to do so, my boy. i shall have an excuse for loitering around town, and you may rest assured i don't waste my time during the hours of apparent idleness." "i should think the britishers would be suspicious of your getting into town at midnight." "bless you, lad, i've done the same thing for the past three months, and been stopped by the patrol so many times that now they all know me. it no longer excites surprise because i am so particularly attentive to my business. my explanation is that i get a better price for the marketing if i am first upon the ground." as the journey progressed the miles seemed to enoch to have doubled in length, and the burden on his back increased tenfold in weight; but he toiled manfully forward, repressing, so far as possible, every evidence of fatigue lest the spy should think him one easily discouraged. as they neared their destination there was less inclination for conversation, and when half an hour had passed in silence greene said in a cheery tone: "your friend seth, with all his marching and counter-marching, shouldering and carrying arms, isn't forced to work as hard as you have been doing this night, lad." "but i am not grumbling." "i am well aware of that, my boy, and proud of the fact, for it shows i wasn't mistaken in my estimate of you. i know you are tired, though, for i am, and i have been over this road in the same fashion nigh on to a hundred times. it is the hardest kind of hard work; but there's a big satisfaction in doing it, for we know that it insures our safety when we are among the britishers." "suppose you should meet any of the enemy who had seen me when i was in jail with jacob? wouldn't it cast suspicion on you?" "not a bit of it, lad, for i am ready in case that happens, and it wouldn't be strange if something of the kind should occur. here is the story: you found it necessary to go to work in order to help support your mother, because in these days i don't fancy she has as many scholars, either in french or dancing, as a month ago, when times even with the enemy were more prosperous. i have hired you to help me bring in my goods." "but doesn't it seem strange that you shouldn't come in with a wagon?" "not a bit of it, and for this reason: the americans might seize my horse, and pay for it with an order on congress, or the british might do the same thing and give me english gold. in either case i should be the loser, if i was really what i represent myself, for horses can't be purchased readily even though one is willing to pay a big price, and that fact is well known. only those farmers living near the town, and who are assured of general howe's protection because of their tory sentiments, venture with their beasts where it is so easy to lose them." it was half an hour past midnight when they had arrived opposite the carpenter mansion, and there, to enoch's alarm, they were halted by a patrol. "it's only me, cap'n," greene said when the command to halt was given. "you still believe in the luck of being first at the market-place, daniel," the sergeant in command of the squad said with a laugh. "and it is luck, cap'n. i haven't missed of sellin' all i've brought a single day since you britishers come here." "and you think that wouldn't be the case if some one got in ahead of you?" "it mightn't be." "but there are plenty who don't arrive until daylight, and yet sell all their wares." "i allow that's a fact, cap'n dear; but who gets the best price? the early bird like me what can afford to haggle for an extra sixpence, or them as have only time enough to sell out and get home before dark?" "there may be some truth in that, my man; you appear to be a rare one for driving bargains. but who is this with you?" "a city-bred lad what has found out at last that he's got a livin' to earn. he's the son of the widow ball on letitia street--she's an old customer of mine. i sold her enough potatoes for winter early in the fall, and got the money before i brought 'em in." "you are not wise in your choice of an assistant, daniel," the sergeant said in an admonitory tone. "young ball isn't looked upon as an honest lad." "what do you mean by that?" and the alleged farmer gave evidence of the liveliest alarm. "his mother told me he wouldn't take a pin's worth that didn't belong to him." "all of which may be true; but certain it is that he has been suspected of having an affection for the rebels, and it isn't many days since he came out of jail, where he was held on suspicion of having aided a spy to escape." "oh, is that all you've got agin him? i allowed from the way you began it was something serious." "and don't you call acting the rebel a serious matter?" "not in a boy like him, cap'n. it's a way all young chaps have. they think it's a sign of smartness to side with the under dog in the fight; but after a few hard knocks that is thumped out of 'em, an' this one is as loyal to the king as i am." "it won't do any harm to keep your eye on him, at all events, daniel, for if he should indulge in more disagreeable practices he might get not only himself, but you, into trouble." "i reckon hard work will take all that out of him, and after he's tramped in here a dozen times he'll be glad to stay at home instead of cavorting 'round with the rebels, though i should be the last to say anything agin 'em." "what do you mean by that?" the sergeant asked sternly. "why, ain't they doing me a mighty good turn, cap'n? if it wasn't for them all you britishers wouldn't be here, and i should have to take less than half-price for my truck, and trust the biggest part out at that." "oh, i see," the sergeant replied laughingly as he ordered his men to move on. "it's the pounds, shillings and pence that touch you more deeply than anything else. good-night to you, daniel. don't charge more than three prices for your truck, and see to it that your assistant behaves himself." "it is evident there has been no very great hue and cry over you and jacob since yesterday afternoon," greene said in a whisper as the patrol passed on in advance, "otherwise the sergeant would have known it. there's nothing now to prevent our carrying out the plan as i had allowed. keep your eyes open, lad, and don't stay in the house a single minute after daylight." chapter xi. a recognition. enoch soon learned that the most difficult task which confronted him in his new line of work was to persuade his mother he was not exposed to any more danger than he would be on the battlefield. she, remembering seth's capture and narrow escape from the scaffold, insisted her son should refuse to assist greene the spy in any way. she was willing for enoch to enlist; but objected most strenuously to his doing that which, if discovered, would doom him to a disgraceful death. during the first two hours spent at home the boy used every argument to convince her he would not be in any greater danger than he had been since his release from jail, and not until he had begged she would consent to his carrying on the work "because he had promised, and would be ashamed to go back to camp with the excuse that his mother would not allow him to do anything of the kind," did she give an unwilling consent to the proposition. "i shall live in constant terror of hearing that you have been arrested and sentenced to be hanged," she said finally; "but will try to hide such fears because you have given your word to cease playing the spy as soon as you can honorably leave the work and enter the army." enoch was more than willing to agree to this; he preferred to serve his country in any other way than that which he had just begun, and would welcome the time when he could stand boldly before his friends and acquaintances as a continental soldier. agreeably to the promise made greene, he was on the street as soon as daylight, and during the entire day lounged around the city, listening eagerly for scraps of important conversation whenever he passed a group of men; but hearing nothing which might benefit his friends. late in the afternoon he succeeded in gaining an interview with seth's mother, and, by approaching the house from the rear, had been able to gain access to the premises without being seen by any one save her. as a matter of course she was greatly rejoiced at learning that her son was safe and happy, but during the past few weeks she was not unduly anxious concerning him, for lord gordon assured her that since the boy had not been brought back to philadelphia he was unquestionably with the continental army. "it hardly seems as if lord gordon was an enemy of ours," the good woman said when she had finished telling enoch of that gentleman's kindness. "he has acted the part of a true friend, and although he refuses to admit that he had any share in seth's escape, i am positive you and jacob could not have succeeded but for him." "he's a gentleman all the way through, that's what he is!" enoch replied emphatically, "and i only wish we might have a chance to pay him for what he has done." it was not safe to prolong the interview lest some of mrs. graydon's boarders should see the visitor and suspect he had just come from valley forge, therefore the boy left the house immediately his budget of news had been unfolded. during the week which followed this visit enoch worked industriously and conscientiously, spending his entire time on the streets, but without learning anything of importance. just before daybreak each morning he went to the market-place, where he was certain of meeting greene, but not once had he anything to communicate. "it seems as if i was wasting my time here," he said despondently on the morning of the eighth day when he and the spy were sheltered alike from the rain that was falling steadily and the observation of the enemy's patrols, through having sought shelter in a shed near the market-place. "i walk around all the time; but hear nothing except what it is possible the peace commissioners may accomplish when they arrive." "it isn't to be expected you can bring in valuable news when everything is as quiet as appears now." "yet i might be of service in the army." "no more than you are here. except for the fact that they are drilled each day, seth and jacob are as idle as you." "has jacob enlisted?" "yes; he could not hold out longer against his father's commands. old chris was ashamed because his son did not appear eager to enter the army, and declared that the boy should not leave the encampment, save as a soldier. jacob tried twice to run away, but was stopped by the guard, and when the last failure was reported to the old baker he declared the boy must earn his livelihood in some way, so set him to work in the bakery. that was not at all to master ludwick's liking, and twenty-four hours later he was in the same company with seth. i now make it a point never to visit camp without reporting to them as to your safety." "of course they know i am doing nothing." "they know, as do all your friends and acquaintances, that you are here in a post of danger, on the alert for whatever may chance to occur." "but there doesn't seem to be a likelihood anything of importance will happen. since sir henry clinton has taken howe's place as commander of the army, it appears as if his plan was to remain idle, contenting himself with depriving us of our capital." "his inaction is but the lull before the storm. general washington feels so positive some decided movement is planned for the near future that all the troops at valley forge are ready to act at a moment's notice, and it is from you and i, as well as other friends of the cause here, that he expects to receive information which will enable him to checkmate the enemy. don't grow despondent because you accomplish nothing great at once; but remember that the longer matters thus remain apparently stationary the nearer we are to a crisis." this conversation served to cheer enoch wonderfully, and as the days went by his mother was more reconciled to the part he was playing, although she reminded him daily of the promise to give up his task as a spy at the first good opportunity. on the fourth of june, the king's birthday, enoch saw the peace commissioners enter the city, received with courtesy by sir henry clinton and his army, but neither the boy nor any true-minded american believed they would accomplish anything after general washington had pronounced so decidedly against treating with the king on other terms than that of independence for the colonies. so far as enoch could learn, the commissioners did nothing save allow themselves to be entertained by the officers and tory families. congress refused to receive them until after the "hostile fleets and armies had been withdrawn, or the independence of the united states acknowledged," and, so far as advancing the king's cause was concerned, they might as well have remained at home. another week passed in what to enoch seemed like idleness, and then greene electrified him by announcing: "within a few days we shall see stirring times, and you will have no further cause to complain that you are doing nothing." "what have you heard?" "nothing; but i have noticed that preparations are being quietly made for a general move----" "i can't see that there has been any change." "nothing to particularly attract attention, i'll admit; yet it is a fact that the troops are nearly ready to evacuate the city, or make a forced march to valley forge for the purpose of attacking our camp." "is it possible general clinton would do that?" "it is possible, but not probable. my idea is that the britishers will leave this city bag and baggage before we're many days older." "i don't understand why they should." "it is feared by the enemy that general washington may strike a blow at new york, and clinton's troops are needed there to prevent a possible disaster. then again they are accomplishing nothing here, and the british government don't relish the idea of paying twelve or fifteen thousand men for holding a town which is of no real benefit, save as a loafing-place for the officers." "if they evacuate this city will they be allowed to go away without being molested?" "i think we can trust general washington to take care of them, and when you see the redcoats start you can be mighty certain a battle ain't far off." "and i won't be in it!" enoch exclaimed mournfully. "seth and jacob will play the part of soldiers, while i hang around here as if i was afraid." "i promise faithfully that you shall be in the thick of any scrimmage that comes, so don't let such thoughts worry you. have patience a few days longer, and keep your eyes open wider than usual." "is there anything in particular to be done?" "loiter around the city tavern as much as possible. the officers may give their friends an idea of what is going to happen, and you stand a good chance of overhearing the gossip. the lightest hint now from a prominent tory will have a big meaning." from this moment it appeared to enoch as if he could perceive a change of demeanor in those whom he met. the british officers no longer sauntered to and fro as if time hung heavily on their hands, but went from point to point rapidly, much as though they had business which would permit of no delay. the tories, who during the winter had assumed a lordly bearing, now looked anxious, and well they might, for their lot would not be an enviable one when the continental army stood in the place of the redcoats, and those who had been oppressed because of loyalty to the cause would be in a position to demand reprisals. it seemed to the boy as if nearly all whom he saw were aware of the impending change, and he went about his business of listening with more confidence than ever before. on the night after his last conversation with greene he saw an unusually large throng in front of the city tavern, and, as a matter of course, pretended to be on the point of entering the building in order that he might mingle with the bystanders. ordinarily he would have moved slowly onward to prevent any one from suspecting he really wished to listen, but on this night, excited beyond the bounds of prudence, he deliberately halted in front of a group composed of two officers, a citizen, and a quaker who had the appearance of having just come from the country. "the fact is known to but few, and we depend upon our friends in whom we have confided to keep it a secret," one of the officers was saying as enoch approached. "there is little doubt but that thy plans are known to the rebel washington, for his men are ready to execute a quick movement," the quaker replied. "it is to be regretted that any of the citizens were trusted with thy secret, for all are not loyal to the king." "very true, friend williams; there are more of king george's enemies in philadelphia to-day than there were two weeks ago. the belief that his majesty's troops are about to leave has made those who had a leaning toward the rebels brave, and they now hope to find favor in the eyes of the new rulers of the city." "has the day been fixed upon?" the man in citizen's garb asked, and enoch pressed yet nearer to hear the reply. so eager was the boy to learn this most important bit of information that he gave no heed to the fact he was pressing against the quaker more rudely than would have been proper even if they had been crowded for space, and before the officer could speak enoch was seized suddenly by the ear. looking up quickly and in alarm, he saw that his captor was the quaker, and now for the first time realized that the man's face was one he had seen before, although where he could not remember. "thou art an eavesdropper, lad, and one who makes it his calling, if i do not mistake," the quaker said sternly. "what business hast thou here?" "i was going into the tavern, sir," enoch replied, his cheeks crimsoning with shame, and then he tried to wrench himself free regardless of the pain, for he recognized in his captor that quaker at whose house general lafayette had established his headquarters on barren hill. "thou wast not thinking of going into the tavern--at least, not until thou hadst learned the purport of our conversation. have i not seen thee before?" "i have always lived in this city, and it may have been that you and i have passed each other on the street," enoch replied, with much stammering and show of confusion. "i have seen thee elsewhere, lad. unless i much mistake thou wast one who brought to the rebel lafayette, when he was in my house, word that general howe had started in pursuit of him." "what is that?" one of the officers asked quickly, stepping in front of enoch to peer into his face. "are you certain this boy carried that information, friend williams?" "it may be i am mistaken; but it does not seem possible. the lad much resembled this one; i saw him only for a moment, yet then i had a full view of his face." by this time several of the gentlemen nearest had gathered around to learn the cause of the disturbance, for all, even including the quaker, were displaying considerable excitement, and enoch was so hemmed in that escape seemed impossible. "it should be a simple matter to ascertain if he is in the rebel service," the second officer suggested. "a squad of our men chased two boys on that night, and, so it was reported, wounded or killed one of them. we will send this fellow to the guard-house until he has been seen by all. i would like to get hold of a few spies before we leave the city." enoch knew that even if those who had chased jacob and himself failed to identify him, there were very many british soldiers, as well as officers, who knew him as one suspected of aiding seth to escape, and that his doom was sealed once he was in custody. it was absolutely necessary, if he would save his life, to make a supreme effort to get free before a squad of soldiers could be summoned, and even though he should fail, his position would be no more desperate than it already was. the quaker still retained his hold of the boy's ear, and one of the officers was grasping him by the collar, while on every side the throng was so dense that there appeared little hope he could force his way through, even though no one tried to detain him. it was, perhaps, because of this fact that the officer's hold was by no means firm; but the quaker was clutching his ear as if anticipating an attempt at escape. the gentleman in the broad-brimmed hat was, therefore, the greatest obstacle in enoch's road to freedom, and he it was who must be vanquished before further move could be made. one of the officers had gone in search of the guard, and enoch resolved on making a desperate effort. hanging back as far as possible in order to give greater effect to the blow, he suddenly lowered his head and darted forward at full speed. the quaker was taken by surprise, and could make no effort to protect himself. enoch launched against him with all his strength, bringing forth a shrill cry of pain as the man of peace was doubled up like a pocket-knife, giving the boy an opportunity to leap directly over him. two other men were thrown down, and those who had been on the outskirts of the throng rushed quickly toward the immediate scene of action, thereby preventing the officer and his companion from giving chase. enoch ran as he had never run before, knowing full well that his life depended upon fleetness of foot, and before the excited men were fully aware of what had happened he was out of sight around the corner. a pile of logs an hundred yards distant seemed to offer a temporary hiding-place, the whole being stacked up so loosely that he could readily make his way among them, and here he crouched, understanding that if he threw the pursuers off the scent now there was a fair possibility of escaping. nothing could have been done better on enoch's part. such of the throng as were first around the corner shouted that the boy had taken refuge in the rear of the house, as seemed to be the case since he was no longer in sight, and the building was instantly invaded by a mob eager to hunt down a spy. the shadows of evening were gathering, and enoch knew if he could remain hidden half an hour longer his chances of escape would be good; but yet it was not safe to stay amid the logs. as soon as it was learned that he had not taken refuge in the tavern, it would be suspected that he must have hidden in the immediate vicinity, and every nook and corner would be searched. he began to have some idea of how a fox must feel when the dogs are on his scent, and the knowledge that he was battling for life removed, for the time being, all sensation of fear. creeping out to the very end of the logs he looked ahead. in that direction was no place where he could be hidden. in the rear two or three men at the corner of the building stood as if expecting he would appear at one of the windows. "my only show is at the river," he said to himself. "if there's a boat afloat i may get away, and must take the chances." waiting only long enough to make certain no one was looking toward the log-pile, he darted out, stooping low that he might be the less likely to attract attention, and bending all his energies toward maintaining a swift pace. once he heard a loud shout, and he leaped forward yet more quickly, believing the pursuers were on his trail; but as he ran the noise died away in the distance, and he understood that he was safe for the moment. there was no question in his mind but that every effort would be made to capture him. he was suspected of aiding in seth's escape; the quaker declared he had brought to general lafayette the first news of general howe's advance, and he had been caught while trying to overhear a conversation which was intended to be private. "they've got proof enough that i'm a spy," he said to himself as he ran, "and the hanging would come mighty quick after i was caught. i shall be in a bad fix if i don't find a boat." on arriving at the water's edge his courage failed him, and he looked wildly around, seeing no hope. the only boat in either direction was hauled high up on the shore, and was so large that the united strength of two men would be no more than sufficient to move her. a short distance away, to the right, was a small sloop heeled over on the sand as she had been left by the workmen engaged in caulking her bottom. unless he made the desperate and dangerous attempt to swim across the river, this sloop was the only available hiding-place, and he was so nearly out of breath that it was absolutely necessary he should halt a few moments before continuing the flight, if indeed that would be safe now so many were undoubtedly searching for him. there was no one to be seen on the land, and the ships of war lying at anchor in the river were so far away that he knew those on board could not distinguish him in the gloom. he clambered up the almost perpendicular deck of the sloop, and from thence through the open hatchway into the hold. now he could rest, but it must only be until night had fully come, and then the flight was to be continued, unless before that time the enemy had captured him. crouching in the darkness of the tiny hold, panting so loudly from his severe exertions that it seemed as if the pursuers must hear him, enoch tried to decide what his next move should be; but without arriving at any satisfactory conclusion. unless some one came to the shore in a small boat, leaving the craft afloat, he could not escape to the jersey side of the river, and even if he gained the opposite bank there was no guarantee of his safety. he was not acquainted with any one there, and would be forced to take refuge in the woods. it did not seem possible he could make his way to the house where greene professed to be working, for every patrol and sentry would be on the alert to prevent his escape in that direction. "i shall have to go down the river, and take the chances of hiding in the woods," he said to himself. "it's a mighty slim show, but is considerably ahead of a britisher's prison. i'll start in ten minutes, for by that time the night will have fully shut down, and trust to the chance of making my way along the shore." he had hardly thus decided upon his course of action when the sound of footsteps on the sand caused his heart to beat yet more furiously, and it surely seemed as if fate was against him when he heard voices near at hand, as if the speakers had halted close beside the sloop. while one might have counted twenty enoch was in such a tremor of fear as not to understand what was being said, and then he was aroused to a sense of duty by hearing the words: "i have a copy of the order which will be issued on the sixteenth, and until then it must remain a profound secret, for sir henry is determined the rebels shall have no information of this move." "already it is common talk that we are to evacuate the town, and the boy who was detected listening in front of the tavern had probably been sent to learn the date of the movement." "did they capture him?" "no; but it is only a question of time, for men are out in every direction, and it's certain he can't make his way toward the american lines unless all our patrols are asleep." chapter xii. important information. the suggestion of the unknown speaker that it would be impossible for him to make his way toward the american lines without detection was by no means comforting to enoch. it was a situation, however, which he had anticipated, for he understood that the english would make every exertion to capture the messenger who had carried information to general lafayette, and thereby, perhaps, saved him from capture. in addition enoch knew that the tories would be most eager in their present mood to make him prisoner, for now that it seemed certain the city was to be evacuated, those who had been living a life of ease and comparative plenty because of their loyalty to the king felt particularly irritated against the americans, who it was believed would so soon change very decidedly this satisfactory condition of affairs. enoch wondered not a little who the speakers were, and why they had chanced to halt directly outside his hiding-place. from what he had heard he believed they were members of the army, and it seemed strange they should have strayed down to the river bank, until the apparent mystery was solved when one of them said impatiently: "at what hour did you understand that lord howe would send the boat for us?" "eight o'clock." "and this was the landing-place he appointed, was it not?" "the messenger said the boat would be put in near-by a sloop which was hauled up on the shore, and unless i am mistaken this is the only craft of the kind in the vicinity." "i wish we might have been able to take to lord howe the information that the young rebel was apprehended, for i really believe he has not recovered from the chagrin of having ordered the frigate to be made ready with all dispatch to carry the marquis de lafayette a prisoner to england when he had captured him." "he will have the pleasure of hearing such news before midnight, as to that there can be no doubt. you said you had a copy of the order which is to be issued on the sixteenth?" "yes, i saw the rough draft on sir henry's desk, and asked permission to make a copy for personal use. it may be the last order issued in the rebel capital, and i thought might at some time prove a curiosity." "can you give me the substance of it without violating any confidence?" "i think so. i was only enjoined to keep it a profound secret from the civilians. it may be that it is yet sufficiently light for me to read it." then ensued a brief silence, during which enoch's heart beat a triumphant tattoo, for he realized that now, when a moment previous it had seemed as if all his opportunities for gaining information were lost, he was about to learn that which general washington was so eager to know. the fugitive crouched yet nearer the deck-planking as lord howe's intended guest read slowly: headquarters, philadelphia, june , . "lieutenant-general knyphausen and major-general grant will cross the river to-morrow at four o'clock in the morning with the following regiments: yagers, mounted and dismounted, queen's rangers, hessian grenadiers, second battalion new jersey volunteers,[c] maryland loyalists, volunteers of ireland, and the caledonian volunteers. all wagons and carts, with the wagons and bathorses[d] belonging to the general and staff officers, are to be embarked this afternoon at half-past three, at the upper coal wharf, and to-morrow at six all the saddle horses belonging to the general and staff officers are to be embarked at the same place, except two for the commander-in-chief, and one for each of the general officers. all the sick that are absolutely unable to march are to be at primrose's wharf to-morrow morning at five o'clock, where they will be received on board the active." "i fancied we would go around by water," enoch heard one of the men say after the order had been read; "but according to that it is evident we shall march across new jersey." "i believe that was sir henry's first intention; but fearing head winds might lengthen the passage, and that the rebel washington would have an opportunity to capture new york, he has decided no such risks should be taken. for my part i am not unwilling to exchange this life of idleness for one of action, and hope we may see plenty of it." "it appears quite evident your wish will be granted, for it is reported the rebels are in good condition for the summer campaign, and from the fact that they have so insolently rejected his majesty's proffers of peace i argue they are much stronger in numbers than ever before." "however that may be, i care not; we shall soon whip out the overweening confidence in their own abilities, and before this campaign is ended i predict congress will be suing for that which it has so promptly refused. here comes a boat, and, if i mistake not, we shall learn considerably more of sir henry's intentions this evening than we already know." the sound of footsteps on the sand told that the officers were moving toward the water's edge, and, shortly after, enoch could distinguish the click of oars in the rowlocks. then came the short, quick orders of the coxswain in charge of the craft, and five minutes later a profound silence reigned. the one thought now in enoch's mind was, that he had learned that which it was of the utmost importance general washington should know. for the moment he forgot that armed men were searching for him in every direction, and that his capture was almost certain to be followed immediately by an ignominious death. he had accomplished the mission with which he and greene were intrusted, and it only remained to carry the information to headquarters. with this thought came once more the realization of his utter helplessness and desperate situation. it was possible he might remain undiscovered in his hiding-place until sunrise; but no longer, for then the laborers would resume work upon the sloop, and must unquestionably soon discover there was more in the hold than they had left there the night previous. "it is more than my own life now that i am working for," the boy said to himself. "by repeating what i have heard general washington will have a chance to strike a blow at the britishers, and i shall indeed have been of service to the cause. that order is to be issued on the sixteenth, and the enemy will begin to leave on the seventeenth. there is plenty of time in which to carry the news, if i can succeed in finding greene." fully alive to the importance of what he had learned, enoch was now prepared to take greater risks than when it was only a question of saving his own life. the personal danger appeared to have been lessened, and the one idea in his mind was to make known without unnecessary delay that which he had learned. no sound broke the stillness of the night as the boy clambered up from his damp hiding-place until he could peer out through the hatchway. the darkness shrouded everything, and as if the elements were in sympathy with his purpose, heavy clouds obscured even the light of the stars. "i couldn't have a better chance, and if i don't get past the guards which have been set it will be because i am stupid," enoch thought as he drew himself up to the combing of the hatchway and dropped noiselessly down on the sand beneath. here he stood motionless an instant to listen. in the distance could be heard the noises of the city, but close at hand appeared to be no living thing save himself. following up the bank of the river to the creek, and then into third street, he went cautiously, ready at any moment to break into a run, or retreat as should be necessary. to venture upon the street did not seem prudent, therefore he swam the upper end of the creek, and made his way by a zigzag course, avoiding the thoroughfares to traverse gardens and lawns, but all the while continuing on in as nearly a direct course as was consistent with safety toward the farmhouse where he believed greene would be found. more than once he heard the tramp of the patrol, and at such times he doubled here and there, moving cautiously as an indian, and on the alert for the first sounds which should proclaim he was discovered. an hour previous it had seemed impossible to him he could escape even the ordinary number of guards; but now when he knew they had been doubled, perhaps trebled, he instinctively--almost as if by chance--avoided them, until he was beyond the city and on the road over which greene traveled when he brought his produce into the market. even now he knew he was far from safe, for squads of soldiers often patrolled the country roads at a distance of four or five miles from the town at a late hour in the night, and he fully believed that on this occasion scouting parties would be sent in every direction. had he heard the orders given, however, he would have known that the only precaution taken to prevent his escape was to double the number of guards around the town, and that those who were searching for him believed he was yet hidden in some building near the city tavern. consequently a rigorous search was being instituted in that quarter, while he was lessening each moment the distance between himself and the american camp. even when he was so far out in the country that the lights of the city could no longer be seen, he was afraid to travel at his utmost speed lest he should inadvertently come upon the patrol; but stopped at short intervals to listen. two hours passed, and during all this time he had continued steadily onward, without having heard anything to arouse his fears. "who would have believed i could have given them the slip so readily," he said to himself. "i thought when i jumped on board the sloop that i should only leave there as a prisoner, and perhaps if that order hadn't been read where i could hear it, i'd still be crouching in the hold waiting for the redcoats to pounce upon me. what a fool i was to so far forget myself as to brush up against that quaker! even if they hadn't suspected me of being a spy, i stood a chance of getting a flogging for my impudence. yet suppose i hadn't been discovered? then i shouldn't know the exact date set down for the evacuation of the city. everything has happened in my favor, and----" he ceased speaking very suddenly, for in the distance he could hear the sound of footsteps, and waiting only long enough to assure himself there had been no mistake, enoch darted into the bushes that lined the road on either side at this point. then came the thought that it was nearly time for greene to go into town, and pressing as closely to the edge of the road as was possible without showing himself, the boy waited until the pedestrian should appear. after a short time he saw a single figure approaching with a burden upon his back; but the night was so dark that enoch was unable to determine whether this was the man whom he hoped to meet or some enemy. he hesitated to make himself known until he realized that if the spy should pass him he might have difficulty in carrying his news to valley forge, and, regardless of possible danger, cried softly: "robert greene!" the figure halted, looked around for a moment, and then was apparently about to resume the journey when enoch asked in a low tone: "is that you, mr. greene?" "i know no one of that name, and if it was mine wouldn't be willing to own it to one who is afraid to show himself." enoch recognized the voice, and springing forward with an exclamation of joy literally hugged the vegetable-laden spy. "is it you, enoch?" greene asked in surprise. "what has happened? have you been in danger?" "i was discovered by a quaker at whose house general lafayette lodged at barren hill, and seized by him and a british officer in front of the city tavern." "but how did you escape?" "come with me into the bushes, for i am afraid men will be sent out on this road, since you told the patrol i was in your employ." when the two were screened from view of any who might chance to pass, enoch told his story in all its details, interrupted only by low chuckles of satisfaction now and then, and exclamations of pleasurable surprise when the more important portions of his adventures were related. "you have done a good work this night, lad! a brave work, and your seeming misfortunes were the luckiest that ever befell man or boy. i was not mistaken in you, lad." "but i haven't done anything, mr. greene. it was all an accident, and one that came very near costing my life." "never mind how it came about. the work has been done, and we can carry to valley forge such news as has long been waited for--news that will change the condition of affairs there very decidedly." as he spoke greene sprang to his feet, and seizing enoch by the arm went hurriedly into the road. "are you going to leave your market-truck?" enoch asked. "i would willingly leave everything on rogers' farm to the mercy of the britishers after such word had been brought, my boy. now step out at your liveliest pace until we can get the horses, and then it is a question of a quick ride to headquarters to announce the fact that our work has been finished in the completest manner." "but isn't it dangerous to go ahead too boldly? there may be soldiers between here and the farm." "i will answer for it there are none, lad, for haven't i just traveled over this road? it is seldom they come out so far unless in goodly force." "i thought perhaps scouts might be sent in every direction, for the two men whom i heard talking while i was in the sloop seemed very certain i'd be captured." "they are most likely looking for you in the city yet, and a rare time they'll have of it. i would have been willing to give a good many shillings if i could have seen the old quaker's face when you bowled him over. so he must have been the one who warned howe of general lafayette's advance? we'll settle matters with him after the evacuation, and there are one or two other quakers who should be attended to, particularly he who would have made prisoners of generals reed and cadwalader." "i have never heard of him." "then i will tell you the story, and it isn't a bad one, seeing that it didn't turn out to our disadvantage. the two generals were reconnoitering the country, and stopped at the house of a quaker with whom they were acquainted. i don't remember his name. after leaving him, and it may be certain he protested that he dearly loved the cause, it began to rain, and cadwalader and reed, fearing lest their blue cloaks should be injured by the water, turned them inside out. now it so chanced that these same cloaks were lined with red, and as they returned past the house they had just visited, in the gloom of the evening it was not unnatural that they should have been mistaken for english officers. that is exactly the mistake the quaker made, and he rushed out quickly, shouting: 'gentlemen, gentlemen, if you will only turn back, you will certainly catch general reed and general cadwalader, who have just gone down this road.' i'll lay guineas to pence that he could have bitten his tongue when the two officers made themselves known. and what a wigging they gave him! general reed promised that when the proper time came he would square accounts with that man of peace, and i reckon he won't forget his word. neither shall i neglect the quaker you tumbled over in front of the city tavern. that was a narrow escape for you, my boy." "i don't care to try anything of the kind again," enoch replied grimly. "not unless it could result as happily as this adventure has. you made a mistake in being too eager to overhear the conversation, and by that very mistake accomplished all we wanted to know." greene did not cease commenting upon the events of the evening and congratulating enoch, until they had arrived at the farmhouse where he pretended to be employed. there horses were procured with the least possible delay, and the two set out toward valley forge at full speed, enoch's heart beating rapidly with joy and exultation, as he thought that at last he would have an opportunity of speaking with general washington, and would be a welcome visitor. only at such times as it was absolutely necessary did the travelers slacken their pace, and the sun had not yet risen when they were halted by the pickets of the encampment. greene was provided with a password which would admit him without delay, whatever the parole or the countersign might be, and after a brief pause the two spies galloped at full speed up to the rude hut where general washington had lived during the severe winter. "robert greene to see the commander-in-chief on urgent business," was the reply to the challenge of the sentries who guarded the building, and so well was the spy's name known that no hesitation was made in awakening the general. the two were ushered into the sleeping apartment, and there, as he lay in bed, his face lighted up in anticipation of welcome news, enoch saw the commander whom he revered. after greene had hurriedly given the information they had brought, the boy was made more than happy when washington took him by the hand and said: "you are a brave lad, enoch ball. you have rendered good service, and i thank you." to be thanked by general washington was a greater reward, in enoch's eyes, than a commission would have been in jacob's, and he felt that whatever the future might have in store for him he had been fully repaid for everything by these three words from such a man. "will it be advisable, do you think, sir, for the boy to return to philadelphia?" greene asked. "not to the town itself, while the british are in possession; but he might remain at your rendezvous to act as messenger between there and the camp, although i question if you will have any further important information to bring us, unless it should chance that the order was not issued." "it is my desire, sir, to enlist as a soldier," enoch said timidly. "it would seem as if you already were one, save for the ceremony of signing your name. remain with greene until some decided move is made, and then it shall be my care to see that your desire is granted. in the meantime you may consider yourself as attached to my staff in order that there shall be no question about rations. mr. greene, you will see that the boy messes with my aids while he is in camp." enoch was so overwhelmed by the honor thus conferred upon him as to be hardly aware of what he did during the next few moments. when greene touched him on the arm to signify that the interview was at an end and they should depart, he followed like one in a dream wherever the spy led him, until the latter said, laying his hand heavily upon the boy's shoulder: "haven't you a word of comment, lad, upon the honor you have received? let me tell you there are few men in the continental army who wouldn't be bristling with pride in your place." "it doesn't seem possible! i cannot realize that the general really meant it! _i_ mess with his aids!" "but it is not only messing, lad; you are attached to his staff--perhaps not in a very important position; but when it is known that because of personal services you have rendered, the commander-in-chief allows you to consider yourself one of the 'members of his family,' as the staff is termed, you will be treated with greater respect than if congress had given you a colonel's commission." "i know the honor is great," enoch said slowly; "but i am almost afraid----" "of what?" "that in such a position i shall do something wrong--make a fool of myself, or so behave that the general will be sorry he praised me." "never you fear for that, lad. a boy who can have such fears won't go far astray. attached to the staff of general washington, the commander-in-chief of the continental army! well, if that isn't an honor for a boy hardly more than sixteen years old i don't know what is! and it all came through a tory quaker, and the bungling of a spy in his work! talk about chance!" "that's just it," enoch added hurriedly. "it was all a chance, therefore i don't deserve it." "but i allow you do, my boy, so we won't discuss the matter. we're heading straight now for my regiment, and i intend that your friends shall hear this wonderful piece of news, even if i am forced to awaken them for the purpose of telling it." "why not wait until daylight?" "because i particularly want to see the expression on master ludwick's face when he learns that you have earned more than a commission." "i am afraid jacob will feel sore." "afraid? i know he will, and that's why i propose telling the news at once." "but he is a good friend, and was never as disagreeable as since the night we carried the news to general lafayette. then he allowed himself to believe we were to be made officers at once, and it was disappointment that prevented him from acting as he would have done the day before." "he could never really have had the good of the cause at heart, otherwise his father's threats would not have been necessary in order to force him to enlist. however, i will take your word for it that he is a good comrade; but at the same time i am bound he and all the members of my regiment shall know what general washington has said to you this evening." footnotes: [c] this was a portion of the tory force which had been recruited in new jersey. [d]a horse used for carrying the cooking utensils and similar camp equipage. chapter xiii. the evacuation. enoch finally succeeded in persuading greene that it was not necessary to arouse all the new jersey militia in order to inform them of what had occurred, since in two hours the encampment would be astir, and then the news could be told with less inconvenience to those who might desire a full night's sleep. "i hate to wait even five minutes, enoch; but reckon i am bound to, if you say the word. we'll tumble into the first vacant place we find, and get a nap 'twixt now and sunrise." this was a proposition which pleased enoch. the journey from philadelphia, hurried as it was, had fatigued him greatly, and he felt decidedly in need of rest. he had hardly stretched himself out on the bed just vacated by one of the men whose turn it was to do guard duty when his eyes were closed in slumber, and it seemed to him that hardly more than a dozen minutes had elapsed before he was awakened by the hum of conversation and the trampling of many feet. it could readily be understood that he must have been asleep several hours, and it was evident greene had taken advantage of the opportunity to relate at least a portion of the previous night's incidents, for enoch heard a man standing near by say in a tone of envy: "when a boy like him is thanked by general washington and allowed to consider himself a member of the staff, so to speak, it seems as if he shouldn't want much of anything more in this world. i have faced death many a time, and never received so much as a look." "and so have thousands of others," greene said sharply. "you, a man, have simply done a soldier's duty; the boy, not even a member of the army, has taken his life in his hands since he left this camp, with the chance of a felon's doom if he was captured, and i tell you what it is, jim downing, you never stood any nearer death on the field of battle than that lad did last night when he was recognized by the quaker. if i had known of it at the time i wouldn't have given sixpence for his show." "i ain't whinin', bob greene, 'cause of lack of luck. i'm willin' to admit that the boy has done great service, and hasn't been rewarded any too richly. i was just considerin' what i'd be glad to go through an' to suffer for the sake of what he's received." "you're getting your reward, as a good many of us are, in the knowledge that you're doing all you can for the cause, and that ought to be enough, jim." "i allow there's some satisfaction in it; but it seems hard at times that a man has got only one life to give for such as we're fightin' to gain. if he had a dozen, an' laid 'em all down, it wouldn't be too big a price to pay for the independence of these 'ere colonies." "right you are, downing, right you are! the pity is that more are not in the same way of thinking. hello, enoch! this chatter kind of disturbed you, i reckon." "i have slept as long as was necessary," the boy said as he rose to his feet, looking almost ashamed because of the praise he had heard. "where are seth and jacob?" "out on duty. if you stay where you are ten minutes more they'll be here, and in the meantime it mightn't be a bad idea for you to mosey over to headquarters for breakfast." "i had rather not go," and now enoch looked really disturbed. "can't i get some rations here?" "of course you can, lad," jim downing said quickly as he laid his hand on enoch's shoulder. "there won't be any trouble about that, and even if there was i'd gladly share mine with you. but why don't you want to go over to headquarters?" "it would look as if i was trying to force my way in where i didn't belong." "not a bit of it. according to what greene says you've not only got the right to go there, but it's the proper place." "i can get along without any breakfast as well as not," enoch said carelessly, as if to dismiss the subject; but mr. downing was not of the same mind. "it does me good to see a modest youngster once in awhile, we have so few of 'em 'round about. i am told jacob ludwick was one of your cronies. now i can't understand how you two boys hitched up together. he never will be hanged for modesty." "but he is brave." "and he means everybody shall know it. why, since he come into this 'ere company he hasn't done much of anything he wasn't obliged to except tell about the ride you and he had from town up to barren hill. i don't throw any discredit on what you two did that night; but at the same time i ain't willin' to allow it was such a terrible bold thing. bob greene tells me you knocked down williams, the tory quaker?" "he tipped over when i ran against him, that was all." "and i hope he struck the sidewalk hard enough to shake some little sense into his thick head. i always misdoubted that precious quaker, though i can't say that he professed to think very highly of the cause. leastways he didn't give out as doing so; but yet allowed us to believe he was on our side, and so had a chance to do a good bit of mischief. now i'll look after your breakfast, and you shall have the best the camp affords." "can't i go with you? there is no reason why you should bring the food to me." "it'll be just about as easy, and you may as well stay here so as to be on hand when your friends come." "jim" downing was not the only man in the encampment who appeared eager to show some special attention to the boy whom general washington had honored. every soldier enoch met displayed particular regard for him, and but for master ball's innate modesty he might have been decidedly distorted by pride during this day at valley forge. seth and jacob were not relieved from duty as soon as greene had anticipated. enoch's breakfast had been brought and disposed of before they entered the hut, and the warmth of their greetings told of the pleasure they felt in seeing him. "if it hadn't been for father's keeping me here i'd have got just as fat a berth as has come to you, because we should have been together," jacob said enviously. "it always seems to be my luck to have something like that happen while anything big is going on. when we drew lots it was seth who won the chance to carry information to the continentals----" "that didn't seem like such very good luck when poor seth was in prison as a spy, and with a chance of being hanged." "it didn't just at that time, for a fact; but we got him out of the scrape easy enough." "easier, perhaps, than i should have been able to do if you had been in my place," seth replied heartily, and it could readily be seen that this praise was gratifying to master ludwick. "but luck wasn't against you when you planned and carried out so successfully the seizing of mr. wharton's horses," enoch added. "all the credit of that piece of work is certainly due to you." "yes, and see what i got out of it! general lafayette was much obliged, and that's all. i wasn't even allowed to do as i wanted to, but had to enlist when i could have gone with you and earned for myself a share in the commission you are likely to receive." "but he ain't likely to receive a commission," greene interrupted. "nor he wouldn't take one if the commander-in-chief should be so foolish as to offer it. enoch is a boy that has a pretty good idea of what he can do, and you'll never find him trying to get above himself." "meaning to say i do, eh?" "i was only speaking for enoch. hark you, jacob, you have enough of what you call 'luck,' only you don't appreciate it. what has come to seth more than you have got? nothing. what has come to enoch? the honor of being fed in the commander-in-chief's mess; but when things are straightened out you'll find him drop into place as a private, with never a bit of grumbling because he ain't given a chance to take command of the army. this business of luck isn't much more nor less than the way you look at a thing. try your best to do whatever comes to hand, and you'll find that the average share of luck will follow." after the first surprise was over jacob behaved in a more manly fashion than greene had anticipated, and nothing occurred to mar the pleasure of one of the most satisfactory days enoch had ever spent. he was forced many times to repeat the story of his adventure in the city, after having been recognized by the quaker, for officers as well as men were eager to learn the details, and even this was not displeasing to master ludwick, since it naturally led up to the recounting of the previous events in which all three of the boys, in turn, played a prominent part. then came the hour for departure. greene, who was closeted for some time with general dickinson, had received orders for certain work to be done prior to the day set for the evacuation, and this required that enoch should continue his duties as a spy. shortly after nightfall the two set out, accompanied as far as the outposts by seth and jacob, and when they were finally free from the camp, riding at a leisurely pace, enoch asked: "what am i to do now, mr. greene?" "hang around the farm, ready to bring any news which i may gather. from now out the command is that i spend a good portion of my time in town, for you see, lad, it isn't certain but that the order you heard read may be changed, and the evacuation will take place earlier or later. but seein's how we've had information ahead of even clinton's own officers, we're bound to hold the advantage by making certain we keep posted in all that's being done." "am i to go to the city?" "not before the morning of the seventeenth, if it so be clinton sticks to the plan according to the programme you heard. then you shall have a chance to see the britishers march out, for once they begin to move our work will be done in this section of the country." when the two arrived at the farmhouse enoch was given a bed in the attic, with orders to remain closely under cover during the daytime, and to be ready for a trip to valley forge at a moment's notice. then the spy left him, and although he watched hourly for greene's return, anticipating with no slight degree of pleasure a visit to valley forge, he was disappointed. the days passed slowly, and as each went by enoch grew more and more distressed in mind, for it seemed certain greene must have been captured, otherwise he would have returned even though he he had learned nothing new. shortly before midnight of the sixteenth the spy made his appearance once more, and looking none the worse for his long absence. "no, i wasn't caught, nor in any danger whatever," he said in reply to enoch's eager questions. "as a matter of fact i have been living in clover since i saw you last, for i took up my quarters in your mother's house, and she feasted me on the fat of the land. your mother is a great cook, enoch!" "but what made you stay away so long? i thought i was to carry to valley forge what you learned?" "and so you would if i had learned anything, lad. but bless you, there's nothing new going on." "what? have the britishers given up the idea of evacuating the city?" "no, indeed. i meant there was nothing more happening in town than we knew when last at valley forge. all i could gather was to the same effect as that which you discovered so oddly, and there surely was no necessity of repeating that to general washington, therefore i remained quiet, as safe in the city as if i had been a tory of the rankest kind. the order you heard read was issued this morning, and, as nearly as i could learn, not changed in any respect. it is evident clinton anticipates some trouble from camp followers, seeing so many of his men have taken wives since they came to philadelphia, and there's a host of women in that town tonight ready to scratch out the britisher's eyes, for he has issued orders regarding them which are not at all pleasing. the first appeared this morning, and i reckon wasn't intended for the public; it read something like this: 'if any regiment has more women than is allowed, the commanding officer is desired to send them down to the ships, if he can possibly get an opportunity; if not, they are to march with the army, and, by way of punishment, will be allowed no provisions.' trust to a woman for finding out what it ain't intended she should know! some of these tory girls, thinking they had a rich prize when they married redcoats, heard of it, and in certain quarters of the city there was a deal of harsh language. then came the second order, which was posted in the barracks where every one could see it: 'all women of each regiment will march at the head of it under an escort of the non-commissioned officers and six men, who will take care they do not go out of the road on any account, and the provost marshal has received positive orders to drum out any woman who shall disobey this order.'" "then the city is to be really evacuated?" "yes, lad; the word is for the last of the britishers to cross the river at gloucester point at daylight on the morning of the seventeenth. i allow it's time for you to come into town, if you want to see what's going on, for they will pay no attention to you from this out. your mother is expecting us there 'twixt now and sunrise." "did you tell her what general washington said to me?" "i did, lad, and if there's a prouder woman in pennsylvania than she i don't know where to find her. unless you've got some reason for not going at once we'll leave now, because i'm not counting on missing any part of the show, and allow you're quite as eager to see it as i am." enoch would have been pleased to leave the farmhouse even though he had had no anticipation of such a spectacle as must of necessity be presented when the english troops filed out of the city they had so long occupied, and no delay was made by greene in retracing his steps. although it was not expected the enemy would take any very great precautions to prevent undesirable visitors on this the eve of the evacuation, greene did not think it quite prudent to attempt to ride into town, therefore set out on foot. "it will be the last time we shall have to sneak into philadelphia, lad," the spy said exultantly when they were on the road. "i don't allow that from this out the enemy will ever again have possession of the town, for what we've got now we'll hold." enoch was too greatly excited to carry on any conversation just at this moment. it seemed to him as if he had been absent from home an exceedingly long time, and he was not only eager to see his mother, but to tell her of the praise he had won from the "only man in all the country" to him. greene, however, was inclined to be garrulous. he told stories of his army life; related incidents regarding this officer or that, and, finding he was not attracting his companion's attention, changed the subject abruptly by saying: "and now, lad, it can't be many days before we'll have a pitched battle, and i hope to see you in it on general washington's staff, rather than as a private." "but that would be ridiculous, mr. greene. what could i do in such a position?" "very little, lad, i'll admit; but still i'm hoping to see you there for the honor of it, and i shall be claiming my share since you are my subordinate." although enoch did not believe such an event probable, he could not prevent himself from speculating upon the possibility, and very pleasant to him were these speculations. the journey from the farmhouse to the city was not accomplished in as short a time as usual; perhaps because greene was weary with much walking, and not until nearly an hour after sunrise did they arrive within sight of philadelphia. then greene threw his hat high in the air, dancing and capering like a crazy man, for, dotting the surface of the delaware thickly, could be seen boats carrying the troops named in the first general order, and the evacuation had begun. "i want to do my crowing now," the spy said in explanation of his conduct, "for we shall be forced to wear long faces when we come into town. there are britishers enough left behind to put us in the pillory and seam our backs with their whips of wire as a pleasant diversion in case we make ourselves too conspicuous. i don't allow there's any danger of being overhauled by the patrol if we exercise ordinary caution, and i surely shan't take any risks. we'll skirt around to the right, and slip in to letitia street as quietly and modestly as the tories will behave from this time out." "wait a few moments. let us enjoy this sight while we can, mr. greene," and enoch gazed intently at the retreating forces. "to-morrow there will be a brave spectacle, lad, when the last boatload of redcoats has pushed off, and we can stand on the bank and cheer and hoot to our heart's content without fear of being clapped into a guardhouse. it's when every mother's son of 'em leaves pennsylvania soil that the city will be a comfortable abiding place." enoch was not willing to forego the pleasure of seeing that which was already spread out before him, although there was promise of a much finer spectacle, and he remained silent and motionless ten minutes or more, until his companion said impatiently: "i am sorry to interrupt you, lad, especially when you are looking on such a scene; but it must be done. we should not lose any more time." "but surely you don't expect there will be work to do now the britishers have really begun to go?" "i don't expect it, lad; but yet at the same time something of importance might happen, and i must be where i can hear all the news." enoch could not well linger after this, and turning irresolutely, as if it cost him some effort to shut out such a view, he followed the spy. by making a wide detour they entered the town from the rear, and walked through the almost deserted streets without molestation. every person able to be abroad on that morning, whether patriot or tory, was assembled on the river bank to witness the departure of the troops, and even general washington himself might have walked through a goodly portion of the city at that time without attracting attention. the meeting between enoch and his mother was, as may be fancied, particularly affectionate, and while each was clasped in the other's embrace greene left the house. during an hour or more enoch told in detail all his adventures, and then, when that subject was exhausted, began to wonder why greene did not return. not until night had come did the spy enter the house, and then it was to greet his young comrade with a hearty hand-clasp, as he said: "there will be no hitch in the programme, lad. at daybreak to-morrow the last redcoat will go. this evening such of the troops as remain were drawn up into line, and without warning marched down the river a mile or more, where they are bivouacked on the shore." "why was that done?" enoch asked quickly. "it is what we must thank clinton for, and i allow it's the only thing we have to be grateful about, so far as he is concerned. the soldiers, knowing they were to leave in the morning, might, as has been done in other cases, run wild over the city and do much damage. anything of that kind has been prevented. then again, the british commander isn't so certain he'll be followed by all his men, for it's said that desertions have been great since morning; but taking them unawares as he did, he has been able to partially check the defection." "you haven't learned anything new?" "no, lad, nothing of importance. when the last boatload has left the shore i shall make for valley forge at full speed, although there's little need of doing so, since general washington understands that the order you heard read is being carried out, unless one of us should report to the contrary in the meanwhile. what do you say for a walk about town?" "is it safe?" "safe, lad? why, there are no soldiers in the city, although a good many of the officers have not left their quarters yet, and i guarantee that the tories will keep their heads under cover mighty snug from this out." enoch would have accepted the invitation but that he saw his mother was disturbed at the idea of his doing what seemed venturesome. "i will wait until morning, mr. greene, and then we'll post ourselves somewhere near the middle ferry, where we shall see the ending of it all." "very well, lad, as you please. perhaps it _is_ foolish for you to venture too much, seeing that the britishers have still got the upper hand of us here, and might pay off an old score or two on your back. if i am not at the house sooner, i'll call before daylight, and then we'll enjoy ourselves as hasn't been possible since general howe took possession of this town." chapter xiv. lord gordon. this night in philadelphia, when the british, after having long held possession of the city, had so far progressed in the evacuation that only the officers were yet in town, was both a happy and an anxious one to the inhabitants. those people who had remained true to the american cause rejoiced that their friends would soon be in possession of the chosen capital of the country, and were looking forward eagerly to the morrow when the continental forces should enter to take possession of their own once more. hundreds of patriots confined in the prisons for no other crime than that of loyalty to their country were waiting eagerly for the morning when their cell-doors would be unlocked by friends, and they free at last to render aid to that cause so near their hearts. in the homes of the tories all wore an anxious look; they had spent a winter of gayety, while the representatives of the king held the city, and probably fancied the spirit of freedom would be so thoroughly crushed that philadelphia would always be loyal to the english government. now they knew that everything was to be changed, and, as in many instances, having oppressed their neighbors who favored the struggle for independence, feared that reprisals would be demanded. hundreds of tories--delicately nurtured women, men accustomed to every luxury, and children whose every desire had been gratified--were about to follow the army on its march across new jersey, or, as their means and the possibility would permit, intended to travel by various conveyance to new york. these last were particularly sad because of the severing of all home ties for an indefinite period--perhaps forever--and to those who were anxious, as well as to those who were happy, slumber did not come on this night. the happiness and the grief were too great to permit of the unconsciousness of sleep. in mrs. ball's home, mother and son, reviewing again and again the events with which the boy had been intimately connected, put off the time for retiring yet a little longer at each stroke of the clock, until enoch finally said: "it's no use, mother, i can't go to bed. i shouldn't sleep if i tried, and on this night of all others it seems as if we might keep watch." "for what purpose, my son?" "i don't know. it appears to be a fact that the city will be entirely evacuated by the enemy in the morning, and yet i can't prevent fears that something may happen to change general clinton's plans. at all events, greene will be here at least an hour before daylight, and it is now nearly midnight, therefore why should we make any attempt at sleeping?" a knock at the door, loud, quick, and, if such could be, one might almost say joyous, and enoch answered it without hesitation, for he fancied he knew who would demand admittance in such a fashion. "not in bed yet, good people?" and greene seated himself near the window. "enoch was just saying he could not sleep, and proposed that we sit up until morning." "i venture to say there will be no slumber in nineteen houses out of every twenty in the city this night, and yet we who love the cause should be able to sleep now, if ever." "you do not appear to be doing much in that line," enoch suggested with a smile. "well, no, i am feeling too good just now to want to surrender consciousness, even for the sake of a rest. such an experience as this doesn't come more than once in a person's lifetime, and he shouldn't lose any of the pleasurable sensations. i'll join your vigil as if it was new year's eve, and we'll watch the british out and the americans in." until the time the spy had set to go to the river bank, the three talked of the disappointments in the past and the hopes for the future, and then greene and enoch left the house. there were more signs of life on the street, even at this early hour, than when they had entered the city the day previous. the citizens who had been faithful to the cause during this long occupation by the enemy were now coming out in full force to witness his departure, and a happy, joyous throng it was. "will general washington come to-day?" enoch asked of his companion. "no; general arnold will take possession of the city with a small force. we shan't see the commander-in-chief in town until something decisive has been done, according to my way of thinking," answered greene. "how long are we to stay here?" "i shall start for valley forge when the last boatload of soldiers puts out from the shore. you will stay until word comes from general dickinson." "do you intend to walk to the farm?" "no; i shall have no trouble in borrowing a horse now that our friends are not afraid of getting into trouble by doing such a service. here is a good place for us to witness the scene, and on this rising ground the view cannot be shut off from us, however many may be around." greene had halted on the slight elevation of ground a short distance from the middle ferry, and already could be seen in the stream boatloads of soldiers putting out from the philadelphia side of the river, while from each of the landing-places the refugees--men, women and children--were embarking such portable effects as they would be permitted to carry on board the vessels lying at anchor. the sun had not yet risen; but the adherents of king george were hastening to depart from the soil of pennsylvania, greatly to the delight of those who had been so long oppressed. enoch had no desire to talk, and hardly heard what greene said as he made several attempts to enter into conversation. the boy's eyes were fixed upon the panorama before him, and he thought of nothing save the fact that the city was being freed from the enemy. until half-past nine he remained thus absorbed in the view, and then a mighty shout went up from the assembled throng--a shout which was echoed and re-echoed from one end of the city to the other. the last boatload, among which was general knyphausen, had pushed off from the shore. "it is done at last!" enoch cried, seizing greene by both hands. "it is indeed, my boy, and we have been permitted to see it all! it is such a sight as we'll hope never will be repeated on the delaware river. now i must be off. you will either see me or receive some word within the next twenty-four hours. be ready to leave home without delay when the summons comes, for i should be sadly disappointed if we had a brush with clinton's men and you were not in it." "so should i. don't forget me when you are with the army." "never fear anything like that. it wouldn't be possible while i was where seth and jacob could see me. but come, i'm going very near drinker's alley. walk so far with me; step in for a moment and see if mrs. graydon has any message to send her son, for you will meet him shortly, and then, after general arnold and his men arrive, go home and wait for me or my message." enoch had not broken his fast, but was hardly aware that he needed food, so great was his joy. he acted upon greene's suggestion, and ten minutes later saw the spy ride out of the city at full speed, bound first for the farmhouse, where he would exchange his horse for a fresh one, and then to valley forge with the glad tidings. on this occasion enoch did not skulk around to the rear of the house when visiting mrs. graydon; but walked boldly to the front door, where he knocked with an air of one who is free to do as he chooses, startling seth's mother not a little, when, his summons being answered by her servant, he rushed in upon her with the cry: "the city is evacuated! the british are gone, and we shall never see them here again unless they come as prisoners!" "has the army left the city?" mrs. graydon asked as if in surprise. "why, yes; didn't you know they were going?" "certainly, i knew the evacuation was for to-day; but it can't be they have really gone?" "indeed they have! greene and i watched the last boatload put off from this side. there isn't a single redcoat in town, and before noon general arnold will be here with a portion of the continental army. our own flag is floating over the city once more!" mrs. graydon looked so thoroughly perplexed that just for a moment enoch asked himself if it could be possible she was in sympathy with the enemy, and she, noting the look of perplexity on his face, said with a smile: "you are wondering why i don't rejoice in the good news you have brought, enoch; but the truth is that i fear there must be some mistake about it, for lord gordon hasn't yet come downstairs." "lord gordon still here!" enoch cried, now in turn becoming perplexed. "certainly. he very seldom rises early, and last night gave no orders to be called. i supposed that the army wouldn't go away before afternoon." "but they have gone, and it isn't likely they are to remain at gloucester point any longer than is necessary. why, mrs. graydon, if lord gordon is here an hour from now he will be made prisoner by our troops, and after all he has done for us that would seem like a terrible misfortune." "indeed it would, enoch." "i am going to waken him regardless of whether he left any orders or not; but what bothers me is, how we can get him over to the jersey side, for the english took possession of all the boats on the river-front, and i don't think there's a single craft to be found." "even though you waken him before our people come i fear for his safety, enoch. the british have so oppressed those who were faithful to the cause that if it is known a member of their army is left behind something serious may be done." "it is no use to stand here talking. he must get out of town, and that mighty quick! where's his room?" "the one directly over this." enoch did not hesitate; darting upstairs at full speed he burst into the chamber without ceremony, and lord cosmo gordon, springing up in bed, his eyes heavy with slumber, demanded sharply: "who are you, sir? what do you want here?" "i am only enoch ball, lord gordon. you remember me? you remember when jacob ludwick and i talked with you about seth?" "oh, it is you, is it?" the officer said as he sank back upon the pillows. "you appear to be an energetic lad; but i can't say i have any great admiration for your manners." "but, lord gordon, do you know that the britishers have left the city, and that in a very short time our forces will be here?" "the army gone?" and lord gordon sprang out of bed very suddenly. "why, what time is it?" "past ten o'clock." "and i have been allowed to sleep while my command has gone over! this promises to be serious, my boy!" "serious, sir? i should say it was! after all that has happened i would rather a good bit of ill-fortune came to me than that you should be taken prisoner." "i should die of mortification if it was known that i, a british officer, lay in bed while my troops marched out of town and left me to be captured. lad, you believe i did you a service once?" "indeed you did, sir, and one i can never repay." "you can repay it now, and with interest," lord gordon said as he began hurriedly to dress. "i must cross the river at once, and depend upon you to get me a boat." "that is more easily said than done, sir. your army has taken possession of every craft on this side; but i'll get one if i have to swim for it. what troubles me is that i may not succeed in time." "the american forces are near the city?" "greene said general arnold would arrive before noon." "i'll go with you. we'll both search for a boat. where is my servant?" "i don't know, sir, unless he's with the army." "that can't be, my boy. he wouldn't have left me, for--oh, here you are, richard," the officer added as a sleepy-looking man entered the chamber. "you neglected to awaken me, and i am in a most serious predicament." "you gave no orders, my lord." "you should have had wit enough to know that i intended to march with the army." "but i have just wakened, my lord." "and you don't have the appearance of one who has fully accomplished that yet. get my things together as quickly as possible, and go down to the river. we shall start from the middle ferry." "but, lord gordon, if you set out alone it must be from some place less public than that," enoch said decidedly. "remember that our people are freed from restraint now, and the temptation of having a british officer in their power might be so great that, if they didn't do real harm, they would at least prevent your leaving." "you are right, my lad. i'll grant that you have a better head than i in this matter, and follow your directions." "then will you please stay here till i come back?" "yes, unless you are gone too long." "but you must stay, no matter how long i am gone. i promise faithfully you shall be set across the river some time to-day, or night, if you will remain out of sight; but once you are seen i am afraid the work cannot be done." "do as you will, my lad. i agree to follow your instructions. if you succeed in your purpose you will repay me tenfold for the slight favor i did your friend." "i only hope i shall come somewhere near squaring matters; but in one case a life was saved, and in this it is only a question of your avoiding imprisonment." "to be made a prisoner under these circumstances would be worse than death. go, my lad, go quickly!" enoch ran downstairs, and stopped with his hand on the latch of the door to say to mrs. graydon: "won't you please keep the house locked, and make some excuse for not letting anybody in? the time has come when we can repay lord gordon for the assistance he rendered seth, and you must do your share by keeping him out of sight." "no person shall enter without first battering down the door," mrs. graydon replied with an air of determination, and enoch darted out of the house, running up the alley at full speed. half an hour later he returned, breathless, but triumphant. lord gordon, looking desperately anxious, met him at the door. "i've got a skiff," he said as soon as it was possible for him to speak. "she's in the creek below third street. i can take you there without the chance of meeting many people; but we shall be obliged to walk fast, and you must pay no attention to whatever may be said." "don't fear i'll do anything to prevent the success of your efforts, my boy. my rejoining the army at the earliest possible moment is such a vital matter that nothing short of force would delay me." the servant was summoned, and came down the staircase as if still partially under the influence of sleep, laden with baggage. "look alive, man, can't you?" enoch cried angrily as he took a portion of the burden from the fellow. "if nothing else will waken you, remember that your life is absolutely in danger from the time we leave this house until we are well out in the river." these words had the desired effect, and the three, each carrying a portion of the luggage, left the house. enoch chose a most circuitous route, and although his lordship was jeered at many times during the short journey, nothing occurred to cause delay. "she isn't a very fine craft," enoch said when they reached the bank of the creek and he pulled out from the landing-stage a flat-bottomed boat; "but she'll take you over to the jersey side, and i reckon that's all you want." "those who will show themselves to be such idiots as i have should be forced to swim for it," lord gordon said grimly, "and the situation now, compared with what it was half an hour ago, seems so bright that i wouldn't exchange your punt for one of the swiftest galleys of the fleet, except that i might arrive at the opposite shore more quickly." there was only one pair of oars, and seating himself amidships, with richard in the bow and lord gordon in the stern, enoch plied these vigorously, as indeed was necessary in order to stem the flood-tide, which was now setting in strongly. nearly an hour was required in which to make the passage, and more than once did the officer insist he should be allowed to do a portion of the work; but enoch would accept of no assistance. "i should be only too glad to row you twenty miles, and all that distance against the tide, lord gordon, for then when i saw seth i could say to him that we had been able to be of some service." "you do not fully realize, my boy, how much assistance you have rendered me. i am under the deepest obligations, and that which i did in your service seems as nothing compared with this, for you have saved my honor. it is not my intention to offend you by offering payment; but i should be under yet greater obligations if you will allow me to give you some souvenir of this morning's work." "you mean you want to make me a present?" "yes, enoch, i want to leave with you something that you will remember me by--something which when you look at it you can say 'this was given me by a man to whom i rendered a greater service than if i had saved his life.'" "i will take it, sir, and when i look at it will say to myself that it was given me by a gentleman who saved the life of my friend." "very neatly turned, my lad. you have a power of flattery which would win your way in a court." "i wish i had the power that would win me my way in the continental army." "are you intending to enlist?" "yes, sir. i do not want to say it boastingly; but yet i am proud because the little which i did last week caused general washington himself to thank me, and to say that i should attach myself to his staff until i was really made a soldier." "indeed, my lad? you must have rendered some signal service. since you no longer fear me as an enemy, for i am not formidable now that i am the only member of the english army this side of new jersey, perhaps you will tell me what you did which won for you so great an honor." enoch, passing lightly over the incidents in which he figured prominently, told the story of his having been recognized by the quaker and of subsequently hearing clinton's order read. lord gordon laughed heartily at the boy's account of his freeing himself from the quaker's grasp; but grew grave as the story was finished. "with such boys as you, enoch, to recruit the american army, it is little wonder that we fail to whip you into submission. i am glad to know you, my lad, and would say the same even if you had not rendered me so great a service. i venture to predict you will win your way in the army, for surely no boy ever made a better beginning. i hope we shan't meet on the battlefield; but if we do of course each must strive for the mastery, and i am confident you will do your best to overcome me. here is what i want you to accept," and lord gordon unfastened from his watch a heavy chain. "that is far too valuable, sir. i had rather have something more trifling." "and i prefer to give this. don't refuse to take it, enoch, for you will be doing me another favor by wearing it." it was necessary enoch should cease rowing sufficiently long to put the costly gift in his pocket, and then he bent himself sturdily to the oars once more, remaining silent several moments before he said: "i thank you, lord gordon, for the chain; but i thank you more for your kind words. if all the britishers had been like you i don't think this war would have lasted so long." "and if all the americans had been as generous-hearted and brave as you, enoch ball, your independence would have been gained immediately after it was declared." then the boat's bow grated on the sand of the jersey shore. his lordship's servant gathered up the belongings and proceeded with all haste toward the moving column which could be seen in the distance, and lord gordon, pressing enoch's hand, said solemnly: "may god love and guard you, my boy!"[e] footnote: [e] this escape of lord cosmo gordon occurred actually as described, and the gift of the chain was made to the boy who assisted him. chapter xv. on special duty. when enoch had repaid the debt of gratitude by aiding lord gordon to rejoin his troops, and had landed once more on the philadelphia side of the river, he felt particularly well pleased with the morning's work. it was, to his mind, a fitting conclusion to the evacuation, and gave him a sense of great satisfaction that he had been enabled to be of service to the generous officer. "i allow seth will be pleased twice when he hears of this day's happenings, and i'm not certain but that what we have done for lord gordon will afford him nearly as much pleasure as to know that the british have finally left town. i wish he had given me something of less value than this chain," he added as he examined the ornament more closely. "it seems as if this was in some sense payment for the work, although he insisted it was simply to remember him by. however, i could not have refused it." then he returned to drinker's alley; informed mrs. graydon her late guest was in a place of safety, and, that having been done, went directly home to acquaint his mother with the events of the evacuation. as a matter of course he was on the street when general arnold, still suffering from the wound received at saratoga, entered the city with a force of men sufficient to hold it against any ordinary attack, and as soon as the town was formally invested by its rightful rulers he went back to letitia street, there to remain until word should be received regarding his future movements. enoch's one desire now was to join the army at the earliest possible moment, and he hoped most fervently that he would be allowed to enlist, for there seemed every reason to believe general washington would attack the british forces during their march across new jersey. late on this same afternoon it was told in the city that clinton was encamped with his army and camp-followers at haddonfield, and so lengthy was the train with its appendages that the first division of the force had bivouacked before the last left gloucester point, although the line had moved in close order. it was reported that when the soldiers, the bathorses, baggage and ammunition wagons, the camp-followers and refugees were stretched out on a single road in marching order, they extended a length of twelve miles, and there seemed to be no question but that the american forces would sadly harass the cumbersome column before it could arrive at its destination. there was great rejoicing in philadelphia on this first night of the re-occupation by the continental army. those who had been imprisoned because of their devotion to the cause were set free, and for the first time since september was there feasting and joy in the homes of the citizens who ardently desired the independence of the colonies. it was noon of the th when enoch received the expected summons, and then, to his surprise and delight, greene entered the house. "i came with an order from general arnold," he said in reply to enoch's eager question, "and you are to carry a message from him to general dickinson, while i return to the main army." "has washington moved from valley forge?" "certainly. he started for coryell's ferry[f] last night. day before yesterday generals maxwell and dickinson left camp in order to be ready to harass the enemy during his march, and are now somewhere near the river; but it is impossible to say just at what point they may be found. you are to report to general arnold at once, and will be furnished by him with a horse and equipment in order to enable you to reach the new jersey troops. clinton, so it is reported, left haddonfield this morning, moving in the direction of mount holly, and the general impression is that he intends to pass through new brunswick. keep that fact well in mind, for it is somewhere on the west side of his line that you will find general dickinson, and you must not approach sufficiently near to run the risk of being captured." "what am i to do after the message has been delivered?" enoch asked. "that i cannot say." "am i to be allowed to enlist?" "the order which general washington gave at valley forge is still in force, and you will most likely be considered an aid so long as your services are required--very likely until the army is united. now i propose to ask your mother for a dinner, although there is no lack of rations in the continental camp; but it is the last opportunity i shall have for some time of enjoying her extraordinarily good cooking. you must tuck a generous meal under your vest this day, because you won't get another like it for many days to come." as a matter of course enoch told his friend of the previous morning's adventures, when he had aided lord gordon, and after the story was finished greene said emphatically: "it was a good day's work you did, lad, and that is a precious deal more than i would say if you'd helped any other british officer out of town. gordon, even though he is a lord and an enemy, is an honest kind of a man, and after the spirit he has shown i'd be sorry to see him a prisoner." then greene, observing the expression of sadness on mrs. ball's face as she realized that her son was about to leave her once more, and would probably be exposed to all the dangers of battle, began to talk on indifferent subjects in order to prevent the thoughts of mother and son from dwelling upon the possibilities of disaster, succeeding so well in his purpose that when the moment for departure arrived both were in a reasonably calm frame of mind. the spy did not allow any prolonged leave-taking, but hurried enoch away immediately, saying as he left the house: "you may depend upon it, mrs. ball, that you will receive the earliest possible information of our movements, and i have no doubt but that enoch will return to the city several times before any engagement can ensue. at all events, remember that nothing serious is likely to occur, so far as the army is concerned, for several days. clinton, owing to his unwieldy train, must of necessity move slowly, and general washington will not attack until everything is in our favor." then he literally forced enoch from the house, hurrying him so rapidly toward general arnold's headquarters that the boy was listening to that officer's instructions almost before he fairly realized he had left home to take part in a campaign. the duty which was now required of him seemed very slight. he was simply to carry a written communication to general dickinson, and consider himself under that officer's orders after the task had been performed. directions were given that he be furnished with a proper equipment, and in the selection of this greene took an active part, insisting on several articles which enoch thought needless; critically examining all that was turned over to the boy, and discarding this or that until satisfied in every respect with the complete outfit. "i'm rigged out like a nabob!" enoch said proudly when greene announced that, everything having been provided, there was no necessity for further delay. "if all the soldiers in the army have as much, i can only wonder where congress finds the money with which to pay for the goods." "you are rather more generously equipped than the privates," greene said with a laugh as he assisted the boy to mount. "this horse with his trappings, the two pistols in your belt, and the purse of money, come to you by right of your being on general washington's staff." "but you know i don't really hold that position, mr. greene, and oughtn't have any more than belongs to me as a private." "you have received only what is absolutely necessary to permit of your doing the duty required. you may be several days finding general dickinson, in which case you must lodge at inns, and will need the wherewithal to pay your reckoning. remember, enoch, my boy, that although the british have left philadelphia, they are not very far away from the town, and if you should chance to be made prisoner the situation would be quite as grave as if the old quaker had succeeded in retaining his hold of your ear. be careful of yourself; don't trust any one too far, unless you know beyond a question that he is a true friend to the cause, and keep your eyes wide open for treachery wherever you may be." "how long are you going to stay here?" "i intend to leave very shortly, and it is not impossible we shall soon meet again. you've got a good horse, lad, one that will serve you if endurance is required, or i'm no judge. be careful of him at the outset, for the time may come when his speed and bottom will be needed for your own safety. we won't say good-by, for now that you're in the service it seems best to dispense with anything of that kind. be off with you, and don't show yourself too suddenly to jacob, or he'll die of envy at seeing you in this rig." the spy struck the horse on the flank with his open hand, causing the animal to leap forward so suddenly that the young courier was nearly unseated. general arnold had instructed enoch to follow up the highway to badger's point, where he would find facilities for crossing, and to act with confidence upon such advice regarding the whereabouts of the new jersey troops as might be given him by the ferryman, who was a true friend to the cause. enoch rode leisurely as greene had suggested; but before arriving at his destination it became necessary to urge his horse at a faster pace, for it was difficult to pass by the country people living on the road and not stop sufficiently long, in response to their urgent entreaties, to tell them the news. although these halts were no longer than absolutely necessary in order to give the desired information, they occupied considerable time, and it was nearly dark when the boy had finished the first stage of the journey. "yes, i allow i can ferry you across; but you'll have to swim the horse," the man to whom he had been directed said when enoch made known his desire. "have all the britishers left the city?" "the last one went before eleven o'clock," enoch replied, able to speak with certainty as to the time since he had assisted very materially in the departure. "i allow it'll be many a long day before they're back--leastways that's what i hope. better take the saddle off, otherwise it'll be soaked. now lead the horse into the water alongside the boat, and i reckon we can make him swim without any great trouble." when the skiff was pushed off from the shore, the horse following as if accustomed to acting as his own ferryman, the owner of the craft plied enoch with questions as vigorously as he worked at the oars, and not until they had landed on the opposite side did the boy have an opportunity of asking regarding the whereabouts of the new jersey troops. "you're within three miles of where they allowed to halt to-night. general dickinson is making for mount holly, so i'm told, reckoning the britishers will strike that place in their march across the state. keep straight on the road ahead, and you'll hit them before dark, or i'm a dutchman." the young courier gave rein to his horse now that the journey appeared so nearly at an end, for he was not only eager to deliver the message, but to be with friends. the idea of riding around the country at night, knowing that he might at any moment come across detachments of the enemy, was anything rather than pleasing, and he had not been in the service sufficiently long to look upon such matters as ordinary incidents in a soldier's life. at the end of ten minutes he saw ample signs betokening the passage of a large body of men, and at the end of half an hour drew rein in the midst of the new jersey forces, who had bivouacked in a pine grove near the main road. it was not as simple a matter as he had supposed to gain an audience with general dickinson. when he was halted by the pickets he fancied that immediately he announced himself as a messenger from general arnold he would be allowed to proceed at will, instead of which he was detained by the vigilant outpost until the officer of the day could be communicated with, and during fully an hour enoch sat on his horse, fretting because of the delay, and believing he would have received different treatment if he had been in the garb of a soldier. the night had come before he was conducted to where general dickinson was partaking of a supper consisting of cold corn-bread and smoked fish, in company with several of his staff. enoch saluted awkwardly, and as he held the bridle of his horse with one hand, extended general arnold's letter in the other, without speaking. "where are you from, my lad?" the general asked as he took the missive, but without looking at it. "philadelphia, sir." "haven't i met you before?" "yes, sir; i am the boy who went into town with greene before the british left." "and because of a stroke of rare good fortune at a time when beset by enemies were enabled to bring important information?" "yes, sir." "as a member of general washington's staff," and there was a curious smile on dickinson's face as he spoke, "it is proper i invite you to mess with my aids. my orderly will care for your horse." "if you please, sir, i had rather look out for him myself, and as for rations, i can get them anywhere. i don't fancy the commander-in-chief really meant that i was an aid. it seemed to be only a question of my getting rations at the time." "and that is all it is just now, lad. help yourself, if you are hungry. take care of your own horse if you choose; in fact do whatever pleases you during the night. i shall send you on to the main army in the morning." enoch bowed, wheeled his horse around and started off irresolutely, not knowing exactly in which direction to proceed, until the general's orderly overtook him and said in a kindly tone: "if you will follow me, my boy, i will show you where to get provender for your horse and rations for yourself." "i have two friends somewhere among this force, and would like to find them." "they are in the same company with greene, the spy, are they not?" "yes, sir." "you will find them over here to the right. suppose you let me take the beast? the general's servants will care for him as well as you could. you need have no fear, so far as he is concerned, for he will fare better than you will, i am afraid." enoch hesitated just an instant before doing as the orderly suggested, and had but just released the bridle-rein when seth and jacob came running up. turning toward his friends with a cry of joy, enoch clasped their hands as if he had never expected to see them again, and master ludwick asked in a suspicious tone: "where did you get that horse?" "at general arnold's headquarters." "did you swap him for the beast we took from wharton's stable?" "certainly not; that one was turned over to the army at the same time yours was." "but how does it happen you are riding, and what are you doing here?" "i came with a message from general arnold to general dickinson." "then you _are_ an aid?" and jacob spoke in a tone of envy. "indeed i am not! i'm going to enlist at the very first chance; but of course i had to bring this message, and must go to the main army to-morrow. when that has been done, however, i shall sign the rolls in order to be with you fellows." "if you ride around on horseback, carrying messages from one general to the other, of course you are an aid," jacob began petulantly, and then, as if ashamed of himself for showing his ill-temper because his comrade had been favored, he added: "who knows what seth and i will be after the battle is over, for we are bound to have one mighty soon, and then there will be plenty of chances where a fellow can earn a commission." '"you allow that to fret you not a little, jacob," seth said reprovingly. "it is the good of the cause you should consider--nothing else." "i can do all that is in my power for the cause, and still keep my eyes open for a commission," master ludwick replied stoutly. "if i had been allowed to go to philadelphia with enoch and greene, things would have been different." "but isn't being a soldier in the continental army enough for you?" enoch asked. "no, it isn't, and you will find that it ain't enough for you when you get here. i want to do what i can for the cause, and am as anxious as any fellow could be; but after you've stayed around the encampment a spell you'll see that a private don't count for very much, except----" master ludwick was interrupted by the coming of one of general dickinson's staff, who halted in front of the boys as he asked: "are either of you acquainted in this section of the country?" "seth and i were over it a good bit last fall," jacob said. "are you boys willing to perform a little extra service?" jacob replied very promptly in the affirmative. if he could always be detailed for "extra service" he would be quite content with his lot. "general dickinson wants to send some one toward mount holly, and he would prefer that whoever goes should volunteer." "we are ready," seth said as the officer paused. "what is to be done?" "the proposition simply is to lounge along the road in an apparently aimless fashion, and, if the enemy are not too near to render it dangerous, enter mount holly. the purpose is to learn in which direction clinton proposes to march from that town, and whether the scout be successful or not, it is necessary you should return to the command within forty-eight hours." "when are we to start?" jacob asked. "at once. you are to go on foot, and wear nothing which might indicate that you belong to the army." "then we are to act as spies," enoch said in a tone of disappointment. "no, lad, nothing of the kind, for it is not your purpose to enter the enemy's lines. you will simply be an independent scouting party. if you are willing to perform this work i will wait until your preparations have been made in order to pass you out." "that won't take many minutes," master ludwick replied, and now all traces of his ill-humor had vanished. if he was to be engaged in active service, rather than confined to the dull routine of the camp, it was to him a most desirable change. "i suppose we are not to carry weapons?" "certainly not. discard everything which might give those whom you meet the impression that you are soldiers." in less than ten minutes the boys were being escorted out past the pickets, and enoch said to the officer in an apologetic tone: "i am sorry to give so much trouble, sir, but would you see to it that some one looks after my horse and the equipment i have left?" "all your belongings shall be cared for, my boy. now one last word: it is not impossible that we may be on the march to-morrow; but you will have no trouble in finding the command. be prudent; don't take unnecessary risks for the purpose of gaining information, and remember that your errand will have been well performed when you know in which direction general clinton intends to march after leaving mount holly." then the boys, saluting, walked rapidly down the road in the darkness, and jacob said in a tone of satisfaction: "now this is what i call the proper kind of a job! i am more than willing to do a thing of this sort; but hanging around the camp, carrying a musket first in one fashion and then another, is what i don't like." "yet it is necessary you should know how to do such things before you can call yourself a soldier," seth suggested. "i suppose you had supper with general dickinson, enoch?" "indeed i didn't," master ball replied, "and i feel as if i could eat almost anything." "do you mean to say you haven't had food since you left philadelphia?" "yes." "but why didn't you say something about it before we left camp?" "because it seemed necessary we should start without delay, and i didn't want to appear so girlish as to declare i must have something to eat when there was work to be done." "i don't call that girlish. a fellow must have a full stomach or he can't do much work." "we'll get something after awhile. you see we've money between us, now, for general arnold gave me two pounds before i left, and since it was to be used in the service, i shall be able to get what supplies are needed." "let's stop at the first respectable-looking house we see," seth suggested. "it is getting so late that anything of the kind must be done before the people go to bed, for i don't fancy our reception would be very pleasant if we awakened any one with the proposition to sell us food." "we won't do that yet awhile. i reckon i can do without my supper two or three hours." "but you see," and jacob halted suddenly, "general dickinson couldn't have intended that we should travel all night, for there is nothing to be learned while everybody is in bed." "i should suppose if we walked until midnight we would be somewhere near mount holly, and then the proper course will be to ask for lodgings at a farmhouse, unless we come across an inn." with this understanding the boys continued on at a reasonably rapid pace, discussing as they walked the probability of a battle in the near future. before they had traveled the length of time agreed upon, lights, apparently of a town, could be seen in the distance ahead, and seth said in surprise: "i thought mount holly was very much further away; but i must have been mistaken, for there's no question about that's being the town. do you think it is safe for us to go there before daylight?" "why not?" jacob asked. "because if the britishers intend to strike that place, we may find ourselves in trouble." "we'd better stay where we are until morning," enoch suggested. "suppose we try to get lodgings in that house?" and he pointed a short distance ahead on the right, where could be seen dimly in the darkness a collection of buildings. with never a thought in their minds that they might meet with enemies quite as dangerous as could be found in the british army, the boys turned into the lane leading from the main road, and went rapidly toward the house. footnote: [f] now lambertville. chapter xvi. tory hospitality. although there were no lights to be seen from the outside, the boys soon learned that the inmates of the dwelling were not asleep, for in response to jacob's vigorous knocking the door was opened after a delay of only a few seconds, and a voice asked: "what do you want?" the speaker had brought no light with him, and, shrouded in the dense darkness of the hallway, it was impossible for the boys to distinguish even the form of their host. as a matter of fact, it was only owing to the tone of his voice that they understood a man was before them. "we want shelter till morning; some food if you can give it to us without too much trouble, and are willing to pay for all we receive," jacob replied promptly. "who are you? where did you come from?" "i am jacob ludwick----" "chris, the baker's son, eh?" "yes, sir," and master ludwick was proud, rather than displeased, that his identity should be known. "what are you doing here?" "we're on our way to mount holly." "why don't you keep on to the town?" "we thought it would be safer to wait until morning, because the britishers may be near there by this time." both seth and enoch pressed nearer their comrade to warn him against being too free with details regarding himself; but he did not understand the movement. it was as if he believed all the people in the country round about philadelphia were friends to the cause, and he was perfectly willing to give any information desired. "how near are your troops?" "they must be at least ten miles back," jacob replied, and again his comrades pressed closer to him, while this time seth whispered: "be careful what you say!" "you can come in," the man said after a brief pause, "and i'll see if it is possible to give you lodgings. wait here until i get a candle," he added as the boys entered the hall, and the outer door was closed and barred. the sound of footsteps told that their host had gone in search of a light, and seth took advantage of the opportunity to say in a low tone: "you had no right to answer his questions, jacob. how do you know but that he may be a tory?" "it isn't likely." "why not? there are as many in jersey as in pennsylvania, and you have told him where our troops are." jacob made no reply. he now understood how reckless he had been, and was chagrined at the idea of making a grievous mistake almost before they had begun their work. "there is no reason why you should feel badly about it now," enoch said, understanding the cause of his friend's silence. "we can look out for ourselves, i reckon, and there has been no real harm done even though he carried the information you gave him directly to general clinton, for it isn't likely general dickinson fancies he can keep his whereabouts a secret." "still i ought to have been more careful," jacob replied penitently. "i should----" the door at the extreme end of the hall was opened, and the man entered, holding a candle in his hand. "i will show you to a room where you can remain until morning, and afterward bring you some food. follow me," and he ascended the stairs which led out of the hall. "these are troublesome times, and one should be cautious about letting strangers into his house; but i don't fancy you three boys are disposed to do mischief." "indeed we're not," seth replied. "we simply want a place in which to sleep, and shall go away very early in the morning. perhaps it is too much to ask that you bring the food to our room?" "oh, no; i would have invited you into the kitchen, but we have sickness in the house, and it isn't well there should be any noise. are the continentals coming this way?" "i don't know." "but you have just left them." "we have come from where the troops were," seth replied cautiously. "and don't belong to the army?" seth hesitated sufficiently long for the most obtuse to have understood that he was about to equivocate, and then said: "if we were soldiers we should be in uniform, and wouldn't ask for lodgings." "exactly; i see," the man replied with a curious smile, and continued on up the second flight of stairs into what was evidently the attic of the house. on this floor was a long, narrow passage with doors opening from either side; but the host did not pause until arriving at the extreme end, when he ushered them into a small apartment, saying as he did so: "this is the only room we have empty to-night; but so long as the bed is rest-inviting i suppose it will answer your purpose. i'll bring the food at once." placing the candle on the rude table, the host left the room, and the boys listened until from the sound of his footsteps they knew he had traversed the passage, and was descending the stairs. "he has taken precious good care we shall be well out of the way," seth said thoughtfully as he looked around the apartment, in which was a low trundle-bed covered with the coarsest of clothing, a small, rude table on which the candle had been placed, and one stool. there were no windows in the room, and the door was formed of heavy planks, bolted rather than nailed together. "he said some one in the house was sick, and most likely we have been brought up here for fear we might make a noise," enoch suggested. seth opened the door cautiously, and holding the candle high above his head, looked out. a heavy iron socket on either side and a third upon the door itself, with a stout oaken bar lying on the floor of the hallway near by, told that this particular apartment could be fastened very securely. "what is the meaning of all this?" jacob asked in dismay. "it looks as if some one had been here who wasn't allowed to come out except at the pleasure of the master of the house," enoch replied doubtfully, and an expression of fear came over jacob's face. "i don't think we had better stop in this place," master ludwick said decidedly. "i was such an idiot as to tell him who we are, and in case this happens to be a tory dwelling, we may have trouble." "it doesn't seem just right to walk out simply because we have seen that the door can be barred from the outside," seth replied slowly. "but you noticed how anxious the man was to learn about our troops?" "so would anybody be, whether whig or tory, knowing that there is probably an army on either side of him." "i think we had better leave while we've got the chance," jacob said in something very like fear. "there is no need of taking any risks, and i am certain there must be other vacant rooms in the house besides this one. let us go downstairs softly, and, if possible, get out of doors without making a noise." at that instant, as if to show the boys it was too late for them to retreat, the sound of footsteps was heard once more, and a moment later the master of the house, or he who acted in that capacity, entered the room bearing a generous supply of provisions and a jug of water. "here is the best i can do for you, lads," he said in a kindly tone, placing his burden on the table. "if you are hungry this won't come amiss, and in case your appetites are not keen, there will be no harm in allowing the food to remain untouched. shall i call you in the morning?" "we would like to leave here by daylight, sir, and will thank you for awakening us in case we oversleep." then the host left the room with a cheery "good-night," and the boys gazed at each other until a smile overspread the faces of all. "i allow we were more scared than hurt," jacob said in a tone of relief. "he has done what we asked, and in a very friendly fashion. if it hadn't been for the bar that can be fitted on the door, i never should have thought anything might be wrong." seth held up his hand to demand silence, and the three could hear the footsteps of their host as he went through the passage. enoch, who had not tasted of food since noon, and whose appetite was keen owing to the long ride and yet longer walk, began an attack upon the vegetables, in which he was soon joined by his comrades. a very satisfactory meal did the three make, and as hunger was appeased their suspicions sank at rest, until, when the repast was ended, there remained no thought in the mind of either that harm could be intended. "it is time we went to bed if we count on getting any sleep to-night," seth said as he began to make his preparations for retiring. "judging from the looks of the lights, we are within half a mile of mount holly, and should be able to get there before many people are stirring. say, push open that door, will you, enoch? we must have fresh air in some way and that seems to be the only chance, since there is no window." enoch took hold of the latch carelessly, and then with more determination, as the door failed to open. "what is the matter?" jacob asked, noting the look of fear on his comrade's face, and advancing until his hand also was on the latch. "why, it's locked!" "that was the way it seemed to me," enoch replied, displaying considerably less agitation than did jacob, and seth turned sharply around to look into the faces of the two at the door. "yes, it is locked," enoch continued quietly as if in reply to seth's question. "we had good reason to be suspicious when we saw that bar on the outside, and knew there were no windows." "but what is the meaning of it?" jacob cried sharply. "it means that we are in the house of a tory, who, knowing we have come from general dickinson's force, and making a very good guess as to our business, proposes to keep us here until our report will be of but little value." "he wouldn't dare do such a thing," jacob cried angrily. "when it is known that he has made prisoners of messengers sent from general dickinson the soldiers will tear his house down about his ears." "it may be he intends to join the britishers as they come along, in which case he wouldn't be the first tory to leave home rather than submit to american rule." seth, having ascertained beyond a doubt that they were locked into the room, was at once plunged in deep thought, and, observing this, jacob asked quickly, almost angrily: "what do you think about it? are you going to stay here without making any fight to get out?" "i don't believe we should accomplish very much, however hard we might fight, unless we can devise some better plan of operations than that of attempting to batter the door down," seth replied quietly. "and as to what i think about it, i have already said. of course the man who owns the house is a tory who counts on helping the britishers by preventing us to return with the report to general dickinson." "and you are willing to stay here quietly?" "i can't say i am willing." "but you don't seem likely to do anything toward helping yourself and us," and now master ludwick displayed unmistakable signs of temper. "i'll show that old tory what it means to play such a trick on members of the army!" he was so enraged that he failed to realize how useless would be his efforts; but seizing the stool, began to batter upon the heavy door with all his strength, continuing at this vain work until he was absolutely exhausted. then he threw himself upon the bed, still literally beside himself with rage, and enoch said soothingly: "there's no use flying into a passion, jacob, for that won't help us in any way." "i have let that miserable tory know we understand how he has tricked us." "yes, and put him on his guard. until you did that he might have supposed we were ignorant that the door was locked, and would have rested contentedly. now he understands exactly how we are feeling, and will be on the alert to prevent an escape." "it is not necessary for him to watch out very sharp, for we can't accomplish anything more than i have done already." "and that is simply to dent the door, and splinter the stool." "well, what better can _you_ do?" and jacob leaped to his feet as if ready for a pitched battle. "that's what i can't say. very likely i shall do no more--i certainly can't do any less." "now look here, fellows, what's the sense of quarreling?" seth asked. "we're prisoners; came into this trap of our own free will, and one is no more to blame than another. it strikes me our best plan is to be at least friendly among ourselves, for ill-temper won't weaken the door, or show us the way out." "i am not angry, nor haven't been," enoch replied. "when jacob was so foolish i simply answered his questions, that is all." master ludwick made no reply. he realized that, although his companions were careful not to accuse him, there was more reason why he should be blamed than either of his comrades, since he it was who had supplied the master of the house with such information as was desired. jacob was not willing to confess he had been careless, and seemed angry because his comrades refrained from mentioning the fact. he threw himself once more upon the bed in a sulky fashion, while seth and enoch, the latter holding the candle, walked slowly around the apartment, examining every portion of the walls. "it doesn't seem as if we could work our way out of here," seth said when the examination was concluded, and nothing had met their gaze but the unbroken partitions of heavy boards. "this room must be directly at the end of the house," enoch said half to himself. "i reckon there can be no question about that." "do you suppose it would be possible to cut our way through with knives? i have a stout one in my pocket." "we might, in time, if no one molested us, but it is terrible to think we might be forced to remain here so long." "it is evident we shan't get out very soon," enoch said after a pause. "i propose that we try to get some sleep. i was awake nearly all last night, and have had a hard day's work. we won't gain anything by tearing around just now, and a night's rest may put us in better shape for thinking." "it doesn't seem as if there was anything else to do," seth replied, and immediately laid down on the bed by the side of jacob, enoch following his example. despite the gravity of their situation, all three of the boys were soon wrapped in the unconsciousness of slumber, nor did they awaken until the closing of the door brought them to a sitting posture very suddenly. "some one has been in here!" jacob exclaimed as he leaped to his feet, and seized the latch. the door was fastened as securely as before. the darkness was profound, and for some moments the boys were at a loss to understand it until enoch said with a mirthless laugh: "the candle has burned up, that's all. we should have blown it out before we went to sleep." "how much good would that have done us?" seth asked grimly. "we have got neither flint nor steel with which to light it again." "i thought last night that we were about as bad off as possible; but this being forced to remain in darkness seems to make matters worse." groping around to learn the reason for the visit, enoch ascertained that a supply of food and water had been left on the table, and he said, as he mentioned this fact to his comrades: "here is evidence that we are to be kept prisoners until it is no longer possible to gain any information concerning the movements of the britishers. it must be morning, even though it's dark, for i don't think the tory would have paid us a second visit during the night." jacob appeared to have recovered from the fit of ill-temper which had assailed him, and now said as he examined the supply of provisions: "if it is morning we may as well have breakfast. i wish one of us had a watch so we could have some idea of time, for we shan't see daylight while we are cooped up here." seth was in as despondent a mood as a boy well can be, when he arose from the bed to act upon his companion's suggestion; but each was careful not to let the others understand how hopeless seemed the situation in this first moment of awakening. neither of the prisoners ate with much relish, and the meal was quickly finished. then each gave himself up to his own gloomy reflections, and after remaining silent nearly half an hour, enoch said sharply: "look here, boys, it doesn't seem possible that we can get out of this place unaided; but at the same time we shall all feel better if we are doing something, instead of mooning like this. now let's decide upon a plan and go to work." "i am willing to begin any job, however hopeless it seems, rather than remain idle," seth replied promptly. "do you still think there is a chance of cutting our way through the end of the house?" "no; that now seems to me less likely than a good many other plans. why not try to raise some of the flooring?" "but suppose you succeed?" jacob asked. "you wouldn't be out of the house." "true, and we should still be inside if we were in the hallway; yet i had a good deal rather be there than locked up here. i'm willing to attempt anything. there is little hope of our succeeding; but at the same time it is better to make some effort." "one plan is as good as another," seth said after a brief pause. "tell us what you want to do, enoch, and jacob and i will assist to the best of our ability." "we all have knives, and plenty of time. now, suppose we cut through one of the boards of the floor, at a sufficient distance from the end to avoid striking the joist, and we should be able to pull it up once it has been separated." "but that is a job on which only one can work." "we will make two divisions. i'll work near the wall, while one of you begin three feet away from me," enoch said as he went toward the side of the room. "i can feel the nails here, and will allow that the joist extends two or three inches beyond them. hunt for the second row of nails, and set about cutting. it is lucky we've all got knives." five minutes later enoch and seth were busily engaged in the task, while jacob stood ready to "spell" the first who should grow weary. the boards were planed, and, as nearly as could be judged, were of ordinary thickness. "it is pine wood, that's one satisfaction," enoch said cheerily, "and it shouldn't take long to lift one piece. then we shall have something to serve as a lever, if we want to rip out more of the flooring." "that part of it is true enough; but even when we have taken up as much as necessary, we are about the same distance from the open air," jacob added. "what is your plan if we succeed in this work?" "i am willing, if you fellows will back me, to break through the plastering, for of course we shall come upon the ceiling of the room below, and then jump down, ready to fight our way out." "we shan't be able to do a great deal of fighting without weapons." "by pulling the bed apart we can get what will answer as clubs, and unless there are a number of men in the house we ought to accomplish something." "it is a bold scheme," seth replied; "but i am not certain there isn't a fair chance for success in it." "unless the man of the house is well supplied with weapons, in which case our clubs would amount to very little." "we'll do the best we can, and not discuss as to how we may be stopped. it was agreed when we began that this was to be done only for the purpose of helping pass the time." enoch's cheerfulness had a beneficial effect upon his companions, and during the next hour jacob refrained from suggesting difficulties which might be encountered. then came the time when one end of the board was severed, it having been literally whittled apart. it was enoch who first accomplished his portion of the task, and seth had so nearly finished that by bending this particular piece downward it was readily broken off. reaching through into the aperture, and exploring by sense of touch, enoch announced that there was probably nothing between them and the apartment below save narrow strips of inch-thick lumber and plaster. "by taking up one more board we shall have space enough, and i think it will be best to use this piece to pry the other out." owing to the woodwork at the side of the room this plan was found to be impracticable, and once more enoch went to work with his knife. not until another hour had passed was the task finished, and then, regardless of the noise, the boys pried the board from its place. when this had been done they waited in silence several moments, to ascertain if an alarm had been given, and, hearing nothing, enoch set about dismantling the bed in order to get possession of the posts as weapons. this was neither a difficult nor a lengthy task, and when he had given each of his comrades a stout oaken timber, from three to four feet in length, he exclaimed: "now we are ready, boys! once we begin there must be no delay. punch a hole through the ceiling, and then we'll drop down regardless of what may happen, fighting our best when we are once where anything of that kind is possible." chapter xvii. in self-defense. although the youngest of the party, enoch was looked upon as leader, probably because the idea was his and because he appeared so certain it could be carried through to a successful issue. "we'll keep right at your back, no matter how foolhardy you may be," seth whispered as enoch hesitated. "i know i can count on you fellows; but the thought has just come into my mind that perhaps one or more may be lamed by jumping through the hole after it has been made. what is to be done then? it seems to me important general dickinson should know we cannot carry out his orders." "so it is, and if one is disabled he who is in the best condition must push on to the camp. two shall stay together here, and the third go back if possible." "are you ready?" enoch asked nervously as he raised his weapon. "as nearly now as we ever shall be," seth replied, and in another instant there came a resounding crash as tiny particles of plaster rose in the air. enoch had struck the first blow, and his club opened a hole sufficiently large to admit daylight, thus rendering it possible for the boys to see each other. jacob and seth followed his example, and only three blows were needed, for the barrier had been torn away to such an extent that there was ample space for all three of them to leap down at the same time. "it isn't more than fifteen feet," enoch said as he looked into the apartment below. "of course there are chances we may come to grief; but we mustn't stop to think of them. there has been so much noise that the owner of the house cannot fail to know what is being done." "we'll follow you," seth replied. throwing his club down, enoch followed, striking the floor with a thud that must have been heard throughout the building. "come on! it's all right!" he shouted. seth followed his example. jacob dropped his weapon, but hesitated before making the leap. the distance looked very great as viewed from above, and the landing-place particularly hard. "come on!" seth cried excitedly. "we can't afford to waste time now, for the tory is bound to know what is being done, and we must be out of this room before he gets here!" jacob was unquestionably afraid; but the sound of hurried footsteps on the stairs told that it must be done quickly, or not at all, and he let himself down by the hands, dropping to his feet from that lessened height. enoch did not wait to learn if his comrade made the descent in safety; each instant the noise of the footsteps sounded louder, and, holding his club ready for immediate use, he threw open the door. the same man whom they had seen the evening previous was in the hallway, running toward them. he raised his hand, leveling a pistol full at enoch's head. "get back there, you rebel spawn!" he cried in a rage. "get back, or i'll fire!" "come on, seth!" enoch shouted, and he flung his club at the tory, dropping to the floor instantly he did so. the weapon was discharged at the same interval of time that its owner's arm was thrown upward by the club, and the odds were more even. "close in on him now!" enoch cried as he leaped to his feet and darted forward. it was as if the boy no longer gave heed to possible danger; the one idea in his mind was that general dickinson must be told why his order was not obeyed, and he paid no attention to himself, but prayed that at least one of the party might succeed in leaving the house uninjured. the infuriated tory struck out with his fist, hitting the boy such a blow as sent him staggering against the wall; but seth's prompt action turned the tide of battle. as enoch was forced back he rushed forward with upraised club, bringing it down on the tory's arm before he could defend himself, while jacob closed in with a vain attempt to deal a second blow. the man retreated, but at the same time succeeded in gaining possession of the club enoch had thrown, and appeared a most dangerous antagonist as he stood with his back to the wall near the head of the stairs, awaiting an opportunity to deal a murderous blow. enoch was out of the battle only a few seconds. the partition on that side of the hallway opposite where the tory was standing had saved him from a fall, and he at once looked around for something that would serve as a weapon. the pistol which had fallen from the man's grasp was on the floor, and although it would not be effective against a club, might do good service at close quarters. "jump in on him!" enoch cried as he rushed toward the man. "it is only necessary one of us shall get clear----" he ceased speaking as he was forced to halt. the tory brandished his weapon vigorously, holding open a space directly around him, and it was certain that the first who came within reach would be permanently disabled. "stay where you are!" the man shouted, furious with rage. "i will kill every one, and swear to those who come in search of you that i did so while defending myself against a murderous assault made without provocation!" "stand back from that staircase, and there will be no need of defending yourself! we only ask for an opportunity to leave this house." "that is what can't be done while i'm alive! do you suppose i don't know why you came? you have been sent ahead to spy out the condition of his majesty's troops, and shall never go back to make a report. keep your distance, i say!" jacob had endeavored to creep closer, thinking the tory was not looking at him, and barely escaped a murderous blow from the club. although master ludwick did not accomplish anything himself, he opened the way for another to do so, and the battle was soon ended. when the tory struck at jacob he put all his strength in the blow, and the impetus, as the weapon swung in the air meeting with no obstruction, caused him to reel and turn partially around. at that instant, while he was not in a position to defend himself, enoch flung the pistol as if it had been a rock, and, fortunately, hit the man full on the head. he fell like one suddenly stricken dead, and enoch shouted as he leaped over the prostrate body: "come on, boys! keep your clubs, for there's no telling whom we may meet downstairs!" at the same instant he seized his former weapon, and in two or three bounds was in the hall below. seth and jacob followed closely at his heels, and the latter at once set about unfastening the front door, which was not only locked, but bolted and barred. the noise of the conflict had alarmed the other inmates of the house, and they came running into the hall with loud screams. there was no man among them, and the boys breathed more freely. "keep back!" enoch cried sternly as seth and jacob worked at the well-fastened door. "we have fought only for our freedom, of which that man would have deprived us, and shall strike even a woman if she attempts to prevent our leaving!" "you have killed him!" some one shrieked, and the remainder of the group set up a series of the shrillest cries for help. "he isn't dead!" enoch shouted at the full strength of his lungs, forced thus to exert himself in order that his words might be heard. "he will recover his senses presently; but you are not to go to him yet," he added as two of the women attempted to pass him. "we don't intend to have another fight if it can be avoided, and it's better he lays where he is for awhile. can't you open the door, boys?" "there are more locks and bolts here than i ever saw before," seth replied nervously. "this house must be a regular castle when it is closed and properly defended." a second later, just when enoch was beginning to fear he would really be forced to carry out his threat and strike some of the females to prevent them from going up the stairs, jacob flung open the barrier. "come on!" he cried, leaping into the open air, and his comrades did not delay following his example. as they emerged the boys could see, far away to the right, a moving column of redcoats, and understood that the enemy was even then passing in force between this house and the town of mount holly. "it stands us in hand to hark back on our trail at the best pace possible, otherwise we may fall into the britishers' hands!" jacob cried, running at full speed in the direction from which they had come on the night previous. they surely had good reason to leave that neighborhood far in the rear without loss of time, for there was cause to fear that scouting parties of the enemy might make prisoners of them, and also that the tory, recovering from his wounds, would come in pursuit with a force sufficiently large to overpower them. "we should at least have brought pistols," jacob said ten minutes later, when they halted at the brow of a hill to regain breath. "the idea of scouting around where there are plenty of enemies, with nothing but a bedpost as a weapon." "we didn't have as much as that when we left camp," seth replied with a laugh. "i won't be caught in such a mess again, even if i am obliged to go against positive orders," and master ludwick was once more allowing his rage to become the master. "we are bound to obey orders, no matter what the command may be," enoch said earnestly. "but it is foolish to spend time in getting angry, when we've such a long road ahead of us. come on, boys, and now that we have so much of a start we can afford to walk instead of run; but must not halt again until we are in camp." it was destined, however, that the discomfited scouts should not be forced to make a long journey. after an hour's rapid traveling they were met by a squad of continental scouts, and told that general dickinson's force was bearing down on mount holly. "where is the general now?" seth asked anxiously. "not more than two miles in the rear. have you seen the enemy?" "the britishers are between here and the town." "did you see the whole force?" "we didn't stop for such a critical examination," seth replied grimly. "just at that time we were doing our best to escape from the house of a tory, where we'd been kept prisoners over night, and----" "was it a big building on the right-hand side of the road, with four poplar trees in front?" one of the men asked. "yes, and the door is painted green." "i know the house well. a rank tory by the name of plummer lives there, and i only hope we may be given orders to pay him a visit. i've had some dealings with that fellow myself." seth would have questioned the soldier as to what "dealings" he had had, but for the fact that enoch whispered: "we mustn't wait here to talk; the general will expect us to come to him as soon as possible." then, asking for and receiving more explicit directions as to where general dickinson would be found, the boys hurried forward, and, half an hour later, were detailing their experiences to the commander. "not very successful on your first scout, eh?" he said with a smile when the story was finished. "we have at least learned where the britishers are," seth replied grimly, "and, what is more, know that the man plummer is not a friend of the cause." "i think it will be a good idea to call on him when we have time. we shall bivouac here tonight, for the sun will set in less than an hour, and you boys are excused from further duty to-day. early to-morrow morning master ball will report to me personally." "i suppose that means i am to be sent back to the main army," enoch said just a trifle petulantly when they were so far away from general dickinson that he could not overhear the remark. "i had begun to hope i might be allowed to stay with you fellows." "it is better to be an aid on the commander-in-chief's staff than running around the country with the risk of being caught again as we were last night," jacob replied, and once more he was showing unmistakable signs of envy. "i had rather be with you, and have a chance to earn the sword you are always talking about. just think how i shall feel if i am sent riding back and forth over the country when a battle is going on." seth put an end to the conversation by insisting that they find a comfortable place in which to spend the night, and after he had seen to it that his horse was not suffering from lack of care, enoch was ready and willing to take advantage of the opportunity to sleep. the troops were awakened an hour before daylight next morning, and as the boys obeyed the summons to "turn out," they heard the more experienced soldiers talking about the fight which was imminent. "is there to be a battle?" enoch asked of a veteran. "hardly that yet awhile, lad; but we've been sent down here to harass the enemy, an' this 'ere early call looks as if we was about to begin our work. i reckon we can count mighty sartin on swappin' shots with the britishers before nightfall." "and i am to go back just when it is possible i might do something!" enoch exclaimed to his comrades, "you will have a chance to distinguish yourselves, while all i can do is to ride where there is no danger." "wait till you've seen as much service as i have, lad, an' then you'll bless your lucky stars that you're to be out of the scrimmage. it's well enough to talk 'bout the glory to be won on a battlefield while there's no enemy near; but when you see fifteen thousand or more agin your five or six hundred, the glory don't seem so great." master ludwick looked as if he agreed perfectly with this remark of the veteran's. enoch knew he was not warranted in standing there pouring forth his complaints when he had been ordered to report at headquarters, and after such a toilet as it was possible to make, he went to the general's camp. it seemed to his comrades that he had but just left them when he returned looking unusually glum. "what's the matter?" jacob asked. "ain't you going?" "that's just the trouble; i _am_ going, and with no time to spare. it's simply a case of carrying this letter, a job that could be done as well by any girl who can ride." "don't make so certain of that, my son," the veteran said with an admonitory shake of the head. "there's plenty of danger in scurryin' 'round the country now, when the redcoats are scouting in every direction, and if you are overhauled there's none to help you out. every man's duty is important in times like these, even though he may never so much as smell burning powder." enoch was silenced by this remark, and, after a hurried good-by to his comrades, set off in search of his horse. general dickinson ordered him to ride to valley forge, and knowing the general direction after crossing the river, he hastened on without remembering greene had told him the army had moved. the result of this carelessness was that he found the winter camp deserted, and was forced to ride further in search of information. after some difficulty he learned that general washington's force had been put in motion immediately after generals maxwell and dickinson left with orders to harass the enemy, and had intended to cross at coryell's ferry. it was not until the morning of the d that he entered the american camp at hopewell, and delivered the written message to the commander. general washington, who was riding away from the encampment, received the document without remark, and after reading it turned to one of his staff as if such a person as enoch had never existed. there was no opportunity for the boy to explain why he had been delayed, and he fell back to the rear of the officers, regretting more than ever that he was not a regularly enlisted private, serving in the same company with seth and jacob. "i ain't fit to do such work as this, and never should have tried," he muttered to himself. "here i am of about as much service as a second tail would be to a dog, and shall only bungle the next thing i am called upon to do, if indeed general washington is willing to trust me with anything else." "hello, lad! you're looking uncommonly glum this morning, even though you _are_ riding when the rest of us are obliged to foot it, and carry our own trunks in the bargain." a cry of glad surprise burst from enoch's lips as he saw, on turning, greene the spy. "what are you doing here?" he asked, reining in his horse and leaping to the ground. "trying to do my duty, though it ain't no ways pleasant while the weather is so scorching hot." "i didn't know you were in the ranks with the others." "why not? i'm only a private, even though i did work 'round philadelphia during the winter, and haven't succeeded in being given a place on the staff of the commander-in-chief." "that's exactly what was troubling me when you spoke," enoch cried. "i am not fit for such a place, and it's lucky i'm not really an aid. i can't even ride from one town to another without making a mistake." then enoch, glad of an opportunity to free his mind, told greene of all that had happened to him, and the latter said cheerily when the story was finished: "i don't understand you've got any good cause to complain. that you went to valley forge was dickinson's mistake, even though i did tell you the army had moved." "but general washington didn't even ask me why i was so long getting here, and most likely thinks i'm a regular fool." "i'll guarantee it hasn't so much as come into his mind, or you may be positive he'd said something. i allow you'll hear from it before night." "is the army to remain in camp?" "it seems that way; but it don't stand to reason we shall be idle very long. colonel daniel morgan and six hundred of his command were sent yesterday to reinforce maxwell, which looks like business, and i allow we shall all be headed for the britishers before we're many hours older. you say dickinson was getting ready for business when you left?" "that is what i heard. we were called an hour before daylight, and the men were not in line when i came away." "there's no question but that maxwell and dickinson will pepper clinton in good shape before his force gets very far on their way, and when everything is to general washington's liking we shall fall upon them." "but what am i to do in the meanwhile, mr. greene?" "stay where you are, and mess with me, if it so happens that you're not sent for to come to headquarters." "but i want to be in the ranks where i'll have a chance to help in the fighting." "my boy," and now greene was very grave, "don't fret; you'll have all of such work you could wish for, whether acting as aid or making a poor show as a private. it is your duty to take things as they come, without finding fault. let's get back to camp and see that your horse is fed, for there's no knowing how soon you may call on him for a spell of hard work." general washington and his staff had disappeared in the distance, and enoch acted upon the spy's advice at once. the horse was given a generous breakfast, and while he was eating it the boy sat down by the side of the spy to hear what the latter had been doing since the two parted at general arnold's headquarters. "it isn't much of a story, lad. my work in philadelphia being finished, i came back here to rejoin my company, but found they had left camp, therefore am forced to hang on with the others until we overtake general dickinson, which i'm hoping we shall do before the battle----" "is this the boy who brought a message from dickinson?" an officer asked as he came toward the two rapidly. "it is," greene replied. "he is wanted at headquarters immediately." the officer turned on his heel, having discharged his duty, and the spy said triumphantly to enoch: "what did i tell you, lad? it seems you haven't been forgotten yet. go on, and i'll wait here in order to see you before you leave us again, for i allow your work as aid isn't finished." chapter xviii. preparing for action. when enoch presented himself at headquarters the sentry saluted and stood aside for him to pass into the tent, and perhaps for the first time since he had been attached to general washington's staff, however informally, he felt a certain sense of pride at being thus received. when enoch entered he found general washington and several of his officers discussing the probable intentions of the enemy. "there can be no question, gentlemen, but that he intended to pass through new brunswick, as was indicated by the fact that on the morning of the evacuation the parole was 'jersey,' and the countersign 'brunswick.' it is, in my opinion, evident that our movements have caused him to change his intended route, or it may be that the necessarily slow advance of such an immense train, where bridges and causeways must be built over streams and marshes, induces general clinton to believe it would be dangerous to make further effort toward carrying out his intentions. i regret that you have decided against the hazard of a general engagement." "if your excellency pleases, i would like to state why i am opposed to any interference at present with the enemy," an officer who was seated near washington said courteously. "i think, general lee, you have already defined your position plainly," the commander-in-chief replied. "you believe the enemy is still too strong for us; that his troops are so far superior to ours that even though we outnumber him, we have no right to engage." "i believe, sir, that continued annoyance of the enemy by detachments is our proper course, and my belief is shared by at least six general officers." "very true, sir. and in favor of a battle there are only generals greene, wayne, lafayette and myself. it is known that general morgan has gained the rear of the british right flank, and maxwell is willing to put in on their left. i propose, therefore, to add to that force fifteen hundred picked men under general charles scott, and one thousand under wayne; the combined force to be in the command of general lafayette." it was as if washington had not observed enoch's entrance until this moment. turning to the boy, he said: "you will ride with all speed to such point as it will be possible to communicate with generals maxwell and dickinson. show them this memoranda, and say i expect they will make most active interference with the enemy. you will have seen both these generals by morning, and are to return at once to kingston on the millstone river, where we shall bivouac. commit to memory the lines here written, and should you be in the least danger of capture, destroy this paper immediately. were you detained by the enemy after leaving general dickinson?" "the general sent my two friends with me on a scout near mount holly, and we were made prisoners by a tory whose name i understand is plummer. we succeeded in escaping within twenty-four hours, but when i left general dickinson i understood i was to go directly to valley forge, therefore was delayed." general lee questioned enoch sharply as to his adventures in the house of the tory, and the boy, remembering what had been told him regarding that officer, fancied he was better acquainted with plummer than he would have it appear. on leaving headquarters enoch went directly to where he last saw greene, and since nothing had been said relative to keeping his proposed movements a secret, told the spy what he had been ordered to do, mentioning also general lee's evident interest in the tory who would have made prisoners of the scouts. "there is no question in my mind but that lee is better acquainted and more in sympathy with people of plummer's class than with those who are friends to the cause, and i predict general washington will be convinced, before many days have passed, that the officer next in rank to him is not as good an american as he should be." enoch waited only long enough to inquire regarding the most direct roads, and then, with such rations in his pocket as greene thought necessary, he began the journey. acting under the spy's advice he rode directly to trenton, and from there, after making inquiries, continued on toward allentown, overtaking general dickinson's command at nightfall. on this occasion he had no opportunity for an interview with either jacob or seth. he saw the latter as he rode up; but there was no time to speak with him, since his first duty was to deliver the message, and when that had been done he learned it was necessary to continue on four miles further in order to find general maxwell. it was nightfall when he gained an interview with this last-named officer, and half an hour later was dismissed with orders to remain in camp until morning. had he followed his own inclinations he would have returned to spend the night with his comrades; but the instructions were positive, and he understood that personal desires were not to be considered under such circumstances. during the short evening spent in this camp he learned that general clinton had turned to the right on the road leading to monmouth court house,[g] and it was believed among the men that his intentions were to march to sandy hook, from which point he could embark his troops for new york. "the britishers will find themselves in a hornets' nest when they get into monmouth county," one of the elder soldiers said to enoch, after telling him of the evident change of route. "devil david, as they call general forman, is in that section of the country, and sir henry clinton will learn that he well deserves his name." "do you think we shall have a battle there?" "i hope it'll come somewhere near, although i can't say that section of the country is the best in the world for our purpose. if general washington strikes a blow now, we shall give the britishers a lesson, don't you fear. but he never will do it if lee can persuade him to the contrary, for i hold that man to be a britisher at heart, who does all he can to avoid inflicting punishment on the king's men." then the soldier told enoch how the new jersey troops had been employed during the past three days, harassing the enemy on their march, and when his recital was finished the young aid sought such rest as could be obtained on the bare ground under the shelter of the pine trees. on the following morning general maxwell gave enoch a written message to be delivered to the commander-in-chief, as he said: "you had better read it, lad, in order to be able to repeat the substance in case it is taken from you. you will proceed at once to general dickinson; show him what i have written, and ask if he has anything to add. then go without delay to the main army. i understand they will be at kingston to-morrow, therefore you will have ample time to reach them." as enoch rode slowly toward where he had last seen general dickinson's forces he had good opportunity to read the message he was to carry, and thus learned that it was simply a detailed account of what had been done by the new jersey troops since clinton left mount holly. the soldier with whom he talked on the previous night had told him the same thing in substance, and he had no question but that he should be able to repeat the more important portions of it in case the document was lost. general dickinson's force was on the march when he rode up, and his interview with that officer was brief. "there is nothing i wish to add to general maxwell's report, and you may turn back at once." enoch obeyed, riding directly past jacob and seth, but not daring to draw rein. "where are you bound for?" jacob shouted, and he replied with a single word: "kingston." "is general washington there?" some one in the ranks cried, and enoch replied: "he will be to-morrow." then a hearty cheer went up from the men, for they now knew the commander-in-chief was moving nearer the enemy, and all understood this as indicating that a general engagement would follow. there was little need for such a precaution as reading general maxwell's message. the young aid was not molested on his journey, and on the night of the th applied for lodgings at a dwelling in kingston, believing it would be wiser to remain there until general washington should come up, than push on with the chances of missing the command on the road. it was at the house of an ardent patriot, who was serving in the continental army, that enoch slept, and after the sun rose next morning he had not long to wait before delivering the message. "you will accompany us on the march, my boy," general washington said as he glanced hurriedly over the report, and enoch, thus dismissed, fell back to the rear until he found greene. "it begins to look as if we shouldn't miss a general engagement, lad," the spy said gleefully, "though i don't doubt lee will do all he can to prevent it. are you at liberty to tell me anything?" "i know very little myself, except that the britishers are said to be on the road to sandy hook." "then we shall come up with them for certain. devil david won't allow clinton to march through monmouth county unmolested." "but how can general lee prevent an engagement, if the commander-in-chief desires one?" enoch asked. "in the first place he's second in command, and his opinion should have more weight than that of the others. last night a thousand men under general wayne were detailed to join the advance corps now in command of lafayette, which gives him four thousand picked soldiers. it seems that lee, who by right should have command of that division, being opposed to a general engagement, allowed the marquis de lafayette to take his place, and, as we all know, the frenchman believes in tackling the enemy without delay. now it seems, as i have heard, that lee has changed his mind suddenly, and asks to be reinstated, which of course can't be done with justice to the marquis; but, to keep things moving smoothly, general washington has given lee command of two brigades, with orders to join lafayette, and there, as you can imagine, his rank will entitle him to supreme command. i doubt not but that you will see the marquis soon." "why?" "in my opinion the commander-in-chief must give lafayette some reason for allowing lee to join him, after all that has been said and done, and i reckon you are the aid who can best be spared just now. what have the new jersey troops been doing?" while enoch was detailing to his friend that which he had learned from the soldier during the night he spent with general maxwell's forces, an orderly rode back, inquiring for the boy who had just come from the front, and when the young aid presented himself, announced that the commander-in-chief wished to see him. "is your horse fresh?" general washington asked when enoch rode up. "yes, sir." "then you will take this letter to the marquis de lafayette, who is, or will be by the time you arrive, at cranberry. this is purely a personal matter, and you will present the letter without ostentation. be discreet during the journey, for although i do not anticipate your meeting the enemy between here and that point, it is not impossible there may be scouting parties out." there was apparently no reason why enoch should return to where he had left his friend greene, and he set off without delay, riding during the remainder of the day, and at nightfall was standing in front of general lafayette's quarters--a dilapidated house on the easterly side of the small settlement of cranberry. asking for an interview on the plea of important business, and taking good care not to mention the fact that he was a messenger from the commander-in-chief, enoch was admitted at a time when the marquis was alone, and, therefore, had no difficulty in giving him the letter privately. the marquis read it carefully, appeared alternately surprised and disappointed, and finally asked: "are you on general washington's staff, my boy?" "his excellency was so kind as to say that i should consider myself in that position; but it was only done, when i brought the news of the evacuation, in order that i might have no trouble in getting rations for myself and horse." "it seems that you still occupy that position?" "yes, sir, and the reason, i suppose, is that my services are required; but i am not really an aid." "you come very nearly being so, it would seem. what were you ordered to do after delivering this letter." "there were no orders given, sir." "then you will remain here in case i should have occasion to communicate with his excellency. you will mess with my staff." "would you have any objections, sir, to my finding a place among the soldiers?" "for what reason?" "i shall feel more at home there, sir, for it is really where i belong; but the horse i have ridden should be----" "he shall be cared for by my servants. turn him over to them, and do as you choose, so far as your personal comforts are concerned." as one who had just come from the main army enoch was welcomed by the men, and had no difficulty in finding quarters for the night. on the following morning the heat was most intense. the scouts, who brought in the report that the british had halted at monmouth court house, complained bitterly of the sufferings to be endured on the sandy roads under the sun's fervent rays, and but little was done by the advance division of the continental army. on this evening the clouds gathered, but the intense heat was not abated, and it seemed absolutely impossible the men could move from their posts. enoch remained in camp during the day and night, suffering severely from the sultriness of the air, and wondering whether it would be possible for men to fight under that glaring sun, even though the enemy should give them every opportunity. on the morning of the th the welcome rain began to fall, but the camp was astir early, enoch remaining near general lafayette, expecting each moment to receive orders to return to the main army. instead of that, however, the troops moved forward, he following as a matter of course, and no halt was made until they bivouacked at englishtown, a small settlement about five miles west of monmouth court house. at noon word was brought in that clinton had changed the disposition of his line, placing the baggage train in front, under command of general knyphausen, and the grenadiers, light infantry, and chasseurs of the line (his best troops) in the rear. he was encamped in a strong position, secured on nearly every side by marshy grounds and heavy woods. his line extended on the right about half a mile beyond the courthouse to the parting of the road leading to shrewsbury and middleton, and on the left along the road from monmouth and allenton, about three miles. hardly had this information been brought when general lee with two brigades joined lafayette, and the word was passed around the camp that the officer whom all believed to be a traitor to the cause had assumed command of the entire division, now amounting to about five thousand men. almost immediately after this arrival enoch received his long-expected orders. he was summoned by lafayette and charged to ride back on the road at full speed to acquaint general washington with the facts of the situation, which were plainly detailed to him by the marquis himself. the journey was destined to be a short one, for when he had ridden three miles enoch found the main army encamping, and made his report to the commander-in-chief while that officer sat upon his horse, observing with interest the movements of his men. "you will report to me at sunset," the general said curtly when enoch ceased speaking, and the latter rode away to find greene. "we're close up to them, lad," the spy cried joyfully as the young aid dismounted and began to care for his horse. "we're close up to them, and it won't be many hours before we shall have a fair chance to show what continental soldiers can do when the odds are somewhere near even. this rain is a godsend, for if it hadn't come i doubt whether it would be possible for men to march in such heat." "but could a battle be fought while it is so hot?" "you'll find, lad, that nothing short of a heavy rain will stop anything of that kind. when men set out to kill each other, the weather makes little difference, unless it is such as spoils the powder. where are the britishers by this time?" "at monmouth court house, so the report is, and prepared for battle." "i allow, then, they're in about the same condition we are, and the general officers who argued against engagements must now hold their tongues or set themselves down as cowards. the only thing that's giving me worry is the fact that lee is in advance." "and has assumed command of the division," enoch added. "that was to be expected, and if he has his way the britishers will keep on to the coast unmolested; but i'll allow he won't dare be very bold in trying to hold us back. what orders have you for the rest of the day?" "i am to report at headquarters at sunset." "good, lad, good!" greene exclaimed, clapping him vigorously on the shoulder. "do you know what that means?" "i suppose it is because i am needed." "yes, lad, you're right; but you're to be needed because the commander-in-chief believes the time for the battle is near at hand. when you are ordered off again, it'll be to carry word for some division to make a decided advance. that i predict, and you'll find i'm not far out of the way. leave me to take care of your horse, and i'll see he's ready for service whenever you need him." "if you are right, then i'm not to go into battle as a soldier." "but you're to be there just the same, lad, and what's more, have a better chance of seeing and knowing all that's going on than the rest of us. don't fret because you won't have a musket in your hands. the man in the ranks knows precious little of what's being done, except directly in front of him. i'd give a full year of my life if i could be in your place during the next forty-eight hours." "i wish you might be there, and i could join seth and enoch." "never you mind them; they'll give a good account of themselves, i'll warrant. now that master ludwick has got over his disappointment at not receiving a commission when he wasn't fit even to be a private, he'll fight as gallantly as an older man. the rest of us must lay still till the time for action comes; but you have the advantage of knowing all that's being done, and if you can pass me a word at any time, lad, when some decisive movement is to be made, i wish you would." it seemed as if greene never could tire of discussing the situation, and the probable outcome of a general engagement. while enoch would have been pleased to converse on some other subject, the spy continued his predictions for the future until the day was spent, and the setting sun warned the young aid that it was time to report for duty. "i must go now," he said, interrupting greene in his explanation of how the engagement would begin and how end. "so you must, lad, and i've been babbling here like an old man, on a matter regarding which i knew very little, when it comes to facts. take care of yourself--i'm not afraid but that you'll be brave enough; the only danger is you'll be foolhardy--and remember to keep me posted if it so be you can without betraying confidence." then enoch, assuring himself his horse was well cared for, went toward general washington's quarters. footnote: [g] now freehold. chapter xix. a friendly warning. arriving at headquarters, enoch attracted but little attention. the staff officers were discussing the information which had been brought in from different sources, and speculating upon the probable events of the coming day; but no one gave any heed to the young aid. thus it was that the boy learned, without the necessity of asking questions, the different opinions of the continental officers regarding the advisability of attacking general clinton and his well-organized, well-disciplined, and thoroughly-seasoned troops. now and then washington joined in the conversation; but as a rule he remained apart from the others, as if in deep study, oftentimes neglecting to answer a question, and enoch noticed that his apparent preoccupation occurred more often when his opinion was asked concerning some point upon which his officers were divided in opinion. twice during the evening the commander-in-chief dispatched an aid to some division, but gave no heed whatever to enoch, and the boy began to fancy that the general had forgotten the order relative to reporting at sunset. it was nearly nine o'clock in the evening when the commander-in-chief, turning to the officer nearest him, said: "major, will you oblige me by riding to general lee's quarters, and saying to him it is my desire he shall have his troops ready to move at a moment's notice?" the officer bowed and left the tent, and then it was as if the commander but had just seen enoch. "you were ordered to report at sunset, my lad." "so i did, sir, and have been here ever since." "it may be necessary to keep you on duty all night. roll yourself in one of those blankets, and lie down." enoch had no desire to sleep; but this was neither more nor less than a command, and he obeyed. lying on the ground at the edge of the tent, behind the camp-table, he would easily escape observation. but the novelty of his surroundings, the fact that officers were entering and leaving the tent almost constantly, and the belief that a battle was imminent--would, perhaps, be fought on the morrow--drove from his eyelids the desire for slumber, and he was an interested observer of all that occurred around him. couriers were coming in from the different divisions, bearing messages which required immediate answers, and washington was sending out aids in every direction to gather information concerning his own troops and the movements of the enemy. not until nearly midnight was the tent free from visitors, and then the commander-in-chief began to write, using certain memoranda enoch had observed him making during the day, in the preparation of what were evidently official documents. it was while general washington was thus employed, apparently to the exclusion of everything else, and the silence which ensued was profound as compared with the confusion of an hour previous, that sleep was beginning to weigh upon the young aid's eyelids, when he heard a gruff "who goes there?" from the sentinel on duty, and then the reply: "i am dr. griffith, chaplain and surgeon of the virginia line, on business highly important to the commander-in-chief." there was a brief delay, after which enoch heard a call for the officer of the guard. when that soldier arrived the boy heard the visitor repeat his words, receiving as answer: "it is impossible, sir, absolutely impossible. my orders are positive; the general cannot be seen on any account." "present, sir, my humble duty to his excellency, and tell him that dr. griffith waits on him with secret and important intelligence, and craves an audience of only five minutes' duration." this conversation could be plainly distinguished by those within the tent, but so engrossed was the commander with his writing that he apparently heard no word of it. he looked up in surprise, not unmingled with disapprobation, when the officer of the guard entered. the visitor's message was repeated, and the commander-in-chief said almost impatiently: "admit him, major; admit him." enoch believed that he ought not to remain if the business to be transacted was "secret;" but general washington's orders had been for him to lie in that place, and he did not dare suggest that he should retire. the visitor entered hurriedly, and with no slight confusion. he was dressed in civilian's garb, but gave a soldierly salute, and introduced himself by repeating that which he had told the sentinel: "i am, your excellency, dr. griffith, chaplain and surgeon of the virginia line, and apologize for my intrusion, which would be unwarranted but for information which has come to me in strictest confidence. my informants are men of the highest character as citizens and patriots, and they have stated positively that, of their own knowledge, general lee has made such arrangements with clinton that he will avoid any serious engagement to-morrow, if it be possible. i am convinced of the correctness of this statement, your excellency, and beg you will give it your closest attention." then saluting, and without waiting for a reply, dr. griffith left the tent. general washington remained motionless as if in deep thought, until enoch began to fancy he had fallen asleep, and was startled when the commander said sharply: "are you awake, my boy?" "i am, sir," and enoch rose to his feet. "you have shown yourself to be a lad of keen perception, quick to understand what others might fail to believe of importance. the communication which you heard made was of a confidential nature. it is never to be repeated!" enoch bowed; but did not reply. "you are to ride at once to general lee's quarters, and tell him that it is my desire he shall have a small body of troops stationed very near the british line to observe their movements, and give immediate notice if there is any indication on their part of resuming the march. should this last occur they are to skirmish with the enemy in order that our army may move into position, and general lee will report to me instantly he learns of any movement. you will also tell him that you are directed by me to give the same order to generals maxwell and dickinson. let me know if you thoroughly understand my meaning." enoch repeated almost verbatim the words of the commander. "that is correct. carry out the instructions with all possible haste, and report to me how the orders have been received. in other words, you will observe carefully the apparent effect which the command has upon the several gentlemen. call the officer of the guard." enoch obeyed by going just outside the tent and speaking to the sentinel. then he returned, and a moment later the officer entered. "major," general washington said, "this boy will be passed into my tent to-night at whatever hour he may appear." the officer saluted and withdrew. "now go, my boy, and do not spare your horse." in half an hour from the time he left headquarters, enoch was halted by the sentinel in front of general lee's tent. "a messenger from the commander-in-chief," he announced, "with orders to speak with general lee at once." five minutes later he was repeating general washington's words to the officer who was suspected by many of not only being lukewarm toward the cause, but absolutely an enemy to it, and he fancied the command he brought was received with anything rather than satisfaction. twice during that brief time did lee interrupt him to inquire if he was repeating the commander-in-chief's exact words, and when he said that his orders were to deliver the same message to generals maxwell and dickinson, the general asked sharply: "does his excellency think i have no aids in camp?" "i don't know as to that, sir. i am only explaining to you my orders, as i was told to do." "you may say to general washington that his commands will be obeyed at once," lee replied after a short pause, and intimated that the interview was at an end by turning his back upon enoch. it was necessary the boy should linger in camp several moments in order to learn the exact whereabouts of the other detachments; but once this had been done, he set off at full speed, and twenty minutes later reined in his horse as a familiar voice cried: "halt! who goes there?" "a messenger from the commander-in-chief to general dickinson. why, is that you, seth?" "i ought to be pretty certain of the fact after tramping up and down here for the last two hours," master graydon replied grimly as enoch leaped from his horse. "i shall be off duty in ten minutes, though, which is more than you can say, i reckon, even if you _are_ an aid to the commander-in-chief." "now, seth, don't keep ringing the changes on that. you know i want to be with you and jacob; but there doesn't seem much chance of accomplishing my purpose before the battle." "then you believe we are really to have one?" "i think it is bound to come to-morrow." "but to-morrow is sunday," seth exclaimed, as if doubting whether armies would meet in conflict on the sabbath. "i don't believe they keep run of the days of the week in a time of war. where are general maxwell's quarters?" "he hasn't had any to speak of for quite a spell. if you want to see him, though, he was lying under the same tree with general dickinson when i saw him last." "will you call the officer of the guard?" "what for?" "i want to speak with the generals." "well, why don't you go ahead and do it? i know you are on general washington's staff, and so it will be all right." "it might for me, but not for you, seth. i don't think a private soldier is allowed to decide even in such a case as this. to save yourself trouble you had better call the officer of the guard." master graydon thought this a needless formality; but he followed his friend's advice, and during the short time which elapsed before that official made his appearance, enoch asked: "where can i see you and seth a few minutes before i leave?" "are you going right away again?" "just as soon as i deliver my message, and that may take ten or fifteen minutes." "if i am relieved before then, jacob and i will find you. say, do you know general dickinson sent a squad down to the house where we were made prisoners, and i reckon they didn't use the tory very softly. he's here in camp under guard, and i heard he was likely to get it pretty rough after what he did to us." "then the blow from the pistol didn't do him any serious damage?" "i reckon he knew he got it, for his head is tied up, and he tried to make the soldiers think he was so near dead he couldn't be moved." the arrival of the officer of the guard put an end to the conversation, and after stating the purpose of his visit, enoch was escorted to where the two generals lay on the ground as seth had described. by them his message was received far differently than it had been by lee. "you may assure his excellency that we will be on the alert," maxwell replied promptly, and dickinson said, in a tone of approbation: "this begins to look like business. we can now have some idea of general washington's intentions." then both arose to their feet to carry out the order given, and enoch was left to his own devices. not only jacob and seth, but greene the spy, met the young aid just as he had mounted his horse preparatory to returning, and enoch was plied with questions as to the whereabouts and disposition of the main army. general dickinson, who was standing near by, gave orders for a certain number of men to move nearer the british lines, and greene said in a matter-of-fact tone as he heard it: "i reckon that's owing to the word you brought, lad. it means business, and no mistake. lee will have to show his cloven foot if he succeeds in preventing an engagement during the next twenty-four hours." "it doesn't seem possible he could, or would dare to try anything of the kind," enoch replied in a whisper. "he will dare, i have no question; but whether he can or not, while every officer and man in the army is eager to try conclusions with the britishers, is another matter. i allow we shall have hot work to-morrow, boys, and if it so be, enoch, that you pass anywhere near us, pull up to give the latest news, for you are likely to see a good bit of the engagement. now, move on, my boy, for you have no right to loiter here when your orders were to return at once." seth and jacob reached up to clasp their comrade's hands, for all knew they might never meet again in this world, but greene cried sharply: "none of that, lads; no bidding good-by to each other because we're on the eve of a battle. say 'godspeed,' and let enoch go." thus was avoided that which might have unnerved all three for the time being, and master ball rode away through the darkness, feeling that he was of service to the cause even though he might not stand before the enemy with a musket in his hand. it was nearly three o'clock when enoch again entered the headquarters tent, and found general washington still busily engaged with his writing. without waiting for questions he reported how, to the best of his observation, the order was received by the generals, but the commander-in-chief made no comment. "lie down again, boy, and sleep if you can. wait! has your horse been cared for?" "no, sir, i left him just outside the tent." "then see that he is fed. you may not have another opportunity for some hours." enoch spent no little time in grooming the animal that had carried him so swiftly and steadily, and was still engaged in the work when a soldier came up hurriedly: "the general wants to see you at once." hastening back to headquarters enoch found the tent filled with officers, and from their conversation understood that general dickinson had sent a courier to report to the commander-in-chief that the enemy had commenced their march. the boy waited several moments before washington ceased giving commands to those around him, and then turning to enoch he said abruptly: "ride with all speed to general lee, and order him to move forward and attack the enemy unless powerful reasons should prevail. tell him the entire army have thrown their packs aside, and are advancing to his support. ride, lad, ride hard, and return to me when your work has been accomplished." enoch obeyed, and once more was dashing across the country, this time in such excitement as to be hardly aware of what he did, for he understood that the battle was about to begin. he found general lee asleep, and the officer of the guard at first refused to awaken him; but enoch understood how important it was the order should be delivered without loss of time, and insisted as peremptorily as an experienced soldier might have done, upon being allowed to repeat his message at once. the order was received quietly--enoch fancied with disapprobation--and the only reply given was: "say to the commander-in-chief that his instructions shall be followed to the letter." then without delay the boy rode back at full speed, passing on his way several brigades which were being hurried forward, and finding general washington where he had left him, still in consultation with his officers. during several hours was the young aid forced to remain inactive, and regarding this time, and the movements which were being made, the details can best be described by quoting from an article in _harper's magazine_, : "june th was the sabbath.... the day was the hottest of the year. at dawn general knyphausen began to march with the first division of the british army, which included the german troops, the 'hessians,' and the pennsylvania and maryland loyalists. clinton with the other division--the flower of the army--did not move until eight o'clock, for general lee was so tardy in obeying the order of washington that the enemy had ample time to prepare for battle. "when dickinson gave notice of knyphausen's movement the main body of the americans began to move immediately. colonel grayson, with his own regiment leading the brigades of scott and varnum, had passed the freehold meeting-house, nearly three miles from monmouth court house, before he received orders from lee to push forward and attack the enemy. the aid who brought the order advised grayson to halt, for he had heard on the way that the main body of the british army were moving to attack the americans. general dickinson had received the same information, which he communicated to lee, when the latter pushed forward with his staff across a narrow causeway near the parsonage, and joined dickinson upon the height close by. while he was endeavoring to unravel the conflicting intelligence, lafayette arrived at the head of the advanced troops. "lee's whole command, exclusive of morgan's sharpshooters and the new jersey militia, now numbered about four thousand men. the broken country was heavily wooded up to the elevated plain of monmouth. lee, satisfied that no important force of the enemy was on either flank, pressed forward under cover of the forest, and formed a portion of his line for action near some open fields. then, with wayne and others, he reconnoitered the enemy. they saw what they supposed to be a covering party of the british about two thousand strong. wayne was detached with seven hundred men and two field-pieces to attack their rear. meanwhile lee, with a stronger force, endeavored, by a short road leading to the left, to gain the front of the party, while small detachments, concealed in the woods, annoyed their flanks. "it was now nine o'clock in the morning. just as wayne was preparing to make the attack, a party of american light-horsemen, advancing, were directed to make a feigned assault upon some british dragoons seen upon an eminence, and, by retreating, draw them into a position to be received by wayne. the maneuver was partially successful. the dragoons followed until fired upon by a party under colonel butler, ambushed on the edge of a wood, when they wheeled and fled toward the main army. wayne ordered colonel oswald, who was in command of his field-pieces, to cross a morass, plant them on an eminence, and open fire on the retreating dragoons, while he should press forward and attack them with the bayonet. wayne was prosecuting the maneuver with vigor at a point about three-fourths of a mile eastward of the courthouse, with a prospect of full success, when he received an order from lee to make only a feigned attack, and not to press on too precipitately, as it might frustrate his plan for cutting off the covering party. wayne was exasperated; but he obeyed, only to be disappointed, for lee really did nothing. "at that moment clinton was informed that the americans were marching on both his flanks to capture his baggage-train. to avert the danger he changed the front of his army, and prepared to attack wayne with so much vigor that the armies on the british flanks would be compelled to fly to the succor of that officer. a large body of royal troops approached lee's right, when lafayette, perceiving that a good opportunity was offered to gain the rear of the enemy, rode quickly up to lee, and asked his permission to attempt the maneuver. lee replied: "'sir, you do not know british soldiers; we cannot stand against them. we shall certainly be driven back at first, and we must be cautious.' "the marquis replied: "'that may be, general; but british soldiers have been beaten, and they may be beaten again; i am disposed to make the trial.' "lee so far yielded as to order lafayette to wheel his column and attack the enemy's left. at the same time he weakened wayne's detachment on the left by ordering the regiments of wesson, stewart, and livingston to support the right. then he rode to oswald's battery to reconnoiter, when he saw a large portion of the british army marching back on the middletown road toward the courthouse. apparently disconcerted, he ordered his right to fall back. the brigades of scott and maxwell on the left were already moving forward toward the right of the royal forces, who were pushing steadily on in solid phalanx toward the position occupied by lee, with the apparent design of gaining wayne's rear and attacking the american right at the same time. "general scott now left the wood, crossed the morass, and was forming for action on the plain, and maxwell was preparing to do the same, when lee ordered the former to re-enter the wood and await further orders. when scott perceived the retrograde movement on the right, mistaking the spirit of lee's orders, he recrossed the morass and retreated toward freehold meeting-house, followed by maxwell. when lee was informed of this movement he ordered lafayette to fall back to monmouth court house. the marquis did so with reluctance, and was mortified to find that a general retreat had begun on the right under the immediate command of lee, and he was obliged to follow. the british pursued as far as the courthouse, and halted, while the americans pressed on across the morass near the house of mr. carr, to the heights of freehold, and halted. the heat was intense, and in many places the soldiers sank ankle-deep in the burning sand. the royal troops soon followed, and lee, instead of making a bold stand in his advantageous position on the eminence, renewed his retreat toward freehold meeting-house. this produced a panic among the american troops, and they fled in great confusion in the wooded and broken country, many of them perishing as they pressed over the narrow causeway to cross the broad morass. others, struck down by the heat, were trampled to death in the sand. at first both parties kept up a rambling cannonade; soon nothing was heard but a few musket-shots and the loud shouts of the pursuers. "lafayette, who knew lee's ambition to supersede washington in command of his army, had watched his movements all the morning with anxiety, for he was satisfied that lee was either cowardly or treacherous." during all this time enoch had remained inactive, standing with the bridle of his horse in his hand, ready to ride off at a moment's warning, and with the sounds of the conflict ringing in his ears. it seemed to him cruel that he should be deprived of the opportunity of striking a blow for the cause at a time when he knew men were needed; but general washington, calm and collected, had given no heed to the excited boy who remained almost at his elbow. suddenly the commander-in-chief turned, and said sharply: "ride forward, lad, and ask general lafayette if he can send me any information." gladly enoch obeyed this command, and regardless of possible danger urged his horse steadily ahead, stopping from time to time to ask of the different troops where the marquis could be found. it seemed to him as if he had been an hour performing the journey, although in reality it was hardly more than ten minutes, when he drew rein in front of lafayette, and, saluting, said: "general washington wishes information as to the movements of the enemy." the marquis, looking anxious and troubled, glanced around him for an instant as if trying to decide what words had best be used, and said hurriedly: "tell general washington that his presence here is of the utmost importance, for in my opinion it is absolutely necessary he himself direct the movements. ride hard, boy; there is not a moment to be lost." chapter xx. the victors. enoch obeyed general lafayette's order at the best speed of his horse, and, arriving at that point where the commander-in-chief was directing the movements of his men, the young aid, breathless and excited, repeated that which the marquis had said. the words were hardly spoken, and washington had had no opportunity for comment, when a horseman, riding hard, his steed covered with foam, spurred up to the group of officers, and saluting the commander, said hurriedly: "i am sent by general lee to say that all is well with the advance corps; success is certain." then, saluting, this second messenger rode away, leaving washington and his staff gazing at each other in something very nearly approaching bewilderment. either lee or lafayette was mistaken in his estimate of the condition of affairs. the opinion of one of these gentlemen must be correct, and the fate of the battle depended upon the decision which the commander-in-chief should arrive at concerning the reliability of the two officers. it seemed to enoch as if this second message deliberately gave him the lie. he felt positive general lafayette had only the good of the american cause at heart, and because of that told him by greene, in addition to what he had heard dr. griffith say, he believed lee simply awaited an opportunity to show himself a traitor. washington remained silent while one might have counted twenty, and then turning to the aid nearest, said calmly: "tell general greene[h] to press forward to the church, and prevent the turning of that flank of the army." as the aid rode hurriedly away the commander directed that the left wing of the army march toward lee's rear, in order to support the latter, and enoch noted that as soon as the different divisions received such instructions, the men, understanding quite as well as their leaders what it meant, went forward in the best of spirits, regardless of the terrific heat which thus far had been nearly as fatal as the bullets. before these last orders could be fully carried out, a horseman in civilian's dress was seen making his way among the troops from the direction of the front, and did not slacken pace until he was within a dozen yards of general washington. then he cried excitedly: "the advance corps is retreating in a most cowardly manner!" "what did you say, sir?" washington demanded, spurring his horse forward. "i said, your excellency, that the advance corps of the army is retreating in most shameful disorder, and without cause. the formation is lost, and it is simply a rabble that is bearing down on the main army, frightened almost beyond control by their own officers rather than because of any advantage gained by the enemy!" "who are you, sir?" "dr. thomas henderson, of this village." general washington struck the spurs deep into his horse as he dashed forward, his staff following closely behind, and with them, as a matter of course, was enoch. the boy, who had believed when he spoke with lafayette that the continentals were at least holding their own, was now plunged into the deepest grief, for he fancied that the retreat once begun, meant defeat for the entire army. the young aid was within a dozen yards of the commander-in-chief, when, on arriving at a point about halfway between the meeting-house and the morass, the head of the first retreating column was met. "halt your men on that eminence!" general washington cried to the commanding officer, not slackening his pace. "halt, i say, sir, and get them into order!" across the causeway to the rear of the flying column the commander dashed, and there, at the head of the second division of retreating forces, was seen general lee. by this time enoch was forty or fifty yards in the rear of the staff; but he heard washington cry in a loud, angry voice to the man who was responsible for this disgraceful flight: "sir, i desire to know what is the reason, and whence came this disorder and confusion?" enoch could not distinguish general lee's reply; he saw from the face of the man, and understood by his gestures, that he retorted harshly, and it was evident to the boy that the commander-in-chief and the officer next him in rank indulged in angry words, after which washington wheeled his horse into the midst of the retreating troops until he had rallied a portion of them. enoch pressed forward as if aware of the fact that his services were soon to be needed, and, observing him, washington cried: "ride with all speed to colonel oswald, and order him to plant his cannon on the brow of that hill. tell him to use his pieces with energy upon the enemy." in an incredibly short space of time the battery was pouring forth its iron hail, and the pursuing foe was checked. an eye-witness of the battle writes regarding the incidents immediately following the arrival of general washington at the scene of the disorder: "the presence of the commander-in-chief inspired the troops with such confidence and courage that within ten minutes after he appeared the retreat was suspended, and order brought out of confusion. stewart and ramsey formed their regiments under cover of the wood, and with oswald, kept the enemy at bay. "washington rode fearlessly in the storm of missiles hurled by the british grenadiers and artillerists; and when his army was arranged in battle order before the foe, he rode back to lee, and, pointing to the rallied troops, said: "'will you, sir, command in that place?' "'i will,' eagerly exclaimed lee, for his treachery had utterly failed. "'then,' said washington, 'i expect you to check the enemy immediately.' "'your command shall be obeyed,' said lee, 'and i will not be the first to leave the field.' "he fulfilled his promise. "with wondrous expedition washington now put the confused ranks of his main army in battle order. lord stirling commanded the left wing, posted on an eminence on the western side of the morass, while general greene took an advantageous position on the left of stirling. a warm cannonade had commenced between the american and british artillery on the right of stewart and ramsey, while the royal light-horse charged furiously upon the right of lee's division. the enemy pressed so closely with an overwhelming force that the americans were compelled to give way at that point. then the british attacked ramsey's regiment and varnum's brigade, which lined the hedgerow over the morass, and there the battle raged furiously for awhile, american cannon placed in the rear of the fence doing great execution." enoch sat on his horse directly behind general washington as the furious charge of the british cavalry and infantry was made, and when the continental troops were forced to retreat across the morass, he believed once more that defeat was certain. his courage revived, however, as he saw the men forming in line later, and noted with satisfaction that washington's face was calm and serene when general lee rode up to him, saying in a respectful tone: "sir, here are my troops. how is it your pleasure that i shall dispose of them?" "they have borne the brunt of battle and defeat all the morning, sir, and are now entitled to a rest. form them in order directly in the rear of englishtown, and there await further commands." it seemed to enoch as if these instructions had but just been given when the battle began to rage more furiously than ever, and now it appeared as if the troops in every direction were engaged. "the left wing of the american army was commanded by lord stirling, the right by general greene, and the center by washington. wayne, with the advance corps, took possession of the eminence in the orchard, a few rods south of the parsonage. a park of artillery was placed in battery on comb's hill, beyond the marsh on his right, and commanding the height on which the british were stationed. finding themselves opposed in front, the enemy attempted to turn the american left flank, but were repulsed. they also moved toward the american right, where they were enfiladed by a severe cannonade from the battery commanded by general knox and planted on high ground, where general greene was posted. thus assailed, the enemy fell back." during this time enoch had been sent from one portion of the field to the other with orders, being constantly under a heavy fire, and was so deeply occupied in finding this commander or that as not to thoroughly comprehend what was going on around him. it was as if he rode over a vast tract of country, dotted here by redcoats, and there by patriots in buff and blue, or in homespun garments, each man seemingly bent only on loading and discharging his weapon, and all the while acting in what, to a novice, was an aimless manner. during two hours he hardly remained idle five minutes at a time, and the screaming of the leaden and iron missiles, which at the beginning of the engagement had sounded so ominously in his ears, was now almost unheeded. during the morning the one thought ever in his mind was the possibility of treachery by general lee; but now that officer was in the rear, having in a measure redeemed himself, enoch felt confident, so unbounded was his belief in the commander-in-chief, that the time must come, and soon, when the tide of battle would turn in their favor. it was terrible in the extreme to ride amid the wounded men, who implored him to give them aid, when his duty demanded that he keep on regardless of their agony. it was as if he suffered from some horrible nightmare, when his horse leaped over dead bodies who lay with upturned faces and open eyes that stared at the pitiless sun which was sending down shafts of fire upon the combatants, the dying, and the dead. it was while the royal grenadiers were pressing general wayne behind the hedgerow most hotly that enoch was sent to that officer to ask if he needed assistance, and found him partially sheltered by a barn near the parsonage, where he was urging his men, every one of whom had proved himself a hero, to yet greater exertions. more than once had the grenadiers crossed the hedgerow, hoping to dislodge the force that was playing such havoc among their ranks, and the general, watching closely the movements of the british, did not so much as turn his head when enoch made known his message. "tell general washington that i shall hold my position here. unless he has men who are not needed elsewhere, there is no necessity for him to pay any attention to what is going on at this point. i fancy we're a match for the grenadiers!" the young aid was so hemmed in by officers and men that for some moments he could not retrace his steps, and as if fascinated he watched that terrific struggle, which just at this time was more fierce than ever before. while he was gazing at the apparently resistless tide of red-coated men who were pressing forward, he heard general wayne say in a low, quick tone: "reserve your fire, men, until you can pick out their officers! make every bullet count!" these words caused enoch to observe more particularly than he had previously done the leaders of the brave force who were advancing in the face of almost certain death, and to his surprise he recognized that officer who had subjected his comrades and himself to such searching inquiry when they were suspected of having aided seth in escaping from prison. it was colonel monckton, and at the moment when enoch understood this fact the officer waved his sword above his head, shouting: "to the charge, my brave troops! to the charge!" on came the line of red. nearer and nearer, and neither shout nor report of musket from the continentals. it seemed to enoch as if the enemy was hardly thirty yards away when he heard general wayne cry sharply: "aim well and fire, boys!" a deafening report followed this command, and as the smoke cleared away the grenadiers could be seen falling back, almost entirely without an officer. at that point nearest the american line the young aid saw, lying upon his face, the body of colonel monckton motionless in death, and heard as if in a dream the command from some officer near him for the men to rush forward and secure the corpse. as if the british soldiers also heard this order, they halted, turned suddenly, and came back with a rush, making no effort to preserve their formation, but intent only on rescuing the body of their commander. sick at heart, for this killing of a man with whom he had been in some measure connected, however disagreeably, seemed worse than the fall of a stranger, enoch turned his horse to ride back to the commander-in-chief; but before he was out of the press he heard loud cheers which told that the americans had gained the ghastly prize, and, glancing over his shoulder, he saw the grenadiers once more retreating. twice during the half hour that followed did enoch see lord cosmo gordon acting his part most heroically, and each time did the boy put up a fervent prayer that the gallant englishman might escape unharmed. fiercely the contest continued to rage at the center of the british line, and at other points, until wayne repulsed the grenadiers. then the entire line gave way, and fell back to the heights occupied by general lee in the morning. it was a strong position, flanked by thick woods and morasses, with only a narrow way of approach in front. this portion of the battle was won; but the continentals were unable to pursue their advantage. night had now come, and in the darkness it was well-nigh impossible the american troops could continue the work so bravely pursued after the disgraceful rout, for which they were not really responsible. the excessive heat of the day had wearied them equally with the fatigue of battle, and the commander-in-chief, to whose personal exertions the victory was due, said to enoch: "ride to the right and give the word to all the commanders you find, that their troops may be allowed to sleep on their arms. it is the last duty i shall charge you with this day, lad, and you are at liberty to find repose wherever is most pleasing." the young aid set out, picking his way here and there among the dead and the dying, repeating the welcome command to the leaders of the different divisions, and when he had reached that body of troops furthest to the right, he found himself among the gallant jerseymen. "it is time that order came," general dickinson said with an air of relief. "but, lad, if we had had one more hour of daylight, the enemy would have now been fleeing before us like a flock of frightened sheep." "is yours the last division on this side?" "it is." "i have permission to bivouac wherever i choose. may i remain with your troops, sir?" "there is no need to ask that, lad, and i understand why you wish to do so. your friends, raw recruits though they are, have this day done men's duty, and i congratulate you three philadelphia boys upon your initiatory work as soldiers." it was not an easy task to find his friends upon that blood-stained field; but enoch succeeded after half an hour's search, and was received with shouts of joy by jacob and seth as he rode up. "i began to fear something had happened to you," the latter cried, as enoch dismounted and clasped him by the hands. "the last either of us saw of our friend, the aid, was when the royal grenadiers charged on general wayne's forces." "i was where i could see it all," enoch replied, "and although we have no reason to think of colonel monckton kindly, it made me sad to see so gallant an officer fall." "did our men get possession of his body?" jacob asked. "yes, and carried it to the rear. have either of you fellows been wounded?" "we haven't received so much as a scratch," seth replied promptly, "and that seems strangest of all this day's work to me. when we were first under fire i expected each moment to be killed; but as the time wore on i actually forgot the danger. say, enoch, you must have had it hotter than we did, if you kept with general washington, and i saw you ride across the field half a dozen times when it seemed as if the bullets were flying around you as thickly as hail." "my experience was about the same as yours in that respect. the first time i was sent with a message i felt terribly frightened; but after that thought only of the chances for success or failure. where's greene?" "somewhere hereabouts. he got a bullet through the arm; but declares that the wound is not serious, and refuses to go under the surgeon's care." "i suppose now you have had so much experience, you will continue to be an aid," jacob said, and there was no shade of envy in his tone this time. he realized as never before that if any one really desires to serve his country it makes little difference what position he occupies. "indeed i shan't," enoch said emphatically. "when the time comes that i can speak with general washington, i shall ask permission to enlist in the same company with you, and have no doubt but that it will be granted. now, boys, i have come to mess with you. the order i brought general dickinson was that the troops were to sleep on their arms, and i suppose we are at liberty to remain anywhere within these lines." "there doesn't seem to be much choice. suppose we stay where we are," seth suggested. "greene left us here, and most likely will come back, when----" "he is back now, lad," a voice cried, and a moment later the spy appeared from out the darkness. "i have got rations such as are being dealt out--hello, here's our friend, the aid, and now he'll want grain for his horse. i'll look for some." "let me do that," enoch cried as greene, dropping on the ground the food he was carrying, was on the point of turning away again. "i am told that you are wounded, and you should have attention before playing waiter for us three who are in good bodily condition." "the wound wasn't much more than a scratch, and the surgeon has already tied it up. you may look for provender for the horse if you have a mind to. the best place would be nearabout where general dickinson is." enoch's horse did not receive a particularly hearty meal on this evening, owing to the lack of grain; but he was well groomed, and not until that work had been done to his own satisfaction did enoch rejoin his comrades. then, lying at full length on the ground, they discussed the stirring events of the day, and it was during this conversation that greene asked: "did you see that irish woman when her husband was killed during the artillery duel--at the time the royal light-horse charged so furiously?" "i didn't know there was a woman on the field!" enoch exclaimed. "there was, and her husband was one of our gunners. she assisted him during the hot cannonade by bringing water from the spring near by, and when he was killed at his post, there being no one to take his place, the piece was ordered to be removed; but she insisted on working it, and twice within an hour i saw her using the rammer as energetically as any man among them. the soldiers were cheering for 'mary'--that is her name, i suppose--and she deserves more than thanks for this day's work." then each in turn related some incident which he had seen or participated in, until, despite the groans of the wounded, who were being tended by the surgeons at a temporary hospital near by, the three philadelphia boys fell asleep, and when morning came were aroused by the tidings that clinton had put his weary troops in motion at midnight, and stolen away. the british soldiers whom general lee declared the americans could not stand against had been fairly beaten by men decidedly their inferiors in discipline and soldierly training. * * * * * it was simply the purpose of this story to relate the adventures of the three philadelphia boys during the events which led up to the battle of monmouth, and with the triumphant ending of that engagement the purpose of this imperfectly told tale has been accomplished. every reader knows that the americans lost in this battle two hundred and twenty-eight; the british two hundred and fifty, sixty of these having been stricken dead by the heat. it is believed that there were about fourteen thousand men in the american forces, and not more than ten thousand under clinton. the order which general washington issued, congratulating his army upon the victory they had won, is also well known; but because those in whom we are particularly interested served in the new jersey militia, the following extract may well be repeated: "general dickinson and the militia of his state are also thanked for their noble spirit in opposing the enemy on the march from philadelphia, and for the aid given by harassing and impeding their march so as to allow the continental troops to come up with them." on the following morning, after making of the widow mary a sergeant in the continental army, washington marched toward new brunswick, thence to the hudson river, which he crossed at king's ferry, and encamped at white plains in westchester county. it may, perhaps, not be necessary to add that some time after the battle lee wrote an insulting letter to general washington, demanding an apology for words spoken on the field. he also demanded a court of inquiry, and was gratified. washington caused his arrest on charges of disobedience, misbehavior, and disrespect. he was found guilty and sentenced to suspension of command for one year. he never resumed his station, and died october , . "had lee been obedient and faithful in the morning, the whole british army might have been prisoners of war before the close of that memorable sabbath day in june." that enoch succeeded in enlisting with his comrades is positive, for the names of the three boys are to be found on the muster rolls prepared in july, , side by side, and that they afterward served their country gallantly may some time be told in detail, for their active service was not ended with the battle of monmouth. footnote: [h] general greene was commanding the right wing of the army at the time. the end. the boy spies series these stories are based on important historical events, scenes wherein boys are prominent characters being selected. they are the romance of history, vigorously told, with careful fidelity to picturing the home life and accurate in every particular wherein mention is made of movement of troops, or the doings of noted persons. =the boy spies with lafayette.= the story of how two boys joined the continental army. by james otis. cloth. price cents. =the boy spies on chesapeake bay.= the story of two young spies under commodore barney. by james otis. cloth. price cents. =the boy spies with the regulators.= the story of how the boys assisted the carolina patriots to drive the british from that state. by james otis. cloth. price cents. =the boy spies with the swamp fox.= the story of general marion and his young spies. by james otis. cloth. price cents. =the boy spies at yorktown.= the story of how the spies helped general lafayette in the siege of yorktown. by james otis. cloth. price cents. =the boy spies of philadelphia.= the story of how the young spies helped the continental army at valley forge. by james otis. cloth. price cents. =the boy spies at fort griswold.= the story of the part they took in its brave defense. by james otis. cloth. price cents. =the boy spies of old new york.= the story of how the young spies prevented the capture of general washington. by james otis. cloth. price cents. * * * * * for sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of price by the publishers, a. l. burt company, - duane st., new york. the navy boys series these stories are based on important historical naval events, scenes wherein boys are prominent characters being selected. they are the romance of history, vigorously told, with careful fidelity to picturing the life on ship-board, and accurate in every particular wherein mention is made of movement of vessels or the doings of noted persons. =the navy boys' cruise with paul jones.= a boys' story of a cruise with the great commodore in . by james otis. cloth. price cents. =the navy boys on lake ontario.= the story of two boys and their adventures in the war of . by james otis. cloth. price cents. =the navy boys' cruise on the pickering.= a boy's story of privateering in . by james otis. cloth. price cents. =the navy boys in new york bay.= a story of three boys who took command of the schooner "the laughing mary," the first vessel of the american navy. by james otis. cloth. price cents. =the navy boys in the track of the enemy.= the story of a remarkable cruise with the sloop of war "providence" and the frigate "alfred." by william p. chipman. cloth. price cents. =the navy boys' daring capture.= the story of how the navy boys helped to capture the british cutter "margaretta," in . by william p. chipman. cloth. price cents. =the navy boys' cruise to the bahamas.= the adventures of two yankee middies with the first cruise of an american squadron in . by william p. chipman. cloth. price cents. =the navy boys' cruise with columbus.= the adventures of two boys who sailed with the great admiral in his discovery of america. by frederick a. ober. cloth. price cents. * * * * * for sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of price by the publishers, a. l. burt company, - duane st., new york. the boy chums series by wilmer m. ely handsome cloth binding. price, cents per volume. in this series of remarkable stories by wilmer m. ely are described the adventures of two boy chums--charley west and walter hazard--in the great swamps of interior florida and among the cays off the florida coast, and through the bahama islands. these are real, live boys, and their experiences are well worth following. if you read one book you will surely be anxious for those that are to follow. the boy chums on indian river, or the boy partners of the schooner "orphan." in this story charley west and walter hazard meet deadly rattlesnakes; have a battle with a wild panther; are attacked by outlaws; their boat is towed by a swordfish; they are shipwrecked by a monster manatee fish, and pass safely through many exciting scenes of danger. the boy chums on haunted island, or hunting for pearls in the bahama islands. this book tells the story of the boy chums, charley west and walter hazard, whose adventures on the schooner "eager quest," hunting for pearls among the bahama islands, are fully recorded. their hairbreadth escapes from the treacherous quicksands and dangerous water spouts; how they lost their vessel and were cast away on a lonely island, and their escape therefrom are fully told. the boy chums in the forest, or hunting for plume birds in the florida everglades. the story of the boy chums hunting the blue herons and the pink and white egrets for their plumes in the forests of florida is full of danger and excitement. how the chums encountered the indians; their battles with the escaped convicts; their fight with the wild boars and alligators are fully told. the boy chums' perilous cruise, or searching for wreckage on the florida coast. this story of the boy chums' adventures on and off the florida coast describes many scenes of daring and adventure, in hunting for ships stranded and cargoes washed ashore. the boy chums passed through many exciting scenes, on shore and island; and the loss of their vessel, the "eager quest," they will long remember. the boy chums in the gulf of mexico, or a dangerous cruise with the greek spongers. this story of the boy chums, charley west and walter hazard, hunting for sponges, is filled with many adventures. the dangers of gathering sponges are fully described; the chums meet with sharks and alligators; and they are cast away on a desert island. their rescue and arrival home make a most interesting story. * * * * * for sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of price by the publishers, a. l. burt company, - duane st., new york. the boy scout series by herbert carter new stories of camp life, telling the wonderful and thrilling adventures of the boys of the silver fox patrol. handsome cloth bindings. price, cents per volume the boy scouts first camp fire; or, scouting with the silver fox patrol. this book, every up-to-date boy scout will want to read. it is brimming over with thrilling adventure, woods lore and the story of the wonderful experiences that befell the cranford troop of boy scouts when spending a part of their vacation in the wilderness. the story is clean and wholesome in tone, yet with not a dull line from cover to cover. the boy scouts in the blue ridge; or, marooned among the moonshiners. those lads who have read the boy scouts first camp fire and followed the fortunes of thad brewster, the young patrol leader, will be delighted to read this story. it tells of the strange and mysterious adventures that happened to the patrol in their trip through the "mountains of the sky" in the moonshiners' paradise of the old tar heel state, north carolina. when you start to read you will not lay the book down until the last word has been reached. the boy scouts on the trail; or, scouting through the big game country. in this story the boy scouts once more find themselves in camp and following the trail. the story recites the many adventures that befell the members of the silver fox patrol with wild animals of the forest trails, as well as the desperate men who had sought a refuge in this lonely country, making most delightful reading for every lad who has red blood in his veins. this is a story which every boy will be glad to read and recommend to his chums. the boy scouts in the maine woods; or, the new test for the silver fox patrol. in the rough field of experience the tenderfoots and greenhorns of the silver fox patrol are fast learning to take care of themselves when abroad. many of the secrets of the woods, usually known only to old hunters and trappers, are laid bare to the eyes of the reader. thad and his chums have a wonderful experience when they are employed by the state of maine to act as fire wardens, since every year terrible conflagrations sweep through the pine forests, doing great damage. the boy scouts through the big timber; or, the search for the lost tenderfoot. a serious calamity threatens the silver fox patrol when on one of their vacation trips to the wonderland of the great northwest. how apparent disaster is bravely met and overcome by thad and his friends, forms the main theme of the story, which abounds in plenty of humor, rollicking situations, hairbreadth escapes and thrilling adventures, such as all boys like to read about. if you ever dream of camping out in the woods, here you may learn how to do it. the boy scouts in the rockies; or, the secret of the hidden silver mine. by this time the boys of the silver fox patrol have learned through experience how to rough it upon a long hike. their last tour takes them into the wildest region of the great rocky mountains, and here they meet with many strange adventures that severely test their grit, as well as their ability to grapple with emergencies. this is one of the most interesting of the stories in the boy scout series,--the experiences of thad brewster and his cranford troop abounds in plenty of humor, and hairbreadth escapes. * * * * * for sale by all booksellers, or sent post-paid on receipt of price by the publishers, a. l. burt company, - duane street, new york. the flying machine boys series by frank walton new flying machine boy stories handsome cloth bindings price, cents per volume the flying machine boys in mexico; or, the secret of the crater. this is a story of juvenile adventure which will be sure to please the boys, and adults, too, for that matter. it is a clean, vivid description of a flying machine trip to mexico, four lads of about sixteen being the principal characters. the boys meet with many adventures, under the mountains as well as in the air above them. the secret of the crater, the burning mountain, the strange habits of the devil's pool, hold the reader to the end, while the humorous sayings and doings of "jimmie" supply a pleasing variety. the flying machine boys in the wilds; or, the mystery of the andes. the story deals principally with old peru. pressed in the secret service after their return from mexico, jimmy, carl, ben and glenn visit "the roof of the world" in quest of a man who wrecked, as far as he was able to do so, a great new york trust company. the tale carries the flavor of the mountains, the mystery of strange temples thousands of years old, and treats the reader, as well, to some delightful juvenile adventures. "jimmie" comes out strong in this book. the flying machine boys on duty; or, the clue above the clouds. if you have ever read in the daily newspapers sensational accounts of the pursuit and capture of men who smuggle chinamen and opium into the country, you don't have to wonder whether the events recorded in this story are true to life. the flying machine boys find false beacons on headlands washed by the pacific, and they also find the man who murdered a watchman and robbed a bank, living above the clouds. "jimmie" is particularly funny in this story. the flying machine boys on secret service; or, the capture in the air. this is a tale of adventure in the wilds of british columbia. it is not exactly a detective story, although it deals with the work of the boys in capturing a man who abducted a postoffice inspector from his private room in the postoffice building at washington. "jimmie" reads from his "dreambook" in this tale. for variety of interesting adventures this story equals any other in this series. * * * * * for sale by all booksellers, or sent post-paid on receipt of price by the publishers, a. l. burt company, - duane street, new york. the six-river motor boys series by harry gordon handsome cloth binding price, cents per volume. six-river motor boys on the amazon; or, the secret of cloud island. this is a thoroughly interesting story of adventure on the longest river in the world. it is superior to most adventure stories in that it has a well-defined plot which holds the attention to the end. there are encounters with savage animals and savage tribes at the headwaters of the mighty river. woven in with the plot is a bit of mystery which cannot fail to interest. six-river motor boys on the columbia; or, the confession of a photograph. this volume, the second of the famous six-river series, is a record of adventure in the wilds of british columbia. the motor-boat is taken beyond the great divide on a platform car of large size, and is placed in the columbia river almost at its very source. it is a healthy story, dealing with the out-of-doors life of the motor-boat boys. alex's pet bear will be certain to please. six-river motor boys on the mississippi; or, the trail to the gulf. a thoroughly entertaining and instructive story of a wonderful river. as in all the volumes of this popular series, the boys meet with startling adventures, getting mixed up with river thieves and coming upon a mystery which trails along to the gulf of mexico with them. "captain joe," the white bulldog pet of the crew of the motor-boat, will be sure to make a hit. six-river motor boys on the st. lawrence; or, the lost channel. this is a thoroughly interesting and instructive story of a romantic voyage from the gulf of st. lawrence to chicago, by way of the quaint old city of quebec, the thousand islands, and the great lakes. it deals with historical characters to some extent, all of whom are woven into a strong plot which reaches from old indian days to the present time. it is safe to say that the book will become the most popular of the series. six-river motor boys on the ohio; or, the three blue lights. this book deals with the strange and vagrant life on the ohio river--the life lived by those who dwell in houseboats, storeboats, and shantyboats. the motor-boat boys become involved with night riders and moonshiners, and the mystery of the three blue lights supplies plenty of holding power. in this volume "teddy," the pet bear, comes out strong at critical times. six-river motor boys on the colorado; or, the clue in the rocks. the story deals with a little-known stretch of river, from the gulf of california to the grand canyon. the plot is a strong one, and the incidents grow naturally out of it. the clue sought is at last discovered by two venturesome lads who start out to have a "little fun of their own on the side." as in all other volumes of this series, the author--perhaps the best-known writer of boys' books in the country--tells something of the history of the country the boys pass through. * * * * * for sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of price by the publishers, a. l. burt company, - duane street, new york. * * * * * * transcriber's note: inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document have been preserved. obvious typographical errors have been corrected. on page , "where can i see you and seth" should probably be "where can i see you and jacob." aunt jane's nieces at work by edith van dyne list of chapters i miss doyle interferes ii the artist iii don quixote iv kenneth takes a bold step v planning the work vi a good start vii patsy makes progress viii the honorable erastus is astonished ix ol' will rogers x the forged check xi a mysterious disappearance xii beth meets a rebuff xiii the boomerang xiv lucy's ghost xv signs of the times xvi a clew at last xvii mrs. hopkins gossips xviii eliza parsons xix patsy indulges in eavesdropping xx pricking a bubble xxi the "returns" from fairview xxii the awakening chapter i miss doyle interferes "daddy," said patricia doyle at the breakfast table in her cosy new york apartment, "here is something that will make you sit up and take notice." "my dear patsy," was the reply, "it's already sitting up i am, an' taking waffles. if anything at all would make me take notice it's your own pretty phiz." "major," remarked uncle john, helping himself to waffles from a fresh plate nora brought in, "you irish are such confirmed flatterers that you flatter your own daughters. patsy isn't at all pretty this morning. she's too red and freckled." patsy laughed and her blue eyes danced. "that comes from living on your old farm at millville," she retorted. "we've only been back three days, and the sunburn sticks to me like a burr to a kitten." "pay no attention to the ould rascal, patsy," advised the major, composedly. "an' stop wavin' that letter like a white flag of surrender. who's it from?" "kenneth." "aha! an' how is our lad?" "why, he's got himself into a peck of trouble. that's what i want to talk to you and uncle john about," she replied, her happy face growing as serious as it could ever become. "can't he wiggle out?" asked uncle john. "out of what?" "his trouble." "it seems not. listen--" "oh, tell us about it, lassie," said the major. "if i judge right there's some sixty pages in that epistle. don't bother to read it again." "but every word is important," declared patsy, turning the letter over, "--except the last page," with a swift flush. uncle john laughed. his shrewd old eyes saw everything. "then read us the last page, my dear." "i'll tell you about it," said patsy, quickly. "it's this way, you see. kenneth has gone into politics!" "more power to his elbow!" exclaimed the major. "i can't imagine it in kenneth," said uncle john, soberly. "what's he in for?" "for--for--let's see. oh, here it is. for member of the house of representatives from the eighth district." "he's flying high, for a fledgling," observed the major. "but kenneth's a bright lad and a big gun in his county. he'll win, hands down." patsy shook her head. "he's afraid not," she said, "and it's worrying him to death. he doesn't like to be beaten, and that's what's troubling him." uncle john pushed back his chair. "poor boy!" he said. "what ever induced him to attempt such a thing?" "he wanted to defeat a bad man who now represents kenneth's district," explained patsy, whose wise little head was full of her friend's difficulties; "and--" "and the bad man objects to the idea and won't be defeated," added the major. "it's a way these bad men have." uncle john was looking very serious indeed, and patsy regarded him gratefully. her father never would be serious where kenneth was concerned. perhaps in his heart the grizzled old major was a bit jealous of the boy. "i think," said the girl, "that mr. watson got ken into politics, for he surely wouldn't have undertaken such a thing himself. and, now he's in, he finds he's doomed to defeat; and it's breaking his heart, uncle john." the little man nodded silently. his chubby face was for once destitute of a smile. that meant a good deal with uncle john, and patsy knew she had interested him in kenneth's troubles. "once," said the major, from behind the morning paper, "i was in politics, meself. i ran for coroner an' got two whole votes--me own an' the undertaker's. it's because the public's so indiscriminating that i've not run for anything since--except th' street-car." "but it's a big game," said uncle john, standing at the window with his hands deep in his pockets; "and an important game. every good american should take an interest in politics; and kenneth, especially, who has such large landed interests, ought to direct the political affairs of his district." "i'm much interested in politics, too, uncle," declared the girl. "if i were a man i'd--i'd--be president!" "an' i'd vote fer ye twenty times a day, mavourneen!" cried the major. "but luckily ye'll be no president--unless it's of a woman's club." "there's the bell!" cried patsy. "it must be the girls. no one else would call so early." "it's beth's voice, talking to nora," added her father, listening; and then the door flew open and in came two girls whose bright and eager faces might well warrant the warm welcome they received. "oh, louise," cried patsy, "however did you get up so early?" "i've got a letter from kenneth," was the answer, "and i'm so excited i couldn't wait a minute!" "imagine louise being excited," said beth, calmly, as she kissed uncle john and sat down by patsy's side. "she read her letter in bed and bounced out of bed like a cannon-ball. we dressed like the 'lightning change' artist at the vaudeville, and i'm sure our hats are not on straight." "this bids fair to be a strenuous day," observed the major. "patsy's had a letter from the boy, herself." "oh, did you?" inquired louise; "and do you know all about it, dear?" "she knows sixty pages about it," replied major doyle. "well, then, what's to be done?" the question was addressed to patsy, who was not prepared to reply. the three cousins first exchanged inquiring glances and then turned their eager eyes upon the broad chubby back of uncle john, who maintained his position at the window as if determined to shut out the morning sunlight. louise merrick lived with her mother a few blocks away from patsy's apartment, and her cousin beth degraf was staying with her for a time. they had all spent the summer with uncle john at millville, and had only returned to new york a few days before. beth's home was in ohio, but there was so little sympathy between the girl and her parents that she was happy only when away from them. her mother was uncle john's sister, but as selfish and cold as uncle john was generous and genial. beth's father was a "genius" and a professor of music--one of those geniuses who live only in their own atmosphere and forget there is a world around them. so beth had a loveless and disappointed childhood, and only after uncle john arrived from the far west and took his three nieces "under his wing," as he said, did her life assume any brightness or interest. her new surroundings, however, had developed beth's character wonderfully, and although she still had her periods of sullen depression she was generally as gay and lovable as her two cousins, but in a quieter and more self-possessed way. louise was the eldest--a fair, dainty creature with that indescribable "air" which invariably wins the admiring regard of all beholders. whatever gown the girl wore looked appropriate and becoming, and her manner was as delightful as her appearance. she was somewhat frivolous and designing in character, but warm-hearted and staunch in her friendships. indeed, louise was one of those girls who are so complex as to be a puzzle to everyone, including themselves. beth degraf was the beauty of the group of three, and she also possessed great depth of character. beth did not like herself very well, and was always afraid others would fail to like her, so she did not win friends as easily as did louise. but those who knew the beautiful girl intimately could read much to admire in the depth of her great dark eyes, and she was not the least interesting of the three nieces whose fortunes had been so greatly influenced by aunt jane and uncle john merrick. but patricia doyle--usually called "patsy" by her friends--was after all the general favorite with strangers and friends alike. there was a subtle magnetism about the girl's laughing, freckled face and dancing blue eyes that could not well be resisted. patsy was not beautiful; she was not accomplished; she had no especial air of distinction. but she was winning from the top of her red hair to the tips of her toes, and so absolutely unaffected that she won all hearts. "and for wisdom she's got solomon beat to a frazzle," declared the major to uncle john, in discussing his daughter's character. but it is possible that major doyle was prejudiced. "well, what's to be done?" demanded louise, for the second time. "we don't vote in ken's district," remarked the major, "or there would be six votes to his credit, and that would beat my own record by four!" "ken is so impressionable that i'm afraid this defeat will ruin his life," said beth, softly. "i wish we could get him away. couldn't we get him to withdraw?" "he might be suddenly called to europe," suggested louise. "that would take him away from the place and give him a change of scene." patsy shook her head. "kenneth isn't a coward," she said. "he won't run away. he must accept his defeat like a man, and some time try again. eh, uncle john?" uncle john turned around and regarded his three nieces critically. "what makes you think he will be defeated?" he asked. "he says so himself," answered patsy. "he writes me he can see no hope, for the people are all against him," added louise. "pah!" said uncle john, contemptuously. "what else does the idiot say?" "that he's lonely and discouraged, and had to pour out his heart to some one or go wild," said patsy, the tears of sympathy filling her eyes. "and you girls propose to sit down and allow all this?" inquired their uncle sternly. "we?" answered louise, lifting her brows and making a pretty gesture. "what can we do?" "go to work!" said uncle john. "how?" asked patsy, eagerly. "politics is a game," declared mr. merrick. "it's never won until the last card is played. and success doesn't lie so much in the cards as the way you play 'em. here are three girls with plenty of shrewdness and energy. why don't you take a hand in the game and win it?" "oh, uncle john!" the proposition was certainly disconcerting at first. "yes, yes!" laughed the major, derisively. "put on some blue stockings, read the history of woman's suffrage, cultivate a liking for depraved eggs, and then face kenneth's enraged constituents!" "i shouldn't mind, daddy, if it would help kenneth any," declared patsy, stoutly. "go on, uncle john," said beth, encouragingly. "women in politics," observed their uncle, "have often been a tremendous power. you won't need to humiliate yourselves, my dears. all you'll need to do is to exercise your wits and work earnestly for the cause. there are a hundred ways to do that." "mention a few," proposed the major. "i will when i get to elmhurst and look over the ground," answered uncle john. "you're going on, then?" "yes." "i'll go with you," said patsy promptly. "so will i," said beth. "kenneth needs moral encouragement and support as much as anything else, just now." "he's imagining all sorts of horrors and making himself miserable," said louise. "let's all go, uncle, and try to cheer him up." by this time uncle john was smiling genially. "why, i was sure of you, my dears, from the first," he said. "the major's an old croaker, but he'd go, too, if it were not necessary for him to stay in new york and attend to business. but we mustn't lose any time, if we're going to direct the politics of the eighth district election the eighth of november." "i can go any time, and so can beth," said louise. "all i need is the blue stockings," laughed patsy. "it won't be play. this means work," said uncle john seriously. "well, i believe we're capable of a certain amount of work," replied beth. "aren't we, girls?" "we are!" "all right," said mr. merrick. "i'll go and look up the next train. go home, louise, and pack up. i'll telephone you." "that bad man 'd better look out," chuckled the major. "he doesn't suspect that an army of invasion is coming." "daddy," cried patsy, "you hush up. we mean business." "if you win," said the major, "i'll run for alderman on a petticoat platform, and hire your services." chapter ii the artist to most people the great rambling mansion at elmhurst, with its ample grounds and profusion of flowers and shrubbery, would afford endless delight. but kenneth forbes, the youthful proprietor, was at times dreadfully bored by the loneliness of it all, though no one could better have appreciated the beauties of his fine estate. the town, an insignificant village, was five miles distant, and surrounding the mansion were many broad acres which rather isolated it from its neighbors. moreover, elmhurst was the one important estate in the county, and the simple, hard-working farmers in its vicinity considered, justly enough, that the owner was wholly out of their class. this was not the owner's fault, and kenneth had brooded upon the matter until he had come to regard it as a distinct misfortune. for it isolated him and deprived him of any social intercourse with his neighbors. the boy had come to live at elmhurst when he was a mere child, but only as a dependent upon the charities of aunt jane, who had accepted the charge of the orphan because he was a nephew of her dead lover, who had bequeathed her his estate of elmhurst. aunt jane was kenneth's aunt merely in name, since she had never even married the uncle to whom she had been betrothed, and who had been killed in an accident before the boy was born. she was an irritable old woman, as kenneth knew her, and had never shown him any love or consideration. he grew up in a secluded corner of the great house, tended merely by servants and suffered to play in those quarters of the ample grounds which aunt jane did not herself visit. the neglect which kenneth had suffered and his lonely life had influenced the youth's temperament, and he was far from being an agreeable companion at the time aunt jane summoned her three nieces to elmhurst in order to choose one of them as her heiress. these girls, bright, cheery and wholesome as they were, penetrated the boy's reserve and drew him out of his misanthropic moods. they discovered that he had remarkable talent as an artist, and encouraged him to draw and paint, something he had long loved to do in secret. then came the great surprise of the boy's life, which changed his condition from one of dependency into affluence. aunt jane died and it was discovered that she had no right to transfer the estate to one of her nieces, because by the terms of his uncle's deed to her the property reverted on her death to kenneth himself. louise merrick, beth degraf and patsy doyle, the three nieces, were really glad that the boy inherited elmhurst, and returned to their eastern homes with the most cordial friendship existing between them all. kenneth was left the master of elmhurst and possessor of considerable wealth besides, and at first he could scarcely realize his good fortune or decide how to take advantage of it. he had one good and helpful friend, an old lawyer named watson, who had not only been a friend of his uncle, and the confidant of aunt jane for years, but had taken an interest in the lonely boy and had done his best to make his life brighter and happier. when kenneth became a landed proprietor mr. watson was appointed his guardian, and the genial old lawyer abandoned the practice of law and henceforth devoted himself to his ward's welfare and service. they made a trip to europe together, where kenneth studied the pictures of the old masters and obtained instruction from some of the foremost living artists of the old world. it was while they were abroad, a year before the time of this story, that the boy met aunt jane's three nieces again. they were "doing" europe in company with a wealthy bachelor uncle, john merrick, a generous, kind-hearted and simple-minded old gentleman who had taken the girls "under his wing," as he expressed it, and had really provided for their worldly welfare better than aunt jane, his sister, could have done. this "uncle john" was indeed a whimsical character, as the reader will presently perceive. becoming a millionaire "against his will," as he declared, he had learned to know his nieces late in life, and found in their society so much to enjoy that he was now wholly devoted to their interests. his one friend was major doyle, patsy's father, a dignified but agreeable old irish gentleman who amused uncle john nearly as much as the girls delighted him. the major managed john merrick's financial affairs, leaving the old millionaire free to do as he pleased. so he took the girls to europe, and the four had a fine, adventurous trip, as may be imagined. kenneth and mr. watson met them in sicily, and afterward in the italian cities, and the friendship already existing between the young people was more firmly cemented than before. in the spring kenneth returned with his guardian to elmhurst, where he devoted himself largely to painting from the sketches he had made abroad, while mr. watson sat beside him comfortably smoking his pipe and reading his favorite authors. the elder man was contented enough in his condition, but the boy grew restless and impatient, and longed for social intercourse. his nature was moody and he had a tendency to brood if left much to himself. uncle john had carried his nieces to a farm at millville, in the adirondack region, for the summer, so that kenneth heard but seldom from his friends. such was the disposition of the characters when our story opens. kenneth forbes, although i have called him a boy, had attained his majority on the fifteenth day of may. at this time mr. watson rendered his accounts and turned over the estate to its owner. he would then have retired, but kenneth would not let him go. twenty-one years of age sounds mature, but the owner of elmhurst was as boyish and inexperienced as it is possible for one twenty-one years old to be. he had grown accustomed, moreover, to depend much on mr. watson's legal acumen in the management of his affairs, and would have been embarrassed and bewildered if obliged to shoulder the burden all at once. the lawyer, who had always had an affection for the young man, perceived this clearly; so an arrangement was made that he should remain with his young friend indefinitely and strive to teach him such elements of business as would enable him in time to attend to his extensive interests understandingly and wisely. the country around elmhurst is thickly settled with agriculturists, for the farms are rich and productive in that part of the state. but it is not a flat country, and nature has given it many pretty woodland glades and rocky glens to add to its charm. from the hill country at the west came several rushing streams which tumbled along rocky paths to the river nine miles below elmhurst, and there are scenes along these routes that might well delight the eye of an artist. kenneth had often wandered into these out-of-the-way places when a half-forgotten, neglected lad, but had not visited them for years. now, however, with the spirit of loneliness upon him, he suddenly thought of a glen that would make an interesting study for a picture; so one morning he mounted his horse and rode away to pay the place a preliminary visit. the farmers along the road nodded at the young fellow good-naturedly as he passed them. everyone knew him well by sight, yet kenneth could not have named many of his neighbors, having held little intercourse with them. it struck him, this morning, that they had little cause to be interested in him. he had been an unsociable lad, and since he had become master of elmhurst had done little to cultivate acquaintance with the people who lived around him. one reason for this was that they held little in common with him. the neighboring farmers were honest, thrifty souls, and among them were many both shrewd and thoughtful; but they naturally would not force themselves upon the society of the one really rich man in their community, especially as that man had shown no desire to know them. kenneth was the subject of much speculation among them, and opinions widely differed concerning his character. some called him a "prig" and declared that he was "stuck up" and conceited. others said he was a "namby-pamby" without brains or wit. but there were a few who had occasionally talked with the boy, who understood him better, and hinted that he might develop into "quite a man" in time. kenneth surprised himself this morning by greeting several of his neighbors with unusual cordiality. he even stopped a man who was driving along the highway to inquire about his horse, which he perceived was very lame. the boy knew something about horses and suggested a method of treatment that he thought would help the nag; a suggestion the farmer received with real gratitude. this simple incident cheered kenneth more than you might suppose, and he was actually whistling as he rode through the glen, where the country road wound its way beside the noisy, rushing stream. pausing in front of the picturesque "table rock" that he had come to inspect, the boy uttered an exclamation of chagrin and disappointment. painted broadly upon the face of the rock, in great white letters, was the advertisement of a patent medicine. the beauty of the scene was ruined--only the glaring advertisement caught and held the eye of the observer. at first kenneth's mind held only a feeling of disgust that such a desecration of nature's gifts to humanity should be allowed. then he remembered another place further along the glen which was almost as pretty as this had been before the defiling brush of the advertiser had ruined it. so he spurred his horse and rode up the winding way to the spot. there a red-lettered announcement of "simpson's soap" stared him in the face. this was too much for his temper, and his disappointment quickly turned to resentment. while he sat on his mare, considering the matter, the man with the lame horse, whom he had passed, overtook him. "can you tell me," kenneth asked, "who owns this property?" "why, i do," replied the man, reining up. "and you permitted these vile signs to be painted on the rocks?" demanded the boy angrily. "o' course," replied the man, with a grin of amusement. "i can't farm the rocks, can i? an' these 'ere signs pays me ten dollars a year, each." kenneth groaned. "i'll give you fifteen dollars a year each if you'll let me wash off the letters and restore the scene to its original beauty," he declared. "i'm willin'," was the response. "but ye see they're contracted. i'd git into trouble with the sign-painter." "who is he?" "lives in cleveland. i've got his name up t' th' house, if you'll come along. he comes up here every spring and paints fences an' rocks, payin' spot cash fer th' privilege." "oh, i see." "then he contracts with the soap man an' the medicine man to paint up their ads. you're the young 'un from elmhurst, ain't ye?" "yes." "well, i'd like to earn that extra five, well enough. my name's parsons. i've got three signs let on my property in the glen. ef ye'll jest ride up t' the house i'll giv' ye the feller's name." "all right. come along," said kenneth, with sudden resolve. the farmer rode a time in silent thought. he could not go fast, for the beast was very lame. finally he remarked: "ef ye buy up the sign painters, so's ye can wash off the letters, like enough ye'll hev to pay him fer th' paint an' paintin', too." "i don't mind," was the response. the farmer chuckled. here was an interesting adventure, for a fact. what on earth could possess the "young 'un" from elmhurst to object to signs, and be willing to pay for having them erased? "like enough ye'll hev to pay back the money the soap an' medicine men guv th' painter, too," he hazarded. "like enough," said kenneth, grimly. one of his stubborn moods had seized him. at all hazards he was resolved to eliminate those ugly signs. he got the name of the sign painter, accepted a glass of buttermilk at the farm house, and then rode slowly home by another route, so that he might not have to face the signs again. but on this route he saw even more. they were painted on the fences and barns as he passed along. he scowled at each one, but they did not appear to him quite so inharmonious as those which marred the more picturesque and retired spots which were his favorite haunts. chapter iii don quixote when kenneth got home he told mr. watson of his discovery and asked the old gentleman to write to the sign painter and find out what could be done. the lawyer laughed heartily at his young friend's whim, but agreed to help him. "if you are going to try to prevent rural advertising," he remarked, "you'll find your hands full." kenneth looked up smiling. "thank you," he said. "for what?" "for finding me something to do. i'm sick of this inaction." again the lawyer laughed. "what is your idea?" he asked. "to remove such eyesores as advertising signs from the neighborhood of elmhurst." "it's a titan's task, ken." "so much the better." the lawyer grew thoughtful. "i believe it's impossible," he ventured. "better yet. i don't say i'll succeed, but i promise to try. i want something to occupy myself--something really difficult, so that i may test my own powers." "but, my dear boy! this foolish proposition isn't worthy your effort. if you want to be up and doing we'll find something else to occupy your mind." "no, mr. watson; i'm set on this. it's a crime to allow these signs to flaunt themselves in our prettiest scenes. my instinct revolts at the desecration. besides, no one else seems to have undertaken the task of exterminating them." "true enough. if you're serious, ken, i'll frankly say the thing can't be done. you may, perhaps, buy the privilege of maintaining the rocks of the glen free from advertising; but the advertisers will paint more signs on all the approaches, and you won't have gained much." "i'll drive every advertising sign out of this country." "impossible. the great corporations who control these industries make their fortunes by this style of advertising. the rural districts are their strongholds. and they must advertise or they can't sell their products." "let them advertise in decent ways, then. what right has any soap maker to flaunt his wares in my face, whether i'm interested in them or not?" "the right of custom. people have submitted to these things so long that the manufacturers consider themselves justified in covering every barn, rock and fence with their signs. i see no way to stop them." "nor i, at present. but there must be a way." "drive out one, and another will take his place. they pay liberally for locations--" "pshaw! ten dollars a year for a rock as big as a barn!" "but they rent thousands of such positions, and in the aggregate our farmers get large sums from them." "and ruin the appearance of their homes and farms." mr. watson smiled. "they're not artists, ken. they can't realize on appearances, but they can use the money the signs bring them." "they need to be educated, that's all. these farmers seem very honest, decent fellows." "they are, ken. i wish you knew them better." "so do i, mr. watson. this campaign ought to bring us closer together, for i mean to get them to help me." "you'll have to buy them, i'm afraid." "not all of them. there must be some refinement among them." but the lawyer was not convinced. however, it was not his desire to stifle this new-born enthusiasm of kenneth's, even though he believed it misdirected. he wanted the young man to rouse himself and take an interest in life, and if his antagonism to advertising signs would effect this, the futile fight against them was to be welcomed. it would cost the boy something, but he would gain his money's worth in experience. after a few days the sign painter answered the letter. he would relinquish the three signs in the glen for a payment of fifty dollars each, with the understanding that no other competing signs were to take their place. kenneth promptly mailed a check for the amount demanded and early next morning started for the glen with what he called his "eliminators." these "eliminators" consisted of two men with cans of turpentine and gasoline and an equipment of scrubbing brushes. parsons, the farmer, came over to watch this novel proceeding, happy in the possession of three crisp five-dollar notes given in accordance with the agreement made with him. all day the two men scrubbed the rocks faithfully, assisted at odd times by their impatient employer; but the thick splashes of paint clung desperately to the rugged surface of the rock, and the task was a hard one. when evening came the letters had almost disappeared when viewed closely; but when kenneth rode to the mouth of the glen on his way home and paused to look back, he could see the injunction "take smith's liver pills" staring at him, in grim defiance of the scrubbing brushes. but his energy was not exhausted. no one ever knew what it cost in labor and material to erase those three signs; but after ten days they had vanished completely, and the boy heaved a sigh of satisfaction and turned his attention to extending the campaign. on the farm nearest to elmhurst at the north, which belonged to a man named webb, was a barn, facing the road, that displayed on its side a tobacco sign. kenneth interviewed mr. webb and found that he received no money for the sign; but the man contended that the paint preserved his barn from the weather on that side. so kenneth agreed to repaint the entire barn for him, and actually had the work done. as it took many coats of paint to blot out the sign it was rather a expensive operation. by this time the campaign of the youthful proprietor of elmhurst against advertising signs began to be talked of throughout the county, and was the subject of much merriment among the farmers. some of them were intelligent enough to admire the young quixote, and acknowledged frankly that it was a pity to decorate their premises with signs of patent medicines and questionable soaps. but the majority of them sneered at the champion, and many refused point-blank to consider any proposition to discard the advertisements. indeed, some were proud of them, and believed it a mark of distinction to have their fences and sheds announce an eye-remedy or several varieties of pickles. mr. watson, at first an amused observer of the campaign, soon became indignant at the way that kenneth was ridiculed and reviled; and he took a hand in the fight himself. he decided to call a meeting of the neighboring farmers at the district school-house on saturday night, where kenneth could address them with logical arguments and endeavor to win them over to his way of thinking. the invitation was promptly accepted by the rural population; not so much because they were interested in the novel ideas of the young artist as because they expected to be amused by hearing the boyish master of elmhurst "lecture at 'em." so they filled the little room to overflowing, and to add to the dignity of the proceedings the hon. erastus hopkins, state representative for the district, lent his presence to the assemblage. not that the honorable erastus cared a fig about this foolish talk of exterminating advertising signs. he was himself a large stockholder in a breakfast-food factory, which painted signs wherever it could secure space. these signs were not works of art, but they were distinctly helpful to business, and only a fool, in the opinion of the honorable erastus, would protest against the inevitable. what brought the legislator to the meeting was the fact that he was coming forward for re-election in november, and believed that this afforded a good chance to meet some of his constituents and make a favorable impression. so he came early and shook hands with everyone that arrived, and afterward took as prominent a seat as possible. indeed, the gathering had at first the appearance of being a political one, so entirely did the representative dominate it. but mr. watson took the platform and shyly introduced the speaker of the evening. the farmers all knew mr. watson, and liked him; so when kenneth rose they prepared to listen in respectful silence. usually a young man making his maiden speech is somewhat diffident; but young forbes was so thoroughly in earnest and so indignant at the opposition that his plans had encountered that he forgot that it was his first public speech and thought only of impressing his hearers with his views, exulting in the fact that on this occasion they could not "talk back," as they usually did in private when he tried to argue with them. so he exhorted them earnestly to keep their homes beautiful and free from the degradation of advertising, and never to permit glaring commercialism to mar the scenery around them. he told them what he had been able to accomplish by himself, in a short time; how he had redeemed the glen from its disgraceful condition and restored it to its former beauty. he asked them to observe webb's pretty homestead, no longer marred by the unsightly sign upon the barn. and then he appealed to them to help him in driving all the advertising signs out of the community. when he ended they applauded his speech mildly; but it was chiefly for the reason that he had spoken so forcibly and well. then the honorable erastus hopkins, quick to catch the lack of sympathy in the audience, stood up and begged leave to reply to young forbes. he said the objection to advertising signs was only a rich man's aristocratic hobby, and that it could not be indulged in a democratic community of honest people. his own firm, he said, bought thousands of bushels of oats from the farmers and converted them into the celebrated eagle-eye breakfast food, three packages for a quarter. they sold this breakfast food to thousands of farmers, to give them health and strength to harvest another crop of oats. thus he "benefited the community going and coming." what! should he not advertise this mutual-benefit commodity wherever he pleased, and especially among the farmers? what aristocratic notion could prevent him? it was a mighty good thing for the farmers to be reminded, by means of the signs on their barns and fences, of the things they needed in daily life. if the young man at elmhurst would like to be of public service he might find some better way to do so than by advancing such crazy ideas. but this, continued the representative, was a subject of small importance. what he wished especially to call their attention to was the fact that he had served the district faithfully as representative, and deserved their suffrages for renomination. and then he began to discuss political questions in general and his own merits in particular, so that kenneth and mr. watson, disgusted at the way in which the honorable erastus had captured the meeting, left the school-house and indignantly returned to elmhurst. "this man hopkins," said mr. watson, angrily, "is not a gentleman. he's an impertinent meddler." "he ruined any good effect my speech might have created," said kenneth, gloomily. "give it up, my boy," advised the elder man, laying a kindly hand on the youth's shoulder. "it really isn't worth the struggle." "but i can't give it up and acknowledge myself beaten," protested kenneth, almost ready to weep with disappointment. "well, well, let's think it over, ken, and see what can be done. perhaps that rascally hopkins was right when he advised you to find some other way to serve the community." "i can't do better than to make it clean--to do away with these disreputable signs," said the boy, stubbornly. "you made a fine speech," declared mr. watson, gravely puffing his pipe. "i am very proud of you, my lad." kenneth flushed red. he was by nature shy and retiring to a degree. only his pent-up enthusiasm had carried him through the ordeal, and now that it was over he was chagrined to think that the speech had been so ineffective. he was modest enough to believe that another speaker might have done better. chapter iv kenneth takes a bold step "this man hopkins gets on my nerves," said mr. watson, a week or two after the eventful meeting in the school-house. he was at the breakfast table opposite kenneth, and held up a big, glaring post-card which was in his mail. "what is it now?" asked the boy, rousing himself from a fit of abstraction. "an announcement offering himself for renomination at the primaries. it's like a circus advertisement. isn't it a shame to think that modern politics has descended to such a level in our free and enlightened republic?" kenneth nodded, stirring his coffee thoughtfully. he had lost his spirit and enthusiasm since the meeting, and was fast relapsing into his old state of apathy and boredom. it grieved mr. watson to note this. "hopkins isn't fit to be the representative for this district," observed the old gentleman, with sudden energy. the boy looked at him. "who is hopkins?" he asked. "his mother once kept a stationery shop in town, and he was stable boy at the hotel. but he was shrewd and prospered, and when he grew up became a county-clerk or tax-collector; then an assessor, and finally he ran last term for state representative from this district and was elected by a mighty small majority." "why small?" asked kenneth. "because he's a democrat, and the district is strongly republican. but thompson ran against him on the republican ticket and couldn't win his party vote." "who's thompson?" "the general store keeper. he has a reputation for short weights and measures." the boy sipped his coffee thoughtfully. "tell me, sir; how did you happen to know all this?" he asked. "i've been looking up hopkins's record. i have disliked the man ever since he treated us so shabbily on the night of the meeting." "never mind him. we've done with him." mr. watson shifted uneasily in his chair. "i wonder if we have?" he said. "why not, sir?" "well, kenneth, we have to reside at elmhurst, which is hopkins's district. also i believe elmhurst to be the most important estate in the district, and you to be the largest taxpayer. this man wishes to go to the state legislature and make laws for you to obey." "well?" "well, it's our duty to watch him. if he isn't a fit man it's our duty to prevent him from representing us." the young man nodded somewhat dreamily. "some of these country yokels must represent us," he observed. "it doesn't matter much whether it's hopkins or someone else." "except that you, being a prominent man, owe it to the community to protect its interests," added the lawyer. "do you want me to mix in these petty politics?" asked the boy, irritably. "oh, do as you like, my boy. if you can shirk your duties with a clear conscience, i've nothing to say." for a time the young man was silent. finally he asked: "why isn't hopkins a good representative?" "he's what is called a 'grafter'; a term signifying that he is willing to vote for any measure that he is paid to vote for, whether it benefits his constituents or not." "oh. is he singular in this?" "by no means. the 'grafter' is all too common in politics." again the boy fell into a thoughtful mood. "mr. watson, am i a democrat or a republican?" the old gentleman laughed outright. "don't you know, ken?" "no, sir, i haven't asked myself before." "then i advise you to be a republican." "why?" "because hopkins is a democrat, and we may then fight him openly." "what is the difference, sir, between the two parties?" "there is no difference of importance. all americans are loyal citizens, whichever side they adopt in politics. but the two parties are the positive and negative poles that provide the current of electricity for our nation, and keep it going properly. also they safeguard our interests by watching one another." "what is your preference, sir?" "i've always been a republican, whenever i dabbled in politics, which hasn't been often." "then i will be a republican." "very good." "i am sorry to say that i know nothing about politics and have no convictions on the subject. who is to oppose the honorable erastus on the--on _our_ side?" "i don't know yet. the primaries for the nomination are not to be held for two weeks, and the republican candidates seem shy about coming forward." "didn't you say the district was republican?" "yes; but since hopkins defeated them last term they seem to be terrified, and no one likes to offer himself as a possible sacrifice." "that feeling will probably elect mr. hopkins," declared kenneth, with conviction. "unless--" "unless what, sir?" "unless we come to the rescue of the republicans and take a hand in local politics ourselves, my lad." kenneth pushed back his chair and rose from the table. he walked to the window and stood there whistling for a few moments, and then left the room without a word. for a time mr. watson sat silently musing. "perhaps i'm inviting trouble," he murmured; "but i am sure i am doing right. the boy needs a good shaking up and more knowledge of his fellow-men. if i can get kenneth interested, this plan of mine will be of great benefit to him." then he, too, left the breakfast table, and wandering into the garden saw kenneth busy at his easel in a shady corner. for a day or so the, subject was not resumed, and then mr. watson casually introduced it. "a law could be passed in the state legislature forbidding the display of all advertising signs in public places in this county," he suggested. the boy looked at him eagerly. "are you sure?" he asked. "i am positive," was the answer. "it is merely a question of privilege." "and you think we might hire hopkins to pass such a law?" "no; we couldn't trust him." "then what do you propose?" "i'll think it over, my lad, and let you know." then he walked away, leaving kenneth much pleased with the idea he had advanced. indeed, he was so much interested in the suggestion that he himself referred to the subject at the first opportunity. "i don't like to be beaten, sir, once i've undertaken to do a thing," he said. "so if such a law can be passed i'll do all i can to elect the man who will pass it." "i thought as much," the old lawyer replied, smiling. "but there's only one man who could go to the legislature with enough influence to win the votes to carry such a unique measure through." "and who is that, sir?" "kenneth forbes, the owner of elmhurst, and the largest taxpayer in the county." "me, sir?" "you're the man." "a state representative?" "it's an honorable office. it's an important office, properly filled. you might not only beautify your district by having those objectionable signs prohibited, but do many other things to better the condition of the farmers. and that isn't all." "what's the rest, mr. watson?" "you owe something to yourself, lad. all your young life you've been too self-contained and exclusive in your habits. 'the noblest study of mankind is man.' it would broaden you to go into politics for a time, and do much to develop your character and relieve the monotony of your existence." kenneth frowned. "it won't be easy, you know. it'll be a fight, and a hard one, for hopkins won't give up his job if he can help it." the boy brightened again. "i like a good fight," he said, wistfully. "if i thought--if i believed i could fill the position with credit--i might undertake it." "i'll answer for that," retorted the old man, highly pleased with his easy victory. "you win the fight, ken, and i'll guarantee you'll outclass the majority of your fellow representatives. it's a good state, too." so the thing was undertaken, and both the young man and the old threw themselves into the contest with energy and determination. mr. watson rode in his buggy all over their district during the next fortnight, and interviewed the farmers and townsmen of the legislative district. when it became noised about that the young owner of elmhurst, now barely twenty-one, had determined to enter politics, and asked for the nomination of representative, no other republican ventured to oppose him. it was understood to mean a hard fight, and even the most sturdy republican was inclined to fear that the present incumbent of the office would be elected to succeed himself. so the primaries were held and kenneth attended and made a speech, and was warmly applauded. his nomination was a matter of course, and he went home the unanimous choice of his party, because none of the older and more discreet politicians ventured to risk defeat. the hon. erastus hopkins well knew this feeling, and smiled in his pompous and most sardonic manner when he learned who was his opponent. having conquered an old and tried republican warrior in the last campaign, he had no fears in regard to this mere boy, who could know little of political intrigue. "he won't put up enough of a fight to make it interesting, i'm afraid," mr. hopkins confided to his cronies. but he didn't intend to take chances, so he began the campaign with his usual vigor. it was now the middle of september, and the election was to be early in november. chapter v planning the work the honorable erastus hopkins was thoroughly enjoying his campaign. he was not an especially popular man in his district, and he knew it. physically he was big and stout, with a florid face and small eyes that blinked continually. his head was bald, his hands fat and red and his feet enormous. to offset this mr. hopkins wore a silk hat and a "prince albert" coat morning, noon and night. his gold watch-chain was huge and imposing; he had a big diamond shirt-stud, and upon his puffy fingers several rings. he conveyed, nevertheless, the impression that he was more prosperous than refined, and the farmers and townsmen were as quick to recognize this as was mr. watson himself. moreover, the honorable erastus was dubbed "close-fisted" by his neighbors. he never spent a penny on anyone but himself, and being unscrupulous in politics he was naturally unscrupulous in smaller things of a business nature. but since he had risen from a stable-boy to his present affluent position he had never been unwise or careless enough to be caught in any crooked action; and while his acquaintances had an indefinite fear of dealing with him they could not accuse him openly. it seems strange that such a man should have been chosen to represent a wealthy and important district in the state legislature, but politics can show many a similar case. in the first place, mr. hopkins was aggressive, and knew political methods thoroughly. he had usurped the position of democratic leader in his community and the others were afraid to antagonize him openly. when he was nominated for representative he managed to dictate, by shrewd methods, the nomination of thompson, the store-keeper, on the republican ticket. thompson owed hopkins a large sum of money and hopkins held a mortgage on the stock. therefore thompson dared not make a fight, and although the republican vote was normally the largest in the district, hopkins had managed to win enough of them to his side to win. he had been a little anxious about his renomination, because he knew that he had not represented his district very satisfactorily; but when kenneth forbes received the nomination on the republican ticket he felt that "all was over but the shouting" and that he would "win in a walk." had it been an issue between the personality of the two men, hopkins would have had little chance of success; but young forbes had already raised another issue by his anti-sign speech at the school-house, and hopkins intended to force that issue and so defeat kenneth because of the ridicule the latter's position had already brought upon him. he began to circulate humorous stories about kenneth's antipathy to sign-boards, saying that the young man demanded that the signs be taken off the zodiac, and that he wouldn't buy goods of the village grocer because the man had a sign out. mr. hopkins also printed thousands of large hand-bills reading "the signs of the times vs. aristocratic snobbery. vote for the hon. erastus hopkins, the man who believes in advertising." these things had their effect upon all classes of people. there were many good-natured laughs at young forbes's expense. all this was soon realized at elmhurst, and had the effect of plunging the youthful aspirant for political honors into the depths of despair. the campaign was hot against him, but kenneth made no defense. at this juncture, with election but three weeks away, he received a telegram asking him to send the drag and baggage wagon to the noon train. it was signed by john merrick, and the boy was overjoyed at the prospect of seeing his jolly old friend again. and the girls? well, some of them surely must be coming, or uncle john wouldn't have asked for the drag. "now then, the election can go to blazes," said kenneth, cheerfully, to mr. watson. "the sight of some friendly faces will be a great relief." the old lawyer sighed. his attempt to "wake up" kenneth had resulted in failure, mainly because the boy had become discouraged so early in the game. kenneth felt keenly the humiliating experiences he had passed through, and had sunk back into his old moody reserve. but here was a welcome diversion. the visitors, whoever they might prove to be, would afford relief to the situation and brighten the dullness of life at the big house. so both kenneth and mr. watson were with the drag at the station when the noon train drew in. and there were patsy doyle, beth degraf, and louise merrick, a bevy of dainty and sprightly girls, alighting eagerly from the coaches, with uncle john handing out the grips and packages and giving the checks for the baggage, with business-like celerity, to thomas the groom. "we've come for a visit, ken!" cried palsy, laughing at his eager delight. "are you glad to see us, boy? and do you suppose old martha has our rooms aired?" "and it's a long visit, too," added uncle john, "as you'll believe when you see the pile of baggage. you'd think these minxes were prepared for a tour of the world. each one of 'em brought a carload of clothes." but they couldn't phase kenneth in that way. his sensitive face had not beamed with so much animation for months. the guests were helped into the tall drag and merrily they drove the five miles to elmhurst, not a word of politics being spoken on the way. the girls had not been to the house since aunt jane's death, two years ago, and after a hasty luncheon they began an inspection of every room, as well as the garden, grounds and stables. the horses, cows, pig and chickens were alike inspected, the roses and dahlias visited and admired, and after all this they returned to their rooms with old martha, the housekeeper, and proceeded to unpack their trunks and get settled. kenneth had been their guide and companion in these various explorations, but when the girls went to their rooms he wandered into the library where uncle john and mr. watson had been having a quiet talk over their pipes of tobacco. they welcomed the young man, but adroitly turned the topic of conversation, and again the subject of was rejoined. it was a merry dinner party that graced the table during dinner that evening, and the boy forgot his troubles and was as jolly and sociable as he had ever been in his life. but when they were all assembled in the long living room where they grouped themselves around the fireplace, a sudden change took place in the demeanor of the young ladies. patsy, the delegated leader, looked gravely at the boy and asked: "how goes the campaign, ken?" "wh--what campaign?" he stammered, to gain time. "why, this election business. tell us about it," said patsy. "some other time, girls," answered the boy, red and distressed. "it--it wouldn't interest you a bit." "why not?" asked louise, softly. "because it doesn't interest me," he replied. "are you so sure of election?" inquired beth. "i'm sure of defeat, if you must know," he declared, scowling at the recollection of his predicament. "you haven't been cowardly enough to give up?" asked patricia, boldly. "what do you mean by that, patsy doyle?" he asked, the scowl deepening. "just what i say, ken. a brave man doesn't know when he's beaten, much less beforehand." he looked at her fixedly. "i'm not brave, my dear," he replied, more gently than they had expected. "the people here don't understand me, nor i them. i'm laughed at and reviled, a subject for contemptuous jeers, and--and it hurts me. i don't like to be beaten. i'd fight to the last gasp, if i had any show to win. but these conditions, which i foolishly but honestly brought about myself, have defeated me so far in advance that i have absolutely no hope to redeem myself. that's all. don't speak of it again, girls. play me that nocturne that i like, beth." "we've got to speak of this, kenneth, and speak of it often. for we girls have come down here to electioneer, and for no other reason on earth," declared patsy. "_what! you_ electioneer?"--a slight smile curled his lips. "exactly. we're here to brace up and get to work." "and to win," added beth, quietly. "and to put you in the legislature where you belong," declared louise. kenneth turned to mr. merrick. "talk to them, uncle john," he begged. "i have," said the little man, smiling, "and they've convinced me that they mean business. it's all up with you, my boy, as a private citizen. you're as good as elected." ken's eyes filled. "you're all very kind, sir," he said, "as you were bound to be. and--and i appreciate it all--very much. but mr. watson will tell you that the case is hopeless, and there's nothing to be done." "how about it, watson?" inquired uncle john, turning to the lawyer. "i'll explain the proposition, sir, so you will all understand it," he replied, and drew his chair into the circle. "to begin with, kenneth visited the glen one day, to make a sketch, and found his old table-rock covered with an advertising sign." "how preposterous!" exclaimed louise. "there were three of these huge signs in different parts of the glen, and they ruined its natural beauty. kenneth managed to buy up the spaces and then he scrubbed away the signs. by that time he had come to detest the unsightly advertisements that confronted him every time he rode out, and he began a war of extermination against them." "quite right," said patsy, nodding energetically. "but our friend made little headway because the sympathies of the people were not with him." "why not, sir?" inquired beth, while kenneth sat inwardly groaning at this baring of his terrible experiences. "because through custom they had come to tolerate such things, and could see no harm in them," replied the lawyer. "they permit their buildings which face the roads to be covered with big advertisements, and the fences are decorated in the same way. in some places a sign-board has been built in their yards or fields, advertising medicines or groceries or tobacco. in other words, our country roads and country homes have become mere advertising mediums to proclaim the goods of more or less unscrupulous manufacturers, and so all their attractiveness is destroyed. kenneth, being a man of artistic instincts and loving country scenes, resented this invasion of commercialism and tried to fight it." "and so ran my head against a stone wall," added the young man, with a bitter laugh. "but you were quite right," said patsy, decidedly. "such things ought not to be permitted." "the people think differently," he replied. "then we must educate the people to a different way of thinking," announced louise. "in three weeks?" "that is long enough, if we get to work. isn't it, girls?" said beth. "kenneth accepted the nomination with the idea of having a law passed prohibiting such signs," explained the lawyer. "but mr. hopkins, his opponent, has used this very thing to arouse public sentiment against him. farmers around here are thrifty people, and they fear to lose the trifling sums paid them for the privilege of painting signs on their premises." patsy nodded gravely. "we will change all that," she said. "the thing is really more serious than we expected, and more difficult. but we came here to work and win, and we're going to do it. aren't we, uncle john?" "i'll bet on your trio, patsy," replied her uncle. "but i won't bet all i'm worth." "it's all foolishness," declared kenneth. "i do not think so," said the lawyer, gravely. "the girls have a fine show to win. i know our country people, and they are more intelligent than you suppose. once they are brought to a proper way of thinking they will support kenneth loyally." "then we must bring them to a proper way of thinking," said patsy, with decision. "from this time on, ken, we become your campaign managers. don't worry any more about the matter. go on with your painting and be happy. we may require you to make a few speeches, but all the details will be arranged for you." "do you intend to permit this, uncle john?" asked kenneth. "i'm wholly in sympathy with the girls, ken, and i believe in them." "but consider the humiliation to which they will subject themselves! i've had a taste of that medicine, myself." "we're going to be the most popular young ladies in this district!" exclaimed patsy. "don't you worry about us, ken. but tell me, how big is your district?" "it includes parts of three counties--monroe, washington and jackson counties." "what county is this?" "monroe." "any cities?" "no; only a few towns. it's mostly a rural district. fairview, just across the border in washington county, is the biggest village." "have you an automobile?" "no; i don't like the things. i've always loved horses and prefer them to machines." "how much money are you prepared to spend?" "how much--what's that?" he asked, bewildered. "you can't win a political election without spending money," declared patsy, wisely. "i'll bet the bad man is scattering money in every direction. it will cost something on our side to run this campaign in a way to win." the young man frowned. "i don't mind spending money, patsy," he said, "but i don't approve of buying votes, and i won't allow it, either!" "tut-tut! who said anything about buying votes? but we're going to work on a broad and liberal basis, i assure you, and we need money." "spend all you like, then, so long as you don't try to corrupt the voters." "very good. now, then, how much land do you own at elmhurst?" kenneth looked inquiringly at the lawyer. "about twelve hundred acres," said mr. watson. "it is divided into small farms which are let out on shares." "how many votes do you control among your servants and tenants?" proceeded patsy, in a business-like tone. "perhaps thirty or forty." "and what is the total vote of the district?" "thirty-five hundred." patsy gasped. "so many?" "fully that many," said mr. watson, smiling. "then we've got to have over seventeen hundred and fifty votes to elect kenneth?" "exactly." the girl drew a long breath and looked at beth and louise. then they all laughed. "suppose you resign as campaign managers," said kenneth, beginning to be amused. "oh, no! it's--it's easier than we expected. isn't it, girls?" "it's child's play," observed louise, languidly. the boy was astonished. "very well," said he. "try it and see." "of course," said patsy, cheerfully. "tomorrow morning we begin work." chapter vi a good start at an early breakfast next morning patsy announced the program for the day. "uncle john and i will drive over to the village," she said, "and perhaps we'll be gone all day. don't worry if we're not back for luncheon. louise and mr. watson are going in the phaeton to visit some of the near-by farmers. take one road, dear, and follow it straight along, as far as it keeps within our legislative district, and visit every farm-house on the way." "the farmers will all be busy in the fields," said kenneth. "louise doesn't care about the farmers," retorted patsy. "she's going to talk to their wives." "wives don't vote, patsy." "they tell their husbands how to vote, though," declared louise, with a laugh. "let me win the women and i'll win the men." "what am i to do?" asked beth. "you're to stay at home and write several articles for the newspapers. there are seven important papers in our district, and five of them are republican. make a strong argument, beth. you're our publicity department. also get up copy for some hand-hills and circular letters. i want to get a circular letter to every voter in the district." "all right," said beth. "i know what you want." there was an inspiring air of business about these preparations, and the girls were all eager to begin work. scarcely was breakfast finished when the two equipages were at the door. louise and mr. watson at once entered the phaeton and drove away, the girl delighted at the prospect of visiting the farmers' wives and winning them by her plausible speeches. conversation was louise's strong point. she loved to talk and argue, and her manner was so confiding and gracious that she seldom failed to interest her listeners. patsy and uncle john drove away. in kenneth's buggy to the town, and during the five-mile drive patsy counseled gravely with her shrewd uncle in regard to "ways and means." "this thing requires prompt action, patsy," he said, "and if we're going to do things that count they've got to be done on a big scale." "true," she admitted. "but oughtn't we to be a little careful about spending kenneth's money?" "i'll be your temporary banker," said the old gentleman, "and keep track of the accounts. if we win we'll present kenneth our bill, and if we fail i'll have the satisfaction of getting rid of some of that dreadful income that is swamping me." this was always uncle john's cry. his enormous fortune was a constant bugbear to him. he had been so interested in his business enterprises for many years that he had failed to realize how his fortune was growing, and it astounded him to wake up one day and find himself possessed of many millions. he had at once retired from active business and invested his millions in ways that would cause him the least annoyance; but the income on so large a sum was more than he could take care of, and even major doyle, who managed these affairs for his brother-in-law, was often puzzled to know what to do with the money that accumulated. doubtless no one will ever know how much good these two kindly men accomplished between them in their quiet, secretive way. dozens of deserving young men were furnished capital to start them in business; dozens more were being educated at universities at uncle john's expense. managers of worthy charities were familiar with john merrick's signature on checks, and yet the vast fortune grew with leaps and bounds. mr. merrick's life was so simple and unostentatious that his personal expenses, however erratic some of his actions, could not make much headway against his interest account, and nothing delighted him more than to find a way to "get even with fate by reckless squandering," as he quaintly expressed it. he was far too shrewd to become the prey of designing people, but welcomed any legitimate channel in which to unload his surplus. so mr. merrick had been revolving the possibilities of this unique political campaign in his mind, and had decided to do some things that would open the bucolic eyes of kenneth's constituents in wonder. he did not confide all his schemes to patsy, but having urged his nieces to attempt this conquest he had no intention of allowing them to suffer defeat if he could help it. the little town of elmwood was quiet and practically deserted when they drove into it. the farmers were too busy with the harvest to "come to town for trading" except on saturdays, and the arrival and departure of the two daily trains did not cause more than a ripple of excitement in the village. patsy decided she would shop at each and every store in the place, and engage the store-keepers in conversation about the election. "it's important to win these people," she declared, "because they are close to every farmer who comes to town to trade; and their own votes count, too." "i'll run over to the bank," said uncle john, "and get acquainted there." so he tied the horses to a post and let patsy proceed alone upon her mission, while he wandered over to a little brick building of neat appearance which bore the inscription "bank" in gold letters on its plate-glass window. "mr. warren in?" he asked the clerk at the window. the banker, a dignified old gentleman of considerable ability, came out of his private office and greeted his visitor very cordially. he had known uncle john when the millionaire visited elmhurst two years before, and since then had learned more particulars concerning him. so there was no need of an introduction, and mr. warren was delighted at the prospect of business relations with this famous personage. the bank, although small and only one story high, was the most modern and imposing building in the village; and it was fitted with modern conveniences, for mr. warren had been successful and prosperous. in his private office were local and long distance telephones, a direct connection with the telegraph operator at the station, and other facilities for accomplishing business promptly. uncle john had remembered this fact, and it had a prominent place in his plans. he followed the banker into his private office and told him briefly his intention to forward the interests of his young friend kenneth forbes for member of the legislature. the old gentleman shook his head, at first, predicting failure. young forbes was his most important customer, and he respected him highly; but this anti-sign issue bade fair to ruin all his chances. "the idea is too progressive and advanced to be considered at this time," he stated, positively. "the encroachments of advertisers on personal property may lead to a revolt in the future, but it is still too early to direct popular opinion against them." "isn't forbes a better man for the place than hopkins?" asked uncle john. "undoubtedly, sir. and i think forbes would have won, had not hopkins forced this unfortunate issue upon him. as it is, our young friend cannot avoid the consequences of his quixotic action." "he doesn't wish to avoid them," was the quiet reply. "we're going to win on that issue or not at all." "i'm afraid it's hopeless, sir." "may i count on your assistance?" "in every way." "thank you, mr. warren, i'm going to spend a lot of money. put this draft for fifty thousand to my credit as a starter." "ah, i begin to understand. but--" "you don't understand at all, yet. may i use your long distance telephone?" "of course, sir." uncle john had secured considerable information from mr. watson, and this enabled him to act comprehensively. the advertising sign business in this part of the state was controlled by two firms, who contracted directly with the advertisers and then had the signs painted upon spaces secured from the farmers by their wide-awake agents. these signs were contracted for by the year, but the firms controlling the spaces always inserted protective clauses that provided for the removal of any sign when certain conditions required such removal. in such cases a rebate was allowed to the advertiser. this protective clause was absolutely necessary in case of fire, alteration or removal of buildings or destruction of fences and sign-boards by weather or the requirements of the owners. it was this saving clause in the contracts of which uncle john had decided to take advantage. the contracting sign painters were merely in the business to make money. mr. merrick got the head of the concern in cleveland over the telephone within half an hour. he talked with the man at length, and talked with the convincing effect that the mention of money has. when he hung up the receiver uncle john was smiling. then he called for the chicago firm. with this second advertising company he met with more difficulties, and mr. warren had to come to the telephone and assure the man that mr. merrick was able to pay all he agreed to, and that the money was on deposit in his bank. that enabled mr. merrick to conclude his arrangements. he knew that he was being robbed, but the co-operation of the big chicago firm was necessary to his plans. then, the telephone having served its purpose, mr. warren took uncle john across the street to the newspaper office and introduced him to charley briggs, the editor. briggs was a man with one eye, a sallow complexion and sandy hair that stuck straight up from his head. he set type for his paper, besides editing it, and uncle john found him wearing a much soiled apron, with his bare arms and fingers smeared with printer's ink. "mr. merrick wants to see you on business, charley," said the banker. "whatever he agrees to i will guarantee, to the full resources of my bank." the editor pricked up his ears and dusted a chair for his visitor with his apron. it wasn't easy to make a living running a paper in elmwood, and if there was any business pending he was anxious to secure it. uncle john waited until mr. warren had left him alone with the newspaper man. then he said: "i understand your paper is democratic, mr. briggs." "that's a mistake, sir," replied the editor, evasively. "the _herald_ is really independent, but in political campaigns we adopt the side we consider the most deserving of support." "you're supporting hopkins just now." "only mildly; only mildly, sir." "what is he paying you?" "why, 'rast and i haven't come to a definite settlement yet. i ought to get a hundred dollars out of this campaign, but 'rast thinks fifty is enough. you see, he plans on my support anyhow, and don't like to spend more than he's obliged to." "why does he plan on your support?" "he's the only live one in the game, mr. merrick. 'rast is one of us--he's one of the people--and it's policy for me to support him instead of the icicle up at elmhurst, who don't need the job and don't care whether he gets it or not." "is that true?" "i think so. and there's another thing. young forbes is dead against advertising, and advertising is the life of a newspaper. why, there isn't a paper in the district that's supporting forbes this year." "you've a wrong idea of the campaign, mr. briggs," said uncle john. "it is because mr. forbes believes in newspaper advertising, and wants to protect it, that he's against these signs. that's one reason, anyhow. can't you understand that every dollar spent for painting signs takes that much away from your newspapers?" "why, perhaps there's something in that, mr. merrick. i'd never looked at it that way before." "now, see here, mr. briggs. i'll make you a proposition. i'll give you two hundred and fifty to support mr. forbes in this campaign, and if he's elected i'll give you five hundred extra." "do you mean that, sir?" asked the editor, scarcely able to believe the evidence of his ears. "i do. draw up a contract and i'll sign it. and here's a check for your two-fifty in advance." the editor drew up the agreement with a pen that trembled a little. "and now," said uncle john, "get busy and hustle for kenneth forbes." "i will, sir," said briggs, with unexpected energy. "i mean to win that extra five hundred!" chapter vii patsy makes progress meantime patsy was in the thick of the fray. the druggist was a deep-dyed democrat, and sniffed when she asked him what he thought of forbes for representative. "he's no politician at all--just an aristocrat," declared latham, a dapper little man with his hair slicked down to his ears and a waxed moustache. "and he's got fool notions, too. if he stopped the advertising signs i wouldn't sell half as many pain-killers and liver-pills." "he's my cousin," said patsy, mendaciously; for although they called themselves cousins there was no relationship even of marriage, as patsy's aunt jane had merely been betrothed to kenneth's uncle when he died. "i'm sorry for that, miss," replied the druggist. "he's going to be badly beaten." "i think i'll take two ounces of this perfumery. it is really delightful. some druggists have so little taste in selecting such things." "yes, miss, i do rather pride myself on my perfumes," replied latham, graciously. "now here's a sachet powder that gives fine satisfaction." "i'll take a couple of packets of that, too, since you recommend it." latham began doing up the purchases. there was no other customer in the store. "you know, miss, i haven't anything against mr. forbes myself. his people are good customers. it's his ideas i object to, and he's a republican." "haven't you ever voted for a republican?" asked the girl. "don't you think it better to vote for the best man, rather than the best party, in a case like this?" "why, perhaps it is. but in what way is mr. forbes the best man?" "he's honest. he doesn't want to make any money out of the office. on the contrary, he's willing and able to spend a good deal in passing laws that will benefit his district." "and hopkins?" "don't you know mr. hopkins?" she asked, pointedly. "yes, miss; i do." and latham frowned a little. "as regards the advertising signs," continued the girl, "i've heard you spoken of as a man of excellent taste, and i can believe it since i've examined the class of goods you keep. and your store is as neat and attractive as can be. the fight is not against the signs themselves, but against putting them on fences and barns, and so making great glaring spots in a landscape where all should be beautiful and harmonious. i suppose a man of your refinement and good taste has often thought of that, and said the same thing." "why--ahem!--yes; of course, miss. i agree with you that the signs are often out of place, and--and inharmonious." "to be sure; and so you must sympathize with mr. forbes's campaign." "in that way, yes; of course," said mr. latham, puzzled to find himself changing front so suddenly. "mr. hopkins has taken a lot of money out of this town," remarked patsy, examining a new kind of tooth wash. "but i can't find that he's ever given much of it back." "that's true. he buys his cigars of thompson, the general store man, and i keep the finest line ever brought to this town." "oh, that reminds me!" exclaimed patsy. "mr. forbes wanted me to purchase a box of your choicest brand, and have you just hand them out to your customers with his compliments. he thinks he ought to show a little cordiality to the men who vote for him, and he said you would know just the people to give them to." latham gasped, but he assumed an air of much importance. "i know every man that comes to this town, miss, as well as any you'll find," he said. "the best brand, mind you, mr. latham," said the girl. "how much will they be?" "why, the very best--these imported perfectos, you know--are worth six dollars a box of fifty. perhaps for election purposes something a little cheaper--" "oh, no; the best is none too good for the friends of mr. forbes, you know. and fifty--why fifty will scarcely go around. i'll pay for a hundred, mr. latham, and you'll see they go to the right persons." "of course; of course, miss. and much obliged. you see, young forbes is well liked, and he's quite a decent fellow. i wouldn't be surprised if he gave hopkins a hard fight." "i'll tell you a secret," said patsy, sweetly. "mr. forbes is bound to be elected. why, it's all arranged in advance, mr. latham, and the better element, like yourself, is sure to support him. by the way, you won't forget to tell people about those signs, i hope? that the fight is not against advertising, but for beautiful rural homes and scenes." "oh, i'll fix that, miss--" "doyle. i'm miss doyle, mr. forbes's cousin." "i'll see that the people understand this campaign, miss doyle. you can depend on me." "and if the cigars give out, don't hesitate to open more boxes. i'll call in, now and then, and settle for them." i really think this young lady might have been ashamed of herself; but she wasn't. she smiled sweetly upon the druggist when he bowed her out, and mr. latham from that moment began to seek for friends of mr. forbes to give cigars to. if they were not friends, he argued with them until they were, for he was an honest little man, in his way, and tried to act in good faith. so the girl went from one shop to another, making liberal purchases and seeking for every opening that would enable her to make a convert. and her shrewd irish wit made her quick to take advantage of any weakness she discovered in the characters of the people she interviewed. when noon came uncle john hunted her up, which was not difficult, in elmwood, and together they went to the village "hotel" to get something to eat. the mid-day dinner was not very inviting, but patsy praised the cooking to the landlord's wife, who waited upon the table, and uncle john bought one of the landlord's cigars after the meal and talked politics with him while he smoked it. then patsy went over to the general store, and there she met her first rebuff. thompson, the proprietor, was a sour-visaged man, tall and lanky and evidently a dyspeptic. having been beaten by hopkins at the last election, when he ran against him on the republican ticket, thompson had no desire to see forbes more successful than he had been himself. and there were other reasons that made it necessary for him to support hopkins. so he was both gruff and disagreeable when patsy, after buying a lot of ribbons of him, broached the subject of politics. he told her plainly that her cousin hadn't a "ghost of a show," and that he was glad of it. "the young fool had no business to monkey with politics," he added, "and this will teach him to keep his fingers out of someone else's pie." "it isn't mr. hopkins's pie," declared patsy, stoutly. "it belongs to whoever gets the votes." "well, that's hopkins. he knows the game, and forbes don't." "can't he learn?" asked the girl. "no. he's an idiot. always was a crank and an unsociable cuss when a boy, and he's worse now he's grown up. oh, i know forbes, all right; and i haven't got no use for him, neither." argument was useless in this case. the girl sighed, gathered up her purchases, and went into the hardware store. immediately her spirits rose. here was a man who knew kenneth, believed in him and was going to vote for him. she had a nice talk with the hardware man, and he gave her much useful information about the most important people in the neighborhood--those it would be desirable to win for their candidate. when he mentioned thompson, she said: "oh, he's impossible. i've talked with him." "thompson is really a good republican," replied mr. andrews, the hardware man. "but he's under hopkins's thumb and doesn't dare defy him." "doesn't he like mr. hopkins?" asked patsy, in surprise. "no; he really hates him. you see, thompson isn't a very successful merchant. he has needed money at times, and borrowed it of hopkins at a high rate of interest. it's a pretty big sum now, and hopkins holds a mortgage on the stock. if he ever forecloses, as he will do some day, thompson will be ruined. so he's obliged to shout for hopkins, whether he believes in him or not." "i think i understand him now," said patsy, smiling. "but he needn't have been so disagreeable." "he's a disagreeable man at any time," returned mr. andrews. "has he any political influence?" asked the girl. "yes, considerable. otherwise he couldn't have secured the nomination when he pretended to run against hopkins--for it was only a pretense. you see, he's a well known republican, and when he sides for hopkins he's bound to carry many republicans with him." but there were other important people whom mr. andrews thought might be influenced, and he gave patsy a list of their names. he seemed much amused at the earnestness of this girlish champion of the republican candidate. "i do not think we can win," he said, as she left him; "but we ought to make a good showing for your cousin, and i'll do my very best to help you." as she rode home with uncle john in the afternoon, after a day of really hard work, patsy sized up the situation and declared that she was satisfied that she had made progress. she told mr. merrick of the mortgage held over thompson by mr. hopkins, and the little man made a mental note of the fact. he also was satisfied with his day's work, and agreed to ride over to fairview the next day with her and carry the war into this, the largest village in kenneth's district. meantime louise and mr. watson were having some interesting interviews with the farmers' wives along the marville road. the old lawyer knew nearly everyone in this part of the country, for he had lived here all his life. but he let louise do the talking and was much pleased at the tact and good nature she displayed in dealing with the widely different types of character she encountered. her method was quite simple, and for that reason doubly effective. she sat down in mrs. simmons's kitchen, where the good woman was ironing, and said: "i'm a cousin of mr. forbes, up at elmhurst, you know. he's running for a political office, so as to do some good for his county and district, and i've come to see if you'll help me get votes for him." "law sakes, child!" exclaimed mrs. simmons, "i ain't got nuthin' to do with politics." "no; but you've got a lot to do with mr. simmons, and that's where we need your help. you see, mr. forbes thinks mr. simmons is one of the most important men in this district, and he's very anxious to win his vote." "why don't you see dan, then? he's out'n the rye field," replied the woman. "it's because i'm only a girl, and he wouldn't listen to me," replied louise, sweetly. "but he takes your advice about everything, i hear--" "he don't take it as often as he orter, don't dan," interrupted mrs. simmons, pausing to feel whether her iron was hot. "perhaps not," agreed louise; "but in important things, such as this, he's sure to listen to you; and we women must stick together if we want to win this election." "but i don't know nothin' about it," protested mrs. simmons; "an' i don't believe dan does." "you don't need to know much, mrs. simmons," replied the girl. "what a pretty baby that is! all you need do is to tell dan he must vote for mr. forbes, and see that he agrees to do so." "why?" was the pointed query. "well, there are several reasons. one is that mr. hopkins--mr. erastus hopkins, you know, is the other candidate, and a person must vote for either one or the other of them." "dan's a friend o' 'rastus," said the woman, thoughtfully. "i seen 'em talkin' together the other day." "but this isn't a matter of friendship; it's business, and mr. forbes is very anxious to have your husband with him. if mr. forbes is elected it means lighter taxes, better roads and good schools. if mr. hopkins is elected it does not mean anything good except for mr. hopkins." "i guess you're right about that," laughed the woman. "'rast don't let much get away from him." "you're very clever, mrs. simmons. you have discovered the fact without being told." "oh, i know 'rast hopkins, an' so does dan." "then i can depend on you to help us?" asked the girl, patting the tousled head of a little girl who stood by staring at "the pretty lady." "i'll talk to him, but i dunno what good it'll do," said mrs. simmons, thoughtfully. "i know. he won't refuse to do what you ask him, for a man always listens to his wife when he knows she's right. you'll win, mrs. simmons, and i want to thank you for saving the election for us. if we get mr. simmons on our side i believe we'll be sure to defeat hopkins." "oh, i'll do what i kin," was the ready promise, and after a few more remarks about the children and the neatness of the house, louise took her leave. "will she win him over?" asked the girl of mr. watson, when they were jogging on to the next homestead. "i really can't say, my dear," replied the old lawyer, thoughtfully; "but i imagine she'll try to, and if dan doesn't give in mrs. simmons will probably make his life miserable for a time. you flattered them both outrageously; but that will do no harm." and so it went on throughout the day. sometimes the farmer himself was around the house, and then they held a sort of conference; louise asked his advice about the best way to win votes, and said she depended a great deal upon his judgment. she never asked a man which side he favored, but took it for granted that he was anxious to support mr. forbes; and this subtle flattery was so acceptable that not one declared outright that he was for hopkins, whatever his private views might have been. when evening came and they had arrived at elmhurst again, louise was enthusiastic over her work of the day, and had many amusing tales to tell of her experiences. "how many votes did you win?" asked uncle john, smiling at her. "i can't say," she replied; "but i didn't lose any. if one sows plenty of seed, some of it is bound to sprout." "we can tell better after election," said mr. watson. "but i'm satisfied that this is the right sort of work, mr. merrick, to get results." "so am i," returned uncle john heartily. "are you willing to keep it up, louise?" "of course!" she exclaimed. "we start again bright and early tomorrow morning." chapter viii the honorable erastus is astonished the honorable erastus hopkins had been absent at the state capital for several days, looking after various matters of business; for he was a thrifty man, and watched his investments carefully. whenever his acquaintances asked about his chances for re-election, the honorable erastus hopkins winked, laughed and declared, "it's a regular walk-over." "who is opposing you?" once asked a gray-haired senator of much political experience, who had met mr. hopkins at luncheon. "young feller named forbes--a boy, sir--with no notion about the game at all. he was pledged to an unpopular issue, so i was mighty glad to have him run against me." "what issue is he pledged to?" asked the senator. "oh, he's agin putting advertising signs on fences and barns, and wants to have them prohibited, like the infernal fool he is." "indeed. then he's a progressive fellow. and you say his issue is unpopular?" "that's what it is. it'll kill his chances--if he ever had any." "strange," mused the senator. "that issue has been a winning one usually." "what do you mean?" asked the astonished hopkins. "why, the anti-sign fight has won in several places throughout the country, and local laws have been passed prohibiting them. didn't you know that?" "no!" said hopkins. "well, it's true. of course i do not know the temper of your people, but in a country district such as yours i would think an issue of that sort very hard to combat." "nonsense!" exclaimed the honorable erastus. "ev'ry man jack's agin the fool notion." "then perhaps the people don't understand it." "forbes has given up already," continued hopkins, laughing at the recollection. "he's gone back into his shell like a turtle, an' won't come out to fight. i tell you, senator, he's the worst licked candidate that ever ran for office." nevertheless, the suggestion that the anti-sign issue had been successful in other localities made mr. hopkins a trifle uneasy, and he decided to return home and keep the fight going until after election, whether young forbes came out of his shell or not. he arrived at hilldale on the early morning train and went to his house for breakfast. to his amazement he found two great banners strung across the village streets bearing the words: "_vote for forbes--the people's champion!_" "who in thunder could 'a' done that?" murmured mr. hopkins, staring open-mouthed at the great banners. then he scratched his head with a puzzled air and went home. mrs. hopkins, a tired-looking woman in a bedraggled morning wrapper, was getting the breakfast. she did not participate largely in the prosperity of her husband, and often declared she was "worked to death," although there were no children to care for. "when did those forbes banners go up?" asked mr. hopkins, irritably. "i dunno, 'rast. i don't keep track o' such things. but all the town was out to the girls' meetin' last night, an' i went along to watch the fun." "what girls' meeting?" "the girls thet air workin' fer to elect mr. forbes. it was in the town hall, an' all three of the girls made speeches." "what about?" "about mr. forbes, and how he orter be elected. he wants to beautify the farm places by doin' away with signs, an' he wants better roads, an' three new school-houses, 'cause the ones we've got now ain't big enough. an--" "you blamed idiot! what are you talking about?" roared the exasperated hopkins. "oh, you needn't rave at me, 'rast hopkins, just 'cause you're gettin' licked. i thought your goose was cooked the minnit these girls got to work." mr. hopkins stared at her with a dazed expression. "be sensible, mary, and tell me who these girls are. i haven't heard of 'em." "why, they're cousins o' kenneth forbes, it seems, an' come from new york to git him elected." "what are they like?" "they're swell dressers, 'rast, an' nice appearin' girls, and mighty sharp with their tongues. they had a good meetin' last night and there'll be another at the town hall next week." "pah! girls! forbes oughter be ashamed of himself, to send a bunch o' girls out electioneerin'. i never heard of such an irregular thing. what do the boys say?" "folks don't say much to me, 'rast. they wouldn't, you know. but i guess your game is up." he made no reply. here, indeed, was information of a startling character. and it came upon him like thunder out of a clear sky. yet the thing might not be so important as mrs. hopkins feared. very thoughtfully he unfolded the morning paper, and the next moment uttered a roar of wrath and vexation. briggs was one of his stand-bys, and the _herald_ heretofore had always supported him; yet here across the first page were big black letters saying: _"vote for forbes!"_ and the columns were full of articles and paragraphs praising forbes and declaring that he could and would do more for the district than hopkins. "i must see briggs," muttered the honorable erastus. "he's tryin' to make me put up that hundred--an' i guess i'll have to do it." he looked over the other newspapers which were heaped upon his desk in the sitting-room, and was disgusted to find all but one of the seven papers in the district supporting forbes. really, the thing began to look serious. and he had only been absent a week! he had not much appetite for breakfast when mrs. hopkins set it before him. but the honorable erastus was a born fighter, and his discovery had only dismayed him for a brief time. already he was revolving ways of contesting this new activity in the enemy's camp, and decided that he must talk with "the boys" at once. so he hurried away from the breakfast table and walked down-town. latham was first on his route and he entered the drug store. "hullo, jim." "good morning, mr. hopkins. anything i can do for you?" asked the polite druggist. "yes, a lot. tell me what these fool girls are up to, that are plugging for forbes. i've been away for a week, you know." "can't say, mr. hopkins, i'm sure. business is pretty lively these days, and it keeps me hustling. i've no time for politics." "but we've got to wake up, jim, we democrats, or they'll give us a run for our money." "oh, this is a republican district, sir. we can't hope to win it often, and especially in a case like this." "why not?" "looks to me as if you'd bungled things, hopkins. but i'm not interested in this campaign. excuse me; if there's nothing you want, i've got a prescription to fill." mr. hopkins walked out moodily. it was very evident that latham had changed front. but they had never been very staunch friends; and he could find a way to even scores with the little druggist later. thompson was behind his desk at the general store when hopkins walked in. "look here," said the honorable representative, angrily, "what's been going on in elmwood? what's all this plugging for forbes mean?" thompson gave him a sour look over the top of his desk. "addressin' them remarks to me, 'rast?" "yes--to you! you've been loafing on your job, old man, and it won't do--it won't do at all. you should have put a stop to these things. what right have these girls to interfere in a game like this?" "oh, shut up, 'rast." "thompson! by crickey, i won't stand this from you. goin' back on me, eh?" "i'm a republication, 'rast." "so you are," said mr. hopkins slowly, his temper at white heat "and that mortgage is two months overdue." "go over to the bank and get your money, then. it's waiting for you, hopkins--interest and all. go and get it and let me alone. i'm busy." perhaps the politician had never been so surprised in his life. anger gave way to sudden fear, and he scrutinized the averted countenance of thompson carefully. "where'd you raise the money, thompson?" "none of your business. i raised it." "forbes, eh? forbes has bought you up, i see. grateful fellow, ain't you--when i loaned you money to keep you from bankruptcy!" "you did, hopkins. you made me your slave, and threatened me every minute, unless i did all your dirty work. grateful? you've led me a dog's life. but i'm through with you now--for good and all." hopkins turned and walked out without another word. in the dentist's office dr. squiers was sharpening and polishing his instruments. "hello, archie." "hello, 'rast. 'bout time you was getting back, old man. we're having a big fight on our hands, i can tell you." "tell me more," said mr. hopkins, taking a chair with a sigh of relief at finding one faithful friend. "what's up, archie?" "an invasion of girls, mostly. they took us by surprise, the other day, and started a campaign worthy of old political war-horses. there's some shrewd politician behind them, i know, or they wouldn't have nailed us up in our coffins with such business-like celerity." "talk sense, archie. what have they done? what _can_ they do? pah! girls!" "don't make a mistake, 'rast. that's what i did, before i understood. when i heard that three girls were electioneering for forbes i just laughed. then i made a discovery. they're young and rich, and evidently ladies. they're pretty, too, and the men give in at the first attack. they don't try to roast you. that's their cleverness. they tell what forbes can do, with all his money, if he's representative, and they swear he'll do it." "never mind," said hopkins, easily. "we'll win the men back again." "but these girls are riding all over the country, talking to farmers' wives, and they're organizing a woman's political club. the club is to meet at elmhurst and to be fed on the fat of the land; so every woman wants to belong. they've got two expensive automobiles down from the city, with men to make them go, and they're spending money right and left." "that's bad," said hopkins, shifting uneasily, "for i haven't much to spend, myself. but most money is fooled away in politics. when i spend a cent it counts, i can tell you." "you'll have to spend some, 'rast, to keep your end up. i'm glad you're back, for we democrats have been getting demoralized. some of the boys are out for forbes already." hopkins nodded, busy with his thoughts. "i've talked with latham. but he didn't count. and they've bought up thompson. what else they've done i can't tell yet. but one thing's certain, doc; we'll win out in a canter. i'm too old a rat to be caught in a trap like this. i've got resources they don't suspect." "i believe you, 'rast. they've caught on to the outside fakes to win votes; but they don't know the inside deals yet." "you're right. but i must make a bluff to offset their daylight campaign, so as not to lose ground with the farmers. they're the ones that count, after all; not the town people. see here, doc, i had an idea something might happen, and so i arranged with my breakfast food company to let me paint a hundred signs in this neighborhood. a hundred, mind you! and that means a big laugh on forbes, and the good will of the farmers who sell their spaces, and not a cent out of my pocket. how's that for a checkmate?" "that's fine," replied dr. squiers. "there's been considerable talk about this sign business, and i'm told that at the meeting last night one of the girls made a speech about it, and said the farmers were being converted, and were now standing out for clean fences and barns." "that's all humbug!" "i think so, myself. these people are like a flock of sheep. get them started a certain way and you can't head them off," observed the dentist. "then we must start them our way," declared hopkins. "i've got the order for these signs in my pocket, and i'll have 'em painted all over the district in a week. keep your eyes open, doc. if we've got to fight we won't shirk it; but i don't look for much trouble from a parcel of girls." mr. hopkins was quite cheerful by this time, for he had thought out the situation and his "fighting blood was up," as he expressed it. he walked away whistling softly to himself and decided that he would go over to the livery stable, get a horse and buggy, drive out into the country, and spend the day talking with the farmers. but when he turned the corner into the side street where the livery was located he was astonished to find a row of horses and wagons lining each side of the street, and in each vehicle two men in white jumpers and overalls. the men were in charge of huge cans of paints, assorted brushes, ladders, scaffolds and other paraphernalia. there must have been twenty vehicles, altogether, and some of the rigs were already starting out and driving briskly away in different directions. mr. hopkins was puzzled. he approached one of the white-overalled men who was loading cans of paint into a wagon and inquired: "who are you fellows?" "sign painters," answered the man, with an amused look. "who do you work for?" "the carson advertising sign company of cleveland." "oh, i see," replied hopkins. "got a big job in this neighborhood?" "pretty big, sir." "who's your foreman?" "smith. he's in the livery office." then the man climbed into his wagon and drove away, and hopkins turned into the livery office. a thin-faced man with sharp eyes was talking with the proprietor. "is this mr. smith?" asked hopkins. "yes." "of the carson advertising sign company?" "yes." "well, i've got a big job for you. my name's hopkins. i want a hundred big signs painted mighty quick." "sorry, sir; we've got all we can handle here for two or three weeks." "it's got to be done quick or not at all. can't you send for more men?" "we've got thirty-eight on this job, and can't get any more for love or money. had to send to chicago for some of these." "rush job?" "yes, sir. you'll have to excuse me. i've got to get started. this is only our second day and we're pretty busy." "wait a minute," called the bewildered hopkins, following smith to his buggy. "what concern is your firm doing all this painting for?" "a man named merrick." then the foreman drove away, and mr. hopkins was left greatly puzzled. "merrick--merrick!" he repeated. "i don't remember any big advertiser by that name. it must be some new concern. anyhow, it all helps in my fight against forbes." he again returned to the livery office and asked for a rig. "everything out, mr. hopkins. i've hired everything to be had in town for this sign-painting gang." but mr. hopkins was not to be balked. as long as these sign-painters were doing missionary work for his cause among the farmers, he decided to drive over to fairview and see the party leaders in that important town. so he went back to dr. squiers's house and borrowed the doctor's horse and buggy. he drove along the turnpike for a time in silence. then it struck him that there was a peculiar air of neatness about the places he passed. the barns and fences all seemed newly painted, and he remembered that he hadn't seen an advertising sign since he left town. a mile farther on he came upon a gang of the sign painters, who with their huge brushes were rapidly painting the entire length of a weather-worn fence with white paint. mr. hopkins reined in and watched them for a few moments. "you sign-painters don't seem to be getting any signs started," he observed. "no," replied one of the men, laughing. "this is a peculiar job for our firm to tackle. we've made a contract to paint out every sign in the district." "paint 'em out!" "yes, cover them up with new paint, and get rid of them." "but how about the advertisers? don't they own the spaces now?" "they did; but they've all been bought up. john merrick owns the spaces now, and we're working for john merrick." "who's he?" "some friend of mr. forbes, up at elmhurst." mr. hopkins was not a profane man, but he said a naughty word. and then he cut his horse so fiercely with the whip that the poor beast gave a neigh of terror, and started down the road at a gallop. chapter ix ol' will rogers beth had her folding table out in the rose garden where kenneth was working at his easel, and while the boy painted she wrote her campaign letters and "editorials." at first ken had resented the management of his campaign by his three girl friends; but soon he was grateful for their assistance and proud of their talents. it was at their own request that he refrained from any active work himself, merely appearing at the meetings they planned, where he made his speeches and impressed his hearers with his earnestness. he was really an excellent speaker, and his youth and enthusiasm counted much in his favor. he protested mildly when louise invited the women's political club to meet at elmhurst on thursday afternoon, but mr. watson assured him that this was an important play for popularity, so he promised to meet them. tables were to be spread upon the lawn, for the late october weather was mild and delightful, and louise planned to feed the women in a way that they would long remember. patsy had charge of the towns and louise of the country districts, but beth often aided louise, who had a great deal of territory to cover. the automobiles uncle john had ordered sent down were a great assistance to the girls, and enabled them to cover twice as much territory in a day as would have been done with horses. but, although they worked so tirelessly and earnestly, it was not all plain sailing with the girl campaigners. yet though they met with many rebuffs, they met very little downright impertinence. twice louise was asked to leave a house where she had attempted to make a proselyte, and once a dog was set upon beth by an irate farmer, who resented her automobile as much as he did her mission. as for patsy, she was often told in the towns that "a young girl ought to be in better business than mixing up in politics," and she was sensitive enough once or twice to cry over these reproaches when alone in her chamber. but she maintained a cheerful front; and, in truth, all the girls enjoyed their work immensely. while beth and kenneth were in the garden this sunny afternoon james came to say that a man wanted to see "one of the politics young ladies." "shall we send him about his business, beth?" asked the boy. "oh, no; we can't afford to lose a single vote. bring him here, james, please," said the girl. so presently a wizened little man in worn and threadbare garments, his hat in his hand, came slowly into the garden. his sunken cheeks were covered with stubby gray whiskers, his shoulders were stooped and bent from hard work, and his hands bore evidences of a life of toil. yet the eyes he turned upon beth, as she faced him had a wistful and pleading look that affected her strangely. "afternoon, miss," he said, in a hesitating voice. "i--i'm rogers, miss; ol' will rogers. i--i s'pose you hain't heerd o' me before." "i'm glad to meet you, mr. rogers," replied the girl in her pleasant voice. "have you come to see me about the election?" "it's--it's sump'n 'bout the 'lection, an' then agin it ain't. but i run the chanct o' seein' ye, because we're in desprit straits, an' nell advised that i hev a talk with ye. 'frank an' outright,' says nell. 'don't beat about the bush,' says she. 'go right to th' point an' they'll say yes or no." beth laughed merrily, and the boy smiled as he wielded his brush with delicate strokes. "ye mustn't mind me, miss," said will rogers, in a deprecating tone. "i'm--i'm sommut broke up an' discouraged, an' ain't th' man i used to be. nell knows that, an' she orter came herself; but it jes' made her cry to think o' it, an' so i says i'll come an' do the best i kin." beth was really interested now. "sit down on this bench, mr. rogers," she said, "and i'll listen to whatever you have to say." he sat down willingly, bent forward as he rested upon the garden bench, and twirled his hat slowly in his hands. "'taint easy, ye know, miss, to say some things, an' this is one o' the hardest," he began. "go on," said beth, encouragingly, for old will had suddenly stopped short and seemed unable to proceed. "they say, miss, as you folks is a-spendin' uv a lot o' money on this election, a-gittin' votes, an' sich like," he said, in an altered tone. "it costs a little to run a political campaign," acknowledged beth. "they say money's bein' poured out liken water--to git votes," he persisted. "well, mr. rogers?" "well, thet's how it started, ye see. we're so agonizin' poor, nell thought we orter git some o' the money while it's goin'." the girl was much amused. such frankness was both unusual and refreshing. "have you a vote to sell?" she asked. he did not answer at once, but sat slowly twirling his hat. "that's jet' what nell thought ye'd ask," he said, finally, "an' she knew if ye did it was all up with our plan. guess i'll be goin', miss." he rose slowly from his seat, but the girl did not intend to lose any of the fun this queer individual might yet furnish. "sit down, mr. rogers," she said, "and tell me why you can't answer my questions?" "i guess i'll hev to speak out an' tell all," said he, his voice trembling a little, "although i thought fer a minnit i could see my way without. i can't sell my vote, miss, 'cause i've been plannin' t'vote fer mr. forbes anyhow. but we wanted some uv th' money that's being wasted, an' we wanted it mighty bad." "why?" "thet's the hard part uv it, miss; but i'm goin' to tell you. did ye ever hear o' lucy?" "no, mr. rogers." "lucy's our girl--the on'y chick er child we ever had. she's a pretty girl, is lucy; a good deal liken her mother; wi' the same high spirits my nell had afore she broke down. mostly nell cries, nowadays." "yes. go on." "lucy had a schoolin', an' we worked hard to give it her, fer my land ain't much account, nohow. an' when she grew up she had more boys comin' to see her than any gal this side o' fairview, an' one o' 'em caught lucy's fancy. but she was too young to marry, an' she wanted to be earnin' money; so she got a job workin' fer doc squiers, over to elmwood. he's the dentist there, an' lucy helped with the housework an' kept the office slicked up, an' earned ev'ry penny she got." he stopped here, and looked vacantly around. beth tried to help the old man. "and then?" she asked, softly. "then come the trouble, miss. one day ol' mis' squiers, the doc's mother, missed a di'mon' ring. she laid it on the mantel an' it was gone, an' she said as lucy took it. lucy didn't take it, an' after they'd tried to make my gal confess as she was a thief they give 'er three days to hand up the ring or the money it was worth, or else they'd hev her arrested and sent t' jail. lucy didn't take it, ye know. she jes' _couldn't_ do sech a thing, natcherly." "i know," said beth, sympathetically. "so she comes home, heartbroken, an' told us about it, an' we didn't hev th' money nuther. it were sixty dollars they wanted, or th' ring; an' we didn't hev neither of 'em." "of course not." "well, tom come over thet night to see lucy, hearin' she was home, an'--" "who is tom?" "thet's tom gates, him thet--but i'm comin' to thet, miss. tom always loved lucy, an' wanted to marry her; but his folks is as poor as we are, so the young 'uns had to wait. tom worked at the mill over t' fairview--the big saw-mill where they make the lumber an' things." "i know." "he was the bookkeeper, fer tom had schoolin', too; an' he took private lessons in bookkeepin' from ol' cheeseman. so he had got hired at the mill, an' had a likely job, an' was doin' well. an' when tom heerd about lucy's trouble, an' thet she had only two days left before goin' to jail, he up an' says: 'i'll get the money, lucy: don' you worry a bit.' 'oh, tom!' says she, 'hev you got sixty dollars saved already?' 'i've got it, lucy,' says he, 'an' i'll go over tomorrow an' pay doc squiers. don' you worry any more. forget all about it.' well o' course, miss, that helped a lot. nell an' lucy both felt the disgrace of the thing, but it wouldn't be a public disgrace, like goin' to jail; so we was all mighty glad tom had that sixty dollars." "it was very fortunate," said beth, filling in another pause. "the nex' day tom were as good as his word. he paid doc squiers an' got a receipt an' giv it to lucy. then we thought th' trouble was over, but it had on'y just begun. monday mornin' tom was arrested over t' the mill fer passin' a forged check an' gettin' sixty dollars on it. lucy was near frantic with grief. she walked all the way to fairview, an' they let her see tom in the jail. he tol' her it was true he forged th' check, but he did it to save her. he was a man an' it wouldn't hurt fer him to go to jail so much as it would a girl. he said he was glad he did it, an' didn't mind servin' a sentence in prison. i think, miss, as tom meant thet--ev'ry word uv it. but lucy broke down under the thing an' raved an' cried, an' nuther nell ner i could do anything with her. she said she'd ruined tom's life an' all thet, an' she didn't want to live herself. then she took sick, an' nell an' i nursed her as careful as we could. how'n the wurld she ever got away we can't make out, nohow." "did she get away?" asked the girl, noting that the old man's eyes were full of tears and his lips trembling. "yes, miss. she's bin gone over ten days, now, an' we don't even know where to look fer her; our girl--our poor lucy. she ain't right in her head, ye know, or she'd never a done it. she'd never a left us like this in th' world. 'taint like our lucy." kenneth had turned around on his stool and was regarding old will rogers earnestly, brush and pallet alike forgotten. beth was trying to keep the tears out of her own eyes, for the old man's voice was even more pathetic than his words. "ten days ago!" said kenneth. "and she hasn't been found yet?" "we can't trace her anywhere, an' nell has broke down at las', an' don't do much but cry. it's hard, sir--i can't bear to see nell cry. she'd sich high sperrits, onct." "where's the boy tom?" asked kenneth, somewhat gruffly. "he's in the jail yet, waitin' to be tried. court don't set till next week, they say." "and where do you live, rogers?" "five miles up the fairview road. 'taint much of a place--nell says i've always bin a shif'les lot, an' i guess it's true. yesterday your hired men painted all the front o' my fence--painted it white--not only where th' signs was, but th' whole length of it. we didn't ask it done, but they jes' done it. i watched 'em, an' nell says if we on'y had th' money thet was wasted on thet paint an' labor, we might find our lucy. 'it's a shame,' says nell, 'all thet 'lection money bein' thrown away on paint when it might save our poor crazy child.' i hope it ain't wrong, sir; but thet's what i thought, too. so we laid plans fer me to come here today. ef i kin get a-hold o' any o' thet money honest, i want to do it." "have you got a horse?" asked kenneth. "not now. i owned one las' year, but he died on me an' i can't get another nohow." "did you walk here?" asked beth. "yes, miss; o' course. i've walked the hull county over a-tryin' to find lucy. i don' mind the walking much." there was another pause, while old will rogers looked anxiously at the boy and the girl, and they looked at each other. then beth took out her purse. "i want to hire your services to help us in the election," she said, briskly. "i'll furnish you a horse and buggy and you can drive around and talk with people and try to find lucy at the same time. this twenty dollars is to help you pay expenses. you needn't account for it; just help us as much as you can." the old man straightened up and his eyes filled again. "nell said if it was a matter o' charity i mustn't take a cent," he observed, in a low voice. '"it isn't charity. it's business. and now that we know your story we mean to help you find your girl. anyone would do that, you know. tell me, what is lucy like?" "she's like nell used to be." "but we don't know your wife. describe lucy as well as you can. is she tall?" "middlin', miss." "light or dark?" "heh?" "is her hair light or dark colored?" "middlin'; jes' middlin', miss." "well, is she stout or thin?" "i should say sorter betwixt an' between, miss." "how old is lucy?" "jes' turned eighteen, miss." "never mind, beth," interrupted the boy; "you won't learn much from old will's description. but we'll see what can be done tomorrow. call james and have him sent home in the rig he's going to use. it seems to me you're disposing rather freely of my horses and carts." "yes, ken. you've nothing to say about your belongings just now. but if you object to this plan--" "i don't. the girl must be found, and her father is more likely to find her than a dozen other searchers. he shall have the rig and welcome." so it was that will rogers drove back to his heartbroken wife in a smart top-buggy, with twenty dollars in his pocket and a heart full of wonder and thanksgiving. chapter x the forged check kenneth and beth refrained from telling the other girls or uncle john of old will rogers's visit, but they got mr. watson in the library and questioned him closely about the penalty for forging a check. it was a serious crime indeed, mr. watson told them, and tom gates bade fair to serve a lengthy term in state's prison as a consequence of his rash act. "but it was a generous act, too," said beth. "i can't see it in that light," said the old lawyer. "it was a deliberate theft from his employers to protect a girl he loved. i do not doubt the girl was unjustly accused. the squierses are a selfish, hard-fisted lot, and the old lady, especially, is a well known virago. but they could not have proven a case against lucy, if she was innocent, and all their threats of arresting her were probably mere bluff. so this boy was doubly foolish in ruining himself to get sixty dollars to pay an unjust demand." "he was soft-hearted and impetuous," said beth; "and, being in love, he didn't stop to count the cost." "that is no excuse, my dear," declared mr. watson. "indeed there is never an excuse for crime. the young man is guilty, and he must suffer the penalty." "is there no way to save him?" asked kenneth. "if the prosecution were withdrawn and the case settled with the victim of the forged check, then the young man would be allowed his freedom. but under the circumstances i doubt if such an arrangement could be made." "we're going to try it, anyhow," was the prompt decision. so as soon as breakfast was over the next morning beth and kenneth took one of the automobiles, the boy consenting unwillingly to this sort of locomotion because it would save much time. fairview was twelve miles away, but by ten o'clock they drew up at the county jail. they were received in the little office by a man named markham, who was the jailer. he was a round-faced, respectable appearing fellow, but his mood was distinctly unsociable. "want to see tom gates, eh? well! what for?" he demanded. "we wish to talk with him," answered kenneth. "talk! what's the good? you're no friend of tom gates. i can't be bothered this way, anyhow." "i am kenneth forbes, of elmhurst. i'm running for representative on the republican ticket," said kenneth, quietly. "oh, say! that's different," observed markham, altering his demeanor. "you mustn't mind my being gruff and grumpy, mr. forbes. i've just stopped smoking a few days ago, and it's got on my nerves something awful!" "may we see gates at once?" asked kenneth. "sure-ly! i'll take you to his cell, myself. it's just shocking how such a little thing as stoppin' smoking will rile up a fellow. come this way, please." they followed the jailer along a succession of passages. "smoked ever sence i was a boy, you know, an' had to stop last week because doc said it would kill me if i didn't," remarked the jailer, leading the way. "sometimes i'm that yearning for a smoke i'm nearly crazy, an' i dunno which is worst, dyin' one way or another. this is gates' cell--the best in the shop." he unlocked the door, and called: "here's visitors, tom." "thank you, mr. markham," replied a quiet voice, as a young man came forward from the dim interior of the cell. "how are you feeling, today?" "worse, tom; worse 'n ever," replied the jailer, gloomily. "well, stick it out, old man; don't give in." "i won't, tom. smokin' 'll kill me sure, an' there's a faint hope o' livin' through this struggle to give it up. this visitor is mr. forbes of elmhurst, an' the young lady is--" "miss degraf," said kenneth, noticing the boy's face critically, as he stood where the light from the passage fell upon it. "will you leave us alone, please, mr. markham?" "sure-ly, mr. forbes. you've got twenty minutes according to regulations. i'll come and get you then. sorry we haven't any reception room in the jail. all visits has to be made in the cells." then he deliberately locked kenneth and beth in with the forger, and retreated along the passage. "sit down, please," said gates, in a cheerful and pleasant voice. "there's a bench here." "we've come to inquire about your case, gates," said kenneth. "it seems you have forged a check." "yes, sir, i plead guilty, although i've been told i ought not to confess. but the fact is that i forged the check and got the money, and i'm willing to stand the consequences." "why did you do it?" asked beth. he was silent and turned his face away. a fresh, wholesome looking boy, was tom gates, with steady gray eyes, an intelligent forehead, but a sensitive, rather weak mouth. he was of sturdy, athletic build and dressed neatly in a suit that was of coarse material but well brushed and cared for. beth thought his appearance pleasing and manly. kenneth decided that he was ill at ease and in a state of dogged self-repression. "we have heard something of your story," said kenneth, "and are interested in it. but there is no doubt you have acted very foolishly." "do you know lucy, sir?" asked the young man. "no." "lucy is very proud. the thing was killing her, and i couldn't bear it. i didn't stop to think whether it was foolish or not. i did it; and i'm glad i did." "you have made her still more unhappy," said beth, gently. "yes; she'll worry about me, i know. i'm disgraced for life; but i've saved lucy from any disgrace, and she's young. she'll forget me before i've served my term, and--and take up with some other young fellow." "would you like that?" asked beth. "no, indeed," he replied, frankly. "but it will be best that way. i had to stand by lucy--she's so sweet and gentle, and so sensitive. i don't say i did right. i only say i'd do the same thing again." "couldn't her parents have helped her?" inquired kenneth. "no. old will is a fine fellow, but poor and helpless since mrs. rogers had her accident." "oh, did she have an accident?" asked beth. "yes. didn't you know? she's blind." "her husband didn't tell us that," said the girl. "he was fairly prosperous before that, for mrs. rogers was an energetic and sensible woman, and kept old will hard at work. one morning she tried to light the fire with kerosene, and lost her sight. then rogers wouldn't do anything but lead her around, and wait upon her, and the place went to rack and ruin." "i understand now," said beth. "lucy could have looked after her mother," said young bates, "but old will was stubborn and wouldn't let her. so the girl saw something must be done and went to work. that's how all the trouble came about." he spoke simply, but paced up and down the narrow cell in front of them. it was evident that his feelings were deeper than he cared to make evident. "whose name did you sign to the check?" asked kenneth. "that of john e. marshall, the manager of the mill. he is supposed to sign all the checks of the concern. it's a stock company, and rich. i was bookkeeper, so it was easy to get a blank check and forge the signature. as regards my robbing the company, i'll say that i saved them a heavy loss one day. i discovered and put out a fire that would have destroyed the whole plant. but marshall never even thanked me. he only discharged the man who was responsible for the fire." "how long ago were you arrested?" asked beth. "it's nearly two weeks now. but i'll have a trial in a few days, they say. my crime is so serious that the circuit judge has to sit on the case." "do you know where lucy is?" "she's at home, i suppose. i haven't heard from her since the day she came here to see me--right after my arrest." they did not think best to enlighten him at that time. it was better for him to think the girl unfeeling than to know the truth. "i'm going to see mr. marshall," said kenneth, "and discover what i can do to assist you." "thank you, sir. it won't be much, but i'm grateful to find a friend. i'm guilty, you know, and there's no one to blame but myself." they left him then, for the jailer arrived to unlock the door, and escort them to the office. "tom's a very decent lad," remarked the jailer, on the way. "he ain't a natural criminal, you know; just one o' them that gives in to temptation and is foolish enough to get caught. i've seen lots of that kind in my day. you don't smoke, do you, mr. forbes?" "no, mr. markham." "then don't begin it; or, if you do, never try to quit. it's--it's _awful_, it is. and it ruins a man's disposition." the mill was at the outskirts of the town. it was a busy place, perhaps the busiest in the whole of the eighth district, and in it were employed a large number of men. the office was a small brick edifice, separated from the main buildings, in which the noise of machinery was so great that one speaking could scarcely be heard. the manager was in, kenneth and beth learned, but could not see them until he had signed the letters he had dictated for the noon mail. so they sat on a bench until a summons came to admit them to mr. marshall's private office. he looked up rather ungraciously, but motioned them to be seated. "mr. forbes, of elmhurst?" he asked, glancing at the card kenneth had sent in. "yes, sir." "i've been bothered already over your election campaign," resumed the manager, arranging his papers in a bored manner. "some girl has been here twice to interview my men and i have refused to admit her. you may as well understand, sir, that i stand for the democratic candidate, and have no sympathy with your side." "that doesn't interest me, especially, sir," answered kenneth, smiling. "i'm not electioneering just now. i've come to talk with you about young gates." "oh. well, sir, what about him?" "i'm interested in the boy, and want to save him from prosecution." "he's a forger, mr. forbes; a deliberate criminal." "i admit that. but he's very young, and his youth is largely responsible for his folly." "he stole my money." "it is true, mr. marshall." "and he deserves a term in state's prison." "i agree to all that. nevertheless, i should like to save him," said kenneth. "his trial has not yet taken place, and instead of your devoting considerable of your valuable time appearing against him it would be much simpler to settle the matter right here and now." "in what way, mr. forbes?" "i'll make your money loss good." "it has cost me twice sixty dollars in annoyance." "i can well believe it, sir. i'll pay twice sixty dollars for the delivery to me of the forged check, and the withdrawal of the prosecution." "and the costs?" "i'll pay all the costs besides." "you're foolish. why should you do all this?" "i have my own reasons, mr. marshall. please look at the matter from a business standpoint. if you send the boy to prison you will still suffer the loss of the money. by compromising with me you can recover your loss and are paid for your annoyance." "you're right. give me a check for a hundred and fifty, and i'll turn over to you the forged check and quash further proceedings." kenneth hesitated a moment. he detested the grasping disposition that would endeavor to take advantage of his evident desire to help young gates. he had hoped to find mr. marshall a man of sympathy; but the manager was as cold as an icicle. beth, uneasy at his silence, nudged him. "pay it, ken," she whispered. "very well, mr. marshall," said he, "i accept your terms." the check was written and handed over, and marshall took the forged check from his safe and delivered it, with the other papers in the case, to mr. forbes. he also wrote a note to his lawyer directing him to withdraw the prosecution. kenneth and beth went away quite happy with their success, and the manager stood in his little window and watched them depart. there was a grim smile of amusement on his shrewd face. "of all the easy marks i ever encountered," muttered mr. marshall, "this young forbes is the easiest. why, he's a fool, that's what he is. he might have had that forged check for the face of it, if he'd been sharp. you wouldn't catch 'rast hopkins doing such a fool stunt. not in a thousand years!" meantime beth was pressing kenneth's arm as she sat beside him and saying happily: "i'm so glad, ken--so glad! and to think we can save all that misery and despair by the payment of a hundred and fifty dollars! and now we must find the girl." "yes," replied the boy, cheerfully, "we must find lucy." chapter xi a mysterious disappearance a woman was sitting in a low room, engaged in knitting. her feet were stretched out toward a small fire that smouldered in an open hearth. she wore a simple calico gown, neat and well-fitting, and her face bore traces of much beauty that time and care had been unable wholly to efface. suddenly she paused in her work, her head turned slightly to one side to listen. "come in, sir," she called in a soft but distinct voice; "come in, miss." so kenneth and beth entered at the half-open porch door and advanced into the room. "is this mrs. rogers?" asked beth, looking at the woman curiously. the woman's eyes were closed, but the lashes fell in graceful dark curves over her withered cheeks. the girl wondered how she had been able to know her visitors' sex so accurately. "yes, i am mrs. rogers," said the sweet, sad voice. "and i think you are one of the young ladies from elmhurst--perhaps the one will talked to." "you are right, mrs. rogers. i am elizabeth degraf." "and your companion--is it mr. forbes?" the woman asked. "yes, madam," replied kenneth, astonished to find will's wife speaking with so much refinement and gracious ease. "you are very welcome. will you please find seats? my affliction renders me helpless, as you may see." "we are very comfortable, i assure you, mrs. rogers," said beth. "we have come to ask if you have heard anything of your daughter." "not a word as yet, miss degraf, will is out with the horse and buggy doing his best to get information. but lucy has been gone so long now that i realize it will be difficult to find her, if, indeed, the poor girl has not--is not--" her voice broke. "oh, you don't fear _that_, do you, mrs. rogers?" asked beth, quickly. "i fear anything--everything!" wailed the poor creature, the tears streaming from between her closed lids. "my darling was frantic with grief, and she couldn't bear the humiliation and disgrace of her position. will told you, didn't he?" "yes, of course. but it wasn't so bad, mrs. rogers; it wasn't a desperate condition, by any means." "with poor tom in prison for years--and just for trying to help her." "tom isn't in prison, you know, any more," said beth quietly. "he has been released." "released! when?" "last evening. his fault has been forgiven, and he is now free." the woman sat silent for a time. then she asked: "you have done this, mr. forbes?" "why, miss degraf and i assisted, perhaps. the young man is not really bad, and--" "tom's a fine boy!" she cried, with eagerness. "he's honest and true, mr. forbes--he is, indeed!" "i think so," said kenneth. "if he wasn't my lucy would never have loved him. he had a bright future before him, sir, and that's why my child went mad when he ruined his life for her sake." "was she mad, do you think?" asked beth, softly. "she must have been," said the mother, sadly. "lucy was a sensible girl, and until this thing happened she was as bright and cheerful as the day is long. but she is very sensitive--she inherited that from me, i think--and tom's action drove her distracted. at first she raved and rambled incoherently, and will and i feared brain fever would set in. then she disappeared in the night, without leaving a word or message for us, which was unlike her--and we've never heard a word of her since. the--the river has a strange fascination for people in that condition. at times in my life it has almost drawn _me_ into its depths--and i am not mad. i have never been mad." "let us hope for the best, mrs. rogers," said beth. "somehow, i have an idea this trouble will all turn out well in the end." "have you?" asked the woman, earnestly. "yes. it all came about through such a little thing--merely an unjust accusation." "the little things are the ones that ruin lives," she said. "will you let me tell you something of myself? you have been so kind to us, my dear, that i feel you ought to know." "i shall be glad to know whatever you care to tell me," said beth, simply. "i am the wife of a poor farmer," began the woman, speaking softly and with some hesitation, but gaining strength as she proceeded. "as a girl i was considered attractive, and my father was a man of great wealth and social standing. we lived in baltimore. then i fell in love with a young man who, after obtaining my promise to marry him, found some one he loved better and carelessly discarded me. as i have said, i have a sensitive nature. in my girlhood i was especially susceptible to any slight, and this young man's heartless action made it impossible for me to remain at home and face the humiliation he had thrust upon me. my father was a hard man, and demanded that i marry the man he had himself chosen; but i resented this command and ran away. my mother had passed on long before, and there was nothing to keep me at home. i came west and secured a position to teach school in this county, and for a time i was quite contented and succeeded in living down my disappointment. i heard but once from my father. he had married again and disinherited me. he forbade me to ever communicate with him again. "at that time will rogers was one of the most promising and manly of the country lads around here. he was desperately in love with me, and at this period, when i seemed completely cut off from my old life and the future contained no promise, i thought it best to wear out the remainder of my existence in the seclusion of a farm-house. i put all the past behind me, and told will rogers i would marry him and be a faithful wife; but that my heart was dead. he accepted me on that condition, and it was not until after we were married some time that my husband realized how impossible it would ever be to arouse my affection. then he lost courage, and became careless and reckless. when our child came--our lucy--will was devoted to her, and the baby wakened in me all the old passionate capacity to love. lucy drew will and me a little closer together, but he never recovered his youthful ambition. he was a disappointed man, and went from bad to worse. i don't say will hasn't always been tender and true to me, and absolutely devoted to lucy. but he lost all hope of being loved as he loved me, and the disappointment broke him down. he became an old man early in life, and his lack of energy kept us very poor. i used to take in sewing before the accident to my eyes, and that helped a good deal to pay expenses. but now i am helpless, and my husband devotes all his time to me, although i beg him to work the farm and try to earn some money. "i wouldn't have minded the poverty; i wouldn't mind being blind, even, if lucy had been spared to me. i have had to bear so much in my life that i could even bear my child's death. but to have her disappear and not know what has become of her--whether she is living miserably or lying at the bottom of the river--it is this that is driving me distracted." kenneth and beth remained silent for a time after mrs. rogers had finished her tragic story, for their hearts were full of sympathy for the poor woman. it was hard to realize that a refined, beautiful and educated girl had made so sad a mistake of her life and suffered so many afflictions as a consequence. that old will had never been a fitting mate for his wife could readily be understood, and yet the man was still devoted to his helpless, unresponsive spouse. the fault was not his. the boy and the girl both perceived that there was but one way they could assist mrs. rogers, and that was to discover what had become of her child. "was lucy like you, or did she resemble her father?" asked beth. "she is--she was very like me when i was young," replied the woman. "there is a photograph of her on the wall there between the windows; but it was taken five years ago, when she was a child. now she is--she was eighteen, and a well-developed young woman." "i've been looking at the picture," said kenneth. "and you mustn't think of her as dead, mrs. rogers," said beth, pleadingly. "i'm sure she is alive, and that we shall find her. we're going right to work, and everything possible shall be done to trace your daughter. don't worry, please. be as cheerful as you can, and leave the search to us." the woman sighed. "will believes she is alive, too," she said. "he can't sleep or rest till he finds her, for my husband loves her as well as i do. but sometimes i feel it's wicked to hope she is alive. i know what she suffers, for i suffered, myself; and life isn't worth living when despair and disappointment fills it." "i cannot see why lucy shouldn't yet be happy," protested beth. "tom gates is now free, and can begin life anew." "his trouble will follow him everywhere," said mrs. rogers, with conviction. "who will employ a bookkeeper, or even a clerk who has been guilty of forgery?" "i think i shall give him employment," replied kenneth. "you, mr. forbes!" "yes. i'm not afraid of a boy who became a criminal to save the girl he loved." "but all the world knows of his crime!" she exclaimed. "the world forgets these things sooner than you suppose," he answered. "i need a secretary, and in that position tom gates will quickly be able to live down this unfortunate affair. and if he turns out as well as i expect, he will soon be able to marry lucy and give her a comfortable home. so now nothing remains but to find your girl, and we'll try to do that, i assure you." mrs. rogers was crying softly by this time, but it was from joy and relief. when they left her she promised to be as cheerful as possible and to look on the bright side of life. "i can't thank you," she said, "so i won't try. you must know how grateful we are to you." as beth and kenneth drove back to elmhurst they were both rather silent, for they had been strongly affected by the scene at the farm-house. "it's so good of you, ken, to take tom gates into your employ," said the girl, pressing her cousin's arm. "and i'm sure he'll be true and grateful." "i really need him, beth," said the boy. "there is getting to be too much correspondence for mr. watson to attend to, and i ought to relieve him of many other details. it's a good arrangement, and i'm glad i thought of it." they had almost reached elmhurst when they met the honorable erastus hopkins driving along the road. on the seat beside him was a young girl, and as the vehicles passed each other beth gave a start and clung to the boy's arm. "oh, ken!" she cried, "did you see? did you see that?" "yes; it's my respected adversary." "but the girl! it's lucy--i'm sure it's lucy! she's the living image of mrs. rogers! stop--stop--and let's go back!" "nonsense, beth," said the boy. "it can't be." "but it is. i'm sure it is!" "i saw the girl," he said. "she was laughing gaily and talking with the honorable erastus. is that your idea of the mad, broken-hearted lucy rogers?" "n-no. she _was_ laughing, ken, i noticed it." "and she wasn't unhappy a bit. you mustn't think that every pretty girl with dark eyes you meet is lucy rogers, you know. and there's another thing." "what, ken?" "any companion of mr. hopkins can be easily traced." "that's true," answered the girl, thoughtfully. "i must have been mistaken," she added, with a sigh. chapter xii beth meets a rebuff the campaign was now growing warm. mr. hopkins had come to realize that he had "the fight of his life" on his hands, and that defeat meant his political ruin. close-fisted and miserly as he was, no one knew so well as the honorable erastus how valuable this position of representative was to him in a financial way, and that by winning re-election he could find means to reimburse himself for all he had expended in the fight. so, to the surprise of the democratic committee and all his friends, mr. hopkins announced that he would oppose forbes's aggressive campaign with an equal aggressiveness, and spend as many dollars in doing so as might be necessary. he did not laugh at his opponents any longer. to himself he admitted their shrewdness and activity and acknowledged that an experienced head was managing their affairs. one of mr. hopkins's first tasks after calling his faithful henchmen around him was to make a careful canvass of the voters of his district, to see what was still to be accomplished. this canvass was quite satisfactory, for final report showed only about a hundred majority for forbes. the district was naturally republican by six hundred majority, and hopkins had previously been elected by a plurality of eighty-three; so that all the electioneering of the girl politicians, and the expenditure of vast sums of money in painting fences and barns, buying newspapers and flaunting forbes banners in the breezes, had not cut into the hopkins following to any serious extent. but, to offset this cheering condition, the democratic agents who made the canvass reported that there was an air of uncertainty throughout the district, and that many of those who declared for hopkins were lukewarm and faint-hearted, and might easily be induced to change their votes. this was what must be prevented. the "weak-kneed" contingency must be strengthened and fortified, and a couple of hundred votes in one way or another secured from the opposition. the democratic committee figured out a way to do this. monroe county, where both forbes and hopkins resided, was one of the democratic strongholds of the state. the portions of washington and jefferson counties included in the eighth district were as strongly republican, and being more populous gave to the district its natural republican majority. on the same ticket that was to elect a representative to the state legislature was the candidate for sheriff of monroe county. a man named cummings was the republican and seth reynolds, the liveryman, the democratic nominee. under ordinary conditions reynolds was sure to be elected, but the committee proposed to sacrifice him in order to elect hopkins. the democrats would bargain with the republicans to vote for the republican sheriff if the republicans would vote for the democratic representative. this "trading votes," which was often done, was considered by the politicians quite legitimate. the only thing necessary was to "fix" seth reynolds, and this hopkins arranged personally. the office of sheriff would pay about two thousand a year, and this sum hopkins agreed to pay the liveryman and so relieve him of all the annoyance of earning it. reynolds saw the political necessity of this sacrifice, and consented readily to the arrangement. mr. cummings, who was to profit by the deal, was called to a private consultation and agreed to slaughter kenneth forbes to secure votes for himself. it was thought that this clever arrangement would easily win the fight for hopkins. but the honorable erastus had no intention of "taking chances," or "monkeying with fate," as he tersely expressed it. every scheme known to politicians must be worked, and none knew the intricate game better than hopkins. this was why he held several long conferences with his friend marshall, the manager at the mill. and this was why kenneth and beth discovered him conversing with the young woman in the buggy. mr. hopkins had picked her up from the path leading from the rear gate of the elmhurst grounds, and she had given him accurate information concerning the movements of the girl campaigners. the description she gave of the coming reception to the woman's political league was so humorous and diverting that they were both laughing heartily over the thing when the young people passed them, and thus mr. hopkins failed to notice who the occupants of the other vehicle were. he talked for an hour with the girl, gave her explicit instructions, thrust some money into her hand, and then drove her back to the bend in the path whence she quickly made her way up to the great house. louise was making great preparations to entertain the woman's political league, an organization she had herself founded, the members of which were wives of farmers in the district. these women were flattered by the attention of the young lady and had promised to assist in electing mr. forbes. louise hoped for excellent results from this organization and wished the entertainment to be so effective in winning their good-will that they would work earnestly for the cause in which they were enlisted. patsy and beth supported their cousin loyally and assisted in the preparations. the fairview band was engaged to discourse as much harmony as it could produce, and the resources of the great house were taxed to entertain the guests. tables were spread on the lawn and a dainty but substantial repast was to be served. the day of the entertainment was as sunny and mild as heart could desire. by ten o'clock the farm wagons began to drive up, loaded with women and children, for all were invited except the grown men. this was the first occasion within a generation when such an entertainment had been given at elmhurst, and the only one within the memory of man where the neighbors and country people had been invited guests. so all were eager to attend and enjoy the novel event. the gardens and grounds were gaily decorated with chinese and japanese lanterns, streamers and forbes banners. there were great tanks of lemonade, and tables covered with candies and fruits for the children, and maids and other servants distributed the things and looked after the comfort of the guests. the band played briskly, and before noon the scene was one of great animation. a speakers' stand, profusely decorated, had been erected on the lawn, and hundreds of folding chairs provided for seats. the attendance was unexpectedly large, and the girls were delighted, foreseeing great success for their fête. "we ought to have more attendants, beth," said louise, approaching her cousin. "won't you run into the house and see if martha can't spare one or two more maids?" beth went at once, and found the housekeeper in her little room. martha was old and somewhat feeble in body, but her mind was still active and her long years of experience in directing the household at elmhurst made her a very useful and important personage. she was very fond of the young ladies, whom she had known when aunt jane was the mistress here, and beth was her especial favorite. so she greeted the girl cordially, and said: "maids? my dear, i haven't another one to give you, and my legs are too tottering to be of any use. i counted on eliza parsons, the new girl i hired for the linen room and to do mending; but eliza said she had a headache this morning and couldn't stand the sun, so i let her off. but she didn't seem very sick to me." "perhaps she is better and will help us until after the luncheon is served," said beth. "where is she, martha? i'll go and ask her." "i'd better show you the way, miss. she's in her own room." the housekeeper led the way and beth followed. when she rapped upon the door, a sweet, quiet voice said: "come in." the girl entered, and gave an involuntary cry of surprise. standing before her was the young girl she had seen riding with mr. hopkins--the girl she had declared to be the missing daughter of mrs. rogers. for a moment beth stood staring, while the new maid regarded her with composure and a slight smile upon her beautiful face. she was dressed in the regulation costume of the maids at elmhurst, a plain black gown with white apron and cap. "i--i beg your pardon," said beth, with a slight gasp; for the likeness to mrs. rogers was something amazing. "aren't you lucy rogers?" the maid raised her eyebrows with a gesture of genuine surprise. then she gave a little laugh, and replied: "no, miss beth. i'm elizabeth parsons." "but it can't be," protested the girl. "how do you know my name, and why haven't i seen you here before?" "i'm not a very important person at elmhurst," replied eliza, in a pleasant, even tone. "i obtained the situation only a few days ago. i attend to the household mending, you know, and care for the linen. but one can't be here without knowing the names of the young ladies, so i recognize you as miss beth, one of mr. forbes's cousins." "you speak like an educated person," said beth, wonderingly. "where is your home?" for the first time the maid seemed a little confused, and her gaze wandered from the face of her visitor. "will you excuse my answering that question?" she asked. "it is very simple and natural," persisted beth. "why cannot you answer it?" "excuse me, please. i--i am not well today. i have a headache." she sat down in a rocking chair, and clasping her hands in her lap, rocked slowly back and forth. "i'm sorry," said beth. "i hoped you would be able to assist me on the lawn. there are so many people that we can't give them proper attention." eliza parsons shook her head. "i am not able," she declared. "i abhor crowds. they--they excite me, in some way, and i--i can't bear them. you must excuse me." beth looked at the strange girl without taking the hint to retire. somehow, she could not rid herself of the impression that whether or not she was mistaken in supposing eliza to be the missing lucy, she had stumbled upon a sphinx whose riddle was well worth solving. but eliza bore the scrutiny with quiet unconcern. she even seemed mildly amused at the attention she attracted. beth was a beautiful girl--the handsomest of the three cousins, by far; yet eliza surpassed her in natural charm, and seemed well aware of the fact. her manner was neither independent nor assertive, but rather one of well-bred composure and calm reliance. beth felt that she was intruding and knew that she ought to go; yet some fascination held her to the spot. her eyes wandered to the maid's hands. however her features and form might repress any evidence of nervousness, these hands told a different story. the thin fingers clasped and unclasped in little spasmodic jerks and belied the quiet smile upon the face above them. "i wish," said beth, slowly, "i knew you." a sudden wave of scarlet swept over eliza's face. she rose quickly to her feet, with an impetuous gesture that made her visitor catch her breath. "i wish i knew myself," she cried, fiercely. "why do you annoy me in this manner? what am i to you? will you leave me alone in my own room, or must i go away to escape you?" "i will go," said beth, a little frightened at the passionate appeal. eliza closed the door behind her with a decided slam, and a key clicked in the lock. the sound made beth indignant, and she hurried back to where her cousins were busy with the laughing, chattering throng of visitors. chapter xiii the boomerang the lawn fête was a tremendous success, and every farmer's wife was proud of her satin badge bearing the monogram: "w. p. l.," and the words: "forbes for representative." certain edibles, such as charlotte-russe, spanish cream, wine jellies and mousses, to say nothing of the caviars and anchovies, were wholly unknown to them; but they ate the dainties with a wise disregard of their inexperience and enjoyed them immensely. the old butler was a general in his way, and in view of the fact that the staff of servants at elmhurst was insufficient to cope with such a throng, he allowed louise to impress several farmers' daughters into service, and was able to feed everyone without delay and in an abundant and satisfactory manner. after luncheon began the speech-making, interspersed with music by the band. louise made the preliminary address, and, although her voice was not very strong, the silent attention of her hearers permitted her to be generally understood. she called attention to the fact that this campaign was important because it promised more beautiful and attractive houses for the farmers and townsmen alike. "we had all grown so accustomed to advertising signs," she said, "that we failed to notice how thick they were becoming or how bold and overpowering. from a few scattered announcements on fence boards, they had crowded themselves into more prominent places until the barns and sheds and the very rocks were daubed with glaring letters asking us to buy the medicines, soaps, tobaccos, and other wares the manufacturers were anxious to sell. every country road became an advertising avenue. scarcely a country house was free from signs of some sort. yet the people tamely submitted to this imposition because they knew no way to avoid it. when mr. forbes began his campaign to restore the homesteads to their former beauty and dignity, a cry was raised against him. but this was because the farmers did not understand how much this reform meant to them. so we gave them an object lesson. we painted out all the signs in this section at our own expense, that you might see how much more beautiful your homes are without them. we believe that none of you will ever care to allow advertising signs on your property again, and that the quiet refinement of this part of the country will induce many other places to follow our example, until advertisers are forced to confine themselves to newspapers, magazines and circulars, their only legitimate channels. this much mr. forbes has already done for you, and he will now tell you what else, if he is elected, he proposes to do." kenneth then took the platform and was welcomed with a hearty cheer. he modestly assured them that a representative in the state legislature could accomplish much good for his district if he honestly desired to do so. that was what a representative was for--to represent his people. it was folly to elect any man who would forget that duty and promote only his own interests through the position of power to which the people had appointed him. mr. forbes admitted that he had undertaken this campaign because he was opposed to offensive advertising signs; but now he had become interested in other issues, and was anxious to be elected so that he could carry on the work of reform. they needed more school-houses for their children, and many other things which he hoped to provide as their representative. during this oration beth happened to glance up at the house, and her sharp eyes detected the maid, eliza, standing shielded behind the half-closed blind of an upper window and listening to, as well as watching, the proceedings below. then she remembered how the girl had been laughing and talking with mr. hopkins, when she first saw her, and with sudden dismay realized that eliza was a spy in the service of the enemy. her first impulse was to denounce the maid at once, and have her discharged; but the time was not opportune, so she waited until the festivities were ended. it had been a great day for the families of the neighboring farmers, and they drove homeward in the late afternoon full of enthusiasm over the royal manner in which they had been entertained and admiration for the girls who had provided the fun and feasting. indeed, there were more kindly thoughts expressed for the inhabitants of elmhurst than had ever before been heard in a single day in the history of the county, and the great and the humble seemed more closely drawn together. when the last guest had departed beth got her cousins and kenneth together and told them of her discovery of the spy. kenneth was at first greatly annoyed, and proposed to call martha and have the false maid ejected from the premises; but patsy's wise little head counselled caution in handling the matter. "now that we know her secret," she said, "the girl cannot cause us more real harm, and there may be a way to circumvent this unscrupulous hopkins and turn the incident to our own advantage. let's think it over carefully before we act." "there's another thing," said beth, supporting her cousin. "i'm interested in the mystery surrounding the girl. i now think i was wrong in suspecting her to be the lost lucy rogers; but there is surely some romance connected with her, and she is not what she seems to be. i'd like to study her a little." "it was absurd to connect her with lucy rogers," observed kenneth, "for there is nothing in her character to remind one of the unhappy girl." "except her looks," added beth. "she's the living image of mrs. rogers." "that isn't important," replied louise. "it is probably a mere coincidence. none of us have ever seen the real lucy, and she may not resemble her mother at all." "mrs. rogers claims she does," said beth. "but anyhow, i have a wish to keep this girl at the house, where i can study her character." "then keep her, my dear," decided kenneth. "i'll set a couple of men to watch the gates, and if she goes out we'll know whom she meets. the most she can do is to report our movements to mr. hopkins, and there's no great harm in that." so the matter was left, for the time; and as if to verify beth's suspicions eliza was seen to leave the grounds after dusk and meet mr. hopkins in the lane. they conversed together a few moments, and then the maid calmly returned and went to her room. the next day mr. hopkins scattered flaring hand-bills over the district which were worded in a way designed to offset any advantage his opponent had gained from the lawn fête of the previous day. they read: "hopkins, the man of the times, is the champion of the signs of the times. forbes, who never earned a dollar in his life, but inherited his money, is trying to take the dollars out of the pockets of the farmers by depriving them of the income derived by selling spaces for advertising signs. he is robbing the farmers while claiming he wants to beautify their homes. the farmers can't eat beauty; they want money. therefore they are going to vote for the honorable erastus hopkins for representative." then followed an estimate of the money paid the farmers of the district by the advertisers during the past five years, amounting to several thousands of dollars in the aggregate. the circular ended in this way: "hopkins challenges forbes to deny these facts. hopkins is willing to meet forbes before the public at any time and place he may select, to settle this argument in joint debate." the girls accepted the challenge at once. within two days every farmer had received a notice that mr. forbes would meet mr. hopkins at the fairview opera house on saturday afternoon to debate the question as to whether advertising signs brought good or evil to the community. the campaign was now getting hot. because of the activity of the opposing candidates every voter in the district had become more or less interested in the fight, and people were taking one side or the other with unusual earnestness. mr. hopkins was not greatly pleased that his challenge had been accepted. he had imagined that the forbes party would ignore it and leave him the prestige of crowing over his opponent's timidity. but he remembered how easily he had subdued kenneth at the school-house meeting before the nominations, and had no doubt of his ability to repeat the operation. he was much incensed against the girls who were working for kenneth forbes, for he realized that they were proving an important factor in the campaign. he even attributed to them more than they deserved, for uncle john's telling activities were so quietly conducted that he was personally lost sight of entirely by mr. hopkins. mr. hopkins had therefore become so enraged that, against the advice of his friends, he issued a circular sneering at "women in politics." the newspapers having been subsidized by the opposition so early in the game, mr. hopkins had driven to employ the circular method of communicating with the voters. scarcely a day passed now that his corps of distributors did not leave some of his literature at every dwelling in the district. his tirade against the girls was neither convincing nor in good taste. he asked the voters if they were willing to submit to "petticoat government," and permit a "lot of boarding-school girls, with more boldness than modesty" to dictate the policies of the community. "these frizzle-headed females," continued the circular, "are trying to make your wives and daughters as rebellious and unreasonable as they are themselves; but no man of sense will permit a woman to influence his vote. it is a disgrace to this district that mr. forbes allows his girlish campaign to be run by a lot of misses who should be at home darning stockings; or, if they were not able to do that, practicing their music-lessons." "good!" exclaimed shrewd miss patsy, when she read this circular. "if i'm not much mistaken, mr. hopkins has thrown a boomerang. every woman who attended the fête is now linked with us as an ally, and every one of them will resent this foolish circular." "i'm sorry," said kenneth, "that you girls should be forced to endure this. i feared something like it when you insisted on taking a hand in the game." but they laughed at him and at mr. hopkins, and declared they were not at all offended. "one cannot touch pitch without being defiled," said mr. watson, gravely, "and politics, as mr. hopkins knows it, is little more than pitch." "i cannot see that there is anything my girls have done to forfeit respect and admiration," asserted uncle john, stoutly. "to accuse them of boldness or immodesty is absurd. they have merely gone to work in a business-like manner and used their wits and common-sense in educating the voters. really, my dears, i'm more proud of you today than i've ever been before," he concluded. and uncle john was right. there had been no loss of dignity by any one of the three, and their evident refinement, as well as their gentleness and good humor, had until now protected them from any reproach. it had remained for mr. hopkins to accuse them, and his circular had a wide influence in determining the issue of the campaign. chapter xiv lucy's ghost kenneth had sent word to tom gates, asking the young man to come to elmhurst, but it was not until two days after the lawn party that tom appeared and asked permission to see mr. forbes. beth and louise were with kenneth at the time, and were eager to remain during the interview, so the young man was shown into the library. beth could scarcely recognize in him the calm and cheerful tom gates they had visited in the county jail; for his face was drawn with care and anxiety, eyes were bloodshot, and his former neat appearance was changed to one careless and untidy. kenneth scrutinized him closely. "what have you been up to, tom?" he asked. "i've been searching for lucy, sir, night and day. i haven't slept a wink since i heard the awful news of her sickness and escape. where do you think she can be, sir?" his question was full of agonized entreaty, and his manner pitifully appealing. "i don't know," answered kenneth. "where have you searched?" "everywhere, sir, that she might be likely to go. i've inquired in every town, and along every road leading out of the county. she didn't take a train, because poor lucy hadn't any money--and i've asked at all the stations. and--and--along the river they say no girl answering her description has been seen." "it's strange," remarked kenneth, thoughtfully, while the girls regarded the youth with silent sympathy. "if you knew lucy, sir, you'd realize how strange it is," went on young gates, earnestly. "she was such a gentle, shrinking girl, as shy and retiring as a child. and she never did a thing that would cause anyone the least worry or unhappiness. but she was out of her head, sir, and didn't know what she was about. that was the reason she went away. and from the moment she left her home all trace of her was lost." "one would think," observed kenneth, "that a poor, demented girl, wandering about the country, would be noticed by scores of people. did she take any clothing with her?" "only the dress she had on, sir, and not even a hat or a shawl." "what was her dress like?" asked beth, quickly. "it was a light grey in color, and plainly made. she wore a white collar, but that is all we can be certain she had on. you see her mother is blind, and old will doesn't observe very closely." "does lucy resemble her mother?" inquired beth. "very much, miss. she was a beautiful girl, everyone acknowledged. and it's all my fault--all my fault. i thought to save her, and drove her mad, instead!" "you might have known that," declared kenneth. "a girl of her character, sensitive to a fault, would be greatly shocked to find the man she loved a criminal." "it was for her sake." "that is a poor excuse. if you had waited lucy would have proved her innocence." "they threatened to arrest her, sir. it would have killed her." "they wouldn't dare arrest her on suspicion." "the squierses would dare do anything. you don't know old mrs. squiers." "i know the law, sir, and in any event it was a foolish thing, as well as criminal, to forge a check to get the money they demanded." "you are right, sir," replied tom gates, despondently. "it was foolish and criminal. i wouldn't mind my own punishment, but it drove my lucy mad." "see here," said kenneth, sternly, "you are getting morbid, young man, and pretty soon you'll be mad yourself. if lucy is found do you want her to see you in this condition?" "can she be found, sir, do you think?" "we are trying to find her," replied kenneth. "you have failed, it seems, and will rogers had failed. i've had one of the cleverest detectives of chicago trying to find her for the last three days." "oh, kenneth!" exclaimed beth. "i didn't know that. how good of you!" "it must have been the detective that came to see mrs. rogers," said tom, musingly. "she told me a strange man had been there from mr. forbes, to inquire all about lucy." "yes; he makes a report to me every evening," remarked kenneth; "and mr. burke says this is the most mystifying case he has ever encountered. so far there isn't a clew to follow. but you may rest assured that what any man can do, burke will do." "i'm so grateful, sir!" said tom. "then you must show it by being a man, and not by giving way to your trouble in this foolish manner." "i'll try, sir, now that there's something to hope for." "there's a good deal to hope for. despair won't help you. you must go to work." "i will. it won't be very easy to get work, for i've disgraced myself in this neighborhood, and i can't leave here till something is known of lucy's fate. but i'll do something--any kind of work--if i can get it." "i need someone to assist me in my correspondence," said kenneth. "would you like to be my secretary?" "me, mr. forbes--me!" "yes, tom. i'll pay you twenty dollars a week to start with, and more if you serve me faithfully. and you'll board here, of course." then tom gates broke down and began to cry like a child, although he tried hard to control himself. "you--you must forgive me, mr. forbes," he said, penitently; "i--i've been without sleep for so long that i haven't any nerves left." "then you must go to sleep now, and get a good rest." he turned to beth. "will you see martha," he asked, "and have her give tom gates a room?" she went on her errand at once, and gradually the young man recovered his composure. "i can do typewriting and stenography, mr. forbes," he said, "and i can keep accounts. i'll serve you faithfully, sir." "we'll talk of all this by and by, tom," replied kenneth, kindly. "just now you must have some sleep and get your strength back. and don't worry about lucy. burke will do everything that can be done, and i am confident he will be able to trace the girl in time." "thank you, sir." then he followed the butler away to his room, and after the girls had discussed him and expressed their sympathy for the unfortunate fellow, they all turned their attention to the important matter of the campaign. the debate with hopkins was the thing that occupied them just now, and when patsy joined the group of workers they began to discuss some means of scoring a decisive victory at the fairview opera house. the honorable erastus still insisted upon making the anti-sign fight the prominent issue of the campaign, and they must reply forcibly to the misleading statements made in his last hand-bill. meantime tom gates was sunk in the deep sleep of physical exhaustion, and the day wore away before he wakened. when at last he regained consciousness he found the sun sinking in the west and feared he had been guilty of indiscretion. he remembered that he was mr. forbes's secretary now, and that mr. forbes might want him. he was not yet thoroughly rested, but night was approaching and he reflected that he could obtain all the sleep that he needed then. so, greatly refreshed, and in a quieter mood than he had been for days, the young man dressed and entered the hall to find his way downstairs. it happened that beth, whose room was near this rear corridor, had just gone there to dress for dinner, and as she was closing her door she heard a wild, impassioned cry: "lucy!" quickly she sprang out into the hall and turned the corner in time to see a strange tableau. young gates was standing with his arms outstretched toward eliza parsons, who, a few paces away, had her back to the door of her own chamber, from which she had evidently just stepped. she stood motionless, looking curiously at the youth who confronted her. "lucy! don't you know me?" he asked, his voice trembling with emotion. "to begin with," said the girl, composedly, "my name happens to be eliza. and as we've not been properly introduced i really don't see why i should know you," she added, with a light laugh. tom gates shrank away from her as if he had been struck. "you can't be lucy!" he murmured. "and yet--and yet--oh, you _must_ be lucy! you must know me! look at me, dear--i'm tom. i'm your own tom, lucy!" "it's very gratifying, i'm sure, young man," said the girl, a touch of scorn in her tones. "if you're my own tom you'll perhaps stand out of my way and let me go to my work." without another word he backed up again; the wall and permitted her to sweep by him, which she did with a gesture of disdain. when eliza parsons had disappeared down the back stairs beth drew a long breath and approached tom gates, who still stood by the wall staring at the place where the girl had disappeared. "i overheard," said beth. "tell me, tom, is she really like lucy?" he looked at her with a dazed expression, as if he scarcely comprehended her words. "could you have been mistaken?" persisted the questioner. he passed his hand over his eyes and gave a shudder. "either it was lucy or her ghost," he muttered. "eliza parsons is no ghost," declared beth. "she's one of the maids here at elmhurst, and you're quite likely to see her again." "has she been here long?" he asked, eagerly. "no; only a few days." "oh!" "when i first saw her i was struck by her resemblance to mrs. rogers," continued the girl. "but she's so different," said tom, choking back a sob. "lucy couldn't be so--so airy, so heartless. she isn't at all that style of a girl, miss." "she may be acting," suggested beth. but he shook his head gloomily. "no; lucy couldn't act that way. she's quick and impulsive, but she--she couldn't act. and she wouldn't treat me that way, either, miss beth. lucy and i have been sweethearts for years, and i know every expression of her dear face. but the look that this girl gave me was one that my lucy never could assume. i must have been mistaken. i--i'm sure i was mistaken." beth sighed. she was disappointed. "i suppose," continued tom, "that i've thought of lucy so long and so much, lately, and worried so over her disappearance, that i'm not quite myself, and imagined this girl was more like her than she really is. what did you say her name was?" "eliza parsons." "thank you. can you tell me where i'll find mr. forbes?" "he's getting ready for dinner, now, and won't need you at present." "then i'll go back to my room. it--it was a great shock to me, that likeness, miss degraf." "i can well believe it," said beth; and then she went to her own apartment, greatly puzzled at a resemblance so strong that it had even deceived lucy rogers's own sweetheart. chapter xv signs of the times "if she is really lucy rogers, she'll be missing tomorrow morning," said beth when she had told her cousins of the encounter in the corridor. but eliza parsons was still at elmhurst the next day, calmly pursuing her duties, and evidently having forgotten or decided to ignore the young man who had so curiously mistaken her for another. beth took occasion to watch her movements, so far as she could, and came to the conclusion that the girl was not acting a part. she laughed naturally and was too light-hearted and gay to harbor a care of any sort in her frivolous mind. but there was a mystery about her; that could not be denied. even if she were but a paid spy of erastus hopkins there was a story in this girl's life, brief as it had been. beth was full of curiosity to know this story. as for tom gates, he had been so horrified by his mistake that he tried to avoid meeting eliza again. this was not difficult because the girl kept pretty closely to the linen room, and tom was chiefly occupied in the library. kenneth had little chance to test his secretary's abilities just then, because the girls pounced upon the new recruit and used his services in a variety of ways. tom gates's anxiety to give satisfaction made him willing to do anything, but they refrained from sending him often to town because he was sensitive to the averted looks and evident repulsion of those who knew he had recently been a "jail-bird." but there was plenty for him to do at elmhurst, where they were all as busy as bees; and whatever the young man undertook he accomplished in a satisfactory manner. saturday forenoon the three girls, with kenneth, mr. watson and uncle john, rode over to fairview to prepare for the debate that was to take place in the afternoon, leaving only tom gates at home. as mr. hopkins had thrust upon his opponent the task of naming the place and time, the republican candidate was obliged to make all the arrangements, and pay all the costs. but whatever the girl managers undertook they did well. so the opera house had been in the hands of a special committee for two days, the orchestra had been hired, and the news of the joint debate had spread far and wide. the party from elmhurst lunched at the fairview hotel, and then the girls hurried to the opera house while kenneth remained to attend a conference of the republican committee. these gentlemen were much worried over the discovery of a scheme to trade votes that had been sprung, and that forbes and reynolds were being sacrificed for hopkins and cummings. mr. cummings was called into the meeting, and he denied that the trading was being done with his consent, but defiantly refused to make a public announcement to that effect. the matter was really serious, because every vote lost in that way counted as two for the other side, and hopkins's rabid hand-bills had influenced many of the more ignorant voters and created endless disputes that were not of benefit to the republican party. "as nearly as we can figure from our recent canvass," said mr. cunningham, the chairman, "we are fast losing ground, and our chances of success are smaller than if no interest in the election had been aroused. hopkins has cut our majority down to nothing, and it will be a hard struggle to carry our ticket through to success. this is the more discouraging because mr. forbes has spent so much money, while hopkins's expenses have been very little." "i do not mind that," said kenneth, quietly. "it was my desire that the voters should fully understand the issues of the campaign. then, if they vote against me, it is because they are not worthy of honest representation in the legislature, and i shall in the future leave them to their own devices." the committee adjourned a little before two o'clock with rather grave faces, and prepared to attend the debate at the opera house. mr. cunningham feared this debate would prove a mistake, as it would give hopkins a chance to ridicule and brow-beat his opponent in public, and his greatest talent as a speaker lay in that direction. as kenneth and his supporters approached the opera house they heard loud cheering, and from a band-wagon covered with bunting and banners, in which he had driven to the meeting, descended the honorable erastus. he met kenneth face to face, and the latter said pleasantly: "good afternoon, mr. hopkins." "ah, it's forbes, isn't it?" replied hopkins, slightingly. "i've met you before, somewheres, haven't i?" "you have, sir." "glad you're here, forbes; glad you're here," continued the representative, airily, as he made his way through the crowd that blocked the entrance. "these meetings are educational to young men. girls all well, i hope?" there was a boisterous laugh at this sally, and mr. hopkins smiled and entered the opera house, while kenneth followed with the feeling that he would take great delight in punching the honorable erastus's nose at the first opportunity. the house was packed full of eager spectators who had come to see "the fun." although the girls had taken charge of all the arrangements they had devoted the left side of the ample stage to the use of the hopkins party, where a speaker's table and chairs for important guests had been placed. the right side was similarly arranged for the forbes party, and between the two the entire center of the stage was occupied by a group of fifty young girls. above this group a great banner was suspended, reading: "the signs of the times," a catchword mr. hopkins had employed throughout the campaign. but the most astonishing thing was the appearance of the group of girls. they all wore plain white slips, upon which a variety of signs had been painted in prominent letters. some costumes advertised baking-powders, others patent medicines, others soaps, chewing tobacco, breakfast foods, etc. from where they were seated in full view of the vast audience the girls appeared as a mass of advertising signs, and the banner above them indicated quite plainly that these were the "signs of the times." mr. hopkins, as he observed this scene, smiled with satisfaction. he believed some of his friends had prepared this display to assist him and to disconcert the opposition, for nothing could have clinched his arguments better than the pretty young girls covered with advertisements of well known products. even the eagle eye breakfast food was well represented. after the orchestra had finished a selection, mr. hopkins rose to make the first argument and was greeted with cheers. "we are having a jolly campaign, my dear friends," he began; "but you musn't take it altogether as a joke; because, while mr. forbes's erratic views and actions have done little real harm, we have been educated to an appreciation of certain benefits we enjoy which otherwise might have escaped our attention. "this is a progressive, strenuous age, and no section of the country has progressed more rapidly than this, the eighth district of our great and glorious state. i may say without danger of contradiction that the people i have the honor to represent in the state legislature, and expect to have the honor of representing the next term, are the most intelligent, the most thoughtful and the most prosperous to be found in any like district in the united states. (cheers.) who, then, dares to denounce them as fools? who dares interfere with these liberties, who dares intrude uninvited into their premises and paint out the signs they have permitted to occupy their fences and barns and sheds? who would do these things but an impertinent meddler who is so inexperienced in life that he sets his own flimsy judgment against that of the people?" the orator paused impressively to wait for more cheers, but the audience was silent. in the outskirts of the crowd a faint hissing began to be heard. it reached the speaker's ear and he hurriedly resumed the oration. "i do not say mr. forbes is not a good citizen," said he, "but that he is misguided and unreasonable. a certain degree of deference is due the young man because he inherited considerable wealth from his uncle, and--" again the hisses began, and mr. hopkins knew he must abandon personal attacks or he would himself be discredited before his hearers. kenneth and his supporters sat silent in their places, the three girls, who were now well known in the district, forming part of the republican group; and none of them displayed the least annoyance at the vituperation mr. hopkins had employed. "i have already called your attention in my circulars," resumed the speaker, "to the fact that advertising signs are the source of large income to the farmers of this district. i find that three thousand, seven hundred and eighty-three dollars have been paid the farmers in the last five years, without the least trouble or expense on their part; and this handsome sum of money belongs to them and should not be taken away. stop and think for a moment. advertising is the life of every business, and to fight successfully the great army of advertisers whose business is the life-blood of our institutions is as impossible as it is absurd. suppose every farmer in this district refused to permit signs upon his property; what would be the result? why, the farmers of other sections would get that much more money for letting privileges, and you would be that much out of pocket without suppressing the evil--if evil can attach to an industry that pays you good money without requiring either investment or labor in return." after continuing in this strain for some time, mr. hopkins announced that "he would now give way to his youthful and inexperienced opponent," and asked the audience to be patient with mr. forbes and considerate of "his extraordinary prejudices." hopkins's policy of discrediting his opponent in advance was not very effective, for when kenneth arose he was more enthusiastically cheered than hopkins had been. the meeting was disposed to be fair-minded and quite willing to give mr. forbes a chance to explain his position. "the arguments of our distinguished representative are well worthy of your consideration," he began, quietly. "it is only by understanding fully both sides of an argument that you can hope to arrive at a just and impartial decision. mr. hopkins has advocated advertising signs on the ground that your financial gain warrants permitting them to be placed upon your premises. i will not deny his statement that three thousand, seven hundred and eighty-three dollars have been paid the farmers of this district by advertisers in the last five years. it is quite likely to be true. i have here the report of the department of agriculture showing that the total amount paid to farmers of the eighth district in the last five years, for produce of all kinds, is eleven millions, five-hundred thousand dollars." a murmur of amazement rose from the audience. kenneth waited until it had subsided. "this seems surprising, at first," he said, "and proves how startling aggregate figures are. you must remember i have covered five years in this estimate, as did mr. hopkins in his, and if you will figure it out you will see that the yearly average of earnings is about six hundred dollars to each farmer. that is a good showing, for we have a wealthy district; but it is not surprising when reduced to that basis. mr. hopkins slates that the farmers of this district received three thousand, seven hundred and eighty-three dollars during the last five years for advertising signs. let us examine these figures. one-fifth of that sum is seven hundred and fifty-six dollars and sixty cents as the income to you per year. we have, in this district, twenty-five hundred farmers according to the latest reports of the bureau of statistics, and dividing seven hundred and fifty-six dollars and sixty cents by twenty-five hundred, we find that each farmer receives an average of thirty and one-quarter cents per year for allowing his fences and buildings to be smothered in lurid advertising signs. so we find that the money received by the farmers from the advertising amounts to about one-quarter of one per cent of their income, a matter so insignificant that it cannot affect them materially, one way or another. "but, mr. hopkins states that you give nothing in return for this one-quarter of one per cent, while i claim you pay tremendously for it. for you sacrifice the privacy of your homes and lands, and lend yourselves to the selfish desire of advertisers to use your property to promote their sales. you have been given an example of clean barns and fences, and i cannot tell you how proud i am of this district when i ride through it and see neatly painted barns and fences replacing the flaring and obtrusive advertising signs that formerly disfigured the highways. why should you paint advertising signs upon your barns any more than upon your houses? carry the thing a step farther, and you may as well paint signs upon your children's dresses, in the manner you see illustrated before you." at this, louise made a signal and the fifty children so grotesquely covered with signs rose and stepped forward upon the stage. the orchestra struck up an air and the little girls sang the following ditty: "teas and soaps, pills and dopes, we all must advertise. copper cents, not common sense. are the things we prize. we confess such a dress isn't quite becoming, but we suppose hopkins knows this keeps business humming." as the girls ceased singing, kenneth said: "to the encroaching advertiser these signs of the times are considered legitimate. there is no respect for personal privacy on the advertiser's part. once they used only the newspapers, the legitimate channels for advertising. then they began painting their advertising on your fences. when the farmers protested against this the advertisers gave them a few pennies as a sop to quiet them. after this they gave you small sums to paint the broad sides of your barns, your board fences, and to place signs in your field. if you allowed them to do so they would paint signs on the dresses of your children and wives, so callous are they to all decency and so regardless of private rights. look on this picture, my friends, and tell me, would you prefer to see this--or this?" at the word each child pulled away the sign-painted slip and stood arrayed in a pretty gown of spotless white. the surprise was so complete that the audience cheered, shouted and laughed for several minutes before silence was restored. then the children sang another verse, as follows: "now it is clear that we appear just as we should be; we are seen sweet and clean from corruption free: we're the signs of the times-- fair as heaven's orbs. if we look good, then all men should vote for kenneth forbes!" the cheering was renewed at this, and mr. hopkins became angry. he tried to make himself heard, but the popular fancy had been caught by the object lesson so cleverly placed before them, and they shouted: "forbes! forbes! forbes!" until the honorable erastus became so furious that he left the meeting in disgust. this was the most impolite thing he could have done, but he vowed that the meeting had been "packed" with forbes partisans and that he was wasting his time in addressing them. after he was gone kenneth resumed his speech and created more enthusiasm. the victory was certainly with the republican candidate, and the elmhurst people returned home thoroughly satisfied with the result of the "joint debate." chapter xvi a clew at last the servants at elmhurst all ate in a pleasant dining room with windows facing a garden of geraniums. tom gates had been at the house two days before he encountered eliza parsons at the table, for the servants were not all able to take their meals at the same time. it was at luncheon, the day of the joint debate at fairview, that the young man first met eliza, who sat opposite him. the only other person present was old donald, the coachman, who was rather deaf and never paid any attention to the chatter around him. as he took his seat tom gave a half-frightened glance into eliza's face and then turned red as she smiled coquettishly and said: "dear me! it's the young man who called me his dear lucy." "you--you're very like her," stammered tom, unable to take his eyes from her face. "even now i--i can't believe i'm mistaken." she laughed merrily in a sweet, musical voice, and then suddenly stopped with her hand on her heart and cast at him a startled look that was in such sharp contrast to her former demeanor that he rose from his chair. "sit down, please," she said, slowly. and then she studied his face with sober earnestness--with almost wistful longing. but she shook her head presently, and sighed; and a moment later had regained her lightness of manner. "it's a relief to have a quiet house for a day, isn't it?" she asked, eating her soup calmly. "i'll be glad when the election's over." "have you been here long?" he asked, although beth had told him of eliza's coming to elmhurst. "only a short time. and you?" "two days," said he. "but where did you live before you came here?" she shook her head. "i wish you would answer me," he begged. "i have a reason for asking." "what reason?" she demanded, suddenly serious again. "two people have never lived that were so near alike as you and lucy rogers." "indeed?" "will you show me your left arm?" "no." she was again studying his face. "if you are lucy rogers you have a scar there--a scar where you burned yourself years ago." she seemed frightened for a moment. then she said: "i have no scar on my left arm." "will you prove it?" "no. you are annoying me. what did you say your name is?" "tom gates." she was thoughtful for a moment and then shook her head. "i have never heard of you," she declared, positively, and resumed her eating. tom was nonplussed. one moment he believed she was lucy, and the next told himself that it was impossible. this girl possessed mannerisms that lucy had never exhibited in all the years he had known her. she was bold and unabashed where lucy was shy and unassuming. this girl's eyes laughed, while lucy's were grave and serious; yet they were the same eyes. "let me tell you about my lost lucy," he said, with a glance at the unconscious donald. "go ahead, if it will relieve you," she answered, demurely. "she lived on a farm five miles from here, and she was my sweetheart. her mother is blind and her father old and feeble. she worked for a dentist in the town and was accused of stealing a ring, and it nearly broke her heart to be so unjustly suspected. in order to make good the loss of the ring, a valuable diamond--i--i got into trouble, and lucy was so shocked and distressed that she--she lost her head--became mad, you know--and left home during the night without a word to any one. we haven't been able to find her since." "that's too bad," remarked eliza parsons, buttering her bread. "about the time that lucy went away, you appeared at elmhurst," continued tom. "and in face and form you're the image of my lucy. that is why i asked you to tell me where you came from and how you came here." "ah, you think i'm mad, do you?" asked the girl, with a quizzical smile. "well, i'm not going to satisfy your curiosity, even to prove my sanity; and i'm not anxious to pose as your lost lucy. so please pass the sugar and try to be sociable, instead of staring at me as if i scared you." tom passed the sugar, but he could not eat, nor could he tear himself away from this strange girl's presence. he tried again to draw her into conversation, but she showed annoyance and resented his persistence. presently she went away, giving him an amused smile as she left the room--a smile that made him feel that this was indeed a case of mistaken identity. in fact, tom gates, on sober reflection, knew that the girl could not be lucy, yet he could not still the yearning in his heart whenever he saw her. his heart declared that she was lucy, and his head realized that she could not be. while he waited in the library for mr. forbes to return from fairview a man was shown into the room and sat down quietly in a corner. he was a small, lean man, of unassuming appearance, with a thin face and gray eyes set close together. when he looked at tom gates he scarcely seemed to see him, and his manner conveyed the impression that he disliked to attract notice. "waiting for mr. forbes, sir?" asked tom. "yes," was the quiet reply. suddenly it struck the young man that this might be the detective who called every evening to give his report, and if so tom was anxious to talk with him. so he ventured to say: "it's mr. burke, isn't it?" the man nodded, and looked out of the window. "i'm tom gates, sir." "yes; i know." "you've seen me before?" asked the youth, astonished. "no; i've heard of you. that's all." tom flushed, remembering his recent crime. but he was eager to question the detective. "have you heard anything of lucy rogers, mr. burke?" "not yet." "is there no trace of her at all?" "a slight trace--nothing worth mentioning," said mr. burke. for a few moments tom sat in silence. then he said: "i thought i'd found her, day before yesterday." "yes?" there was little interest in the tone. "there's a girl in the house, sir, one of the maids, who is the living image of lucy rogers." "you ought to be able to identify her," suggested the detective, his gaze still out of the window. "but they are not alike except in looks. her form and face are identical with lucy's. i was so sure that i begged her to let me see if there was a scar on her left arm; but she refused." "was there a scar on lucy rogers's left arm?" "yes, sir. several years ago, when we were children, we were making candy in the kitchen and lucy burned herself badly. it left a broad scar on her left forearm, which she will bear as long as she lives." "it is well to know that," said mr. burke. "this girl," continued tom, musingly, "says her name is eliza parsons, and she says it in lucy's voice. but her manner is not the same at all. eliza laughs at me and quizzes me; she is forward and scornful, and--and perfectly self-possessed, which lucy could not be, under the circumstances." "have you seen her closely?" asked the detective. "yes, sir." "and are still unable to decide who she is?" "that's it, sir; i'm unable to decide. it's lucy: and yet it isn't lucy." "who is eliza parsons?" "she refuses to say where she came from. but it seems she arrived at elmhurst only a day or two after lucy disappeared from home. it's that coincidence that makes me doubt the evidence of my own senses." "who hires the servants here?" "i don't know, sir." mr. burke abandoned the conversation, then, and confined his gaze to the landscape as it showed through the window. tom busied himself addressing circulars of instruction to the republicans who were to work at the polling places. this was saturday, and the election was to be on the following tuesday. the meeting at fairview was therefore the last important rally of the campaign. at dusk the party arrived from fairview in the automobiles, the girls greatly delighted with the success of the meeting. they all followed kenneth into the library, where the butler had just lighted the lamps. the evenings were getting cool, now, and a grate fire was burning. kenneth greeted mr. burke and introduced him to the young ladies, who begged to remain during the interview. "we are all alike interested in lucy rogers, mr. burke," said the boy; "so you may speak freely. is there any news?" "nothing of importance, sir, unless a clew has been found in your own house," replied the detective. "here at elmhurst?" asked the astonished kenneth. "yes. tom gates has seen a girl--one of your maids--who so strongly resembles lucy rogers that he at first believed she was the missing girl." "i know," said beth, quickly. "it's eliza parsons. but tom was mistaken. he saw her in the dim light of a corridor, and the resemblance confused him." "i've seen her since," remarked tom, "and the likeness is really bewildering. it's only her manner that is different." "when i first saw her, before tom came, i was astonished at her resemblance to mrs. rogers," announced beth. "i have never seen lucy, but i know mrs. rogers, and it seemed to me that eliza was exactly like her in features. mr. forbes and i first saw her riding in a buggy with mr. hopkins. that was before either of us knew she was employed at elmhurst. you see she isn't one of the servants who come much in contact with the family; she does the mending and takes charge of the linen room." beth then related the manner in which they first noticed eliza, and how they had discovered her to be a spy in the service of mr. hopkins. the detective was much interested in the recital and seemed surprised that he had not been informed of this before. "of course," said kenneth, "the girl is not lucy rogers. it is not possible they could be the same." "why not?" asked mr. burke. "well, lucy was a gentle, sweet country girl, of little experience in life. her nature was so susceptible, so very sensitive, that when she discovered tom gates, whom she loved, to be guilty of a forgery, she worried herself into an attack of brain-fever; or at least she became insane, reproaching herself for having driven the boy to this dreadful deed. under the influence of her mania she wandered away from her home, and has not been seen since. that's the story of lucy rogers. now look at eliza parsons. she appeared the very day after lucy's disappearance, to be sure; but that proves they are not the same person. for eliza is not demented. she is a cold, hard woman of the world, in spite of her tender years. she is doing the work of an experienced spy, while any deceit was foreign to lucy's nature. instead of being plunged in grief eliza is happy and gay, reckless of consequences and fully self-possessed. she is also well and healthy, to all appearances. taking all these things into consideration, it is impossible to connect the two girls in any way--save the coincidence of personal resemblance." mr. burke listened to this quietly, and then shook his head. "your arguments all tend to make me suspect that she is lucy rogers," he said, quietly. for a moment there was an impressive silence, while everyone eagerly, inquiringly or doubtfully looked at the detective, according to their diverse acceptance of his statement. "in pursuance of the task set me," began mr. burke, "i had met with such absolute failure to trace the missing girl that i began to suspect no ordinary conditions were attached to this case. in my experience, which covers many years, i have had occasion to study sudden dementia, caused by shocks of grief or horror, and i have come to comprehend the fact that the human mind, once unbalanced, is liable to accomplish many surprising feats. usually the victim is absolutely transformed, and becomes the very opposite, in many ways, of the normal personality. i imagine this is what happened to lucy rogers." "do you imagine that lucy would try to deceive _me_, sir?" asked tom, reproachfully. "i am sure she doesn't know who you are," answered the detective, positively. "she doesn't even know herself. i have known instances where every recollection of the past was wiped out of the patient's mind." there was another thoughtful pause, for the detective's assertions were so astonishing that they fairly overwhelmed his hearers. then louise asked: "is such a case of dementia hopeless, mr. burke?" "not at all hopeless. often, i admit, it develops into permanent insanity, but there are many examples of complete recovery. our first business must be to assure ourselves that we are right in this conjecture. i may be entirely wrong, for the unexpected is what i have been taught to look for in every case of mystery that has come under my observation. but i believe i have the material at hand to prove the personality of this eliza parsons, and after that i shall know what to do. who employs your servants, mr. forbes?" "martha, my housekeeper, usually employs the maids." "will you send for her, please?" kenneth at once obeyed the request, and presently martha entered the library. she was a little, withered old woman, but with a pleasant face and shrewd but kindly eyes. "martha," said kenneth, "did you employ the new linen maid, eliza parsons?" "yes, sir," she replied, apparently surprised at the question. "this is mr. burke, martha. please answer any questions he may ask you." "yes, master kenneth." "did the girl bring any recommendations?" asked the detective. martha reflected. "i do not think she did, sir." "are you accustomed to hiring maids without recommendations?" asked mr. burke. "oh, eliza had a letter from my cousin, mrs. hopkins, who lives in elmwood." "is mrs. hopkins your cousin?" asked kenneth. "yes, sir. she were a phibbs before she married erastus, and my name is phibbs." "what did the letter from mrs. hopkins say?" "it said she knew eliza to be a clever and worthy girl, and if i had a place for her i couldn't do better than take her on. so i needed a linen maid and eliza went right to work. isn't she satisfactory, sir? has she been doing anything wrong?" "no. please do not mention this interview to her at present, miss phibbs," said the detective. "that is all, i believe." "would you like to see eliza?" asked kenneth, when the housekeeper had retired. "not at present. i want to interview mrs. hopkins first." "tonight?" asked tom, eagerly. "i will go at once, with mr. forbes's permission." "certainly, sir," said kenneth. "shall we see you tomorrow?" "just as soon as i have accomplished anything." "would you like a horse or an automobile?" "your man may drive me to the town, sir, if it is convenient." kenneth gave the required order, and then mr. burke asked: "how far are you prepared to go in this matter, sir?" "in what way?" "in expending money." "will any large expenditure be required?" "i cannot say. but we may require the services and advice of an expert physician--a specialist in brain diseases." "do you know of one?" asked kenneth. "yes; but he must be brought from buffalo. it will be expensive, sir. that is why i ask if your interest in the girl warrants our going to the limit to save her." kenneth was thoughtful, while the girls looked at him expectantly and tom gates with visible anxiety. "my original idea was merely to find the missing girl in order to relieve the anxiety of her blind mother," said young forbes. "to accomplish that i was willing to employ your services. but, as a matter of fact, i have never seen the girl lucy rogers, nor am i particularly interested in her." "i am," declared beth. "and i!" "and i!" repeated patsy and louise. "i think," said uncle john, who had been a quiet listener until now, "that kenneth has assumed enough expense in this matter." "oh, uncle!" the remonstrance was from all three of the girls. "therefore," continued mr. merrick, "i propose that i undertake any further expense that may be incurred, so as to divide the burden." "that's better!" declared patsy. "but i might have known uncle john would do that." "you have my authority to wire the physician, if necessary, or to go to any expense you deem advisable," continued mr. merrick, turning to the detective. "we seem to have undertaken to unravel an interesting mystery, and we'll see it through to the end." "very good, sir," said mr. burke, and left them with a brief nod of farewell. "somehow," said beth, "i've a lot of confidence in that little man." "why, he's a detective," replied uncle john, with a smile, "and the chief business of detectives is to make mistakes." chapter xvii mrs. hopkins gossips the home of representative hopkins was not a very imposing edifice. it was a modest frame building standing well back in a little yard at the outskirts of the village, and mrs. hopkins did the housework, unaided, to save the expense of a maid. it never occurred to the politician, who had risen from the position of a poor stable-boy to one of affluence, to save his wife from this drudgery. to him poor mary was merely one of his possessions, and it would have astonished him to know that her sharp tongue and irritable temper were due to overwork and neglect. the honorable erastus was not averse to champagne dinners and other costly excesses while at the state capital, and his fellow legislators considered him a good fellow, although rather lax in "keeping his end up." moreover, he employed a good tailor and was careful to keep up an appearance of sound financial standing. but his home, which he avoided as much as possible, had little share in his personal prosperity. mary hopkins's requests for new and decent gowns were more often refused than acceded to, and he constantly cautioned her to keep down expenses or she would drive them both to the poor-house. the woman well knew that erastus could afford to keep her in luxury, if he would, but some women are so constituted that they accept their fate rather than rebel, and mary hopkins lived the life of a slave, contenting herself with petty scoldings and bickerings that did nothing to relieve her hard lot. she had little interest in politics and resented the intrusion of the many who came to the house to see and consult with her husband during the tiresome political campaigns. on these occasions mr. hopkins used the sitting-room as his office and committee headquarters, but this did not materially interfere with his wife's comfort, as she was usually busy in the kitchen. on this saturday evening, however, they had an early supper and she finished her dishes betimes and sat down to darn stockings in the sitting-room. erastus had hurried away to a meeting of his henchmen in the town, and would not be home until after his wife was in bed. so she was rather surprised when a timid knock sounded upon the door. she opened it to find a little, lean man standing upon the porch. "mrs. hopkins?" he asked, quietly. "yes. what do you want?" "your husband asked me to come here and wait for him. it's important or i wouldn't disturb you." "well, then; come in," she replied, tartly. "thank the lord this thing is nearly over, and we'll have a few weeks of peace." "it is rather imposing on you," remarked the man, following her to the sitting-room, where he sat down with his hat in his hands. "a political campaign is trying to everybody. i'm tired out and sick of the whole thing myself." "then why don't you chuck it," she retorted, scornfully, "and go to work makin' an honest living?" "oh, this is honest enough," he said, mildly. "i don't believe it. all them secret confabs an' trickery to win votes can't be on the square. don't talk to me! politics is another name for rascality!" "perhaps you're right, ma'am; perhaps you're right," he said, with a sigh. she looked at him sharply. "you don't belong in elmwood." "no, ma'am; i'm from beyond fairview. i've come to see your husband on business." she sniffed, at that, but picked up her darning and relapsed into silence. the little man was patient. he sat quietly in his chair and watched her work. his mildness disarmed mary hopkins. she was not especially averse to having him sit there. it relieved the loneliness of her occupation. on occasions she loved to talk, as erastus had long ago discovered; and this visitor would not try to shut her up the way erastus did. "you don't often get out, ma'am; into society, and such like," ventured the caller, presently. "what makes you think that?" she demanded. "a woman can't keep a house neat and trim like this, and be a social gadder," he observed. "you're right about that," she returned, somewhat mollified. "if i was like them girls up at elmhurst, fussin' round over politics all the time, this house would go to rack an' ruin." "oh, them!" he said, with mild scorn. "them girls 'll never be housekeepers." "not for a minute," she affirmed. there was another pause, then; but the ice was broken. a subtle sympathy seemed established between the two. "what do you think of 'rast's chances?" she asked, presently, as she threaded new cotton into her needle. "i guess he'll win. he's worked hard enough, anyhow." "has he?" "yes; 'rast's a good worker. he don't leave any stone unturned. he's up to all the tricks o' the trade, is 'rast hopkins!" here he began shaking with silent laughter, and mrs. hopkins looked at him curiously. "what are you laughing at?" she inquired, with a sniff of disdain. "at--at the way he come it over the gals up at elmhurst. 'rast's a pretty slick one, he is!" "what do you mean?" "why, settin' that 'liza to watch 'em, and tell all they does. who'd a thought of it but 'rast hopkins?" "i don't see anything mighty funny about that," declared mrs. hopkins, contemptuously. "the girl's too pert and forward for anything. i told 'rast not to fool with her, or she'd make him trouble." "did you, now!" exclaimed the man, wonderingly. "yes, indeed," said mrs. hopkins, pleased to have made an impression. "i suspected there was something wrong about her the morning she came to the house here. and she changed her name, too, as brassy as you please." "well, i declare!" said the visitor. "did you know her before that, mrs. hopkins?" "why, i didn't exactly know her, but i seen her workin' around miss squiers's place many a time, and she didn't seem to 'mount to much, even then. one day she stole a di'mond ring off'n old miss squiers and dug out, and i told nancy then--nancy's young miss squiers--that i'd always had my suspicions of the hussy. she hid the ring in a vase on the mantle and they found it after she was gone." "well, well! i didn't know that about her," said the man, looking with admiration at mrs. hopkins. "that's why i told 'rast not to have any truck with her, when she came here bright and early one morning and asked for work." "oh, she came here, did she?" "while i was gettin' breakfast. she said her name was eliza parsons, an' she was looking fer a job. i told her i knew her record an' to get out, and while we was arguin' 'rast come out and took a hand in the talk. she laughed and flirted with him outrageous, and said she was a stranger in these parts, when i'd seen her many a time at miss squiers's." "what was her name then?" asked the man. "i think it was rosie--or lucy, or something--. anyhow, it wasn't eliza, and that i'll swear to. but the girl laughed at me and made such silly smiles at 'rast that he told me to shut up, 'cause he had a use for her in politics." "well, well!" repeated the visitor. "just see how stories get twisted. i heard you gave the girl a letter to your cousin martha." "well, i did. 'rast wanted to get her in at elmhurst, to watch what forbes was doing to defeat him, so he made me write the letter. but how'd you know so much about this girl?" she inquired, with sudden suspicion. "me? i only know what mr. hopkins told me. i'm one of his confidential men. but he never said how he happened to find the girl, or what he knew about her." "he didn't know nothing. he'd never seen her 'till that morning when she came here. but he said she was clever, and she is, if pertness and a ready tongue counts for cleverness. i suppose he pays her for what she tells him about forbes, but he'd better save his money and fight on the square. i don't like this tricky politics, an' never did." "i don't either," declared the man. "but i'm in it, and can't get out." "that's what 'rast says. but some day they'll put him out, neck and crop, if he ain't careful." "is the girl eliza much use to him?" "i can't say. he drove her over to elmhurst that morning, and he drives over two or three evenings a week to meet her on the sly and get her report. that may be politics, but it ain't very respectable, to my notion." "well, the campaign is nearly over, mrs. hopkins." "thank goodness for that!" she replied. the visitor sat silent after this, for he had learned all that the poor gossiping woman could tell him. finally he said: "i guess your husband's going to be late." "yes; if he ain't more prompt than usual you'll have a long spell of waiting." "perhaps i'd better go over to the hotel and look him up. i have to get back to fairview tonight, you know." "do as you please," she answered carelessly. so mr. burke, for it was the detective, bade her good-night and took his leave, and it was not until after he had gone that mary hopkins remembered she had forgotten to ask him his name. "but it don't matter," she decided. "he's just one o' 'rast's politicians, and i probably treated the fellow better than he deserved." chapter xviii eliza parsons on sunday morning mr. burke again appeared at elmhurst, and told kenneth he wanted an interview with eliza parsons. "i don't want you to send for her, or anything like that, for it would make her suspicious," he said. "i'd like to meet her in some way that would seem accidental, and not startle her." "that is rather a hard thing to arrange, mr. burke," said the boy, with a smile. "why, i think not," declared louise. "it seems to me quite easy." "that's the woman of it, sir," laughed kenneth; "if it's a question of wits her sex has the advantage of us." "what do you propose, miss?" asked the detective, turning to louise. "i'll have martha send the girl into the garden to gather flowers," she replied; "and you can wander around there and engage her in conversation." "excellent!" he exclaimed. "can this be arranged now?" "i'll see, sir." she found martha and asked her to send eliza parsons for some roses and chrysanthemums, which were in a retired place shut in by evergreen hedges. "one of the other maids will know the garden better," suggested the housekeeper. "but i wish eliza to go." "very well, miss louise." from an upper window the girl watched until she saw eliza parsons leave the house with a basket and go into the retired garden she had chosen. then she returned to the library for mr. burke and led him toward the same place. "eliza is just beyond that gap in the hedge," she said, and turned away. "wait a moment, please," he said, detaining her. "on second thought i would like you to come with me, for your tact may be of great assistance. have you spoken much with eliza?" "not at all, i think. beth has talked with her, but i have scarcely been near her since she came here." "you are willing to come?" "i shall be glad to." "the poet saxe," said mr. burke, walking through the gap beside louise, "has never been properly appreciated by his countrymen, although since his death his verses are in greater demand than while he lived. do you care for them?" "i don't know saxe very well," she answered, observing that they were approaching a place where eliza was bending over a rose-bush. "but one or two of his poems are so amusing that they linger in my memory." eliza turned at the sound of their voices and gave them a quick glance. but the next moment she resumed her occupation of cutting roses. "the man's greatest fault was his habit of punning," remarked the detective, watching the girl's form as he drew nearer. "it is that which blinded his contemporaries to his real talents. what exquisite roses, miss merrick! may i ask for one for my button-hole?" "yes, indeed!" she replied, pausing with him just beside eliza. "will you cut that bud yonder, for mr. burke, my dear?" the maid silently obeyed and as the detective took the flower from her hand he said: "why, isn't this eliza parsons?" "yes, sir," she replied, carelessly. "don't you remember me, eliza?" she seemed a little surprised, but answered promptly: "no, sir." "i'm william burke, your mother's cousin. how did you leave your brother harry, and have you heard from josephine lately?" the girl gave him a startled look and shrank back. "why, how nice!" cried louise. "i did not know you knew eliza's family, mr. burke." "yes, she is one of my relatives, and came from roanoke, virginia. isn't that correct, eliza?" "yes, sir--no! i--i don't remember!" she said, in a low tone. "don't remember, eliza? that is strange." the girl stared at him half frightened, and drew her hand over her eyes with a gesture of bewilderment. "i hope, my dear, you are not going to be like your mother," said mr. burke, gently. "my poor cousin nora was subject to a strange lapse of memory at times," he remarked to louise. "she always recovered in time, but for days she could remember nothing of her former life--not even her own name. are you ever affected that way eliza?" she looked up at him pleadingly, and murmured in a low voice: "let me go! please let me go!" "in a moment, eliza." her hands were clasped together nervously and she had dropped her basket and scissors on the path before her. the man looked intently into her eyes, in a shrewd yet kindly way, and she seemed as if fascinated by his gaze. "tell me, my dear, have you forgotten your old life?" he asked. "yes," she whispered. "poor girl! and you are trying to keep this a secret and not let anyone know of your trouble?" suddenly she started and sprang away, uttering a cry of terror. "you're trying to trap me," she panted. "you know my name is not eliza parsons. you--you want to ruin me!" from the position in which they stood in the corner of the garden, with high hedges behind the maid, and mr. burke and louise blocking the path in front, there was little chance of escape. but she looked around wildly, as if about to make the attempt, when louise stepped forward and gently took eliza's hand in her own. "mr. burke is a good man, my dear, and means well by you," she said in her sweet, sympathetic tones. "he shall not bother you if you are afraid of him." "i--i'm not afraid," said eliza, with a resumption of her old manner and a toss of her head. the detective gave louise a look which she thought she understood. "will you finish cutting these roses, mr. burke?" she asked, with a smile. "eliza and i are going to my room. come, my dear," and without waiting for a reply she led the girl, whose hand was still clasped in her own, along the path. eliza came willingly. her manner was a little defiant at first, but when louise drew her unobserved to the side entrance and up the staircase she grew gentle and permitted the other girl to take her arm. once in her room with the strange maid, louise locked the door quietly and said to her companion with a cheerful smile: "now we are quite alone, and can talk at our ease. take that low chair, dear, and i'll sit here." eliza obeyed, looking wistfully into the fair face of her new friend. "you are very pretty, eliza; and i'm sure you are as good as you're pretty," announced louise. "so you must tell me about yourself, and whether you are happy here or not. from this time on i'm going to be your friend, you know, and keep all your secrets; and i'll help you all i can." this rambling speech seemed to impress eliza favorably. she relaxed somewhat from the tense alertness that was habitual with her, and looked at the other girl with a softened expression. "i'm afraid you won't be much interested in me," she replied, "but i need a friend--indeed i need a friend, miss louise!" "i'm sure you do." "at first i thought i could do without one. i felt i must stand alone, and let no one suspect. but--i'm getting puzzled and bewildered, and i don't know what to do next." "of course not. tell me about it, dear." "i can't; for i don't know, myself." she leaned forward in her chair and added, in a whisper: "i don't even know who i am! but that man," with a shudder, "tried to trap me. he said he knew eliza parsons, and there is no eliza parsons. it's a name i--i invented." "i think i understand," said louise, with a little nod. "you had to have a name, so you took that one." "yes. i don't know why i am telling you this. i've tried to hide it all so carefully. and perhaps i'm wrong in letting this thing worry me. in the main, i've been very happy and content, lately; and--i have a feeling i was not happy before--before--" "before what, dear?" the girl looked at her steadily and her face grew red. "before i lost my memory." for a few moments they sat silently regarding one another, the expressive features of louise showing a silent sympathy. "have you really lost your memory?" she asked. "absolutely. think of it! i wakened one morning lying by the roadside, and shivering with cold. i had on a simple gray dress, with no hat. the sun was just rising, and no one was near. i examined myself with wonder, for i had no idea who i was, or how i came there. there was no money in my pocket, and i had no jewels. to keep warm i began walking along the road. the scenery was all new to me; so far as i knew i had never been in the place before. "the birds were singing and the cows mooed in the meadow. i tried to sing, too, for my heart was light and gay and i was happy. by and bye i came to a town; but no one seemed to be awakened because it was yet so early. as i walked down the street i saw smoke coming from one of the chimneys, and it suddenly occurred to me that i was hungry. i entered the yard and went around to the back door. a woman was working in the kitchen and i laughed joyfully and wished her a good morning. she was not very pleasant, but it did me good to talk with her; i liked to hear my own voice and it pleased me to be able to talk easily and well. she grudgingly gave me something to eat and then bade me begone, calling me by some strange name and saying i was a thief. it was then that i invented the name of eliza parsons. i don't know why, but it popped into my head and i claimed it for my name and have clung to it ever since." "have you no idea what your real name is?" asked louise, greatly interested in this terse relation. "i have no idea of anything that dates beyond that morning," replied eliza. "the first time i looked in the mirror i saw a strange face reflected there. i had to make my own acquaintance," she added, with one of her bright laughs. "i suppose i am between seventeen and twenty years of age, but what my life was during past years is to me a sealed book. i cannot remember a person i knew or associated with, yet things outside of my personal life seem to have clung to me. i remembered books i must have read; i can write, sing and sew--i sew remarkably well, and must have once been trained to it. i know all about my country's history, yet i cannot recollect where i lived, and this part of the country is unknown to me. when i came to elmhurst i knew all about it and about mr. forbes, but could not connect them with my former life." "how did you happen to come here?" asked louise. "i forgot to tell you that. while i was arguing with the woman, who was a mrs. hopkins, her husband heard us and came out into the kitchen. he began to question me about myself and i gave any answer that came into my head, for i could not tell him the truth. it pleased me to hear my voice, i seemed to have a keen sense of the humorous, and if i said anything at all clever, i laughed as heartily as anyone. my heart was light and free from all care. i had no worries or responsibilities at all. i was like the birds who see the sunshine and feel the breeze and are content to sing and be happy. "mr. hopkins saw i was wholly irresponsible and reckless, and he decided to use me to spy upon the people here at elmhurst and report to him what they said and did. i agreed to this readily, prompted by a spirit of mischief, for i cared nothing for hopkins and had nothing against mr. forbes. also hopkins paid me money, which i had sufficient knowledge to realize was necessary to me. "oh, how happy and gay i was in those first few days! there was not a thought of the past, not an ambition or desire of any sort to bother me. just to live seemed pleasure enough. i enjoyed eating and sleeping; i loved to talk and laugh; i was glad to have work to occupy me--and that was all! then things began to happen that puzzled me. the man hopkins declared he could not trust me because i had once been a thief, and i wondered if he could speak truly. i resented the thought that i may once have been a thief, although i wouldn't mind stealing, even now, if i wanted anything and could take it." "oh, eliza!" gasped louise. "it sounds wicked, doesn't it? but it is true. nothing seems to influence me so strongly as my own whims. i know what is good and what is bad. i must have been taught these things once. but i am as likely to do evil as good, and this recklessness has begun, in the last few days, to worry me. "then i met a young man here--he says his name is tom gates--who called me his dear lucy, and said i used to love him. i laughed at him at first, for it seemed very absurd and i do not want him to love me. but then he proved to me there was some truth in his statement. he said his lucy had a scar on her left arm, and that made me afraid, because i had discovered a scar on my own arm. i don't know how it got there. i don't know anything about this old lucy. and i'm afraid to find out. i'm afraid of lucy." "why, dear?" "i cannot tell. i only know i have a horror of her, a sudden shrinking whenever her name is mentioned. who was she, do you suppose?" "shall i tell you?" asked louise. "no--no! don't, i beg of you!" cried eliza, starting up. "i--i can't bear it! i don't want to know her." the protest was passionate and sincere, and louise marvelled at the workings of this evidently unbalanced intellect. "what would you like to do, dear?" she inquired. "i'd like to remain eliza parsons--always. i'd like to get away from _her_--far away from anyone who ever heard of that dreadful lucy who frightens me so. will you help me to get away, to escape to some place where no one will ever be able to trace me?" "do you think you would be happy then?" "i am sure of it. the only thing that makes me unhappy now is the horror that this past life will be thrust upon me. i must have had a past, of course, or i shouldn't be a grown woman now. but i'm afraid of it; i don't want to know anything about it! will you help me to escape?" she looked eagerly at louise as she asked this pitiful question, and the other girl replied, softly: "i will be your friend, eliza. i'll think all this over, and we will see what can be done. be patient a little while and as soon as i find a way to free you from all this trouble i'll send for you, and we'll talk it over together." "will you keep my secret?" demanded eliza, uneasily. louise glanced at the door that communicated with beth's room. it stood open, but eliza had not noticed that, as it was behind her. just now a shadow cast from the other room wavered an instant over the rug, and louise's quick eyes caught it. "i promise to keep your secret, dear," she said earnestly. the two girls rose and stood facing each other. louise kissed the beautiful eliza and whispered: "here is one thing for you to remember--that we are always to be true friends, from this time forward. if anyone annoys you, come to me, and i will protect you." "thank you, miss louise," said eliza, and then she went away to her own room in a quieter and more thoughtful mood than usual. when she had gone louise ran to the door communicating with beth's room, and to her satisfaction found both her cousins, with kenneth, uncle john and mr. burke, seated in a group where they must have overheard all that had been said. "well!" she cried, eagerly, "did you hear? and what do you think of it all?" "it's lucy rogers, sure enough," said kenneth. louise looked at mr. burke. "it is the most singular case that has ever come under my observation," stated that gentleman. "the girl is perfectly sane, but she has suffered a strange lapse of memory. i have two alternatives to advise. one is to telegraph at once for a specialist. the other is to permit the girl to go away, as she suggests. she will be happier to do so, i am sure." "oh, no!" cried the girls. "she owes a duty to her parents and friends, as well as to herself," said kenneth, "and i see no reason why she should be unhappy in the future as lucy rogers." mr. burke merely shrugged his shoulders. "please wire for the specialist at once," said uncle john. chapter xix patsy indulges in eavesdropping miss patricia doyle awakened at daybreak next morning with a throbbing toothache. she wasn't accustomed to such pains and found it hard to bear. she tried the application of a hot-water bag, and the tooth ached harder; she tried a cold compress, and it jumped with renewed activity. so she dressed herself and walked the floor, with the persistent ache as an intimate companion. she tried to find a cavity in the tooth, but it seemed perfectly sound. evidently she had caught cold and the wicked molar was signaling the fact. to be patient under the torture of a toothache was a virtue patsy did not possess. louise and beth, to whom she appealed, were sorry for her, but could not relieve the pain. after breakfast uncle john ordered her to drive to town and see a dentist. "have it pulled, or filled, or something," he said. "the dentist will know what to do." so james drove patsy to town, where they arrived about nine o'clock this monday morning. the only dentist at elmwood was dr. squiers, so the girl ran up the flight of stairs to his office, which was located over the hardware store. the pain had eased on the journey, and now the thought of having the offending tooth pulled was weighing heavily upon patsy's mind. the door of dr. squiers's office stood ajar, and she hesitated whether to enter or not. the dentist's reception room was divided from his operating room by a thin wooden partition, and as patsy was deciding whether to employ dr. squiers's services or not she heard high words coming from behind the partition, and the voice was that of the honorable erastus hopkins. softly she slid into the outer room and sank into a chair. "but you're the clerk of the election, squiers; you can't deny that," hopkins was saying in a blustering, imperious voice. "that's true enough," answered the dentist, more calmly. "then you've got the registration books in your possession." "i admit that," was the reply. "but you're asking me to incriminate myself, 'rast. if the thing was discovered it would mean prison for both of us." "fiddlesticks!" cried the irascible hopkins. "these things are done every day, and no one's the wiser for it. it's merely a part of the political game." "i'm afraid, 'rast," said dr. squiers. "honest injun, i'm afraid." "what are you 'fraid of? i've got the other clerks all fixed, and they'll stand by us. all you need do is to add these sixty-six names to the registration list, and then we'll vote 'em without opposition and win out." patsy gave a gasp, which she tried to stifle. the toothache was all forgotten. "where are these men?" inquired dr. squiers, thoughtfully. "they're over at the mill. marshall got 'em from all over the country, and they'll be set to work today, so everything will seem reg'lar." "where do they sleep and eat?" inquired the doctor. "forty sleep in hayes's barn, and the other twenty-six in the stock loft over the planing mill. marshall's got a commissary department and feeds 'em regular rations, like so many soldiers. of course i'm paying for all this expense," acknowledged mr. hopkins, somewhat regretfully. "and do you suppose these sixty-six votes will turn the scale?" asked dr. squiers. "they're sure to. we finished the last canvass yesterday, and according to our figures forbes has about eighteen votes the best of us. that's getting it down pretty close, but we may as well make up our minds we're beaten if we don't vote the men over at the mill. marshall could have got me a hundred if necessary, but sixty-six is more than enough. say forbes has twice eighteen for his plurality, instead of eighteen; these sixty-six for me would wipe that out and let us win in a walk." when hopkins ceased there was a brief silence. perhaps dr. squiers was thinking. "i simply _must_ have those votes, doc," resumed the representative. "it's the only way i can win." "you've made a bungle of the whole campaign," said squiers, bitterly. "that's a lie. i've done a lot of clever work. but these infernal city girls came down here and stirred up all the trouble." "you made a mistake pushing that sign issue. the girls beat you on that." "if it hadn't been signs it might have been something worse. but i ain't beaten yet, doc. squiers. this deal is going to win. it's a trick the boarding-school misses won't understand until after they've cut their eye-teeth in politics." "there's a pretty heavy penalty against false registration," observed the dentist, gloomily. "there's no penalty unless we're found out, and there ain't the ghost of a chance of that. the books are in your hands; i got all the clerks fixed. not a question will even be raised. i know it. do you suppose i'd risk state's prison myself, if i wasn't sure?" "look here, 'rast," said squiers, doggedly, "you're making a tool of me in this campaign. why should i be used and abused just to elect erastus hopkins, i'd like to know. you sacrificed me when i might have been sheriff." "you're well paid for that, doc." "and now you want me to put my neck in a noose for your advantage. i won't do it, 'rast, and that's a fact." mr. hopkins coughed. "how much, doc?" he inquired. the dentist was silent. "state the figure. but for mercy's sake don't bleed me any more than you can help. this fight has cost me a pretty penny already." "i don't want your money," growled squiers. "yes you do, doc. i know you better than you know yourself. the trouble with you is, you'll want too much." squiers laughed bitterly. "is marshall to be trusted?" he asked. "of course. if he said a word he'd lose his job as manager. marshall's all right. there's nothing to worry about, doc." patsy's tooth wasn't aching a bit. but her heart was throbbing as madly as the tooth ever did, and fortunately there was no pain connected with the throbbing--only joy. "it ought to be worth two thousand dollars, 'rast," said the dentist. "what! in addition to all other expenses?" "why, man; it means the election. it means your whole future. if you're defeated now, you're a back number in this district, and you know it." "it's too much, doc. on my word it is." "it's too little, come to think of it. i'll make it three thousand." "doc!" "if you don't close with me, 'rast, by the jumping jupiter, i'll make it four thousand," cried the dentist, with exasperation. "say twenty-five hundred, doc." "right on the nail. give me your check here--this minute." "and you'll enter the names in the books?" "before you leave the office. have you got the list?" "yes; in my pocket," said mr. hopkins. "then make out your check and i'll get the books." there was a stir behind the partition and a sound of chairs scraping the floor. patsy slid out the door and flew down the stairs at the imminent danger of breaking her neck. james was seated in the buggy outside, engaged in rumination. patsy bounded in beside him and startled him. "drive for your life!" she cried. "drive for home!" he whipped up the spirited horse and they dashed away. presently the man asked, with a grin: "did it hurt much, miss patsy?" "did what hurt, james?" "the tooth pullin', miss patsy." "the tooth wasn't pulled," answered the girl, sweetly. "it didn't need it, james. the only thing that was pulled was the honorable erastus's leg." chapter xx pricking a bubble. when patsy arrived home she called a council of war and related the conversation she had overheard in the dentist's office. "it isn't a very nice thing to do--listening to a private conversation," said the girl, "but when i discovered they were going to play such a trick on kenneth i couldn't help eavesdropping." "i think you were justified," declared mr. watson, with a grave face; "for this matter is very serious indeed. tomorrow is election day, and if a toothache hadn't carried you to the dentist's office kenneth would surely have been defeated." "and we'd never have known how it happened," declared uncle john. "but can the plot be foiled at this late date?" inquired louise, anxiously. "i think so," said mr. watson. "dr. squiers was correct in saying that such a crime was a state's prison offense. our discovery of it will send both erastus hopkins and dr. squiers to prison. probably mr. marshall, the manager of the mill, will go with them." "oh, i don't like that!" exclaimed patsy. "nor do i," added kenneth. "it would be a sad beginning to my political career to send three such men to prison. i'd like to avoid it, if i can." "perhaps it may be quietly arranged," said the lawyer. "if they knew you had discovered the false registration of these men, they would never dare vote them." "how would it be to send mr. burke, the detective, over to the mill to talk with mr. marshall?" suggested beth. "that is an excellent plan, and would be very effective in determining the manager to abandon the plot." "i'll go and see hopkins myself," announced uncle john. "i know how to manage men of his sort." "very good," approved the lawyer, "and i'll see squiers." "if you do," said patsy, "just ask him to sign a paper saying that lucy rogers was falsely accused of stealing the ring, and that his mother found it in a vase, where she had forgotten she put it." "i'll do that," replied mr. watson. "and i'll get the sixty dollars back that tom gates paid him. i'll make it a condition of our agreeing not to prosecute the man." "it looks as if we were going to win the election," said uncle john in a pleased voice. "if hopkins was driven to such methods as stuffing ballot-boxes, he must know very well he's defeated." "he acknowledged it to dr. squiers." said patsy, gaily. "we have eighteen sure majority, and perhaps more." "it's likely to be more," predicted uncle john. "i suppose congratulations are in order, ken," said louise. "not yet, cousin," he replied. "wait until tomorrow night; and then don't congratulate me, but the campaign managers--three of the nicest and cleverest girls in existence!" "you're right, my boy," declared uncle john. "if you pull through and take your seat in the legislature, you'll owe it all to these girls." "that is true," smiled the lawyer. "kenneth was badly beaten when you arrived." of course our girls were very happy at receiving this praise, but more pleased to realize they had actually been of service to their boy friend. they believed that kenneth would prove a good representative and carry out his promises to the voters; and if he did, that his political career was assured. mr. burke appeared in the afternoon with a telegram from dr. hoyt, the specialist, saying that he would be at elmwood on the noon train wednesday. his engagements prevented him from coming any sooner, and in the meantime mr. burke advised keeping a close watch on eliza parsons, to see that she did not run away. "i'll attend to that," said louise, quickly. "eliza and i are friends, and i'll take care of her." "aren't you going to the polls?" asked patsy. "no, dear; why should i go? our work is done now, isn't it?" "well, i'm going to the polls and work for every vote," declared patsy. "i shan't be happy unless kenneth gets more than eighteen majority." when the hopkins plot was explained to mr. burke, the detective readily agreed to go to fairview and see mr. marshall. as no time was to be lost he was sent over in an automobile, and arrived at the mill just before the hour for closing. the next day being election day the mill was to be closed, and the manager was very busy in his office when mr. burke requested to see him. "you will have to come around wednesday," said marshall, fussily. "i can't attend to you now." "i'm sorry to disturb you, sir," replied the detective, "but my business won't wait until wednesday." "what is it about, sir?" "about the election." "then i won't be bothered. the election doesn't interest me," said mr. marshall, turning away. "very well, i'll call wednesday, sir, at the jail." marshall gave him a quick look. "who are you, sir?" he asked. "john burke, a detective." the manager hesitated a moment. "come in, mr. burke," he said. "i represent the forbes interests," said the detective, seating himself in the private office, "and it has come to our notice that dr. squiers has permitted sixty-six fraudulent registrations to be entered on the books. these sixty-six men are supposed to have been imported by you and are now working at this mill." "this is all nonsense!" protested the manager, growing pale. "forty men are sleeping in a near-by barn, and twenty-six in the stock-room of the mill," added mr. burke. "that isn't criminal, sir." "no, indeed. the criminal act is their false registration, so far," said the detective, blandly. "but mark you, sir; if an attempt is made to vote those men tomorrow, i shall arrest you, as well as mr. hopkins and dr. squiers." "this is preposterous, sir!" blustered the manager. "there will be no attempt made to vote them." "i am quite sure of it," was the reply. "you may thank mr. forbes for warning you in time. he wished to save you, and so sent me here." "oh, he did!" mr. marshall was evidently surprised. "may i ask how you discovered all this?" he added. "i am not at liberty to give you the details. but i may say the exposure of the plot occurred through mr. hopkins's own carelessness. i've seen lots of crooked politicians, mr. marshall, but this man is too reckless and foolish ever to be a success. he deserves to be defeated and he will be." the manager was thoughtful. "this is all news to me," he declared. "i needed these extra men to help me fill a contract on time, and so employed them. i had no idea hopkins and squiers would try to vote them tomorrow." this was a palpable falsehood, but mr. burke accepted the lame excuse without question. "you are a valuable man in this community, mr. marshall, and mr. forbes seemed to think the hopkins people were trying to get you into trouble. of course it would have caused trouble had these men voted." "of course, mr. burke. i'm much obliged to mr. forbes for warning me." "you'll find the next representative a very agreeable man to get along with, mr. marshall. good day, sir." "good day, mr. burke." when the detective had gone mr. marshall sat in a brown study for a few moments. then he summoned his superintendent and said: "please ask the men to assemble in the yard before they go home. i want to have a word with them." the request came just in time, for the men were already beginning to stream out of the mill. they waited good-naturedly, however, grouping themselves in the big yard. then marshall mounted a lumber pile and addressed them briefly. "boys," he said, "i told you all, a week or so ago, i'd like you to vote for hopkins for representative, as i believed his election would result in more work for the mill and better wages for the employees. but i've been watching matters pretty closely, and i've changed my mind. forbes is a coming man, and he'll do more for us all than hopkins could. so every man who is entitled to vote will please me best by voting for kenneth forbes." there was a cheer at this, and when it subsided, the manager continued: "of course none of the new men, who were not properly registered, have a right to vote at this election, and i command them to keep away from the polls. anyone who attempts to vote illegally will be promptly arrested." this caused more cheering, for the workmen had suspected that the new hands would be voted illegally, and they were relieved to find that it was a "square deal all 'round," as one of them remarked with satisfaction. meantime, uncle john was having a "barrel of fun" with mr. hopkins. the little millionaire, although a man of simple and unobtrusive ways, was a shrewd judge of human nature. moreover he had acquired a fund of experience in dealing with all sorts of people, and was delighted to meet mr. hopkins under the present circumstances. so he drove over to elmwood and was fortunate to find mr. hopkins in his "office" at home where he was busily engaged instructing his "workers" in their duties at the polls. at sight of mr. merrick, whom he knew by this time to be a friend of kenneth forbes, staying at elmhurst, the politician scented some pending difficulty, or at least an argument, and was sufficiently interested to dismiss his men without delay. "ah, this is mr. merrick, i believe," began mr. hopkins, suavely. "what can i do for you, sir?" "considerable, if you're disposed," answered the other. "for one thing i'd like to hire eliza parsons away from you." "eliza parsons!" gasped the representative. "yes, your spy. election's about over and you won't need her any longer, will you?" "sir, do you mean to insult me?" asked the honorable erastus, indignantly. "by no means. i thought you were through with the girl," said uncle john with a chuckle. mr. hopkins was distinctly relieved. with a full recollection of his wicked schemes in his mind, he had feared some more important attack than this; so he assumed a virtuous look, and replied: "sir, you wrong me. eliza parsons was no spy of mine. i was merely trying to encourage her to a higher spiritual life. she is rather flighty and irresponsible, sir, and i was sorry for the poor girl. that is all. if she has been telling tales, they are untrue. i have found her, i regret to say, inclined at times to be--ah--inventive." "perhaps that's so," remarked uncle john, carelessly. "you're said to be a good man, mr. hopkins; a leetle too honest and straightforward for a politician; but that's an excusable fault." "i hope i deserve my reputation, mr. merrick," said erastus, straightening up at this praise. "i do, indeed, try to live an upright life." "i guess so, mr. hopkins, i guess so. you wouldn't try, for instance, to encourage false registration." "sir!" "anything wrong, mr. hopkins?" asked uncle john, innocently. erastus looked at his visitor tremblingly, although he tried to control his nerves. of course mr. merrick couldn't mean anything by this chance shot, so he must be thrown off the scent. "you have a disagreeable way of making remarks, sir, and i have no time to listen to foolish speeches. tomorrow is election day and i've a good many details yet to arrange." "no chance of you're getting in jail, is there?" "what do you mean by that?" "i only thought that if you'd done anything liable to make trouble, you'd have to arrange your affairs for a long spell in jail. politicians sometimes make mistakes. but you're such an honest man, mr. hopkins, you couldn't possibly go crooked." mr. hopkins felt shaky again, and looked at his tormentor earnestly, trying to discern whether there was any real knowledge beneath this innuendo. but uncle john met his gaze with a cheerful smile and continued: "i guess you've got a hard fight ahead of you. my young friend forbes is trying to get elected himself, and you can't both win." "oh, yes; forbes," said erastus, trying to regain his accustomed ease. "a worthy young man, sir; but i'm afraid his chances are slim." "are they, now?" asked uncle john, pretending a mild interest. "pretty thin, mr. merrick. our majority is too great to overcome." "what do you think your majority will be? about sixty-six?" mr. hopkins gave a start and turned red. "about sixty-six," he repeated, vacantly, trying to decide if this was another chance shot. "yes; about sixty-six mill hands." the cat was out of the bag now. hopkins realized that merrick had some knowledge or at least suspicion of this plot. he tried to think what to do, and it occurred to him that if his visitor positively knew anything he would not act in this absurd manner, but come straight to the point. so he ignored the speech, merely saying: "anything else, sir?" "no," replied uncle john; "i'll go home, i guess. folks'll be expecting me. sorry forbes hasn't got that sixty-six mill hands; but doc. squiers probably registered 'em all right, and they'll probably vote for hopkins." "wait a moment, sir!" cried erastus, as uncle john was turning away. "that speech demands an explanation, and i mean to have it." "oh, you do? well, i don't object. you may not know it, but squiers has registered sixty-six non-voters, and i want to know whether you're prepared to give half of them to forbes, or mean to keep them all for yourself." "if squiers has made false registrations he must stand the consequences. i want you to understand, sir, that i do not countenance any underhand dealing." "then it's all off? you won't vote the mill hands?" "not a man shall vote who is not properly registered." "i'm glad to hear it, mr. hopkins. perhaps you can get that twenty-five hundred back. i don't think squiers has cashed the check yet." the honorable erastus gave a roar like a wild bull, but uncle john had walked quietly out and climbed into his buggy. he looked back, and seeing mr. hopkins's scowling face at the window returned a pleasant smile as he drove away. mr. watson had just finished his interview with the dentist when uncle john picked him up at the corner. the lawyer had accomplished more than the other two, for he had secured a paper exonerating lucy rogers and another incriminating the honorable erastus hopkins, as well as the sixty dollars paid by tom gates. the dentist was thoroughly frightened, but determined, now that the conspiracy was defeated, that the man who had led him to the crime should not escape in case he was himself arrested. so he made a plain statement of the whole matter and signed it, and mr. watson assured squiers immunity from arrest, pending good behavior. the man had already cashed hopkins's check, and he knew the representative could not get the money away from him, so after all the dentist lost nothing by the exposure. it was a jolly party that assembled at the dinner-table in elmhurst that evening. "you see," explained uncle john, "the thing looked as big as a balloon to us at first; but it was only a bubble, after all, and as soon as we pricked it--it disappeared." chapter xxi the "returns" from fairview election day dawned sunny and bright; but there was a chill in the air that betokened the approach of winter. uncle john had suggested serving coffee to the voters at the different polling places, and kenneth had therefore arranged for a booth at each place, where excellent coffee was served free all day long. these booths were decorated with forbes banners and attracted a great deal of comment, as the idea was a distinct innovation in this district. "you wouldn't catch hopkins giving anything away," remarked one farmer to another. "'rast is too close-fisted." "why, as fer that," was the reply, "the thing is done to catch votes. you know that as well as i do." "s'pose it is," said the first speaker. "i'd ruther my vote was caught by a cup of hot coffee on a cold day, than by nothin' at all. if we've got to bite anyhow, why not take a hook that's baited?" patsy and beth made the rounds of the polling places in an automobile covered with flags and bunting, and wherever they appeared they were greeted with cordial cheers. mr. hopkins was noticeable by his absence, and this was due not so much to his cowardice as to an unfortunate accident. neither squiers nor hopkins knew just how their secret had leaked out, for patsy's presence in the dentist's office had not been disclosed; so each one suspected the other of culpable foolishness if not downright rascality. after uncle john's visit erastus stormed over to squiers's office and found his accomplice boiling with indignation at having been trapped in a criminal undertaking. as the two men angrily faced each other they could not think of any gentle words to say, and dr. squiers became so excited by the other's reproaches that he indulged in careless gestures. one of these gestures bumped against the honorable erastus's right eye with such force that the eye was badly injured. the candidate for re-election, therefore, wakened on election morning with the damaged optic swollen shut and sadly discolored. realizing that this unfortunate condition would not win votes, mr. hopkins remained at home all day and nagged his long-suffering spouse, whose tongue was her only defence. the representative had promptly telephoned to marshall at fairview telling him not to vote the men as arranged. he was not especially charmed with the manager's brief reply: "don't be alarmed. we're not _all_ fools!" "i guess, 'rast," remarked mary hopkins, looking at her damaged and irritable husband with a blending of curiosity and contempt, "that you're 'bout at the end of your rope." "you wait," said erastus, grimly. "this thing ain't over yet." the day passed very quietly and without any especial incident. a full vote was polled, and by sundown the fate of the candidates had been decided. but the counting seemed to progress slowly and the group assembled around the telephone in kenneth's library thought the returns would never arrive. the republican committee had given mr. forbes a table showing what the vote of each precinct should be, according to their canvass. the first report was from elmwood, and showed a gain of seventeen over the estimate. patsy was delighted, for she had worked hard in elmwood, and this proved that her efforts had been successful. then came a report from longville, in jefferson county. it showed a gain of forty-three votes for hopkins, and a consequent loss for forbes. this was a startling surprise, and the next advice from a country precinct in washington county showed another gain of twelve for hopkins. the little group of workers looked at one another with inquiring eyes, and patsy could hardly refrain from crying. the butler announced dinner, but only louise and mr. watson could eat anything. the others were too intent on learning their fate and could not leave the telephone. it seemed queer that the precincts furthest away should be first to respond, but so it was. jefferson county returns began to come in rapidly, and were received in dismal silence. hopkins gained four here, seven there, and twenty-two in another precinct. "it looks," said kenneth, quietly, "like a landslide for hopkins, and i wonder how our committee was so badly informed." "you see," said uncle john, "voters won't usually tell the truth about how they've decided to vote. lots of them tell both sides they're going to vote their way. and people change their minds at the last minute, too. you can't do much more than average the thing by means of a canvass." by nine o'clock, complete returns from the part of jefferson county included in the eighth district showed a net gain of one hundred and eight for hopkins--a lead that it seemed impossible to overcome. washington county was not so bad. incomplete returns indicated a slight gain for hopkins, but not more than a dozen votes altogether. "everything now depends upon dupree and fairview," announced kenneth, "but i can't get any connection with them yet. we won in elmwood, anyhow, and hopkins isn't ahead more than a hundred and sixty as the thing stands now. cheer up, girls. a defeat won't hurt us much, for we've all made a good fight. better get to bed and sleep, for you're tired out. we'll know all about everything in the morning." but they would not move. disappointment unnerved them more than victory would have done. they resolved to wait until the last returns were in. "telephone, sir," said tom gates. kenneth picked up the receiver. "here's dupree," he said. "our majority over hopkins is two hundred and eleven. let's see, that's a gain of seventy-four votes, my dears." "hooray!" cried patsy, delightedly. "i don't care a rap now, what happens. old hopkins won't have much to crow over if--" "wait a minute," said kenneth. "here's fairview, at last!" they held their breaths and watched his face. kenneth flushed red as he held the receiver to his ear, and then grew white. he turned around to the expectant group and beth knew from the sparkle in his eyes what had happened. "fairview's six precincts give us six hundred and forty-one majority," announced the boy, in an awed tone. "that's a gain of nearly four hundred!" they gazed at him in silent wonder. then uncle john rose slowly and took the boy's hand. "that means we've won--and won in a walk," said the little man. "kenneth, we congratulate you." patsy's face was buried in her handkerchief, and beth's great eyes were bright with unshed tears. but louise laughed her soft, musical laugh and remarked: "why, i knew all the time we would win. we had the better candidate, you see." "and the best campaign managers," added uncle john, with a proud smile. "that may be true," admitted beth. "but the thing that really won the fight was patsy's sore tooth." chapter xxii the awakening james and mr. burke met the great specialist in brain diseases at the noon train on wednesday and drove him to elmhurst. dr. hoyt was a handsome, gray-haired man, with kindly eyes and a distinguished manner. when he was ushered into the library the young ladies were attracted by the physician at once, and from the first glance were inspired by confidence in his powers. yet dr. hoyt spoke rather doubtfully of the case in hand. "these cases are not so rare as you might suppose," he said; "yet no two of them are exactly alike. usually the recovery is slow and tedious; but recovery is not always assured. in some instances, however, the memory is absolutely restored, and from what mr. burke has explained to me of lucy rogers's history this is what we may expect now. or else, we must trust to time or an accident to awaken her dormant mental faculties. the case is so interesting that i should like, with your permission, to make an experiment which can result in no harm if it does not succeed." "we put the matter entirely in your hands, sir," said uncle john. "act as you think best." "i thank you," replied dr. hoyt, bowing. then he turned to the girls. "which of you young ladies has won the friendship of lucy rogers?" he asked. louise answered that she and eliza parsons had become good friends. "will you assist me?" asked the physician. "willingly, sir." "i wish to send the girl into a deep sleep, to render her unconscious without her suspecting my intention, or realizing the fact. can you suggest a way to do this?" louise tried to think. "what means will you employ, sir?" she asked. "there are many ways to accomplish this. i prefer to administer a powerful sleeping potion. have you any confectionery or bon-bons at hand?" "yes, indeed. i have just received a fresh box of bon-bons from new york. but i'm not sure i can induce eliza to eat candy." "then let us prepare the potion in various ways. but you must be careful, miss merrick, not to make a mistake and take the dose yourself." louise laughed. "i'll be careful, sir," she promised. the two then retired to perfect their plan, and in an hour every arrangement was complete. louise went to her room, donned a wrapper, and bandaged her head. then she summoned martha and asked the housekeeper to send eliza parsons to sit with her in the darkened room, as she was suffering from a headache. the maid came at once, to all appearances, as happy and careless as ever. after expressing her sympathy she asked what she could do. "just sit down and keep me company, dear," replied louise. "i'm not very bad, but i'm restless and can't sleep, and i want you to talk to me and amuse me." eliza laughed. "that is easy, as far as talking is concerned," she said. "but to amuse you, miss louise, may be more difficult." but the girls found a topic of conversation in the election, in which eliza was much interested, and they chatted together for an hour or so before louise made any move to consummate her plot. "i hope my foolish reports to mr. hopkins did no harm to mr. forbes," eliza was saying. "i really had little to tell him of your conversation or movements." "you did no harm at all, for mr. forbes was elected," replied louise. then she said, carelessly: "martha has sent me this pitcher of lemonade, and i don't care for it. won't you drink a glass, eliza?" "no, thank you," she replied, shaking her head. "i never drink lemonade." "then have one of these sandwiches?" "i'm not hungry, miss louise." louise sighed. both the lemonade and the sandwiches had been "dosed" by dr. hoyt. then she picked up the box of bon-bons that was beside her. "but you will eat some candy, dear. every girl likes candy." "i don't seem to care for it," said eliza carelessly. "just one piece, to please me," coaxed louise, and selected a piece from the box with dainty care. "here, my dear; you'll find this sort very nice." eliza hesitated, but finally reached out her hand and took the bon-bon. louise lay back in her chair and closed her eyes, fearing their eagerness might betray her. when after a time she opened them again eliza was slowly rocking back and forth and chewing the confection. dr. hoyt's first suggestion had been best. the potion had been prepared in several ways to tempt eliza, but the candy had been the effectual bait. louise felt a glow of triumph, but managed to continue the conversation, relating in an amusing way the anxiety of the elmhurst folks when the first returns seemed to indicate the election of hopkins. eliza laughed once or twice, her head resting upon the back of her chair. then the words of louise began to sound dreamy and indistinct in her ears. the chair rocked with less regularity; soon it came to a stop, and eliza was peacefully sleeping in its ample depths. louise now rose softly and rang her bell. footsteps approached, and a knock came upon the door. she admitted dr. hoyt, mr. burke, and two servants. the physician approached the sleeping girl and gently lifted the lids of her eyes. then he nodded with satisfaction. "there was no suspicion on her part? she made no struggle--no attempt to evade unconsciousness?" he asked. "none at all, sir," replied louise. "she ate the bon-bon, and was asleep before she realized it." "excellent!" said the doctor. "we will now place her in her own room, upon her bed, while mr. burke and i drive over to her former home to complete our arrangements." "won't she waken?" asked louise. "not until tomorrow morning, and when she does i hope for a complete restoration of her memory." beth went with dr. hoyt to the rogers farm, because she knew mrs. rogers. it was necessary to break the news to the poor, blind woman gently, but beth's natural tact stood her in good stead. she related the story of the search for lucy, the discovery that one of the maids at elmhurst resembled the missing girl, and the detective's conclusion that eliza parsons was none other than lucy rogers, who was suffering from a peculiar mental aberration and had forgotten every detail of her former life. mrs. rogers followed the tale with intelligent understanding, and her joy at the discovery of her wandering child was only tempered by the fear that lucy would never know her mother again or be content to remain in her humble home. then dr. hoyt took up the conversation and related the many instances of complete recovery that had come under his observation. "i am adopting heroic methods in this case," said he, "but i have reasonable hopes of their success. your child doubtless became mentally confused while under this roof. how many hours she wandered, we do not know, but it could not have been long before she lay down by the roadside and fell asleep. when she awakened her mind was a blank as regards her identity and former history. now, in order to effect a recovery, i have reversed these experiences with her. she is at present plunged into a deep sleep, under the influence of narcotics that have rendered her brain absolutely inactive. it is really a state of coma, and i wish her to waken in this house, amid the scenes with which she was formerly familiar. by this means i hope to induce her mental faculties to resume their normal functions." mrs. rogers accepted this proposal with calmness and a confidence in the physician that was admirable. old will trembled with nervous excitement, and was so "flustered" by the importance of the experiment that dr. hoyt decided to give him a quieting potion. lucy's room was prepared in the exact manner in which she had left it, and presently the visitors drove back to elmhurst. in the evening the doctor made the journey a second time, accompanying the unconscious form of lucy, which was attended by a maid louise had sent with her. the girl was undressed and put to bed in her own room, and then everyone except dr. hoyt returned to elmhurst. the physician sat late in conversation with the blind woman and old will, and when they retired for the night he lay down upon a lounge in the little living-room. the question of fees or of comfort was wholly ignored by the specialist at the moment. his sole interest was in his remarkable case. mrs. rogers rose at daylight and with old will's assistance prepared the breakfast. the little table was set in the humble living-room, and the fragrant odor of coffee pervaded the house. dr. hoyt drank a cup and then stepped out upon the little porch, taking a position of observation by the window. "all right, nell," muttered old will, his knees knocking together, in spite of himself. mrs. rogers rose quietly and walked to the foot of the stairs. "lucy! lucy!" she called. "yes!" came a faint reply. "breakfast is ready!" then the two old people sat in suppressed excitement for what seemed to them an age. but the physician, calmly stationed at the window, knew it was not very long. presently a light step sounded upon the stairs and lucy came into the room. "good morning, mother dear!" she said, a new, sweet tenderness in her voice. and then she knelt and kissed the woman upon her brow. the doctor looked at his watch. "i must be going," he muttered, turning away. "there's time for me to catch the early train." the end proofreading team. my adventures as a spy by lieut.-gen. sir robert baden-powell, k.c.b. _illustrated by the author's own sketches_ london c. arthur pearson, ltd henrietta street, w.c. * * * * * _other works by_ lieut.-gen. sir robert baden-powell. scouting for boys. a handbook for instruction in good citizenship. th edition. the official handbook of the boy scouts. yarns for boy scouts told round the camp fire. nd edition. "there is no gift book that could be put into the hands of a schoolboy more valuable than this fascinating volume, and if you asked the boy's opinion he would probably add, 'no book that he liked better.'"--_spectator_. scouting games. a splendid collection of outdoor and indoor games specially compiled for the use of boy scouts. nd edition. "no one who, as a schoolboy, has read a word of fenimore cooper or ballantyne, nobody who feels the fascination of a good detective story, or who understands a little of the pleasures of woodcraft, could fail to be attracted by these games, or, for that matter, by the playing of the games themselves."--_spectator_. boy scouts beyond the seas "my world tour." illustrated by the author's own sketches. "describes in brightest and most concise fashion his recent tour of inspection amongst the boy scouts.... every boy will read it with avidity and pronounce it 'jolly good.'"--_graphic_. _price /- each in pictorial wrapper, or /- each in cloth boards. postage d. extra._ c. arthur pearson, ltd. * * * * * chief contents page different degrees of spies german plans for invading england jan grootboom, my native spy secret messages and how carried spy signs secret plans of fortresses "butterfly hunting" in dalmatia how spies disguise themselves exploring a foreign dockyard spying on mountain troops more mountain spying fooling a german sentry a spy is suspicious hoodwinking a turkish sentry tea and a turk watching the bosnians encounter with foreign police caught at last the escape * * * * * my adventures as a spy it has been difficult to write in peace-time on the delicate subject of spies and spying, but now that the war is in progress and the methods of those much abused gentry have been disclosed, there is no harm in going more fully into the question, and to relate some of my own personal experiences. spies are like ghosts--people seem to have had a general feeling that there might be such things, but they did not at the same time believe in them--because they never saw them, and seldom met anyone who had had first-hand experience of them. but as regards the spies, i can speak with personal knowledge in saying that they do exist, and in very large numbers, not only in england, but in every part of europe. as in the case of ghosts, any phenomenon which people don't understand, from a sudden crash on a quiet day to a midnight creak of a cupboard, has an affect of alarm upon nervous minds. so also a spy is spoken of with undue alarm and abhorrence, because he is somewhat of a bogey. as a first step it is well to disabuse one's mind of the idea that every spy is necessarily the base and despicable fellow he is generally held to be. he is often both clever and brave. the term "spy" is used rather indiscriminately, and has by use come to be a term of contempt. as a misapplication of the term "spy" the case of major andré always seems to me to have been rather a hard one. he was a swiss by birth, and during the american war of independence in joined the british army in canada, where he ultimately became a.d.c. to general sir h. clinton. the american commander of a fort near west point, on the hudson river, had hinted that he wanted to surrender, and sir h. clinton sent andré to treat with him. in order to get through the american lines andré dressed himself in plain clothes and took the name of john anderson. he was unfortunately caught by the americans and tried by court martial and hanged as a spy. as he was not trying to get information, it seems scarcely right to call him a spy. many people took this view at the time, and george iii. gave his mother a pension, as well as a title to his brother, and his body was ultimately dug up and re-interred in westminster abbey. the different degrees of spies. let us for the moment change the term "spy" to "investigator" or "military agent." for war purposes these agents may be divided into: . _strategical_ and diplomatic _agents_, who study the political and military conditions in peace time of all other countries which might eventually be in opposition to their own in war. these also create political disaffection and organise outbreaks, such, for instance, as spreading sedition amongst egyptians, or in india amongst the inhabitants, or in south africa amongst the boer population, to bring about an outbreak, if possible, in order to create confusion and draw off troops in time of war. . _tactical_, military, or naval _agents_, who look into minor details of armament and terrain in peace time. these also make tactical preparations on the spot, such as material for extra bridges, gun emplacements, interruption of communications, etc. . _field spies_. those who act as scouts in disguise to reconnoitre positions and to report moves of the enemy in the field of war. amongst these are residential spies and officer agents. all these duties are again subdivided among agents of every grade, from ambassadors and their attachés downwards. naval and military officers are sent to carry out special investigations by all countries, and paid detectives are stationed in likely centres to gather information. there are also traitor spies. for these i allow i have not a good word. they are men who sell their countries' secrets for money. fortunately we are not much troubled with them in england; but we have had a notorious example in south africa. strategical agents. the war treason--that is, preliminary political and strategical investigation--of the germans in the present campaign has not been such a success as might have been expected from a scheme so wonderfully organised as it has been. with the vast sums spent upon it, the german general staff might reasonably have obtained men in a higher position in life who could have gauged the political atmosphere better than was done by their agents immediately before the present crisis. their plans for starting strikes at a critical time met with no response whatever. they had great ideas of stirring up strife and discontent among the mahommedan populations both in egypt and in india, but they calculated without knowing enough of the eastern races or their feelings towards great britain and germany--more especially germany. they looked upon the irish question as being a certainty for civil war in britain, and one which would necessitate the employment of a large proportion of our expeditionary force within our own islands. they never foresaw that the boer and briton would be working amicably in south africa; they had supposed that the army of occupation there could never be removed, and did not foresee that south africa would be sending a contingent against their south african colonies while the regulars came to strengthen our army at home. they imagined the overseas dominions were too weak in men and ships and training to be of any use; and they never foresaw that the manhood of great britain would come forward in vast numbers to take up arms for which their national character has to a large extent given them the necessary qualifications. all this might have been discovered if the germans had employed men of a higher education and social position. tactical agents. in addition to finding out military details about a country, such as its preparedness in men, supplies, efficiency, and so on, these agents have to study the tactical features of hills and plains, roads and railways, rivers and woods, and even the probable battlefields and their artillery positions, and so on. the germans in the present war have been using the huge guns whose shells, owing to their black, smoky explosions, have been nicknamed "black marias" or "jack johnsons." these guns require strong concrete foundations for them to stand upon before they can be fired. but the germans foresaw this long before the war, and laid their plans accordingly. they examined all the country over which they were likely to fight, both in belgium and in france, and wherever they saw good positions for guns they built foundations and emplacements for them. this was done in the time of peace, and therefore had to be done secretly. in order to divert suspicion, a german would buy or rent a farm on which it was desired to build an emplacement. then he would put down foundations for a new barn or farm building, or--if near a town--for a factory, and when these were complete, he would erect some lightly constructed building upon it. there was nothing to attract attention or suspicion about this, and numbers of these emplacements are said to have been made before war began. when war broke out and the troops arrived on the ground, the buildings were hastily pulled down and there were the emplacements all ready for the guns. some years ago a report came to the war office that a foreign power was making gun emplacements in a position which had not before been suspected of being of military value, and they were evidently going to use it for strategical purposes. i was sent to see whether the report was true. of course, it would not do to go as an officer--suspicions would be aroused, one would be allowed to see nothing, and would probably be arrested as a spy. i therefore went to stay with a friendly farmer in the neighbourhood, and went out shooting every day among the partridges and snipe which abounded there. the first thing i did was to look at the country generally, and try to think which points would be most valuable as positions for artillery. then i went to look for partridges (and other things!) on the hills which i had noticed, and i very soon found what i wanted. officers were there, taking angles and measurements, accompanied by workmen, who were driving pegs into the ground and marking off lines with tapes between them. as i passed with my gun in my hand, bag on shoulder, and dog at heel, they paid no attention to me, and from the neighbouring hills i was able to watch their proceedings. when they went away to their meals or returned to their quarters, i went shooting over the ground they had left, and if i did not get a big bag of game, at any rate i made a good collection of drawings and measurements of the plans of the forts and emplacements which they had traced out on the ground. so that within a few days of their starting to make them we had the plans of them all in our possession. although they afterwards planted trees all over the sites to conceal the forts within them, and put up buildings in other places to hide them, we knew perfectly well where the emplacements were and what were their shapes and sizes. this planting of trees to hide such defence works occasionally has the other effect, and shows one where they are. this was notably the case at tsingtau, captured by the japanese and british forces from the germans. as there were not any natural woods there, i had little difficulty in finding where the forts were by reason of the plantations of recent growth in the neighbourhood of the place. residential spies. these men take up their quarters more or less permanently in the country of their operations. a few are men in high places in the social or commercial world, and are generally _nouveaux riches_, anxious for decorations and rewards. but most of the residential spies are of a more insignificant class, and in regular pay for their work. their duty is to act as agents to receive and distribute instructions secretly to other itinerant spies, and to return their reports to headquarters. for this reason they are nicknamed in the german intelligence bureau "post-boxes." they also themselves pick up what information they can from all available sources and transmit it home. one, steinbauer, has for some years past been one of the principal "post-boxes" in england. he was attached to the kaiser's staff during his last visit to this country, when he came as the guest of the king to the opening of queen victoria's memorial. a case of espionage which was tried in london revealed his methods, one of his agents being arrested after having been watched for three years. karl ernst's trial confirmed the discoveries and showed up the doings of men spies like schroeder, gressa, klare, and others. also the case of dr. karl graves may be still in the memory of many. this german was arrested in scotland for spying, and was condemned to eighteen months' imprisonment, and was shortly afterwards released without any reason being officially assigned. he has since written a full account of what he did, and it is of interest to note how his correspondence passed to and from the intelligence headquarters in germany in envelopes embellished with the name of messrs. burroughs and wellcome, the famous chemists. he posed as a doctor, and sent his letters through an innkeeper at brussels or a _modiste_ in paris, while letters to him came through an obscure tobacconist's shop in london. one of these letters miscarried through having the wrong initial to his name. it was returned by the post office to burroughs and wellcome, who on opening it found inside a german letter, enclosing bank-notes in return for services rendered. this raised suspicion against him. he was watched, and finally arrested. he states that a feeling that he was being followed dawned upon him one day, when he noticed in his lodgings that the clothes which he had folded on a chair had been since refolded in a slightly different way while he was out. with some suspicion, he asked his landlady whether anyone had entered his room, and she, in evident confusion, denied that any stranger could have been there. then he suggested that his tailor might have called, and she agreed that it was so. but when an hour or two later he interviewed his tailor, he, on his part, said he had not been near the place. graves consequently deduced that he was being followed. the knowledge that you are being watched, and you don't know by whom, gives, i can assure you, a very jumpy feeling--especially when you know you are guilty. i can speak feelingly from more than one experience of it, since i have myself been employed on this form of scouting in peace time. officer agents. it is generally difficult to find ordinary spies who are also sufficiently imbued with technical knowledge to be of use in gaining naval or military details. consequently officers are often employed to obtain such information in peace time as well as in the theatre of action in war. but with them, and especially with those of germany, it is not easy to find men who are sufficiently good actors, or who can disguise their appearance so well as to evade suspicion. very many of these have visited our shores during the past few years, but they have generally been noticed, watched, and followed, and from the line taken by them in their reconnaissance it has been easy to deduce the kind of operations contemplated in their plans. i remember the case of a party of these motoring through kent nominally looking at old roman ruins. when they asked a landowner for the exact position of some of these he regretted he had not a map handy on which he could point out their position. one of the "antiquarians" at once produced a large scale map; but it was not an english map: it had, for instance, details on it regarding water supply tanks which, though they existed, were not shown on any of our ordnance maps! in addition to the various branches of spying which i have mentioned, the germans have also practised commercial espionage on systematic lines. commercial spying. young germans have been often known to serve in british business houses without salary in order to "learn the language"; they took care to learn a good deal more than the language, and picked up many other things about trade methods and secrets which were promptly utilised in their own country. the importance of commercial spying is that commercial war is all the time at the bottom of germany's preparations for military war. carl lody, a german ex-officer, was recently tried in london by court-martial and shot for "war treason"--that is, for sending information regarding our navy to germany during hostilities. ("war treason" is secret work outside the zone of war operations. when carried on within the zone of operations it is called spying or "espionage.") carl lody's moves were watched and his correspondence opened by the counter-spy police in london, and thus all his investigations and information were known to the war office long before he was arrested. the enormous sums paid by germany for many years past have brought about a sort of international spy exchange, generally formed of american-germans, with their headquarters in belgium, and good prices were given for information acquired by them. for instance, if the plans of a new fort, or the dimensions of a new ship, or the power of a new gun were needed, one merely had to apply and state a price to this bureau to receive fairly good information on the subject before much time had elapsed. at the same time, by pretending to be an american, one was able to get a good deal of minor and useful information without the expenditure of a cent. germany's invasion plans. on getting into touch with these gentry, i was informed of one of the intended plans by which the germans proposed to invade our country, and incidentally it throws some light on their present methods of dealing with the inhabitants as apart from the actual tactical movements of the troops. the german idea then--some six years ago--was that they could, by means of mines and submarines, at any time block the traffic in the british channel in the space of a few hours, thus holding our home fleets in their stations at spithead and portland. with the straits of dover so blocked, they could then rush a fleet of transports across the north sea from germany, to the east coast of england, either east anglia or, as in this plan, in yorkshire. they had in germany nine embarking stations, with piers and platforms, all ready made, and steel lighters for disembarkation purposes or for actual traversing of the ocean in case of fine weather. they had taken the average of the weather for years past, and had come to the conclusion that july th is, on an average, the finest day in the year; but their attempt would be timed, if possible, to fall on a bank holiday when communications were temporarily disorganised. therefore the nearest bank holiday to july th would probably be that at the beginning of august; it was a coincidence that the present war broke out on that day. the spies stationed in england were to cut all telephone and telegraph wires, and, where possible, to blow down important bridges and tunnels, and thus to interrupt communications and create confusion. their idea of landing on the coast of yorkshire was based on the following reasons:-- they do not look upon london as strategically the capital of england, but rather upon the great industrial centres of the north midlands, where, instead of six millions, there are more like fourteen millions of people assembled in the numerous cities and towns, which now almost adjoin each other across that part of the country. their theory was that if they could rush an army of even , men into leeds, sheffield, halifax, manchester, and liverpool without encountering great opposition in the first few hours, they could there establish themselves in such strength that it would require a powerful army to drive them out again. bringing a week's provisions with them, and seizing all the local provisions, they would have enough to sustain them for a considerable time, and the first step of their occupation would be to expel every inhabitant--man, woman, and child--from the neighbourhood and destroy the towns. thus, within a few hours, some fourteen millions of people would be starving, and wandering without shelter over the face of the country--a disaster which would need a large force to deal with, and would cause entire disruption of our food supplies and of business in the country. the east coast of yorkshire between the humber and scarborough lends itself to such an adventure, by providing a good open beach for miles, with open country in front of it, which, in its turn, is protected by a semi-circle of wolds, which could be easily held by the german covering force. its left would be protected by the humber and the right by the tees, so that the landing could be carried out without interruption. that was their plan--based on careful investigation by a small army of spies--some five or six years ago, before our naval bases had been established in the north. if they had declared war then, they, might have had no serious interference from our navy during the passage of their transports, which, of course, would be protected on that flank by their entire fleet of warships. at first glance, it seems too fanciful a plan to commend itself to belief, but in talking it over with german officers, i found they fully believed in it as a practical proposition. they themselves enlarged on the idea of the use that they would thus make of the civil population, and foreshadowed their present brutality by explaining that when war came, it would not be made with kid gloves. the meaning of their commands would be brought home to the people by shooting down civilians if necessary, in order to prove that they were in earnest, and to force the inhabitants through terror to comply with their requirements. further investigations on the subject proved that the embarkation arrangements were all planned and prepared for. at any time in the ordinary way of commerce there were numerous large mail steamers always available in their ports to transport numbers even largely in excess of those that would be assembled for such an expedition. troops could be mobilised in the neighbourhood of the ports, ostensibly for manoeuvres, without suspicion being aroused. it is laid down in german strategical textbooks that the time for making war is not when you have a political cause for it, but when your troops are ready and the enemy is unready; and that to strike the first blow is the best way to declare war. i recounted all this at the time in a private lecture to officers, illustrated with lantern slides and maps, as a military problem which would be interesting to work out on the actual ground, and it was not really until the report of this leaked into the papers that i realised how nearly i had "touched the spot." for, apart from the various indignant questions with which the secretary of state for war was badgered in the house of commons on my account, i was assailed with letters from germany of most violent abuse from various quarters, high and low, which showed me that i had gone nearer the truth than i had even suspected. "you are but a brown-paper general," said one, "and if you think that by your foolish talk you are to frighten us from coming, you are not right." field spies. it is difficult to say where exactly a spy's work ends in war, and that of a scout begins, except that, as a rule, the first is carried out in disguise. the scout is looked up to as a brave man, and his expedients for gaining information are thought wonderfully clever, so long as he remains in uniform. if he goes a bit further, and finds that he can get his information better by adopting a disguise--even at the greater risk to himself through the certainty of being shot if he is found out--then he is looked down upon as a "despicable spy." i don't see the justice of it myself. a good spy--no matter which country he serves--is _of necessity_ a brave and valuable fellow. in our army we do not make a very wide use of field spies on service, though their partial use at manoeuvres has shown what they can do. in "aids to scouting" i have stated: "in the matter of spying we are behind other nations. spying, in reality, is reconnaissance in disguise. its effects are so far-reaching that most nations, in order to deter enemies' spies, threaten them with death if caught." as an essential part of scouting, i gave a chapter of hints on how to spy, and how to catch other people spying. catching a spy. spy-catching was once one of my duties, and is perhaps the best form of education towards successful spying. i had been lucky enough to nail three and was complimented by one of the senior officers on the commander-in-chief's staff. we were riding home together from a big review at the time that he was talking about it, and he remarked, "how do you set about catching a spy?" i told him of our methods and added that also luck very often came in and helped one. just in front of us, in the crowd of vehicles returning from the review-ground, was an open hired victoria in which sat a foreign-looking gentleman. i remarked that as an instance this was the sort of man i should keep an eye upon, and i should quietly follow him till i found where he lodged and then put a detective on to report his moves. from our position on horseback close behind him we were able to see that our foreigner was reading a guide book and was studying a map of the fortifications through which we were passing. suddenly he called to the driver to stop for a moment while he lit a match for his cigarette. the driver pulled up, and so did we. the stranger glanced up to see that the man was not looking round, and then quickly slipped a camera from under the rug which was lying on the seat in front of him, and taking aim at the entrance shaft of a new ammunition store which had just been made for our navy, he took a snapshot. then hurriedly covering up the camera again he proceeded to strike matches and to light his cigarette. then he gave the word to drive on again. we followed close behind till we came to where a policeman was regulating the traffic. i rode ahead and gave him his instructions so that the carriage was stopped, and the man was asked to show his permit to take photographs. he had none. the camera was taken into custody and the name and address of the owner taken "with a view to further proceedings." unfortunately at that time--it was many years ago--we were badly handicapped by our laws in the matter of arresting and punishing spies. by-laws allowed us to confiscate and smash unauthorised cameras, and that was all. "further proceedings," had they been possible, in this case would have been unnecessary, for the suspected gentleman took himself off to the continent by the very next boat. but it took a good deal to persuade my staff-officer friend that the whole episode was not one faked up for his special edification. it is only human to hate to be outwitted by one more clever than yourself, and perhaps that accounts for people disliking spies with a more deadly hatred than that which they bestow on a man who drops bombs from an aeroplane indiscriminately on women and children, or who bombards cathedrals with infernal engines of war. nobody could say that my native spy in south africa, jan grootboom, was either a contemptible or mean kind of man. he was described by one who knew him as a "white man in a black skin," and i heartily endorse the description. here is an instance of his work as a field spy:-- jan grootboom was a zulu by birth, but having lived much with white men, as a hunter and guide, he had taken to wearing ordinary clothes and spoke english perfectly well: but within him he had all the pluck and cunning of his race. for scouting against the matabele it was never wise to take a large party, since it would be sure to attract attention, whereas by going alone with one man, such as grootboom, one was able to penetrate their lines and to lie hid almost among them, watching their disposition and gaining information as to their numbers, supplies, and whereabouts of their women and cattle, etc. now, every night was spent at this work--that is to say, the night was utilised for creeping to their positions, and one watched them during the day. but it was impossible to do this without leaving footmarks and tracks, which the sharp eyes of their scouts were not slow to discover, and it very soon dawned upon them that they were being watched, and consequently they were continually on the look-out to waylay and capture us. one night grootboom and i had ridden to the neighbourhood of one of the enemy's camps, and were lying waiting for the early dawn before we could discover exactly where they were located. it was during the hour before sunrise that, as a rule, the enemy used to light their fires for cooking their early morning food. one could thus see exactly their position, and could rectify one's own, so as to find a place where one could lie by during the day and watch their movements. on this occasion the first fire was lit and then another sparkled up, and yet another, but before half a dozen had been lighted grootboom suddenly growled under his breath:-- "the swine--they are laying a trap for us." i did not understand at the moment what he meant, but he said:-- "stop here for a bit, and i will go and look." he slipped off all his clothing and left it lying in a heap, and stole away in the darkness, practically naked. evidently he was going to visit them to see what was going on. the worst of spying is that it makes you always suspicious, even of your best friends. so, as soon as grootboom was gone in one direction, i quietly crept away in another, and got among some rocks in a small kopje, where i should have some kind of a chance if he had any intention of betraying me and returning with a few matabele to capture me. for an hour or two i lay there, until presently i saw grootboom creeping back through the grass--alone. ashamed of my doubts, i therefore came out and went to our rendezvous, and found him grinning all over with satisfaction while he was putting on his clothes again. he said that he had found as he had expected, an ambush laid for us. the thing that had made him suspicious was that the fires, instead of lighting up all over the hillside at different points about the same time, had been lighted in steady succession one after another, evidently by one man going round. this struck him as suspicious, and he then assumed that it was done to lead us on, if we were anywhere around, to go and examine more closely the locality. he had crept in towards them by a devious path, from which he was able to perceive a whole party of the matabele lying low in the grass by the track which we should probably have used in getting there, and they would have pounced upon us and captured us. to make sure of this suspicion he crept round till near their stronghold, and coming from there he got in among them and chatted away with them, finding out what was their intention with regard to ourselves, and also what were their plans for the near future. then, having left them, and walked boldly back towards their stronghold, he crept away amongst some rocks and rejoined me. his was an example of the work of a field spy which, although in a way it may be cunning and deceitful, at the same time demands the greatest personal courage and astuteness. it is something greater than the ordinary bravery of a soldier in action, who is carried on by the enthusiasm of those around him under the leadership of an officer, and with the competition and admiration of others. the pluck of the man who goes out alone, unobserved and unapplauded, and at the risk of his life, is surely equally great. the boers used field spies freely against us in south africa. one english-speaking boer used to boast how, during the war, he made frequent visits to johannesburg dressed in the uniform taken from a british major who had been killed in action. he used to ride past the sentries, who, instead of shooting him, merely saluted, and he frequented the clubs and other resorts of the officers, picking up such information as he required from them first hand, till evening came and he was able to ride back to his commando. conveying information. on our side various methods were adopted of conveying information in the field. my spies employed native runners (especially the most astute cattle-thieves) to take their despatches to me. _a secret message._ [illustration: _these hieroglyphics contain a secret message which can be easily read by those who know the semaphore signalling code. this signalling consists of swinging two arms in different positions, either singly or together. the dots indicate where the letters join. for example: the semaphore sign for n consists of both arms pointing downwards at an angle of degrees ^. the letter i is shown by both arms pointing to the left at the same angle >. the next n is shown again, and the letter e is a single arm pointing upwards on the right at an angle of degrees /._ _in each word you start at the top of the signs and read downwards._ _this form of secret message was frequently used in the south african war._] these were in every case naturally written in cypher or secret code, in hindustani written in english characters, and so on. they were rolled up into pellets and pressed into a small hole bored in a walking-stick, the hole being then plugged with clay or soap. or they were put into the bowl of a pipe underneath the tobacco, and could thus be burnt without suspicion if necessary, or they were slipped in between the soles of the boots, or stitched in the lining of the bearer's clothing. these natives also understood the language of smoke-fires--signalling by means of little or big puffs of smoke as to the enemy's moves and strength. secret signals and warnings. the native despatch-runners whom we sent out to make their way through the enemy's lines carried the letters tightly rolled up in little balls, coated with sheet lead, such as tea is packed in. these little balls they carried slung round their necks on a string. the moment that they saw an enemy coming near they dropped the balls, which then looked like so many stones, on the ground, and took bearings of the spot so that they could find them again when the coast was clear. then there were fixed points for hiding letters for other spies to find. here are some of the most frequently used: [illustration: _this little mark, scratched on the ground or on a tree trunk or gate-post, was used by one scout for the information of another. it means: "a letter is hidden four paces in this direction."_ [illustration: _a sign used to warn another scout that he is following a wrong direction. it means: "not this way."_] [illustration: _this is another sign from one scout to another and means: "i have returned home."_] [illustration: _the "blaze" on the tree trunk and the two stones, one on the other, are simply to show that the scout is on the right trail._ _the other three sketches are to show the direction in which the scout should go. the arrow is marked on the ground. the upper part of the sapling or bush is bent over in the direction which the scout should take, and the same is the case with the bunch of grass, which is first of all knotted and then bent._] spies in war time. the japanese, of course, in their war with russia in manchuria made extensive use of spies, and port arthur, with all its defects of fortification and equipment, was known thoroughly inside and out to the japanese general staff before they ever fired a shot at it. in the field service regulations of the german army a paragraph directed that the service of protection in the field--that is to say, outposts, advanced guards, and reconnaissances--should always be assisted by a system of spying, and although this paragraph no longer stands in the book, the spirit of it is none the less carried out. the field spies are a recognised and efficient arm. frederick the great is recorded to have said: "when marshal subise goes to war, he is followed by a hundred cooks, but when i take the field i am preceded by a hundred spies." the present leader of the german army might well say the same, though probably his "hundred" would amount to thousands. we hear of them dressed in plain clothes as peasants, and signalling with coloured lights, with puffs of smoke from chimneys, and by using the church clock hands as semaphores. very frequently a priest was arrested and found to be a spy disguised, and as such he was shot. also a german chauffeur in a french uniform, who had for some time been driving french staff officers about, was found to be a spy, and so met his death. early in the present war the german field spies had their secret code of signs, so that by drawing sketches of cattle of different colours and sizes on gates, etc., they conveyed information to each other of the strength and direction of different bodies of hostile troops in the neighbourhood. as a rule, these are residential spies, who have lived for months or years as small tradesmen, etc., in the towns and villages now included in the theatre of war. on the arrival of the german invaders they have chalked on their doors, "not to be destroyed. good people here," and have done it for some of their neighbours also in order to divert suspicion. in their capacity of naturalised inhabitants they are in position, of course, to gain valuable tactical information for the commanders of the troops. and their different ways of communicating it are more than ingenious. in some cases both spies and commanders have maps ruled off in small squares. the watchful spy signals to his commander, "enemy's cavalry halted behind wood in square e ," and very soon a salvo of shells visits this spot. a woman spy was caught signalling with an electric flash lamp. two different men (one of them an old one-legged stonebreaker at the roadside) were caught with field telephones hidden on them with wire coiled round their bodies. shepherds with lanterns went about on the downs at night dodging the lanterns about in various ways which did not seem altogether necessary for finding sheep. wireless telegraphs were set up to look like supports to iron chimneys. in the south african campaign a dutch stationmaster acted as field spy for the boers for a short time. it was only a very short time. his town and station were captured by my force, and, in order to divert suspicion, he cut and pulled down the telegraph wires, all except one, which was left in working order. by this wire he sent to the boer headquarters all the information he could get about our forces and plans. unfortunately, we had a party of men tapping the wire, and were able to read all his messages, and to confront him with them shortly afterwards. another stationmaster, in our own territory, acted as spy to the enemy before the war began by employing enemies as gangers and platelayers along the line with a view to the destruction of bridges and culverts as soon as war was declared. there was also found in his office a code by which the different arms of the service were designated in terms of timber for secretly telegraphing information. thus: beams meant brigades timbers " batteries logs " guns scantlings " battalions joists " squadrons planks " companies the pluck of a spy. except in the case of the traitor spy, one does not quite understand why a spy should necessarily be treated worse than any other combatant, nor why his occupation should be looked upon as contemptible, for, whether in peace or war, his work is of a very exacting and dangerous kind. it is intensely exciting, and though in some cases it brings a big reward, the best spies are unpaid men who are doing it for the love of the thing, and as a really effective step to gaining something valuable for their country and for their side. the plea put forward by the german spy, lieut. carl lody, at his court-martial in london, was that "he would not cringe for mercy. he was not ashamed of anything that he had done; he was in honour bound not to give away the names of those who had employed him on this mission; he was not paid for it, he did it for his country's good, and he knew that he carried his life in his hands in doing so. many a briton was probably doing the same for britain." he was even spoken of in our house of commons as being "a patriot who had died for his country as much as any soldier who fell in the field." to be a really effective spy, a man has to be endowed with a strong spirit of self-sacrifice, courage, and self-control, with the power of acting a part, quick at observation and deduction, and blessed with good health and nerve of exceptional quality. a certain amount of scientific training is of value where a man has to be able to take the angles of a fort, or to establish the geological formation, say, of the middle island under the forth bridge, which was shown by graves to be readily adaptable for explosion purposes. for anyone who is tired of life, the thrilling life of a spy should be the very finest recuperator! traitorous spying. quite another class of spy is the traitor who gives away the secrets of his own country. for him, of course, there is no excuse. fortunately, the briton is not as a rule of a corruptible character, and many foreign spies in england have been discovered through their attempts to bribe officers or men to give away secrets. on the other hand, we hear frequently of foreign soldiers falling victims to such temptation, and eventually being discovered. cases have only recently come to light in austria where officers were willing to sell information as regards a number of secret block-houses which were built on the frontier of bukovina last year. details of them got into the hands of another power within a few days of the designs being made. apparently when suspicion falls upon an officer in austria the case is not tried in public, but is conducted privately, sometimes by the emperor himself. when the man is found guilty, the procedure is for four friends of the accused to visit him and tell him what has been discovered against him, and to present him with a loaded revolver and leave him. they then remain watching the house, in order that he shall not escape, and until he elects to shoot himself; if he fails to do so, in reasonable time, they go in and finish him off between them. the german spy organisation. the espionage system of the germans far exceeds that of any other country in its extent, cost, and organisation. it was thoroughly exposed after the war with france in , when it was definitely shown that the german government had an organisation of over , paid informers stationed in france, and controlled by one man, stieber, for both political and military purposes. to such completeness were their machinations carried that when jules favre came to versailles to treat about the surrender of paris with the headquarter staff of the german army he was met at the station by a carriage, of which the coachman was a german spy, and was taken to lodge in the house which was the actual headquarters of the spy department. stieber himself was the valet, recommended to him as "a thoroughly trustworthy servant." stieber availed himself of his position to go through his master's pockets and despatch cases daily, collecting most valuable data and information for bismarck. somehow, on the surface, suspicion of the german spy methods seemed to have subsided since that date, although at the time widely known throughout europe. but their methods have been steadily elaborated and carried into practice ever since, not in france alone, but in all the countries on the continent, and also in great britain. the value of being stupid. fortunately for us, we are as a nation considered by the others to be abnormally stupid, therefore easily to be spied upon. but it is not always safe to judge entirely by appearances. our ambassador at constantinople some years ago had the appearance of a cheery, bluff, british farmer, with nothing below the surface in his character, and he was therefore looked upon as fair game by all his intriguing rivals in eastern politics. it was only after repeated failures of their different missions they found that in every case they were out-intrigued by this innocent-looking gentleman, who below the surface was as cunning as a fox and as clever a diplomat as could be found in all the service. and so it has been with us british. foreign spies stationed in our country saw no difficulty in completely hoodwinking so stupid a people; they never supposed that the majority of them have all been known to our secret service department, and carefully watched, unknown to themselves. few of them ever landed in this country without undergoing the scrutiny of an unobtrusive little old gentleman with tall hat and umbrella, but the wag of whose finger sent a detective on the heels of the visitor until his actual business and location were assured and found to be satisfactory. for years the correspondence of these gentry has been regularly opened, noted, and sent on. they were not as a rule worth arresting, the information sent was not of any urgent importance, and so long as they went on thinking that they were unnoticed, their superiors in their own country made no effort to send more astute men in their place. thus we knew what the enemy were looking for, and we knew what information they had received, and this as a rule was not of much account. on august th, the day before the declaration of war, the twenty leading spies were formally arrested and over of their minor agents were also taken in hand, and thus their organisation failed them at the moment when it was wanted most. steps were also taken to prevent any substitutes being appointed in their places. private wireless stations were dismantled, and by means of traps those were discovered which had not been voluntarily reported and registered. it used to amuse some of us to watch the foreign spies at work on our ground. one especially interested me, who set himself up ostensibly as a coal merchant, but never dealt in a single ounce of coal. his daily reconnaissance of the country, his noting of the roads, and his other movements entailed in preparing his reports, were all watched and recorded. his letters were opened in the post, sealed up, and sent on. his friends were observed and shadowed on arriving--as they did--at hull instead of in london. and all the time he was plodding along, wasting his time, quite innocent of the fact that he was being watched, and was incidentally giving us a fine amount of information. another came only for a few hours, and was away again before we could collar him; but, knowing his moves, and what photographs he had taken, i was able to write to him, and tell him that had i known beforehand that he wished to photograph these places, i could have supplied him with some ready made, as the forts which they recorded were now obsolete. on the other hand, the exceedingly stupid englishmen who wandered about foreign countries sketching cathedrals, or catching butterflies, or fishing for trout, were merely laughed at as harmless lunatics. these have even invited officials to look at their sketch-books, which, had they had any suspicion or any eyes in their heads, would have revealed plans and armaments of their own fortresses interpolated among the veins of the botanist's drawings of leaves or on the butterflies' wings of the entomologist. some examples of secret sketches of fortresses which have been used with success are shown on the following pages. [illustration: _this sketch of a butterfly contains the outline of a fortress, and marks both the position and power of the guns. the marks on the wings between the lines mean nothing, but those on the lines show the nature and size of the guns, according to the keys below._] [illustration: the marks on the wings reveal the shape of the fortress shown here and the size of the guns. [illustration: fortress guns.] [illustration: field guns.] [illustration: machine guns.] _the position of each gun is at the place inside the outline of the fort on the butterfly where the line marked with the spot ends. the head of the butterfly points towards the north._] [illustration: _a smart piece of spy-work. veins on an ivy leaf show the outline of the fort as seen looking west (point of the leaf indicates north.)_] [illustration: _shows where big guns are mounted if a vein points to them._] [illustration: _shows "dead ground," where there is shelter from fire._] [illustration: _shows machine guns._] [illustration: _here is another of the methods by which i concealed the plans of the forts i made._ _first of all, i would sketch the plan as shown in the picture above giving the strength and positions of the various guns as shown below:_ _a. kaponiers with machine guns._ _b. cm. gun cupola._ _c. cm. guns cupolas._ _d. q.-f. disappearing guns._ _e. howitzer cupolas._ _f. searchlight._] [illustration: _having done this, i would consider the best method of concealing my plans. in this case i decided to transform the sketch into that of a stained glass window, and if you will carefully examine the picture above you will see how successfully this has been done. certain of the decorations signify the sizes and positions of the guns. these signs are given below, together with their meaning._] [illustration: . _cm. gun._ . _howitzers._ . _q.-f. disappearing guns._ . _cm. guns._ . _machine guns._ . _searchlight._] [illustration] concealing a fort in a moth's head. [illustration: _another example of this method of making secret plans is shown here._ _this sketch was made, giving all the particulars that i wanted. i then decided to bury it in such a way that it could not be recognised as a fortress plan if i were caught by the military authorities. one idea which occurred to me was to make it into the doorway of a cathedral or church, but i finally decided on the sketch of the moth's head. underneath in my note-book i wrote the following words:--_ "_head of dula moth as seen through a magnifying glass. caught . . . magnified about six times size of life." (meaning scale of inches to the mile.)_] butterfly hunting in dalmatia. once i went "butterfly hunting" in dalmatia. cattaro, the capital, has been the scene of much bombarding during the present war. more than a hundred years ago it was bombarded by the british fleet and taken. it was then supposed to be impregnable. it lies at the head of a loch some fifteen miles long, and in some parts but a few hundred yards wide, in a trough between mountains. from cattaro, at the head of the loch, a zig-zag road leads up the mountain side over the frontier into montenegro. when the british ships endeavoured to attack from the seaward, the channel was closed by chains and booms put across it. but the defenders had reckoned without the resourcefulness of the british "handyman," and a few days later, to the utter astonishment of the garrison, guns began to bombard them from the top of a neighbouring mountain! the british captain had landed his guns on the adriatic shore, and by means of timber slides rigged up on the mountain side he had hauled his guns bodily up the rocky steeps to the very summit of the mountain. he fixed up his batteries, and was eventually able to bombard the town with such effect that it had to surrender. it was perhaps characteristic of us that we only took the town because it was held by our enemies. we did not want it, and when we had got it we did not know what to do with it. we therefore handed it over to the montenegrins, and thus gave them a seaport of their own. for this feat the montenegrins have always had a feeling of admiration and of gratitude to the british, and, though by terms of ulterior treaties it was eventually handed over to dalmatia, the montenegrins have never forgotten our goodwill towards them on this occasion. but other batteries have since been built upon these mountain tops, and it was my business to investigate their positions, strength, and armaments. i went armed with most effective weapons for the purpose, which have served me well in many a similar campaign. i took a sketch-book, in which were numerous pictures--some finished, others only partly done--of butterflies of every degree and rank, from a "red admiral" to a "painted lady." carrying this book and a colour-box, and a butterfly net in my hand, i was above all suspicion to anyone who met me on the lonely mountain side, even in the neighbourhood of the forts. i was hunting butterflies, and it was always a good introduction with which to go to anyone who was watching me with suspicion. quite frankly, with my sketch-book in hand, i would ask innocently whether he had seen such-and-such a butterfly in the neighbourhood, as i was anxious to catch one. ninety-nine out of a hundred did not know one butterfly from another--any more than i do--so one was on fairly safe ground in that way, and they thoroughly sympathised with the mad englishman who was hunting these insects. they did not look sufficiently closely into the sketches of butterflies to notice that the delicately drawn veins of the wings were exact representations, in plan, of their own fort, and that the spots on the wings denoted the number and position of guns and their different calibres. on another occasion i found it a simple disguise to go as a fisherman into the country which i wanted to examine. my business was to find some passes in the mountains, and report whether they were feasible for the passage of troops. i therefore wandered up the various streams which led over the hills, and by quietly fishing about i was able to make surveys of the whole neighbourhood. but on one occasion a countryman constituted himself my guide, and insisted on sticking to me all the morning, showing me places where fish could be caught. i was not, as a matter of fact, much of a fisherman at that time, nor had i any desire to catch fish, and my tackle was of a very ramshackle description for the purpose. i flogged the water assiduously with an impossible fly, just to keep the man's attention from my real work, in the hope that he would eventually get tired of it and go away. but not he! he watched me with the greatest interest for a long time, and eventually explained that he did not know anything about fly fishing, but had a much better system of getting the fish together before casting a worm or slug-among-them. his system he then proceeded to demonstrate, which was to spit into the water. this certainly attracted a run of fish, and then he said that if only he had a worm he could catch any number. i eventually got rid of him by sending him to procure such, and while he was away i made myself scarce and clambered over the ridge to another valley. how spies disguise themselves. spying brings with it a constant wearing strain of nerves and mind, seeing that it involves certain death for a false step in war or imprisonment in peace. the government promises to give no help whatever to its servant if caught. he is warned to keep no notes, to confide in no one, to use disguises where necessary, and to shift for himself entirely. [illustration: _the matter of disguise is not so much one of theatrical make-up as of being able to secure a totally different character in voice and mannerisms, and especially of gait in walking and appearance from behind. a man may effect a wonderful disguise in front, yet be instantly recognised by a keen eye from behind. this is a point which is frequently forgotten by beginners, and yet is one of the most important. the first and third figures show an effective make-up in front, but the second figure, a back-view, shows how easily the man may be recognised by a person behind him. the fourth and fifth sketches show, by means of dotted lines, how the "back-view" can be altered by change of clothing and gait._] the matter of disguise is not so much one of a theatrical make-up--although this is undoubtedly a useful art--as of being able to assume a totally different character, change of voice and mannerisms, especially of gait in walking and appearance from behind. this point is so often forgotten by beginners, and yet it is one of the most important. i was at one time watched by a detective who one day was a soldierly-looking fellow and the next an invalid with a patch over his eye. i could not believe it was the same man until i watched him from behind and saw him walking, when at once his individuality was apparent. for mannerisms, a spy has by practice to be able to show an impediment in his speech one day, whereas the next a wiggle of an eyelid or a snuffling at the nose will make him appear a totally different being. for a quick change, it is wonderful what difference is made by merely altering your hat and necktie. it is usual for a person addressing another to take note of his necktie, and probably of his hat, if of nothing else, and thus it is often useful to carry a necktie and a cap of totally different hue from that which you are wearing, ready to change immediately in order to escape recognition a few minutes later. [illustration: _this illustration shows how the writer was able to disguise himself at very short notice when he observed that he was recognised on a railway station. the first sketch shows him as he entered a waiting-room shortly after his suspicions were aroused. the second depicts him on his exit a few minutes later. the disguise, simple though it may seem, was entirely successful._] i learnt this incidentally through being interviewed some years ago at a railway station. a few minutes after the ordeal i found myself close up to my interviewer, when he was re-telling the incident to a brother journalist, who was also eager to find me. "he is down there, in one of the last carriages of the train. you will know him at once; he is wearing a green homburg hat and a red tie, and a black coat." fortunately i had a grey overcoat on my arm, in which was a travelling cap and a comforter. diving into the waiting-room, i effected a "quick change" into these, crammed my hat into my pocket, and tottered back, with an invalid shuffle, to my carriage. i re-entered it under the nose of the waiting reporter without being suspected, and presently had the pleasure of being carried away before him unassailed. on a recent occasion in my knowledge a man was hunted down into a back street which was a _cul-de-sac_, with no exit from it. he turned into the door of a warehouse and went up some flights of stairs, hoping to find a refuge, but, finding none, he turned back and came down again and faced the crowd which was waiting outside, uncertain which house he had entered. by assuming extreme lameness in one leg, hunching up one shoulder, and jamming his hat down over a distorted-looking face, he was able to limp boldly down among them without one of them suspecting his individuality. in regard to disguises, hair on the face--such as moustache or beard--are very usually resorted to for altering a man's appearance but these are perfectly useless in the eye of a trained detective unless the eyebrows also are changed in some way. [illustration: _another instance of how an effective disguise can be assumed on the spur of the moment. this disguise was effected in two minutes._] [illustration: _the use of hair in disguising the face is perfectly useless unless the eyebrows are considerably changed. the brow and the back of the head are also extremely important factors in the art of disguise._ _the second picture shows the effect of "improving" the eyebrows of the face on the left, and also of raising the hair on the brow, while the third sketch shows what a difference the addition of a beard and extra hair on the back of the head, can make._] i remember meeting a man on the veldt in south africa bronzed and bearded, who came to me and said that he had been at school with one of my name. as he thrust his hat back on his head i at once recognised the brow which i had last seen at charterhouse some twenty-five years before, and the name and nickname at once sprang to my lips. "why, you are liar jones," i exclaimed. he said, "my name is jones, but i was not aware of the 'liar.'" "in altering your face you must remember that 'improved' eyebrows alter the expression of the face more than any beards, shaving, etc. tattoo marks can be painted on the hands or arms, to be washed off when you change your disguise.... disguising by beginners is almost invariably overdone in front and not enough behind.... before attempting to be a spy first set yourself to catch a spy, and thus learn what faults to avoid as likely to give you away." [_aids to scouting_, p. .] it fell to my lot at one time to live as a plumber in south-east london, and i grew a small "goatee" beard, which was rather in vogue amongst men of that class at that time. one day, in walking past the naval and military club in piccadilly in my workman's get-up, i passed an old friend, a major in the horse artillery, and almost without thinking i accosted him by his regimental nickname. he stared and wondered, and then supposed that i had been a man in his battery, and could not believe his eyes when i revealed my identity. i was never suspected by those among whom i went, and with whom i became intimate. i had nominally injured my arm in an accident and carried it in a sling, and was thus unable to work, or what was also a blessing, to join in fights in which my friends from time to time got involved. my special companion was one jim bates, a carpenter. i lost sight of him for some years, and when next i met him he was one of the crowd at a review at aldershot, where i was in full rig as an hussar officer. it was difficult to persuade him that i was his former friend the plumber. later on, when employed on a reconnaissance mission in south africa, i had grown a red beard to an extent that would have disguised me from my own mother. coming out of the post office of a small country town, to my surprise i came up against the colonel of my regiment, who was there for an outing. i at once--forgetting my disguise--accosted him with a cheery "hullo, colonel, i didn't know you were here," and he turned on me and stared for a minute or two, and then responded huffily that he did not know who i was. as he did not appear to want to, i went my ways, and only reminded him months later of our brief meeting! the sport of spying. undoubtedly spying would be an intensely interesting sport even if no great results were obtainable from it. there is a fascination which gets hold of anyone who has tried the art. each day brings fresh situations and conditions requiring quick change of action and originality to meet them. here are a few instances from actual experiences. none of these are anything out of the common, but are merely the everyday doings of the average agent, but they may best explain the sporting value of the work. one of the attractive features of the life of a spy is that he has, on occasion, to be a veritable sherlock holmes. he has to notice the smallest of details, points which would probably escape the untrained eye, and then he has to put this and that together and deduce a meaning from them. i remember once when carrying out a secret reconnaissance in south africa i came across a farmhouse from which the owner was absent at the moment of my arrival. i had come far and would have still further to go before i came across any habitation, and i was hard up for a lodging for the night. after off-saddling and knee-haltering my horse, i looked into the various rooms to see what sort of a man was the inhabitant. it needed only a glance into his bedroom in this ramshackle hut to see that he was one of the right sort, for there, in a glass on the window-sill, were two tooth-brushes. i argued that he was an englishman and of cleanly habits, and would do for me as a host--and i was not mistaken in the result! the value of hide-and-seek. the game of hide-and-seek is really one of the best games for a boy, and can be elaborated until it becomes scouting in the field. it teaches you a lot. i was strongly addicted to it as a child, and the craft learned in that innocent field of sport has stood me in good stead in many a critical time since. to lie flat in a furrow among the currant bushes when i had not time to reach the neighbouring box bushes before the pursuer came in sight taught me the value of not using the most obvious cover, since it would at once be searched. the hunters went at once to the box bushes as the likely spot, while i could watch their doings from among the stems of the currant bushes. often i have seen hostile scouts searching the obvious bits of cover, but they did not find _me_ there; and, like the elephant hunter among the fern trees, or a boar in a cotton crop, so a boy in the currant bushes is invisible to the enemy, while he can watch every move of the enemy's legs. this i found of value when i came to be pursued by mounted military police, who suspected me of being a spy at some manoeuvres abroad. after a rare chase i scrambled over a wall and dropped into an orchard of low fruit trees. here squatting in a ditch, i watched the legs of the gendarmes' horses while they quartered the plantation, and when they drew away from me i crept to the bank of a deep water channel which formed one of the boundaries of the enclosure. here i found a small plank bridge by which i could cross, but before doing so i loosened the near end, and passed over, dragging the plank after me. on the far side the country was open, and before i had gone far the gendarmes spied me, and after a hurried consultation, dashed off at a gallop for the nearest bridge, half a mile away. i promptly turned back, replaced my bridge and recrossed the stream, throwing the plank into the river, and made my way past the village to the next station down the line while the horsemen were still hunting for me in the wrong place. another secret that one picked up at the game of hide-and-seek was, if possible, to get above the level of the hunter's eye, and to "freeze"--that is, to sit tight without a movement, and, although not in actual concealment, you are very apt to escape notice by so doing. i found it out long ago by lying flat along the top of an ivy-clad wall when my pursuers passed within a few feet of me without looking up at me. i put it to the proof later on by sitting on a bank beside the road, just above the height of a man, but so near that i might have touched a passer-by with a fishing-rod; and there i sat without any concealment and counted fifty-four wayfarers, out of whom no more than eleven noticed me. the knowledge of this fact came in useful on one of my investigating tours. inside a great high wall lay a dockyard in which, it was rumoured, a new power-house was being erected, and possibly a dry dock was in course of preparation. it was early morning; the gates were just opened; the workmen were beginning to arrive, and several carts of materials were waiting to come in. seizing the opportunity of the gates being open, i gave a hurried glance in, as any ordinary passer-by might do. i was promptly ejected by the policeman on duty in the lodge. i did not go far. my intention was to get inside somehow and to see what i could. i watched the first of the carts go in, and noticed that the policeman was busily engaged in talking to the leading wagoner, while the second began to pass through the gate. in a moment i jumped alongside it on the side opposite to the janitor, and so passed in and continued to walk with the vehicle as it turned to the right and wound its way round the new building in course of construction. i then noticed another policeman ahead of me and so i kept my position by the cart, readapting its cover in order to avoid him. unfortunately in rounding the corner i was spied by the first policeman, and he immediately began to shout to me (_see map_). i was deaf to his remarks and walked on as unconcernedly as a guilty being could till i placed the corner of the new building between him and me. then i fairly hooked it along the back of the building and rounded the far corner of it. as i did so i saw out of the tail of my eye that he was coming full speed after me and was calling policeman no. to his aid. i darted like a red-shank round the next corner out of sight of both policemen, and looked for a method of escape. [illustration: _the dotted line in this plan shows my route, small figures are policemen looking for me._] the scaffolding of the new house towered above me, and a ladder led upwards on to it. up this i went like a lamplighter, keeping one eye on the corner of the building lest i should be followed. i was half-way up when round the corner came one of the policemen. i at once "froze." i was about fifteen feet above sea level and not twenty yards from him. he stood undecided with his legs well apart, peering from side to side in every direction to see where i had gone, very anxious and shifty. i was equally anxious but immovable. presently he drew nearer to the ladder and, strangely enough, i felt safer when he came below me, and he passed almost under me, looking in at the doorways of the unfinished building. then he doubtfully turned and looked back at a shed behind him, thinking i might have gone in there, and finally started off, and ran on round the next corner of the building. the moment he disappeared i finished the rest of my run up the ladder and safely reached the platform of the scaffolding. the workmen were not yet upon the building, so i had the whole place to myself. my first act was to look for another ladder as a line of escape in case of being chased. it is always well to have a back door to your hiding place; that is one of the essentials in scouting. presently i found a short ladder leading from my platform to the stage below, but it did not go to the ground. peering quietly over the scaffolding, i saw my friend the policeman below, still at fault. i blessed my stars that he was no tracker, and therefore had not seen my footmarks leading to the foot of the ladder. then i proceeded to take note of my surroundings and to gather information. judging from the design of the building, its great chimneys, etc., i was actually on the new power-house. from my post i had an excellent view over the dockyard, and within feet of me were the excavation works of the new dock, whose dimensions i could easily estimate. i whipped out my prismatic compass and quickly took the bearings of two conspicuous points on the neighbouring hills, and so fixed the position which could be marked on a large scale map for purposes of shelling the place, if desired. meantime my pursuer had called the other policeman to him, and they were in close confabulation immediately below me, where i could watch them through a crack between two of the foot-boards. they had evidently come to the conclusion that i was not in the power-house as the interior was fully open to view, and they had had a good look into it. their next step was to examine the goods shed close by, which was evidently full of building lumber, etc. one man went into it while the other remained outside on the line that i should probably take for escaping, that is, between it and the boundary wall leading to the gateway. by accident rather than by design he stood close to the foot of my ladder, and thus cut off my retreat in that direction. while they were thus busy they were leaving the gate unguarded, and i thought it was too good a chance to be missed, so, returning along the scaffolding until i reached the small ladder, i climbed down this on to the lower story, and, seeing no one about, i quickly swarmed down one of the scaffolding poles and landed safely on the ground close behind the big chimney of the building. here i was out of sight, although not far from the policeman guarding the ladder; and, taking care to keep the corner of the building between us, i made my way round to the back of the lodge, and then slipped out of the gate without being seen. spying on mountain troops. i was once in a country where the mountain troops on their frontier were said to be of a wonderfully efficient kind, but nobody knew much about their organisation or equipment or their methods of working, so i was sent to see if i could find out anything about them, i got in amongst the mountains at the time when their annual manoeuvres were going on, and i found numbers of troops quartered in the valleys and billeted in all the villages. but these all appeared to be the ordinary type of troops, infantry, artillery of the line, etc. the artillery were provided with sledges by which the men could pull the guns up the mountain sides with ropes, and the infantry were supplied with alpenstocks to help them in getting over the bad ground. for some days i watched the manoeuvres, but saw nothing very striking to report. then one evening in passing through a village where they were billeted i saw a new kind of soldier coming along with three pack mules. he evidently belonged to those mountain forces of which, so far, i had seen nothing. i got into conversation with him, and found that he had come down from the higher ranges in order to get supplies for his company which was high up among the snow peaks, and entirely out of reach of the troops manoeuvring on the lower slopes. he incidentally told me that the force to which he belonged was a very large one, composed of artillery and infantry, and that they were searching amongst the glaciers and the snows for another force which was coming as an enemy against them, and they hoped to come into contact with them probably the very next day. he then roughly indicated to me the position in which his own force was bivouacking that night, on the side of a high peak called the "wolf's tooth." by condoling with him on the difficult job he would have to get through, and suggesting impossible roads by which he could climb, he eventually let out to me exactly the line which the path took, and i recognised that it would be possible to arrive there during the night without being seen. so after dark, when the innkeeper thought i was safely in bed, i quietly made my way up the mountain side to where the "wolf's tooth" stood up against the starry sky as a splendid landmark to guide me. there was no difficulty in passing through the village with its groups of soldiers strolling about off duty, but on the roads leading out of it many sentries were posted, and i feared that they would scarcely let me pass without inquiring as to who i was and where i was going. so i spent a considerable time in trying to evade these, and was at last fortunate in discovering a storm drain leading between high walls up a steep bank into an orchard, through which i was able to slip away unseen by the sentries guarding the front of the village. i climbed up by such paths and goat tracks as i could find leading in the direction desired. i failed to strike the mule path indicated by my friend the driver, but with the peak of the wolf's tooth outlined above me against the stars, i felt that i could not go far wrong--and so it proved in the event. it was a long and arduous climb, but just as dawn began to light up the eastern sky i found myself safely on the crest, and the twinkling of the numerous camp fires showed me where the force was bivouacked which i had come to see. as the daylight came on the troops began to get on the move, and, after early coffee, were beginning to spread themselves about the mountain side, taking up positions ready for attack or defence, so as it grew lighter i hastened to find for myself a comfortable little knoll, from which i hoped to be able to see all that went on without myself being seen; and for a time all went particularly well. troops deployed themselves in every direction. look-out men with telescopes were posted to spy on the neighbouring hills, and i could see where the headquarters staff were gathered together to discuss the situation. gradually they came nearer to the position i myself was occupying, and divided themselves into two parties; the one with the general remained standing where they were, while the other came in the direction of the mound on which i was lying. then to my horror some of them began to ascend my stronghold. i at once stood up and made no further efforts at concealment, but got out my sketch book and started to make a drawing of "dawn among the mountains." i was very soon noticed, and one or two officers walked over to me and entered into conversation, evidently anxious to find out who i was and what was my business there. my motto is that a smile and a stick will carry you through any difficulty; the stick was obviously not politic on this occasion; i therefore put on a double extra smile and showed them my sketch book, explaining that the one ambition of my life was to make a drawing of the wolf's tooth by sunrise. they expressed a respectful interest, and then explained that their object in being there was to make an attack from the wolf's tooth on the neighbouring mountain, provided that the enemy were actually in possession of it. i on my part showed a mild but tactful interest in their proceedings. the less interest i showed, the more keen they seemed to be to explain matters to me, until eventually i had the whole of their scheme exposed before me, illustrated by their own sketch maps of the district, which were far more detailed and complete than anything of the kind i had seen before. in a short time we were on the best of terms; they had coffee going which they shared with me, while i distributed my cigarettes and chocolates amongst them. they expressed surprise at my having climbed up there at that early hour, but were quite satisfied when i explained that i came from wales, and at once jumped to the conclusion that i was a highlander, and asked whether i wore a kilt when i was at home. in the middle of our exchange of civilities the alarm was given that the enemy was in sight, and presently we saw through our glasses long strings of men coming from all directions towards us over the snows. between us and the enemy lay a vast and deep ravine with almost perpendicular sides, traversed here and there by zig-zagging goat tracks. officers were called together, the tactics of the fight were described to them, and in a few minutes the battalion and company commanders were scattered about studying with their glasses the opposite mountain, each, as they explained to me at the time, picking out for himself and for his men a line for ascending to the attack. then the word was given for the advance, and the infantry went off in long strings of men armed with alpenstocks and ropes. ropes were used for lowering each other down bad places, and for stringing the men together when they got on to the snows to save them from falling into crevasses, etc. but the exciting point of the day was when the artillery proceeded to move down into the ravine; the guns were all carried in sections on the backs of mules, as well as their ammunition and spare parts. in a few minutes tripods were erected, the mules were put into slings, guns and animals were then lowered one by one into the depths below until landed on practicable ground. here they were loaded up again and got into their strings for climbing up the opposite mountains, and in an incredibly short space of time both mules and infantry were to be seen, like little lines of ants, climbing by all the available tracks which could be found leading towards the ice fields above. the actual results of the field day no longer interested me; i had seen what i had come for--the special troops, their guns, their supply and hospital arrangements, their methods of moving in this apparently impassable country, and their maps and ways of signalling. all was novel, all was practical. for example, on looking at one of the maps shown to me, i remarked that i should have rather expected to find on it every goat track marked, but the officer replied that there was no need for that; every one of his men was born in this valley, and knew every goat track over the mountain. also a goat track did not remain for more than a few weeks, or at most a few months, owing to landslips and washouts; they are continually being altered, and to mark them on a map would lead to confusion. posing as an artist. my mountain climbing came into use on another occasion of a somewhat similar kind. a map had been sent me by my superiors of a mountainous district in which it had been stated that three forts had recently been built. it was only known generally what was the situation of these forts, and no details had been secured as to their size or armament. on arriving at the only town in the neighbourhood, my first few days were spent strolling about looking generally at the mountains amongst which the forts were supposed to be. i had meantime made the acquaintance through my innkeeper of one or two local sportsmen of the place, and i inquired among them as to the possibilities of partridge or other shooting among the mountains when the season came on. i told them that i enjoyed camping out for a few days at a time in such country for sketching and shooting purposes. i asked as to the possibilities of hiring tents and mules to carry them, and a good muleteer was recommended to me, who knew the whole of the countryside, and could tell me all the likely spots that there were for camping grounds. eventually i engaged him to take me for a day or two in exploring the neighbourhood, with a view to fixing on camping grounds and seeing the view. we went for a considerable distance along a splendid high road which led up into the mountains. as we got into the high parts he suggested that we should leave the road and clamber down into the ravine, along which we could go for some distance and then reascend and rejoin the road higher up. he then explained that this was a military road, and that it would be desirable to leave it for a space in order to avoid the guard-house upon it, where a sentry was posted with orders to allow no one beyond that point. we successfully evaded the guard-house according to his direction, and eventually found ourselves on the road again, in a position well up towards the top of the ridge; but on our left as we progressed up the road was a steep minor ridge which we presently proceeded to ascend. when we were near the top he said to me with a knowing grin:-- "now if you look over there, you will see before you exactly what you want." and as i looked over i found below me one of the new forts. it was exactly what i wanted to see spread before my eyes like a map. i simply had to take a bird's-eye view of it to get its complete plan. beyond it on another ridge lay another fort, and almost behind me i could see part of the third, while beyond and above were still more forts up on the heights. i had got into a regular nest of them. my position on the ridge gave me a splendid view of mountains, and referring to them i said:-- "yes, indeed, you have brought me to exactly the right spot." but he grinned again maliciously, pointing down to the fort, and said:-- "yes, but that is the best view of all, i think." he seemed to grasp my intentions most fully. far below the forts lay the straits which they were designed to protect for the vessels steaming through them. i started at once to make a sketch of the panorama, carefully omitting that ground where the forts lay, partly in order to disarm my friend's suspicions, and partly to protect me in the event of my arrest. presently my companion volunteered to go down to the fort and bring up his brother, who, he said, was a gunner stationed there, and could give me every detail that i could wish about their guns, etc. this sounded almost too good to be true, but with the greatest indifference i said i should be glad to see him, and off went my friend. the moment that he was out of sight i took care to move off into a neighbouring kopje where i could hide myself in case of his bringing up a force of men to capture me. from here i was able to make a pretty accurate sketch of the fort and its gun emplacements on the inside of the lining of my hat, and when i had replaced this i went on as hurriedly as possible with my sketch to show that i had been fully occupied during the guide's absence. presently i saw him returning, but as he was only accompanied by one other man, i crept down again to my original position and received them smiling. the gunner was most communicative, and told me all about his guns and their sizes and what were their powers as regards range and accuracy. he told me that once a year an old vessel that was about to be broken up was towed along behind a steamer down the straits to afford a target to the defence forts as she passed on. he said regretfully:-- "we are number three fort, and so far, no vessel has ever successfully passed one and two--they always get sunk before they reach us"--and he gave me the exact range and the number of rounds fired, which showed that their shooting was pretty good. many other details i found out as to the number of the men, their feeding and hospital arrangements; and a few days later i was able to take myself home with a good stock of valuable information and the good wishes and hopes of my various friends that i some day would return to shoot the partridges. but i am certain that one man was not taken in by my professions, either as an artist or as a sportsman, and that was the muleteer. fooling a german sentry. on another occasion i wanted to ascertain what value there was in the musketry training of a foreign infantry. also it had been reported that they had recently acquired a new form of machine gun which was a particularly rapid firer and very accurate in its effects. its calibre was known, and its general pattern (from photographs), but its actual capabilities were still a matter of conjecture. on this occasion i thought the simplest way would be to go undisguised. without any concealment i went to stay in garrison towns where i happened to know one or two officers. i obtained introductions to other officers, and gradually became their companion at meals and at their evening entertainments. they mounted me on their horses, i rode with them on their rounds of duty, and i came to be an attendant at their field days and manoeuvres; but whenever we approached the rifle ranges i was always politely but firmly requested to go no further, but to await their return, since the practice was absolutely confidential. i could gain no information from them as to what went on within the enclosure where the rifle range was hidden. two of my english friends one day incautiously stopped at the entrance gate to one of the ranges, and were promptly arrested and kept in the guard-room for some hours, and finally requested to leave the place, without getting much satisfaction out of it. so i saw that caution was necessary. little by little, especially after some very cheerful evenings, i elicited a certain amount of information from my friends as to what the new machine gun did and was likely to do, and how their soldiers could of course never hit a running target, since it was with the greatest difficulty they hit the standing one at all. but more than this it was impossible to get. however, i moved on to another military station, where as a stranger i tried another tack. the rifle ranges were surrounded by a belt of trees, outside of which was an unclimbable fence guarded by two sentries, one on either side. it seemed impossible to get into or even near the range without considerable difficulty. one day i sauntered carelessly down in the direction of the range at a point far away from the entrance gate, and here i lay down on the grass as if to sleep, but in reality to listen and take the rate of the shooting from the sound and also the amount of success by the sound of the hits on the iron target. having gained a certain amount of data in this way, i approached more nearly in the hope of getting a sight of what was going on. while the sentry's back was turned i made a rush for the fence, and though i could not get over, i found a loose plank through which i was able to get a good view of what was happening. while engaged at this, to my horror the sentry suddenly turned on his tracks and came back towards me. but i had been prepared against such eventualities, and jamming back the plank into its place, i produced from my pocket a bottle of brandy which i had brought for the purpose. half of it had been already sprinkled over my clothes, so that when the man approached he found me in a state of drunkenness, smelling vilely of spirits, and profuse in my offers to him to share the bottle. [illustration: _the above sketch shows the writer in a tight place. he was discovered in close proximity to a rifle range by a german sentry. he pretended to be intoxicated, and so escaped. but it was a close shave._] he could make nothing of me, and therefore gently but firmly conducted me to the end of his beat and thrust me forth and advised me to go home, which i did in great content.... a spy is suspicious. the practice of spying has one unfortunate tendency: it teaches one to trust no one, not even a would-be benefactor. a foreign country had recently manufactured a new form of field gun which was undergoing extensive secret trials, which were being conducted in one of her colonies in order to avoid being watched. i was sent to find out particulars of this gun. on arrival in the colony i found that a battery of new guns was carrying out experiments at a distant point along the railway. the place was by all description merely a roadside station, with not even a village near it, so it would be difficult to go and stay there without being noticed at once. the timetable, however, showed that the ordinary day train stopped there for half an hour for change of engines, so i resolved to see what i could do in the space of time allowed. we jogged along in the local train happily enough and stopped at every little station as we went. at one of these a colonial farmer entered my carriage, and though apparently ill and doleful, we got into conversation on the subject of the country and the crops. at length we drew up at the station where the guns were said to be. eagerly looking from the window, my delight may be imagined when i saw immediately outside the station yard the whole battery of guns standing parked. everybody left the train to stretch their legs, and i did not lose a moment in hurrying through the station and walking out to have a closer look at what i had come to see. the sentry on the guns was on the further side from me, and therefore i was able to have a pretty close look at the breech action and various other items before he could come round to my side. but he very quickly noticed my presence, and not only came himself, but shouted to another man whom i had not so far seen behind a corner of the station wall. this was the corporal of the guard, who rushed at me and began abusing me with every name he could lay his tongue to for being here without permit. i tried to explain that i was merely a harmless passenger by the train coming out to stretch my legs, and had never noticed his rotten old guns? but he quickly shoo'd me back into the station. i betook myself once more to the carriage, got out my field glasses, and continued my investigations from the inside of the carriage, where i had quite a good view of the guns outside the station, and was able to note a good deal of information painted on them as to their weight, calibre, etc. suddenly in the midst of my observations i found the view was obscured, and looking up, i found the face of the corporal peering in at me; he had caught me in the act. but nothing more came of it at the moment. my farmer friend presently returned to his place, the whistle sounded, and the train lumbered on. when i resumed conversation with the colonist i remarked on his invalid appearance and enquired about his health. the poor man, with tears running down his cheeks, then confessed to me it was not illness of body, but worry of the mind that was preying upon him. he had utterly failed in his attempt at making a successful farm, and had entered the train with the idea of cutting his throat, and would have done so had i not been there to prevent him. life was over for him, and he did not know what to do. i got him to talk about his losses, and offered suggestions to him based on the experiences of a friend of mine who was also a farmer in that country, and who for ten years had failed until the right method came to him in the eleventh year, and he was now making his business a huge success. this put hope at once into my volatile companion. he bucked up and became cheerful and confidential. finally he said: "you have done me a good turn. i will do something for you. i know that you are a german spy, and i know that you are going to be arrested at the station where this train stops for the night. you were spotted by a non-commissioned officer at the last station, and while i was in the telegraph office he came in and sent a telegram to the commandant of the terminal station, reporting that a german spy had been examining the guns and was travelling by this train in this carriage." i at once laughed genially at the mistake made, and explained to him that i was not a german at all. he replied that that would not avail me--i should be arrested all the same if i went on to the end of the journey. "but," he suggested, "i shall be getting out myself at the very next station to go back to my farm, and my advice to you is to get out there also. you will find a good inn where you can put up for the night, and to-morrow morning the early train will take you on clean through that very station where the military commandant will be on the look-out for you to-night." i replied that, as an englishman, i had nothing to fear, and i should go on. at the next station accordingly he got out, and after an affectionate farewell, i went on. but there was yet another station between this and the night stop, and on arrival there i took the hint of my friend and got out and spent the night at the little inn of the place. following his advice still further, i took the early train next morning and ran through the place where they had been looking out for me. i had not got out when he invited me to at his station lest his invitation might merely have been a trap to test whether i was a spy; had i accepted it, no doubt he might have had friends at hand to arrange my arrest. as it was, i came away scot free with all the information i wanted about the new gun. hoodwinking a turkish sentry. a big new turkish fort had been recently built, and my business was to get some idea of its plan and construction. from my inn in the town i sauntered out early one morning before sunrise, hoping to find no sentries awake, so that i could take the necessary angles and pace the desired bases in order to plot in a fairly accurate plan of it. to some extent i had succeeded when i noticed among the sandhills another fellow looking about, and, it seemed to me, trying to dodge me. this was rather ominous, and i spent some of my time trying to evade this "dodger," imagining that he was necessarily one of the guard attempting my capture. in evading him, unfortunately, i exposed myself rather more than usual to view from the fort, and presently was challenged by one of the sentries. i did not understand his language, but i could understand his gesture well enough when he presented his rifle and took deliberate aim at me. this induced me to take cover as quickly as might be behind a sandhill, where i sat down and waited for a considerable time to allow the excitement to cool down. presently, who should i see creeping round the corner of a neighbouring sandhill but my friend the "dodger"! it was too late to avoid him, and the moment he saw me he appeared to wish to go away rather than to arrest me. we then recognised that we were mutually afraid of each other, and therefore came together with a certain amount of diffidence on both sides. however, we got into conversation, in french, and i very soon found that, although representatives of different nationalities, we were both at the same game of making a plan of the fort. we therefore joined forces, and behind a sandhill we compared notes as to what information we had already gained, and then devised a little plan by which to complete the whole scheme. my friend took his place in a prominent position with his back to the fort and commenced to smoke, with every appearance of indifference to the defence work behind him. this was meant to catch the sentry's eye and attract his attention while i did some creeping and crawling and got round the other side of the work, where i was able to complete our survey in all its details. [illustration: _a sketch showing how i and another spy managed to obtain drawings of a fort absolutely under the eyes of a sentry. the spy on the right of the picture is doing nothing more than attracting the attention of the sentry while on the left of the picture i am making the necessary drawings._] it was late that night when we met in the "dodger's" bedroom, and we made complete tracings and finished drawings, each of us taking his own copy for his own headquarters. a day or two later we took steamer together for malta, where we were to part on our respective homeward journeys--he on his way back to italy. as we both had a day or two to wait at malta, i acted as host to him during his stay. as we entered the harbour i pointed out to him the big -ton guns which at that time protected the entrance, and were visible to anybody with two eyes in his head. i pointed out various other interesting batteries to him which were equally obvious, but i omitted to mention other parts which would have been of greater interest to him. he came away from malta, however, with the idea that, on the whole, he had done a good stroke of business for his government by going there, and convinced of his luck in getting hold of a fairly simple thing in the shape of myself to show him around. it was my good fortune to meet him a few years later, when perhaps unwittingly he returned the compliment which i had done him in malta. he was then in charge of a large arsenal in one of the colonies of his country. this was situated in a citadel perched on a high ridge with a rapid river flowing around the base. my orders at that time were to try and ascertain whether any organisation existed in this colony for mobilising the natives as a reserve, should the regular troops be called away for action elsewhere. also whether there was any means arranged for arming these natives; if so, in what way and in what numbers. knowing that my friend was quartered in the place, i called upon him as the first step, without any definite plan in my mind as to how i was to set about getting the information. he was kind enough to take me for a tour of inspection round the town, down to the river, and up in the citadel. by a lucky chance i got on to the idea that the citadel ought to be lit with electric light since the water power produced by the torrent below could work a dynamo at very low cost if properly engineered. this was so much in my thoughts that as we went through the barracks and buildings in the fort, i kept pointing out how easily and inexpensively places might be wired and lit. and i gradually persuaded him that it was a matter that he should take up and suggest to his superior. finally, when he had seen almost everything, my friend remarked: "i don't suppose you would care to see inside the arsenal, it is so much like many others you must have seen before." but i assured him that it would interest me very much; in fact, it was rather essential to forming any approximate estimate for the lighting; and so he took me in. there was gallery after gallery filled with racks of arms, all beautifully kept, and over the door of each room was the name of the tribe and the number of men who could be mobilised in the event of their being required, and the number of arms and the amount of ammunition that was available for each. after taking me through two or three rooms, he said: "there are many more like this, but you have probably seen enough." but i eagerly exclaimed that i must see the others in order to judge of this electric lighting scheme. if there were many more rooms it might necessitate an extra sized dynamo, therefore a greater expense, but i hoped that by due economy in the number of lamps to be able to keep down to the original estimate which i had thought of. so we went steadily through all the rooms, looking at the places where lamps might be most economically established, and i made calculations with pencil and paper, which i showed him, while i jotted on my shirt cuff the names of the tribes and the other information required by my superiors at home--which i did not show him. the armament of native auxiliaries and their organisation and numbers were thus comparatively easily found out--thanks to that little stroke of luck which i repeat so often comes in to give success whether in scouting or spying. but a more difficult job was to ascertain the practical fighting value of such people. tea and a turk. reports had got about that some wonderful new guns had been installed in one of the forts on the bosphorus and that a great deal of secrecy was observed in their being put up. it became my duty to go and find out any particulars about them. my first day in constantinople was spent under the guidance of an american lady in seeing the sights of the city, and when we had visited almost all the usual resorts for tourists she asked whether there was anything else that i wanted to see, and to a certain extent i let her into my confidence when i told her that i would give anything to see the inside of one of these forts, if it were possible. she at once said she would be delighted to take me to see her old friend hamid pasha, who was quartered in one of them and was always willing to give her and her friends a cup of tea. when we arrived at the gate of the fort the sentry and the officer in charge would on no account allow us to pass until the lady said that she was a friend of the pasha, when we were at once admitted and passed to his quarters. he was a charming host, and received us with the greatest kindness, and after showing us his own quarters and the many curiosities he had collected he took us all round the fort and pointed out its ancient and modern devices for defence, and finally showed us its guns. two of these, in a somewhat prominent position where they could easily be seen from outside, were covered with canvas covers. my excitement naturally grew intense when i saw these, and i secretly begged the lady to persuade him to allow us to look at them, and he at once acquiesced, thinking i was an american, and, grinning all over his face, said, "these are our very latest development." i almost trembled as the covers were drawn off, and then i recognised guns, truly of a modern make but not very new nor powerful, and then he gave away the whole secret by saying: "of course, we are trying to impress a certain power with the idea that we are re-arming our forts, and therefore we are letting it be known that we are keeping these guns a dead secret and covered from view of any spies." on another occasion it fell to my lot to inspect some of the defences of the dardanelles, and i found it could best be done from the seaward. this involved my taking passage in an old grain steamer running between odessa and liverpool, and my voyage in her was one of the most charming and original that it has been my lot to take. a tramp steamer loaded down with grain until its cargo is almost running out of the ventilators is--contrary to all expectations--quite a comfortable boat for cruising in. the captain and his wife lived in comfortable cabins amidships under the bridge; the after deck was stocked with pigs and chickens, which fed liberally on the cargo. the captain's good lady was a scotch woman, and therefore an excellent cook. everything was most clean and comfortable, and the captain most thoroughly entered into my various schemes for observing and examining the defences of the coast as we went along. he allowed me practically to take command of the ship as regards her course and anchoring. from side to side of the dardanelles we wandered, and when we came abreast of one of the forts that needed study we anchored ship. our erratic procedure naturally invited investigation, and when a government pilot boat put off to enquire our reason for anchoring in a certain bay he came to the conclusion that our steering gear was not in very good order and that we had stopped to repair it. while the ship was at anchor a boat was lowered and i whiled away the time, nominally in fishing, but really in cruising about close to the forts and fishing for information rather than for fish by observing the different types of the guns employed and sketching their position and the radius of fire allowed to take them by the splay of their embrasures; also we took soundings where necessary and made sketch maps of possible landing places for attacking or other purposes. sore feet. bosnia and herzegovina were under austrian protection and were supplying a new contingent of infantry to the austrian army. this force was said to have most marvellous powers of marching and endurance, something hitherto unheard of among european nations. i was told off to ascertain how great these powers might be and what was the secret of their success. i visited them in their own country. but before i arrived there i had passed through montenegro, and i had there received reports from montenegrins, which to some extent discounted the high praise given to them. when i asked a montenegrin his opinion of his neighbours in the matter of marching and hill climbing, he could only contemptuously spit. and then he explained to me that any fool can go uphill, but a montenegrin is the only man who can go downhill. he pointed to the round tower in cettinje, and told me within it lay several piles of turks' head, for the reason that every montenegrin who could show a heap of nine turks' heads gathered by himself was entitled to a gold medal from the prince. their method of gaining turks' heads was this: a party of them would make a raid into turkish territory and get a few cattle or women. they would then be pursued by the turks into the mountains, and they would make their way hurriedly up the mountain side just sufficiently far ahead to lead the turks on to pursue them eagerly. when the turks had become well strung out in the pursuit, the montenegrins would suddenly turn on them and charge down the mountain side. there was no escape for the turks. they were only ordinary mortals, and could not run downhill. and he showed me his great bare knee, and slapping it with pride, he said: "that is what takes you downhill, and no other nation has a knee like the montenegrins. and as for the bosnians--" then he spat! however, as the bosnians were reported to be doing such great things in the marching line for the austrian army, my next step was to visit the austrian manoeuvres and watch them. it is usual for a military attaché to be sent officially to watch such manoeuvres, and he is the guest of the government concerned. but in that position, it is very difficult for him to see behind the scenes. he is only shown what they want him to see. my duty was to go behind the scenes as much as possible and get other points of view. i accordingly attached myself to a squad of infantry, with whom i spent a couple of days and nights. i had come to a certain town, and could find no room in the place where i could sleep. the hotels were crammed, and even in the shops men were billeted to sleep on and under the counters, as also in every garret and archway in the place. finally, i went to the station and asked the stationmaster if i could sleep in a railway carriage. he informed me that all these were filled with troops; but one of the railway men who came from the signal-box a short way down the line took pity on me, and told me if i liked there was his cabin, which i could share with his brother, who was a corporal, and his squad of men, and that i might find room to lie down there. i gladly climbed the steps into the signal-box, and was made welcome by the corporal and his men in sharing their supplies, and after supper and a chat i bedded down amongst them. it was interesting to see how conscientiously this little party did its work. at every hour during the night the corporal went out and inspected his sentry, just as if on active service, and patrols were frequent and reports handed in, although no officer ever came near the place. during the next two days we had plenty of experience of marching and counter-marching, firing and charging; but going along in the rear of the immense mass of troops one soon realised what enormous wastage there is in stragglers, and especially those with sore feet. so much so was this the case that wagons came along, picked up the sore-footed men, and carried them back to the railway, where every evening a special train was in attendance to convey them back to their garrison. a few that were missed out by this operation on the field were collected into their field hospitals, and thus the numbers shown every day to the general staff of men admitted to hospital for sore feet was very small indeed compared with the number that were actually put out of action from that cause. it was soon quite evident that my friend the montenegrin had not spat without reason, and that the bosnians were no harder in their feet than the other nationalities in that variegated army. austrian officers. i had a very strong fellow feeling for the austrian army and its officers. they were so very much like our own, but far more amateurish in their knowledge and methods of leading; as old-fashioned as the hills, and liable to make mistakes at every turn. the only one who seemed to realise this was the aged emperor himself, and when he came flying along it was very like the duke of cambridge at his best with a thunderstorm raging. the army was then commanded by arch-dukes, aged men as a rule, and all intensely nervous as to what the emperor would think of them when he came along. one could tell when he was coming by watching the feathers in their helmets. an arch-duke would look very brave in all his war paint, but if you watched the green feather above him closely you might notice it trembling with a distinct shiver when the emperor was anywhere in the neighbourhood. their old-fashioned methods and amateurish leading seem to be paying a heavy price in the present campaign. an interesting task. a new method of illuminating the battlefield at night had been invented on the continent. a chemical substance had been manufactured which enabled the user to turn on a strong light over a wide space at any moment. rumour said that it was as powerful as a searchlight, and yet could be carried in your pocket. but great secrecy was observed both regarding its composition and its experimental trials. in the same army a new kind of observation balloon was said to be on trial equipped with some very up-to-date apparatus. also it was reported that, in addition to these aids to effective reconnaissance, a new method of swimming rivers by cavalry had been invented by which every man and horse in a cavalry division could cross wide rivers without difficulty or delay. owing to political strain going on in europe at the time there was the possibility that these rumours might have been purposely set on foot, like many others, with a view to giving some moral prestige to the army concerned. it became my duty to investigate as far as possible what amount of truth lay in them. encounter with the police. it was a difficult country to work in owing to the very stringent police arrangements against spies of every kind, and it looked to be a most unpromising task to elicit what i wanted to know, because one was sure of being watched at every turn. as i afterwards discovered, it was through this multiplicity of police arrangements that one was able to get about with comparative ease, because if one went boldly enough it immediately argued to the watchful policeman that someone else was sure to be observing you. moreover, spies generally do their work single-handed, and on this occasion i was accompanied by my brother, and this made it easier for us to go about as a pair of tourists interested in the country generally. a man travelling alone is much more liable to draw attention upon himself, and therefore to go about under suspicion. our entry into the country was not altogether fortunate, because while yet in the train we managed to get into trouble with the guard over a window which he insisted on shutting when we wanted it open. in the same carriage with us was a gentleman of some standing in the country, and in a fit of absent-mindedness i made a little sketch of him. i had just completed it when an arm reached down over my shoulder from behind and the picture was snatched away by the observant guard of the train and taken off to be used as evidence against me. the guard of a train in this country, i may say, ranks apparently much the same as a colonel in the army, and therefore is not a man to be trifled with. on our arrival at the terminus we found a sort of guard of honour of gendarmes waiting for us on the platform, and we were promptly marched off to the police office to account for our procedure in the train by daring to open the window when the guard wished it closed, and for drawing caricatures of a "high-born" man in the train. we made no secret as to our identity and handed our cards to the commissary of police when we were brought up before him. he was--till that moment--glaring at us fiercely, evidently deciding what punishment to give us before he had heard our case at all. but when he saw my brother's name as an officer in the guards, he asked: "does this mean in the guards of her majesty queen victoria?" when he heard it was so his whole demeanour changed. he sprang from his seat, begged us to be seated, and explained it was all a mistake. evidently guards in his country were in very high repute. he explained to us there were certain little irritating rules on the railway which had to be enforced, but, of course, in our case we were not to be bound by such small bye-laws, and with profuse apologies he bowed us out of the office, without a stain upon our characters. success with the balloon. we did not live long without the stain. our first anxiety was to find where and how it would be possible to see some of this equipment for which we had come to the country. manoeuvres were going on at a place some fifty miles distant, and there, as tourists, we betook ourselves without delay. we put up at a small inn not far from the railway-station, and for the next few days we did immense walking tours, following up the troops and watching them at their work over a very extended area of country. at last one day we sighted a balloon hanging in the sky, and we made a bee line for it until we arrived at its station. when it was hauled down and anchored to the ground the men went off to the camp to get their dinners, and the balloon was left without a soul to guard it. it was not long before we were both inside the car, taking note of everything in the shape of the instruments and their makers' names, and so had all the information it was possible to get before the men came back. how to enter a fort. our next step was to see this wonderful illuminant for night work, and in the course of our wandering's we came across a large fort from which searchlights had been showing the previous night. there were notice boards round this fort at a distance of about twenty yards apart stating that nobody was allowed within this circle of notices, and we argued that if once we were inside any sentry or detective would naturally suppose we had leave to be there. we tried the idea, and it worked splendidly. we walked calmly through camps and past sentries without a tremor and not a question was asked us. once within this line we were able to get directly into the fort, and there we strolled along as if the place belonged to us. there is a certain amount of art required in making yourself not appear to be a stranger in a new place. in the minor matter of hat, boots, and necktie it is well to wear those bought in the country you are visiting, otherwise your british-made articles are sure to attract the attention of a watchful policeman. in the matter of demeanour you behave as a native would do who was accustomed to being there. walking into a strange fort must be carried out much on the same lines as you would adopt in entering a strange town, only more so. you walk as if with a set purpose to get to a certain part of it, as though you knew the way perfectly, and without showing any kind of interest in what is around you. if you pass an officer or dignitary whom you see everybody saluting, salute him too, so that you do not appear singular. when you want to observe any special feature you loaf about reading a newspaper or, if in a town, by looking at all you want to see as reflected in a shop window. the penalty for spying in this country was five years without the option of a fine, or even of a trial. having walked in like this, and having successfully walked out again--which is quite another matter--we felt elated with our success and hung about till nightfall and tried it again after dark. this was no easy job, as the place was surrounded by outposts very much on the _qui vive_ for an enemy that was to make a manoeuvre attack during the night. by keeping to leeward of the general position one was able to quietly creep along, sniffing the breeze, until one could judge where there was an outpost and where there was open ground, and in this manner, smelling our way as we went, we were able to creep through between the outposts and so gained the fort. how we got the secret light. this time it meant slipping through unperceived as far as possible, and in this we succeeded equally well. by good fortune we arrived just before experiments commenced with the illuminating rockets. everybody's attention was centred on these and no one had time to notice or observe what we were doing. we watched the preparations and also the results, and having studied the routine and the geography of the practice we were in the end able to help ourselves to some of the rockets and the lighting composition, and with these we eventually made off. without delay we placed our treasures in the hands of a trusty agent who transferred them at once to england. how the big river was swum. our next step was to see how crossing the river was carried out by the cavalry. from information received we presented ourselves at a certain spot on the river at a little before ten one morning. the official attachés had received notice that a brigade of cavalry would swim the river at this point at ten o'clock, and at ten o'clock their special train was due to arrive there. we were there, fortunately, half an hour beforehand, and we saw the whole brigade come down to the river and file across a fairly deep ford, where the horses got wet to some extent, but they did not swim. on the far bank a few men were left behind. these, as it turned out, were all the men and horses who could actually swim well, and as the train arrived and the attachés disembarked on to the bank they found the major part of the brigade already arrived, dripping wet, and the remainder just swimming over at that moment. of course in their reports they stated that they had seen the whole brigade swimming over. but this is how reports very often get about which are not strictly true. caught at last. emboldened by our success in getting into the fort by day and night, we then continued the experiment for several nights in succession, watching the further practice with searchlights, star shells, and light rockets. we had, however, collected all the information that was necessary, and there was no need for us to go there again. but news reached us that there was to be a final show for the emperor himself, and i could not resist the temptation of going once more to the fort, as i expected there would be a grand pyrotechnic display for this occasion. i got there in good time before the emperor's arrival, and made my way into the place as usual, my brother remaining outside to see the effect of the lights from the attacker's point of view. inside, however, all was not quite the same as it had been on previous occasions. there were a very large number of officers collected there, and a too larger number of police, officers for my liking. i, therefore, repented of my intention and took myself out again. then as i walked back along the road in the dark i noticed the lights of the emperor's _cortege_ coming along towards me. as the first carriage passed me i did the worst thing in the world i could have done at such a moment--i turned my head away to avoid being recognised in the lamplight. my action made the occupants of the first carriage suspicious. they were some of the staff officers of the emperor. in a moment they stopped the carriage, rushed at me, and with scarcely a word, seized and hustled me into the carriage with them, and drove back to the fort again. they asked me a few questions as to who i was and why i was there, and on arrival at the fort i was handed over to some other officers and again asked my business. i could only say that i was an englishman who had been looking on at the manoeuvres as a spectator and was anxious to find my way to the station (which was some ten miles away). this was all fairly true, but not quite good enough for them, and they presently packed me into a carriage and sent me back--in charge of an officer--to the station, with a view to my being handed over to the police and removed to the capital. it was in the days of my apprenticeship, and i had been exceedingly foolish in taking a few notes, which, although undecipherable, perhaps would none the less be used as evidence against me. therefore, so soon as we were under way i made it my business to quietly tear these notes up into small pieces, and to drop them out of the carriage window whenever my guardian was looking the other way. when we arrived at the station there was some little time to wait, and i asked if i might go to the inn and collect my belongings. permission was granted to me, and i was taken there under the charge of a police officer. hastily i packed my bag, and the good officer endeavoured to help me, packing up anything he could see in the room and thrusting it in with my things. unfortunately he kept packing my brother's things in as well, and so when his back was turned i thrust them back into my brother's bed, for i did not want it known he was about there too. having finally filled my portmanteau, my next care was to leave a warning lest he too should be entrapped. so while ostensibly paying the bill to the landlord of the house, who had been called up by the police, i wrote a warning note on a scrap of paper, which i jammed on the candle, where my brother could not fail to find it when he came home later on, and then i went off to the station, and was taken back to the capital by a hussar officer of congenial temperament. with all good feeling and the true hospitality of his kind, he insisted on buying half a dozen bottles of beer for my consumption--since i was an englishman--and he helped me with the ordeal during the small hours of the morning. on reaching the capital i was put into a hotel, my passport taken from me, and i was told that i should be expected to remain there until called for. in the meantime i might go about the city, but was not to take myself away without permission. i very soon found that i was being watched by a detective told off for the purpose, and then it was that i made the acquaintance of a foreign spy who was acting as waiter in the hotel. he was so well informed on higher politics, as well as on military matters, that i guessed he must be an officer of the intelligence staff, and he was most helpful and kind to me in my predicament. he pointed out to me who were the detectives in the hotel staff, and informed me that their duty was merely to watch me, to ascertain what my moves were day by day, and to report them by telephone to the head police office. he advised me before going out each day to inform the hall porter, thereby letting the detectives overhear what were my plans; they would then telephone to the police, who would have their own detectives watching me while i was out. the escape. within a short time my brother rejoined me from the manoeuvre area, but by doing so he at once came under observation and under suspicion, and we were practically a pair of prisoners. so much was this the case that a few days later we received a visit at daybreak one morning, from a friend in power, who was also in touch with the police, and he advised us that the best course we could take was to escape from the country while it was possible, he undertaking quietly to make arrangements for us. the idea was that we should slip away to a seaport, where we could get on to a british steamer as two of the crew and so pass out of the country. that was the scheme. but the difficulty was how to play it off. a ship was found whose captain was willing to receive us provided that we could get to him without being observed. with the aid of our friendly waiter, we let the detective at the hotel understand that we were tired of being under suspicion, and that we were boldly going to take the train and leave the country. at ten o'clock a cab was to come round to take us and our luggage to the station, and if anybody interfered with us--why, we were freeborn british, and subject to no man's rule, and the ambassador and all the rest of the powers should hear about it! this was for the information of the detective, and he merely telephoned it to the police office at the railway station, where we should be arrested at the point of our departure. we got into our cab and drove off down the street towards the station until we were out of sight of the hotel. then we called to our driver and said we should like to go to a different station. this course involved our going to the river-side and taking the ferry. it was an anxious time. had we been spotted? should we be missed? were we being followed? these questions would answer themselves as we progressed with our plot. the answer, when it came, would mean a tremendous lot to us--triumph or five years' imprisonment; so we had every right to be fairly anxious. and yet, somehow, i don't think we were worrying much about the consequences, but rather were busy with the present--as to how to evade pursuit and recapture. arrived at the ferry we paid off our cabman and made our way to the quay-side. here we found a boat which had already been arranged for; and we made our way safely off to the ship, which was waiting under steam in midstream to start the moment we were on board. at this supreme moment my brother had the temerity to argue with the boatman over the fare. being now in the last stage of tender-hooks, i adjured him to give the man double what he asked, if only to be free. but the brother was calm, and for once--he was right! his display of want of all anxiety quite diverted any kind of suspicion that might have attached to us, and in the end we got safely on board and away. conclusion. such are some of the minor experiences which, though not very sensational in themselves, are yet part of the every-day work of an "intelligence agent" (_alias_ a spy), and while they tend to relieve such work of any suspicion of monotony, they add, as a rule, that touch of romance and excitement to it which makes spying the fascinating sport that it is. when one recognises also that it may have invaluable results for one's country in time of war, one feels that even though it is a time spent largely in enjoyment, it is not by any means time thrown idly away; and though the "agent," if caught, may "go under," unhonoured and unsung, he knows in his heart of hearts that he has done as bravely for his country as his comrade who falls in battle. * * * * * books for war time. * * * * * first from the front. by harold ashton. war correspondent of the _daily news_. crown vo. cloth. price / net. (postage d. extra.) "gives vivid glimpses of the western campaign up to the time when the battle of the aisne drifted northwestward and became the present battle on the frontier."--_times_. an englishwoman's adventures in the german lines. by gladys lloyd. crown vo. paper wrapper. with portrait and map. price /- net. (postage d. extra.) "she describes in the simplest way her experiences in belgium, her talks with the villagers and the uhlans; frightened, but resolute to hide all show of fright, she stands up splendidly to them and speaks her mind at the very muzzles of their revolvers; but she never loses her courage, nor does she lose her sense of humour."--_athenæum_. the special constable: his duties and privileges. price /- net. (postage d. extra.) "the ideal handbook for special constables.... here is a modest shilling manual which exactly meets the occasion.... the book is heartily to be recommended."--_police review_. lord kitchener: the story of his life. by horace g. groser. new edition brought down to date. with foreword by t.p. o'connor, m.p. paper wrapper, price /- net. cloth boards, price / net. "a very telling, though quite popular and untechnical, story of the life of this truly great man."--_western morning news_. lord roberts: the story of his life. by roy vickers. vo. cloth. with three-colour portrait on cover and two half-tone illustrations. price /- net. (postage d. extra) "a thrilling tale of the adventures of the great field-marshal ... is well written and makes a suitable gift book."--_daily call_. admiral jellicoe. by arthur applin. crown vo. cloth, with portrait in three colours on cover, also two half-tone illustrations. price /- net. mr. applin has received considerable assistance from lady jellicoe, who has kindly placed letters and other materials at his disposal, and has read the mss. before printing. the volume may therefore be considered authoritative. * * * * * c. arthur pearson, ltd. henrietta street, london, w.c. shamar's war by kris neville illustrated by guinta [transcriber's note: this etext was produced from galaxy science fiction february . extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the u.s. copyright on this publication was renewed.] he was earth's secret weapon, as deadly as a sword--and two-edged! i the year was , and earth, at the time, was a political democracy. the population was ruled by the over-council and, in order of decreasing importance, by councils, and local councils. each was composed of representatives duly apportioned by popular vote between the two contending parties. executive direction was provided by a variety of secretaries, selected by vote of the appropriate councils. an independent judiciary upheld the laws. a unified earth sent colonists to the stars. back came strange tales and improbable animals. back, too, came word of a burgeoning technological civilization on the planet itra, peopled by entirely humanoid aliens. earth felt it would be wise for itra to join in a galactic federation and accordingly, submitted the terms of such a mutually advantageous agreement. the itraians declined.... * * * * * space captain merle s. shaeffer, the youngest and perhaps the most naive pilot for trans-universe transport, was called unexpectedly to the new york office of the company. when capt. shaeffer entered the luxurious eightieth story suite, old tom twilmaker, the president of tut, greeted him. with an arm around his shoulder, old tom led capt. shaeffer to an immense inner office and introduced him to a general reuter, identified as the chairman of the interscience committee of the over-council. no one else was present. with the door closed, they were isolated in olympian splendor above and beyond the affairs of men. here judgments were final and impartial. capt. shaeffer, in the presence of two of the men highest in the ruling councils of earth, was reduced to incoherent awe. general reuter moved about restlessly. old tom was serene and beatific. when they were seated, old tom swiveled around and gazed long in silence across the spires of the city. capt. shaeffer waited respectfully. general reuter fidgetted. "some day," old tom said at last, "i'm going to take my leave of this. yes, gentle jesus! oh, when i think of all the souls still refusing to admit our precious savior, what bitterness, oh, what sorrow is my wealth to me! look down upon the teeming millions below us. how many know not the lord? yes, some morning, i will forsake all this and go out into the streets to spend my last days bringing the words of hope to the weary and oppressed. are you a christian, merle?" general reuter cracked his knuckles nervously while capt. shaeffer muttered an embarrassed affirmative. "i am a deeply religious man," old tom continued. "i guess you've heard that, merle?" "yes sir," capt. shaeffer said. "but did you know that the lord has summoned you here today?" old tom asked. "no, sir," capt. shaeffer said. "general reuter, here, is a dear friend. we've known each other, oh, many years. distantly related through our dear wives, in fact. and we serve on the same board of directors and the same charity committees.... a few weeks ago, when he asked me for a man, i called for your file, merle. i made discreet inquiries. then i got down on my knees and talked it over with god for, oh, it must have been all of an hour. i asked, 'is this the man?' and i was given a sign. yes! at that moment, a shaft of sunlight broke through the clouds!" * * * * * general reuter had continued his nervous movements throughout the speech. for the first time, he spoke. "good god, tom, serve us a drink." he turned to capt. shaeffer. "a little drink now and then helps a man relax. i'll just have mine straight, tom." old tom studied capt. shaeffer. "i do not feel the gentle master approves of liquor." "don't try to influence him," general reuter said. "you're embarrassing the boy." "i--" capt. shaeffer began. "give him the drink. if he doesn't want to drink it, he won't have to drink it." sighing, old tom poured two bourbons from the bar in back of his desk and passed them over. martyrdom sat heavily upon his brow. after a quick twist of the wrist and an expert toss of the head, general reuter returned an empty glass. "don't mind if i do have another," he said. he was already less restless. "how's your ability to pick up languages?" general reuter asked. "i learned spanish and russian at tut ps," capt. shaeffer said apologetically. "i'm supposed to have a real high aptitude in languages, according to some tests i took. in case we should meet intelligent aliens, tut gives them." "you got no association with crackpot organizations, anything like that?" general reuter asked. "you're either a good liberal-conservative or radical-progressive, aren't you? i don't care which. i don't believe in prying into a man's politics." "i never belonged to anything," capt. shaeffer said. "oh, i can assure you, that's been checked out very, very thoroughly," old tom said. the general signaled for another drink. with a sigh of exasperation, old tom complied. "bob," old tom said, "i really think you've had enough. please, now. our master counsels moderation." "damn it, tom," the general said and turned back to the space pilot. "may have a little job for you." old tom shook his head at the general, cautioning him. "actually," the general said, ignoring the executive, "we'll be sort of renting you from tut. in a way you'll still be working for them. i can get a million dollars out of the--" "bob!" "--unmarked appropriation if it goes in in tut's name. no questions asked. national defense. i couldn't get anywhere near that much for an individual for a year. it gives us a pie to slice. we were talking about it before you came in. how does a quarter of a million dollars a year sound to you?" "when it comes to such matters," old tom interjected hastily, "i think first of the opportunities they bring to do good." the general continued, "now you know, merle. and this is serious. i want you to listen to me. because this comes under world security laws, and i'm going to bind you to them. you know what that means? you'll be held responsible." "yes, sir," merle said, swallowing stiffly. "i understand." "good. let's have a drink on that." * * * * * "please be quiet, general," old tom said. "let me explain. you see, merle, the interscience committee was recently directed to consider methods for creating a climate of opinion on itra--of which i'm sure you've heard--which would be favorable to the proposed galactic federation." "excuse me," general reuter said. "they don't have a democracy, like we do. they don't have any freedom like we do. i have no doubt the average whateveryoucallem--itraians, i guess--the average gooks--would be glad to see us come in and just kick the hell out of whoever is in charge of them." "now, general," old tom said more sharply. "but that's not the whole thing," the general continued. "even fit were right thing to do, an' i'm not saying isn't--right thing to do--there's log-lo-lo-gistics. i don't want to convey the impresh, impression that our defense force people have been wasting money. never had as much as needed, fact. no, it's like this. "we have this broad base to buil' from. backbone. but we live in a democracy. now, old tom's liberal-conservative. and me, i'm radical-progresshive. but we agree on one thing: importance of strong defense. a lot of people don' understan' this. feel we're already spendin' more than we can afford. but i want to ask them, what's more important than the defense of our planet?" "general, i'm afraid this is not entirely germane," old tom said stiffly. "never mind that right now. point is, it will take us long time to get the serious nature of the menace of itra across to the voters. then, maybe fifteen, twenty years.... let's just take one thing. we don't have anywhere near enough troop transports to carry out the occupation of itra. you know how long it takes to build them? my point is, we may not have that long. suppose itra should get secret of interstellar drive tomorrow, then where would we be?" old tom slammed his fist on the desk. "general, please! the boy isn't interested in all that." the general surged angrily to his feet. "by god, that's what's wrong with this world today!" he cried. "nobody's interested in defense. spend only a measly twenty per cent of the gross world product on defense, and expect to keep strong! good god, tom, give me a drink!" apparently heresy had shocked him sober. old tom explained, "the general is a patriot. we all respect him for it." "i understand," capt. shaeffer said. general reuter hammered his knuckles in rhythm on the table. "the drink, the drink, the drink! you got more in the bottle. i saw it!" old tom rolled his eyes heavenward and passed the bottle across. "this is all you get. this is all i've got." the general held the bottle up to the light. "should have brought my own. let's hurry up and get this over with." old tom smiled the smile of the sorely beset and persecuted and said, "you see, merle, there's massive discontent among the population of itra. we feel we should send a man to the planet to, well, foment change and, uh, hasten the already inevitable overthrow of the despotic government. that man will be strictly on his own. the government will not be able to back him in any way whatsoever once he lands on itra." the general had quickly finished the bottle. "you she," he interrupted, "there's one thing they can't fight, an' that's an idea. jus' one man goes to itra with the idea of freedom, that's all it'll take. how many men did it take to start the 'merican revolution? jefferson. the russian revolution? marx!" "yes," old tom said. "one dedicated man on itra, preaching the ideas of liberty--liberty with responsibility and property rights under one god. that man can change a world." exhausted by the purity of his emotions, old tom sat back gasping to await the answer. "a quarter of a million dollars a year?" capt. shaeffer asked at length. ii the itraians spoke a common language. it was somewhat guttural and highly inflected. fortunately, the spelling appeared to be phonetic, with only forty-three characters being required. as near as anyone could tell, centuries of worldwide communication had eliminated regional peculiarities. the speech from one part of itra was not distinguishable from that of another part. most of the language was recovered from spy tapes of television programs. a dictionary was compiled laborously by a special scientific task force of the over-council. the overall program was directed and administered by intercontinental iron, steel, gas, electricity, automobiles and synthetics, incorporated. it took shaeffer just short of three years to speak itraian sufficiently well to convince non-itraians that he spoke without accent. the remainder of his training program was administered by a variety of other large industrial concerns. the training was conducted at a defense facility. at the end of his training, shaeffer was taken by special bus to the new mexican space port. a ship waited. the car moved smoothly from the defense force base, down the broad sixteen-lane highway, through the surrounding slum area and into grants. sight of the slums gave shaeffer mixed emotions. it was not a feeling of superiority to the inhabitants; those he had always regarded with a circumspect indifference. the slums were there. he supposed they always would be there. but now, for the first time in his life, he could truly say that he had escaped their omnipresent threat once and for all. he felt relief and guilt. during the last three years, he had earned $ , . as a civilian stationed on a defense force base, he had, of course, to pay for his clothing, his food and his lodging. but the charge was nominal. since he had been given only infrequent and closely supervised leaves, he had been able to spend, altogether, only $ , . which meant that now, after taxes, he had accumulated in his savings account a total of nearly $ , awaiting his return from itra. * * * * * shaeffer's ship stood off itra while he prepared to disembark. in his cramped quarters, he dressed himself in itraian-style clothing. capt. merle s. shaeffer became shamar the worker. in addition to his jump equipment, an oxygen cylinder, a face mask and a shovel, he carried with him eighty pounds of counterfeit itraian currency ... all told, forty thousand individual bills of various denominations. earth felt this would be all he needed to survive in a technologically advanced civilization. his plan was as follows: . he was to land in a sparsely inhabited area on the larger masses. . he was to procure transportation to xxla, a major city, equivalent to london or tokyo. it was the headquarters for the party. . he was to establish residence in the slum area surrounding the university of xxla. . working through student contacts, he was to ingratiate himself with such rebel intellectuals as could be found. . once his contacts were secure, he was to assist in the preparation of propaganda and establish a clandestine press for its production. . as quickly as the operation was self-sufficient, he was to move on to another major city ... and begin all over. the ship descended into the atmosphere. the bell rang. shamar the worker seated himself, put on his oxygen mask and signaled his readiness. he breathed oxygen. the ship quivered, the door fell away beneath him and he was battered unconscious by the slipstream. five minutes later, pinwheeling lazily in free fall, he opened his eyes. for an instant's panic he could not read the altimeter. then seeing that he was safe, he noted his physical sensations. he was extremely cold. gyrating wildly, he beat his chest to restore circulation. he stabilized his fall by stretching out his hands. he floated with no sensation of movement. itra was overhead, falling up at him slowly. he turned his back to the planet and checked the time. twelve minutes yet to go. he spent, in all, seventeen minutes in free fall. at feet, he opened his parachute. the sound was like an explosion. he floated quietly, recovering from the shock. he removed his oxygen mask and tasted the alien air. he sniffed several times. it was not unpleasant. below was darkness. then suddenly the ground came floating up and hit him. the terrain was irregular. he fought the chute to collapse it, tripped, and twisted his ankle painfully. the chute lay quiet and he sat on the ground and cursed in english. at length he bundled up the chute and removed all of the packages of money but the one disguised as a field pack. he used the shovel to dig a shallow grave at the base of a tree. he interred the chute, the oxygen cylinder, the mask, the shovel and scooped dirt over them with his hands. he sat down and unlaced his shoe and found his ankle badly swollen. distant, unfamiliar odors filled him with apprehension and he started at the slightest sound. dawn was breaking. iii noting his bearings carefully, he hobbled painfully westward, with thirty pounds of money on his back. he would intersect the major north-south intercontinental highway by at least noon. two hours later, he came to a small plastic cabin in a clearing at the edge of a forest. wincing now with each step, he made his way to the door. he knocked. there was a long wait. the door opened. a girl stood before him in a dressing gown. she frowned and asked, "_itsil obwatly jer gekompilp?_" hearing itraian spoken by a native in the flesh had a powerful emotional impact on shamar the worker. stumblingly, he introduced himself and explained that he was camping out. during the previous night he had become lost and injured his ankle. if she could spare him food and directions, he would gladly pay. with a smile of superiority, she stepped aside and said in itraian, "come in, chom the worker." he felt panic, but he choked it back and followed her. apparently he had horribly mispronounced his own name. it was as though, in english he had said barchestershire for barset. he cursed whatever professor had picked that name for whatever obscure reason. "sit down," she invited. "i'm about to have breakfast. eggs and bacon--" the itraian equivalent--"if that's all right with you. i'm garfling germadpoldlt by the way, although you can call me ge-ge." the food was quite unpleasant, as though overly ripe. he was able to choke down the eggs with the greatest difficulty. fortunately, the hot drink that was the equivalent of earth coffee at the end of the meal, was sufficiently spicy to quiet his stomach. "good coffee," he said. "thank you. care for a cigarette?" "i sure would." he had no matches, so she lit it for him, hovering above him a moment, leaving with him the fresh odor of her hair. the taste of the cigarette was mild. rather surprisingly, it substituted for nicotine and allayed the sharp longing that had come with the coffee. "let's look at your ankle," she said. she knelt at his feet and began to unlace the right shoe. "my, it's swollen," she said sympathetically. he winced as she touched it and then he reddened with embarrassment. he had been walking across dusty country. he drew back the foot and bent to restrain her. playfully she slapped his hand away. "you sit back! i'll get it. i've seen dirty feet before." she pulled off the shoe and peeled off the sock. "oh, god, it is swollen," she said. "you think it's broken, shamar?" "just sprained." "i'll get some hot water with some medaid in it, and that'll take the swelling out." when he had his foot in the water, she sat across from him and arranged her dressing gown with a coquettish gesture. she caught him staring at the earring, and one hand went to it caressingly. she smiled that universal feminine smile of security and recklessness, of invitation and rejection. "you're engaged," he noted. she opened her eyes wide and studied him above a thumbnail which she tasted with her teeth. "i'm engaged to von stutsman--" as the name might be translated--"perhaps you've heard of him? he's important in the party. you know him?" "no." "you in the party?" she said. she was teasing him now. then, suddenly: "neither am i, but i guess i'll have to join if i become mrs. von stutsman." they were silent for a moment. then she spoke, and he was frozen in terror, all thoughts but of self-preservation washed from his mind. "your accent is unbelieveably bad," she said. "i'm from zuleb," he said lamely, at last. "meta--gelwhops--or even karkeqwol, that makes no difference. nobody on itra speaks like you do. so you must be from that planet that had the party in a flap several years ago--earth, isn't it?" he said nothing. "do you know what they'll do when they catch you?" she asked. "no," he said hollowly. "they'll behead you." * * * * * she laughed, not unkindly. "if you could see yourself! how ridiculous you look, shamar. i wonder what your real name is, by the way? sitting with a foot in the water and looking wildly about. here, let me fix more coffee and we can talk." she called cheerily over her shoulder, "you're safe here. no one will be by. i'm not due back until tuesday." she brought him a steaming mug. "drink this while i dress." she disappeared into the bedroom. he heard the shower running. he sat waiting, numb and desperate, and drank the coffee because it was there. his thoughts scampered in the cage of his skull like mice on a treadmill. when ge-ge came back, he had still not resolved the conflict within him. she stood barefoot upon the rug and looked down at him, hunched miserably over the pan of water, now lukewarm. "how's the foot?" "all right." "want to take it out?" "i guess." "i'll get a towel." she waited until he had dried the foot and restored the sock and shoe. the swelling was gone. he stood up and put his weight on it. he smiled wanly. "it's okay now. it's not broken, i guess." she gestured him to the sofa. he complied. "what's in the field pack?" she asked. "money? how much?" she moved toward it. he half rose to stop her, but by then she had it partly open. "my," she said, bringing out a thick sheaf of bills. she rippled them sensuously. "pretty. very, very pretty." she examined them for texture and appearance. "they look good, shamar. i'll bet it would cost ten million dollars in research on paper and ink and presses to do this kind of a job. only another government has got that kind of money to throw around." she tossed the currency carelessly beside him and came to sit at his side. she took his hand. her hand was warm and gentle. "tell me, shamar," she said. "tell me all about it." so this is how easily spies are trapped in real life, shamar told himself with numb disbelief. the story came out slowly and hesitantly at first. she said nothing until he had finished. "and that's all? you really believe that, don't you? and i guess your government does, too. that all we need is just some little idea or something." she turned away from him. "but of course, that's neither here nor there, is it? i never imagined an adventurer type would look like you. you have such a soft, honest voice. as a little girl, i pictured myself being carried off by a tanned desert sheik on a camel; and oh, he was lean and handsome! with dark flashing eyes and murderously heavy lips and hands like iron! well, that's life, i guess." she stood and paced the room. "let me think. we'll pick up a flyer in zelonip when we catch the bus next tuesday. how much does the money weigh?" "eighty pounds." "i can carry about pounds in my bag. you can take your field pack. how much is in it? thirty pounds? that'll leave about forty which we can ship through on extra charges. then, when we get to xxla, i can hide you out in an apartment over on the east side." "why would you run a risk like that for me?" he asked. * * * * * she brushed the hair from her face. "let's say--what? i don't really think you can make it, because it's so hopeless. but maybe, just maybe, you might be one of the rare ones who, if he plays his cards right, can beat the system. i love to see them licked! "well, i'm a clerk. that's all. just a lowly clerk in one of the party offices. i met von stutsman a year ago. this is his cabin. he lets me use it. "he's older than i am; but there's worse husband material. but then again, he's about to be transferred to one of the big agricultural combines way out in the boondocks where there's no excitement at all. just little old ladies and little old men and peasants having children. "i'm a city girl. i like xxla. and if i marry him, all that goes up the flue. i'll be marooned with him, god knows where, for years. stuck, just stuck. "still--he is von stutsman, and he's on his way up. everyone says that. ten, twenty years, he'll be back to xxla, and he'll come back on top. "oh ... i don't know what i want to do! if i marry him, i can get all the things i've always wanted. position, security. he's older than i am, but he's really a nice guy. it's just that he's dull. he can't talk about anything but party, party, party. "that's what i came out to this cabin for. to think things over, to try to get things straightened out. and then you came along. maybe it gives me a chance for something exciting before i ship off to the boondocks. does that make sense to you? "i'll get married and sit out there, and i'll turn the pages of the party magazine and smile sweetly to myself. because, you see, i'll always be able to lean forward and say, 'dear? once upon a time, i helped hide an earth spy in xxla.' and that'll knock that silly and self-satisfied look off his face for once.... oh, i don't know! let me alone!" with that, she fled to the bedroom and slammed the door behind her. he could hear her sobbing helplessly. in the afternoon, she came out. he had fallen asleep. she shook him gently to waken him. "eh? oh! huh?" he smiled foolishly. "wash up in there," she told him. "i'm sorry i blew up on you this morning. i'll cook something." when he came back, she was serving them their dinner on steaming platters. "look, ge-ge," he said over coffee. "you don't like your government. we'll help you out. there's this galactic federation idea." he explained to her the cross-fertilization of the two cultures. "shamar, my friend," she said, "did you see earth's proposal? there was nothing in it about giving us an interstellar drive. we were required to give earth all transportation franchises. the organization you used to work for was to be given, as i remember it, an exclusive ninety-nine year right to carry all earth-itra commerce. it was all covered in the newspapers, didn't you see it?" shamar said, "well, now, i'm not familiar with the details. i wasn't keeping up with them. but i'm sure these things could be, you know, worked out. maybe, for security reasons, we didn't want to give you the interstellar drive right off, but you can appreciate our logic there. once we saw you were, well, like us, a peace-loving planet, once you'd changed your government to a democracy, you would see it our way and you'd have no complaints on that score." "let's not talk politics," she said wearily. "maybe it's what you say, and i'm just naturally suspicious. i don't want to talk about it." "well, i was just trying to help--" the sentence was interrupted by a monstrous explosion. "good god!" shamar cried. "what was that?" "oh, that," ge-ge said, shaking off the effects. "they were probably testing one of their damned automated factories to see if it was explosion proof and it wasn't." iv during the week alone in the cabin, ge-ge fell in love with shamar. "oh, my god!" she cried. "what will i do when they catch you? i'll die, shamar! i couldn't bear it. we'll go to xxla, we'll hide away as quietly as two mice, somewhere. we won't go out. the two of us, alone but together, behind closed doors and drawn shades. nobody will ever know about us. we'll be the invisible people." shamar protested. "i don't see how we can ever be secure until something's done about your government. as long as you don't reach some kind of agreement with earth, i'll be an outlaw. i'll be afraid any minute they'll tap my shoulder and come and take me away. i don't think we could hold up under that. we'd be at each other in no time." she wept quietly. the last day in the cabin, they went out and dug up the rest of the money. the trip to xxla took place without incident. ge-ge rented an apartment for him, and he safely checked in. she went shopping for food and clothing. thereafter she came nearly every evening. they would eat and she would reveal the inconsequential details of the office regime to which she was daily exposed. after dinner, they would sit in the living room and practice itraian and neck a little. then she would go home. one day, after a month of this routine, she threw herself into his arms and sobbed, "i gave von stutsman back his earring today. it was the only fair thing to do. i'm afraid he knows about us. he's had me watched. i know he has. i admitted it was another man." shamar held her tensely. she broke away. "you were born in zuleb, you suffered amnesia, you woke up in a ditch one morning without papers. you've been an itinerant worker since. things like that happen all the time. you hit a big lottery ticket a few months ago. i told him that. how can he check it?" "you told him i didn't have any papers?" "millions of people don't have any papers--the drifters, people that do casual labor, the people that don't work at all. the thing is, without papers he doesn't have any way to check on you. oh, you should have seen his face when i gave him back his earring. he was absolutely livid. i didn't think he had it in him. i suppose i'll have to quit my job now. oh, if you only had papers so we could be married!" ge-ge's mood, that evening, alternated between despair and optimism. in the end, she was morose and restless. she repeated several times, "i just don't know what's going to happen to us." "ge-ge," he said, "i can't spend my life in this apartment i've got to get out." "you're mad." she faced him from across the room. she stood with her legs apart, firmly set. "well, i don't care what happens any more. i can't stand things to go on like they are. i'll introduce you to some people i know, since you won't be happy until i do. but god help us!" * * * * * after approving his accent, which had improved under her tutelage, ge-ge took him to a party the following saturday. the party was held in an ill-lighted railroad flat. people congregated cross-legged on the bare floor. shamar listened to a man complaining that citizens were being taxed beyond all endurance to support the enforced automation program. "they aren't interested in building consumer goods. they're interested in building factories to build consumer goods and blow them up testing them. or the factories are always obsolete just as soon as they finish them, and they can't phase into their new production setup and hundred year plan." ge-ge whispered a warning to him to beware of spies. "spies?" "the party," she said, drawing him to one side. "but--but--you mean the party just lets people talk like this?" "whatever harm does it do?" she asked. "everybody benefits from talking out their aggressions. now, have another drink and relax, and shamar, be careful! nobody minds local crackpots, but nobody wants _foreign_ crackpots!" she led him to another drink and left him standing with the host. "nice party," shamar said. "thank you," the host said. "i find it very invigorating. as long as there's still people that think and that criticize on this planet, i feel there's hope, don't you? this is your first time? i don't recall your face. i have a study group that meets wednesday nights. you're welcome to come. we have very stimulating discussions about government and politics. please do come, any time you can. just drop in any time after eight. what was your name again?" "shamar the worker." "interesting name," the host said. "another drink?" later, shamar found himself in an intense conversation with a bearded youth of perhaps seventeen. "a guy's responsible for his own conduct, right? right! i'm responsible for _their_ conduct? each man goes to hell in his own way, right? right! i don't want anything to do with them. you can't do anything about it, man, that's what i'm telling you. i don't seem to be getting through. don't you see, it's a machine...." "but if everybody joined the party," shamar suggested. "so everybody joins? so what's new? okay, you vote in the party elections. what do you get? you get these two guys running for office: one is slightly left of center and one is slightly right of center. and both are four-square for the automated factory program. just suppose you did get a radical--suppose they accidentally let one slip through? he goes off and they argue him into line, and when he comes back, you say, 'like, man, what happened?' and so he tells you, 'well, i couldn't do anything about it.' that's just what i'm telling you." "i can't see that," shamar said. "i just don't believe that." * * * * * at another time, shamar tried to explain free elections to a female. he was informed, "man, just give me a way to cast a vote against all those crumbs--and then i'll think twice about all this guff you're peddling." a sober, scholarly man told him, "join the party? whatever for? you join the party and you're expected to spend all your free evenings at rallies and meetings and speeches and in ceremonial parades in honor of the ground breaking for a new automated factory. no, thank you." another told him, "you need a lesson in economics, son. what do you mean by free society? the only way you can run an industrial society is to limit production. if you produce enough for everybody, the government would produce itself out of business. look here. the party has millions of tabulating machines of one kind or another clicking happily away day and night arranging production to fit income distribution. they've never been known to goof and produce a surplus of anything. why, damn it, if every man, woman and child in the world went out to buy a pound of nails apiece, the shortage of nails would be fantastic. but would they produce more nails? you know they wouldn't. 'so you want more nails?' they'd say. 'well, damn you, work for them!' and the price would go up. see what i mean, son? they'd have another stick to beat us with." later, shamar found himself seated on the floor across from an aesthetic in his late thirties. "you see, my friend, force and violence never accomplish their stated ends. we must stand firmly on the principle of non-violence." "but that's taking it laying down," shamar protested. "no! sometimes i think it goes to the very core of human existence. perhaps this is the central import of all philosophy: the way things are done is more important than the ends that are obtained." at that point, ge-ge arrived breathlessly. "shamar, quickly! we must go!" "huh? i'm having this interesting little talk--" she tugged him from the floor. baffled, he followed her. as he did so, the fighting broke out in the far corner of the room. "quickly!" she said. "let's get out of here before the police come." they fought their way, hand in hand, to the door. there they paused for a moment to look back. "it's a couple of rival socialist parties fighting," she explained breathlessly. "what about?" "god knows. hurry." they were in the street. "don't run, walk," she cautioned. after a block, she said, "i didn't even need to watch you at the end. everybody got so drunk nobody noticed you much." "even the spies?" "oh, they always get the drunkest." the siren sounded. "let's hurry." when they arrived at shamar's apartment, she asked, "well, what did you think of the party?" "it was an education," he said after a moment. v the following week shamar spent many hours walking the streets of xxla. he tried to convince himself that the people he had met at the party were not representative. they were. friday night ge-ge announced "shamar, i can't stand much more of this! what's going to happen? what is von stutsman going to do? he's onto something. i sometimes wish--oh, god!--i sometimes wish something would happen so we'd know where we stand, so we'd know what to do!" he tried to put an arm around her, but she brushed it away. "don't! let me alone!" she retired to the other side of the room. for a moment, and for no reason, the hostility in the air between them was like ice and fire. "i'm sorry," ge-ge said curtly. "that's all right," shamar said, his voice cold and distant. "let's talk about something else." they were silent for a minute. then he said, "i wanted to ask you. of all the people i talked to, i couldn't find anyone who seemed to give a damn, one way or the other, about earth. why is that? you'd think they'd be at least talking about earth." "why should they be? we've got our own problems." at that point, the police arrived and took shamar the worker away. * * * * * they put him in a cell in which there were already three other prisoners. "what you in for, buddy?" shamar studied the prisoner for a moment without answering. his companions looked up. "no visible means of support," shamar said. "i'm long john freed." shamar nodded. "they're trying to hook you for evading the productivity tax, huh?" shamar declined comment. freed settled back on his bunk. "i say take them for all you can. now, look, you're a little guy. so they bleed us white. take a factory manager or an important black market operator--you think they pay taxes? you can bet they don't. it's a racket. the poor pay and pay because they can't hire fancy lawyers to lie for them; and the rich take and take. i don't see why the party puts up with it." freed shifted his position. "say what you will about the party--and i know it's got it's faults--still, there are dedicated men in it. i may be a small-time crook, but i'm as patriotic as the next man. the party's done a lot of good. "first time for you? how old are you, twenty-seven or so? first time, they usually try to recruit you for the factory force. "it's not such a bad racket. when you start out, they toss you in with lots of kids--usually the draftees. you get six weeks pick-and-shovel, and you're really dragging when you finish that. then comes specialist school. "try to get in as an electrician or plumber. plasterers or bricklayers have to work too hard. carpentry's not bad--i'd hold out for cabinet-making, rather than rough carpentry, if i had to go into that. then there's real specialties. tile laying. you have to have a personality for that, or you'd go nuts. demolition's not too bad; you blow up obsolete factories. that would have been right down my alley." freed was silent a moment, then he resumed: "sometimes i may talk like a radical, and maybe i am a little of a radical, i don't know. you look at the overall picture, things ain't too bad. i've known a lot of thieves and petty crooks in my time. as a class, for pure patriotism, i'll stack them up against anybody you can name; and in a way, you know, i'm kind of proud of that.... well, let's shut up and get some shut-eye." * * * * * when finally he slept, shamar dreamed that the party was a vast, invulnerable pyramid resting on the shifting base of the population. it was constructed to dampen out vibrations. the bottom quivered, and the quiver ran upward a few inches and was absorbed. the top of the pyramid remained stable, fixed and motionless, indifferent even to its own foundation. the pyramid was built like an earthquake-proof tower. it was built to last. the party was built to govern. it need only devote itself to its own preservation. any other issue was secondary. it was an organic machine. the gears were flesh and blood. the people on top were maintenance engineers. their job was to go around with an oil can that they could squirt when necessary to keep friction to a minimum. he awakened the following morning ravenously hungry and was hugely disappointed by breakfast. even discounting his somewhat biased viewpoint, the food was inedible. freed accepted shamar's share eagerly with the comment, "it'll taste better after you miss a few meals. it always does." an hour later, the jailer came to open the cell. "shamar the worker? get your stuff. we're going." ge-ge was waiting in the reception room. her hair had been especially waved for the occasion. she wore a suit newly pressed and gleaming. she had tears in her eyes. she fled to his arms. "darling!" she cried, caressing his face with childlike wonder. "was it awful? did they beat you?" "i'm fine." "darling, we're going to get you out on bail. i've made all the arrangements. we just have to go to the judge's chambers for a minute, and they'll let you go. thank god you're going to be out of this horrible place, at least for a little while." the jailer brought shamar's belt and his bag of possessions. shamar signed a receipt for them and they went to the judge. the judge said, "please be seated." he had a resonant and friendly voice. he went to his desk and sat down. ge-ge and shamar seated themselves before him. "ah, you young people," he said. "now, you must be shamar the worker, and you--" "garfling germadpoldlt." "of course." he turned to shamar. "i hate to see a fine young person like you in trouble, shamar. it seems to me such a waste. man and boy, for sixty years i've been a dedicated worker for the party. oh, shamar, when i think of that glorious paradise to come--that time of wealth and plenty for all--that time when the riches and abundance of mother itra will, from automation, overflow alike the homes of the rich and poor...." they waited. he continued. "here i sit, year after year, garfling and shamar, judging my fellow men. judging poor creatures who do not live the dream. i sometimes feel that this is not the way. i sometimes feel my job is out there on the street corners, preaching the dream, awakening the souls, telling the story of love and beauty and abundance in the life to come. "ah, me. but the world is not yet perfect, is it? and man's understanding is imperfect. here you are before me today, shamar, with no visible means of support and no record of having paid productivity taxes. oh, what a grim and fearful picture! in all your life have you ever once thought of your obligation to the future? you have failed yourself; you have failed the party; and failed the future. "yet--in a larger sense--although this in no way militates against your own guilt--have we not failed you? how have we permitted a human soul to degrade himself to the point where we must punish him?" abruptly, the judge stood up. "well, i've done the best i can. i remand you to the custody of miss germadpoldlt. your trial will be set at a later date. you are not to leave xxla without permission of this court. and i hope my lecture today has fallen on fertile soil. it is not too late to correct your ways. and i may say, if i am the one who hears your case, your conduct between now and the trial may have some bearing on the outcome." * * * * * they took a taxi back to his apartment. ge-ge trembled violently most of the way and nestled against him; they murmured their affection. after he had been fed, she said nervously, "it was von stutsman who was responsible for your arrest. i should have known we couldn't fight the party. if he digs hard enough, nothing on itra can save us." finally, she went out to canvas lawyers. she came back at dusk. "shamar, darling," she said, "i've located him. i asked a lot of my friends, and he's the best. he's a big lawyer for left-wing people. i talked to him, i told him everything." "what! you told him everything?" "why, yes." "you, you told him i was an earthman?" he grabbed her by the shoulders. "listen, ge-ge! i was arrested on a charge i could beat; now look what you've done. what makes you think he won't turn me over to the party? this is too big, now! this isn't just a tax avoidance matter, this is treason for him." "it's all right, darling," she said soothingly, breaking free from him. "i had to tell him so he'd take the case. why would a big man like him want to defend a common vagrant?" shamar closed his mouth. "but--you mean, he won't tell anyone?" "of course not." "has the man no patriotism?" "look, shamar," she said in exasperation, "you once asked me why the people in the street aren't upset about earth. i'm beginning to see the way you think. what you mean is, aren't we _afraid_ of earth? aren't we afraid earth would, oh, do something like invade us or something? that's what you mean." "of course it is." "once upon a time," she said, "when we first got space flight, the party got all shook up about the possibility of some hostile force out there developing an interstellar drive and coming along and doing their will with us. they asked the computers about it. invading and conquering a planet is such a vast technological undertaking that the mind just boggles at it. don't forget, we've got a warning network out there. they're not very alert, or you wouldn't have gotten through, but they wouldn't miss an invasion fleet. there's computer-controlled chemical rockets in orbit, and we've got a few sited on itra that can blast down anything that slows up to try to land. it wouldn't take one-hundredth, it wouldn't take one-thousandth of the technological resources required to defend itra that it would to attack her. earth just simply can't afford to attack us. they'd go broke trying. every million dollars you spent to get here, we'd spend a thousand to keep you from landing. "oh, i suppose if earth wanted to, they might figure out some way to blow up itra. but where's the profit in that? we're not bothering you. why spend all that money when it's not going to get you one damn thing in return?" * * * * * the following day, shamar called on the lawyer, counselor freemason. counselor freemason inquired politely as to the state of his financial reserves. shamar replied reassuringly. "good, good. that's most encouraging. most encouraging indeed. we need not place any limit on our ingenuity, then. "i've been thinking about your case, mr. worker. the thing first to do, in my opinion, is to stir up public sympathy in your favor. it's almost an ideal case. it has no real political overtones. it's not as if you're accused of anything serious. well, i believe i can interest some friends of mine who are always deeply concerned with cases involving the infringement of an individual's liberty--provided, of course, there are no political overtones. i can think of several good people who would be willing to head up a defense committee. the fact that we have and i'm talking now about as much as, oh, one hundred thousand dollars?" he paused interrogatively. "i'm prepared to pay," shamar said. "maybe even more," councilman freemason continued quickly. "we can come to that later. the important thing right now is to get down to work on your case." "counselor freemason, now, obviously i'm not a lawyer," shamar said, "and i know it's bad business to tell a professional how to run his job. but i believe miss germadpoldlt explained the, ah, rather unusual delicacy of my own position. it would seem to me that the less publicity we got, the better." counselor freemason shook a pen at him. "a very good point, mr. worker. it shows you're thinking, and i'm glad of the opportunity to explain the reasons for this recommendation. if i brazenly parade you before them, you see, by implication it means we're not afraid of your background being examined. we have nothing to hide. consequently, they will not look for anything. if, on the other hand, i'm cautious, fearful, defensive, they'll ask themselves, 'what's counselor freemason trying to hide?' and they'll start digging into your past. "now, i hope that clears that matter up to your satisfaction? good. good. i'll get right to work on your case. do you have anything else? miss germadpoldlt explained rather nicely, i think, yesterday. as far as anyone knows, you're a man without papers. you've never paid any taxes but they have no proof you owe taxes. you won money in the lottery. you collected anonymously; lots of people do for perfectly valid reasons. let them prove you didn't win. the party can't be very interested in a man like that. "so, i'll raise an issue. maybe we'll suggest that any lottery winner is likely to be persecuted. the party wants things to go smoothly. the lottery makes the people feel as if, you know, they actually own a piece of things. and too many people don't have papers. "my job is to take the specific and convert it to a vague general principle that a number of people feel deeply about. the party will take the easy way out: they're not dumb. they've learned from experience. you're not worth that much trouble to them. otherwise, there'll be a period of aggravation, people without papers beating up police and things like that." * * * * * three days later, shamar met with the newly formed committee of one hundred for justice to shamar the worker. there were five members of the committee and counselor freemason in attendance. they briefed him on their initial activities. they had printed letterheads and were circulating letters to people known to be friendly, with a hastily printed booklet giving the facts of the case. "as you can see," counselor freemason said, "we're off to a very fast start. um, the question naturally arises as to finances. i have advanced a certain amount out of my own pocket.... we will need more than i can conveniently scrape together at the moment, and i'm reluctant to--ah--impose on the committee for a loan insofar as--" "i took the liberty of bringing along some cash," shamar said. "for current expenses and, of course, your retainer." they looked relieved. "excellent, excellent. i might suggest, mr. worker, that we appoint one of the committee as treasurer--perhaps mrs. freetle, here--" the lady smiled--"to take these financial worries off your mind. this will leave you free to devote yourself fully to activities defense." "now that that's out of the way," one of the male committee members said, "let's get right down to business. as you can see, we're moving fast. our overall strategy is this. we must first establish a public image for you, mr. worker, an image the average man can identify with. counselor freemason has described your case to us. i simply don't know what the party's coming to to permit a man like von stutsman to persecute you this way. oh, i tell you, it makes my blood boil, mr. worker!" others of the committee chimed in and the sentiment passed heatedly among them. "well," said counselor freemason, "i guess that about winds it up for the moment. you all know where to reach me. any time, day or night. i guess, mr. worker, if you'll just turn the money over to mrs. freetle. and i think, mr. hall, if you'd hire that speech writer--what's his name? mcgoglhy?--to work with mr. worker on his speeches." "speeches?" shamar asked. "you're going to be our featured speaker at all the rallies, of course," mrs. freetle said. "i know you will do splendidly, just splendidly! your accent is so captivating. i've never heard anything quite like it." vi on the evening of his first public appearance, shamar was given a neatly typed speech. he rehearsed it hurriedly, stammers and all. "fellow citizens! as i stand here, looking over this sea of faces, hearing your applause and seeing how your hearts go out to one poor man in distress, it--i--well, i'm deeply touched. i can't tell you how much it means to me. i prepared a speech for tonight, but i'm not going to use it. i'm just going to stand here, instead, and tell you, just as the words come out, how i feel." here he would pause for applause and then continue. "thank you so very much. thank you. i know you're all behind me--except for the police agents in the audience." here he would wait for laughter. "we all know them, don't we? i see about a dozen. a dozen agents have come down here to find out what i'm going to say. isn't that ridiculous?" here there would be mixed laughter, applause and cries in the affirmative. "all right! thank you. i hope they get an earful tonight." later in the speech he would demand, "why are they doing this to me? i want you to tell me why. what have i done? what am i accused of doing? well, i'll tell you this--i'm not the kind of a man who is going to submit meekly to this persecution. i'm going to fight back. i've got a little money left from my lottery winnings, and i'll spend every cent of it to fight these people doing this thing to me." here he would pause dramatically. "i want to leave you with this point. it's not just shamar the worker that's involved. what am i? a poor, itinerant laborer going from town to town. i'm nothing, i have never had anything, and i guess i never will have anything. i'm no rich black marketeer or businessman. i'm no fat politician. i'm just one little man. but it's not me--and this is the point i want to leave you with--it's not shamar the worker. he's unimportant. what is important is that if they can do this to me, they can do it to you. if they can do it to shamar the worker today, next year one of you will be up here on this platform speaking just the way i am. so you see, this is your fight. it's not me that's important--it's the principle that's important--" the meeting went brilliantly. every time he paused, the audience responded just as the speech-writer had indicated. it was as if they were as well rehearsed as he. the next night, another meeting. and another. and another. he slept no more than four hours a night when the campaign was in full swing. he spoke dozens of times into the bright glare of tv cameras. he paraded down a million streets in an open-topped car. faces poured in front of his own; on and on they came. people with tears in their eyes cried, "god bless shamar the worker!" once the committee hired a brass band. so, for two weeks, it went. then the party threw him back in jail, in an apparent effort to deprive the movement of its momentum. * * * * * after three days, during which time shamar was held incommunicado, counselor freemason obtained permission to interview his client. "we're making marvelous progress! ge-ge is turning into a most effective crusader. you should hear her when she cries, 'give me back my man!' this is a wonderful development for us. it's having the opposite of the intended effect. von stutsman has over-reached himself this time. the party is going to have to back down, and it will cost him dearly." "how's the finances?" "ge-ge has given us some advances--" "how much have you spent?" "well, to tell you the truth, i haven't been keeping track closely. perhaps we've run a little more than we anticipated. the response, you see--" shamar returned to his cell wishing earth's printing presses had worked a little longer. it took nearly two weeks to arrange for ge-ge to visit him. when she arrived, she was nearly on the point of tears. "oh, my darling, how i've missed you!" she brought him up to date on the progress of his case. as counselor freemason had reported, his imprisonment merely increased the vigor of his supporters. now they were at their highest pitch: a pitch which would be difficult to maintain. "i'm just worried sick," she said. "if the party can hold out another week or two. i don't want to worry you, shamar, but i want you to know how you stand. counselor freemason says the worst that could happen would be a short prison sentence, no more than a year, for not filing tax forms. we could keep you out on appeal for quite a while." "ge-ge, how much have we spent so far?" "about three hundred thousand dollars." "good god! they'll have it all when they get through! if i ever get back to earth--" "i don't care about money, shamar! i just want you free!" he took her shoulders. "ge-ge, suppose the party can't afford to back down? maybe they feel they have to stand firm to prevent a lot of future trouble. and when freemason gets all the money ... then what chance will we stand? they might railroad me for years. they'll make an example out of me. now, are you willing to gamble? everybody would jump at the chance to vote them out. if we could--" "please, shamar," ge-ge said. "all this voting thing you've always been so sold on is all right, i guess--but it just won't work. to begin with, there isn't any way to vote." "maybe there is," he said. * * * * * shamar was still in jail the following day when ge-ge appeared on the tv program. pamden had been reluctant to release time to her. pamden was itra's largest industrial co-operative--plastics, agricultural machinery, detergents, electricity and newsprint--and, being the most efficient, was responsible for operating the tv networks. "good heavens," said the station executive. "nobody can say we haven't already given you coverage. miss germadpoldlt." "they've ordered you to stop!" she protested. "they? the party? miss germadpoldlt, do you honestly believe that? nobody tells a station manager what to program. believe me. there is no prior censorship whatsoever. but, on the other hand, we can't turn over the tv stations to minority propaganda either." ge-ge argued and pleaded, and in the end the executive sighed wearily. "i think we've been more than fair. but for you--and this is a personal favor, miss germadpoldlt, because you are a young and attractive woman--for you, i will phone our program director and see if he can get you on the noon interview show for tomorrow. it gives you the itra-wide network, which is certainly more than anyone has the right to ask. you'll have ninety seconds to make your case. that's the best i can do." "oh, thank you, thank you," ge-ge sobbed. "you're so fair and generous." outside his office she took a deep breath, crossed her fingers and went home to revise her speech. she had only expected sixty. ge-ge arrived at the studio well in advance and was handed over to the makeup department. with deft skill they converted her youth to age and contrived to instill in her face weariness and defeat. her protests were ignored. "this is the way you make up for tv," she was told. they clucked collective tongues in disapproval when they were finished and sent her on her way to a brief chat with the m.c. the m.c. assured her that she looked divine and hastily scanned her prepared remarks, which had been heavily edited by some anonymous hand in the news department. the m.c. incorporated a few pointless revisions and dispatched the message to the department handling idiot-board material. it was explained that ge-ge was to read, word for word, from the electronic prompter. ge-ge watched the program from the wings. when she heard a commercial message in favor of the consumption of a particular variety of candy, her heart ran away with itself. her courage faltered. but shamar's face brought it back. the signal came. she walked into the terrible glare which held up every imperfection to microscopic inspection. she shook hands, turned, and the camera closed in, full face. beyond the camera lay the largest daytime tv audience on itra. she felt they were examining her pores with minute and critical attention. she blinked nervously and began to read. "i am here to tell you about shamar the worker." that was as far as she went with the prepared text. before the horrified ears of the auditors in the studio, she plunged into remarks of another kind entirely. "if you want to do something to help shamar the worker, stop buying candy! don't buy any more candy. if you want to help shamar the worker, don't buy any candy until he's free. if you want to help shamar, please, _please_, don't buy--" at this point the technicians cut ge-ge out and, with profound mistiming, faded in an oleogenous taped message from the candy manufacturer which began, "friends, everybody likes red block candy, and millions buy it every day. here's why--" ge-ge surveyed the surrounding confusion and walked unmolested from the studio. when she arrived home, an angry counselor freemason was waiting on her doorstep. inside, she allowed the counselor to present his case. this new move, he explained, would have terrible consequences. shamar's good faith would be prejudiced. one simply did not, with impunity, go outside the law in such matters. there were rules you absolutely _must_ play the game by. he washed his hands of all responsibility for her conduct. "i hope to god nothing comes of it," he concluded. "i'm having the committee prepare a denial of--" the phone rang at this point, and without asking permission, counselor freemason answered it. "yes? this is counselor freemason, go ahead." he listened a moment, said, "they did," in a weary voice and cradled the phone. he turned to ge-ge. "now we're in for it. that was pete freedle from the committee." "well," said ge-ge, "i think we'll just wait a few days and see what happens." a week later, ge-ge was still waiting. counselor freemason, deprived of finances, was powerless to move. he saw everything crashing in shambles at their feet. "but are they selling candy?" ge-ge asked. "that's beside the point!" counselor freemason cried. "look here, every crackpot on the planet will get into the act. they don't care about shamar. all you're going to prove now is that the party is unpopular. everyone already knows that." he struck his forehead in exasperation. * * * * * for two weeks, all was quiet. there were no more rallies for shamar the worker. signs were torn down and destroyed. no bulletins were printed. no word passed over the electronic communications network. the committee, bankrupt, dissolved in mutual recriminations and bickering, convinced that the cause of civil liberties had been set back one hundred years. but candy was not selling. it clogged the distribution channels. it piled up in warehouses. it lay untouched in stores. it grew rancid. mechanically the factories continued to turn it out. the party denied the boycott was having any effect. this did not appease the distributors of candy and the sellers of candy and the producers of candy. their jobs were at stake. they had payrolls to meet. the party stopped production of candy. people suddenly found themselves with no jobs to go to. the economic system was so tightly controlled and organized that the effect was immediate. there was too little money available to purchase the supplies normally purchased. suppliers cut back on their factory orders. this further reduced the need for supplies. at this point, the party decided that the people would, by heaven, eat candy. the party leader himself went on tv to appeal to the patriotism of the people and to order them to resume buying candy. this was a tactical error. but being the idea of the party leader himself, who had always crashed headlong into obstacles, none opposed it. the issue was directly joined. people resented being told that it was their patriotic duty to eat something that all medical opinion held was harmful. furthermore, people realized that they had somehow stumbled on a fatal flaw in the system, which they could exploit without immediate danger. they responded by refusing to buy soap. the people were now in open revolt. at last they had a method for disapproving of things in general. the economy plummeted. the computers were in a frenzy. effects of corrective actions were no longer predictable. the party frantically tried to buy soap and dump it. the people turned to other commodities. pressure now mounted from within the party itself. the supervisor of pamden saw his carefully nurtured empire begin to disintegrate. a massive layoff in consumer plastics (badly hit by a running boycott) took with it valuable key personnel. the supervisor of pamden told the party leader himself that he damned well better do something about the situation, and damned soon, too. the party leader himself ordered the release of shamar the worker. but by then no one was interested in shamar the worker. * * * * * the man came and unlocked shamar's cell door. shamar stood up. the guard tossed in shamar's clothing. "get dressed." shamar got dressed. "come along." shamar came along. shamar had had no word from outside for nearly two months, and it was not until he saw ge-ge's face, radiant with joy, that he realized he had won. "you're free!" she cried excitedly. shamar was given back his belt and possessions. as they waited for the judge to make it official, shamar asked, "i wonder what will happen now?" "nobody knows. everybody says the party's out for sure. individual party members will try to form a new government, but it's going to have to be radically different. they'll try to keep all they can, but the people will wring them dry for every last concession. maybe now when they build the factories, they'll stay built and actually produce something." "for a little while," shamar said. "longer than a little while," ge-ge said. "we've got a way to vote now, when things get too bad." the judge, in his red robe, came in. they stood respectfully. he looked at them for a long time and said nothing. finally, he spoke: "well, shamar the worker, i guess you've got what you want. you pulled down a whole civilization. i hope you're satisfied. what dream will you give us to replace the dream you have taken from us?" his face hardened. "shamar the worker," he said, "the party leader himself has asked us to dismiss the pending charges against you. this i now do. you are free to go." "thank you, sir," shamar said respectfully. "shamar the worker, for your own sake, you better hope that i never see you in my court. you better not get yourself arrested for anything. i will show you no mercy, but justice will be swift and summary. so that you may not rest easily at night, i am having some of my very skillful and competent friends check through your background thoroughly. you should hope, very sincerely, that they find nothing. you may go." ge-ge and shamar stood. they turned in silence. when they were at the door, the judge called, "oh, shamar the worker!" he turned, "yes, sir?" "shamar the worker, i do not like your accent." shamar could feel ge-ge trembling uncontrollably at his side. but when they reached the street, they were greeted by headlines announcing that a delegation from the planet earth had arrived. vii the earth delegation had taken over a suite in the party hotel, grandest and most expensive on itra. usually it was reserved for high party members. shamar and ge-ge presented themselves at the desk. shamar wrote out a note in english. "deliver this to the earthmen," he instructed. shamar and ge-ge retired to await results. less than five minutes passed; the bell hop returned. "sir and madam," he said respectfully, "come with me." when he entered the suite, he felt the personality of shamar the worker drop from him into memory. "captain shaeffer! captain shaeffer! oh, what a magnificent job! i'm gene gibson from the new department of extra-terrestrial affairs. who's this?" "this is my fiancee." "good heavens, man, you intend to marry a _native_?" the man stepped back, shocked. capt. shaeffer turned to ge-ge and performed bilingual introductions. they moved from the hallway to the sitting room and arranged themselves on the furniture. "i must say, captain shaeffer, that your success on itra has surpassed our wildest expectations. the first inkling we had was when, out of the blue, as it were, there was your face looking out at us from the tv screen! you should have been there for our celebration that night! you'd been on itra just a little over two months! you're going down in history as one of the greatest heroes of all time!" capt. shaeffer said, "i think it would be best if ge-ge and i were to board your ship immediately. her life may be in danger. some old-line party men might resent her role in the revolution. actually, she had more to do with it than i did." "oh, now, i'm sure you must be exaggerating a bit on that, captain shaeffer. her life in danger? surely, now! speaking frankly, captain--and mind you, i have no personal objection at all; this is none of my business. but she is, after all, an _itraian_. you know these mixed marriages--" "i don't give a damn what you personally think," capt. shaeffer said. "is that understood once and for all? she goes." "of course. i was just--now don't get huffy. of course she goes. just as you wish, captain." the angry exchange over an unknown but fearfully expected issue caused ge-ge to blink back tears. * * * * * a week later, gene gibson came for the first time to visit them. capt. shaeffer inquired as to progress. "well, captain, things are progressing. we are establishing a government which will be more responsive to the will of the people of itra. we've had several very pleasant, informal chats with the party leader, himself. really a wonderful man. once he got all the facts--which were kept from him the first time we landed--he strikes me as being quite responsible. i think we may have misjudged him. i'm not too sure but what he isn't just the exact man to head up the new government. we've discussed a few details on trade agreements and, i must say, he's been very reasonable." capt. shaeffer said nothing. "yes," gene gibson said, "he's really an exceptional individual. a wealth of administrative experience. a fine grasp of practical politics. i don't regard him as a typical itraian at all. he feels that, with us backing him, we can get this whole mess straightened out in a few months." "mess?" "well, you must admit, i think, captain shaeffer, that you did--well--make negotiations extremely difficult, in view of the, ah, present temper of the populace. "you see, earth would like to have a stable and responsible government. a government, that is, which can see larger issues in perspective. not one which must devote its full time to coping with a group of unpatriotic anarchists running loose in the streets." "what's he saying?" ge-ge asked. "as it is now," gene gibson continued, "we do have several rather difficult problems. i think we'll probably have to quarantine itra for a few months until the party leader himself can form a stable organizational structure. somehow news of our trade discussions have leaked out and for some reason has resulted in a general work stoppage. so you see? by god, i'll just come right out and say it: shaeffer, you've left us one hell of a mess!" with that, gene gibson departed. "what did he say?" ge-ge asked meekly. but shaeffer only shook his head. the following day, the ship's captain came to pay a courtesy call. "a very neat piece of work, merle. your new assignment just came in, by the way, on the space radio." "new assignment? ge-ge and i are on our way back to earth." "no, you're not. we're to drop you off at midway for transhipment to folger's hill. it's a new planet. you're to be earth representative to the people of folger's hill. the first shipload of colonists arrived about a month ago." "i see," capt. shaeffer said. "the salary's good," the ship's captain said. "suppose i don't want to go?" "i've got orders to leave you at midway. i'd want to go if i were you. they want you out of the way for a little while. you can't fight it. you've been appointed a general in the defense forces, so you're now under military law--and it's an order." at this point, ge-ge broke in to say, "how are things going in xxla?" general shaeffer choked back his anger and presented the question. "they don't tell us anything. the crew is confined to the ship." shamar the worker turned to ge-ge. "it's going about the same," he said. * * * * * a year later, general merle s. shaeffer's card popped out of the computer. "general shaeffer's up for re-assignment." "who in hell is general shaeffer?" "never heard of him." the card passed upward. "merle shaeffer is due for re-assignment," a man who knew the name told the secretary of the over council at lunch the following day. "there's a new planet opened up even further away than folger's hill." "he's the one who butchered the itra assignment? send him there. anything new from itra recently, by the way?" "same as usual. i understand the anarchists have formed some kind of government." "terrible. terrible. well, the less said about that the better." a week later, again over lunch, the secretary was told: "i guess we needn't worry about merle shaeffer any more. disappeared from his post, he and that itraian woman of his, a couple of weeks after they arrived on folger's hill. probably a hunting accident got them both. their bodies were never found. these things happen on wild new planets." the secretary was silent for a long time. then he said: "shaeffer dead, eh? i guess it's better that way. well, a genius has passed, and we'll not see his like again. perverted, perhaps, but a genius none the less." they drank solemnly. "to merle shaeffer. you could call him a hero, so let's you and i drink to that. no one else ever will." they drank again. nothing further served to stir the secretary's memory of merle shaeffer, and he retired six months later at the end of his term. the new secretary was not familiar with the itraian affair. he had been in office just a few days less than a year when, one morning, he arrived at his office in a furious rage. "get me the head of the defense forces!" "i'm sorry, sir, all the phones are tied up," his secretary said. "what in hell do you mean, all the phones are tied up?" "i don't know. maybe all at once everybody just left their phones off the hook or something." "why would they do that? that's ridiculous! get a runner over after him." half an hour later, the head of the defense forces arrived. "do you know," the new secretary demanded, "that yesterday all the pennies went out of circulation? people apparently have been saving them for the last couple of months. it finally showed up. all at once, there aren't any pennies. you can't make change. damn it, why would those crazy idiots all decide to save their pennies at the same time? it's not rational. why did they do it?" the head of the defense forces said nothing. the secretary raved at him in anger, but the head of the defense forces did not have the heart to tell him that a hero had returned home. transcriber's note: text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). a mystery story sign of the green arrow by roy j. snell reilly & lee chicago copyright by reilly & lee printed in the u.s.a. contents chapter page i "this is our secret" ii spooky waters iii a bright eyed beach-comber iv spies v whispering depths vi real progress! vii mystery singers of the night viii monster of the deep ix dave's electric gun x little big-heads xi tigers of the sea xii johnny's day off xiii the green arrow trail xiv an important discovery xv adrift in the depths xvi voice of drums xvii marching on the castle xviii the battle xix on the bottom sign of the green arrow chapter i "this is our secret." it was midnight. johnny thompson paced the deck of the _sea nymph_ alone. he would be doing this until daybreak. the tropical night was glorious. there was a faint breeze--just enough to ripple the waters where the phosphorescent light thrown off by a million tiny creatures rivaled the stars above. "spooky," he thought, meditatively. "out here all alone with the night.... natives over there." he faced the east, where dark green hills loomed out of the water. over there was a small island. johnny never had been there. some time he'd get into a canoe and paddle over. earlier in the evening he had seen a light, a white man's light, he had thought, without knowing why. he-- his thoughts were interrupted by someone moving, up forward. or was there? he had supposed they all were asleep--the strange old man, bony and tall, with goggle eyes and heavy glasses, the tall young man and the blonde girl. they all had berths forward. the captain and mate were aft; the native crew, below deck. there was no need for any of the crew, now. the boat was anchored. only he, johnny thompson, was needed, to keep watch for prowlers of the sea, or signs of a storm. it was strange, this new job. he was not sure just what these people were planning--some scientific expedition, he thought. the ship's outfit was rather irregular, but he had been glad of the chance to sign up as watch. he loved the sea. "someone--" he said to himself, "--is moving, up there." he started forward, cautiously. he had covered only half the hundred and twenty-five foot length of deck when suddenly he beheld the girl of the party. "walking in her sleep," johnny thought, with a touch of alarm. but she wasn't. "hello!" she poked a hand from beneath her midnight-blue dressing gown. "it's too swell a night to sleep." "yes," johnny agreed. "you're not a regular watch, are you?" she asked. "that--er--" johnny hesitated. "that's not my regular job. nothing is. does that matter?" "no, i suppose not. anyhow nothing could happen, here." "plenty could happen," he contradicted, quietly. "how do you know?" "i've been in the tropics before. natives get ugly sometimes. they imagine white men are getting the best of them--which, for the most part, they are!" johnny laughed. "then there are storms," he went on. "wildest place for storms you've ever seen. once i drifted before a storm for thirty-six hours in a boat just about like this, only--" he hesitated, "it was different." "yes," the girl laughed, "it must have been, as there's not another boat quite like this in all the world, i guess. it-- "look!" she exclaimed softly, pointing toward the distant island. "what's that strange light?" "light?" johnny spun round. "oh! say--that _is_ strange! it's green. a green light." "like an arrow," the girl whispered. "green arrow of the tropics. quite romantic! but what can it be?" "it's not for us," said johnny. "it--it seems to blink. wait!" retracing his steps he went to a box of life-preservers where he had left his heavy field glass. he returned quickly to her side. "now," he invited, "have a look!" he held the glass in position for her. "it--it _does_ blink," she murmured. "it's like an electric sign. some lights go off; others go on!" "let's see." johnny took the glass. "why--it's some sort of signalling," he decided at once. "but not for _us_!" instinctively they turned to scan the sea. "there's no other boat out there," said johnny. "at least there wasn't any at sunset. if one had moved in, we'd see the light." "if there were a light," whispered the girl, "how gorgeously mysterious it'd be. how-- "look!" she exclaimed. "do you see it? a green arrow out there on the sea?" "no--oo," johnny said, after a moment of gazing. "i can't see it. must have been a reflection of that other light. that often happens, you--" "no!" the girl said, emphatically. "there! i saw it again!" "perhaps i'm color-blind," said johnny after another long look. "but i just don't see it!" at that he turned around to continue his study of that land light. "it's strange," he murmured. "i can't quite count the lights, but they _do_ go on and off. irregularly, too. it must be a signal. but what are they saying?" "and to whom?" the girl added. "well," she sighed a moment later, "we'll not learn the answer, at least not tonight. because it's gone!" "so it is," said johnny, after a long look at the island. "sha--shall we tell them?" he asked after a moment. "who? grandfather and dave? oh--why should we? it can't be anything that affects us! let's keep it for our own little secret. perhaps we'll solve the riddle--" "all right," johnny agreed, readily. there's a queer girl for you, he was thinking. she'd be lots of fun, though. "is the elderly man your grandfather?" he asked. "yes. professor casper's his name. only wish i knew as much as he does. my name's doris--doris casper." she put out her hand. "i--i'll be seeing you. good night. and don't forget--it's our secret--sign of the green arrow!" she was gone. "sign of the green arrow," johnny whispered, softly. "perhaps i _should_ report it to the professor. and then again--perhaps i shouldn't. it can't have a thing to do with this boat, and it's entirely out of my line of duty. the girl wants to share a secret. most girls do, in fact. so why not?" with that, for the present at least, the whole affair was dismissed from his mind. half an hour later he found himself sitting alone on the after deck, glancing away at those dim, mysterious shores, and thinking back over the events that had led up to this mildly exciting night. two months before, he had found himself in new york wanting a job, and not able to find one. after three weeks of trying he had grown somewhat bitter about the whole thing. "i'm intelligent," he had said to a prospective employer. "i've always worked. i like it. why shouldn't i have a chance?" "why not?" the grey haired man had replied sadly. "i've asked that question often, but i don't know the answer. i only know we can't use another man." that very afternoon, while watching boats moving out to sea, johnny had his chance, and took it. he caught sight of a young man, struggling toward a gang-plank under a heavy load. "give you a lift?" he had volunteered, courteously. "whew! yes." the man mopped his brow. "looking for a dime?" "not yet!" reddening, johnny impulsively jerked a few small bills from his pocket. "not broke, yet." "oh!" the man looked at him with interest. "say!" he exclaimed. "i shouldn't wonder if you'd do!" "for what?" the boy asked. "i'm off to the spanish main to take pictures--native life, ancient ruins, and all that. there's a lot of stuff to lug, and--" he hesitated, "perhaps a fight to step into now and then! want to go?" "_do_ i?" johnny grabbed the two largest bags. "there's no money in it! just experience and expenses." "all right! what are we waiting for?" johnny led the way up the gang-plank. all that had been two months before and what wonderful months those had been! sailing from island to island, they had taken pictures of quaint, native homes, of native women with flashing eyes, of ancient buccaneer cannon, fast rusting to nothingness. there had been three exciting fights, with men who had thought they were intruding. in one of these, a machete had come within a fraction of an inch of johnny's ear. he seemed to feel the cool swish of it now. then, he thought with a sigh, those golden days had ended. lee martin, the photographer, had been called back to new york. "you keep the stuff," lee had said to johnny. "you may be able to get some unusual pictures. if you do--send 'em home to me. i'll see what i can make out of 'em, for you." johnny had watched lee's boat fade into the distance. then, with heavy heart, he had marched back to his lodgings in port au prince, the capital of the island republic of haiti. that very day he had noticed the _sea nymph_, located the man in charge, and signed up as watch. his photographic equipment was in his stateroom. he had laid in a good supply of film packs and plates. would he find opportunity to use them? would he get some unusual pictures to send to lee martin? time was to answer all these questions in its own way.... "it's a strange layout," he thought, as he took a turn about the deck. "i suppose i'll know what it's all about before long." it was indeed a strangely equipped craft. a three-master, with an auxiliary motor for bad weather, the _sea nymph_ had been built for island trade. since the bottom had dropped out of the sugar market, she had been lying idle in the harbor. without making many changes, the elderly professor had equipped her for his purpose, whatever that might be. johnny had not yet been told. there had been a hold at the boat's center, for sugar and other freight. this had been transformed into a tank--or swimming pool. johnny could not tell which. doris, garbed in a gay swim suit, had taken a morning plunge there, but he had a notion it was for some other purpose, also. strangest of all, close to the stern where it could be reached by the stout hoists, was a large, hollow steel ball. it was all of eight feet in diameter, and its walls were several inches thick. what, he had asked himself more than once, could that be for? but he had asked no one else. the natives would not know, and one simply did not ask such questions of an employer. besides, johnny had learned long before, it is a waste of time to ask questions which, in good time, will answer themselves.... chapter ii spooky waters johnny's questions regarding the steel ball were answered the following afternoon. after his usual six hours of sleep, he was sitting on the deck when the young man they called dave--his whole name was dave darnell--approached him. "i saw you taking pictures yesterday," dave said with a smile. "yes," johnny answered. "just a picture of that island. i hope you didn't mind." "not at all", said dave. "that looked like a rather good camera." "it is!" johnny exclaimed. "none better. of course," he added, grinning, "it's not mine. it was loaned to me. and there's equipment, screens for infra-red pictures, flash bulbs, flood-lights--about everything." "say--ee--" dave exclaimed. "looks like you're a real find! want to go down and try your luck at taking pictures?" he nodded toward the big steel ball. "down?" johnny asked, a little blankly. "yes--to the place of eternal night!" "e--eternal night!" "that's right! i can't describe it to you! but i can show you. question is--can you take pictures in complete darkness?" "they don't come too dark for me!" johnny flashed back. "lee martin and i took a picture of a voodoo witches' meeting--people hiding in the dark from the island police. you couldn't see your hand. but we got the picture all right. and i nearly lost an ear! a burly black fellow swung at me with a machete!" "nothing like that down there," dave chuckled. "all the same--you'll be surprised! do you want to go?" "sure--i'll go," johnny agreed. "only," he hesitated, "i have a strange horror of being completely out of touch with the rest of the world! what do we do about that?" "that's easy!" dave laughed. "we have a short-wave set on the boat and another in the steel ball. doris or the professor is always listening in. how about it--do we go?" "we sure do!" johnny grinned. "o.k.! get your stuff together. we'll go down in an hour!" "wonder what i'm getting into now?" johnny asked himself as he walked to his stateroom. an hour later he found himself passing through one of the strangest experiences of his life. he was seated, doubled up. had he wanted to stand, he could not have done so. his eyes were wide open, but he saw never a thing! "inky black!" he whispered. "nowhere else will you see such darkness," came dave's voice, close at his side. "but look! there's something!" johnny exclaimed in a low tone. "yes!" dave's voice rose excitedly. "and it's something quite new!" johnny stared with all possible intensity. before him--how far away he could not tell--there moved a series of small, round spots of yellow light. "it's like flying through the air at night," he murmured; "and seeing the lights of a huge zeppelin passing." "quick! get your camera ready!" said dave. "all right--it's all set!" johnny's own voice sounded strange to him. "i'll turn on the light," said dave. "now!" "one, two, three--" johnny counted to ten, and closed the camera shutter with a click. "now! one more picture," urged dave. another click. "they're passing. they'll soon be gone. if only it works!" dave's voice grew louder with excitement. "there", johnny sighed. "that's two pictures--i hope!" "no time for another," said dave. johnny stared once more at the blue-black darkness before him, and marveled afresh. could anything be stranger than this? queerest of all--there had not been one ray of visible light. and dave's voice at his side had said, "i'll turn on the light!" but johnny knew what it was all about. he had taken pictures in the dark before. still the strangeness of it all, baffled him. as if brought on by the darkness and mystery, he suddenly thought of something he must tell dave. "samatan is stirring up trouble with the crew of the _sea nymph_!" he said. "our cook? samatan?" dave's voice registered surprise. "you must be mistaken." "no" said johnny. "i heard him last night". "but why should he? he is well paid." "that's what i don't know." there was a note of perplexity in johnny's voice. "it's what somebody must find out. what if he should persuade the men to hoist anchor and sail, _right now_?" "right now?" "yes." "that would be practically fatal! it-- "but look!" dave's voice changed. "there they are again! i never saw such a sight! get ready for another picture!" johnny quickly took another picture--two--three more pictures. after that, the spots of yellow light disappeared as before, and--for what seemed a very long time--there was nothing but inky blackness. johnny settled back for a few, fleeting thoughts. that he was due for some unusual experiences he had never a doubt. fancy, going far beneath the surface of the sea in a thing like this steel ball! suppose something went wrong--even the least little thing! what then? dave had told him it was possible to go down half a mile, perhaps more. would they ask him to go down that far to take pictures? sometimes, he thought, it's better not to know too much about what is ahead. he had been vastly interested in their manner of taking off in that steel ball. they had crawled through a small entrance in the side, and taken their places. then had come the bang of a steel door, swung into place. this was followed by the clang of wrenches, bolting them inside! dave had seen him move, restlessly. "don't let that bother you," he had laughed. "i've been down scores of times. it--it's just grand! professor casper got the thing up," dave had explained. "now his doctor won't let him go down--on account of a bad heart. so it's up to me, on this trip. there are things we want to know. your pictures should help." there hadn't been time for any more talk. after the door had been securely bolted down, the hoist had lifted them over the rail and lowered them gently into the inky depths. with a suddenness that was startling, johnny awoke from his revery. like the flash of electric bulbs, lights were appearing and disappearing before his eyes. "wha--what is it?" he exclaimed. "shrimp," was dave's matter-of-fact reply. "something is after them. the squid shoots out ink to make himself invisible, but in this darkness that would do no good. these shrimp shoot out little balls of fire. look!" suddenly dave switched on a powerful electric light, and the little world about them was transformed. seeming to swim in air, a score of tiny, crab-like creatures moved rapidly across the spot of light. viewed through the six-inch-thick window of fused quartz, they seemed fantastic indeed. for a few seconds the space before them was a dark and empty void. then again, it filled with darting creatures. dave switched off the light, and once again the shrimp disappeared. as soon as the more powerful light from their strange, sub-sea visitor had been turned on, they had appeared as dark, darting creatures. "what was following them?" johnny asked. "who knows?" there was a suggestion of deep mystery in his companion's tone. "that's the thrill and charm that comes from exploring the sea's depths! anything may put in an appearance. creatures such as the world never has dreamed of, may pass before our eyes!" "how strange! how sort of--" johnny broke off to stare, then to exclaim--"there--there's something _huge_!" "quick! the camera!" dave's voice trembled. "no--it's too late!" moving with surprising swiftness, some great, dark bulk passed through the outer edge of their narrow beam of light. "wha--what was it?" johnny felt a little giddy. "some huge creature of the deep. perhaps a whale or a black fish," dave replied quietly. "it is known that they penetrate to these depths. then again--perhaps it was some huge, scaly creature that inhabits these depths alone." "what if it had collided with us, or tangled in our cable?" "then," dave's tone was dry and droll, "we might have taken a long, swift ride through space!" "swinging like a pendulum?" "that's it! on our thousands of feet of cable." "i shouldn't like that," johnny shuddered. "then why bring it up?" dave chuckled. "why, indeed!" johnny laughed-- after another half hour of waiting, for one more fascinating spectacle, dave decided to signal for their return to the top. johnny experienced a real sense of relief. "to explore the depths of the sea--earth's last great frontier--this is our purpose," dave said, as they began to rise. "for centuries men have been discovering strange creatures washed up on beaches. they could have come from nowhere save the ocean depths. for many years they have been dragging these depths with nets, to discover, if they could, what lived in these 'spooky waters' of dense darkness." and now, johnny thought exultantly, i am having a part in an expedition that may reveal the secrets of these dark depths. but once again his mind returned to samatan. this strange person, with his apparent hold on the native crew, was cook for the expedition. and a marvelous cook he was. johnny had been interested in the strange old man, from the first. he had studied him carefully. and there could be no mistake about it--samatan was endeavoring to stir the crew to something.... now the blue-black world about him appeared to be changing color. the blackness was less intense. "it's like the coming of dawn," he said to dave. "yes," dave chuckled, "only here we may make our own dawn, slow or fast, as we choose!" that this was to be rather a fast dawn, johnny was not long in discovering. but it was fascinating. to pass from inky blackness to dark, deep blue, on into colors that resembled a sunrise, and then to the eternal blue of a bright, tropical day, was an experience not soon to be forgotten. from time to time as they rose, strange denizens of the sea seemed to peer at them. once a shark shot past, and just before they reached the top, a great turtle swam awkwardly away. came the bump--bump of their steel ball as, lifted by the great crane, it landed on the deck. then, almost before he knew it, johnny thrust his head into bracing fresh air, to be greeted by a smiling face and to hear a girl's voice saying: "hello, johnny thompson! how do you like being down in davey jones' locker?" after assuring her of his enthusiasm, johnny hurried to his stateroom. he was wondering whether doris remembered their "secret" of the night before. chapter iii a bright eyed beach-comber johnny went at once to a darkroom that had been quickly prepared in the hold. pictures could be taken on land in what appeared to be complete darkness; he knew this from his work with lee martin. but would the utter blackness beneath the sea be the same? he would know, soon. he watched the films with absorbed interest. as the developer took hold, he saw nothing but blackness. "nothing there!" he muttered disappointedly. "wasted shots. we--" but wait! was something coming out? yes! there it was! an indistinct, shadowy form! his thoughts leaped ahead. his pictures were to be a success. he would be asked, times without number, to go down in that darkness and take more pictures. dangerous work, but he had to be a good sport, and besides, it was splendid experience for him. the strange, undersea creatures, some very large, with heads as long as their bodies, with fantastic buck teeth and hideous eyes, some small and snakelike and some as normal looking as any fish to be found near the surface, came out clearly visible on the film. "perfect!" was the professor's enthusiastic reaction when johnny showed him damp prints a few hours later. "a real contribution! and you took them in complete darkness!" "in what appeared to be complete darkness," johnny corrected. "i did it with an infra-red light screen. that screen shuts out all but the infra-red rays. eyes can't see the light of these rays. "of course," he went on, "we might have used a flood light, but that would have frightened those creatures away. as it is, we got them in what you might call a natural pose. candid camera shots from the deep sea," he laughed. "yes, yes," the professor agreed. "very remarkable and most useful!" "of course," said johnny, with a touch of modesty. "i learned all this from lee martin. he took me on as a helper and sort of body-guard. i just absorbed this camera stuff as we went along." "i see," said the professor, "that you have learned one of the real secrets of success." "what's that?" johnny asked. "to learn all you can about everything that comes your way, and to file that knowledge away in your brain. one never can tell when the opportunity to use such information may come to him. perhaps never, but it's always there! "you should be a great aid to us," the professor added thoughtfully. "you see," he said, leaning forward in his chair, "i regard this work as the most interesting and exciting of my entire career. young man,"--his eyes fairly shone, "what place do you think of as our last frontier?" then, before johnny could reply--"you may go east, west, north, south" the professor continued "but you find no frontier. you must go up or down! up into the stratosphere--or down, into the sea. these are our last frontiers. dave and i have chosen the deep sea, because there we may yet discover forms of life not known to man. these pictures," he held them up, "show two types of fish never before seen--and we have but begun!" * * * * * * * * "we have but begun," johnny repeated softly to himself as, some hours later, he once more paced the deck in his solitary vigil. "we have begun. where shall we end? we--" his soliloquy was interrupted. had he caught a gleam out there on the water? he thought so. now it was gone. that was one thing he was to watch for--natives in dugouts and canoes. who could tell what they might do? in a strange land one did well to keep close watch. he would keep an eye out for that light.... "exploring our last frontier," he whispered softly. he was in for something truly big again. big, exciting, and dangerous! well, that was the life. life, action, thrills--and a touch of romance! boy-oh-boy! that was the stuff! but there _was_ a gleam of light on the water! there could be no mistaking it. it was closer, too. what should he do? call someone? after a moment's thought he decided to wait. his flashlight would reach out a hundred feet or more. time enough when those people, whoever they were, came within reach of his light. so, somewhat excited, johnny waited by the gunwale, watching the bobbing of a tiny light--now here--now there--now gone--but ever coming nearer. he waited, breathless, tense, expectant, watching for some craft. what would he see? dark faces? gleaming spears? flashing machetes? soon he would know. when at last he cast the gleam of his powerful light on the spot where that golden glow had last shown, he gasped in astonishment. "a girl!" he exclaimed, amazedly. yes, it was a girl. in a dugout patterned after a white man's canoe, she came straight on, without a sound. her boy's shirt and blue slacks were faded, but clean. her reddish-golden hair fairly gleamed in the light. she had a round, freckled face and smiling eyes. as she came alongside, johnny reached over, took her line and made it fast. then he gripped her small, firm hand and helped her over the low rail. "i--i had to come," she breathed. "i--i've been watching you for days. what--" there was tense eagerness in her voice, "what is that big ball you let down into the sea?" "that," said johnny, after bringing her a deck chair, "is for going down, down, down, to the bottom of the sea!" "i--i hoped it would be." "why" "our trading schooner, the _swallow_, sank. we--we can't find it. i thought--" "thought these people might find it for you?" "yes! yes--that's it! do you suppose--" "i can't tell about that. you see," johnny hesitated, "i'm only a watch, on this boat. i--well you might say i'm just a tropical tramp!" "that," said the girl, putting out her hand, "makes us kin! grandfather and i are beach-combers! "you see," she went on, after giving johnny's hand a quick grip, "i sort of ran away from home. no, not quite that. i was half through college. it cost an awful lot. my folks couldn't afford it, but they wanted me to finish anyway. i wouldn't let them spend the money, so i asked grandfather to send me a steamship ticket. he did--and here i am! it's grand! really gorgeous! these nights." she spread her arms wide. "the jungle! the water rushing along the shore, the birds, the flowers, romance, adventure, everything! it's just grand!" her face fairly shone. "but our boat," her voice dropped, "sprang a leak in a storm. the natives were sailing her. they lost the location and we can't find it. perhaps--" "you'd have to see dave," said johnny. "he's the young man who goes down in the steel ball? i--i've been watching you through the glass." "yes, that's dave. he takes his work of exploring the sea's depths very serenely! tell you what!" johnny exclaimed. "you get him to take you down!" "in--in that thing?" the girl drew in her breath sharply, eyeing the distant shadow of the huge sphere. "sure, in the steel ball! he'd like to! he's proud of it. and he likes showing people strange things. if you want someone to do a certain thing for you--ask him to do something else, first! that's a grand rule." johnny looked into the girl's frank, grey eyes, and decided he liked her. "yes--i--i suppose so," the girl replied, slowly. "but you know--well, anyway--it's worth thinking about!" "look!" said johnny, starting up. "perhaps you can tell me what _that_ is." he pointed to the distant island, where again the blinking green arrow could be seen. "no, i--" the girl sat there, staring. "i never saw that before. but you know," her voice dropped to a whisper, "there are spies on these islands! lots of spies!" "spies?" johnny's voice expressed astonishment. "european spies," she added. "but why?" "i don't know about it. grandfather can tell you all there is to know. he's always talking spies, and saying what they'll do when the time comes.... you must come over and see us. our place is just over there on the shore. you'll come, won't you?" "yes. certainly i'll come." "thanks a lot." once more she gripped his hand. "and now--goodnight. i--i'm glad i came." she was over the side and away. "well, i'll _be_!" said johnny as he settled back in his chair. a moment later, faint, and far away, he heard her voice come over the dark water: "my name is mildred kennedy. be sure to come see us--don't forget!" for answer johnny whistled once, cupping his lips with his hands, to reduce the likelihood of arousing anyone on board. after that he was left to silence and the night--and the mysterious arrow of green light, blinking away on the distant hillside. sliding out the field glass, he studied that arrow for two full minutes. he felt sure from its strange blinking and winking that it was being used as a code signal. for the life of him, however, he could not make the lights separate themselves. they always remained a blur. "too far away," he grumbled. he wanted to hoist anchor and let the boat drift closer to shore, but this, he knew, would not do. he was neither skipper nor mate. suddenly recalling doris' words of the previous night, he realized that he had made the light, the secret of the bright-eyed little mildred kennedy! "i won't tell doris about that!" he decided. "at least, not yet." he was seized with a sudden desire to know who was receiving those blinking signals of the green arrow. deep in thought, he turned his back to the island and, to his utter astonishment, saw above the motionless sea some distance away, a second blinking green arrow! "ah!" he breathed, lifting the glass to his eyes. digging into a pocket, he dragged out a pencil and a small notebook. after that, for fully ten minutes, he held the glass with his left hand while setting down numbers. - - - , - - , - - - . he wrote down figures and more figures, until a strange, rushing sound reached his ears. startled, he sprang to his feet. on the shore side he saw a broad band of white foam rapidly approaching the boat. standing there, mouth open and staring, he watched it sweep toward him. with a hissing roar it swept beneath the boat and, without causing the least movement of the craft, went rushing on. "false alarm," he murmured. "probably what they call a rip-tide." turning back to sea, he looked again for the blinking green arrow. but it was gone. the distant island hill, too, now was entirely dark. "strange," he muttered, as again he paced the deck. and indeed it was strange, for the ship's log had recorded no boat in sight at sundown! from then, until johnny's vigil ended with the dawn, there was nothing to disturb the calm stillness of the tropic night. chapter iv spies on board the _sea nymph_ was a small boat known as the tub. very short and broad, it rowed like a washtub, and in a storm, would have been about as safe as a laundry basket. but water held no terrors for johnny, so, late the following afternoon, he pushed the tub into the sea and headed for shore. "you came! how grand!" mildred kennedy came racing down a palm-lined path to greet him. she wore an orange-colored smock, and there was flour on the hand she held out in greeting. "i'm making cookies," she confided. "sounds great!" johnny grinned. she led him to a broad, screened porch where a bearded giant unwound himself from a deep, comfortable chair to meet him. "this is grandfather." real pride shone in the girl's eyes. "he's been a beach-comber for thirty years. that's a record!" "now, child," the old man drawled, "don't you go bragging on me. "have a chair," he directed johnny. "my cookies will burn. i'll have to hurry," said the girl. "grandfather--you tell him about those spies." "spies? oh, yes. those european fellows." the old man's face darkened. "i've been preaching against 'em for mighty nigh twenty years. mebbe longer than that, i reckon. you see, mr. thompson--" "please call me johnny," said the boy. "i'm not used to the 'mister'." "all right, johnny. that's what it shall be. you see, johnny, these islands were once a french colony. the french made slaves of the natives. they brought in a lot more slaves and before long, there were many more slaves than there were frenchmen. so the natives polished up their machetes, started poundin' their voodoo drums, and drove the frenchmen off the islands. this has been a republic ever since. "but spies, now," his voice dropped. "how'd you get to thinkin' o' spies?" "your granddaughter told me there were spies. and there's been a green arrow--an arrow of light--on the hill at night, and another on the water. it's sort of mysterious." "a green arrow of light," the old man repeated. "that's what mildred was telling me. strange that i never saw it." "you couldn't," said johnny, "unless you were on the water. it's near the middle of the island, and up high." "there's a place up there built of stone, half castle--half prison," kennedy said, thoughtfully. "some frenchman built it, thinking he could hold out against the natives. well, he couldn't, and now the natives think it's haunted. won't go near it. it's a long way up a terrible trail. "but those spies, now," he added thoughtfully. "they may be using it for a hideout and signal tower. they stop at nothing." the old man rose, circled the porch like a prowling tiger, then returned to his seat. "these natives," he went on, "are a simple people. they can't run a country. they found it out soon enough. so did these other people, these europeans. i won't name the country as you'll learn it soon enough. those europeans came here and began boring in, just as they do everywhere. you'll find them in every south american republic and every island of the sea. they're robbers, spies, traitors!" his voice rose. "they rob the people, and at the same time plot the overthrow of all governments but their own. "young man!" mr. kennedy left his chair with surprising vigor. "did you ever take a good look at the map, and think how important this caribbean sea is?" "no, i--" "come here. have a look!" they stood before a large wall map. "look at it," kennedy insisted. "plentiful islands with central america on the west. a score of wonderful harbors. suppose those people took possession of these islands. look at haiti! a harbor where an entire navy might drop anchor! yes--and room left for ten thousand seaplanes! bombers! how would our atlantic coast--miami, charleston, new york, boston--how would they look, after those planes had been raiding from this base for a week, if there were war. and who says there _won't_ be! "you saw a light on the water!" he whirled around. "yes! low down! a green arrow of lights, that flashed." "'low down'!--i should say they were!" the old man grimaced. "spies!" he muttered. "since our marines left the islands--we took control during the world war, you know--these islands have been nests of spies! something should be done about it. but these natives sleep on--and uncle sam doesn't care to interfere. and yet i'm beginning to hope he will--before it is too late!" his words trailed off as he resumed his seat. "these people may call themselves beach-combers," johnny thought to himself. "perhaps they are, in a way! but they're grand folks." the house, which he presumed had been built with native labor, was made of massive, hardwood logs. there was no glass in the broad windows, but bamboo "screens," which could be let down at night. mosquito-net canopies were hung over the beds to keep out insects. most tropical houses are like that. behind the house were orchards--grapefruit, oranges, bananas. and down in the flat land by the shore, sugar cane was growing. "we cut it out of the wilderness, the natives and i," the old man rumbled, in response to johnny's polite inquiry. "they're quite wonderful, these natives--once you come to understand them. "of course," his brow darkened, "some of them can't be trusted. those men, those europeans--" his tone was bitter, "have corrupted them. yes, and robbed them, too! they pay little for their produce, wild rubber, chicle, wild coffee. and they charge the natives high prices for cheap goods. they get the people deeply in debt to them, and then make slaves of them. "that," he sighed, "was why we bought a trading schooner, mildred and i. we wanted to give the people of our small island a chance. we were doing it, too!" he struck the table a blow with his massive fist. "by george! we were doing it! "but our boat's on the bottom now!" his voice fell. "our natives took her out in a storm, and she sprang a leak." "yes, i know. mildred told me." johnny was wondering whether some treacherous native, inspired by the europeans, had let the water into the kennedy boat. at the same time he was making a resolve to do all he could to find the boat and help bring it to the surface. mildred entered with a great plate of cookies and a pitcher of ice-cold, fruit juice. "i hope you like them," she smiled. johnny did like them. what was more, as the moments passed he became more and more interested in his new-found friends. they were, he told himself, good, kind, intelligent people--his kind. they would do things, together. he saw himself with the girl, following obscure trails in search of that spy castle whence, perhaps, the green arrow messages came. "well," he sighed at last, "i'll have to be getting back. it's been grand, this visit. i hope you'll let me come back, and that--that we can do things together." he was looking at the girl. "do things? what, for instance?" her face was serious. "lots of things. things that may help." he gave her a broad smile. then--"just a big batch of day-dreams, i guess." at that he shook hands with the old man, walked down the broad path with the girl, gripped her hand for an instant, then climbed into his tub and rowed away. "thanks for one grand time," he called back. "you're welcome, and thanks for coming," was mildred's answer. and the hills echoed back, "thanks--thanks." chapter v whispering depths johnny had an active mind. figuring and planning were almost continuous activities with him. sometimes he really tried to slow the process up, but his mind would keep right on, figuring and planning. as he rowed slowly back to the boat, his thoughts were particularly active. there were things to be done. he would see that they _were_ done, in the end; he surely would. by going down in the steel ball as many times as dave wanted him to, and by taking pictures, he'd put dave in debt to him. then he'd persuade mildred to go down in the steel ball. dave would like that. then, at just the right time, he and mildred would ask dave to help find that trading boat at the bottom of the sea, and to float it once more. then they would get busy on those spies, he and mildred and--and anyone else who would help. it was a patriotic duty, by thunder! it surely was! in his mind's eye he saw the map of the caribbean sea, these islands at one side, the panama canal on the other. if the europeans got these islands, what would happen to the canal? filled with rocks and mud--that was the answer! they'd bomb the very daylights out of it. yes, they must uncover those spies--at least some of them. he wondered whether the green arrow would show tonight, and whether he would be able to make any sense out of the numbers he had written down in his notebook. "it's some sort of code," he told himself repeatedly. "if i can decipher it we may get somewhere." but here he was alongside the _sea nymph_, and dave was saying: "hello, johnny. we're shifting our position tonight--coming in a little closer. tomorrow afternoon i'd like you to go down with me to get some pictures. you won't mind, will you?" that was exactly what johnny had planned. "no, i won't mind," he said, "that will be keen." a mist drifted out over the ocean. all that night johnny paced the deck in a chill fog. no green light showed from the island hills. once he thought he heard men's voices, but nothing came of it. he was glad enough when he could crawl into his berth, draw his blankets over him, and lose himself in sleep. when he awoke the sun was shining. it was mid-afternoon, and dave was waiting for him to appear, for their trip below. "what a life!" he murmured. after he had gulped some hot coffee, hurriedly bolted some seabiscuits and a piece of pie he reappeared on deck. "all ready?" dave asked. "soon as i get my camera and things." "good! i'll have the steel ball in shape p.d.q.," dave grinned, good-naturedly. "he's really a nice chap," johnny thought. "only he takes science and discovery pretty seriously. i suppose we'll discover some saber-toothed viper fish, or maybe some flying snails!" he smiled at his thoughts. life was not half bad after all. half an hour later he was experiencing such thrills as only the deep, deep sea could bring. some five hundred feet beneath the surface of the sea he sat doubled up in his place, staring at an ever changing panorama. a rocky wall, not twenty feet from him, stood up like a sky-scraper, straight and tall. here and there it was broken by fissures and caves. everywhere it was festooned with sea vegetation--seaweed, kelp, anemones. all these, with coral that rose like gothic architecture, were entrancing. dave was by his side--not to admire, but to record. the look on his face was almost solemn. as they moved slowly downward dave spoke into a small microphone and doris, up on deck, recorded his words. strange words they were, too: "a school of parrot fish; three hatchet fish; two round-mouths; a golden-tailed serpent dragon; a--oh--oh!--hold everything!" at that instant dave's window was opposite a dark cavern. as he threw on a more powerful light he caught the gleam of two, great eyes. how far apart they were! despite his efforts to remain calm, johnny's heart skipped a beat as, at dave's command, he touched his moving-picture camera and set it recording. what sort of creature was this? a whale? a blackfish? or some strange, unknown denizen of the deep? suppose at this instant it should become enraged, should rush out of its hiding place and drag the steel ball out into the deep--to send it crashing against the rocky wall? a broken window would mean instant death. and yet johnny's hand did not tremble as he adjusted his camera.... just after the steel ball had gone over the side, mildred kennedy, in her dugout canoe, had arrived for a visit. it had called for real courage, this little journey. from a distance these _sea nymph_ people had seemed so serious. all but johnny. "but it's not decent to stay away and not be properly sociable," she had told her grandfather. so here she was. there had been time only for a brief word of welcome from doris. after that, whispering excitedly--"dave and johnny are below in the steel ball. it--it's dreadfully thrilling, even here on deck," doris had clamped a pair of head-phones over her guest's ears and had whispered tensely: "listen!" so they were seated on the deck of the _sea nymph_, listening intently for reports from below. at the same time, they talked. "i came to visit my grandfather," mildred said, "just as sort of a lark. i was storm bound indoors for two weeks, and when i saw how simple and kind the natives were, the happy, free life they lived, and yet how many things could be done for them, i wanted to stay. so i just did. and i am glad. only--" a shadow passed over her face. "listen!" doris held up a finger. "thought i heard a whisper. it--it couldn't be dave! i--i hope nothing has gone wrong. it's truly dangerous being down there, and yet one does learn so much--" "shish!" mildred held up a finger. "i--listen--i hear a whisper! it--it's numbers he's saying. how strange!" as the two girls sat in silence, pressing the phones to their ears, listening with their every sense, they caught--in a low whisper: "two hundred--and--eight--and a half. ten. no--now a drop--thirty, thirty-one--two--three--" then dave's voice boomed through, drowning out the whisper. "o.k. we saw some sort of monster," he was saying. "he was in one of these caverns and johnny got his picture--we hope! wish you were down here." "so do we!" doris' voice exclaimed. "we heard a whisper. thought you might--" "you've been dreaming!" dave boomed back. "forget it--and tell that man at the cable to let us down again, slowly. boy!--how i do want to see things!" yes, dave wanted to see things. most of all, on this particular day he wished to go down--down--down into the watery depths, to discover, if possible, just how far down, sea vegetation and coral were to be found. "if only i don't find bottom too soon," he thought. "and if the sea remains calm." the sea. he shuddered a little at this. if the anchors held--all would be well. but if they should give way--that would be truly terrible. to the right and left of them, not a quarter-mile apart, were parallel walls of rock. to be dragged against one of these--? who could tell what disaster might result! * * * * * * * * in the meantime, as they listened, the two girls talked of many things, of home, of thrilling tropical nights, of mildred's sunken schooner and many other things. of a sudden, their conversation was interrupted by a sound, conveyed through their head-phones. "sh--"--doris' hand went up. "it's that strange whisper again!" "whispering waters!" mildred murmured. "how mysterious!" low as her tone was, the whisperer apparently caught it, for--still in that hoarse whisper--there came back: "so we are mysterious! how very grand! and it was a lady who spoke!" once again dave's voice broke in upon the whisperer: "doris!" tenseness was evident in his tone. "doris!--tell them to hold us right where we are!" "_hold it!_" doris called to the windlass man, instantly. "_hold it_," came back the quick acknowledgment. "all this," doris said to mildred, "is most provoking. you are just dying to know what strange things are happening below, what marvelous discoveries are being made--but the only part you have in it is listening and waiting!" down in the steel ball, dave had caught a movement to the right, away from the cliff. switching his light in that direction he had discovered a huge, dark object moving slowly through the water. "it's that 'thing'!" he told himself. "the very thing i've seen before!" to his great disappointment, the form was as indistinct as before. that it might be a whale he knew quite well. he suggested the idea to johnny. "but it's not a whale--i'm sure of it!" johnny whispered. swinging his moving-picture camera into range, he managed to catch the rear half of it before it passed from view. "the camera sees more than the eye," he murmured. "here's hoping." dave turned again to his task of exploring the under-sea wall. he signalled their continued descent. a moment later the ear-phones on deck were silent. both dave and the mysterious whisperer were unheard. "who _could_ that have been?" mildred asked. "i've no idea," was doris' reply. "do you know," mildred added dreamily, "i have a feeling that whisperer was not far away!" doris started to speak but checked herself, suddenly. once again she had caught the weird tones of the whisperer. "one-eighty--eighty-two--eighty-six," he droned. then he raised his voice above the whisper, and called: "hello there--you mermaids! are you still there?" "he _must_ be near us!" doris exclaimed. "if not--why would he call us 'mermaids'?" * * * * * * * * at that same instant dave was experiencing a thrill. arrived at a spot opposite a broad shelf on the perpendicular wall, he and johnny found themselves within five feet of the rock. vegetation, which had been thinning out, was just disappearing. and then dave saw it--a long, wavering arm, reaching out for the steel ball. involuntarily, he started back from the window. then he laughed. a second arm appeared. then, a third. "octopus!" he whispered to johnny. "such a monster!" instantly his light was on, and johnny's movie camera was grinding away. "only one of his kind i've ever seen!" dave was thrilled to the tips of his toes. "wish he'd climb on board and let us take him up. he won't do that, but i'll get him, all the same! some time i'll get him! "how ugly he is! see how his eyes shine, johnny! people sure would throng around him in an aquarium! put him in with some gorgeous, tropical fish and you'd have a 'beauty and the beast' show! you--" suddenly he stopped speaking, to stare straight at the wall. they were moving away! there could be no doubt of it. fascinated by the strangeness of the situation, he and johnny sat motionless while the octopus faded from sight. two yards--three--five--ten--twenty--they were swinging off! and behind him was a second wall, against which the window of the steel ball might crack like an egg shell. at that instant dave heard a strange voice repeating an idiotic question: "_hello there, you mermaids. are you still there?_" the very sound of a human voice seemed to rouse him. "doris!" he called. "the anchors have pulled loose! the ship is drifting!" "_hello, there_," called that same voice. "_so you're not a mermaid, after all!_" something had gone wrong with dave's radio, doris thought. his voice did not come through clearly. "hello! hello dave!" doris called. "repeat! what did you say?" "_i said are you a mermaid?_" came in that teasing voice. "get off the air!" doris stormed. "doris!" dave roared. his voice came through clearly now. "the ship's adrift! tell the captain to order our main anchor line played out--to pull hard to port!" "anchor line out! hard to port!" the girl cried. "anchor line out. hard to port!" came booming back the repetition. instantly doris found her head in a whirl. dave and johnny were down a full thousand feet. on each side of their ball a rock wall rose high above them. to crash against it might mean disaster. "haul away--top speed!" came in dave's usual calm voice. "haul away. top speed!" doris called to the control man. complete silence followed. even the "whisperer" appeared to have sensed the tenseness of the situation and had gone off the air. that there was to be a race against time with their lives as a grand prize, johnny realized at once. here they were, several hundred feet down in the black depths of the sea, drifting at a fairly rapid rate toward a rocky wall. if they hit that wall? he shuddered at the thought. the pressure of water at that depth was tremendous. if the ball cracked, nothing could save them. "is there anything at all we can do?" he asked dave. "not a thing, i guess," dave answered. then, "yes! yes, there might be, at that! there are the levers! they are _outside_ the ball and can be worked from _within_! i had them fixed up for gathering outside samples. if we lifted them into position, they'd lessen the shock if we hit the wall!" no sooner said than done! groping about, johnny seized a handle here, another there, as dave was doing. he felt much better when the outside levers were in position. they would provide a little protection, at least. with astonishing speed, now, the wall approached. they could see every detail of the seagrowth clinging there. "ten yards," johnny guessed. "eight--five--three--" he was sitting on the inner handle of the lever and gripping the other hard. "now--now comes the test!" he breathed. the words were hardly out of his mouth when there came a grinding impact that all but lifted him from his place. and then--they were free of the ledge! "free!" dave cried joyously. "doris! we are safe!" he called into his speaker. the ball rose slowly above the top of the ledge. dave, however, had spoken too soon. scarcely had he settled back when a great spiral of coral, like the towers of a church, appeared to leap at them. this, he knew, grew from the top of the ledge. there was just time for a lightning decision, but they were prepared for it. "this lever is closest," dave exclaimed. "it's our window or the lever!" throwing their whole weight on the lever handle, they waited a second--two--three--ten--twenty. johnny heard his watch ticking them off.... then came the heavy jolt. he was thrown so violently that his head struck the top, and his senses reeled. when at last he was able to sit up and look out, he murmured a fervent "thank god." for the hazard was past. the glorious blue of water was all about them. fifteen minutes later the steel ball rested on the _sea nymph's_ deck. a few more moments and, hands first, like frogs leaping from a jar, the two tumbled out on the deck. "hel--hello, folks!" dave said, standing up a trifle unsteadily. "how's the weather up here?" "that," said doris, gripping dave's arm without realizing it and giving johnny a happy smile, "that was awful!" mildred, gazing at them admiringly, echoed the thought. "how about a glass of lemonade, and--and something to go with it?" dave demanded. "chocolate coated marshmallow cake, macaroons, and--" "dave, you'll get fat," doris laughed. "and then i wouldn't be able to get into the steel ball. wouldn't that be grand? "but no!" dave answered his own question. "it wouldn't! not at all. for i've been seeing things--wonderful things! and i'm going back tomorrow!" after their little feast on deck, doris accompanied mildred to the boat's side, gave her a hand as she dropped lightly into her dugout, and said in a friendly tone: "you'll come again, won't you--very soon?" "oh, yes!" mildred exclaimed. "i'll fairly haunt you from now on, for we do get a little lonely--grandfather and i. but you must all come over and see us too! won't you?" "oh, yes, very soon," doris answered, cordially. "day after tomorrow is sunday--how about then?" "i'll let you know. it's up to dave, really. he's so absorbed he almost forgets to eat. you see," doris went on, "he's very fond of my grandfather, and wants to help all he can." "these grandfathers of ours!" mildred laughed. half an hour later johnny came upon doris, standing before an easel and putting the last touches on a picture of the sea, the island, and a gorgeous sunset. "i didn't know you were an artist," he said in genuine surprise. "i'm not," doris frowned. "i only make a try at it. those colors! you never can get them just right!" "looks swell!" johnny said, admiringly. "wish i could do half so well. why don't you try an _underseascape_?" "what would that be?" doris wrinkled her brow. "you go to the bottom of the sea, fifty feet or so down, in a diving helmet. you set your easel on the bottom, weight it down, and paint--whatever you see there!" "not really?" "i read about it in a book. found it in the ship's library. anyway--it would be fun trying." "water would spoil your paint." "it says not," johnny grinned. "only trouble is--little fish, like flies, get into your paint!" "i'll try it some time," doris declared. "i've been down twice with dave. it's thrilling--walking on the bottom of the sea. thanks for the idea, johnny!" chapter vi real progress! after going on duty that night, johnny came upon samatan, leader of the boat's native crew. he was seated in a corner, but one of the ship's lamps lighted his face. he was staring at the steel ball and there was unmistakable animosity in his expression. "looks as if he'd like to eat it," johnny mused. "wonder what it's all about." a little later he heard the natives talking in their quarters below deck. "sounds as if they were angry about something," he told himself. more than once he heard samatan's voice rising above the rest, as if he were making some sort of speech. he wondered if it could be possible that the european spies had somehow inspired these natives with hate for _all_ americans. "that would be bad," he thought. "it might spell disaster." he resolved to cultivate samatan's acquaintance to find out, if possible, just what his grievance was. then he might put things to rights. maybe some superstition is connected with the steel ball, johnny reflected. when you are among primitive people you never know quite what to expect. that night the green arrow blinked again. johnny saw it, shortly after midnight. the boat was closer in, now, and he could make out the separate lights of the arrow as they flashed, up there on the hillside. if there was another light out at sea, it must have been far away--or too low to be visible. he caught no sight of it. when the arrow appeared, johnny got busy at once. with small circles, like coins in a row, he sketched an arrow, in pencil. from the tip of the flashing arrow to the other end, there were thirteen lights. besides, there were two lights slanting back on each side, at the tip. these four helped form the head of the arrow. four others, in pairs, made the feather end. as he watched intently through powerful binoculars loaned him by the professor, johnny noted that the thirteen lights blinked separately, but the eight which comprised the head and feather of the arrow, blinked in unison. "those eight lights must stand for a period," he concluded. "the thirteen are letters, or code numbers. i wonder how they work." for some time, as on that other occasion, johnny recorded the winking and blinking of the lights. when at last the green arrow became dark, he took a turn about the deck, then settled down to the task of trying to figure that code. dawn found him still figuring, but seemingly no nearer the solution. "dumb!" he exploded at last, as he crammed the notebook into his pocket and went to breakfast. when he returned to the deck late that afternoon he found doris and dave working over some notes. "hello, johnny. how about those pictures we took yesterday?" it was dave who spoke. "oh, yes," johnny exclaimed. he had forgotten them. "come on to the darkroom, if you like. i'll develop them right away." doris accompanied them to the darkroom. there, fascinated, they watched strange creatures of the depths come out on the film. the great, shadowy creature which had peered out from a rocky cavern was, the picture revealed, a veritable deep-sea monster. "if only i could bring him up!" dave exclaimed. "but then, he'd never live at surface levels. but our great, sea-green octopus, i do believe, could live anywhere. i'm going after him!" most interesting of all--and most baffling--was the picture johnny had taken of the great, slow-moving thing seen in the open water far from the rocks. "oh, that!" exclaimed dave, as it began coming out in the film, "that's really a monster for you!" "if it _is_ a monster," said johnny, in a tone of mystery. whatever it might be, the picture only added to the mystery. too far away, too indistinct to be seen clearly, the thing might have been a whale, or some other form of deep-sea monster. truth was--deep down in his heart johnny believed it to be neither. his theories were too fantastic to be put into words--at the moment. * * * * * * * * their afternoon ashore the following day proved interesting, inspiring, and exciting. they were served a grand meal of native wild turkey, baked sweet potatoes and all manner of delicious, tropical fruits. after that, mr. kennedy took dave, doris and the professor for a look at some unusual wild birds, nesting at the edge of the jungle. johnny settled himself comfortably in a split-bamboo chair and gave himself over to wondering and dreaming. mildred had gone to supervise the washing of her precious dishes--some of which dated back to ancient buccaneer days--so johnny was alone with his thoughts. and strange thoughts they were.... he recalled having heard the bearded giant kennedy saying to the professor--too much absorbed in research to pay much attention--"those men, those europeans! they starve their own people, and use the money to buy gunboats and cannon. they are slaves--those people--slaves! if we don't watch out _we'll_ be slaves, too!... look at this caribbean sea! more important than the mediterranean ever was! and who's to stop them from taking possession of these islands? why, even the president of this poor little republic is in debt to them! up to his ears!" was kennedy right? johnny wondered, dreamily. what of that signal up there on the ridge--the signal of the green arrow? was _it_ operated by spies? and if so--what had they been saying with those blinking lights? what-- "penny for your thoughts!" mildred was back. "not worth it." johnny stood up. "tell you what, though--i'll play you a game!" "what sort of game?" "game of the green arrow. the object is to discover what it says!" drawing up a small table, johnny spread a notebook and some papers on it. "now," he said. "here's a drawing of the green arrow. twenty-one green lights make the arrow. thirteen in a row," he pointed out, "two here, two there, and two more on each side at the other end. the last eight blink all at the same time, but the thirteen--only one at a time. by their blinking they are conveying messages. but what do they say? here's a set of papers with records of their blinking, all marked with numbers. if you can work that out, you go to the head of the class!" "i see. easy as that!" mildred laughed, and promptly seated herself across from him. after that, save for the lazy hum of bees or the sudden whir of humming birds' wings, there was silence in the place.... suddenly the girl sprang up. "why, i--i've got it!" she cried, excitedly. "just like that!" johnny smiled. "well, i certainly have! listen! this is what that first message says: "_keep a sharp lookout. there are counter-spies afloat._" "what! gee willikens!" johnny gazed at her, truly amazed. "how could you make it read like that?" "because that's the way it _does_ read!" she raced on. "it's really easy. there are twenty-six letters in the alphabet. having thirteen lights suggests that they have split that twenty-six _in two_. each light must stand for _two_ letters. but the question is--which two? well, the _top_ thirteen stand for a, b, c, etc. but what about the bottom ones? "the simplest way," she leaned forward, smiling, "would be to put the _last_ thirteen letters under the _first_ thirteen! then, blinking _one_ light for _two_ letters, let the fellow receiving the message see _which_ of the two letters makes sense. "i tried that," she went on "and it didn't make any sense at all, so i ran the _last_ thirteen, backwards. by trying each of the two possible letters in each instance, i got the message i just read to you." "which must be just about right," johnny breathed. "mildred--you're a wonder! now let the old green arrow blink! we'll always know what it's saying--and we may make some startling discoveries." with that he seized her hands and whirled her wildly about the broad porch. "list--listen," she panted, as, quite out of breath, she dropped into a chair, "what's that?" "natives singing, i suppose" said johnny, "they are fond of singing." "those singers are not natives!" the girl held up a hand for silence. "they never sing like that. besides--all those voices are men's!" chapter vii mystery singers of the night mildred was leaning forward, lips parted, listening intently. "what are they singing?" she whispered. "i can't make it out," was johnny's slow reply. "too far away. besides--it doesn't sound like english, at all." "now," she said, softly, "now it is coming out stronger." a sudden breeze wafted the distant voices toward them. "it's a funny old song," said johnny. "i've heard it somewhere. perhaps it's from light opera." "but how strange to be singing that, here! who could they be?" "who knows?" johnny answered slowly. "now they're coming closer," he said a moment later. "must be eight or ten of them!" "suppose they come all the way?" she gripped his arm firmly. "that would be--" "i think we'll take care of ourselves, mildred." his tone was deeply serious. "some time," he added, reflectively, "we'll go up to that ancient castle that was a fort--and, perhaps, a prison!" "we might, some day. only--" "only what?" "it might be dangerous." "poof!--what is danger?" "i know. that's the way i feel, sometimes. what's the use of being afraid of--of anything? "but we'd have to find the right trail," she added. "those hills are terrible. they're all cut up with ravines. there are animal trails and native trails running everywhere. it--it's almost impossible to keep them straight." after that, for a time, they were silent. the sound of singing, coming ever closer, increased in volume. the tunes changed, but not once could they understand the words. it was strange. somewhere in the jungle a jaguar screamed nearer at hand some night-bird sang: "oh--poor--me! oh--poor--me!" "it's dark," johnny whispered. "seems like the folks should be back?" "they were going quite a distance, and anyhow they took flashlights." to johnny, the place suddenly seemed deserted and silent. seeing a high-power rifle in the corner, he picked it up and threw back the catch. it was loaded. he set it back without a sound. "there!" the girl's sudden exclamation startled him. "they've stopped singing! i expected that!" "why?" "i don't believe they knew anyone lived here. i could tell all the time just how far they were, on the trail. i've heard natives singing over that trail a hundred times. the sound changes when they reach the clearing." "and you think--?" "i think that when they reached the clearing they were surprised. they didn't want to be seen. that's why they stopped singing. now they must be going back." "or--coming on!" johnny stepped to the corner and took up the rifle. "no!" the girl's tone was decisive. "they've turned back." a moment passed in silence;--two--three--four--five. then the girl sprang silently to her feet. "come!" she gripped his hand. "let's go have a look!" astonished, johnny caught up the rifle and followed. never had he known anyone who could get over a jungle trail so fast in the night. she carried a flashlight, but seldom used it. three times she paused to listen. the third time, as johnny stirred slightly in the path, she whispered: "shish!" "sounds like oars," johnny whispered back. "it _is_ oars!" came back in a barely audible whisper. "then they came by boat." "yes. come on!" once more she gripped his hand and this time they advanced slowly, cautiously. not a twig snapped. once again they paused as a low, bumping sound reached their ears. a moment more and they came out of the jungle, on a broad, sandy beach. instantly johnny's well-trained eyes swept the sea. the moon was just rising. it painted a golden path across the waters, far into the distance. but there was no sign of a boat. "can you beat that!" johnny murmured, softly. "we must have been mistaken," said mildred, wonderingly. "only we were not!" johnny thought. but he made no comment. gripping his arm, the girl led him along the beach until they came upon a mark in the sand. "a boat was pulled up here," she said, positively. johnny threw a gleam of light on the spot. "queer sort of mark," he murmured. "no regular boat! it's like the mark a white man's boat would make--or perhaps a collapsible boat." a moment later his eyes caught a faint gleam. pretending to examine the sand, he stooped over to pick up a metal disc. without knowing just why, he thrust it into his pocket. "what she doesn't know won't worry her," he told himself a moment later. "well," mildred said, in a tone of forced cheerfulness, "this seems to be the end of the search. let's go back." "o.k." they turned about and were soon threading their way back through the jungle. "johnny," she said at last, "we need our boat more than ever, now." "for protection as well as profit?" "yes." "ask dave to take you down in the steel ball," johnny suggested. "he'll do it, i'm sure, as he's in love with the professor's invention. can't say i blame him, either. after that--ask him to help find your boat". "i'll ask him tonight, if he'll take me down." and she did. "what's that?" dave asked, as they all sat on the porch, a little later. "you want to go down in our steel ball?" "yes. yes--i--i'd like to." the words took real courage, as she did _not_ want to. in fact--she was dreadfully frightened at the thought. and yet-- "well," said dave, "i don't see why you shouldn't--tomorrow." "to--tomorrow?" she shuddered slightly, but he could not see her, in the dark. "yes, tomorrow. there'll be no picture-taking. i'm going after a sea-green monster--probably the largest octopus anyone ever saw!" "oh--o--o!" "he won't get _you_," dave laughed. "can't get inside the ball. what do you say? is it a date?" "yes--i--yes! yes! sure it is!" "fine! can you be on board at eight in the morning?" "yes--i--i'll be there. thanks--thanks a lot!" "well," she whispered to johnny a short time later. "he's going to take me down! tomorrow! and i'm scared pink!" "you needn't be," johnny laughed. "it's safer than an auto on michigan avenue in chicago! and just think--you'll be the first young lady ever to go down five hundred feet beneath the surface of the sea! at least, i imagine you will!" "that," she replied with a slightly unsteady chuckle, "will be a very great honor!" * * * * * * * * as johnny changed to heavier clothes for his watch, later that night, the disc he had found on the beach, fell from his pocket. he picked it up and realized instantly that it was a button from a uniform jacket. "so that's it!" he murmured, as he buried it deep in his pocket. a night on this tropical river, into which they had come for easier access to the kennedy cottage, was a new and interesting experience for johnny. mangrove trees, growing far out over the river, all but touched the deck. a troop of monkeys, apparently planning to cross the river on swinging branches, came chattering along to burst into a sudden frenzy of fear and anger at sight of this intruder. crocodiles floated lazily on the dark surface of the water. their eyes shone like balls of fire when johnny's flashlight was directed at them. from the far distance came the singing of men and women, a native chant. a little later, paddles gleaming in the light, some of the singers floated past. their large dugout was loaded with all manner of tropical fruits--bananas, pineapples, wild oranges and mangoes. "what a life," johnny murmured, as the natives drifted past. he thought of the conditions of thousands of persons in the great cities of america--then looked out again at that boatload of people. it would be grand, he thought, to live here forever. and yet, there were the spies, and debts to those europeans. "debts," he sighed, "that haunt them till they die." doris came on deck. "you just _can't_ sleep on such a night!" she sighed. "it's too wonderful--the river, the moonlight, and the dark, mysterious jungle at night." "and the spies," johnny added. "don't forget them!" "the--the spies?" she stared at him. he told her of his adventure with mildred, and, of the mysterious night singers. "they vanished," he ended. "vanished into thin air. and they had a boat of some sort. we saw its mark in the sand." "how thrilling! how sort of spooky!" she murmured. "and there's the code of the green arrow," johnny added. "we solved that--or rather mildred did." he explained it to her. "that sounds dangerous." she seemed a little startled. "but it--it doesn't affect us, does it?" "no--oo--not directly," he responded. "but they are spies, all right! their message shows that. you can't have counter-spies without first having spies. if they should chance to think that _we_ are the counter-spies, and that we're watching them from the steel ball, and--" "the steel ball! how _could_ we?" "well," johnny replied slowly, "perhaps we couldn't. that was just a notion. but we _could_ be counter-spies." "but we're not!" "that," he laughed, "is what they may not know." "oh, you and your spies!" she exclaimed. "you're always taking the joy out of life. look at that moon!" "i have been looking at it. big as a barrel!" "gorgeous," she agreed. "do you know?" she stepped over to the rail. "i've been thinking of that picture you suggested--the one painted beneath the sea. it would be wonderfully colorful--all those bright, tropical fish, the waving water-ferns, the coral, and all that. i'm going to try it, some time. only--" "only what?" "the sharks." "they won't trouble you. i'll stay on deck and watch. if anything comes after you, i'll be right down. is it a bargain?" "i'll do it." she put out a hand and, solemnly, they "shook" on it. ten minutes later johnny was alone with his thoughts, and the night. they were long, long thoughts. he was working out a theory about the messages of the green arrow, and the whisperings beneath the sea. one question brought him up with a start. if these people were foreign spies--why did they speak in _english_? for a time, this was a poser. but then the answer came, and he threw back his head and laughed! foreign spies, sent to america would be _required_ to speak english! if they were keeping in touch with some of their own people by short-wave--_of course_ they would speak english! otherwise, anyone listening-in on their messages, would instantly suspect them. that the messages of the green arrow also were in english, was not so easy to explain. "perhaps talking and sending messages in english, has become force of habit with them," he told himself. the night was long, too, and he was tired. he rejoiced when the first flush of dawn told him a new day was here. dave came on deck early. "we'll be getting out of here at eight," he said. "i guess you know that i'm taking mildred down below, today. it'll be interesting to see how a girl reacts to all that strange environment. she seems a bit timid. but she asked for it. so--" "there's someone _i'd_ like to take down," johnny said, suddenly. "who?" dave questioned. "old samatan." "in the name of goodness!" dave exclaimed. "why?" "he acts very queer about that steel ball--looks as if he'd like to bite a chunk out of it, and i don't understand it." johnny hesitated. "perhaps if someone took him down, it would clear up some mistaken notions in his queer old head. he seems to have a lot of influence with the other natives. if anything should happen--" "nothing will happen." dave broke in. "this is the quietest place in the world." "do you think so?" johnny asked, with a little smile. dave nodded, absently. "but if you'd like to take samatan down," he added, "it's o.k. with me. be a grand experience for the old fellow. he'd never get over telling about it." "soon?" asked johnny. "any time you like," was the answer. thanking dave, johnny ambled off to his berth for a long and dreamless sleep. chapter viii monster of the deep morning came and, for mildred--the ride in that steel ball. never in all her life had she been so thrilled, and so frightened. curled up inside the sturdy metal sphere, she went down--down--down, into the mysterious depths of the ocean. the light from the quartz window seemed bright blue, yet she experienced trouble in distinguishing small objects within the ball. the creatures outside the window were strange beyond belief. here a great school of blue fish shot past. there a six-foot monster with waving tail sped on in swift pursuit of smaller fry. and a group of small, dark, crab-like creatures wriggled their way across the scene. a little farther from the window loomed a dark wall. she shuddered at sight of this. all too vividly she recalled johnny's account of their harrowing experience on that other day. at johnny's first suggestion that she accompany dave on this sub-sea journey, her impulse had been to say quite definitely--"no! i won't go!" but she had not said it. she just must have dave's help in finding their schooner. so--she continued to shudder as they went down--down--down. dave was at her side, saying never a word. staring at the passing scene, now throwing on a powerful light, now switching it off again, he appeared to have forgotten she was there. it was to be a very short trip, perhaps only half an hour. they were to make an attempt to capture some fantastic sort of creature. mildred was thinking of this now, wondering in a vague sort of way, how the capture was to be made. then suddenly, her thoughts were interrupted. her heart skipped a beat as dave exclaimed: "man! oh, man!" the steel ball was now close to the wall. for the moment, at a command from dave, it had ceased dropping. suddenly from a crevice in the wall there glided a form resembling a great golden serpent from a fairy tale. "zowie!" dave chuckled, "he sure looks dangerous--but he's not. a golden-tailed serpent dragon," he explained. "they're quite rare. "now," he spoke into his microphone, "slowly downward." once more the rocky ledge appeared to glide upward. "should be there soon," dave murmured. "only hope the old boy is at home. he probably is. but we may miss him. it's hard to get the right location." for dave this brief expedition had one purpose--to capture the immense, sea-green octopus he had seen on a previous trip. as they continued to sink into the depths, his eyes remained fixed on that wall. then of a sudden he exclaimed: "there! there he is!" adjusting his microphone he said: "doris, we are here. stop the cable drum." the ball ceased to sink. for a full moment mildred saw only a dark cavern in the wall. then suddenly she was startled to discover two large eyes staring out at her. a moment more and a long arm came wavering toward them. "doris," said dave. his voice was steady. "have them swing us out a bit. ten feet may do." then, seconds later, he said: "there. that's it." he began working at something close beside him. as mildred watched the dark cavern she saw an arm reach out, then another. for a time these appeared to wave aimlessly. then they took direction. to her astonishment she saw that a steel rod had swung outward toward the octopus from the bottom of the ball. at the end of this arm were steel clamps, and in the clamps she saw a dead lobster. the terrifying tentacles of the octopus, appearing fully twenty feet long, were moving toward the lobster. "the octopus feeds on shell fish--crabs and lobsters," dave explained briefly. "now," he breathed, as one long arm encircled the steel clamps. "now--i wonder what luck." once again he worked at levers and small handscrews at his side. the clamp out there in the water half opened, then closed again. this was repeated twice. then: "ah! got him!" dave's voice rose exultantly. into the phone he whispered, "doris. out a little--and then up, at top speed!" to her astonishment mildred saw a great mass of twisting arms emerge from the cavern. one by one these arms wound themselves about the steel ball. one of these, a great scaly affair with little suckers on its underside, crossed the window. with a little cry of dismay she shrank back. "he can't get to you," dave laughed. "even if he could, he'd be harmless enough, unless he drew you beneath the water and drowned you. "you see," he added, "while the octopus was working to get that lobster, i opened the clamps. his arm slipped in, and i closed them. now he's making himself comfortable for the ride. it will be a longer ride than you might suppose--all the way to the new york aquarium! and boy! will he be something to look at! largest ever captured, i'm sure--and sea-green at that. this being a naturalist is the berries, when things are right. all you have to do-- "hello!" he exclaimed. "here we are at the top, already. now for some work." before making any attempt to get the big-eyed octopus into the ship's pool for live specimens, dave assisted mildred from the ball. when she climbed forth, she felt a cold chill course down her spine. those great, scaly arms were not a foot from her head. but they did not move. "good boy, dave!" the professor exclaimed half an hour later, as they watched the octopus surveying his prison tank in the _sea nymph's_ hold. "that is a real prize! a few finds like that and we will have more than paid our way. "i like to think," he added, quietly, "that we are truly serving the millions of people whose only chance to see rare creatures of land or sea is in the zoos and aquariums." "i am sure it _is_ a great service," mildred exclaimed. "but professor! what spooky waters those are down there!" "yes, they are spooky," the professor agreed. "but today, i take it, they were not whispering?" "no," the girl agreed. "the whisperer seems to have vanished." "these little undersea journeys always make me hungry," said dave. "come on mildred--let's have a cup of tea." seated under a colored umbrella on deck, they sipped their tea in silence. mildred was thinking--"i wonder if this is the time to ask him?" it was dave who at last broke the silence. "well, mildred," he said, "you behaved very well for the first time down. i was wondering--" "if a girl could take it," she smiled. "down here we just have to--all the time." "how so?" he asked in surprise. "in what way?" "well, only a few days ago grandfather lost his motorboat. it's somewhere at the bottom of the sea, but not far down. i wasn't on board when it sank. and now," she hesitated, "now fresh dangers appear to threaten us, and we have no boat either for trading or--or for escape!" "escape? escape from what?" dave ejaculated. "well, we might have to escape, you see." mildred leaned forward eagerly. her eyes shone. "grandfather always has opposed those men--spies, really--who are trying to get all the islanders under their control. so they hate him. just recently--" she went on to tell of the code message flashed by the green arrow and of other strange and unexplained happenings. "of course," she added, "nothing has been _done_ yet. but you never can tell." "and you want me to help you find that motorboat of yours, with my steel ball? am i a good guesser?" "you certainly are," the girl replied, frankly. "and you didn't really want to go down in the steel ball--you were terribly frightened by the thought? but you believed it might help, so--" "so i went," she breathed. "you don't mind, do you?" "mind?" he exploded. "i think you are a grand, brave, little girl. if you were my sister,"--he paused to grin good naturedly. smiling back at him, mildred felt sure she would be aided in her search for her grandfather's motorboat. the thought made her very happy. chapter ix dave's electric gun once again it was night. johnny walked slowly back and forth along the narrow deck. there was about him on this night a sense of uneasiness, as if some unusual thing was about to happen, or possibly a whole succession of things, which might change the whole course of his life.... that very evening he had heard old samatan making a speech to the native crew--a fiery sort of speech, with the men uttering grunts of approval every now and then. "i'll take him down in the steel ball tomorrow, if i get the chance," johnny assured himself. "that should cool him off!" samatan, however, was not the only cause of his uneasiness. there was the sign of the green arrow, those singers, and the boat mark on the beach--and mr. kennedy's constant talk of spies. all these, he felt, were part of a strange pattern of events. "the whole thing may blow up any time," he told himself. "and then what--" his thoughts were interrupted suddenly. he sprang forward. he could swear he had seen something move near the steel ball. "no one here now," he murmured, circling the ball, slowly. "imagined it, i guess. my nerves are jumpy tonight." a whole succession of small, dark clouds, high in the heavens, had been passing before the moon. one moment the deck was white with moonlight; the next, it was dark as the deep sea. johnny laughed softly, and found it helped steady him. taking another turn 'round the steel ball, he walked past the open top of the tank in which the giant, sea-green octopus was kept. as he came alongside, there was a sudden splash--as if the creature had thrown out a long arm and allowed it to drop. it gave him a real start. suppose the monster reached out for him and really made connections. suppose-- there was that darting shadow again. or was it? just then a big cloud hid the moon. "it's nothing," he assured himself. "can't be. crew's all asleep. no chance of anyone coming on board without being seen. guess i'll have to take a good, long, drink of cold water." going to the stern he obtained his thermos bottle, uncorked it and drank. then he dropped into a steamer chair to await the reappearance of the moon from behind that big, black cloud. the cloud still obscured it when, swift as a shot, he leapt straight into the air, as from the octopus tank came a shrill, hair-raising scream of terror. "great jehosophat!" he exclaimed as he sprinted down the deck. one flash of his electric torch showed a hand waving wildly above the surface of the water. an instant later a head bobbed up. eyes wild, nostrils dilated, the mouth opened in another unearthly scream as the victim vanished beneath the water, now thoroughly roiled by the octopus' savage threshing. long slimy arms appeared--here, there--seemingly everywhere. then again, a man's head broke the surface. but now johnny was on the steel ladder, reaching for the hand that had followed the head above water. seizing it, and wrapping his left arm about a rung of the ladder, he pulled with all his might. that he was taking his life in his hands, he well knew. those scaly arms seemed to be feeling for _him_. if they reached him-- all the while, johnny was thinking, "who is this person and how did he get on board?" thanks to johnny's good right arm, the man's head remained above the surface. he was a swarthy individual, with short-cropped, black hair. spitting out a quantity of water, he whispered hoarsely: "don't let him! don't let him pull me back under!" there came a sudden tug that all but broke johnny's grip on the man's hand. at the same time, waving above the disturbed surface of the tank, a long, slimy arm seemed to feel for the boy on the ladder. then, to johnny's vast relief, came dave's voice, calling: "johnny! johnny thompson! where are you?" "here! here in the tank! help--and _hurry_!" johnny shouted, desperately. there came the sound of running feet along the deck. at that very instant, a scaly tentacle found johnny's wrist and wrapped itself about the two hands, binding them together as with a band of steel. "wha--what's happened?" dave threw a flash of light on the fantastic scene. his quick eye took it all in at a glance. "hang on, johnny! i--i'll be back in a jiffy!" then he was gone. the tremendous power of that steady pull from the tank, promised to wrench johnny's arm from its socket. the stranger in the pool uttered a low groan. johnny's mind went into a tailspin, but he hung on desperately. how would this end? would dave _never_ arrive? "now!" came from above, and dave was back. in one hand he held an automatic, and in the other, what appeared to be an iron rod. "get ready for an electric shock," he said, quietly. "i think this will fix him." he thrust out the rod until it touched one arm of the octopus. next instant, johnny felt a powerful electric shock that brought his muscles up with a jerk. again, and yet again came the shock. johnny could hear the stranger's teeth chatter. then he saw the fellow's other hand. it was free. at the same time the scaly thing about his wrist began to relax. giving a powerful pull, he lifted the stranger half out of the water. twenty seconds later they both were free, and tumbled, panting, on the deck. for a full minute johnny lay motionless. when at last he sat up he said to dave: "hang onto that gun. you may need it." turning to the swarthy stranger he demanded: "what were you doing on this boat?" "i was just a-passin' by, and took a notion to climb aboard," the stranger muttered. "you are lying," said johnny. "you were spying into things! why?" "i wasn't spying! i don't know what you're talking about," said the man. "i don't think he's a spy," said dave. "he's just some native." "native, my eye!" snapped johnny. he had noted the outline of a long knife, showing through the fellow's wet garments. by this time the native crew was swarming up from below, and doris and the professor were standing in the shadows. "let the fellow go," dave whispered to johnny. "he's just some native who happened by in a dugout, saw our boat and thought he'd have a look. he might have meant to steal something, but you can't prove that. we don't want to get these natives excited. they might leave us in a body. then where would we be?" "oh--all right," johnny agreed, reluctantly. to the man he said: "come with me." the man's boat was tied to a belaying pin up forward. as they walked in that direction, johnny and the intruder were out of sight of the others, for a moment. "i'll just take this to remember you by," said johnny, dragging the man's knife from its sheath. "if you're a native--you should carry a machete." the man favored him with a mocking smile, then bolted over the rail into his small boat and was gone. "well, that's that!" said johnny, as he rejoined the others. "here's hoping he doesn't come back." "johnny," said dave, "i wonder if you weren't making a whole lot out of a very little." "perhaps i was," johnny answered quietly. he saw no point in arguing. a moment later he said: "dave--what was that thing you shocked the octopus with?" "that was an electric gun," dave laughed. "we use it while we're exploring the sea-bottom on foot. if some big fish, like a shark, gets too curious--we touch him and pull the trigger. believe me, they beat it! "it's lucky i had it," he added. "otherwise i'm afraid i should have been obliged to kill our prize, and that would have been a great loss. by the way, johnny, how did that fellow get into the tank?" "tumbled in, i suppose. probably thought he was going down into the hold to prowl around." "i wonder why?" said dave. but johnny didn't see fit to discuss the matter further. after the others had retired again, johnny took the stranger's knife to the light and examined it closely. never had he seen such perfect workmanship. the blade was of hand-forged steel, with a handle of old ivory. two foreign words were stamped on the blade. johnny could not read them, but he knew very well this was no native's knife. "a spy, beyond a doubt," he muttered. "wonder how many there will be tomorrow night. dave must let me have a gun!" just then the moon came out from behind a cloud, flooding the deck with white light. what a difference that made. all the mystery of the night seemed to fade. johnny shrugged his shoulders and continued to pace the deck. chapter x little big-heads next day johnny took samatan for a ride in the steel ball. he had supposed it would be difficult, if not impossible, to induce the dignified old native to accompany him, but he was due for a surprise. "samatan," he said pleasantly, "you know we have been making trips far beneath the surface of the sea in that steel ball." "yes!" suddenly samatan was alert. "dave and i--we--well we thought you might like to go down." "in the big ball?" the native's eyes shone, eagerly. "yes, that's right." johnny answered. "today?" asked samatan. "if you wish." "in one hour," said samatan. an hour later, samatan took his place beside johnny in the steel ball, watched the massive, steel cap being screwed into place, felt the bump of the ball on the deck, then sensed their drop into the sea. all this--in stoical silence. down they went, a hundred feet--two hundred--five hundred--a thousand. by the small light at his side, johnny watched the native's face. the expression never changed. "he seems to be expecting something interesting and exciting," the boy told himself. "wonder what it could be. if he's afraid, he sure doesn't show it." as they sank lower and lower, the darkness increased. at last, as johnny threw off the electric light and all about them was inky black, from the native's lips came a hiss of surprise. that was all. when johnny threw on a powerful light, the look of expectation on samatan's face returned. "strange sort of person," the boy thought. "what can he be expecting to see?" they were now standing still. the professor on deck, had decided their descent had gone far enough. as johnny sat staring into the inky blackness before them, he gave a sudden start, then snatched his camera. there, plainly in view, was one of the strangest monsters he ever had seen. scarcely had he adjusted his camera for a picture, than a second creature appeared. "must be a school of them." his hand trembled a little. just as the camera clicked there began the most amazing and terrifying experience of johnny's eventful life. as though pushed by a giant hand, as a child pushes a playmate in a rope swing, the steel ball moved rapidly outward and upward--although johnny had given no signal! outward and upward--one hundred--two hundred--three hundred feet. who could say how far? what mysterious power motivated this wild ride, and where would it end? would the cable snap? johnny made no effort to conceal the horror reflected in his face by this thought. sealed in a steel ball, resting on the bottom of the sea, half a mile or more below surface. what chance? the boy's lips moved, but no sound came. then, by sheer will power, he adopted a calmer mood and waited the turn of events. samatan neither moved nor spoke. strange samatan! did he think this was part of the show? and what had he been waiting so patiently to see? there was even greater consternation on board the _sea nymph_. dave had gone ashore for a bit of dry-land exploring but, with doris at his side, the professor stood watching the pumps that sent air to the occupants of the steel ball. his gaze, reflecting serious concern, was focused intently on the gauge registering strain on the steel ball's cables. "doris!" he exclaimed excitedly. "look, doris! _look! the strain has doubled!_ the cable is perilously near the breaking point!" "poor johnny!" doris cried, distractedly. "down there with old samatan! if the cable breaks--" "if the cable breaks--no power on earth can save them!" the professor's voice dropped. "the bottom must be a full mile down and i doubt whether the ball could withstand the terrific pressure. nor is there any way we could bring it to the surface!" "what can be done?" doris was wringing her hands. "pray!" was the professor's simple reply. "strange things are accomplished by prayer, and faith." doris _did_ pray. then they waited in silence. ten seconds ticked their way into eternity. twenty--thirty--sixty. the arrow of the gauge moved nearer the "maximum strain" point at the top of the dial--and stood still. then, for a brief second, it moved forward again. "the cable! it can never stand the torsion!" the professor groaned. just as all seemed lost, the arrow quivered--and began, slowly, to move the other way. "thank god!" exclaimed the professor, fervently. "it--it's going down, doris, child." staring at the dial, doris opened her lips in silent thanksgiving. she could only stand and stare. what had happened? that was a question that remained unanswered for weeks. some tremendous power behind the steel ball had pushed it away and up, until its certain doom seemed inevitable. then, with a sudden, rolling lurch, the ball had been freed and at once began sinking to its original position. fortunately, the resistance of the water was so great, there was no danger that the stopping of the descent would snap the cable. as they reached bottom position, johnny grabbed samatan's hand and gripped it, impulsively. then it was that the native said a strange thing: "you go bottom now?" he asked, hopefully. "no," said johnny, happily. "but we are _safe_, man! i'm signalling them to draw us up!" "no go bottom?" there was a suggestion of disappointment in samatan's voice. suddenly johnny thought he understood. samatan had expected to see bottom. that was what he had wanted, and it explained his strange eagerness to go down. but _why_? what did he expect to see there? johnny, however, was far too eagerly awaiting the first, faint gleam of light as they rose, to think much more about samatan's behavior. the strange "dawn beneath the sea" came to him once again. such a glorious dawn! he was to live on! what a privilege it became, suddenly, just to live! the ball rose free of the water, to swing about and bump gently down to the deck. a few moments later, the professor and doris were gripping his hands and demanding to know what had happened. "what in the world went wrong?" they asked, in chorus. "we ran into a school of monsters." johnny was now able to laugh at his predicament. "they must have taken us for a ride, i guess!" "what kind of monsters?" the professor was so serious his voice trembled. "you won't believe me if i tell you," the boy replied, soberly, "but here goes. they had heads twice as large as their bodies! and those heads! if only their mouths had been a little larger, they might have swallowed our steel ball at one gulp!" "did they have a small lower jaw and a large upper one? were their eyes set well back on the side of their heads? did their tails wave like those of some tropical fish?" the professor was growing excited. "yes, yes, and yes," johnny laughed again. "but say--i tried to take pictures of them! wonder if they could have been good! wait till i get my camera." he made a dive into the steel ball to reappear at once with the camera. "but johnny!" doris insisted, "you haven't told us what really happened?" "i don't know, and that's a fact!" replied johnny, quietly, soberly. "i was just taking pictures of those beasts when--" "they're known as little big-heads," the professor broke in, "and they are rare, indeed! you are the first person ever to see them alive. two specimens have been found washed up on coral beaches, dead. you are a truly great explorer, johnny! you may now take a bow." "aw, say!" johnny fairly blushed. "anyway," he insisted, "one of them must have become tangled in our cable, and in his wild efforts to free himself, took us for an underseas joyride!" "that doesn't seem possible," mused the professor, slowly. "i should like to know what really happened." "so should i!" johnny agreed. "all i have to say is--i'd like them to stay clear of our cable, in the future! please look at my hair! do you think it will turn white?" "in thirty or forty years," doris laughed. "but johnny--we're dying to see those pictures." "yes, yes!--by all means!" the professor agreed. "let us see them at once." so they crowded into johnny's small darkroom to watch the enthralling "coming out" of one more set of plates. * * * * * * * * "little big-heads," the professor whispered solemnly, as the pictures began to appear. "johnny, you are a wonder! once again we have registered a real triumph!" "i'm glad of that," johnny said, sincerely. "i like being a success. but even better--i enjoy living! "i'm sure i'll not be able to sleep in the dark for months to come," he said, more lightly. "i'll be imagining i'm still in that steel ball, swinging wide in utter darkness!" "johnny," doris whispered some time later, "what _really_ took you for that ride?" "i could only guess--and it would be a wild guess, at that!" there was a suggestion of mystery in his voice. "i'm sure of one thing, though. it wasn't any little big-head!" chapter xi tigers of the sea doris, standing on the ocean's floor forty feet down, started back in sudden terror, and her foot struck a rock. she all but fell over. on the beach she would have taken a terrible tumble. "it was just a shadow," she told herself. "only a shadow moving beyond that great rock. a blue shadow. grandfather said i'd be in no danger, and he should know." involuntarily she put a hand over her wildly beating heart, then smiled at her action and at once felt better. "i must finish," she told herself, stoutly, as she resumed her task. she was painting a picture. the circumstances under which she worked were strange, almost beyond belief. when johnny had suggested an underseas picture, she had been truly thrilled. but she had shuddered and said, "no!--i'd never dare do that!" but--given one glimpse of the setting for such a picture, she had become greatly excited. "such colors! such contrasts! yes--i surely must paint it!" she had exclaimed. the task now was well begun. she was wearing tennis shoes and standing on sand. before her a great anchor, red with rust, leaned against a huge boulder. beside the anchor was a copper-bound chest. one might easily have imagined that this chest contained spanish treasure--gold, diamonds, rubies. but it was empty, as doris already had discovered. the gray rock that supported the anchor was festooned with vegetation of rare hues--red, orange, pink, yellow, and deep dark blue, mingled in profusion. in and out among these plants darted small creatures which might almost have been birds. the girl was wearing a great brass helmet which hid her face. she was looking through glass, at a world unbelievably strange and beautiful. above her, its shadow looming darkly, lay the _sea nymph_. descending from the boat was a long tube that supplied her with air. a constant trickle of bubbles escaped from beneath her helmet. her easel was weighted down, and her canvas specially treated to resist water. her brushes and colors were the same she had used on the sunny, tropical shores. but the scene! how she thrilled to it! and she was painting it as truly and exactly as she could. perhaps thousands who never had been beneath the surface of the water would look at this picture and wonder at its coloring. thrilled at the thought, she painted more industriously than ever, forgetting entirely the blue shadow. she had searched long for a spot that would make the most interesting picture. she had wandered, fascinated, until she had chanced upon this anchor and strong box, lost so long before. it was indeed wonderful. with a background of ivory and pink coral, purple plumes of seaweed, fringes of lace-like anemone, in a framework of water-washed rocks--it made a scene not soon to be forgotten. so here she was, painting rapidly--though far back in her mind was the memory of that blue shadow behind the rock.... the scene was forever changing. a cloud passing over the sun, dimmed the colors. then a large school of small fish, darting forward at a furious rate, completely shut off her view. but now! "ah, now!" she thought, joyously. a dozen tropical fish, the brightest and best she ever had seen, came to play about the ancient chest and "pose" for their pictures. with quick, deft touches she painted them in--two, staring large-eyed at the anchor--three, peering into the ancient chest, and three just "resting". but what was this? like a flock of birds that have caught sight of a circling hawk, the tropical fish darted swiftly away. had they caught a glimpse of a dangerous foe, gliding from behind the rock? the girl thought so, and shuddered. she even fancied she had caught its color again--dark blue. but of this she could not be sure. down here all was so strange. "a villain," she murmured to herself with a low laugh. "the final touch to a gorgeous setting." to quiet her shaky nerves she gave herself more intensively to completion of her task. "there is no danger," she assured herself again. "grandfather says there is absolutely none--and he has spent days on end on the ocean's floor." she recalled his very words: "oh, yes, there are sharks in these waters--but they won't harm you. if they should get curious and come too close--poke them with your stick! i've done that more than once." scarcely had she gone over these reassuring words when something startled her, anew. a dark shadow appeared suddenly at her right. she took one look, then laughed. "it's only a fish," she thought. brushing away two tiny fish that had managed to get themselves stuck to her canvas, she began giving her work its final touches. for ten full minutes she worked feverishly. "my time is almost up," she was thinking. "they will be giving me the signal. then up i'll go. but i do so want--" her thoughts were suddenly arrested. what was that? she had felt the motion of water against her body. "as if something passed--fast!" she thought with a little shudder. turning slowly about, she peered through the window of her brass helmet. "nothing," she whispered. "nothing but three long, gray fish, over there. but what of that? i--i'll give my signal rope a pull," she told herself. "just a minute more and i'll do it." the minute stretched to two, three, four. and then it happened. one of the long, gray fish flashed like a streak of doom, straight for the hand that held the paint brush. missing by inches, it collided with the easel, knocked it to the sea floor and shot away in sudden flight. the fish could not have been more frightened than the girl. suddenly she recalled wild tales told by the natives about the vicious barracuda--"tiger of the sea." ... a woman had dabbled a finger in the water--and one of these fish snapped it off.... swimmers had lost toes.... she felt paralyzed with fear. then, like an act in some strange drama, a pair of dangling legs appeared between her and the gray terrors. the legs were followed swiftly by a body, a brass helmeted head and two hands, holding a sharp-pointed spear. the spear shot out! the gray terrors, like arrows from a bow, flashed out of sight. it seemed to doris that no creatures ever had moved so rapidly beneath the surface of the sea. she watched the "apparition" in a helmet--which she knew to be johnny--take up her easel and set it in position. she noted, vaguely, that the picture had landed right side up and was not harmed. then johnny turned and held out his hand. she expected to be taken straight up to the ship's deck. instead, he led her a distance of a hundred feet along the bottom. then they came to an abrupt halt, and johnny pointed straight down. she looked--and involuntarily stepped back. they were standing on the very brink of a yawning, watery precipice. far down as one could see was only blue-black depth. it was an awe-inspiring sight. as if to add to her amazement, she saw--perhaps a hundred feet down--some large, dark hulk. it was dim and indistinct as a shadow, yet very real, as it moved slowly along the cliff, to disappear in the blue-black of the apparently bottomless ocean. this had not been part of the planned show, she knew at once from her guide's actions. he moved his arm, pointing excitedly. a moment longer they stood there, looking down. then came the signal to come up. the picture and paints were attached to the easel, and a cord drew them up. all doris had to do was to give a little spring, and up, up, she rose, to the glorious sunshine of a tropical day. a quarter of an hour later, she and johnny were seated on the deck, laughing at one another and scarcely knowing why. dave and the professor had gone ashore to study tropical bird life, so after the evening meal, johnny and doris sat on deck watching the play of phosphorescent creatures beneath the surface of the sea. "this," said johnny, "is my day off. tonight i sleep. tomorrow old samatan and i are going for a sail in a large dugout, to visit some coral reefs." doris smoothed back her thick, golden hair, fixed her bright blue eyes on him, and said: "why?" "we need him for a friend," johnny replied, quietly. "if _he_ is with us--all the native crew will be, too. he's a leader." "you talk," said doris, "as if there were to be war!" "who knows?" johnny did not laugh. "perhaps there will be, but not just yet. there are spies with us now!" "how do you know?" she leaned forward in her chair. "that man i caught on board the other night, was a spy. look!" he held up the exquisitely wrought knife. "do you think a native would have such a gem of a knife? not a chance! "then--there's the green arrow to prove he's a spy!" johnny went on. "one of the messages i spelled out by using their code read: '_board them. discover all you can._'" "but why?" said doris. "we're not secret agents." "that's what _they don't know_! we are americans--and they don't want us around." "know what?" johnny continued, "i believe that big thing that glides through the water--the thing we saw today--is a submarine!" "it can't be!" "why not?" "well, if it is--it must be an american submarine!" johnny looked at her for a moment in silence. "it's not an american submarine," he said, after a time. "i've seen them, and this one's the wrong shape. it's some spy submarine, looking over the bottom of the sea and getting information for the next war. i shouldn't be surprised if a large part of that war were fought right in this caribbean sea! "what's more,"--he rose to his feet--"i'll bet a dollar that the thing that took samatan and me for a ride in the steel ball, _was that same submarine_!" "trouble with you," doris laughed merrily, "is too much imagination." "you just wait and see," johnny replied with a smile. the sound of oars at this moment, announced the return of dave and the professor from their day's explorations. chapter xii johnny's day off next morning johnny and old samatan sailed away toward the smiling face of the rising sun. "this is a grand dugout you've got!" johnny enthused. smiling, samatan pulled a line, giving the boat full sail. she tilted sharply. boy and man settled back against the pull of the sail and sped along before the wind. johnny's eyes took in the whole of the trim little craft, and he smiled, contentedly. it was indeed a great little dugout. not so small, either. fully twenty feet long and six feet wide, it had been hewn from a solid mahogany log. the boy tried to estimate the number of days of hard, careful work that would have required, but gave it up. the inside surface was polished to the last degree, and the seats were braided, cocoanut fibre. on the prow, carved in the most perfect manner, was the wooden image of a seagull. all unknown to johnny, samatan was keeping an eye on him. his keen old mind read the boy's thought like a book. one lover of a sailboat recognizes another, and since his tenth birthday, johnny had been an ardent sailboat enthusiast. at that age he had rigged up a square sail for a rowboat and had known many happy hours on the water. the fact that he had once capsized and barely escaped drowning, had not in the least dampened his ardor. "we go coral reef. catchem turtles for stew," samatan said at last. "how do you catch them?" johnny asked. "samatan show you." after that there was silence. it became evident that samatan was an expert with a sail. the breeze picked up and the sea became choppy, but the smiling old man, eyes squinting, lay back at ease. pulling first at one rope, then another, he held the small craft on her course. johnny laughed right out loud when at last the old man took off his soft, loose shoes, gripped the ropes with his toes and began steering with his feet. two delightful hours passed. then the dugout slid up on a sandy shore. when the boat had been pulled up, samatan's eyes scanned the sandy beach. suddenly he went racing away and, with the silence and speed of a great cat, stole up on an unsuspecting turtle, basking in the sand. a quick leap--and the turtle lay on its back, a prisoner. "food," said the old man. "much food from the sea. but," he added quietly, "we take only what we need." when all the turtles needed had been stowed away in the boat, they went for a walk on the beach. they made a strange picture, this bright-faced american boy and the old, brown native whose face was wrinkled by many tropical suns. seldom had johnny spent a more interesting or exciting morning. they hung a heavy cord over a rocky ledge to snare a sea-crab, turned over a hawk's-bill turtle, whose shell was worth eight dollars a pound, and chased a monkey up a cocoanut tree. they had wandered for two hours and were far from the boat when, for no apparent reason, samatan uttered a low exclamation. then he faced squarely toward the ridge, which at this place rose some twenty feet above the beach. "huh!" he grunted. "we see!" he dashed away at surprising speed, up the hill. tripping over vines and blundering into a bramble bush, johnny followed. when at last he caught up with the agile old man, samatan was standing motionless, looking off at the sea. for a full minute, lips parted, eyes staring, they stood there in silence. for--stealing up on them like an enemy in the night, a terrific storm was racing in from the sea. it took but one word from samatan's lips to complete the terror of the prospect. "hurricane!" he said, gutterally. "we must run for the boat!" johnny sprang down from the rock. "not go now. too late!" samatan did not move. instead, he stood looking along the ridge, first this way, then that. "the _sea nymph_!" johnny broke out again. "she will be lost!" "not get lost," samatan said, slowly. "good crew. harbor not far." once again his eyes swept the ridge. "come," he said at last. "this way. we go fast." even as he spoke, a gust of wind sweeping in from the sea, all but threw the boy off his rocky perch. for ten minutes or more the two of them fought their way along the ridge. at last the native paused. "here," he said, "is most high. trees. must climb these--quick! waves go all over coral reef!" "al--all right." the rising gale blew johnny's words down his throat. seizing the low branches of a large tree, he prepared to climb. "no! that bad tree! no good!" said samatan. "this one." into johnny's mind at that moment came the words of the professor: "when i am in a strange land i do what a native will do--go where he goes. if he says 'no go'--i stay." so, without further questioning, the boy began to climb samatan's tree. the tree was short and sturdy. soon they were perched like crows on two limbs close together. and in silence they watched the onrushing storm. the sky was black. it was like night. scarcely could the boy see his companion. trembling with excitement, he decided to force his thoughts from the impending hurricane. "samatan," he said, "there was something about our steel ball you did not like." "yes," came the instant reply. "professor--he is good man. very good. but one thing must not do. he must not!" "he is going to tell me," johnny thought, with quickening pulse. but at that moment there came such a roar as would drown the strongest voice, and onto the beach came the rush of a great sea. something like a tidal wave had struck the narrow reef. "i must hang on," the boy thought. the next instant he was engulfed in stinging salt water. the sea had swept over the land. though johnny felt that he was being swallowed by the sea, it was in reality only the froth and foam of the monster wave that reached him. one instant he was gasping for breath, the next, he was looking down on a madly whirling world. the thought that struck him first, with the force of a blow, was--"the tree i meant to climb is gone! swept away by the sea!" it was true. the tree, rotten at the roots, had vanished. samatan had saved his life, and a new sense of respect for the aged native swept over johnny. with it came the conviction that whatever it was the old native wanted from the professor, it must be right for him to have it. and something seemed to assure johnny that he would hear the story without asking. but at that moment, to talk at all was impossible. the shrieking of the wind, the cracking of branches, the roar of thunder and the mad tumult of the sea, were completely deafening. johnny wondered how long it would last? would greater waves come? would he and samatan at last be swept into the sea? to all these questions he found no answer. in an effort to forget the terror of the situation he made himself think once more of the great steel ball and his adventures beneath the sea.... in the meantime his companions on the _sea nymph_ were witnessing a feat such as even the gray-haired captain never had seen equaled. watching the storm, yet fearing for the safety of johnny and samatan and hoping against hope that they might return, they on the yacht had delayed lifting anchor. when at last they headed toward the narrow entrance of a natural harbor, the wind tore their sails to ribbons, while waves, mountain-high, swept them toward a rocky wall. in despair, the captain trusted the fate of his ship to the native crew. nor did he trust in vain. with a few yards of sail at their command the natives, in the midst of dashing spray, clung to spar and masthead, turning the graceful craft this way and that. then--at precisely the right instant--they seemed to lift her from the sea and send her shooting through a channel so narrow it seemed the paint would be scraped from her two sides at once. they sent her gliding smoothly to safety, in a harbor as calm as a millpond. "bravo!" shouted the captain. "glorious!" the professor cried. "never saw such sailing! those men deserve all praise!" six long hours the storm roared on, and for six endless hours johnny clung to his tree. though the sea, like some menacing monster, appeared to thrust out long, white arms to grasp him, he remained safely with samatan, in the tree top. at last, sweeping high overhead, the storm-clouds raced away--to leave a kindly, golden moon looking down on the boy and the old man. "come," said samatan, climbing gingerly down from his perch. "we go back." "back to what?" johnny's lips framed the words he dared not speak. their trail back over the moonlit beach was strange beyond belief. they climbed over a huge old palm tree, lying on the ground, stumbled on a giant, loggerhead turtle, killed in the storm, and slipped on jellyfish left high on the ridge. as they rounded a bend in the beach, a large object loomed before them, white and ghostly in the night. "boat," said samatan. "lifeboat," the boy amended as they came closer. examining it closely he read the words: "s. s. vulture". bashed in at the prow, the boat lay empty, upside down. what was its story? had the vulture been wrecked? had part of her crew put to sea in this boat, only to perish? with a shudder, johnny pushed on behind his tireless guide. "our boat must be gone," he ventured at last. samatan made no reply. more fallen palms, tangled sea moss, jellyfish, a dead crocodile, a mile of sand, and then--johnny rubbed his eyes. he opened them to look again. "our boat!" he exclaimed. "yes," samatan said. it was true. the boat was safe. piled with seaweed and half-buried in sand, it remained where they had left it. a brief examination redoubled the boy's admiration for the aged native. the dugout had been chained to a stout, palm stump. even the sail was lashed beneath the seat. samatan had taken all these precautions before there was any sign of a storm. wise old samatan! in awed silence johnny helped to clear the sand and seaweed away. "now we go," said samatan, preparing to launch the boat. if johnny had admired samatan's sailing before, his admiration was doubled now. up--up--up they glided, until they seemed ready to touch the stars, then down--down, far into the trough of a wave. "samatan." johnny spoke without thinking. "why do you hate our steel ball?" "hate? ball?" samatan struggled for the right word. "good man, professor. but must not steal natives' gold!" "gold?" johnny ejaculated. "i don't understand." the tale the old man told, then, out there on the racing sea, was fantastic indeed. yet johnny doubted never a word of it.... the islands now belonging to samatan's native people once had been a french colony. the french had made slaves of the natives, and had brought in many more slaves. then the slaves revolted and drove all the frenchmen from the islands. "after that--_our_ land!" samatan declared proudly. "long time republic. long time everybody happy. then," his voice dropped, "how you say it--came bad man. very hard man. very cruel. make people work too hard. want gold. all gold. by and by want kill that man, my people. "this bad man see strange men come--many men." samatan continued. "they put gold in chest--much gold--and dump in sea. "now," samatan sighed, "bad man dead. gold lost. never find that gold, my people. belong my people--that gold! find gold--my people pay debts. very happy. but now," he frowned, "professor, he hunt gold with steel ball. wanna keep that gold, you think, that professor?" "oh, no! no!" johnny laughed. "the professor is not looking for treasure! only strange fishes, all sorts of odd creatures that live beneath the sea." "not wanna find gold?" the old man was plainly puzzled. "oh, sure--i s'pose he'd _like_ to find it," johnny laughed. "and--we'll really try to--now that we know about it. but if we _do_ find it, you may be sure it will all be for your people--to the last doubloon!" "good boy, johnny." the old man smiled broadly. "good man, professor. all good. everybody!" "i see a light," said johnny. "that must be kennedy's place." "right, kennedy." said samatan. "by and by we come that place." "that," said johnny, "will be swell!" then his brow wrinkled. where, he wondered, was the _sea nymph_? did it make harbor safely? he sighed as he reflected that soon he would know the answer--for better or worse! chapter xiii the green arrow trail while johnny was going through his wild adventure, doris and dave were not without their own exciting moments. of course while the storm lasted, the professor's party remained inside the _sea nymph's_ cabin. as soon as it abated they immediately went ashore. troubled as they were at thought of johnny's possible fate, there was for the moment nothing they could do. the seas were still running high. dave and the professor went for a tramp in the jungle, while doris followed the trail to the kennedy home. mildred appeared greatly worried when told of the journey johnny and samatan had undertaken. "but why did johnny go?" she asked in surprise. "oh," replied doris, "he had a notion that samatan was angry about something. he said we might need the help of samatan and his men." "how?" mildred asked. "that's it--how?" doris laughed uneasily. "he thinks there are many european spies around here!" "well--there are!" mildred nodded her head vigorously. "you, too?" exclaimed doris. "but anyhow, johnny thinks the spies believe _we_ are looking for _them_--and that they'd do something terrible to us." "i shouldn't wonder," said mildred. "how comforting you are!" doris smiled ruefully. "just when i want to feel quiet in my mind! you aren't helping a bit!" "well," said mildred, "how can i? there were those men singing in some foreign tongue. they just vanished! and there's that mysterious, blinking green arrow." "two of them," doris corrected. "one on land and one on sea--like paul revere!" she chuckled mischievously. "but of course," she added more seriously, "there was the man who came on board our boat, sneaking around, and went into a huddle with the octopus! that would have been funny had it not been so terrible. he had a knife that johnny says no native would carry. but i don't see--" "there are a lot of things we don't see!" mildred broke in. "for instance--who was that whisperer who was always breaking in when dave and johnny in the steel ball were being dragged against the rocks?" "he might have been a thousand miles away. radio's like that," doris said, doubtfully. "yes-and he might not!" mildred exclaimed. "he appeared to know too much for that." "one more thing," doris laughed. "johnny thinks there is a submarine--a foreign one--in these waters!--he thinks we saw it, and that _it_ was the thing that dragged the steel ball, that day!" "i shouldn't wonder a bit," said mildred. "oh, bother your 'shouldn't wonder'!" exclaimed doris, good naturedly. "come on, let's take a walk. it will be good for our nerves! "but i'll tell you one thing," she added as they started off. "if i believed _half_ the things you do--i'd be getting out of here!" "it's not so easy," mildred replied, soberly. "grandfather is a dear. it would be a shame to leave him alone. of course he says he's going to send me back to college in the fall, and i suppose i shall go. college means so much these days." "yes," doris agreed, "i'm sure it does." "but he can't do that unless we get our motorboat up from the bottom," said mildred. "and even after that--there are the spies." "spies! always spies!" doris laughed. "let's forget them!" "o.k. let's do," the other girl agreed. the trail they had chosen led to the beach where the mysterious male chorus had disappeared. arrived at the beach where the waves were now racing, they stood for a time in silence. when a piece of driftwood--the broken side of a native dugout--came floating in, mildred turned away with a shudder, her thoughts on johnny. having wandered into the jungle a short distance she stopped suddenly to stare at the trunk of a tree. there, standing out against the smooth gray bark, was a small, green arrow! "doris!" she called. "come here!" "green arrow!" doris exclaimed, reaching mildred's side. "what do you suppose it means?" she whispered. "it's a trail marker!" said mildred. "there should be others. come on!" there were others! some were quite far up on the trees, while others were low. they continued the search for ten minutes, steadily finding others. doris was frightened and did not wish to go on. at every turn of the trail she expected to come upon a freshly made clearing, a cluster of tents and a whole army of strange warriors. but mildred thought of but one thing.... perhaps they were on the road to a real discovery. as they went deeper and deeper into the jungle, the green arrows became scarcer, and harder to find. the trail grew steeper and narrower. thorny bushes tore at them, and once a great snake crossed their path. unused to all this, doris was distinctly uneasy. but mildred's face fairly shone. however, when they came to a place where the trail split into three narrower ones and, search as they might, they could not find a single arrow, mildred, too, was ready to give up. "come on," said doris. "it will soon be dark, and i must get back to the boat. they may want to put out, in search of johnny and samatan." "you're right," said mildred. "we must be starting back. but--i'm coming back here again!" "alone?" doris stared. "perhaps." the journey back to the kennedy home was made in silence. by the time the girls had eaten their evening meal it was completely dark. wandering down to the beach they listened to the diminishing roar of the sea, and watched its strange blackness against the moon's golden light. "there's a light!" doris exclaimed. "yes, sir! and it blinks!" mildred became excited. after watching for a full minute, she suddenly threw her arms around her companion to exclaim: "oh! doris! that's johnny! it is--it surely is! sometimes he blinks his light from the ship that way--one, two, three--one, two, three! oh, it's wonderful! aren't you glad?" "of course i'm glad," said doris. "but then--men always do manage to get back one way or another, don't they?" "oh! oh, no!" mildred caught her words. "they don't--nowhere near 'always'." just then dave and the professor came down to the beach. "we think it's johnny and samatan," doris said quietly. "good!" said the professor. "that lifts a load from my shoulders!" he turned to speak to mildred, but she had gone. ten minutes later, natives caught the dugout and hauled it far up on the sandy beach. after receiving the congratulations of his shipmates, johnny began flashing his light into the surrounding darkness, searching for mildred. at last the beam came to rest on a charming picture--a girl with reddish-golden hair, wearing a dress of golden material, tied at the waist with a broad red sash. all this--against the greenish blackness of a jungle night. "why!" johnny exclaimed, as he caught her hand. "the little beach-comber has turned into a golden fairy!" "p--please, johnny!" mildred stuttered confusedly, "i--i just wanted to--celebrate your return from the d--dead!" "nonsense!" exclaimed johnny. "i always come back. but it was mighty nice of you, anyhow, and i won't forget!" * * * * * * * * he was ready for a good, long sleep. his task of watching was given over for the night to samatan's son, who was a member of the native crew. so johnny did not return to the boat, but was shown to the guest room of the kennedy cottage where, under a mosquito-bar canopy, with the tropical moon shining through the bamboo lattice, he slept the sleep of the just. by the next afternoon both he and mildred were ready for further adventure. together, they tramped into the jungle. "if we find more green arrows," said mildred, fairly tingling with excitement, "where do you think the trail will lead us?" "hard to tell," said johnny. "it might take us right to the spot from which the green arrow of light shines out in the night." "and then?" she whispered. "no can tell!" laughed johnny. "we'll answer that when the time comes." but would they? and what would the answer be? after hours of searching they decided that, whatever the answer might be, the finding of it must be postponed for another day. beyond the spot where the trail forked, they could not proceed. "there's something queer about these signs of the green arrow," said johnny, dropping onto a cushion of moss in the shade. "there is something we don't know about it all." "yes," replied the girl, "and we're going to find out what it is!" "but not today," said johnny. "the shadows already are growing long." by the time they reached the beach from which the singing band had so mysteriously disappeared, the abrupt, tropical darkness had fallen. for a moment they stood looking at the dark, mysterious sea. suddenly mildred gripped johnny's arm and whispered: "look! the green arrow!" true enough. seeming but a stone's throw from shore, the green arrow appeared to rise from the sea. "it _must_ be on a submarine!" mildred whispered. "wait! they're signalling." johnny dragged pencil and paper from his pocket and began scribbling numbers. this continued for two minutes. then, as suddenly as it had appeared, the green arrow vanished. "gone!" the girl exclaimed. "come on," said johnny. "i want to see what they were saying." leading the way to a dark hollow where their light could not be seen, he asked her to hold the electric torch while he deciphered the message. "'_we will strike_,'" he read aloud, "'_at the earliest possible moment!_' "that's all." he stood up. "spies strike in the dark--and without warning. i wonder what we have ahead of us!" chapter xiv an important discovery that night as he tramped the deck on his silent watch, johnny found his mind crowded with disturbing thoughts of the significant message the green arrow had flashed over the sea. "_we will strike_--" his mind went over the words again and again, "_at the earliest possible moment!_" where would they strike? and who was to receive the blow? his shipmates on the _sea nymph_? old kennedy and his daughter? or someone he never had seen? "i may never know," he told himself. "spies strike in the dark." johnny had read that during the world war, spies had swum to the propellers of outgoing ships laden with men and supplies. hours later, with the ship far out at sea, a bomb had exploded, blowing away the propeller and leaving the ship helpless. he knew, too, that spies had placed incendiary bombs in the holds of ships, and dumped quantities of acid in the very bottom of a vessel, to eat its way through the steel. "yes," he thought, "and even now--in times of supposed peace--they are boring in!" * * * * * * * * the _sea nymph_ left the river and put out to sea while johnny slept. when he awoke in mid-afternoon, they were anchored in their old position. "how would you like to make a solo journey in the steel ball?" dave asked when he came on deck. "go--go down alone?" johnny asked, feeling a bit strange. "that--oh, that's o.k., i guess." "i was down this morning," said dave, "and my eyes are tired. there are some pictures i'd like to have. conditions below are all right, and there's an off-shore breeze. we've two lines out to windward, which should hold her steady. "what the professor would like," he went on in a businesslike tone, "is to have you go down, slowly, along that submerged cliff, stopping every ten feet to take a photo floodlight picture. that will give us a continued story of plant and animal life, down to perhaps two thousand feet." "al--all right," johnny agreed. "i can do that." but for the life of him he could not still his heart's wild beating. he seemed to be hearing a voice say: "_we will strike--at the earliest possible moment!_" he forced his lips to repeat: "two thousand feet, you say?" "about that. better get ready at once. the wind may pick up." "yes, it may stri--pick up," johnny agreed a little absently. twenty minutes later, inside the steel ball and busy taking pictures of the wall as he stopped each ten feet, he had all but banished thoughts of the green arrow from his mind. * * * * * * * * but someone else really was seeing green arrows--and plenty of them. that was the granddaughter of old mr. kennedy--the man who for twenty years had defied encroachments of foreign interests in this happy little republic. for mildred had gone on a hunting expedition all her own. she was hunting spies. she had started once more over the green arrow trail and, strangely enough, almost instantly had discovered the secret of its markings. during their months together she and her grandfather had spent hours on end, tramping the jungle, and he had taught her to know all the usual signs. the trail of some great snake in the sand--the uprooted earth, where little wild pigs had been--the marks of a monkey's claws on the green sprouts of a tree--all had a meaning for her. knowing these usual signs, she had looked for unusual ones--and had found them. on reaching the spot where they had lost the trail on two other occasions, she noted that the next to the last arrow was low down, while the _last_, was some ten feet higher. so--to reach this last marking place--someone had been obliged to climb! in doing this, bits of bark had been broken off, leaving fresh, light-brown spots on the tree trunks. "now i shall look for broken bark--not arrows," she told herself. she had not gone forward a hundred paces on the right hand fork of the trail, when she let out a cry of surprise and joy. not only had she discovered broken bark, but up, perhaps thirty feet on a tree, she saw a green arrow. "one, two, three," she whispered. "perhaps that's the way it goes. one arrow down low, one a little higher, and a third, well up on the trunk!" she discovered at once that this was just the way the markings ran. so immediately she took up the trail again. the distance from the shore of the island to the summit of the tallest hill, was considerable. the trail, such as it was, made only by natives and wild animals, wound round and round--up and up. the girl followed this trail for more than an hour. then she sat down on a fallen mahogany tree to think. she was far from all her friends. should she go farther? she, too, recalled the last message of the green arrow of light--about "striking"! "perhaps i can stop them," she whispered stoutly, as she rose to her feet. "at least i can try!" though her knees trembled, she did not falter, but marched straight on. for was she not the granddaughter of old kennedy--hero of a hundred battles? chapter xv adrift in the depths all went well with johnny on his undersea photographing trip until he had reached the fifteen-hundred-foot level. then he called in his loud-speaker to doris, who was directing the controls: "sorry, doris. on that last, ten-foot shot, i made a double exposure. hike me up a bit, will you, please?" "o.k. johnny," was the answer. to the men at the hoist she said: "up ten feet." "up ten feet," the men repeated. johnny waited for the rise. his floodlight was on. some strange creatures with amazing teeth, were passing, and he snapped his camera. "interesting place, down here," he thought. "hate to stay down here all night, though." his leg felt cramped. he tried to shift to a new position, but at last gave it up. "no sort of place for an active person," he sighed. "wonder why i don't go up a bit--i'd like to get this over!" "hey, up there!" he called into the phone. "what's wrong?" "sorry, johnny," doris drawled. "something's wrong with the hoist. it won't work. but they'll get it fixed pretty soon, i guess!" something wrong with the hoist! johnny experienced a cold chill. suppose someone had been tampering with that hoist--had done something really serious? what then? you couldn't take hold of a fifteen-hundred-foot steel cable with a two-ton ball at the end of it, and haul it by hand like a fishline. johnny realized all too keenly that his life depended on that hoist. "it could have been tampered with," he told himself. this was all too true. while the boat had been in the harbor it had not been any too carefully guarded--and johnny had been off duty one whole night! "might cost me dearly--that night!" he thought. to ease his mind he began watching the passing show--fire-glowing shrimps--flying snails, and a host of other strange creatures. he snapped his camera again and again. "i say, up there," he exclaimed impatiently, "what's keeping us?" "sorry, johnny. it's the hoist. we--" doris stopped suddenly. johnny felt a shock--as if his cable had been struck by something hard and heavy. at the same instant the ball began drifting away from the submerged wall of rock. "hey, there!" he called, in genuine alarm, "what's up now?" there came no answer. he called again, and yet again. no answer. his heart began pounding madly. "this won't do," he told himself, savagely. "probably nothing--just nothing at all! it--" then came a second, jolting shock, and--ceasing to move in a circle--the ball began drifting quite rapidly away from the rock and out to sea. johnny knew at once what had happened. one of the anchor cables holding the boat in place had been struck and broken. "by that submarine!" he burst out savagely. then as if it were right out there in the water in front of him, he seemed to see the green arrow of light, and to read: "_we will strike_--at the earliest possible moment!" "they have struck!" he thought. "the second cable has been broken by the added strain--and we are drifting out to sea!" he tried to think what this meant. the hoist was broken, so he could not be pulled up. out to sea some three or four miles were coral reefs and beneath these, no doubt, a rocky wall. moving at its present rate and striking that wall, the steel ball might crack! only one cheery thought came to him at this moment. if the boat's small motor was strong enough to counteract the force of wind and current, he could be held in one position until the hoist was repaired. even as he thought this, doris came back on the air: "awfully sorry, johnny, but something has severed an anchor cable--and then the other one broke! the hoist won't work. we'd have the motor going, but that, too, seems to have gone wrong. keep your chin up, johnny. we'll get you up out of there before it's--too late." her voice faltered at the end. johnny found it impossible to utter a single word in reply. * * * * * * * * in the meantime, mildred still was following the signs of the green arrow trail. as she advanced, the trail grew steeper and rougher. she followed it between dark pines, where the shadows were like night, along a narrow ledge to an abrupt descent into a low ravine. more than once, as if contemplating retreat, she turned and looked back. but always, she went on. at last, weary from climbing, she dropped down on a flat rock in the shade and dabbed at her damp cheeks with a white, red-bordered handkerchief. as she rested she turned her head quite suddenly to listen. all the usual sounds of the tropical wilderness--the call of monkeys, the shrill squawks of parrots, the piercing screams of jungle birds--these all were familiar to her. but did she hear some strange sound--perhaps a human call? listening intently for a moment longer, she rose and journeyed on. some ten minutes later she paused once more. she had come to a spot where the trail led round a towering cliff. in an involuntary gesture of dismay her hand unclasped and she dropped her handkerchief. it fell unnoticed among some large leaves--a bit of red and white amid the eternal gray and green of the jungle. summoning all her courage, mildred proceeded along the rocky trail. like a soldier she tramped straight on until, with a startled cry, she stopped abruptly, on rounding a sharp turn in the path. there, directly ahead, was the ancient castle that might once have been a fortress or a prison. standing before its door and staring intently at her, was a man with a rifle. turning to flee, in complete panic--she found herself facing another man, similarly armed. a man in front of her, and one in back--a towering cliff above--a precipice below. she was trapped. * * * * * * * * darkness came to the kennedy cottage, but no mildred returned to join its worried owner at his evening meal. he ate alone and in silence. in silence he smoked his pipe on the veranda until midnight. then he went to the house of pean, his head native. "pean," he said, "she has not returned. at three o'clock, unless i come again, tell camean to make _wanga_ with the drums." "make _wanga_ at three. can do," said pean. chapter xvi voice of drums johnny, meanwhile, was having a very bad hour all by himself. still drifting a thousand feet beneath the surface of the sea, he awaited his deliverance--a deliverance he knew might never come. knowing little about the rate at which the powerless boat might be drifting, he made a guess; it should be about two miles per hour. "that gives me less than two hours," he told himself, grimly. after noting the time, he decided to take a few more pictures--just in case. never before, he imagined, had such opportunity for taking undersea shots been given any living being. moving at fairly steady speed, he passed through countless schools of deep-sea creatures, and never before had johnny looked upon such fantastic sights. "like things in a nightmare," he told himself. "all heads--practically no bodies at all--some long and slim as a leadpencil, with noses half the length of their bodies. if ever i get out of this i probably shall be famous. but--" what was this? his eyes stared at the compass. it appeared to have gone wrong, or else-- "hey!" he called into the loud speaker, "what's up? are we going north by east--" "north by east is right. oh, johnny!" doris apologized, "i didn't let you know, but they have the sails up, and we're traveling in a circle. we think that will keep you off the rocks. the chart is not very clear, but we can cruise around for hours if--if it is necessary." "hours!" johnny groaned. "well, anyway--" doris stopped, abruptly. then: "johnny! you're saved! the mate just told me the hoist will be working again any minute now!" "hooray!" johnny shouted. "hooray! we live again! boy-oh-boy!" "yes, johnny,"--the girl's voice went husky, "it will be good to see you!" ten minutes later, johnny was going up. slowly, surely, the dense darkness passed. the blue black of early dawn was changing places with glorious hues, and then came the light of a rapidly passing day. as he tumbled from the steel ball johnny placed a box of plates carefully on the deck. "there you are!" he exclaimed. "pictures i'll really live to see!" the pictures were superb--all the professor could have dreamed of, and more. "these, alone, will add greatly to the world's riches," he said, placing a trembling hand on johnny's shoulder. "and when you show them," johnny grinned, "tell your audience they were taken by a ship's watch, will you?" "i take it," said the professor with a laugh, "that you think you'd like to keep your feet on the ground, for a while!" "absolutely," johnny agreed. "and in more ways than one!" johnny went back to his old task of walking the deck that night. there would be no more tampering with hoists and motors if he knew anything about it--and he surely would know if it happened in the night. for some unknown reason, this night was not like others that had passed. there seemed to be a spirit of unrest in the air. doris, too, felt it. enveloped in a midnight-blue gown, she wandered out on deck. "it's ridiculous," she exclaimed. "a grand night to sleep, but my eyes just will not stay closed!" "there are ghosts in the air," said johnny. "i have felt them and almost heard their wings--or do ghosts have wings? there goes one now!" doris jumped as some swift, darting thing shot past her head. "oh, no!" johnny laughed. "only a bat. you'd think--" he stopped suddenly to stare at the distant hills. the next instant, with binoculars held to his eyes with one hand and a pencil in the other, he was recording a message. "the green arrow speaks again," he murmured softly. "oh--oh--now it's gone! snapped right off as if a fuse had blown. "oh, well--perhaps it will flash again, later." he stuffed his notebook into his pocket. "we'll be leaving here soon," doris said quietly. "in two or three days, i think. grandfather received a wireless today. and how i'm going to hate it." she sighed. "this," she spread her arms wide, "this has been grand! moonlight on gorgeous waters! strange tropical shores. adventure!" "and bats!" said johnny, as one shot past his ear. "but even they are different," she insisted, smiling. "yes, i know," johnny agreed. "to go to strange places, to see new things, to find excitement, thrills, mystery and adventure--that's life!" "is it for most people?" she whispered. "perhaps not," he replied thoughtfully. "most people like to be safe and comfortable, to go to the same places, to see the same people, do the same things. that's their privilege, of course." "that's right, johnny. and now--goodnight." "goodnight," he replied, softly. halfway between midnight and morning, when even the bats were less active, and the whole tropical world seemed asleep, johnny was amazed to hear the sudden roll of a native drum, from the island. the very sound of it at that eerie hour, set his blood racing and his skin prickling. "drums!" he ejaculated. "what can that mean?" for a time the weird beats were a steady roll. then they began breaking up; two beats, a pause--one beat--pause, three beats--pause.... "like a message," he whispered. then with a start, he recalled the message of the green arrow--undeciphered in his pocket! dragging it out, he began decoding it, growing more and more wildly excited every minute. "h--e--" he worked it out "l--p! _help!_" "someone is in trouble," he whispered. "but there are only three letters left. rapidly he studied these out. "_help mil_--" a cold sweat broke out on his brow. he recalled mildred's determination to follow that green arrow trail. had she followed it too far? had the spies captured her? was she a prisoner? and had she attempted to get off a message on the green arrow, only to be interrupted? or perhaps even-- "i might be wrong," he told himself. but he dared not hope. again there were the drums. this time a drum close at hand, on shore, thundered out. then, from far away in the jungle came an answer, another, and yet another. it was ghostly, romantic, thrilling. johnny's hair fairly stood on end. but what did it mean? he caught the sound of soft footfalls. instantly he was on his feet, all attention. "oh!" he exclaimed softly. "it is you, samatan." "yes. the drums! they speak!" murmured samatan. "something--it is very bad." his voice was low-pitched, tense. "what do they say?" johnny asked in a whisper. "that something very wrong. this what drums say!" the old man's voice was vibrant with emotion. "they say kennedy has had _bad_ done him! natives must come. all who love kennedy must come. and all natives love kennedy! all night they must come. in morning they march--perhaps they fight! much fight for kennedy! maybe much die!" his voice trailed off. "yes," johnny choked. "something terrible has happened. we must go, samatan!" "just when it little light, in my dugout, we go, johnny," said samatan, quietly. settling back in a steamer chair the old man closed his eyes and appeared to sleep. while from the shore came again and again the vibrant rumble of the drums--tum--tum--tum--tum--on and on into the night that was marching toward the dawn of another day. tense with forebodings of what might be in store, johnny waited--impatient and grimly expectant. chapter xvii marching on the castle old samatan was not asleep. he was only thinking. after a time he opened his eyes wide, to stare at the dark shore where drums still beat out their message. "make _wanga_," he said to johnny. "always when trouble, my people make _wanga_--make prayer to voodoo gods. gods help good natives win victories." "great!" exclaimed johnny. "then we shall win!" "yes. win," the old man said, softly. then johnny told samatan of the green arrow trail that mildred had said she would follow. he told of the suddenly broken message he had picked up from the green arrow. thinking deeply, samatan declared they should go very soon--at least a full hour before dawn. "shall dave go, too?" johnny asked. "plenty men on shore," the old man waved an arm. "we go--tell kennedy. that all. dave? better dave stay." half an hour later, johnny wakened dave to tell him what was going on. at first dave was determined to go with them and have a hand in the affair. but after sober thought he decided it best to stay with the ship. "the ship may be needed before this thing is over," he said. "yes, it may," johnny agreed. so, guided by native fires on the beach, johnny and samatan headed for shore. johnny was steeped in gloom as he pictured the golden-haired little beach-comber, the prisoner of unscrupulous spies. "nothing could be worse," he groaned. "i should have warned her never to go, alone!" but the moment their boat touched shore, johnny's mood changed quickly for the better. seldom had he witnessed a more inspiring sight. in two short hours, more than a hundred, dark-faced, half-clad, natives had gathered at the call of their beloved kennedy. they were squatting around the fires, roasting small fish or strips of peccary meat and gulping cups of bitter, black coffee. "they will go for a whole day on this," kennedy told him, "and still be with us when the day is done." when johnny told of the green arrow's message and the trail mildred had sworn to follow, the old man's brow wrinkled. "i suspected something of the sort," he rumbled, "but this is worse than i figured. there may be a number of those spies--all well armed. and we--" he went on, with a touch of sadness, "these people here are not warlike. we have two heavy rifles of ancient make, half a dozen light, hunting rifles, two or three shotguns, and a hundred machetes. but these natives--" there was a rumble of admiration in his voice. "you should see what these men can do with those two-foot blades of theirs! there are two grindstones out behind the house--and they haven't stopped turning for hours!" johnny felt a tingle course through his veins as the old man finished. it was, he thought, like the days of old, like something he had read in a book. they were to storm an ancient castle to rescue a fair lady! there were men among that loyal throng who knew every trail leading to the old castle. "the men say it will take about three hours to reach the place," said kennedy, when just after dawn, they prepared to break camp. "we shall have to march in silence, as sound travels far. i only hope," his brow wrinkled, "that these spies did not guess the meaning of those drums. i hated that. but there was no other way to get the men together, nor," he added in an undertone, "to put the real, fighting spirit into them. for more than a hundred years, the beating of these drums has meant battle!" "and how they respond to it!" johnny enthused. "yes, johnny," the old man rumbled. "these are faithful, loyal people. think what it would mean to have these islands taken over by a foreign power--cannon and bombing planes everywhere. if war came, think how these beautiful islands would be torn to bits by bursting bombs! just think johnny! try to imagine it!" for a moment after that, there was silence. kennedy's voice was husky when he spoke again. "johnny, my boy--i've come to like you a heap. promise me, johnny, that if anything should happen to me this day, you'll see the girl safely back to her own land where she rightly belongs." "nothing can happen to you," johnny declared, stoutly. "you could handle four of those cowards, single-handed." "promise me," the old man insisted. "i promise." johnny put out a hand that was at once caught in a grip of steel. and so they marched away into the golden, tropical dawn. * * * * * * * * those on the _sea nymph_ were on deck early that morning. coffee and muffins were served in the forward cabin. after dave told what was happening on land, a silence fell over the party. active, happy, always friendly, mildred had found her way into all their hearts. "dave," said the professor at last, breaking the silence, "since that fine old man kennedy is in a good way to lose his granddaughter--" "oh, but he won't!" doris broke in. "not with johnny thompson on the trail of those spies. i had a letter last week from an old friend, marjory morrison. she's known our johnny a long time, and she says he's a marvel!" "no doubt," said the professor. "but spies, my dear!" "spies are cowards," doris exclaimed. "just the same--i'd like doing something for those kennedys!" "just what i was about to suggest," the professor beamed. "manifestly, we can't sail this ship up that mountain but we can go in search of their sunken schooner!" "oh, yes!" doris sprang up. "let's do that! anything to help!" "i know the spot, within a mile," said dave. "kennedy showed me on the map. it's not over three miles from here." "good! we shall weigh anchor at once," exclaimed the professor. "in the steel ball, dave, you should be able to locate the schooner in a very short time." "and then?" asked dave. "one problem at a time," smiled the professor, who during his long life had solved many a problem. fifteen minutes more and they were away. "do you think we shall be able to find their sunken schooner?" doris asked, as she and dave stood in the prow, looking at the hills. "that depends," said dave. "just now, another problem interests me more." "and that?" "whether that girl, who seems the very spirit of the island, ever will sail that schooner again." "never doubt it," said doris. but in spite of her high hopes, she herself was in grave doubt. * * * * * * * * johnny was never to forget that silent march up the tropical island trail. before him glided a native guide. behind him, taking each steep ascent with the quiet, steady breathing of a boy, came the giant kennedy. after these marched a silent throng. their faces and machetes shining in the morning sun, they were a band of simple, honest natives, in whose midst kennedy long had stood out as king. a monkey chattered from a tree, but no rifle was aimed at him. a parrot screamed, and over in a narrow ravine, a drove of wild pigs scampered unmolested over the dry moss of the jungle. "we're seeking bigger game, today," the boy thought, grimly. finally they arrived at a point not far distant from the turn, beyond which lay the castle. kennedy held up a hand, and the men gathered silently about him. in low tones he gave them final instructions. there were, he said, three trails to the ancient castle. they would divide into three groups. john puleet, a stalwart native, with his followers, would circle the hill to the right. teratella, another burly leader of the islanders, would go to the left with his men. time would be given them to take their positions. when this had been done, a "wild parrot" would scream from the right, another from the left--and they would all move forward. "we'll take the trail straight ahead, with old samatan," he said to johnny. "it's the toughest of them all, if we are attacked." "o.k." johnny murmured, gripping his light hunting rifle. silently, one by one, a hundred men crept into the brush. after that, save for the chirp of some small bird and the faint sound of a dashing stream, all was silent. it was, johnny thought, the dead silence that comes before a storm. stooping suddenly, he picked something from among the leaves by the trail. it was mildred's lost handkerchief. he held it out for kennedy to see, but neither said a word. chapter xviii the battle meanwhile, dave and doris were warming to the search for the small trading boat that had meant so much to kennedy and mildred. having found the approximate location where the little supply schooner sank, dave climbed into the steel ball and was lowered into the deep. for an hour after that, with the steel ball always close to the bottom, they sailed about in ever widening circles. from time to time doris called on the radio: "see anything?" "yes, a whole flotilla of jellyfish," would come dave's laughing answer. or--"there's an ancient wreck off to the right--goes back to pirate days, i'm sure. but i don't catch the faintest gleam of a white schooner." when at last he returned to the surface and was released from his spherical prison, he complained of eye-strain. "let me go down with you," doris pleaded. "i'll be eyes for you. together we can't fail to find the schooner. we just must get it located!" "what do you say, professor?" dave turned to his superior. "what's the bottom like?" "all sand." "no rocks?" "not a one." "o.k., my girl--in you go." the professor waved a hand, and in they went. to the imaginative doris, this fairyland of waving seaweed, darting fish, and drifting jellyfish was most entertaining, but she never forgot their real mission. "dave!" she exclaimed more than once. "i see something!" a moment of excitement, and then--"no--it's nothing but a bit of coral, after all." then, of a sudden, a whisper reached her ear: "one eighty--eighty-two and a half--eighty four--" "dave! he's back! the whisperer is back!" doris spoke before she thought. "why! hello there, mermaid!" came in words startlingly distinct. doris and dave remained silent. who could this be? where was he? on land, or in the sea? or on it? for a time they heard that whispering of numbers. then it faded, as abruptly as it had come. as they drifted, they quietly discussed the strange whispering, but came to no logical conclusions. neither did they sight any white schooner, resting on the bottom. * * * * * * * * for a long time, there on the side of the hill beneath the tropical sun, kennedy's fighting band watched and waited. "the signal will come," johnny thought with a thrill. "the signal to move! and then-- "there! there it is now!" he exclaimed in a hoarse whisper. there had come the distant scream of a wild parrot. one more scream. "now!" said kennedy. "let's go!" "we go," old samatan said, simply. johnny would have taken the lead, but the old man pushed him back. cautiously they moved straight ahead. johnny sighed in relief as they reached the end of a narrow pass. that, he thought, would have been a bad place to be caught. his sense of relief was short-lived, however, for out from the wide door of the ancient castle, burst a man with a rifle. instantly johnny recognized him as the man whom he had saved from the grip of the octopus. "come on!" he exclaimed, as the man leveled his rifle. a shot cracked out, and a bullet burned johnny's cheek. next instant the man dodged and the rifle clattered from his nerveless hands. there had been a flash of steel, as samatan had thrown his machete. its point was buried in the door, just back of the spot where the man's head had been. dropping his rifle, johnny executed a flying tackle, bringing the man to the ground, with a thud. instantly two powerful natives pinned him to the earth. "come on!" kennedy shouted, as the door stood open a crack. "we're going in!" his powerful shoulder forced the door so suddenly that a man on the other side of it was instantly floored. a second man--huge, fat, beast-like--lurched at kennedy with a knife. he was felled with one blow of the old man's bare fist. "now!" kennedy roared, towering over the prostrate pair. "tell me where my granddaughter is or i'll tear you limb from limb!" "girl?" the fat man stammered in broken english. "gone--gone." "where to?" kennedy touched the man none too gently with his foot. but the halting reply could not be understood. "please, sir," came in a youthful voice from the corner, "if i may, i will tell you. "but first i must tell you," said the youth who, until now, had not been noticed, "that i am not one of these!" he nodded at the men on the floor. "i was coming to america to join my father, and they compelled me to accompany them here." "is that true?" kennedy demanded of the stout man on the floor. the man nodded. "all right. tell us." kennedy's voice softened a little as he spoke to the youth. "where is my granddaughter?" "they took her to the submarine," said the boy. "the submarine?" kennedy stared. "yes. there is a submarine," said the boy. "they are making a survey of the sea-bottom around these islands! don't you see," the boy seemed anxious to please, "in time of war, they shall place depth bombs and steel nets--and establish submarine bases!" "i see," kennedy replied in a low tone that was not good to hear. "very nice, i should say. we seem to have stumbled into the situation at about the right time! "but my granddaughter." his voice rose. "she is on this submarine?" "yes sir." "then," roared kennedy, "we shall find the submarine! and if we do not--or if my granddaughter has been harmed--!" he laid his machete, sheath and all, across the stout man's throat. and the stout man turned a sickish, yellow-green. and not without reason. "get up!" commanded kennedy. the two men stood up. "i'll guard them," he said to johnny. "you and the natives search this place. gather up every scrap of paper to be found. there should be ample evidence of this espionage. and--there is not a moment to be lost!" "not a second," said johnny. a few hours later, with three other prisoners taken by the second band of natives attempting to flee from the rear of the castle, they were back at the kennedy cottage. at once johnny and samatan prepared to leave for the _sea nymph_. "we'll do all in our power to find that submarine," johnny assured kennedy, as he and samatan pushed off.... but johnny could not have known, of course that the submarine had been found.... * * * * * * * * for a long time doris had watched the sea bottom as the steel ball moved about in a circle that ever grew wider. so absorbed had she become that her ear-phones were forgotten. when suddenly a voice broke in on her thoughts, she jumped involuntarily. "hey, there! i say, there! are you there?" came in a hoarse, anxious voice. "listen! it's important! listen! are you there?" doris adjusted her microphone, then answered, as her heart missed a beat. "yes, we are here. why?" "listen!" came in gutteral tones. "we are on the bottom, and we can't get up!" "try the australian crawl," doris laughed into her speaker. these people were good at kidding, whoever they were. "listen!" came in a man's voice, hoarse and insistent--even pleading. "we are in a small submarine. we are on bottom and our pumps have failed!" "submarine!" doris whispered, as she and dave gaped at each other. "we are about two hundred feet down," the voice went on, desperately. "something's gone wrong with our pumps, and we can't blow out the water in our compartments. you gotta help us. we have a friend of yours here and she'll tell you i'm speaking the truth!" doris and dave were startled beyond description when they heard mildred kennedy's voice coming over the air. "listen, doris," the girl's voice was tense with emotion. "i'm down here in this submarine. i blundered onto that ancient castle up on the ridge, and there were spies there. they wouldn't let me go because they--they said i'd tell what i saw. and that--that's true. i would! "but these boys on the submarine--they--" her voice broke a little, "they're not really spies! they're just boys in the navy of their country, doing what they're ordered to do. they've been decent to me, and they'd have put me back on land if they'd dared. so--so you can't let them die like this. you just can't, doris! besides, i--" she choked, and could not finish. "we won't let them die and most of all--we won't let _you_ die!" declared dave, who had been absorbing every word. "just you keep cool and stand by. we--we'll have our whole navy here in no time. just you see!" "th--thanks, dave ... mil--mildred, signing off," came in a wee small voice. "gee, she's a game kid," whispered dave to doris. then into his microphone: "put that man on again," he said. "here, here i am," came the hoarse voice from the submarine. "here's what we'll do," dave said, shortly. "we have a fairly powerful wireless on our ship. we'll get in touch with the united states naval station at port au prince at once, and report the situation. they will send assistance--even though you're over here to help your spies! now--give me your location--in code." "o.k." the foreigner answered, humbly, "here it is. - - , - - , - - - , - - .--that is all. will you please repeat?" dave read the numbers he had written, and the sub commander checked them again. "don't be nervous or frightened about the girl, here," he said. "we have oxygen enough for thirty-six hours, at least." "i hate to think what would happen to you if any harm comes to her," dave answered, grimly. "we're signing off and going up." to get the port au prince naval station was only a matter of moments, after the steel ball was back on board. "there's a submarine and a coastguard cutter at santiago de cuba," was the answer. "we will get in touch with them at once, and you can be sure of fast action!" after a short wait came the encouraging news: "submarine and cutter proceeding to the rescue under forced draft!" fifteen minutes later the _sea nymph_ was in motion. dave, having obtained the grounded submarine's location, would sail to the spot and stand by to aid, if possible. "perhaps we'll go down in the steel ball and reach them before that sub arrives," he said. "but dave!" doris exclaimed. "what can one submarine do for another on the bottom? surely they can't raise it!" "no--o, they couldn't. nor could we. but then," dave sighed, "there must be some way. we'll have to leave that to the navy, i guess." two hours later the steel ball rested on the sandy bottom some two hundred feet down, and within twenty feet of the submarine's dark bulk. as dave and doris stared out of their window, they saw a face in a port of the submarine. it was mildred, and she was waving at them. "only twenty feet," doris murmured, "and yet for the moment there's nothing we can do! how strange--and how--how terrible!" chapter xix on the bottom night was falling on the waters of the blue caribbean when johnny and samatan finally reached the _sea nymph_, and were told of the sub's predicament. for a full hour after darkness fell, doris and johnny sat on the after deck. but they spoke hardly a word. they were thinking of a brave, american girl, two hundred feet below surface, in a foreign submarine. "johnny!" doris gripped the boy's arm suddenly. "is that a light--or is it a star?" she pointed out to sea. "a light! no, it's a star. no! no! it _is_ a light! see! it blinks!" "dave!" doris called. "the navy is coming!" and so it was. as they stood there waiting, the light grew brighter and brighter. then a long, sleek form, dark as the night, slid alongside the _sea nymph_. "ahoy there!" a voice called. "ahoy!" dave echoed. "we'll send our small boat for you at once" ten minutes later, the young commander of the american submarine was on board. "what's the situation?" he demanded, briskly. "they're down here, about two hundred feet," said dave. "their pumps won't work and they can't get up!" "that's it, eh? it sounds bad." the young officer's voice was somber. "i suppose you assumed we had a diver on board, and--until three days ago--we did have. but now he's in the hospital with a raging fever!" "might i inquire," the professor asked, slowly, "what a diver would do?" "certainly," said the officer. "we have three hundred feet of hose. somewhere on the side of their sub, if it's anything like ours, is a short piece of pipe with a thread on it, to which our hose could be attached. after that--when they have opened an inner valve--we can pump in enough air to float them. but without a diver--" "i," said the professor, "am a diver. have you the equipment?" "you?" the young officer looked at the aged professor admiringly, but without making a reply. all eyes were focused on the dignified old man. it was dave who best understood the situation. he knew the professor had made many a trip to the bottom of the sea in a diving outfit, but that had been years before. now he was a frail, old man. "the pressure at two hundred feet is terrific," the boy thought. "and his doctor has warned him--even about going down in the ball! he must not go." still dave remained silent. he was thinking hard--thinking how even in life's twilight this splendid old man displayed a glorious courage. "i must go down." it was the professor's voice. "it is my duty. those are young people with life before them. they must not be allowed to perish." still the young officer did not speak. "all right, professor," dave said huskily. "but first--give me an hour! i will try something. if i fail--then your turn comes!" slowly the professor grasped dave's hand. in a few precise words, dave outlined his plans. then he leaped toward the steel ball. with all possible speed he was bolted in, lifted over the rail, and lowered slowly into the ominous, black waters. never before had he been down at night. the spectacle that met his eyes as he sank, was surprising almost beyond belief. the whole sub-sea world seemed on fire. it was like being out in a moonless night, surrounded by billions of fireflies. as his eyes became accustomed to the bizarre scene he was able to distinguish individual specimens from among the myriads of luminous creatures that crowded the waters. here, like excursion boats all aglow, a score of jellyfish floated past. there, a throng of shrimp stood out in dark outline against the background light, suddenly darting frantically away as some great fish with bright spots along his sides gave chase. casting off balls of illumination, the shrimp were lost to sight in a flare of light. but there was little time for such thoughts, as this underseas mission concerned the lives of nine young people. a sudden storm would spell their doom.... dave had asked for an hour, and he must save the professor from taking so great a risk, if possible. no less experienced person--not even dave--could safely descend to such depth in a diving suit.... suddenly he saw the light from the sub's porthole, just before him. "steady!" he said into the mike. "doris--tell them to stop lowering, and swing me to the right about twelve feet." instantly they obeyed his orders and for a time, he studied the sub. then he saw what he had sought--the threaded end of pipe for letting in the air. once again he had his position changed. now he was close to the bit of threaded pipe. but the dangling air hose from the sub on the surface, still was several feet away. more orders.... more moments.... and every second counted.... at last the steel ball rested on bottom. the sub was six feet distant, and now the hose dangled directly before his window. what dave hoped to do was to seize the screwcap at the end of the hose with the pincherlike affairs attached to the outside of the steel ball. then, by twisting his pinchers round and round, he would try to attach the hose to the sunken submarine. could he do it? his heart sank as the force of a wave far above, drew the steel ball off the bottom for a moment. "i--i've got to do it! i've _got_ to," he muttered. once again his hand was on the lever. it rose, slowly, as the hose before him swayed. "back a foot," he called to doris. back he slid. "now," he breathed. there was the hose and screwcap, and there were his pinchers. swiftly, skillfully, he manipulated the lever, and, by a fortunate providence, caught the cap just as he should. "now," he breathed. but again there came that sickening lift and swing--and one crash of his window against the sub, would spell his doom. now he was on bottom again. a move--a second move--then a third--and he was back in position. now-- "no," he breathed, desperately, "not this time." for again came that sickening lift. * * * * * * * * in the meantime a coastguard cutter had anchored close to the _sea nymph_ and an officer came aboard. "i am major braden, of the marines," he said, bowing to doris, johnny and the professor. "i'm on extraordinary duty just now--watching these waters. i used to be in command when we occupied these islands for military purposes, and i understand you've located a foreign submarine." "and six spies, now held captive on land," johnny added. "we took enough maps and reports from their hangout, to start a secret service all our own!" "good! great! a real service to your country, young man!" "but the sub's still on bottom," johnny added, "and we're trying to raise her now. they--they've got one of our good friends on board!" "i'm sure you'll succeed," exclaimed the major. "and when that sub breaks water--we'll have three, six-inch guns trained on her. she'll not escape," he concluded a little grimly. * * * * * * * * for a full quarter-hour, dave struggled in vain to bring the threaded pipe on the sub, and the screw-cap at the end of the hose, into exact position. at one time he actually turned the cap, and felt it catch. but it would not turn further. "started wrong," he murmured. "threads are crossed. must take it off at once." ten seconds of struggle and he was back where he had started. his heart sank. should he give up? he closed his eyes to think--and saw the professor's frail, kindly face before him. "no!" he groaned. "i won't give up!" slowly, carefully, he maneuvered himself into position. the lever rose slowly, and glided forward. he gave it a turn. it stuck. deftly he twirled his lever; 'round and 'round it spun. "now!" he breathed. he gave the lever an experimental tug. _the cap held firm._ "try it!" he fairly shouted into his mike. ten seconds later, the hose hanging loosely before his window, twisted and writhed like a snake. it was filling with air. he watched the spot where it joined the pipe on the sub. should bubbles appear, all his work was lost. ten seconds, he watched. no bubbles. twenty--thirty--forty seconds. still no bubbles. "hooray!" he shouted hoarsely. "hooray! we win!" and from the sunken sub came an answer: "it is good! we are getting air!" after having his steel ball moved to a safe distance, dave settled down to watch. had they won? would the sub really rise? fifteen long, tense, minutes passed. then, like a giant fish which had been asleep on the bottom, the dark bulk before him began to stir. "thank god!" dave exclaimed, fervently. a moment more and the sub rose slowly toward the surface. and, like a cattleboy driving the cows home at eventide, dave followed in his steel ball. true to the major's promise, powerful lights and capable-looking guns were trained on the sub when, with a rush, she broke surface. but there was no need for that. the members of the youthful crew were too glad to escape death on the bottom of the sea, to offer any resistance to capture. the first person to appear above the sub's deck was mildred. awaiting her in the tub was johnny, and how he greeted her was a sight to behold. some time later they sat on the porch of the kennedy home--dave, doris, johnny and mildred. "well, johnny," said dave, "our work beneath the very deep sea is done. we'll collect a few specimens--turtles, crawfish, and bright, tropical fish close to the surface--then hoist anchor for new york!" "new york? where is that?" johnny asked dreamily. "it's an ancient dutch colony," dave chuckled. "oh, yes! i remember!" said johnny. "i think i'll not go there, if you folks don't mind." he hesitated. "mildred tells me she located their motorboat while she was in the submarine. major braden thinks we've done a brave deed or two and put him in a good way to clear up this spy business--so he's going to repay us by helping bring the schooner to the surface. but of course," he drawled, "there will be a lot of work to be done after that." "and you'd like to stay and help" said dave. "i don't blame you. i'd like to stay myself. well, old son, all i can say is--go ahead and god bless you!" "i'll be back in the states in two or three months, i guess," said johnny. "i--i'm sort of thinking of going to college. college is wonderful for just anybody! "i hope you come back to these waters with the steel ball," observed johnny, after a time. "i'd like to have one good, long, look for old samatan's treasure chest." "oh! that?" said dave, with a short laugh. "probably just a myth. but if we ever get back--you shall have a try at it, i promise you!" * * * * * * transcriber's note: --copyright notice provided as in the original printed text--this e-text is public domain in the country of publication. --obvious typographical errors were corrected without comment. --dialect and non-standard spellings were not changed. transcriber's note: inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document have been preserved. obvious typographical errors have been corrected. italic text is denoted by _underscores_ and bold text by =equal signs=. [illustration: sandy looked around quickly and saw sidney standing with his rifle aimed and resting on the branch of the tree.--page . _with the regulators._] the boy spies with the regulators the story of how the boys assisted the carolina patriots to drive the british from that state. by james otis a. l. burt company publishers new york copyright by a. l. burt under the title of with the regulators the boy spies with the regulators contents. chapter page i. ourselves ii. a treasonable act iii. promises iv. the rescue v. at brunswick vi. besieged vii. timely aid viii. sandy wells ix. tryon's demonstration x. the long night xi. the trial xii. the proclamation xiii. war declared xiv. the convoy xv. the battle the boy spies with the regulators chapter i. ourselves. it is not for one like me to make any pretense at trying to fashion a scholar's story out of the poor efforts of sidney hubbard, and myself, clare butler, to second the brave work of those noble men who, by enduring countless hardships and sparing not their own blood, finally rid the carolinas of those leeches who claimed to be the king's servants--governor william tryon, edmund fanning and others of like brood. i count to set down on these pages such an account as i may be able to give concerning what we of the carolinas did in those dark days eight years before the first patriot blood was shed at lexington, and this task is to be performed simply that my descendants may, by reading our story, use their utmost efforts to preserve the fair country which has cost their forefathers so much of blood, anguish and bodily suffering. to begin, sidney hubbard is my first cousin, his mother and mine being sisters. we lived, in , on the alamance, near where, later, was fought what may rightly be termed the first battle in the struggle of the colonies for independence. our fathers were humble farmers, with a scanty store of this world's goods, and continually ground down by those whom the king had set in authority over us, chief among which may be reckoned the irishman tryon, and fanning, who was born on long island, if i remember rightly. i cannot set down in my own words a picture of the carolinas at the time when sidney hubbard and i were come sixteen years of age, therefore, in order that all the conditions of public affairs may be fully understood, i shall copy here what was written many years later by one who may justly style himself a historian:[ ] "the passage of the stamp act produced great uneasiness in the public mind in north carolina, as well as in the other provinces. already the extortions of public officers in the exactions of fees for legal services had greatly irritated the people, and they regarded the requirements of the stamp act as a more gigantic scheme for legal plunder.... william tryon had been acting governor and commander-in-chief of the province from the death of governor dobbs, april st, , and now began his career of misrule in america. he was appointed governor toward the close of the year. this was the same tryon, afterward governor of new york, haughty, innately cruel, fond of show, obsequious when wishing favors, and tyrannical when independent; he was entirely incompetent to govern a people like the free, outspoken colonists of the upper carolinas. "for several years previous to the stamp act excitement, rebellion had been ripening among the people in the western counties. the rapacity of public officers, and the corrupt character of ministers of justice, weighed heavily upon the property and spirits of the people. the most prominent evils complained of were the exorbitant charges of the clerks of the superior courts, whereby these courts had become instruments of oppression; and oppressive taxes exacted by the sheriffs, and the outrages committed by those officers when their authority was questioned in the least. these evils everywhere existed, and every petition of the people for redress appeared to be answered by increased extortions." it was william husband, a quaker from pennsylvania, who banded our people together in what was called "a regulation," and each member signed an agreement to pay no more taxes "until satisfied they were legal; to pay officers no more fees than the strict letter of the law required, unless forced to, and then to show open resentment; to be cautious in the selection of representatives, and to petition the governor, council, king and parliament for a redress of grievances; to keep up a continual correspondence with each other; to defray all necessary expenses, all differences in judgment to be submitted to the whole regulation, the judgment of the majority to be final." each member was bound by a solemn oath to stand faithful to the cause until matters had been brought to a true and just regulation. meetings were held regularly in the vicinity of hillsborough, and in a few weeks the regulation was a permanent and a powerful body. about this time "the pride and folly of governor tryon led him to demand" from the assembly an appropriation of twenty-five thousand dollars that he might build a palace, and this burden, together with the many which had been laid upon us, was most oppressive. "the inhabitants of north carolina were now thoroughly awakened to the conviction that both the local and imperial government were practically hostile to the best interests of the colonists. the taxes hitherto were very burdensome; now the cost of the palace, and the appropriation to defray the expenses of running the dividing line between their province and the hunting-grounds of the cherokees, made them insupportable. a poll tax of one dollar and fifty cents was levied on every male, white or black, between the ages of sixteen and sixty years of age. "the rapacity of public officers appeared to increase, and the people saw no prospect of relief. among the most obnoxious men who had grown rich by extortionate fees, was edmund fanning, a lawyer of ability. he was regarded as a co-worker with the government. the people detested him, and avoided no occasion to express their displeasure. his first open rupture with the regulators was in the spring of . tryon issued a proclamation, half menacing and half persuasive, evidently intended to awe the regulation and persuade the other inhabitants to avoid that association. he sent his secretary, david edwards, to cooperate with fanning in giving force to the proclamation among the people. "they directed the sheriff to appoint a meeting of the vestry-men of the parishes and the leading regulators, to consult upon the public good and settle all differences. fair promises dispelled the suspicions of the regulators, and their vigilance slumbered while awaiting the day of meeting. they were not yet fully acquainted with the falsity of their governor, or they would never have heeded the fair words of his proclamation. they were soon assured of the hollowness of his professions, for, while they were preparing, in good faith, to meet government officers in friendly convention, the sheriff, at the instigation of fanning, proceeded, with thirty horsemen, to arrest herman husband and william hunter on a charge of riotous conduct. "these, the most prominent men among the regulators, were seized and cast into hillsborough jail. the whole country was aroused by this treachery, and a large body of the people, led by ninian bell hamilton, a brave old scotchman of threescore-and-ten-years, marched toward hillsborough to rescue the prisoners." some idea may be had of our unhappy province, by aid of the above account, written in all fairness, and yet not stating our grievances as thoroughly as they should be set down, and now i feel warranted in saying that from the day of masters husband's and hunter's arrest sidney hubbard and i began to prove ourselves _men_ of the carolinas. we were both just turned sixteen, sidney being but two days older than i, and already had the sheriff warned us that we must pay the taxes which had been assessed, or be sent to jail where many a poor wretch was confined, simply because he had not the money with which to satisfy the governor's unjust demands. it was on the day after the arrest of our neighbors that we two lads met old jacob peyster, a god-fearing man, and one who was ready and willing to lay down his life for the good of the carolinas. "why are ye abroad this morning?" he asked, reining in a mettlesome horse which he had raised from a colt, and we were forced to bring our steeds to a halt, or give fair proof that we lacked good breeding. "we came out to learn if there was any news concerning those honest men whom the king's knaves took into custody yesterday," sidney made answer before i, who was ever slow of speech, could do so much as open my mouth. "masters husband and hunter have been clapped in prison at hillsborough," the old man said sorrowfully, "and unless the true men of the carolinas take the matter in hand, they are like to be held by the brute tryon till the little property they own has passed into the hands of his majesty's gluttons." "you speak as if there was some hope the men of the carolinas would resist this outrage," sidney cried excitedly. "aye, lad, and so they will. hamilton, the scotchman, is in arms and enlisting under his flag those who love the colony better than they do the king. have you youngsters paid the tax which is levied on all who have lived sixteen years or more?" "it is not likely that i shall be able to do so," i hastened to make answer. "my father cannot give me the money, and the little i had hoarded up from the sale of my furs, went toward paying the last levy made against our poor home." "it looks much as though both clare and i might soon join masters husband and hunter at hillsborough, for i have heard it said that but a short time will be allowed us of the carolinas in which to gather the money to pay the tax, so eager is governor tryon to build his palace," and as he spoke sidney tried in vain to appear unconcerned, but i, who knew that which was in his mind, had good proof that he was in deadly fear of the arrest concerning which he spoke so glibly. "aye, lads, the time will be made short indeed. i hear that lawyer fanning is issuing warrants for those who are not down on the governor's books as having paid the unjust assessment. you are like to be deprived of liberty soon, unless----" "unless what?" sidney asked eagerly as master peyster hesitated. "perhaps it is wrong for me to speak further without knowing of what minds are your parents." "that can be easily learned; our fathers have not the money with which to pay their own tax, after giving up all they owned to aid in satisfying the thirst for gold with which the king's officers in this colony are afflicted," sidney said with a laugh which had in it nothing of mirth. "then how will you answer the collectors?" old jacob asked, eying us sharply. "if it so be i can find a hiding-place, there will be no answer given," i made haste to reply. "sidney and i were discussing the matter even as we met you." "by joining the force which ninian hamilton is gathering you may be free from the sheriffs for a time; but it is possible that by so doing you will be charged with treason." "do you count on serving with him, master peyster?" sidney asked, and the old man replied quickly, "i have already set down my name as one who will serve the colonies to the best of my poor powers, for i am of the regulation, as are your fathers. i am but now summoning all of the association to the rescue of those who are so unjustly imprisoned--those who were taken because they put faith in tryon's sworn word." "where may master hamilton's force be found?" i asked eagerly, for now my mind was made up to join those who would measure strength against the king. my plight could not well be worse in case i should be charged with treason, for of a verity the inability to raise such an amount of money as the hungry officeholders demanded was, in the carolinas, a greater crime than that of conspiring against the king himself. "the rendezvous is near chapel hill, where the highway crosses the new hope river. you will not be welcomed, however, unless you go armed, for the association can provide neither weapons nor money." having said this much old jacob spurred his horse on, as if afraid of saying anything which might influence us in our decision; but he need not have been so particular, because even before he ceased speaking both sidney and i were resolved. the dear lad turned to me with a question in his eyes when master peyster rode away, and i answered it by saying: "there is naught else left for us to do. from what the old man said we know that the sheriff's officers will soon be at our heels, and anything is better than rotting in hillsborough jail." "then we have only to turn back for our weapons, and the treason is complete," he said with a laugh, wheeling his horse around as he spoke. i could see nothing of mirthfulness in the act we were about to commit, although i was none the less determined to join master hamilton's forces. this hurried visit to our homes would be the last, perhaps, forever, and even under the most favorable circumstances, hiding as we should be from the sheriff's officers, neither sidney nor i would be able to visit our loved ones, save by stealth, until many months had passed. i say again, it was a desperate act for two lads hardly more than sixteen years of age, and yet there appeared to be no alternative. we rode to our homes swiftly, and without indulging in conversation; each of us had so much food for thought that he could not speak of ordinary matters. the hubbard plantation was no more than two miles from my home, and it came first on our road. i remained outside, not dismounting, while sidney entered, and when perhaps half an hour had passed he joined me, turning his head ever so little lest i should see traces of tears on his cheeks. he had with him his rifle, a brace of pistols which had been his father's, a new hunting knife, and a package which i fancied was made up of provisions. "did your father make any protest?" i asked while he was mounting. "he set off for the rendezvous an hour ago," sidney replied, doing his best to suppress a sob. "mother believed it was best for me to join him rather than go to hillsborough jail, and did what she might to hasten my departure." when he was mounted we rode on to my home, and he remained outside while i broke the news to my mother. she, dear soul, was not surprised. old jacob had stopped there to summon father, who was one of the regulators, and almost before i could speak she clasped me to her bosom, saying gently and lovingly: "yes, you must go, my boy, and my share of the heavy burden which the lord has laid upon the colony will be to remain here alone, trembling at every sound lest it betokens the coming of some one who brings tidings that my son or my husband has been killed. if perchance such a blow is dealt me, i shall know that you died like brave men in the performance of duty--for it is your duty to aid the oppressed. do not delay, gather up such articles as will be needed, and then kiss me farewell; i cannot linger on the parting." in less than half an hour i joined sidney, giving no heed as to whether he could see the tears in my eyes, and during a full hour we rode at a gentle pace towards the rendezvous without speaking. in that time it seemed to me that i had passed the age of boyhood and was become a man, for of a verity i had set my face towards a man's work whether i might accomplish it or no. then we both struggled to throw off the grief which enveloped us until the day was like unto the night, and spoke of what might be done if all who had joined the regulation came forward in response to duty, little dreaming of that dreadful day when so many of our friends and neighbors would lie stark and cold upon the field of battle. it was but natural that we should speak of the possible glory to be won, and not to be wondered at that each of us believed he could perform all which might be required. we had yet to learn how great was the task set the men of the carolinas before the yoke of the oppressors was finally thrown off. from our homes to new hope river was but little more than twelve miles, and when we judged that half the distance had been traversed we drew rein to give the horses a breathing spell, for they had traveled ten miles or more before we came upon old jacob. we drew from our store of provisions sufficient for the noonday meal, picketed the horses where they might feast on the rich grass, and gave ourselves up to a brief time of repose. the meal had no more than been eaten, however, when hoof-beats in the distance told that a horseman was approaching, and i seized my rifle, for the sorrows which had been mine during the day made me apprehensive of danger from every point. "don't be foolish," sidney said sharply. "it will be said that we are afraid of our own shadows, if some friend finds us ready for an attack. there are others beside ourselves who will ride to new hope river this day, and he who comes is most likely one of master hamilton's party." "if so he is headed in the wrong direction," i replied; but i drew back from my weapon nevertheless, and an instant later regretted having done so when sandy wells, one of the sheriff's officers, rode up beside us. "we are well met, young sirs," he said in a mocking tone as he drew from his pocket two folded papers. "i was but this moment counting the miles 'twixt me and your homes, for if i mistake not you are clare butler," he said looking at me, and, turning toward my comrade, added, "you are sidney hubbard." it was useless to deny the fact, since sandy knew our faces full well, and i asked, steadying my voice till it sounded reasonably firm: "what have we two lads to do with so gallant an officer as you, sir?" "nothing whatsoever, if it so be you have paid the poll tax which his worshipful excellency has levied on all males, white or black, between the ages of sixteen and sixty." "you must know we have not paid that extortion to provide the governor with a palace, for it is hardly more than six weeks since a levy was made of two shillings to the acre of all tilled lands, and we, who owned not a single rod, were forced to help our fathers pay that," i said stoutly, noting the fact that sidney was drawing his rifle toward him. "then must i serve these warrants to the end that i may legally take you to hillsborough until such time as you shall pay the just and lawful demands of his worshipful excellency, governor tryon." "and how may we come by the money while we are shut up in jail?" i asked, beginning to have an inkling of what sidney would do. "that is not for me to say, my pert gentleman. if you cannot pay the tax, here is my authority for taking you to hillsborough," and the conceited rascal proceeded to read in a loud voice the documents he had drawn from his pocket. i could understand but little of their purport, so filled were they with attorney's words and phrases, nor did i cudgel my brains overmuch, because of what i could see out of the tail of my eye. sidney had his rifle in hand, and the expression on his face told me that he had no intention of going to hillsborough as sandy wells' prisoner. footnote: [ ] benson j. lossing, "field book of the revolution." chapter ii. a treasonable act. so great was my excitement, knowing sidney meditated an attack upon the king's officer, which could be called neither more nor less than rank treason and would put us beyond the pale of ordinary offenders, that i could not understand one word sandy wells was reading. his voice came to me like the droning of bees in the summer, and it sounded far off. i could neither hear nor think; but all my faculties were centered in my eyes as i watched sidney's stealthy movements. without really having the power of connected thought, i realized that to resist the sheriff's officer was an offense which governor tryon would never pardon, particularly since that officer was engaged in the effort to collect taxes. from the moment we made forcible resistance we would be the same as outlawed, and shut off from the possibility of returning again to our homes until the king's rule had been set aside in the carolinas. desperate indeed would be our position once an overt act against the recognized authority of the colony had been committed, and yet i would not have checked sidney by so much as a hair's breadth had it been possible. sandy wells continued to read as if delighting in the sound of his own voice, and my comrade made his preparations leisurely, being slightly in the rear of the sheriff's officer where he could not well be seen, while the latter's eyes were fixed upon the paper. when sidney cautiously drew himself up to his feet by aid of an overhanging bough, clutching his rifle firmly, i knew the struggle was about to begin, and during an instant there was a film before my eyes, red like blood. then everything came plain within my line of vision; the tremor of fear passed away, and i was on the alert to second anything sidney should attempt, even though our lives might be the forfeit. sandy wells had nearly come to an end of the warrants which had been filled out that two lads who could not pay the sum of three dollars might be thrust into jail, when sidney, his rifle leveled at the officer's head, said sharply and sternly: "do not so much as move, master wells, else i will send a bullet into your brain. be careful not to take your hands from that piece of stamped paper, or i shall believe that you mean mischief!" sandy looked around quickly; only his eyes moved, for he must have understood that my comrade meant every word which had been spoken, and he saw sidney standing with his rifle aimed and resting on the branch of the tree. at such short range there could be no mistake as to the course of the bullet, and, realizing this, the officer's face grew white with fear, for of a verity he was standing very near to death at that moment. "would you resist me in the performance of my sworn duty?" he asked, his voice trembling and his teeth literally chattering with fear. "that is what i count on doing. neither clare nor i will be taken to hillsborough jail simply because we cannot pay the poll tax." "do you know that this is treason, now the warrants have been read?" "i can well fancy that lawyer fanning will twist it in that way." "not only is it treason against the king, but you are laying yourself open to the penalties made and provided for resisting an officer of the colony." "you cannot serve tryon and the colony at the same time, master wells, and that you know right well. does it so chance that you have any weapons about you?" "i am armed, as you may well see." "i am more concerned to know if you have other weapons which cannot be seen. keep your hands on that paper, master wells, while clare lays violent hands upon your sacred person in order to learn to what extent you are fitted out for taking into custody two lads whose only crime is their lack of money." "you might have been forgiven the tax; but that which you are about to do will bring you close to the gallows," sandy cried in impotent rage. "even while standing there we shall be no nearer death than you are at this instant if it so be you so much as raise a finger. clare, take away his rifle, and search him for other weapons." i lost no time in doing his bidding, for now was sidney hubbard the leader and commander. sandy, the livid hue of fear yet on his cheek, offered no resistance as i made thorough search, bringing to light two pistols and a long knife which would have served at a pinch as sword, and sidney cried derisively as i laid the weapons at his feet: "you were bravely armed, master wells, for the arrest of two boys who are worth in the eyes of governor tryon's law but one dollar and a half per head, and in fact, not the value of a penny." "i shall live to see you hanged!" sandy snarled. "in which case, as i figure it, you will live to a green old age, and it may be, suffer not a few discomforts before you die." "now that you two villains have robbed me, i suppose i may go my way," master wells cried as sidney lowered his rifle. "not unless your way is the same as ours, for i am not minded to set you loose until after learning what captain hamilton has to say on the subject." "what?" sandy cried in mingled rage and surprise. "would you also take me prisoner?" "it is no more than you would have done by us, and surely turn about is fair play." now it was that i lost courage. the crime of resisting one of the sheriff's officers was as great as i felt willing to commit; but to actually take him prisoner seemed the height of folly. sidney seemed to read my thoughts in my eyes, for he said quietly, thus showing himself to be the brave soldier he afterward proved: "we can make matters no worse by taking him to master hamilton, and it seems to me wise that we get that gentleman's opinion before setting this worthy officer loose to spread the tiding of our misdeeds. fanning and tryon can never overlook the fact that we have refused to pay the tax; but i'm thinking it won't trouble them greatly if master wells suffers a little discomfort." sandy began to bluster, threatening us with the direst vengeance of his master and himself; but sidney soon cut the flow of words short by saying sternly: "you will mount your horse, master wells, and also do well to remember that a silent tongue oftentimes stands a man as friend." our prisoner ceased his threats, probably understanding that sidney's temper was none of the best once it had been aroused, and clambered into the saddle obediently, my comrade holding his rifle ready for immediate use in case the fellow made any attempt at leaving us. once sandy had mounted, sidney fastened his legs beneath the animal's belly, as a precaution against escape, and, bringing up his own steed, seated himself in the saddle as he slipped the bridle of the prisoner's horse over his arm. if it had been possible to do so without being overheard by master wells, i would have tried to dissuade my comrade from this last portion of the business, for it seemed to me that by carrying him to the rendezvous we were but bringing additional trouble upon our own heads without due justification. i was unwilling, however, to let sandy suspect that there was any difference of opinion between us, therefore held my tongue, meekly climbing into the saddle when sidney showed himself impatient to continue the journey. the one fear in my mind as we set out, sidney leading the way with our prisoner and i bringing up the rear, was that master hamilton and his associates would reprove us severely for having brought the officer to the rendezvous, for it seemed certain that sandy would hamper the regulators to considerable extent. however, the deed was done, and i question whether i could have changed the situation in the slightest, however good an argument i might have brought to bear. therefore it was that i resolved to give sidney the leadership, obeying his orders scrupulously, and standing by him as a comrade should in case our actions were condemned by the regulation. sandy wells evidently had no desire for conversation, and we two lads could not speak one with another save he heard every word, therefore the three of us rode forward in silence, keeping a sharp lookout both ahead and behind lest we might inadvertently come upon one of the officer's friends. there is little need for me to set down all the thoughts and fears which came into my mind as we rode forward, for there is more of importance than my timorousness to be written before i shall come to an end of the sufferings endured by the people of the carolinas in that struggle which, god be praised, finally resulted in the freedom of this fair country. it is enough if i pass over the remainder of our journey in silence, and describe our reception when we were in the midst of the men of carolina who, having chosen master hamilton as their leader, were in the act of what governor tryon was pleased to term "open rebellion." the people were gathered in a thick bit of woods near-by the highway, and we were forced to give an account of ourselves to the sentinels before being allowed to ride into the midst of the large assembly, which was little less than a veritable army. the first person we saw was my father, and toward him sidney rode, telling our story in few words, after which he asked: "does it please you that master wells be kept a prisoner, sir?" "i am at a loss to give you an answer, lad," my father replied in evident perplexity. "it has only been decided that we would release those who are confined in hillsborough jail, and i cannot guess how the gentleman will view your bold act. give him into my charge, and we will soon have the case before the regulation." he laid hold of sandy's bridle, leading the horse further into the woods, while we lads were forced to remain where we had halted, because of the crowd which suddenly gathered to learn how we had chanced to come in company with a sheriff's officer. once our story was told it could plainly be seen that we had won the good opinion of those who listened, for without exception each man bestowed praise upon us, until my cheeks were flushed a deep red from hearing myself spoken of as a brave lad who would one day do his full share toward freeing the carolinas from the money-gluttons who were impoverishing the people. well, we were made much of, and all with whom we spoke agreed that we should be allowed to become members of the regulation, as if we were indeed men grown; but i observed with sorrow that every one treated it as a matter of course that we could not return to our homes until great changes had taken place in the colony. the idea that years might elapse before i could see my mother again had in it sufficient to prevent me from being puffed up with pride because of what was said concerning me, and when the gentlemen were come to an end of questioning us i unsaddled my horse, taking up quarters at the foot of a huge gum tree. in this army which had gathered responsive to the call of master hamilton, there were no tents or camp equipage of any kind. each man brought everything he might need, including provisions, and the place where the regulators encamped had more the appearance of being used for religious or social purposes, than as a military rendezvous. here and there, wherever it best pleased them, were the recruits which had been so hastily brought together. horses were picketed where the best feeding places could be found, and their owners lay under the shade of the trees, walked as fancy dictated, or gathered in little squads, having no care save to keep within the lines marked out as the bounds of the encampment. twenty or more sentinels paced to and fro, rather for the purpose of marking the limits of the camp than because any attack was to be apprehended, and these were not so strict in their duty as to prevent those from straying outside the lines who felt the inclination to do so. sidney found a friend with whom he went away hoping to gain speech with our general, master hamilton, and i remained alone a good hour or more, when my father came up in search of me. "the prisoner will be held until after we have marched to hillsborough," he said by way of explaining what had been decided upon, and added with a sigh: "it is to be regretted that your evil fortune brought you in sandy wells' path, my son." "it was he who crossed our path, sir," i said, trying to speak in a cheery tone, although my heart was like lead in my bosom. "it recks little which way it was. what affects us is, that you and sidney will be forced to remain in hiding, no one knows how long--certainly until some arrangement can be made to obtain pardon for what has been done." "i thought the regulators had assembled for the purpose of taking into their own hands the government of the colony, in which case there can be no question but that our sins against the person of sandy wells will be forgiven." "it is not probable that the regulation will be able to effect any very radical change in the condition of affairs. we shall march to hillsborough to demand the release of the prisoners, and if they are given liberty, there is no longer any pressing need for us to remain under arms." "might the regulators not also demand that we be pardoned?" i asked, growing cold with fear. "i question if the gentlemen would be willing, after this display of force in order to demand justice, to ask that an offender against the laws of the colony be forgiven." "then what is to become of us?" i cried in fear. "surely these gentlemen will not deliver us up to the king's officers!" "certainly not; your deliverance must come about without the aid of the regulation, however. if it becomes necessary for you to remain in hiding, go with all speed to your uncle's home in virginia, on the bank of the dan river, and there remain until word comes from me that you may safely return." there was no longer an opportunity for him to give me the advice which i needed. word was passed from one to another that the order had been given to begin the march toward hillsborough, and in a few moments all was bustle and confusion as each member of the party made his preparations for the journey. half an hour later the regulators were in line, awaiting the final word, and a goodly array they presented. there were upwards of four hundred horsemen, all fully armed, and at their head master hamilton, a patriarch of seventy years. the word was given, and we set off at a gentle pace, sidney and i riding side by side, and a short distance in advance of us, sandy wells, guarded by two men. the rebellion against the king's authority was begun, and from that day we might be counted by those in office as traitors to his majesty; but it could never be said that there was any treachery in our hearts against the colony of the carolinas which we were ever ready to defend with our heart's blood. the march had been begun near nightfall in order that we might arrive at hillsborough early in the morning, and since the distance was but twenty miles, we were put to it to keep the animals back, instead of trying to urge them forward. some of the men fell asleep in their saddles; but neither sidney nor i had any desire for slumber because of the disquiet in our hearts. with the exception of master hamilton, who would likely be charged with having stirred up the people to sedition, we were in a worse plight than the others, and whichever way the matter turned, it was probable we must hide ourselves in virginia for a time. with the rising of the sun our party halted on the bank of the eno, opposite hillsborough, and there discovered that the king's officers had received news of our coming, being greatly disturbed thereat. twenty or more men were standing near the edge of the river on the hillsborough side, and foremost among them was attorney fanning, he who was equally guilty with governor tryon in burdening us with taxes which were beyond our power to pay. to have seen him then, when he was in fear of his life, one would have said that the regulators of the carolinas had no warmer friend than he. when we were drawn up in line, waiting for the word to ford the river, fanning shouted, holding up a bottle of rum in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other: "we have been waiting for you, my brave hamilton, knowing that you will not willingly do that which will cause blood to flow. let's you and i have a glass together, and decide this troublesome business without such a warlike parade." "you may keep your liquor for those who do not know you as well as do i," master hamilton cried scornfully, and our people set up a shout of satisfaction. master fanning waved his hands as if asking for silence, and after a time, when those on our side of the river were inclined to hear what kind of a proposition tryon's tool had to make, he called out as if addressing his best friend: "send a horse over that i may cross, my worthy master hamilton. i fain would give your people some refreshments," and here he held up the bottles again, "in addition to having a friendly chat with you." some of our men would have made a contemptuous reply, but the others motioned for silence in order that master hamilton might act as spokesman, which was his right. "i'll send no horse," our brave leader cried. "you're none too good to wade, and wade you shall if you come over!" i supposed attorney fanning would go back to his home in anger after receiving such a reply, and said as much to sidney; but no sooner had i spoken than the lawyer waded into the stream, and over he came, holding out his bottles as if believing that master hamilton would be rejoiced at having an opportunity of drinking with him. our leader waved him away in short order, and then the scheming rascal went from man to man of the front rank, asking each to have a glass of liquor in token of friendship; but none would accept, and more than one gave him such insults as a truckling knave like himself deserved. before he had come to an end of the line, and when it must have been made plain that not one of the regulators cared to bestow the commonest civility upon him, he espied sandy wells. "what, have you resigned your office?" the attorney asked sharply, and our prisoner replied whiningly: "i'm held here by force, good master fanning, having been taken prisoner by two lads." our people burst into laughter at this mournful reply, and hoping, most likely, to curry favor with the regulators, the lawyer said with a grin: "if two lads took you prisoner, i'd advise you to hold your tongue about it. not many hours since you declared yourself to be a match for any three men in the carolinas, providing you were not come upon in ambush." "i was taken by surprise, even while reading the warrants for their arrest, and it's by no means to my shame, since i never dreamed they would be bold enough to make an attack upon the representative of our worthy sheriff." "you'd best give over reading warrants, sandy," some person shouted, and fanning laughed at the gibe as he continued on along the line of horsemen, trying in vain to find one who would drink with him. i must set down here, at risk of interfering somewhat with the thread of the story, two verses which were afterward written about this effort of the attorney's to curry favor with those who had come in the name of justice to rescue innocent men from prison: "at length their head man they sent out to save their town from fire; to see ned fanning wade eno, brave boys, you'll all admire. "with hat in hand, at our command, to salute us every one, sir, and after that, kept off his hat, to salute old hamilton, sir." i must admit that the poetry is not what might be called exceedingly fine; but it was made next night in camp by one of our regulators, and because of such fact i think it well to set it down in this story. well, bow and cringe as he might, our people would not listen to fanning, and master hamilton told him sharply to get to the rear lest he be trampled under the feet of the horses. "we'll have neither you nor your liquor," he cried angrily, "and unless you get out of sight i'll not be answerable for the temper of these good friends who have come in search of masters husband and hunter." chapter iii. promises. "the sooner we march into hillsborough and make an attack on the jail, the better for the cause," sidney hubbard whispered to me when fanning had come to understand that not one in all our company was willing to hob-nob with him. "to sit idly here is much like admitting we are afraid to do that which we have threatened, or as if we doubted the righteousness of our mission." it was not for one like me, who knew nothing whatsoever of warfare, to criticize what master hamilton might see fit to do, and yet i held much the same opinion as did sidney. it would have been more to my liking had we crossed the river at full speed, surrounded the jail, and forced the keepers to deliver up the keys without parley. i would have had the matter settled in one way or another, within ten minutes, and surely there would be no more treason in the act if done quickly, than if we dawdled around half a day listening to the vaporings of those who claimed to be loyal servants of the king. we were yet drawn up in line, gazing at the town as if trying to decide whether we would go forward or back, when master david edwards, governor tryon's secretary, rode up opposite us, halted an instant to view the scene properly, and then began fording the stream. "whether yonder royalist will try to frighten or cajole us, he is setting about the business in proper fashion," sidney whispered approvingly. "he can't be accused of wasting time." "hush!" i said, laying my hand on his to still him. "i would hear his speech with master hamilton, for if i mistake not he will settle the matter in short order, one way or another." the secretary had by this time crossed the river and was spurring his horse toward where master hamilton was posted, and as sidney and i watched he saluted our commander courteously, not in lick-spittle fashion as had fanning. "why this war-like array, sir?" he asked, and master hamilton replied: "we have come for our friends who were made prisoners even while depending upon the governor's assurance that he wished simply to hold a parley. it was a breach of faith not seemly in one who represents his majesty, and we will never brook such high-handed proceedings." "in that you are to be commended, sir," the secretary replied, speaking fair and softly; "but i warrant you have not fully considered what may be the result of such show of force. your friends have been taken into custody in what appeared to his excellency like a lawful manner, and it is meet they should be released with due form, else may you plunge this fair colony into all the horrors of civil war. for the sake of the people, master hamilton, i beg of you to withdraw, at least until his majesty's judges have time to deliberate upon the matter." "we are here, and can work our will, therefore it would be little less than folly to abandon the advantage." "you need not do so. i pledge my word as a gentleman that all the grievances of the people shall be redressed, if you allow this unhappy business to be settled in lawful fashion. retire, and the matter will speedily be arranged as you desire. by so doing you may avoid bloodshed and the charges of treason." "and we have your sacred word, master edwards, that all this shall be done without loss of time?" one of the party who sat near our commander asked. "aye, sir," the secretary cried, raising his voice that all might hear, "the affair shall be inquired into as soon as may be." "there are other matters that need attention, sir," master hamilton said stoutly. "money has been extorted by edward fanning, from very many here, and without color of lawfulness." "master fanning shall answer to the judges of this colony, and, if found guilty of illegal proceedings, will be punished as should be the lowest of our citizens," master edwards cried, holding up his right hand as if taking a solemn oath. "and will you also pledge yourself that whatsoever has been done by those who belong to the regulation, in the effort to gain redress, remains in abeyance until the first question has been settled?" our commander asked, and the secretary replied in the affirmative. "here is one of your tax-collectors who, while attempting to arrest two lads, was himself made prisoner," and master hamilton pointed toward sandy wells. "such resistance might be given the name of treason, if you were inclined to play us false." "the act shall pass as if it had never been committed, provided that you release your prisoner. go to your homes, and at the earliest possible moment governor tryon will take the necessary steps to have all this unhappy business disposed of to your satisfaction." master hamilton wheeled his horse around, and, addressing our party, cried: "you hear, gentlemen all, what the representative of the governor has promised in the name of his master. are you agreed to do as he proposes to the end that bloodshed may be averted?" "we are agreed," our people cried as if with one voice, and an instant later sandy wells was allowed to ride out from among the party, when he forded the river hurriedly as if fearing some one might try to hold him back. "we yet have his weapons as spoils of war," sidney said gleefully to me, "and i warrant you he will not venture near alamance for many days to come." "think you we shall go free after having raised our hands against him?" i asked, hardly able to believe that such good fortune might be ours. "we have the secretary's solemn word for it," sidney replied, and he had no more than spoken when the command was given for our people to wheel about in the direction of maddock's mill. the return was made at a rapid pace, and when we were arrived at this place a general halt was called, the assembly being told that the regulation would be in session at george sally's house next day "to consult upon the public good." sidney and i thought just then more about our own bodies than the burning questions of the hour, and after taking care of our horses we camped in a grove near the mill, with nothing save the bushes to shelter us from dew and sun. we slept nearly eighteen hours, which atoned for the repose that was lost during the march to hillsborough, and then, on the morning after our appearance before hillsborough, were ready to discuss the condition of the "rebellion." that we were included in the truce was a matter of rejoicing, for it had seemed certain we would become fugitives, hiding on the dan river; but both of us decided that it would not be well to venture within reach of sandy wells, unless we were so well armed as to be able to care for ourselves. as a matter of course we two lads went to george sally's with the regulators, but neither of us ventured to take any part in the proceedings, although much was done of which we did not approve. in the first place the regulation prepared a petition to be presented to governor tryon, begging that messrs. husband and hunter be speedily released in accordance with the promise made by master edwards; that the taxes of those who, by reason of their poverty, could not raise the required amount of money, be abated; and that master fanning and other court officers be restrained from oppressing the people by exorbitant fees whenever a legal document was required or served. as i chanced to know full well, neither my father nor master hamilton approved such a course as pleading with the governor after showing his minions that the regulation was sufficiently strong to make demands; but the majority of the gentlemen were in favor of proving that the regulators were not disposed to transgress the laws, and the petition was written out by malichi tyke, who had once served as clerk of courts. sidney and i were both very much dissatisfied with the turn of affairs, although we took good care not to give words to our discontent in the hearing of the gentlemen who formed the regulation. in our opinion we should have encamped near about hillsborough until all which master edwards promised had been performed, for governor tryon could better be moved by a show of force than an humble petition. however, as sidney wisely said, it was no real concern of ours, since the elders of the association would contrive to manage affairs after their own fashion, without giving overly much heed to boys or hot-heads, and if we wished to be numbered among the regulators it stood us in hand to obey the voice of the majority without grumbling. it was also decided at this meeting in george sally's barn, that masters rednap howell and james hunter be appointed deputies of the regulation to present the petition to governor tryon, and that they set out at once for brunswick, where his excellency then was. now the upper carolina was not in as peaceful a state as could have been desired. some of the more wealthy inhabitants favored the representatives of the king, and upheld them in all their iniquitous proceedings; calling themselves royalists, and us of the regulation rebels. they oftentimes, when a fair opportunity presented itself, took the right to discipline the people who grumbled against the money-gluttons. it was not impossible that some of these aristocrats might meet our deputies, and, being the stronger in numbers, attempt to prevent them from appearing before tryon, therefore to put a check upon such a possibility it was decided that at least two others should accompany masters howell and hunter. it was my father who proposed that sidney and i be chosen as the escort, giving as a reason why we two lads should be selected, that it was possible, despite the promise of master edwards, sandy wells might try to make trouble for us because of our taking him prisoner. it was better, so he urged, that we be kept out of sight until the regulation had accomplished its work, and by accompanying the deputies to brunswick, sandy would not readily find us. master howell himself seconded the proposition, kindly stating that he desired no abler escort than our two selves, and thus was the matter settled, much to my satisfaction, even though there was more than the shadow of a suspicion in my mind as to the reception with which we might meet. the regulation also decided that we four should set out as soon as master malichi tyke had made a fair copy of the petition, and he was so expeditious with the work that everything was in readiness for our departure on the following morning. we had before us a ride of about two hundred miles, and to sidney and me, who had never before traveled an eighth part of that distance from home, the journey offered much in the way of novelty. there were no preparations to be made save saddling our horses: we would sleep wheresoever night overtook us, and procure food at such dwellings as we came across, or, failing in this, depend upon finding game enough to satisfy our wants. "remember that masters howell and hunter are to be obeyed strictly by you, lads," my father said to us as we were saddling the steeds, "and do not put me to shame by behaving other than as gentlemen." as a matter of course we promised faithfully to heed his words, and with high anticipations set off, riding immediately behind those whom we were supposed to guard. during this first day, when we were yet within our own home neighborhood, the ride was without especial incident, save that at nightfall, when we were encamped in a lean-to which sidney and i had put up while the gentlemen were cooking a couple of hares i had killed late in the afternoon, master howell amused himself with writing the verses i shall set down below, and which i afterward saw in a pamphlet entitled "a fan for fanning," that had been printed in boston in : "when fanning first to orange came, he looked both pale and wan; an old patched coat upon his back-- an old mare he rode on. "both man and mare wa'n't worth five pounds, as i've been often told, but by his civil robberies he's laced his coat with gold." when these lines had been read to us master hunter declared that it was no more than right master howell should touch up thomas frohock, who, as clerk of the superior court in salisbury, had done quite as much as fanning to extort money from the people, and then it was that our deputy wrote these verses, which were afterward published in the same pamphlet of which i have spoken: "says fanning to frohock, to tell the plain truth, when i came to this country i was but a youth; me father sent for me; i wa'n't worth a cross, and then my first study was to steal for a horse. i quickly got credit, and then ran away, and haven't paid for him to this very day. "says fanning to frohock, 'tis a folly to lie; i rode an old mare that was blind of an eye; five shillings in money i had in my purse, my coat it was patched, but not much the worse: but now we've got rich, and 'tis very well known that we'll do very well if they'll let us alone." master howell laughingly said that as poetry the verses were of little account; but the sentiment could not be bettered, according to my ideas, and before we went to sleep that night i could repeat the lines without missing a word. we set out on our journey next morning shortly after sunrise, and, just before noon, when we were looking for a place in which to camp, two men, attended by a negro slave, undertook to make us explain our business. the whites had halted in the middle of the road, with the black immediately behind them, and when we advanced made a great showing of pistols. "halt, gentlemen, and make us acquainted with your destination and your purpose in traveling this way!" one of them cried peremptorily, and in a twinkling sidney and i, who were slightly in the rear of the deputies, had our rifles ready for use. "why shall we make explanations to you or any other in the carolinas?" master hunter cried angrily. "fair and softly, good sir," the spokesman said, looking well to the priming of his weapon. "we are told that there are in the carolinas those who speak against his majesty the king, and with such as they we would have a few words." "except we are so minded, you will have no words with us," master howell said sharply, and i observed that he was fingering his revolver as if itching to draw it from the holster. "you will at least explain from what part of the colony you have lately come," the stranger said, this time speaking in a more gentle tone. "i am willing to give you so much information as that; but no more, for i deny that any person, save the king's representatives, have the right to question me. we are lately from hillsborough." the two strangers exchanged glances, and he who had first spoken said quietly: "i have heard that the good people near there talk of banding together to resist the king's officers in their duty of collecting lawful taxes." "it can now be seen how much the governor's secretary meant when he gave us such fair promises," sidney whispered. "edwards himself has sent these fellows in advance to prevent us from going to brunswick." there was much the same thought in my own mind; but i made no answer just then, for the very good reason that master hunter was replying to what was little less than a question. "our people have banded together; but it is for the purpose of declaring ourselves against _unlawful_ taxation." "and you are one of the so-called regulators, i may suppose?" the stranger said with a sneer. sidney and i moved nearer until we were almost side by side with our deputies, for now did it seem certain that we were fallen upon those who would make trouble. "we have not come out either for the purpose of discussing politics with strangers, or indulging in a brawl," master hunter said stoutly, drawing his pistols deliberately. "it is our purpose to ride forward without too great delay, and if you oppose us the blood which is shed will be upon your heads." "might it not interest you to know who we are?" the stranger asked menacingly. "not a whit; _we_ are peaceful travelers who pursue our journey without molesting any man who does not seek a brawl. we shall go forward at whatever cost." now it was that i believed a fight would be begun in a twinkling, and my rifle was raised, ready to do my share, when we heard the trampling of horses' hoofs in the distance. "there is some treachery afoot," master howell said in a low tone. "these fellows have kept us in conversation until the remainder of the party can come up. it would be useless to oppose an overwhelming force." "true," master hunter added, and then, as if seized by a sudden thought, he added in a low tone to me, who sat nearest him, "you two lads may perchance escape and carry to our companions of the association the information of our trouble. back your horses off till you are partially screened by the trees, and then ride at full speed." "there are four of us, and each one ready to give a good account of himself," sidney said, much as if he was eager to take part in a fray where blood must inevitably be spilled. "do not stop to argue, lad. it is necessary the regulation know that our passage is barred by some treachery of edwards and fanning, and you must carry the news." i remembered what my father had said, and pulled my horse back, step by step, until he was amid the bushes that bordered the road on either side. the strangers gave but little heed to my maneuvers, probably because they believed that a lad like me was of but little importance as compared with the deputies--i had no doubt but that they were acquainted with the purpose of masters howell and hunter--and, therefore, i was soon partially screened from view. sidney delayed until a party of horsemen numbering four or five came into view, and then he wheeled around suddenly, riding at full speed past me as a couple of pistol balls whistled by his head. i joined him, as may be supposed, and we rode at a sharp pace for a mile or more, when we pulled up as if by common consent. no chase had been given, and thus was i all the more strongly convinced that these highwaymen knew full well who were acting as deputies of the regulation. we two lads looked at each other in silence as our horses came to a standstill, and not until perhaps a minute had passed did we speak. "the regulators did well to listen to such knaves as edwards and fanning!" sidney said angrily. "we should have released the prisoners when it was in our power. now the poor men will remain in jail until the brute tryon gets tired of holding them." "it is childish to cry over spilled milk!" i replied, angry because my comrade was inclined to give way to repinings when they could be of no avail. "it is our duty to get speech with master hamilton without delay." "yes," sidney cried scornfully, "and while we are riding toward maddock's mill, where i question if any of the regulators can be found, those scoundrels will carry our companions to some jail in which they may die before we learn of their whereabouts." "we can only do as master hunter commanded," i replied meekly, realizing the truth of all sidney had said. "i don't count on anything of the kind; but intend to turn back." "to what purpose?" i cried, now thoroughly alarmed, for i knew my comrade well enough to understand that he did not make such assertions without fully intending to carry out whatever plan might be in his head. "it stands to reason that those fellows who have taken the deputies prisoners came from near about hillsborough, in which case they will camp somewhere on the road to-night. it is not probable they count two lads as of any great importance, and will never suspect us of coming back once we get away." "well?" i asked, determined that he should unfold his scheme without assistance from me. "i shall turn back, follow those fellows if possible, and try to come upon them unawares to-night, when there should be a chance to aid our friends." "suppose you fail?" i asked, turning over in my mind the possibilities of his being able to accomplish anything of importance. "if i find that they are on the alert against a rescue, or if there are too many, it will yet be time to turn my horse's head toward maddock's mill." chapter iv. the rescue. when sidney had thus announced his purpose i asked myself what might be the chances of success, and after due reflection it appeared to me as if the possibilities were rather in his favor, because it did not seem probable the royalists would anticipate any attempt at a rescue. they must have overheard the command given us to ride back with all speed, and could hardly suppose two lads like ourselves would take the chances of making an attack, therefore we were likely to find them off their guard. yes, so i decided, the scheme might be worked if we proceed cautiously, and even in case we found it impossible to do anything, the delay would be trifling, provided sidney was willing to give over the effort if a rescue could not be brought about that same night, therefore i asked: "will you agree to set your horse's head toward maddock's mill by sunrise, in case you fail in the purpose during this night?" "yes, that much i promise, for i'm of the opinion that unless the work can be done before to-morrow morning there is no chance for us to carry it through without assistance." "then i shall do what i may toward aiding you." he clasped me by the hand, saying as he did so: "i knew full well you would not ride away and leave me to make the venture alone." "i am taking no part in it save as your assistant. you are the leader, and i shall simply obey orders, because i have no head for such work, while you are a born soldier." sidney laughed loud and long at my words, and said when it was possible for him to speak: "now you are talking nonsense. if we free masters howell and hunter from the governor's friends, it will simply be a case of good fortune, rather than anything deserved because of the intellect brought to bear on the matter. let us make camp here for a time; the horses need rest and food." "are you not afraid that our enemies will get too much the start on us?" "i am reckoning that we were near their camping-place when the two showed themselves. if they count on carrying our friends back to hillsborough to give them quarters with masters husband and william hunter, this road is the one they must take, and we shall see the party ride by. in case they have a comfortable halting place, i am counting that the return journey will not be begun until to-morrow morning." i understood from this remark that sidney had already settled all the details in his mind, and, therefore, since i refused to take any part in making his plans, there was nothing for me to do save patiently hold my tongue. we unsaddled the horses, led them into the forest where was a small clearing covered with rich grass, and made a hearty dinner for ourselves from the contents of our haversacks. when this was done we had nothing with which to occupy our attention, save the task of keeping watch over the highway to make certain the enemy did not pass without our knowledge. although i had so readily agreed to aid my comrade, i was far from feeling comfortable in mind regarding the outcome. i knew full well that even in event of success we must run many chances of losing our lives, for now that the royalists had begun to make prisoners of citizens of the carolinas without legal warrant, they would not hesitate to take the lives of two lads who might interfere with their plans. to risk our lives in a battle where glory might be won, was one thing; but to be killed like thieves in the night, when none of our friends would be able to say whether we died like heroes or cowards was quite another matter. do not let it be understood that i was regretting having agreed to the venture; on the contrary, i would have acted in the same manner had the question been put at that late moment, yet i weighed the possibilities once more, and found them less promising than when first considering the proposition. we did not indulge in conversation to any extent during that afternoon. now and then sidney spoke of the treachery displayed by master edwards, and the possible fate of the deputies in case we failed to rescue them; but for the greater portion of the time we remained silent, each giving way, perhaps, to gloomy forebodings. the sun was no more than an hour high when my comrade said as he rose to his feet and set off toward the clearing where the horses had been left: "i reckon the time has come for us to make a start. we'll ride to the place where the villains met us, and then you shall take to the woods with the horses, while i follow the trail on foot." "why should we not boldly ride down the road until we find ourselves somewhere near their camping-place?" i asked, even after having promised myself to take no part in the plan of rescue. "because i'm of the opinion that we shall find the villains within half a mile or less of where we were halted, and it would be a most serious mistake to let them see us." as he had proposed so we did, and i soon had good reason for congratulating myself that my advice was not taken. the hoof-prints of the horses told us plainly when we were come to the scene of the encounter, and then, leading both animals, i struck into the woods, advancing slowly because of the underbrush, while my comrade pushed rapidly ahead. the night had not yet come when sidney returned, and as i involuntarily came to a halt he whispered: "they are camped half a mile further on. there are six horses picketed near by, in addition to those ridden by the deputies, therefore i reckon that the odds are not heavily against us." "did you see our friends?" "yes; they are in a lean-to, tied, and guarded by the negro. we can take the horses within two hundred yards of the place, where is a good bit of grass which will keep them quiet; but it is well to wait here a couple of hours." once more we came to a halt, and while waiting until the time for action should come i asked sidney to tell me how he proposed to set about the rescue. "i shall find no fault with your plans, for you are the leader; but it is necessary i know fully your purpose, in order to play my part properly." "we'll leave our horses hobbled, so that we may unfasten them quickly. then, say in two hours, you and i are to creep around to where their animals are tethered. we must procure two, with saddles and bridles, and bring them to where ours are. not till then are we to give the deputies any idea of our having disobeyed orders. we should be able to get them away safely, and a start of five minutes will be enough. the rising of the moon is to be our signal for work." "what about the negro who is on guard?" "unless he is different from every other black i ever saw, he will be asleep. if not, or if one of the white men has taken his place, we must fall upon him in such a way that he can make no noise, after which a gag will do the rest." "where are the others?" "in a lean-to nearer the road, and a good fifty yards from where our friends are lying." the two hours which followed were the longest i have ever known, although since that time i have been engaged in many and more dangerous ventures. each second seemed like a minute, and i began to think that we had been mistaken in the belief that the moon rose at ten minutes past nine o'clock. the soughing of the wind through the trees sounded in my ears like a prophecy of evil, and the cry of a night-bird came to me like the shout of an enemy. had we been forced to remain there inactive an hour longer, i believe of a verity that the courage would have oozed out of my finger-ends entirely; but, fortunately, before i was overcome by timorousness the time for action had arrived. sidney led the way through the underbrush, gliding noiselessly along as if we were stalking a deer, and i copied his every movement. in order to get at the horses we were forced to make a detour through the forest to the rear of the place where the deputies were held prisoners, and this required a good half hour of most laborious work. once we were there, however, it became evident that the royalists counted on beginning a journey very shortly, for the animals were not only saddled, but bridled, and we understood that the remainder of our task must be performed quickly, or it might chance that our enemies took to the road before we could warn masters howell and hunter of the help which was near at hand. now we did not dare carry our plan to the extent of taking the animals over to where our steeds were hobbled; but fastened them by the bridles in the rear of the lean-to, and then crept cautiously forward. it was so dark in this place, owing to the foliage, that although the moon was half an inch high, we could not distinguish objects five paces distant, and sidney let the way by the sense of touch, rather than because of any aid from his eyes. when we were close at the rear of the lean-to i could hear the sound of heavy breathing; but nothing more, and sidney whispered in my ear: "i will make my way through the brush, and you are to wait here. if i should be captured, do your best to carry the information to maddock's mill. don't try to aid me." i made up my mind on the instant that i would do my full share in a fight before leaving the brave lad to his fate, and as the thought formed itself in my mind he disappeared through the branches which went to make up the shelter. i listened with painful intentness; but could hear no more than a faint rustling of the brush, and then a man crept slowly out into my arms. it was master howell, and when i would have conducted him to where the horses were tethered, he motioned for me to remain quiet. another moment of most painful suspense, during which my heart beat so loudly that it seemed certain our enemies would be aroused by the noise, and then master hunter appeared, followed closely by sidney. we four crept softly to where the two horses were standing, and my comrade explained to the deputies that we must keep within the thicket until having come to where our steeds had been left. "we had best turn in the other direction, keeping under cover until you ride by, when we can dash out," master howell said, and i was mystified by his words. "but we shall not ride past here," sidney replied in a cautious tone. "to do so would be going directly away from maddock's mill!" "our destination is brunswick," master howell said, as if that was sufficient explanation. "brunswick!" i repeated in astonishment. "surely you are not counting on trying to continue the journey after all that has happened?" "of a verity we are," master hunter said emphatically. "it is not in our minds to ride back with the story that we allowed ourselves to be frightened by six men after two lads have shown themselves so brave and so quick-witted. go for your horses, and, having mounted them, ride directly out on the main road, moving cautiously until arriving opposite where these scoundrels are encamped. then use your spurs; we will join you some distance on." "but think of the danger which you incur!" i pleaded, although it would have been more seemly for a lad like myself to keep a silent tongue and obey orders. "we count on presenting this petition to the governor if it be possible to arrive at brunswick," master howell said sharply, and then, by way of putting an end to the conversation, the gentlemen began leading the animals back past the lean-to from which we had so lately rescued them. there was nothing left for sidney and i but to perform the parts assigned us, although i am certain there was much the same thought in his mind that filled mine, which was that the latter portion of this venture would be needlessly dangerous and ill-advised. we did not speak one with another, however, until we had found our horses and made them ready for the journey, when sidney said solemnly: "if i had fancied the deputies would have continued on toward brunswick, of a verity we would be well toward maddock's mill by this time. even if we two get past the camp in safety, we're likely to fall into the hands of others who are ready and willing to deprive honest men of their liberty." but for the fact that the deputies awaited our coming as the signal for them to come out of the forest into the road, i would have urged my comrade to leave them then and there that we might save our own skins by joining the members of the regulation, wherever they might be by this time. then, feeling in our hearts that there was no good reason for exposing ourselves to this additional danger, we led the steeds down the road to a point, as nearly as sidney could determine, opposite the encampment of the enemies. we mounted in silence, and loosened our weapons that they might be ready to hand, after which sidney started with a rush. it can well be fancied that i clapped the spurs to my horse, for the hindermost in this race was likely to be the one who would suffer severely, and we clattered past the camp at the best possible speed. when a mile or more had been traversed we heard the hoof-beats of horses both before and behind, telling that the deputies had taken to the road, and also that the royalists were in full pursuit. masters howell and hunter must have checked the speed of their steeds somewhat in order to allow us to come up, after which all four settled down to such a race as i never rode before, for liberty, perhaps like itself, was the stake. not until our horses were so nearly blown that it became absolutely necessary, did we draw rein, and then it was no longer possible to hear the sounds of pursuit. "we have out-ridden them, that is all," master howell said in a quiet tone, as if he was not greatly interested in the final result. "we will give the nags time to breathe, and then push on again. for a time our traveling must be done by night." "if you count so surely that there are others on the road who will try to prevent us from gaining brunswick, why is it not reasonable to suppose governor tryon may play us false?" i asked timidly, for i feared the gentlemen might think me a coward, and yet was i determined they should discuss the possible dangers which awaited us at the journey's end. "i think it very likely he will treat us as rebels rather than deputies," master howell replied quietly. "and yet you make every effort to give him the opportunity?" i cried in dismay. "aye, lad. we accepted the mission, and having done so it became our bounden duty to perform it whatever might be the result. before the people of the carolinas can force the representatives of the king to treat us fairly and honestly, many a good gentleman must come to grief, and it is not for us to hold back." there was no reply to be made to such a remark as this, and i would have held my peace but that the gentlemen insisted on being told why we had worked to rescue them, instead of pushing on toward maddock's mill. "all the credit belongs to sidney," i replied, determined that my comrade should have the praise. he argued that we would be wasting but little time by trying to effect a rescue, and in case of failure we could have carried out your orders within six hours from the moment they were given. sidney claimed that he could not have made the attempt unless i had been willing to remain with him, and regarding this we fell into quite a discussion, which lasted until we heard once more the trampling of horses in the distance. it was high time we continued the race, and, the horses having had quite a breathing spell, we sent them ahead once more at their best pace. after this we stopped twice to give the animals water, and once to breathe them, before the gray light told that a new day was upon us. then it was that master howell proposed we take to the thicket, and after we were screened by the trees we led the horses a mile or more parallel with the road. then we crossed over to the other side, taking good care to cover such hoof-prints as had been left on the highway. after these precautions it seemed as if we might consider ourselves reasonably well hidden from those who came in pursuit, and surely i was not sorry of an opportunity for rest. we had been in the saddle not less than eighteen hours, and during six or seven hours more were so strung up by excitement that it was as if we had been two days without repose. fortunately the deputies had not been despoiled of their haversacks when taken prisoners, therefore we had food sufficient to provide us with one hearty meal, and this we ate immediately after the horses were picketed where was grass in abundance. not until we were eating did sidney ask masters howell and hunter anything concerning their adventure, and soon we were in possession of all the facts. the deputies, finding themselves opposed by six horsemen, surrendered immediately after sidney and i rode away. they were asked no questions, nor was there an attempt to search them. the royalist led the prisoners to the lean-to, tied their hands and feet, and left them in charge of the negro, giving orders for him to shoot with intent to kill if either made any effort to cry out for help in case travelers passed that way. neither master howell nor master hunter had any definite idea as to what the scoundrels intended to do with them; but both believed that but for the rescue they would have been taken to hillsborough and there lodged in jail on a charge of sedition or treason. "yes, i recognized one of them," master howell said in reply to my question. "he who appeared to be the leader i have seen in fanning's office, therefore there was no question in my mind but that the party set out from hillsborough in advance of us. some one at maddock's mill played the traitor." "why did they wish to prevent you from presenting the petition to governor tryon?" i asked in amazement. "i do not believe that was their purpose. it could make but little difference if tryon heard of our wrongs; but it might create a sentiment in our favor among the honest people of brunswick if we told there what has occurred at hillsborough. the scheme unquestionably was to prevent information of the outrages being carried into the lower carolina." "do you think we are in danger from others?" i asked. "probably not, yet we will travel by night from this out in order to guard against a possible attack. if those fellows sent word ahead that we were on the road and must be stopped, then will there be men ready to detain us; but i am disposed to think that they believed it was in their power to bring our journey to a close, and we shall meet with no serious impediment between here and brunswick." "the governor may close our mouths by sending us to prison as traitors to the king," sidney suggested. "we shall take good care, my lad, to talk with many citizens of brunswick before presenting ourselves before him. if it is known generally that we are in town as deputies from the regulation, who have come in consequence of certain promises made by the governor's secretary, i do not believe even william tryon will dare cause our arrest without first showing some proof that we are plotting against the king. he will commit deeds in hillsborough which he would be afraid to commit in brunswick or newbern." "in other words," master hunter added with a laugh, "we are thrusting our heads in the lion's mouth because we believe he dare not make a meal of us until after we have gone back into upper carolina." with this the conversation came to a close. master howell insisted that we must get all the sleep possible before nightfall, and to such end he proposed that we draw lots to decide who should first go on guard, after which the others were to lie down. no one questioned the necessity of standing watch. in the first place the horses were to be prevented from straying, and then again it was of the highest importance we should know if a party of horsemen rode past our camping place toward brunswick, otherwise we might find ourselves following the enemy, instead of being followed. it was decided by lot that i take the first watch, and at the end of two hours master howell was to be aroused. those who had the privilege of sleeping soon stretched themselves out in the most comfortable positions that were possible, and ten minutes later i was the only member of the party awake. chapter v. at brunswick. during my time of standing sentinel i neither saw nor heard anything to cause alarm or suspicion; but i never had a harder task than that of keeping my eyes open while the others were sleeping. it was as if until my companions lost themselves in slumber i had no sense of weariness, and then, suddenly, i was overcome to such an extent that it seemed almost impossible i could perform the duties of sentry. i walked to and fro briskly; repeated to myself this hymn or that verse, and now and then groomed the horses in the hope of arousing myself; but all to no purpose. my eyelids drooped as if weighted with lead, and not until i had switched my face sharply with a bit of brush, striking my bare eyeball inadvertently, was i awakened. then the pain kept me awake until i judged that the time of my vigil had come to an end. master howell arose reluctantly when i shook him vigorously, and asked as he stretched his limbs and yawned prodigiously, whether i had heard anything which might concern us. sixty seconds later i was sleeping soundly, and not until late in the afternoon was i sensible that the life yet remained within my tired body. then i was surprised by seeing meat cooking before a fire; but soon learned that master hunter had been out in search of game, and, fortunately for us, had come across a deer within half a mile of our camping place. after partaking of a hearty meal the difficulties and dangers of our way seemed to have lessened, and i looked forward to the night's work as a task which might have within it somewhat of pleasure. because we had not heard horsemen passing our resting-place, it was believed that our enemies had abandoned the chase, and immediately the late dinner was eaten we set forth, taking less precautions than before, for now it seemed as if we must have outrun danger. in order that i may not make too many words of what is of little consequence, no further record of the journey shall be made, save to say that on a certain day, near about noon, we rode into brunswick despite the efforts of master edwards and attorney fanning to check us. at the inn, the landlord of which was an acquaintance of master howell's, it was given out with considerable emphasis, as if there was something in our official position of which to be proud, that we had come as deputies from the regulation to petition the governor, and i venture to say that before nightfall every citizen of brunswick was well aware of what had been done in upper carolina to preserve the rights of the people. it was only natural the brunswickers should be curious to know all that this association so lately sprung into existence was doing, and even we lads were questioned eagerly by those who, because of press of numbers around the deputies, could not otherwise learn of the organized resistance against unjust taxation. thus it came about as master howell and hunter desired, that the citizens were well informed as to the reason of our coming before we had asked for an audience with the representative of his majesty in the carolinas. not until the following morning did we present ourselves at the governor's residence, and then we were admitted after being allowed to cool our heels in the guard-room for an hour or more. sidney and i had not supposed that we would accompany our companions on this visit of state; but it served the purpose of our gentlemen to introduce us as deputies of equal importance with themselves, with the view, most likely, of giving us lads that fancied protection which would be thrown around the messengers of a reasonably powerful association. there could be no doubt but that the governor knew by this time why we had visited brunswick, and, while not daring, perhaps, to refuse us an audience, satisfied his narrow mind and tyrannical disposition by making us wait in the room occupied by the guard for a certain length of time. when finally we were admitted to his presence we saw a cruel-faced man, clad carelessly in a dressing-gown, seated at a table in that room which served him as a library, and ranged around the apartment were six soldiers fully armed, fitting protectors for such as he. as if with the view of proving that we were of but little consequence in comparison with his greatness, he did not so much as glance at us when we first entered; but remained as if engrossed with certain papers that were spread out on the table, until ten minutes or more had elapsed, when he looked up, surveying us with a scornful expression. certain it is that he did not frighten either of the party by his lordly manner, and such fact must have been apparent on our faces, for he finally asked in a loud voice, perhaps hoping to cause alarm by his roar, why we had presented ourselves. master howell acted as spokesman, and he advanced a pace as he said boldly: "may it please your excellency, we, the deputies of a certain association well known in upper carolina as the regulation, have ventured to present ourselves with a petition from the regulators, on the strength of a recommendation from your excellency's secretary, master david edwards." "your association may be well known in the backwoods; but we have yet to learn of it here," the governor cried angrily. "that you may do by a perusal of this petition, your excellency," master howell said quietly as he laid a folded paper on the table in front of tryon. "two of our people have been imprisoned without due warrant, and when four hundred or more gentlemen of upper carolina presented themselves at hillsborough for the purpose of restoring our friends to liberty, master edwards urged us to the present procedure, promising faithfully in your name that this matter, together with others of an unlawful nature, should receive your prompt attention." at this speech, which savored little of fear, the governor took up the petition, glancing at it carelessly, and then throwing it contemptuously on the table, cried in a voice which quivered with passion: "return to your homes, and smother this rebellion in the bud, else the penalty will be great. there shall be no association banded against the laws of his most gracious majesty! see to it that your fellows disperse at once, and have a care how you meet in opposition to our will!" "i pray your excellency to read that which we have brought at risk of our lives," master howell said firmly. "you will see that we do not rebel against his majesty's laws; but rather against those who exceed them unlawfully." "go home and pay your taxes, or i will sweep the upper carolina with my troops till it is a wilderness!" the governor cried as if beside himself with rage, and it appeared to me that he was about to give yet more rein to his passion when an officer entered hurriedly, whispering a few words in the angry man's ear. "admit him at once," was the command, and then, to my astonishment and fear, in walked one of those two cavaliers who had opposed our passage and afterward made prisoners of the deputies. the newcomer had all the appearance of one who has traveled far and fast, and after looking around hurriedly as if to satisfy himself that we were really there, he laid a paper on the table in front of the governor. then, at a sign from tryon, he backed out of the room as if in the presence of royalty itself, and the governor hastily took up the written message. it must have contained something which did not please him, for his brows wrinkled as he read, and after coming to the end he perused it once more with greatest care. although having had no experience in such matters, i understood full well that this missive had been sent by david edwards, and could reason out all the circumstances readily. most likely a messenger had been sent back to hillsborough within a very short time after the escape of the deputies, and even while a portion of the party were pursuing us. knowing as he did, that the regulation was sufficiently strong to dominate upper carolina if it was forced to extremities, master edwards had unquestionably sent a full account of all that had happened to the governor, in order that the latter might not do anything rashly. that my reasoning was correct i understood when, after some reflection, tryon, turned toward us once more with something like a smile of friendliness on his cruel face. "you will excuse me, gentlemen, for having diverted my attention even momentarily from your affair. in these times, when treason is rearing its head against his most gracious majesty a moment's delay may have fatal results. i will read your petition." then, as if he had but just understood our request, he perused the document we brought, and having done so said condescendingly: "this matter shall receive our immediate attention. return to your homes; explain to your associates that their welfare has my best care, and assure them that within a month i will make a personal visit to hillsborough. then these complaints shall be inquired into by impartial judges, and that which is wrong or unjust will be remedied without loss of time." he bowed, to intimate that the audience was at an end, and we went out of the room, not backward, as had the messenger from edwards; but as gentlemen should, in a manner calculated to show that we stood on terms of equality with all there. but for the manner in which he first received us, i would have said that the troubles of our people were well-nigh at an end; but, believing he had spoken us fairly at the last only because of realizing that the regulation was of great strength, i fancied we had accomplished nothing of good by our coming. when we were at the inn once more, and could hold converse without fear of eavesdroppers, i learned that the deputies were of much my way of thinking, for master howell said with a grim laugh: "at least, we have pinned tryon down to the promise that he will come to hillsborough within a month." "and then i warrant you that those whose names are on the rolls of the associations will find themselves fast beset by fanning's henchmen. our last condition will be worse than the first." "he will need to bring a strong following with him." "not so, my friend," master hunter replied gravely. "the weak-kneed among us will profess to believe in his promises, and the regulation will be reduced to less than an hundred. he may work his will until again are the people so oppressed that alleged rebellion becomes necessary if we would save ourselves from prison." it was not a cheerful ending to our long journey; but there was nothing more that we could do, save make the people of brunswick understand yet more thoroughly the situation of affairs in those countries where fanning and frohock held the courts of law in their hands. during the remainder of this day, in accordance with master howell's suggestion, we talked with such of the citizens as came to question us, and by nightfall the brunswickers must have had a fairly good idea of the situation in upper carolina, where already had four hundred gentlemen declared they would resist the misrule which was crushing them to the earth. one more day we spent in the town, and then it was as if the citizens had learned all they wished concerning our affairs, for our questioners ceased to be curious, and master hunter declared that the time had come when we should return. "we will set out to-morrow morning," he said, and master howell nodded to show that he was of the same mind. "having described to the association our journey, and that which has taken place here, there will be nothing to do until the governor institutes the promised inquiry into the wrongs of the people." "which will result in yet greater oppression," master howell added moodily. "we at least have done our duty, and will again be in the front ranks of the association when the time is ripe for action." well, all was done as master hunter had said. we were on the return journey shortly after sunrise, and allowed the horses to take that pace which best pleased them, for we had no need to make great speed. our haversacks had been well filled at the inn, and we would have no need of searching for game until two days had passed, when it was reasonable to suppose we should be in that section of the country where the planters would provide us with food and shelter. there was no thought in our minds that any effort would be made to stop us, for now were we carrying a message from the governor, and such an one as would go far toward soothing our neighbors who had so lately been in arms against those who represented the government. at noon we halted an hour to rest the animals, who were yet quite fresh for the journey, and to partake of the noonday meal. then we rode leisurely forward again until about five o'clock in the afternoon, when we were arrived at a plantation where was promise of comfortable accommodations for the night. "it is better to halt here, at the expense of two or three hours, rather than push on and sleep in the open air," master howell said as he reined his horse in at the door of the dwelling. a white man and a negro, one an indentured servant and the other a slave as we afterward learned, appeared in response to our summons, and from them we learned that the planter and his family were in newbern on a visit to relatives; but this did not prevent us from receiving such hospitality as is famous in the carolinas. the negro led our horses to a stable of logs which was situated fifty feet or more in the rear of the main buildings, and the white servant ushered us into a sitting-room that gave access to the broad, vine-covered veranda overlooking the main road. in this last place we were served with light refreshments until a hearty meal could be prepared, and my comrade and i congratulated ourselves on having come across such a lodging, when we had expected to sleep in the thicket where flies and mosquitoes would disturb our repose. our weapons, saddle-bags and haversacks had been brought into the sitting-room, and we could come at our belongings, if we so desired, by simply stepping through the open window. the deputies were taking their ease in a couple of hammocks, and we two lads were lounging in huge chairs when the clatter of horses' hoofs aroused us all to curiosity. peering out through the vines which formed a curtain in front of the veranda, i saw five horsemen, the leader that same man who had brought the message to the governor while we were having audience, ride past in hot haste and halt a few yards beyond the path leading to the house as they carefully scanned the road. "yonder men have been following on our trail," i said, giving words to the thought which was caused by their movements. "having over-ridden it, they will turn back." it was as i said. the horsemen rode slowly back to the house-path, gazed toward the building, and continued on at a walk in the direction from which they had come. "can it be that tryon would try to prevent us from reaching hillsborough?" master hunter said half to himself, and master howell replied grimly: "those fellows have followed us by his orders, or those of fanning and edwards, you may be certain, for they have no personal quarrel with us. it is now known where we are, and i'm of the opinion that we had best make preparations for defense." "but it is to the interest of the governor that we report to the association his reply to our petition," master hunter continued with the air of one trying to read a riddle. "so it seems to us who are not in the secret. we need not try to solve the problem until preparations for defense have been made, since it is positive those fellows are on our trail." i failed to understand how we might turn another's house into our castle; but master howell was not troubled by such trifles. entering the sitting-room hurriedly, he summoned the white servant who was supposed to be making ready a meal for us, and hurriedly explained to him the situation, concluding by saying: "it is likely that we shall be attacked before morning. what would your master do if he were at home?" the fellow shook his head in perplexity, and master howell added: "having given us shelter we are his guests, and as such he would be bound to aid us, provided we had proven ourselves honest citizens of carolina. so much, and no more, you shall do. i am of the opinion that they will take away the horses, if possible, and to check such an attempt the animals must be brought nearer the house where we can defend them." "there is no other stable, sir." "is there not a store-room where we can stable them for the night? you can cleanse it to-morrow morning with this to lighten the task," and master howell held out three silver coins. the servant clutched the money eagerly as he said: "peter the negro, and myself, are the only servants on the plantation. the horses might be brought into the room which is used as a kitchen during the winter. there is no floor, and a few armfuls of straw would make them comfortable." "these lads shall assist you in caring for them at once, and look to it that the saddles and bridles are also brought into the house. do all you can to aid us, and double that amount of silver shall be yours when we ride away." it is easier to bribe an indentured servant than a slave, because the former may be able to purchase his freedom, and this fellow showed every desire to aid us. sidney and i followed him to the rear of the building while masters howell and hunter remained on the veranda with their rifles in hand, and in a few seconds the negro was made to understand what we would do. he brought straw while we led the animals into the house, and when so much had been accomplished the servants and us lads brought a supply of water from the well, filling every convenient vessel, for there was in my mind the thought that we might be called upon to stand a siege. when we had done this much, and we spent not less than half an hour in the work, sidney and i went through the house to the veranda where we found the deputies on guard. i reported as to the arrangements we had made, and master howell said approvingly: "it is well. we are now prepared to give those gentleman a warm reception, unless they have some means which we have overlooked of getting into the house. you lads are to stand guard at the rear of the building, and if a stranger appears, call upon him to halt; if he then advances you will be warranted in shooting. in case the governor thinks to make way with us he will find that he has undertaken quite a task." "by calling out the soldiers he could soon put an end to our return," sidney suggested. "that is exactly what he won't do, especially after we have made our story so public in brunswick. it is not in tryon's nature to come out like a gentleman in his usurpation of authority; but he must needs scheme to carry his ends by trickery. if he can dispose of us through the agency of these fellows, well and good, for there is little chance he can be connected with the crime. have no fear that any public movement will be made to deprive us of freedom or life." we lads took our rifles and went to the back porch, where we were screened by the vines, and while the white servant prepared supper and the black acted as assistant, we watched for the enemy, feeling ill at ease, as well we might. after having come to believe that our troubles were at an end with the delivery of the petition, i was particularly cast down at thus learning that our enemies were inclined to pursue us yet further. it had an ugly look, as if fanning and edwards, with the possible consent of the governor, were seeking to take our lives, although, study the matter as i would, it was beyond my poor powers to make out how the rule of the king in the carolinas would be strengthened by our death. it seemed more as if the discontent round about hillsborough would be increased in case we were slain, and that the regulators would make every effort to avenge the murder of their deputies. it was all a riddle to me, and after turning the matter over and over again in my mind, i asked sidney what he made of it. "nothing whatsoever," he replied with a long-drawn breath. "i cannot solve the riddle; but this much is certain, that those fellows who followed our trail to this house are the same who made prisoners of masters howell and hunter, and unless we are willing to go to prison somewhere between here and hillsborough, we stand a good chance of being shot." "why do you say 'somewhere between here and hillsborough'?" i asked in perplexity. "because if we are not murdered outright, it will be to tryon's interest to keep us well hidden from the regulators, who would use every effort to free us, and we could not be imprisoned secretly either at brunswick or hillsborough." chapter vi. besieged. while we lads crouched amid the vines which covered the porch of the dwelling wherein we had entrenched ourselves without due authority from the owner, watching intently for some token that our enemies were creeping up on us, the question came into my mind as to whether a goodly portion of the present trouble did not come from the fact that master james hunter was one of the deputies appointed by the association. then there came back to me all i had heard regarding the arrest of masters husband and william hunter, a cousin of deputy hunter. it was said by some that fanning had particular reasons for desiring the imprisonment of james, while he did not have a speaking acquaintance with william. when the arrest was made, or rather when the two regulators were taken into custody to convenience messrs. fanning and edwards, the wrong hunter was taken, and he against whom the attorney had been working was appointed one of two to represent the regulation at an interview with the governor. it was a vile act, throwing two men into jail on a charge of seditious conduct, simply to pleasure a couple of villains; but even this was not the worst of our treatment at the hands of governor tryon and his minions. i could fill an hundred pages like this with accounts of injustice done us of the carolinas, and yet set nothing down which might not be verified by reliable witnesses, while every item would be the record of an outrage as gross as that committed in the imprisonment of masters husband and hunter. if it could have been known throughout all the colonies what we of the carolinas suffered under the misrule of william tryon, then would that declaration of liberty which was made in , have been brought about five years earlier. however, it is not for me to hark back to the beginning of our troubles; i have set down these thoughts because they came into my mind like a flood while sidney hubbard and i remained on the alert against those who, unquestionably, had been instigated by men whose duty it was to protect the people, instead of riding them down like foxes on the hunting field. i had been disheartened by the sudden turn in affairs, and the predictions made by sidney, until it was to me as if the efforts to assert our rights as honest men would result in the death or imprisonment of all concerned in the undertaking. meanwhile, as i thus agitated myself about affairs which would be regulated by providence, we two lads kept close watch but without seeing or hearing anything of those horsemen, who, as we knew full well, were lurking near at hand to work us some mischief. when the white servant had prepared our supper, masters howell and sidney went inside the dwelling to partake of the meal, leaving master hunter and me on guard, and, later, we two were relieved by the others to take our places at the table. while master james hunter and i were eating, i ventured to ask him what he thought of the situation, and received as reply: "we are better off here than on the road, although it seems likely our return will be greatly delayed." "meaning that you believe those men whom we saw will spend much time trying to capture us?" "we shall not be able to continue our journey save at the expense of an encounter with those villains, and whether we ever see home again depends, as i believe, upon our being the best marksmen." such a prediction did not tend to raise my spirits, as can well be imagined, and straightway all desire for food fled from me. i left the table without ceremony, and rejoined sidney, full of determination to shoot with true aim if one of our enemies would present himself as a target. until the sun had gone down we watched in vain, and while the twilight was gathering master howell announced his intention of venturing out to reconnoiter, for it seemed necessary we should know what disposition had been made of their forces. sidney insisted that he or i should be allowed to perform such task, arguing with great force, so i thought, that it would be of but little consequence if one of us lads was captured, while it could not be reckoned anything short of a disaster if harm befell either of the deputies. master howell turned a deaf ear to his arguments and entreaties, replying again and again that he would not put a dangerous duty upon a boy when he was able to perform the task himself. even while we strove to restrain him, he went out into the night, as if bent on visiting the stable, and when he had arrived at that building it was no longer possible for us to distinguish his form. master hunter kept watch alone at the front of the house, and in the rear sidney and i strained our ears for some token of disaster or success. the deputy had been absent a full half hour, during which time we heard nothing save the movements of the servants, or the stamping of the horses in the winter kitchen, and then suddenly, as if he had risen from the ground, appeared master howell. we lads raised our rifles, not knowing for the instant whether it was friend or foe who had come upon us so silently, and then we heard his voice: "i have returned; do not fire." he stood on the porch an instant to tell us in whispers the result of his investigations. "they have surrounded the buildings in such manner that we cannot leave secretly, and appear to be content with that. as i look at the matter, they, having trapped us, are waiting for reinforcements, or, possibly, officers of the law." "but you have said that governor tryon does not dare to cause our arrest now that the people of brunswick have heard all the story," i suggested, not a little alarmed by the information that the enemy appeared well content to wait until we might be captured with greater ease. "it was my proposition that tryon would not dare arrest us in brunswick; but now we have left that place, he might work his will without the people being any the wiser." there was in master howell's tone that which convinced me he was seriously disturbed by the condition of affairs, and i understood such was really the case when he added: "i think it is high time we held a conference of war, and one of you lads had best come with me to the front veranda, while the other remains here on guard." i motioned sidney to accompany master howell, and he, eager to hear all which might be said, readily acceded to the mute suggestion. in another moment i was alone, peering out into the darkness with every faculty on the alert, and thus i remained until half an hour or more had passed, when my comrade returned. "well?" i asked impatiently, burning to learn the result of the conference, for i had worked myself into a fever, trying to imagine what else we might do save await the preparations of our enemies. "it is decided that we leave this place about midnight," he said in a cautious whisper; "that is, if you agree to the proposition." "if i agree!" i repeated in nervous petulance. "what can i have to do with any plan which may be proposed?" "if we set out it will be at risk of our lives, and the deputies have decided that no move shall be made unless all four of us are fully agreed that nothing different can be done." "but how may we go or come at our pleasure if the house is surrounded?" "we can saddle the horses, and mount while yet in the building. then it is a case of starting with a rush, hoping that in the darkness those fellows will not be able to shoot us down." "we are to run away, then?" i asked in surprise, for it had been in my mind that both master howell and master hunter would insist on fighting, however great the odds. "it seems necessary to do so if we would see our friends again, and the deputies believe it is of the utmost importance the regulation be acquainted with the fact that all manner of treachery will be brought to bear, rather than do us justice. therefore we will run instead of fight. our horses are as fresh as theirs, and we may be able to give them the slip. in case we are brought to bay, it is better, so the gentlemen have decided, that we stand opposed to five or six men, rather than a large body. are you agreed?" "it is useless to ask such a question. i shall do whatsoever the deputies think best." "then, if that be your mind, the time may come when you will be called upon to act what appears to me like a cowardly part." i was amazed by this remark, and it can be readily supposed that i insisted upon an immediate explanation. "the deputies are agreed that in case we are brought to a standstill, you and i are to make our way to maddock's mill without regard to them. they will fight, whatsoever the odds, for the sole purpose of allowing us to escape." "why have they grown so careful of us?" i cried, never dreaming of that which would have come instantly into the mind of a quicker-witted lad. "it is that we may carry the news to our friends. masters howell and hunter will sacrifice their lives in order that the members of the association may be informed of the exact situation of affairs." i made no promises; timorous though i was, there could be, so i said to myself, no time when i would feel warranted in leaving comrades or companions struggling against a superior force. the regulation might forever remain in ignorance of what had been said at brunswick, before i would write myself down such a coward as to seek safety while others of my party were in peril. luckily sidney did not exact a promise from me on this score, and when master howell came to where we stood, he believed i had fully agreed to all the propositions. "sidney and i will saddle the horses when the time comes, and you and hunter will only leave your posts in order to mount and make the rush. there is opportunity for us to gain a couple of hours' sleep. i will stand guard in front, sidney is to remain here, and in due time you and hunter shall act as sentinels." i was not disposed for slumber; but this was virtually a command, and without hesitation i went into the sitting-room. here i soon fell asleep, despite the fear in my heart, and when master howell aroused me, at the expiration of two hours, it was as if i had but just closed my eyes. then i performed the part of sentinel, when the hours seemed as long as the time of repose had been short, and it was as if the night had passed before master hunter came to announce that the moment for action had arrived. then he went back, leaving me with the blood bounding through my veins, and my heart throbbing violently, for i believed that one or more of us would soon be in another world. as had been agreed upon, master howell and sidney made ready the horses, and the words were passed to the front veranda that that post be vacated. now we moved swiftly, mounting the horses while they were within the makeshift of a stable, and when all were in the saddle master howell paused to say: "i will lead the way, then comes clare, sidney, and lastly hunter. ride in close order, and at full speed." the indentured servant stood near the door, yet holding the money which had been paid him according to promise, and our leader rode out into the darkness. at a foot pace we went around the building, until coming to the path leading into the road, when master howell struck the spurs deep, his horse darting off like an arrow sent from a bow. at that same instant came the crack of a rifle; i heard the ball whistling a few inches above my head, and said to myself that if the enemy shot as well as that in the beginning, they must succeed in winging all of us before we were well under way. the fever of excitement was so great upon me that i cannot well say exactly what happened during five minutes after we emerged from the stable. i only know that a volley of musketry rang out; that i fired point-blank at a man who suddenly appeared from out a clump of bushes, and cheered when he fell. then it was as if a fierce conflict was being waged all around us, and that we rode through the showers of bullets until gaining the main road, when our animals stretched themselves to the race. i came out from the dream into which i had been plunged, when master howell shouted to know who had been hurt, and each in turn declared that he was not even scratched. it seemed almost impossible we could have come through that shower of bullets without being riddled, yet such was the case, and then i wondered whether the horses had fared as well. my steed was going true; i could feel the play of his muscles beneath me, and knew beyond a peradventure that he like myself was yet sound in wind and limb. "they aimed too high!" master howell cried exultantly. "if the scoundrels had turned their attention to crippling the animals, our chances would have been slim. huzza for the regulation!" then we four who had ridden out from the shadow of death gave voice to our triumph, and from the rear came a yell of rage, telling us that it yet remained to shake off the pursuers who were bent on taking us, dead or alive. "keep your horses well in hand," master hunter cried. "there's a long race ahead of us, and we must not wind the beasts." our leader set the pace, riding only to keep beyond rifle range, and we four came alongside each other until we filled the road so completely that had any unfortunate been ahead on foot we must have trampled him down. it was possible now to converse, and i fancied also that the animals traveled more easily by thus being in company. when an hour had passed and we were come to a stream, the deputies and i dismounted, standing side by side in the road, while sidney gave the horses water enough to wet their throats, and loosened the girths that they might regain their wind, for all four were well nigh blown. we there stood ready to fire in case the pursuers came up before the steeds were ready for the road again, and word had been passed that we should give our attention to crippling the enemy's horses rather than the men. during fifteen minutes did we remain with rifles in hand ready to be drawn to the shoulder at the first show of a pursuer, and then the chase was resumed. we had gained a long start of governor tryon's minions; but the halt would enable him to cut down the advantage, and again we rode at racing speed until once more it became necessary to halt. in this manner was the night spent; we favoring the faithful animals as much as possible, and while they rested, standing shoulder to shoulder ready for a battle. when morning dawned we could see no signs of the enemy in the road, and this fact troubled me not a little, because i feared that they had taken a short cut unknown to us, and we would soon find them in advance to check our flight. by riding until nearly noon we arrived at the plantation of william payne, on whom master howell could rely fully, and here we came to a halt, counting to give the horses a long rest. our host had two sons, and with such an accession to our numbers we were not greatly dismayed by the prospect of another siege, therefore we dismounted, and my timorousness vanished as i realized that we were now so far from brunswick there was little fear but that word could be sent to the members of the association even though we should be disabled. while we ate dinner, which had been hurriedly prepared, and the sons of our host cared for our leg-weary steeds, master howell told all the story of our adventures, and the owner of the plantation proposed that one of his boys take a fresh horse for the purpose of making his way to maddock's mill with the tidings. after some little discussion our deputies agreed to this proposition, and before we stretched ourselves out to sleep the lad rode away, counting to change horses at the house of a friend, forty miles distant. our mission was thus virtually accomplished, and we composed ourselves for slumber with the satisfaction of knowing that the duty due the association was the same as performed. our host and his son agreed to stand watch while we slept, and nothing disturbed us until well into the night, when i was aroused by hearing the owner of the plantation as he entered the room to awaken the deputies. then i overheard the following conversation: "your pursuers are here. the hoof-prints of your horses could be plainly seen on the lane, and all hands were in front of the house before seeming to realize the situation." "where are they now?" master howell asked quietly as he arose with difficulty from the bed, for his joints were stiff and lame after the hard race. "i forbade their coming nearer, and warned the party to leave my premises. they asked if two men and two lads were here, and i, fearing lest they might pursue my son, told them the truth." "that was well done," master howell replied approvingly. "now they may besiege us once more, and we will make no effort to get away unless, perchance, you object to our resisting the governor's servants from your house." "do as you will with me and mine. my wrongs are not less than yours, and now is the time when we of the carolinas must prove ourselves men, or expect to remain under the yoke forever." "you may be set down as a traitor to the king if we make this house our castle," master hunter suggested; but stout master william payne was not to be frightened. "i can't say that i have any quarrel with the king himself; but against his representatives in the carolinas my hand shall never be lowered. i aroused you only that you may be prepared in case an attack is made." "we will let the boys sleep, while hunter and i have a look around," our deputy said in a low voice, and the three men left the room softly, believing we lads were yet asleep. when they were gone sidney said as he turned to face me, for we had been sleeping in the same bed: "so it seems that we are besieged again." "did you hear all master payne said?" "every word." "we are like to make quite a halt here." "and can well afford to do so, now that word has been sent on ahead. young payne will readily arrive at maddock's mill by to-morrow afternoon, if he gets a fresh horse during the night, and we shall soon have reinforcements enough to settle as many as have come." "if we must fight to get back home, what will be the result once we arrive there?" i asked, a new fear coming over me. "that is something concerning which we need not trouble ourselves for the present," sidney replied carelessly. "then i'm of the mind that fanning will speedily find a chance to clap us into jail on a charge of treason, unless the association holds together to the bitter end." such mournful conversation might have been continued a long while but for the fact that it was interrupted by a volley of musketry, succeeded by straggling shots which told that our people were replying only when they saw a target. "it's to be a battle instead of a siege!" sidney cried as he hurriedly dressed himself, i following his example; but the firing had ceased by the time we gained the kitchen, which apartment was directly below our chamber. here we found master howell and our host, one at the door and another peering out of a loophole cut in the shutters of a window, and i knew full well that master hunter and young payne were on guard at the front of the building. "where can we be of service, sir?" i asked, and master payne replied with a grim laugh: "i reckon you lads will not be needed, save, perhaps, to stand guard later. the gentlemen from brunswick fired in order to learn if we were prepared to receive them, and i'll answer for it that at least one knows to his cost that we're not to be caught napping." "how many do they number?" sidney asked, and master howell said gravely: "not less than a dozen. the reinforcements have evidently responded to the summons sent from our last halting place." "we should be able to hold our own until some of the regulators arrive?" "aye, lad, and that is causing me no little uneasiness. by protecting ourselves we shall be giving tryon an excuse for breaking his word, and before this business comes to an end the upper carolina will be overrun by the king's soldiers. it is beginning to be rebellion in good earnest!" chapter vii. timely aid. it appeared to me that master howell was trying to "lock his stable door after the horse had been stolen," when he mourned the fact that what we were doing in our own defense might be taken as open rebellion. to my mind the people had rebelled openly and with emphasis when the regulators rode, four hundred strong, to release masters husband and hunter. we four who had visited brunswick to lay before the governor a petition couched in most respectful language, could not be accused of aiding and abetting rebellion when we objected to being shot down or taken prisoners by strangers who had no lawful warrant to deprive honest citizens of their lives or liberty. as the matter presented itself to my view, those on the outside were the ones who acted in a rebellious manner, and there was no honest judge in the country who would not rule that we had every right to protect ourselves. something of this kind i said to master howell when he appeared to be bowed down with grief because, as he declared, our people were making a show of what might be called treason, and to my great surprise i found that we who were fighting our way from brunswick to hillsborough did not have any place in what it might please the governor to term "open rebellion." "we four are of no consequence in the outcome of this matter," master howell said, condescending to explain to me the situation as it appeared to him, "and yet through us, or, rather, through our distress, will the king's officers most likely declare the upper carolina under military rule. if we could continue our journey to maddock's mill without interruption, all would be well. or, if we fought for our lives from this moment until we were killed or come to our journey's end, it would also be of no moment. that which distresses me is, that young payne will give the regulators an account of our troubles, and those gentlemen will ride in full force to aid us. then has come the time for governor tryon's minions to declare that the colony is in revolt, and the fact that four hundred armed men have banded together to regulate affairs outside their own country is fair proof that the cry of treason has good foundation." "well, and what then?" i made bold to say. "then will the king's troops be sent to hillsborough and the surrounding towns. fanning and edwards can work their will on the people, with an armed force at their backs, and when the regulators oppose the military it will be represented that the whole colony is in revolt." "that was much the condition of affairs when we left maddock's mill," i ventured to suggest. "aye, lad; but then we had not opposed ourselves to the king's forces. now it will be necessary to begin what can be called by no other name than that of treason." "it alarms you that such should be the case, master howell?" i said in a questioning tone. "not for myself, lad, not for myself, nor for any of us who are brought to a stand in this house. it is the women and small children of whom i am thinking. we can fight to the bitter end; but they will suffer an hundred deaths while the english soldiers overrun the colony." "then would it have been better had we surrendered when we were first besieged." it was as if this remark stimulated the deputy. his eyes brightened, he straightened himself suddenly, and said as if speaking to a vast assembly, instead of one timorous lad: "not so, clare. i was but considering the sufferings of our own people, and that should not be reckoned as against the grand result. this is indeed open rebellion, and the news of our oppression will flash from province to province until the entire country is aroused. then, perhaps not until after we are dead, but at some time in the near future, will the rule of the king come to an end in america. we are the instruments selected to begin the way for freedom, and in future ages we will be spoken of as those who brought into existence a free country which shall be as a beacon light to those who are ground beneath the heel of selfish kings!" from, that instant it was as if master howell's entire nature had changed. he appeared to be exulting in the danger which surrounded us, and was eager for the fray. we stood watch until daylight, and then it was possible to see that master payne's dwelling was surrounded by fifteen or twenty men, some wearing uniforms, and others clad only in the garb of planters. the fact of there being soldiers among our besiegers told plainly that tryon himself planned the outrage, and when such was apparent i heard master hunter say in a low tone to master howell: "from this day the regulation will remain under arms until all the colonies are prepared to take up the struggle against the king's minions! instead of 'regulators' we should call ourselves 'sons of liberty.'" and thus it was that the association known as sons of liberty sprang into existence at the home of a planter in the carolinas--that association which was speedily to extend throughout all the colonies as far east as massachusetts, and south to the limits of the country. as when we made the last stand, there was no disposition on the part of the enemy to make an attack. we had bettered our situation, and increased the number of rebels, therefore tryon's minions probably believed it necessary to strengthen their ranks. during this day we remained on guard and alert, while our enemies were posted just beyond rifle range in such manner as to encircle us completely. by making a rush after dark, as had been done before, we might readily have broken through the thin line; in fact such a move was suggested by sidney, but master howell said firmly as if he had finally committed his life and fortune to that final result he foresaw: "we will wait for the regulators. since tryon wishes to force us into open rebellion, he shall be gratified. shoot down yonder villains if it so be you can; but here we remain until overpowered, or rescued by those who will speedily come to avenge the wrongs which are perpetrated upon all the colony." we had no opportunity to open fire on the enemy during the day; but when night came, and they drew more closely the circle of guards, we found a target now and then, thus reducing the number until i believe of a verity we might have ventured out and beat them off in a hand-to-hand fight. it is not well that i spend too many words on the situation at the payne plantation, for the story is one of careful watch only, with now and then the report of a rifle to tell that we were on the alert. the enemy took turns at using us for targets; but, sheltered as we were behind the walls, they did no injury, while i am confident we disabled not less than four during the time of our arrival and noon of the third day. then we saw a cloud of dust in the distance, heard the shouts of horsemen, and soon saw a body of gentlemen full four hundred strong ride down like a whirlwind upon fugitives who had lately been our besiegers. we sallied forth, and before the fray was come to an end our friends had seven prisoners. none were killed outright so far as i could learn; the remainder had taken the alarm in time to seek safety by flight, and our road to maddock's mill lay open before us. young payne had discharged his mission well; the regulation was in session considering an arrest which had been made for non-payment of taxes, and, waiting only long enough to secure a supply of provisions, had set off for our relief. the entire party camped on the plantation that night, and before morning came, their plans for the future were fully formed. it was decided that the gentlemen composing the regulation should remain under arms until governor tryon fulfilled his promise, or ignored it altogether, and during this time of waiting all efforts should be directed toward protecting those who refused to pay the unjust tax. on this evening sidney and i were regularly admitted to the ranks of the sons of liberty, as if we were indeed men in age, and so wrought up was i by master howell's words, that i persuaded myself the colonies would speedily be freed from the rule of a master who had set over us such men as tryon, edwards and fanning. we left master payne's plantation next morning at sunrise, and in due time arrived at maddock's mill, where it had been decided the regulation would have its headquarters. it was no slight task to provide food and shelter for such a number; but once it was known that the governor evidently intended to play fast and loose with the people of our section, every one, including those who had not deemed it right to join the regulation, set about bringing in stores of food for both men and horses. then the men began building shelters, working in squads of five, three, or two, as was mutually agreed upon, and soon the neighborhood of maddock's mill resembled a military encampment. the rebellion began to assume decided form. as may be fancied, sidney and i were camp-mates. we built for ourselves a lean-to which would shelter us from the rain at least, and in the rear of it made an enclosure into which the horses could be brought at night. it was not believed safe for us to go home, even for a few hours, because edwards and fanning had men out in every direction picking up a victim here and there, and we lads knew full well that sandy wells would take full advantage of the opportunity in case he came upon us where we could not defend ourselves. the regulators were waiting to learn whether tryon would keep the word given to the deputies, and a dull time of it we lads had meanwhile. since one day was passed much as another, with nothing by way of excitement save when news came of this or that high-handed proceeding on the part of the secretary and the attorney, i propose to set down here simply an account of the general happenings in the neighborhood. the regulators had scouts out in every direction, and therefore it was we learned, early in july, when we were heartily tired with lounging around camp while it seemed necessary the most active measures should be taken, that governor tryon, with an escort of an hundred and sixty soldiers, had arrived in hillsborough. this was in accordance with his promise, and those who hoped the colony would not be forced to resist the king's laws were filled with joy, particularly when the governor issued a proclamation declaring that he had come to right the wrongs complained of in the petition delivered to him at brunswick. not a word in his official note to the people was said regarding the regulators; but the citizens were requested to keep the peace until such time as the several complaints could be acted upon by the courts of law, and it was promised that if they remained quiet all should be done in accordance with the wishes of the majority. when this proclamation was sent out over the colony there were many who urged that the regulation be dissolved, lest the fact of so many armed men remaining together might be construed by the governor as outright treason. as a matter of fact an hundred or more did leave the encampment, returning to their homes, and but for the earnest entreaties of general hamilton, the deputies, my father, and several others, the sons of liberty would have dispersed simply because tryon and his crew wished it so. before one week had passed after the issuance of the proclamation, it could readily be seen that our burdens were to be increased instead of lightened. twenty or more of those who had left the regulation and returned home were arrested for non-payment of the poll tax levied to build tryon's palace. edwards and fanning no longer spoke of pacifying, but of subduing, the people, and warrants were sworn out daily for the purpose of putting into prison those who were absolutely unable to pay the amount demanded. fanning's fees were increased until they amounted to ten times as much as the law allowed for court services, and the poor wretch with money or lands who fell into his hands was unmercifully shorn of all his possessions before being set free. the wickedness was increased twenty-fold, and no man could say at what moment the prison-doors might open to receive him, save we who remained banded together in the encampment at maddock's mill. then governor tryon proceeded to frighten the wretched people by marching with his soldiers from hillsborough to mecklenburg, and there coaxing or scaring twenty or more timorous souls to enlist in the army he said should be raised to subdue "the rebellion in upper carolina." then he marched to salisbury and back to hillsborough, enlisting recruits wherever men or lads could be cajoled or frightened, and, with an army of an hundred and sixty trained soldiers and about fifty feeble-minded colonists, he proceeded to play the part of king; but with rather poor success. by this time such of the sons of liberty as had returned to their homes and were yet at liberty came back to maddock's mill prepared to remain until matters were of a different complexion, and once more the defenders of the colony presented a formidable front to the tyrant. we numbered upwards of three hundred and eighty, and by advice of general hamilton our camp was moved nearer hillsborough in order that we might protect the country roundabout. in answer to what he was pleased to term a "threat," on our part, tryon called out the militia of the colony, threatening direst vengeance upon those who dare disregard the call. by such means he added twenty or more to his army, and once again were the sheriffs sent to collect taxes, each officer guarded by a squad of ten soldiers. now was come the time when the regulation believed something more should be done than remaining idly in camp. we were told off into squads of twenty-five, and day after day we rode here or there as our scouts reported the movements of the sheriff, driving back the officials and their guards as if they had been so many sheep. when the guard of the tax-collectors were increased in numbers, our detachments were added to, and in every case we sent back the scurvy rascals. sometimes they plucked up courage to exchange shots with us, when we always managed to disable one or more; but as a rule they beat a hasty retreat whenever we came in sight. we had orders not to shoot unless we were attacked, and it was hard at times to obey, particularly when, in the course of our forays, sidney and i saw sandy wells at the head of a dozen soldiers destroying the household goods of a widow with one son of seventeen, who could not pay the money demanded. before the middle of august, however, we made the governor and his crew understand that we were masters of that section of country, and instead of sending out sheriffs on fruitless errands, tryon set about strengthening his position as if fearing we might attempt to capture hillsborough. that town was a fortified camp, and none of the royalists dared ride three miles in either direction. it goes without saying that neither edwards, fanning, nor any member of the sheriff's posse trusted himself outside the town. general hamilton had given orders that we were to capture any of tryon's officers which we might come across, and keen were all for such game. i would willingly have given my horse and rifle, all the property i owned, for the privilege of bringing into camp as my prisoner the attorney fanning. although we were under strict orders not to shed blood, save in defense of our own, i question if that black-hearted lawyer's life would have been worth a moment's purchase once he was in our power. among tryon's many proclamations at this time was one which stated that on the twenty-second of september would be begun the trials of those who were confined in jail for any offense, and without question the case of masters husband and william hunter would then be called. it also pleased the representative of the king to declare that "since charges had been preferred against edmund fanning, attorney, he would be called upon to render an account of his doings." no one among the sons of liberty believed the wretch who had caused so much misery would be regularly tried; but all were curious to see how tryon might save his minion when so many and such serious charges could, and would, be made against him. i have tried to set down here an outline of what sidney and i did during all that long summer while we waited for the royal governor to do us justice, which had been so long withheld. and by telling it in the fewest possible words, we are now come to three days before the time set for the trials, or, in other words, to the nineteenth of september, in the year of grace . the sons of liberty were resolved that there should be ample evidence against fanning, whatever the cost, therefore from among the members of the association eight were selected who could swear truthfully that the attorney had defrauded them of several considerable sums of money. it was believed that, unless protected in some manner, these witnesses would be arrested immediately they showed themselves in hillsborough, therefore the officers of the regulation prepared a paper stating that in case these men, whose names were set down therein, should be interfered with in any manner while they were in town to serve as witnesses, the regulators would immediately make an assault. it was further stated that the lives of the governor and his associates depended entirely upon the manner in which our people were treated, for it would be the duty of every son of liberty to seek out the principal officials during the assault, for the purpose of shooting them down. this was open rebellion, and no mistake; but in order to prevent tryon from declaring that we had intimidated the courts of justice, there was added to the document the agreement that no member of the association would interfere in any manner whatsoever with the judges or the officials of the court, while the cases were being conducted in a way agreeably with the laws of the king. this document was sent to the governor by one of our scouts who, going into town, secretly gave it to a royalist for transmission, and, before it could be delivered the venturesome man had rejoined us. nor was this all the association did in order to secure fair and impartial trials for fanning as well our friends. it was decided by the association in council, that while we remained at such a distance from hillsborough tryon might take upon himself the risk of conducting matters without regard to our just demands; therefore the camp was moved once more, and this time to a small hill overlooking the town, and hardly more than half a mile from the court-house. here we felled trees to serve as breastworks, and otherwise guarded against an attack, for many of us believed that as soon as the sons of liberty showed themselves, the so-called king's forces would make a desperate attack, alleging as the reason therefor that they were in fear we might attempt to take possession of the town. it was on the morning of the twentieth of september when we rode up the hill in full view of governor tryon's forces; but no demonstration was made against us. the people could see that we were preparing to resist an attack; but they remained as if paralyzed with astonishment. near nightfall came a mounted soldier bearing a white flag, who demanded in the governor's name the reason for our display of force, and general hamilton replied to the question. "this is no display of force," he said. "we have come as citizens of upper carolina to safeguard several witnesses, and have no mind to interfere in any way with the proceedings. say to governor tryon that we shall remain until the close of the session, and that never a man of us will ride into town while the people are given the rights accorded to them by the king and parliament. if, however, there should be an attempt to deprive a witness of his liberty, we shall ride down like a whirlwind, carrying out to the utmost the plan which we have already had the honor to submit to the governor." the man rode back, and before night came we could see that tryon's residence was guarded by three-score men, a fact which caused master howell to say scornfully: "i wonder if the coward thinks to save himself from our vengeance, with sixty recruits? we will overturn them, if there be any act of treachery, before william tryon can sign his name!" after that we waited in anxious suspense, but constantly on the alert, for the day when law and order would be established in upper carolina, or it might be known beyond a peradventure that we must depend upon ourselves entirely for liberty and the opportunity to live upon our own lands. chapter viii. sandy wells. as early as sunrise on the morning of september twenty-first, twenty-eight hours or more before the time set for the trial of our friends, the people from the country roundabout began to gather, every man, woman and child eager to learn at the earliest possible moment what might be the outcome of this first attempt to check the course of the king's minions. before nightfall it was said that there were not less than three thousand people in and around hillsborough. on every hand as far as the eye could reach, the visitors were camped; some brought two or three bed-quilts, which they put up on crotched sticks and a long sapling as a ridge-pole, a tent that was made to accommodate as many as could crawl beneath it. others utilized their carts as sleeping quarters, the body of the vehicle serving as the upper story of the dwelling, and the ground immediately beneath it as the ground floor; to the wheels were tethered the horses or oxen, and he who slept in the "chamber" of such a lodging was in danger of being awakened many times while the cattle munched at the hay which served as a bed. now a few of the visitors reckoned on sleeping upon the ground wherever darkness overtook them, and many there were who had believed it would be possible to get a shelter in the town, never dreaming that nearly every man, woman and child in upper carolina would come to the trial, during which was to be settled the question of their individual rights. some of the visitors had brought with them a goodly supply of provisions, while others, more improvident, came with nothing save a hearty appetite, and these last went from party to party asking food as of right, until all appeared to be supplied. every house in the town was filled to overflowing, so i was told, at nine o'clock on the morning of the day before the trial was to take place. every tree which could be seen from our camp had one or more beneath the shelter of its branches, and in order to prevent our encampment from being literally over-run, it was necessary to station fifty men as guards to keep back our friends. take it all in all it was such a sight as i had never seen before, and do not expect to witness again. i had not believed there were so many people in the upper carolina as were now gathered here, and every one appeared to be feverishly eager to make certain masters husband and hunter would receive a fair trial. sidney and i had come off from sentinel duty at sunrise, when the crowd began to pour in, and we stood literally fascinated by the scene, never so much as thinking of breakfast, until the forenoon was nearly half spent, by which time the valley between us and the town was densely packed with human beings. "i wonder what tryon thinks of this scene?" my comrade said musingly as he looked across the sea of heads from which came a perfect babel of noise. "he must realize by this time that his imitation army could not make much progress against such a gathering." "aye, and yet it is to his advantage, if he counts on playing us false," i replied, seized by a sudden thought. "the regulators could not enter the town whatever might be the necessity for their so doing, save at the expense of trampling hundreds beneath the feet of their horses." "that is a danger which i had not considered," my comrade said with a long indrawing of the breath as when one brings himself to face a sudden and immediate danger. "governor tryon is guarded by his enemies, and yet if they turned upon him he would be swept from off the face of the earth like so much chaff before the wind." "the disaster would be appalling if these people should take it into their heads to rise against him!" i cried, shuddering as if the work of slaughter was about to begin. "the soldiers could mow great swaths through the crowd at every discharge of their muskets, and hundreds would be killed before the remainder found space in which to move." "he will not dare work an injustice upon the prisoners!" sidney cried after a long pause, and i, sickening as i realized what might happen if a sudden panic arose, or in case an act of violence was committed, drew my comrade away from contemplation of the scene, as i said: "why speculate as to possibilities? no disaster can come upon them during this day at least, and there is time enough in which to cross a bridge when we have arrived at it. let us go in search of something to eat." it was not necessary to spend very much time in this last quest; each visitor who had relatives among the regulators brought something in the way of provisions as a treat, with the result that our larder was filled to running over, and it was almost impossible to take a dozen steps in either direction without receiving a hearty invitation "to have something from home." up to this time none of sidney's relatives or mine had put in an appearance, and i was feeling decidedly disappointed, although i had no good reason for believing that my mother would come all the way from alamance simply to learn what might be the result of governor tryon's investigations. when we had satisfied our hunger, however, and were about to visit general hamilton's headquarters in order to learn whether we would be called upon for further guard duty that day, i was rejoiced beyond words to see my mother, in company with sidney's parents, looking here and there anxiously, disappointed at not readily finding father or myself. it is not necessary to say that within a very few seconds i was clasped in her dear arms, and for the time being i almost forgot that such a tyrant as tryon ever had an existence. when i had spent an hour in her company, my father joined us, and at the same moment sidney shouted for me to come with him--where, i did not at the instant understand. "it is my intention to stay very near my mother this day," i said petulantly, as he went toward the river even while i was advancing. "she will be setting out for home immediately after the trials have been brought to a close, and i have no idea of wasting even a moment which might be spent in her company." "give her a chance to talk with your father," sidney said laughingly. "it appears to me as if the visitors were in some mischief down this way, and i cannot find any of the regulators who are willing to look into the matter." "if it was of consequence there would be no lack of men to attend to it," i said petulantly, and then i became interested immediately as i saw a throng of an hundred or more, who appeared to be deeply intent upon something in their midst. "most likely they are having some kind of a game," sidney said when i came alongside; "but just before you showed yourself i fancied i heard cries for help, and it seems as if we should know the reason for the gathering. unless we of the association have our eyes about us this day there will be rough play which may develop into a fight, as i heard general hamilton say." by this time we were among those of the throng who were in the outer ring, and i heard such cries as: "drown the scoundrel!" "be sure he don't get away till we from chatham have put our mark on him!" "he's needed a lesson this many a day, and now is the time to give it to him!" the crowd was so dense as each member of it pressed toward the center, that sidney and i were forced to literally fight our way forward, and no less than ten minutes were spent in such task, during which time we plainly heard cries for help in a voice which sounded strangely familiar to me. then, finally, we were in the very midst of the gathering, and had before us what promised to be a tragedy which might bring shame and reproach upon us all, unless it was speedily checked. as many men as could seize upon him, held in their grasp sandy wells, whose legs and arms were tied securely, and whose clothing had been torn to tatters by the rough usage he had received. his captors were industriously engaged in kicking him when we gained a place by his side, and at every blow they called aloud the name of some citizen of the carolinas who had been ill-treated at his hands. "we're going to square accounts for all our neighbors, and then dump you in the river," one of the men cried vindictively, and i could see a huge rock, around which was a rope, lying near at hand to fasten on his body when the tormentors were ready to put an end to their victim. now it cannot be supposed that either sidney or i had any affection for the sheriff's officer; but yet we could not stand idly by while he was being murdered. in addition to such pity as common humanity dictated, it suddenly occurred to me that if the mob killed an officer of the law the regulation would be accused by governor tryon of having committed the deed, and then would be good reason why the entire upper portion of the colony should be put under strict martial rule. if this murder was done the sons of liberty would be branded as assassins, and with some reason, therefore i whispered to sidney, although without the slightest idea as to how we two might prevent the enraged men from working their will: "we must put an end to this, and that right quickly, else will the man be killed before our eyes." there was in his mind the same thought as had come into mine, and he turned to look me full in the face as he said, almost shouting in order that i might hear the words above the uproar: "it may cost us our lives to interfere! i do not recognize any of these men, and they will refuse to listen." at this moment sandy wells caught sight of us, and, stretching out his bound hands, cried imploringly: "save me, lads! for god's sake don't allow me to be murdered!" "that we won't!" i cried, suddenly forgetting that i was running my nose into very serious danger until we could make that maddened desperate mob understand who we were, which last would require some time while the tumult was so great. forcing myself with a rush between two of those who had a hold upon sandy, i seized the prisoner by the arm as i cried with the full force of my lungs: "you are ruining the cause of freedom when you lay violent hands upon this man! have a care, or there'll be mischief done to more than him!" i had hardly finished speaking before half a dozen rushed forward, one seizing me by the throat, despite all sidney's efforts to hold him back, and crying: "here's another of tryon's friends! we'll drop him into the stream to bear the tax-collector company!" i tried in vain to speak; but the fellow had my throat as if in a vise, and it was impossible to so much as whisper. as the mob pressed yet further i was forced downward until i lay across sandy's body, and sidney strove valiantly to make himself heard as he cried: "he whom you have there is clare butler, one of the regulators! i am sidney hubbard, also a member of the association! do you hear? we are of the regulation, and are trying to prevent you from bringing yet greater wrongs upon the colony!" before it was possible for sidney to utter many words the men had bound me hand and foot, after the same fashion as was sandy, and at that moment i believed, and feel certain to this day, that death was very near me. it was only a question as to whether my comrade could make himself heard before i was pitched overboard. already i could hear shouts from those in the rear demanding that i be "finished" before sandy's score was paid off, and more than one threatened to take a hand in the business if it was not brought to a speedy close. "drown the villain! let tryon understand that he can't play fast and loose with us!" one of the crowd shouted, and another added: "waste no time over him; but let us pay our dues to the tax-collector while he is drowning." those in the rear were so eager to expedite matters that they flung themselves forward until the men who held me were forced to turn and defend themselves lest they be trodden under foot, and this temporary delay, i firmly believe, was all that saved my life. had the members of the mob not fought with each other to gain a better place in which to witness the spectacle, of a verity i would have been flung into the river. "we are two lads who acted as escort to the deputies when they went to brunswick!" sidney shouted during a momentary lull in the tumult, and one of those nearest him caught the import of the words. "who are you?" the man cried, and sidney replied, yelling in the fellow's ear to make certain the words were understood: "regulators! members of the association! but for the lad you are threatening to drown, the deputies might not have escaped from those whom tryon sent in pursuit of us!" now it was sidney had assistance in his efforts to procure for us a hearing, for the man set about making his neighbor acquainted with the facts, and in a twinkling a third understood that they had been trying to kill their friends. when perhaps five minutes had passed, and time moved slowly to me who was expecting each instant that some impatient one would pitch me over the river bank, those in the middle of the throng came to know what we had been trying to tell them, and in a very few seconds afterward i was released from my bonds. "it was a close shave for you," he who had been holding me by the throat said, as i stood before him gasping for breath. "we made certain you were trying to save the tax-collector." "that is exactly what we were doing," i replied, speaking with difficulty because my windpipe was sore from the pressure so lately put upon it. "then you must be friendly to tryon, else you would not speak a good word for that villain whom we count on killing as we would a rat!" "it must not be done!" i cried frantically, raising my voice so that those in the immediate vicinity might hear. "if you kill him it will be said that it was done by orders of the regulation, and tryon will have right on his side when he overruns the country with soldiers. to raise your hands against an officer of the county is to weave a noose for those brave men in prison who will look to-morrow for your assistance! nothing would please tryon better than to have a reasonable excuse for throwing us all into jail!" then, as my voice failed, sidney took up the theme: "how much do you harm tryon by killing sandy wells? the governor cares nothing about such as he, and would gladly reward the man who, by committing murder almost in the encampment of the regulators, should give the king's minions power over us! turn the tax-collector over to us. we will take him to general hamilton, who is bound to see that he be held a prisoner, and to-morrow, if tryon and fanning play us false, we shall have one on whom to retaliate." "keep him till to-morrow!" a voice cried, and straightway i began to have hope that we might finally succeed in our purpose. some of the mob came to understand that which we would beat into their thick skulls, and with the knowledge of what the murder of a king's officer might mean for all in that section, whether innocent or guilty, came the impulse to wash their own hands of any participation in the outrage. for the time being they forgot their victim while discussing each with another the situation as we had shown it, and now was come the time when i could cut sandy's bonds. "get to your feet and keep close behind sidney and me," i whispered. "do as i bid you, and it may be that we three can make our way inside the lines of the encampment." "i'll do whatever you say," sandy replied in the tone of one whose life has just been saved, as indeed his had, and i whispered in sidney's ear, for the tumult had so far subsided that it was possible to speak with some degree of privacy: "work gradually toward the encampment while you talk. if we can attract the attention of the regulators our point is gained." then i turned to argue with the man nearest me, showing him how much it would advantage us if we could have the tax-collector as our prisoner until the trial in the court had come to an end, and all the while pressing gently forward, step by step, toward our line of guards. sandy, knowing that his only chance for life was in keeping close to us lads, for if he had attempted to gain the village an hundred hands would have been laid upon him in anger, obeyed my commands to the letter, pressing me so hard at times that i found it difficult to keep my footing. in this manner we succeeded, after more than an hour had passed, in approaching within twenty feet of the encampment line, and the remainder of the task was simple. we had but to attract the attention of the guard, and in a twinkling half a dozen regulators were on the spot. hurriedly i told our friends of what had been on foot, and sandy wells was marched directly within the lines, while those who would follow were forced by the guards to keep their distance. the men who had come to our rescue believed it proper the prisoner should be taken to that lean-to known as "headquarters," and soon the miserable wretch was telling his story to our commander. "why did you show yourself such a simpleton as to venture into the midst of those whom you had harassed?" the old general asked with a laugh, for i believe he was secretly pleased at seeing the tax-collector in such a plight. "i came across the river to speak with some friends of mine who were come----" sandy began, and one of our party interrupted him by saying: "i didn't suppose you had a friend outside of hillsborough, and but precious few in the town!" "this was a family from chatham whom i have known many years----" "i venture to say you never tried to collect illegal taxes from them!" "let the man tell the story," general hamilton interrupted, and sandy continued: "they were so near the town that i didn't think any one would dare lay hands on me; but before i was comfortably seated under their wagon half a dozen men seized me. i was dragged up the stream to that point where the bank is high and steep, and there the life was nearly kicked out of me." sandy concluded the story by explaining how we had chanced to go to his rescue, and what happened after we arrived at the scene. "you two lads have done well!" the old general said emphatically. "it would have been a sorry day's work for the people in this section if yonder rascal had been killed. the one question now in my mind is, what we shall do with him. i don't want such scurvy knaves in camp." hearing this sandy dropped on his knees, begging the general not to send him outside the lines of the encampment lest he be killed, and, after waiting a moment without hearing anything by way of suggestion as to what should be done with the fellow, sidney said: "if it please you, master hamilton, clare and i will take charge of him until to-morrow. i think he will do as we command, and it's only a question of keeping him away from the visitors." "you may take him and welcome," the general said in a tone of relief. "it may not be safe to make too great a display of the rascal even in camp, for we have among us many whom he has wofully distressed." "always acting under orders, sir, always under orders!" sandy cried, yet on his knees. "you would be more of a man if you took your orders from a different source," the general said sharply, and then motioned for us to lead him away. "you lads have saved my life," sandy began when we three were walking toward the lean-to sidney and i had built, "and if i can ever do anything in return, you shall understand that i know how to be grateful." "we've done nothing for which we expect to be rewarded," sidney replied with a gesture of impatience. "you can't fancy that we bear you any very good-will, therefore what we did was for the good of the colony." "never mind why you did it; i shall never forget what i owe." then we were come to the lean-to, and once there the question arose as to what we should do with our charge. if he was left to wander around the encampment alone, some of the men would undoubtedly ill-treat him, and we were not disposed to waste time which should be spent in the company of our dear ones, looking after him. it was sandy himself who solved the question for us, by saying: "leave me here; i can hide beneath the brush which forms your bed, and you may be certain i shan't be such a fool as to venture out." it was a good idea, and after he had burrowed beneath the pine branches until no trace of him could be seen, i went to seek my mother. chapter ix. tryon's demonstration. although we, meaning sidney and i, had saved a man's life, it was but a trifling incident to the majority, so intense was the interest in the outcome of the trial to be held on the morrow. the welfare of the colony, and, perhaps, the lives of hundreds of our people depended upon what would be done next day in the hillsborough court-house, and with such a great stake at hazard, the citizens might well be excused for giving but little heed to the fact that a tax-collector had been very near death. those who paid any particular attention to the events which i have just set down, viewed the entire proceeding as but the first move in the game betwixt rulers and those who are ruled, and if any disquietude was felt, it arose from the fact that the more superstitious took sandy wells' escape from death as a token that our oppressors would win the legal battle, or contrive some way by which it might be turned into a farce. when i rejoined my parents i found them looking decidedly uncomfortable in mind, and it was possible to guess the reason for their anxiety when mother said to me in a low tone as she clasped my hand lovingly: "my son, in case it should not be prudent to return home at once, i feel confident you will conduct yourself as if my eyes were upon you all the time." "then father thinks tryon will get the best of us to-morrow?" i cried, looking up quickly. "it is possible that, despite all our show of force, the king's party may outwit us, or force the judges to decide in tryon's favor," my father replied thoughtfully. "if that should happen the people would make quick work of the traitors," i said, thinking of the scene i had just witnessed. "no one can say when or how a gathering like this is to be swerved from its purpose. within four and twenty hours the situation may appear entirely different to those who now cry out against the king's minions." "but the regulators will hold steadfast," i said quickly. "having announced themselves as true sons of liberty, they cannot give up the struggle while right is on their side." "i know not what may be the result of to-morrow's trial," my father replied gravely, "and it is of little use to speculate, as i have already been led to do by certain questions your mother asked. we shall know the outcome in due season." "but you have intimated to her that it may be several weeks before i return home, as if believing the result will be in favor of tryon's party," i insisted. "i have said that it might become necessary for the regulation to remain in session some time and of course, since you are a member, it will be needful to remain in camp." i understood that father had indulged in more forebodings while conversing privately with mother, than he cared to have made known to me, and was not surprised thereat. it had been in my mind for many hours that the governor could and would influence the decision of the court, if he believed it might be done with safety so far as he personally was concerned, and it would not have caused me astonishment had i been told that the case was already settled without regard to any evidence which might be submitted. the judges upon the bench would be chief justice martin howard, with maurice moore and richard henderson as his associates. it had been said more than once that to these gentlemen tryon's desire was of more importance than the king's written law, and even general hamilton was quoted as having declared that the words of the decisions in the cases which were to come up on the morrow would have been dictated by the man who made of justice a mockery. however, when i looked around upon the vast assembly, and realized that the governor knew beyond a peradventure that all these people would cry out against any additional wrongs, even to the extent of resorting to arms, i could not believe he would dare trifle with them. mother, observing the mood into which i had fallen, bade me forget her words, but not the substance of them, and to change the current of thought suggested that father and myself escort her around the encampment in order that she might meet our friends. we were on the point of acceding to what was really a proposition, when one of the regulators came up hurriedly with the word: "the members of the association are ordered to fall into line, mounted, and fully armed." it was a command to be obeyed on the instant, and as i ran toward my camp to make preparations, i wondered what could have happened to give color to such a warlike proceeding. so far as i was able to see, everything appeared in much the same condition as when we had rescued sandy, yet there could be no question but that danger threatened from some quarter. sidney was by my side before i arrived at the lean-to, and his first question was as to whether i knew the meaning of the command. "i can see nothing to cause alarm, and yet general hamilton is far too cautious to do anything unnecessarily which might provoke a conflict," i replied. "at such a time as this it needs but a spark to set all these men aflame, for after the many wrongs committed in the king's name they are like to so much tinder, and our forming into ranks will arouse them at once." "if sandy wells can stir up the visitors to the point of murder, it stands our officers in hand to go slowly and with exceeding caution," sidney said in so grave a tone that i looked at him in surprise. when we began saddling our horses, which had been kept within the enclosure that day lest they might be frightened away, or stolen, the collector was alarmed, and, poking his head out from under the brushpile, asked in a voice trembling with apprehension: "what is the matter? have any others from the sheriff's office been so reckless as to follow my example by coming across the river?" "we don't know what is on foot," sidney replied; "but certain it is that we are called out for duty. take my advice and keep under cover till night, when we will make an effort to send you over to the town." sandy disappeared like a flash, and despite the fears in my mind i could not repress the smile which was provoked by a glimpse of his face. the day was exceedingly warm, and his hiding-place must have been close indeed, for not a breath of air could reach him beneath all that brush. his cheeks were flushed crimson, and the perspiration oozed from every pore, only to be covered with pine needles which adhered to the skin as if glued there. we were not long in answering the call, and once my comrade and i were on the brow of the hill overlooking the town, where the command was being formed, it was possible to understand why we had been summoned. across that sea of heads, just in front of the court-house, was governor tryon's army, drawn up as if for action. we could see that every man was fully armed, and all the officers in position, ready for immediate movement. "what is the meaning of that display of force?" i asked in surprise, and the man nearest me replied grimly: "that is what all of us would like to know. it may be that tryon is only showing the visitors what he can muster in case of a riot, and yet such would be a foolish move, for it simply proves that this multitude could make short work of them. if i stood in tryon's shoes i should hesitate about showing my hand so plainly." "the fellow is no fool, however much of a knave he may be," one of the regulators who had heard the reply said quickly. "i warrant those soldiers are not there to overawe the people." "then why have they been called out?" sidney asked impatiently. "in my opinion they will march across the river, or, at least, to a point mighty near this camp." "meaning that the governor counts on showing fight?" i asked in dismay. "you are getting beyond me; but the question is likely to be answered very soon, for the men are in motion." as he spoke the command wheeled into files, and advanced in order of fours directly toward us. at the head of the column rode three officers tricked out with gold lace and feathers; but we could see readily that tryon himself was not among them. by this time the people, who had been aroused by seeing us form in line as if to resist an attack, now perceived what was happening on the other side of the river, and straightway a murmuring sound arose which was at the same time menacing and disquieting. i could see that the male visitors were hurrying the women and children around to the other side of the hill, as if expecting a battle was imminent, while the younger men and older lads were collecting into a solid mass. "if yonder fellows were armed, tryon's recruits would have a rough time of it," sidney said with a laugh as he pointed at the throng which was edging toward the hill as if to support us. "god forbid that such should be the case, else hillsborough would be a shambles this night," a horseman near me said in a low tone. "if tryon begins blood-letting to-day, he and we alike will rue it." the soldiers advanced in something like regular order until they were come to the river bank, and there, not more than two hundred yards from where the regulators and their horses remained like statues, they came to a halt. the three officers who had led the column rode into the stream to a point midway across the ford, where they also halted. "it is a parley!" i heard some one near me mutter, and then came a cry from that officer whose uniform bore the greatest amount of gold lace: "is there any one who professes to command your force?" general hamilton, attended by master james hunter and my father, rode to the line of the encampment, and the old scotchman lifted his hat in answer to the question. "who am i addressing?" the officer asked, and then it was that i recognized him as the governor's secretary. "that you know full well, david edwards!" our old commander shouted; "but lest you may think i'm afraid to bring myself under the ban of your mock court, i'll repeat it. i am ninian bell hamilton, a freeholder of this colony, president of that association known as the regulation, and bending the knee to no one outside of bonny scotland!" what a shout went up from the people as the old gentleman thus boldly announced himself! it was as if the hill literally trembled because of the tumult, and not until a good five minutes had passed was it possible for master edwards to make himself heard. then, when the people were hoarse from much shouting, the secretary cried: "in the name of the king i bid you disperse!" "wherefore?" general hamilton asked sharply. "is it not allowed that the people may assemble when their court of law is about to decide upon the fate of two most worthy members of this colony?" "it is not lawful to menace the king's officers while they are in discharge of their duty." "it is you who are menacing, my good man. we have come here in orderly fashion, and were doing our best to preserve order when you marched out in full war array." "you are inciting the people to deeds of violence. it is hardly an hour since one of his majesty's officers was foully murdered by you who call yourselves regulators, and i demand that those who had any hand in that cowardly deed be delivered up to his excellency's guard, whereof i am temporarily in command." "whatever is the rascal talking about?" i heard general hamilton mutter; but after master hunter had spoken with him, he looked around as if in search of some person. i made bold to spur my horse forward a few paces, believing i understood what the general would have, and immediately he motioned me nearer. "have you that rascally tax-collector in your charge, my lad?" "aye, sir; that is to say, he was in our camp half an hour since." "bring him out here, and we will see if he's the man yonder popinjay prates about so loudly." i rode back to our lean-to without loss of time, and once there called to sandy. he poked his head out from amid the brush like a turtle, and because of the pine needles which covered his face the best friend he had in the world would have failed to recognize him. "the governor's troops have sent for you," i said curtly, intent only on performing my duty in the shortest possible space of time. "you are to come with me." "i don't dare, lad, i don't dare!" he cried in an agony of terror. "you alone amid all this throng cannot protect me!" "there will be no throng where you are to go. the regulators are drawn up in line, and i give you my word they will brook no interference from those who were near to doing murder." instead of coming out, he drew back till i could see no more than the top of his head, and i was angered because of the delay. "the general has sent for you, and i am not willing to waste time. if you are not by my side before it is possible to count ten, i'll put a bullet into your head as you lie there!" although i would not have done such a thing to save my right hand, the coward must have believed i was in deadly earnest, for he crept out, shaking with fear like a man suffering from an ague fit. "now march by the side of my horse, holding to the stirrup," i said sharply. "it will be well so long as you obey orders; but once i see any show of running away, my bullet will make a target of your carcass." "how could i run away while on every hand are those who would murder me?" he asked with a whine. "if the people see me i am undone." "the governor's troops have come to conduct you to the town, and surely you may trust them!" i cried. sandy shook his head doubtfully; he was in that frame of mind where he trusted no one, and his terror was so great as to excite pity. i contrived, however, by a liberal use of threats, to keep him by me until i had arrived at general hamilton's side, and then the old scotchman bade me advance with sandy until i was midway between himself and the three officers. "is that the man you accuse us of murdering?" the general asked when i had obeyed his order, and i could see a look of surprise come over master edwards' face. "is it sandy wells, of the sheriff's office?" he asked; but my prisoner remained silent, whereupon i prodded him in the side, whispering as i did so: "speak out, man! do you distrust your own friends?" "i'm not certain if i have any," he said mournfully, and then so far plucked up courage as to reply in a thin, tremulous voice: "aye, sir, i am sandy wells." "we heard that you had been murdered," master edwards said, much as if disappointed because such was not the fact. "i was indeed very near death; but those who call themselves regulators rescued me from the vile men who accuse me of having worked them harm because of obeying the sheriff's orders." "is that the man you declared had been murdered?" general hamilton shouted, and after some delay master edwards replied: "that is the man." "send him forward, lad, and let those brave gentlemen take the fellow without delay to his excellency, who will be in distress of mind until after having assured himself that he is in the land of the living." master edwards wheeled about as if to join his force, and general hamilton shouted: "turn back, david edwards, and take him who has caused you so much trouble! why do you not grasp the gallant gentleman's hand?" "come back, please, dear master edwards!" sandy shouted. "else i shall be killed, for the regulators evidently will have no more of me!" at this pathetic appeal the people burst into a roar of laughter which was like unto the shrieking of a hurricane, and not until he had crossed to the other side of the river did master edwards turn his head. then his cheeks were flaming red as with shame, and i fearing lest we might let slip this opportunity of safely delivering our prisoner, said to sandy: "run forward, man, now that you have the opportunity! it is not certain sidney and i can smuggle you into the town, and you may come to grief on this side the river, no matter how close you hide yourself." the tax-collector hesitated only an instant, and then seeing that there were none between him and the line of red-coated soldiers, took to his heels, crying at the full force of his lungs: "wait for me, master edwards! for the love of heaven don't leave me here to be murdered, dear master edwards!" "wait for the lost sheep which we have restored to you, master secretary!" general hamilton shouted, and the people were once more convulsed with laughter. they roared and shrieked in mirth until sandy was by the side of the angry secretary, and jeered both the tax-collector and the soldiers until the governor's guard fairly ran toward the court-house. meanwhile i had ridden back to my place in the line, and, arriving there, heard one horseman say to his neighbor: "there will be no further thought of foul play, now that the people are amused; but if those two lads had not rescued the tax-collector when he was nigh to death, we should have a pretty hornets' nest about our ears by this time." it filled me with pride as i realized that sidney and i had done so much for the cause, and i could well understand how important was our work of mercy, by glancing at the governor's troops. had sandy wells been killed, as he would have been but for us two lads, then had tryon such a weapon against us as must have doomed the regulation to everlasting shame and contempt. we held our line until the governor's soldiers disappeared behind the court-house, and then the command was given to break ranks, after which general hamilton rode up to sidney and me, saying as he faced about to check our forward movement: "i thank you, lads, in the name of the regulation, for having made it possible for us to throw ridicule upon the enemy. may you ride long in the ranks of the sons of liberty!" i was as proud as any turkey cock at being publicly praised by one of the foremost men in the colony, and when we were alone in our lean-to sidney said: "i reckon we ought to be well satisfied with ourselves. there's many a one in this company who would give half he possessed to win such words as we received from the general." "but for you sandy would have been killed, and the governor had just cause to imprison every regulator he could come at. i have taken my share of the praise, but without having earned it." "i say you're entitled to as much as myself," the lad cried hotly. "i had no idea anything very serious was on foot when i dragged you from your mother, and once we were in the crowd it was impossible to do other than exactly as we did." sidney's generous heart prompted him to give me a full share in the work when i had but followed him, and during the remainder of that day i took good care to make every one who spoke of the matter understand exactly the position of affairs. when my horse had been tethered i sought out mother once more, and she sang my praises till my cheeks were red with something very like shame, for she would not listen to the explanations i made; but insisted on calling me "a brave lad" who was an honor to his parents. a stranger who had come suddenly upon us during the afternoon of this day would have found it difficult to believe that we were ready for, and expecting, mischief on the morrow. the scene on the hill and nearabout the river was rather one of peace and good-will. neighbors and friends seemed bent on a holiday, with no thought of care, and yet their merry-making was carried on between two small armies, each prepared to meet the other in deadly conflict if provocation was given. it was a scene of gaiety which might be entirely changed by the morrow, and then instead of smiles one could expect to see tears; instead of laughter, to hear groans of agony, unless god should put it in the heart of william tryon to deal justly and lawfully by those over whom the king had set him. it was with some such thoughts as these that i looked down from the brow of the hill upon the joyous throng, and my heart grew sick with apprehension as i speculated upon that which the morrow's sun might bring to light. chapter x. the long night. the excitement of the people appeared to increase rather than diminish as the night approached. the appearance of the king's soldiers had disturbed them in their merry-making, and brought to their minds the possibilities of the morrow. a view of the two armed bodies, drawn up one against the other, told more clearly of the danger which threatened than words could have done, and the cautious began to ask if it would not be well to send the women and children away. dull-witted though i am, i could not fail to observe the people casting furtive glances toward the town, as if fearing to see issuing from it those who would work some injury in the name of the king. the sounds of laughter were replaced by deep mutterings, and instead of lounging here or there with their families, the men and boys moved restlessly from one point to another, watching jealously every motion of the regulators. it was much as if we were all walking to and fro in a magazine of powder, each with a lighted match in his hand, and that the explosion was a foregone conclusion, the only question being as to exactly when it would occur. i understood that others besides myself took much the same view of the situation, when the officers of the regulation gave orders concerning that which should be done during the night. all the company were ordered to go on duty at sunset, remaining under arms until morning, ready for any sudden emergency. the men were especially commanded not to stray away from the limits of the encampment, and forty were told off to do guard duty when ten could have patrolled the camp thoroughly under ordinary circumstances. all these preparations told that our leaders were anxious regarding the possibility of treachery on the part of the royalists, which was not to be wondered at in view of all that had happened. when it was reported in hillsborough that sandy wells had been murdered, tryon and fanning saw an opportunity of setting us down before the world at large as murderers and knaves who should, in justice to a law-abiding community, be committed to jail. when they learned that we had kept our hands clean, that we had done our best to preserve the peace, it might well be expected some other plan to ruin us would be tried, and general hamilton was far too wise a man to neglect any opportunity for additional defense. it was also evident that the people generally were of the belief that the royalists would attempt to do us a mischief, and, as i have said, they moved around restlessly, watching keenly all that was taking place on the opposite side of the river. had the king's troops come toward the ford a second time, i believe of a verity that trouble would have ensued even though the soldiers advanced with peaceful intent. sidney and i were stationed as sentinels at that part of the line which overlooked the town, with orders to observe closely all that might be taking place on the opposite side of the river, and to report immediately at headquarters any unusual movement, either on the part of the royalists or visitors. every inch of the line which marked the bounds of the encampment was constantly traversed that night. the guards were stationed twenty feet apart, and it was expressly commanded that each man should advance until he met the sentinel on his right, when he was to wheel about and proceed in the opposite direction until meeting the regulators on his left, continuing this throughout the hours of darkness. the numerous fires kindled by the visitors with which to cook supper, or keep off the insects, served to illumine the scene, and on the opposite side of the river one could see the streets closely packed with human beings, who counted to spend the night in the open air. it was eight o'clock in the evening, and i was yet doing guard duty, when a sudden outburst of noise from near about the court-house startled us, for it seemed to be the signal of that uprising or outbreak which we had been fearing might occur before morning. at first it was no more than angry cries and yelps of pain; but these increased steadily until it seemed as if a riot was well under way. there was no need of carrying any information to the headquarters' shanty. general hamilton was on the guard line very near to my post, within two minutes after the first cries were heard, and he remained there in a listening attitude, turning his head this way and that like the dog who seeks to find a lost trail. a dozen or more of the chief men were with him, and i heard one of them ask anxiously: "can you guess why trouble should have begun at this time? i believed all the hot heads among our friends were on this side of the river." "so they are, else would the brawl have been fanned into a battle long before this. master hunter," he cried sharply to the deputy, "form your men into line at the river bank to prevent any from leaving the encampment, and lose no time in doing so." at the call for the guards to advance into line i stepped forward; but stopped very suddenly as the general seized me by the collar of my shirt. "you and the comrade who aided in saving sandy wells' life are to wait here that i may have a moment's speech with you." then, raising his voice, he cried, "hunter, give the word as soon as you have a force at the riverbank sufficient to hold this throng in check!" "the entire regulation will be none too many for such service as that." "station the guards first, and then call out the remainder of the force. it stands us in hand to hold all on this side the river, and also keep peace among them." i was at some little trouble to find sidney, he having gone to the further end of the line when the word was given to "fall in"; but i succeeded in withdrawing him from the ranks just as the men went forward into position at the river bank. when we two lads stood before him, the general said in a low tone as if to prevent any other from hearing the discourse: "it is in my mind that yonder riot has been begun by orders of tryon or fanning, that they may have some excuse for filling the jail before morning, as well as to cast discredit upon the regulation. you lads have shown yourselves quick-witted, and i have no doubt that you will be able to hold your own in case tryon and his crew are provoking a brawl. cross the river at once; mingle with those who are taking part in the disturbance, and learn all you can regarding the beginning of the trouble." "our lines are in position!" master hunter cried, and the general replied: "very well. hold the people here, and allow none to cross save the two who may speedily come with my permission to do as they please." we lads waited twenty seconds or more to learn if master hamilton had any further commands for us, and since he did not speak, sidney plucked me by the sleeve as a signal that we should set out. the general was looking at us when we moved off, therefore did i know that we had received all the orders he had to give. on coming to the water's edge we walked up the stream until finding master hunter, and then, in a low tone, explained what we had been ordered to do. he immediately directed the men to give us passage, and hurriedly we forded the stream, bending our steps toward the court-house after having gained the opposite bank. it was not a simple matter to make our way through the crowded street. by this time nearly all the people who had encamped in the open air were astir, and every man and boy was pressing eagerly forward to that point from whence came the outcries. by dint of using our elbows sharply, and forcing aside without ceremony those who barred the way, we succeeded, at the risk of embroiling ourselves in private quarrels, in gaining a position near the center of the disturbance, when it was possible to perceive at a glance that general hamilton was correct in his surmises. the visitors were not raising their hands against the soldiers save when great provocation was given; but here and there i could see those who were in some way connected with the government, and among them sandy wells, making their way from point to point, dealing blows and uttering insults well calculated to raise a disturbance. whenever one of the visitors attempted to defend himself, or would have punished the insulter, the minions of tryon raised a great hue and cry to bring the solders to that point, after which they slipped off to create a disturbance at some other point. but for the fact that the visitors had been warned against giving the governor an opportunity for complaint, a riot would have been begun within a very few minutes, and with such a degree of violence that it might have increased to a regular battle; but as it was, our people behaved with remarkable moderation. i believed that we might do much good by advice, and suggested to sidney that we go hastily around among the throng, explaining what was the evident purpose of the governor's minions, at the same time advising every one to cross the river immediately, lest by their behavior tryon should have some color of a reason for postponing the cases which had been set down for a hearing next day. he was of my opinion, and without delay we began our work, hurrying here or there with such good effect that the people began to fall back before the mischief breeders, instead of pressing forward. this was not at all to the liking of those who desired to provoke a breach of the peace, and they redoubled their efforts, offering yet greater indignities to the unresisting citizens. foremost among these was sandy wells, and i made it my business to gain a position close by his side, when i said, holding him by the arm until the words had been uttered: "sidney hubbard and i saved your life this day, as you well know. it can readily be seen what you are trying to do, and unless you cease your efforts i will take good care before the sun sets to-morrow, to inflame every man's mind against you. that fate which was escaped this afternoon shall overtake you within the next four and twenty hours, even though tryon gives you shelter in his own quarters." sandy was a rank coward, as i well knew, and when my hold of his sleeve was relaxed he slunk away among the soldiers, nor did i see him again that night. during more than an hour sidney and i continued our efforts, sometimes threatened by the soldiers or tryon's emissaries, and then the throng had so far dispersed that there were not enough hot-heads left to make any very great disturbance, even though they felt disposed to resist the troops. "now the enemies of the colony can do no more than foment an ordinary brawl, which is not what tryon most desires, and i believe our work here is done in accordance with the general's orders," sidney said to me as we met among the foremost of the small crowd, within a short distance of where the uniformed men were drawn up in line. "if we are recognized you may be certain those fellows will use every effort to lodge us in jail, and it is wise to beat a retreat while we may." i was of much the same opinion, and, after gathering half a dozen of the wilder spirits in our wake, we set off toward the ford, hooted and jeered at by those who had most signally failed in the task assigned them. the sudden change in the situation of affairs was truly surprising. when we two lads first crossed the river we found the streets literally choked with men, women and children who counted on remaining there with the hope of gaining admittance to the court-house as soon as the day dawned; but now it was as if the earth had opened and swallowed all these people. we did not meet with twenty as we went toward the ford; they had wisely crossed the river, and, once on the opposite side, the regulators would keep them quiet. we had checked the governor's scheme, not through force of arms, but simply by removing those who might unwittingly have aided him in his unlawful efforts. once the visitors were on that side of the river held by the regulators, they were unable to go back; but all who called themselves sons of liberty would be forced to remain on duty during the entire night in order to hold in check those who counted themselves friendly to the cause. as a matter of course sidney and i reported to general hamilton as soon as possible, and when we had concluded our story the old scotchman said in a tone of satisfaction: "i knew full well i could depend upon you lads to do whatsoever was wise. by sending the people over here you have accomplished a good work, and once again is tryon defeated by your unaided efforts. the regulation has good reason to count you as valuable members, and when the time comes that this colony can reward the services of those who have aided her, as come it will in due season, i hope i may be alive to make certain you are not neglected." according to my way of thinking we were already rewarded by such words as these, and but for the darkness master hamilton would have seen my cheeks crimsoned with shame because he had given us far more than we deserved. it was but natural that there should be considerable confusion on our side of the river; all who had lately changed their camping places were seeking for new quarters, and already the slope of the hill outside the lines of our encampment was literally covered with human beings. the late comers were compelled to find a resting-place on the other side of the elevation, and thus were our horsemen literally hemmed in. if it should become necessary to make a quick movement, it would require some time to clear the ground in order to avoid trampling the visitors beneath the hoofs of our horses. every member of the regulation was now doing guard duty, and as soon as sidney and i had concluded our interview with the general, we joined our comrades, when the weary work of pacing to and fro was resumed. at the river front remained a line of regulators who allowed any person to come over; but refused passage to such as would have gone back, and thus we held the key to the situation so far as keeping the peace was concerned. until this last move of governor tryon's i think the majority of our people believed the king's officers would not dare do other than give the prisoners a fair trial, although perhaps no one was convinced that it was more than a farce to bring fanning before the bar. now, however, when we had good proof as to the lengths tryon was ready to go, and could see plainly that he was using every effort to place the regulation in a false light before the world, there was much doubt as to the outcome of the cases in court. the regulators on duty discussed the matter among themselves as if it was a foregone conclusion that might, not right, would rule, and such of the visitors as i heard conversing were loud in their declarations that justice must prevail even though it should be purchased by force. "there is likely to be hot times to-morrow," sidney said to me as we halted an instant when everything seemed peaceful. "if we are brought face to face with tryon's army, much blood will be shed on both sides before the question is settled definitely." "but that blood will cement the colonies in such manner that oppression in one will be felt by all the others. we shall have effected a union, and what are our lives in comparison to such a consummation?" a voice said, and, turning, i saw master james hunter, who had come up in time to overhear our conversation. "then you believe we shall fight a battle to-morrow, sir?" i made bold to say, and he replied with a sigh: "of that i am not so certain. if we do, the colonies will declare for freedom against the king's rule. if peace is preserved throughout the morrow, then must greater wrongs be endured in order to provoke the people into demanding their full rights." having said this the deputy continued on his rounds, and we two lads no longer had any desire to discuss the situation, for it had become so grave, according to master hunter, that a bloody battle between us and those on the opposite side of the river seemed suddenly to be really desirable. during the remainder of that long night we lads did our full share of guard duty, i dwelling upon the possibilities until the old timorousness came upon me, and i was almost a coward. it seemed to me that death would come within a few hours, and i was already marked out as one of his victims. i found myself wondering if i could march up to the guns of the enemy without betraying the cowardice in my heart, and otherwise spending the time in a very foolish fashion for one who must play the part of soldier. never had the dawning of a new day been so much of a relief to me as then. the gray light of morning revealed the multitude sleeping peacefully, and on the opposite bank not even a wreath of smoke showed above the chimney-tops. the scene brought relief to me, and by the time the sun rose i was able to keep down the fear in my heart, so that no one might suspect that i was in very fact a coward. it was a wonderful scene when the visitors awakened to life, and began making ready for the coming events which were of concern to all dwelling in america. this day's sun would see the dawn of freedom, or a postponement of that spirit which must in the near future descend upon our people. the officers of the regulation went from camp to camp, cautioning the visitors against making any demonstration before the trials at the court-house were brought to a close, and at the ford a group of our best citizens was performing the same task. if the citizens of upper carolina made any error on this day it would not be from lack of advice from those who were in a position to know what might be best for the colony. the one aim of the people was to reach the court-house in order to gain admission as spectators, and although the building would not accommodate one in every hundred who were eager to enter, the thousands flocked thither, jostling and pushing each other in order to get a position among the foremost. general hamilton did all a man could to persuade them into remaining at a respectful distance, pointing out the uselessness of expecting to gain admittance; but yet they made their way into the town until our encampment was deserted by all save the better informed--say five hundred men, women and children. we of the regulators were ordered to get breakfast as best we might, and then fall into the ranks again, for we were to remain under arms the entire day lest our force might be needed in defense of the citizens. "are we like to be called upon for any serious service, sir?" i asked of master hunter, who chanced to pass where i was partaking of the morning meal with my parents, and he replied: "it is hardly probable. tryon will not attempt any more tricks, now that the time of opening court is so near at hand, and i believe our people will keep the peace, at least until after the decision of the judges is made known." then the deputy called my father aside, and the two held such long and earnest converse that i believed our officers were of the opinion the trial would be no more than a farce. this idea was strengthened in my mind when mother showed such tender affection as i would leave her to take my place in the line which was being formed. she bade me farewell as if believing we might never meet again, and despite all her efforts the tears came as she spoke. i was not heartened by this evidence of fear, as may well be imagined, and hurried away to feed my horse in order that i might hide the evidences of my own emotion. half an hour later we of the regulation were in something approaching a military formation, with our horses tethered just in the rear where we might be able to get at them without loss of time, and then came the most trying moment of all-waiting for governor tryon to show how far he dared to go in opposition to the law and the rights of the people. the square around the court-house was black with citizens awaiting an opportunity to enter the building. in the midst of this mass could be seen two files of soldiers standing shoulder to shoulder in order to keep open a passage for the officers and witnesses, and a short distance away were the governor's troops under arms in case it should please our oppressor to order an attack upon the helpless throng. chapter xi. the trial. now the trial was so near at hand--when in a few hours we should know beyond a peradventure to what lengths tryon would go in his villainy towards the people of the carolinas we no longer discussed the possibilities of the near future. if masters husband and william hunter were set free, as indeed could be the only just verdict of the judges, and if fanning was convicted of having extorted money from the people without even the color of the law to sustain him, then would our colony be peaceful; but i question if one among all those horsemen who awaited the signal to disperse quietly or to ride to their deaths, believed that justice would triumph. even two lads like sidney and myself understood that the governor would deny us our rights, and the thoughts of what might come to those we loved before the sun had disappeared behind the hills, rendered us dumb. i did not see any of the gentlemen conversing. i threw myself at full length on the grass close by sidney's side, and would hardly have heard him had he spoken. my eyes were fixed upon the court-house, surrounded as it was by that vast throng of people, and i noted every movement, however slight. when the judges and the officers of the court marched through the lane formed by the weapons of the soldiers, i saw them plainly, and could almost imagine that the voice of the sheriff rang in my ears as he uttered the words which opened the sitting. my father and four other regulators had gone into town in order to give evidence against fanning, and to combat the charge of "riotous conduct" which had been preferred against our friends. all the other gentlemen of our company remained on the hillside, save master hamilton, who stood on the highest point in the encampment where he might see any signal which our people should give. the forenoon passed, and i remained like one in a stupor. the noon hour went by, and i had no sensation of hunger. some of our companions ate; but they were the ones known to be lukewarm to the cause. as i came afterward to know, it was near about two o'clock in the afternoon when a low hoarse murmur which was like unto nothing save the growl of an enraged beast sounded on our ears. it rose louder and louder, gathering in angry menace each instant, until it was of such volume, that one could hardly have heard a peal of thunder above it, and then we knew full well that governor tryon had trampled all the laws under his foot--that it was our duty to become rebels in fact, by rushing upon the villainous representative of the king and cutting him down. then came one from the town running at full speed, and when having come near enough to make his voice heard, he shouted: "master husband has been acquitted; but both william and james hunter and master hamilton have been adjudged guilty, and are fined one thousand pounds each, in addition to imprisonment for six months!" "but james hunter and master hamilton had not been even charged with crime!" one of the regulators cried, doubting the truth of the news. "very true; yet they were tried just the same. master james hunter was taken into custody as he entered the court-room to give evidence against fanning, and a warrant is already issued for master hamilton," the messenger added. then sidney shouted: "what about fanning? has he been acquitted?" "it is much the same. he was tried on seven counts for extortion, found guilty, and sentenced to pay one penny on each indictment. seven pence to be paid by the rascally lawyer, and one thousand pounds each by the hunters and master hamilton!" "and the people?" master howell demanded. "what do they say?" "you can hear for yourself," the man replied, forced to shout even though he stood close beside us by this time, because of the tumult in the vicinity of the court-house. "before the trial had come to an end the building was filled with soldiers, while the remainder of the governor's force encircled it. if a fight is begun our friends will be shot down by hundreds, with no opportunity to strike a blow save with their bare fists." without waiting for the word of command every regulator mounted his horse, and all of us waited for the signal from our commander, who had drawn near to hear the report made by the messenger. he stood with his chin on his breast like one stunned, neither looking up nor speaking, while the cries from the opposite side of the river increased in fury each instant. "are we to sit here while our friends are imprisoned without cause?" a horseman near me asked angrily, and master hamilton raised his head as if to make reply, when some one shouted: "here comes master husband! they have set him free!" the man who had been in jail nearly six months for having dared to say that tryon had no authority to levy a tax to build himself a palace, could be seen walking rapidly toward the ford, and all understood that nothing would be done by us until he arrived. master hamilton rode down to meet him, and the two remained in private converse five minutes or more before coming up to where we awaited them with the utmost impatience. then it was that our commander spoke: "gentlemen, it is our duty to prevent the people of upper carolina from beginning a conflict with the king's troops. we must not permit ourselves to commit any act of violence against the governor until after due deliberation, for all which we do now is the same as if we moved against the king. by master husband's advice, we shall ride into town, and do our best to prevent a conflict which would cost the lives of hundreds of our friends and neighbors. i beseech you that, however great the provocation, all this company keep well together in military formation, and obey every order to the letter. later, when some of those who are absent can take part in our deliberations as is their right, we will settle upon a course of action." some one offered master husband a horse, on which he rode by the side of our leader as we crossed the river and went from thence to the court-house, or, i should say, as near as it was possible to advance. the vast throng were inflamed by anger. they shouted threats against the soldiers, who were evidently alarmed by the demonstration, and had general hamilton given the signal to make an attack, i believe of a verity that every man, whether armed or not, would have joined the fray. at seeing us ride up the citizens shouted yet more loudly; but when we halted, they turned about to learn the reason of our delay in giving tryon a lesson, and master hamilton cried out to them, speaking so loudly that every word must have been heard by those who yet remained in the court-room. "we, the regulation, beg that you will not put your lives in jeopardy while unprepared for battle. if you will disperse, each sending his women and children home out of danger, the regulators will meet you in solemn deliberation this evening when our plan of action shall be decided upon." "and are we to let tryon and fanning sneak away?" one of the throng asked angrily. "not so, my friend. while the regulators are under arms you know full well that no one can leave hillsborough without our permission. the cause will not suffer by this delay, and we shall be in better position to demand that which you have failed of receiving this day--justice. send your families home, collect your weapons, and join us who have sworn to drive the oppressors out of upper carolina." if tryon was in the court-room, as many of the throng declared, then he had heard every word spoken by our commander, and i venture to say he felt ill at ease, for it was plain to be seen that if the regulators should be reinforced by these men who were raising their voices against the farce of a trial, he stood in great danger of being made prisoner. he might use the court-house as a fortification, and could hold it two or three days, perhaps; but we would take good care that he did not send any messengers to brunswick or newberne, and there could be but one ending to the affair. the people seemed to understand all this, for straightway they began to move toward the river, followed by their families, and in less than half an hour few save the regulators remained around the building. the soldiers who had been stationed outside now crowded inside the court-house, never waiting for orders to move, and we were left like jailers who are satisfied with holding their prisoners in closed cells. master hamilton told off a dozen men for sentinels at each side of the building, and as many more in the rear, with orders to shoot down any who attempted to escape from the windows, while the main portion of our force remained thirty yards or more from the front doors. it looked much as if an attack was to be made upon the king's representatives despite all master hamilton had said regarding the advisability of waiting for reflection and concerted plans. our commander remained by himself, midway between the front rank and the building, as if expecting that which occurred before we had been in position five minutes. then it was that david edwards, the governor's secretary, appeared at one of the windows, and cried warningly: "in the name of his excellency, governor william tryon, i bid ye disperse! those who remain do so under the pain and penalty of being adjudged in rebellion against his most gracious majesty." "we are in rebellion against tyranny and injustice," master hamilton replied in a loud voice which had in it no tone of menace. "it is our purpose to remain here until the wrong committed this day has been righted, and he who ventures out from among you in the meantime will do so at the expense of his life." "but this is neither more nor less than armed rebellion against the king," edwards cried as if suddenly understanding that we were in a position to enforce our demand. "i repeat that we are not here against the king, but to uphold the laws which tryon and his minions have trampled in the dust. we of the regulators number five hundred men; within two hours we shall have as many more in our ranks, and it does not need much calculation on your part to prove that the power is with us, as the rebellion against his majesty is with you." master edwards disappeared, and i was expecting each moment that the soldiers within the building would open fire upon us, when my father appeared at the door, holding up his hand to attract attention. "it is william butler, one of the regulators!" master hamilton shouted for the benefit of those who might not have recognized my father. "let him come out!" our commander advanced to my father's side, and the two held long converse, after which both came forward toward our troop. then appeared once more at the window, master edwards, who cried out: "will you allow that i hold a conference with you in private?" "meaning in your own name, or that of the governor?" master hamilton asked sharply. "i would bring to you a message from his excellency." "you may come," our commander said after whispering with my father; "but i shall repeat at my pleasure, to these gentlemen, all which you may say." again the secretary disappeared, to show himself at the door a moment later, and general hamilton remained motionless, forcing master edwards to approach him. the two gentlemen saluted, exchanged a few words, and then half a dozen of our leaders were summoned to what appeared to be a council of war participated in by representatives of both armies. much time was spent by these gentlemen in consultation; but, finally, it appeared as if some plan had been arranged to the satisfaction of all. master edwards returned to the court-house; our leaders fell back into line, where we remained half an hour or more wondering what was to be the upshot of the matter, when suddenly masters james and william hunter, and three other citizens who had been held prisoners, came out of the door. while one might have counted five we were held speechless with astonishment, and then our people began to cheer, for it seemed at the moment as if we had in fact beaten the governor in a game of his own making. before the shouts died away the command was given for the sentinels to come in; the troop was formed in fours, and we rode away, heading for the encampment on the hill. our leaders were grave, probably because they alone knew at what price this temporary triumph had been purchased; but the remainder of the party were wild with joy, for we imagined ourselves victors. before fording the river we were joined by nearly an hundred mounted men who had obeyed master hamilton's instructions to take their families home and return armed, and throughout the night we received accessions to our force until the regulators were more than a thousand strong. it can well be supposed that all the company were burning with curiosity to learn more concerning the bargain which had resulted in the release of the prisoners; but our commander gave no sign of being in haste to explain matters. "the regulation will meet to-night, and the whole matter shall be laid before it," he said gravely when master howell, bolder than the others, ventured to ask for particulars. sidney and i, when we were occupying our old lean-to once more, speculated earnestly as to what the people had, through master hamilton, promised as the price of the prisoners' release; but we had made little headway when master james hunter, the deputy, approached our shelter on his way across the encampment. after our experience in his company he seemed rather like a comrade than a mere acquaintance, and sidney did not hesitate about asking the questions we were so eager to have answered. "as yet we have really made no bargain, lads," master hunter said as he seated himself in a friendly way near us. "the governor promised, for the sole purpose of averting bloodshed, so he declared, to release those of us who were sentenced to imprisonment and fine, in consideration of the regulators returning to camp, and keeping with them such as might arrive bent on rebellious acts, until to-morrow morning. then, so the secretary stated, some proposal looking to peace will be made." "it seems much as if tryon was backing down from the high horse he has been riding in the carolinas," sidney said with a laugh. "he had no choice in this case," master hunter replied. "the regulators held him like a rat in a trap, and if a battle had ensued his own precious body would have been endangered. my only fear is that he counts, by such delay, on getting the best of us in some way." "we shall be stronger to-morrow morning than we are now," i ventured to suggest. "the people are coming in rapidly, and soon we shall outnumber his force five to one." "all of which is very true, and because he must have understood that such would be the case, i am the more suspicious of his honesty in this matter." then it was i dared ask master hunter to tell us all that had occurred in the court-house, and he began by saying: "there is very little to the story, lad, for unless i'm much mistaken, tryon, edwards and fanning had the program arranged last night. when i entered the room the sheriff made me prisoner without so much as producing a warrant. not until late in the forenoon were the others brought in, and then the story of our misdeeds was quickly told by men like sandy wells. our defense was cut down in every way; we were not allowed to call our witnesses, and checked when we would have argued our case. there was no verdict given when the trial closed. the case of fanning was called, and of all the witnesses we had brought, only two were allowed to give in their testimony. fanning argued that he was forced to charge extortionate fees in order to gain a livelihood; that it was generally understood court officers should demand sufficient to provide them with a fair salary, and then pleaded guilty as to the indictments so far as the facts were concerned, but insisted he was innocent according to the spirit of the law." "i suppose _he_ was allowed ample time in which to argue his case," sidney interrupted. "as to that you may be certain; it was only the witnesses appearing against him who were admonished not to waste the court's time. then we were sentenced, and after ten minutes or more the judges had agreed that fanning should pay seven pence for the crime of extorting hundreds of pounds from the poor. we would have been sent into the prison at once but for the fact of your arrival. it could readily be seen that tryon was really alarmed by the cries of those outside, and when the regulators arrived he went into the next room with the judges, fanning and edwards. the rest you know as well as i. we who sat in the dock were ordered to follow the secretary, and, to our great surprise, were set free." "then we are to remain here quietly until tomorrow morning?" sidney asked. "that is the proposition." "and what will the governor be doing meanwhile?" "i cannot say. it is possible he has troops on the way from brunswick or newberne, as master husband suggests; but i am not of the same opinion. he would most certainly have brought to hillsborough all the force that could be raised, before the trial began, for it must be humiliating to be obliged to make any terms with us." "he counts on some treachery i'll be bound!" sidney exclaimed, and master hunter said with a sigh: "i have the same fear, lad. to release us after we had been sentenced was a harder task for him than if he had set husband and my brother free last week. we shall find that he can play double, while our people hold so strictly to the truth that they are not willing to believe a lickspittle like the governor would stoop to tell a deliberate lie." having said this master hunter went on his way, and we lads could do no more than speculate upon the probability of our having put tryon in such a trap that he would be forced to deal honestly with us. late that evening, when there were not less than one hundred armed men in the encampment, the regulation was called to order, and master hamilton opened the meeting by telling the same story we two lads had previously heard from master hunter. he concluded by saying: "believing that humanity demanded us to avert bloodshed at any price short of honor, the officers of the regulation decided on a truce of twenty hours in consideration of the freedom of the prisoners. we ask you to hold the promise we made as if each of you had personally given his word to it. to-morrow we shall have another proposition from the governor, and then will be the time when we must decide as to our future course." many gentlemen spoke on the same subject, all agreeing that we could do no less than adhere strictly to the promise our commander had given, and then the meeting was dissolved. having had no sleep on the previous night, i was right glad to crawl into the bed of pine branches which sidney and i called our own, and not until the sun showed his face next morning did i awaken. because a truce had been declared, there was no need of standing guard, and all our company enjoyed a full night's rest. as soon as breakfast had been eaten we lounged around the camp, remaining where we could overlook the town, and waited for some word from the governor, speculating meanwhile as to what proposition it might please him to make. noon came, and no messenger appeared. at one o'clock my father was sent across the river to learn why we had not heard from tryon, and he returned with a reply that we "would be well satisfied in a few hours." this message was given by a servant at the governor's headquarters; my father had seen neither the governor, his secretary, nor fanning. there was no little grumbling because we were thus kept waiting when the truce was for twenty hours only; but never a man dreamed of breaking his word. such perfidy as that was left for his excellency, william tryon, he who claimed to be the king's honorable representative. my mother had gone home; she went away the afternoon previous when the women and children were asked to leave the vicinity, and as we waited for that message which was so long delayed, i was truly thankful she had not remained, for it came into my mind that there would be a troublous, rather than a peaceful, ending. the sun was no more than half an hour high in the heavens when we saw one who appeared to be a servant, come out of the governor's house and walk swiftly toward the ford. it did not seem possible tryon would send other than one of his officers on a mission to the regulation, and yet i believed that now was come the time when we were to hear from his excellency. the man halted at the opposite bank of the river, unfolded a huge document, and began reading that which told us to what a depth of infamy william tryon was willing to descend in order to carry his point. chapter xii. the proclamation. it can well be understood with what eagerness we listened to the messenger as he read from the paper in a loud tone; but he remained at such a distance that i found it impossible to catch every word, although the general purport was made sufficiently plain. the fellow, whom we afterward came to know was one of the clerks from the sheriff's office, regaled us with a high-sounding proclamation from the governor, in which his excellency graciously pardoned all the regulators save thirteen, whose names were twice repeated in order that there should be no mistake. i set them down here that the world may know who were the patriots of upper carolina in the opinion of william tryon: "james hunter, ninian bell hamilton, peter craven, isaack jackson, herman husband, matthew hamilton, william payne, malichi tyke, william moffat, christopher nation, solomon goff, john o'neil, and rednap howell." when the clerk ceased reading and marched back from whence he came, we on the hillside looked at each other in silent amazement while one might have counted twenty, and then on the instant every tongue was loosened. all that had been gained by the truce was an act of outlawry against our best men, and fanning was still the trusted servant of the king! the one thought in the minds of all was to seize the person of the villain who held a commission from the crown as governor of the carolinas, and a thousand voices were crying out against delay. the officers of the regulation held a brief consultation, and then came that command which all expected and demanded. "to horse, gentlemen! the moment has arrived when we must declare ourselves against the king, unless he redresses our wrongs by recalling such officials as have misruled the colony!" general hamilton cried in a loud tone, and he had no more than concluded before every regulator was in the saddle burning to avenge the insult offered by tryon. the earth literally trembled beneath the hoofs of a thousand horses as we rode at full speed to the ford, then across the river, and on to the governor's residence. the royal "army" remained on guard until we were come to within an hundred yards, and then they scattered like chaff before the wind, running in every direction, crying for quarter. no attention was given to the cowards. tryon, fanning and edwards were the men we counted on teaching a lesson, and the dwelling was surrounded in a twinkling. fifty gentlemen entered the building, some of them to reappear a few moments later with the fellow who had read the proclamation. "tryon! tryon!" our people shouted in anger, and then came the truth which, in our simplicity and honesty, we had not suspected. "tryon and his henchmen left town last night escorted by twenty men!" one of those who had come out with the prisoner shouted, and we who heard the words gazed in open-mouthed astonishment, failing on the instant to understand that the villainous representative of the king had simply proposed the truce in order that he might save his own precious body. the clerk, fearing for his life, and hoping to save it by answering the questions which were literally hurled at him, told the entire story twenty times over, until we came to realize that the three rascals had set off at full speed immediately after sunset on the day previous. by this time they were half-way to brunswick, and however good our steeds, there was no possibility we could overtake them. unless we might hold the governor of the colony as our prisoner, rebellion would avail us little, save that we should retain possession of upper carolina until such time as he could send an overwhelming force against us. there was not a man in the ranks of the regulators who did not realize that tryon had outwitted us, and that our only hope lay in remaining together year after year until the other colonies should be willing to join us in the struggle for liberty. and in the meantime, while holding out against the king, how might we gain means of subsistence? the richest among us owned only so much land, and this could not be tilled if we were forced to fight day after day to retain possession of a small extent of territory. when all this was fully understood as we sat in our saddles near about the governor's house, i saw this man and that, the bravest among us, give way to tears, and for the time being it seemed to me that the cause of liberty was crushed. i could not then foresee that in the principal towns of the eastern colonies would spring up branches of our association, styled "sons of liberty," who would resist, as we had done, the unjust demands of an unjust king until the beacon lights of rebellion were kindled on every hill. i could not foresee that massacre at lexington and at concord which was needed to arouse the people until no sacrifice appeared too great, so that we purchased liberty for those who should live after us. in silence, each man hanging his head as if having suffered an ignominious defeat, instead of allowing ourselves to be tricked because of believing that a gentleman's word was sacred, we returned to the encampment on the hill, and were there formed in line for what i believed would be the last time. there were more than sidney and myself who looked as if bowed down with sorrow, and when we most needed words of encouragement they came from our commander, that noble old man who was, by the proclamation of one false to all the instincts of a gentleman, an outlaw on whose head a price was shortly to be set. "gentlemen of the regulation," general hamilton began, speaking loud and clear as becomes an honest man who knows in his heart that he is in the true path, "we have been deceived, and are thereby cast down by sorrow. at a time when it appeared as if we held the threads which could be woven fairly to the interests of this colony, we have, by trusting in the words of one who has no honor in his heart, lost all our advantage; but we would be proving ourselves faint-hearted indeed if such a misfortune was accepted as final defeat. now more than ever, must we struggle against wrong and oppression. it is not necessary you should again swear to be true to the cause; neither will it be of service to remain together just now, therefore i have this to propose, and it is for you to decide if it be the proper course: let us disperse, each going to his home, there to remain one month; at the expiration of such time we will meet at maddock's mill to settle upon a further course of action." the idea that we should remain as the regulation, subject at any time to a call from our leaders, heartened us wonderfully, and with one accord our people agreed that master hamilton's plan should be adopted. we broke ranks, each vowing friendship for his comrades, and entire devotion to the cause, and then went our several ways home firmly believing that in due course of time the purpose of the regulation would be accomplished. and now has come the time when i must hasten over the months and even years, without entering into details as to what sidney or i did while we waited an opportunity to strike a blow for our distressed country. true to the proposition of master hamilton, we met once each month, either at maddock's mill, or some other place equally central, and thus kept pace with the events which particularly concerned us of the carolinas. tryon remained in newbern in his palace which had been paid for by money wrung from a people who at times actually suffered for food, and flattered himself that he had finally destroyed the germs of rebellion that had been sowed by his own tyranny. contrary to our expectations, he did not make any decided effort to get into his clutches those of the regulation whom he had declared outlaws, and it was quite as well that he remained quiet on that score, for a thousand of the king's soldiers could not have taken them from us. the sheriffs of the counties in the upper carolinas, knowing full well that the regulation was neither crushed nor disheartened, no longer attempted to collect the unjust taxes, and thus it was that our people had been benefited in some slight degree. we cultivated our lands, moved about at will without fear of being molested during nearly two years, and then, on a certain day in september, sidney came to my home in hot haste, acting as messenger of the regulation. word had come from newbern that the superior court was to be convened on the th day of the month, and then would efforts be made to secure the bodies of those whom tryon had styled "outlaws." master hamilton, who yet remained in command of the regulators, despite his many years, had decided that our wisest method of procedure was to interfere at the outset, claiming that we had the right to make certain that justice, not the will of governor tryon, should influence the decisions given by judges who were inclined to listen to the orders of the governor rather than the evidence before them. it can well be supposed that neither my father nor myself lost any time in saddling our horses, and within twenty-four hours we were at the old encampment which overlooked the town of hillsborough. this time we were perfect masters of the situation. tryon, believing the regulation had been crushed out of existence, neglected to send soldiers to overawe us, and twenty of our people took possession of the court-house, while the remainder occupied the hill on the opposite side of the river ready to cross whenever a signal should be given that the services of armed men were necessary. because of our superior numbers, there was little chance the king's minions could do very much harm, therefore we were not held to rigid military discipline, and sidney hubbard and myself had no difficulty in obtaining permission to accompany that party which was to make certain no wrongs were inflicted upon us in the name of the law. when we arrived at the court-house, having left our horses on the opposite side of the river, we found there but one judge, and he the man above all others who was ready to give such verdicts as would please the governor. it is needless for me to set down the fact that this man was richard henderson. seeing our party enter the building fanning took it upon himself to ask that we be put out, and not allowed to enter even the yard, because, as he said, there were outlaws among us who had come for no other purpose than to create a disturbance. all those of whom he thus spoke had suffered many wrongs at the hands of this same attorney, and foremost in the list of the oppressed were herman husband, the two hunters, and rednap howell, not one of whom felt inclined to take additional abuse from such a traitor as fanning. that they acted hastily in the matter, i must admit; but at the same time one should remember the wrongs they had received. the miserable cur of an attorney had no sooner ceased speaking than the gentlemen i have named, aided by all the regulators present, seized fanning roughly and literally dragged him into the courtyard, where sidney and i were set over him as guards until such time as our people might be at liberty to attend to him properly. because of being thus occupied, i did not see that which followed; but later in the day my comrade and i were told that our people demanded the trial of those belonging to the regulation who had been declared outlaws, which was no more than just, since the court had been called together for that sole purpose. it was not the purpose of judge henderson to give the regulators a fair trial, and, therefore, in order to outwit us, he declared the court adjourned for the day. then he left the building, walking swiftly through the yard as if expecting to be roughly treated, and once he was out of sight our party set about giving fanning a lesson. he was taken across the river to our encampment, being dragged by the heels a portion of the way, and there we held a little court of our own, the decisions of which i dare venture to say were more in accordance with strict justice than any judge richardson would have delivered. it was decided that fanning should be beaten with rods in the presence of the regulation, and masters husband and james hunter were the gentlemen selected to inflict the punishment, therefore it can well be fancied that it was done in proper fashion. we kept the attorney with us during the night, and next morning all our company rode over to hillsborough, only to find that the brave judge had run away during the night, after declaring that the court was adjourned until one year from that day. he could not pronounce the sentences which tryon demanded, therefore had no idea of being forced to act honestly for once in his life. well, some of the hotter heads, taking advantage of the general confusion, utterly destroyed fanning's house, beating him again before setting the scoundrel at liberty. this done we went home once more, agreeing to meet each month as before. i can best tell the remainder of my story, up to the time when governor tryon decided to wage war upon us, by quoting from a history of the carolinas which i have lately seen; and while it is written from the standpoint of the royalists, it is correct as to the acts and movements of our enemy: [ ] "judge henderson, who was driven from the bench, called upon tryon to restore order in his district. the governor perceived that a temporizing policy would no longer be expedient, and resolved to employ the military force to subdue the rebellious spirit of the regulators. he deferred operations, however, until the meeting of the legislature, in december. "herman husband was a member of the lower house, from orange, and there were others in that body who sympathized with the oppressed people. various measures were proposed to weaken the strength of the regulators; and among others, four new counties were formed of portions of orange, cumberland, and johnson. these counties were named guilford, chatham, wake and surrey. finally, when the legislature was about to adjourn without authorizing a military expedition, information came that the regulators had assembled at cross creek, with the intention of marching upon newbern, having heard that husband had been imprisoned." now at this point i must interrupt the historian in order to explain that we of the regulation did indeed make this march. we knew full well that tryon both hated and feared herman husband, and, therefore, kept one or more of our people in newbern all the time the legislature was assembled in order that the news, if there was any of importance, might be sent without loss of time to our leaders. it is a fact that tryon even went so far as to prefer charges against master husband, and that the council caused his arrest and imprisonment. word to this effect was brought to us at once, and we set out for cross creek; but governor tryon had his spies out, and when it was known that the regulators, a thousand strong, were riding to aid one of their number who was illegally deprived of his liberty, the council made haste to examine the charges against master husband. they finally decided, in order to save their own worthless skins, that the charges were not sustained, and set the prisoner at liberty, imploring him to ride with all speed in order to prevent us from entering newbern. he met us at cross creek, and we escorted him home; but this time it was decided that the regulation go into camp at maddock's mill, and there remain ready for war until it was learned how far our enemy proposed to go in his effort to exterminate us, for that was what he had boldly said he would do. now we will copy once more from the printed story of our struggle: "the assembly immediately voted two thousand dollars for the use of the governor. the alarmed chief magistrate fortified his palace, and placed the town in a state of defense. he also issued a proclamation, and orders to the colonels of the counties in the vicinity, to have the militia in readiness. these precautions were unnecessary, for the regulators, after crossing the haw, a few miles above pittsborough, to the number of more than one thousand, met husband on his way home, and retraced their steps. "the governor soon issued another proclamation, prohibiting the sale of powder, shot, or lead, until further notice. this was to prevent the regulators supplying themselves with munitions of war. this measure added fuel to the flame of excitement, and finally, the governor becoming again alarmed, he made a virtual declaration of war, through his council. that body authorized him to raise a sufficient force to march into the rebellious districts and establish law and order. "the governor issued a circular to the colonels, ordering them to select fifty volunteers from their respective regiments and send them to newbern. with about three hundred militiamen, a small train of artillery, some baggage wagons, and several personal friends, tryon left newbern on the th of april. on the th of may he encamped on the eno, having been reinforced by detachments on the way. general hugh waddel was directed to collect the forces from the western counties, rendezvous at salisbury, and join the governor in orange county." it goes without saying that while these preparations were being made, whereby tryon counted on driving us from the face of the earth, our spies were scattered around the country plentifully, and, therefore, we knew exactly the size of his force, and how it was made up, when he went into camp. colonel joseph leech commanded the infantry, captain moore the artillery, and captain neale a company of rangers. on his way to the eno tryon was joined by a detachment from hanover, under colonel john ashe; another from carteret, under colonel craig; another from johnston, under colonel william thompson; another from beaufort, under colonel needham bryan; another from wake, under colonel johnson hinton; and at his camp on the eno he was joined by fanning, with a corps of clerks, constables, sheriffs and others. footnote: [ ] lossing's "field book of the revolution." chapter xiii. war declared. at last the regulation had forced governor tryon to acknowledge it as an adversary, and this afforded the members no slight amount of satisfaction. until he marched out of newbern with the militia, it had been his good pleasure to treat us as a lot of malcontents who should be dealt with by constables or sheriffs, and in his proclamations, or statements made to the people of other colonies, he was careful to so word his communications as to make it appear that the people of the upper carolinas, instead of being banded together for a specific purpose, were simply rioting and plundering. and i doubt not but that many of the colonists considered us a gang of bullies who had set their faces against law and order, never understanding that ours was a purpose which lay close to the heart of every true citizen, until that day came when he marched out against us. we, the regulators, were encamped on william payne's plantation when the news came that our enemy had left newbern after giving orders that he be joined on the route to the eno by this force or that, and master rednap howell said gleefully as he heard of that movement which might result in the death of many of our company: "it is the first cheering news we have had brought to us during the past two years. now must it be known in the other colonies that we are standing up for liberty, and, instead of believing us to be a few hot-heads, the people will understand that our party is a strong one, otherwise there would be no need for the governor to come out with such a force." and master butler added: "tryon must fight this time, instead of sitting in his palace and ordering that this or that gentleman be thrown into prison. we have more than half attained our end when the other colonies understand for what principle we are holding out." in fact, this move of tryon's caused the greatest possible satisfaction among our people, who had been running hither and thither for the past two years without opportunity of making public the oppression against which they had risen in arms. never a member of our party who questioned as to what our leaders would do; it was to all of us a settled fact that we would meet the government as speedily as might be, and in anticipation of the command we began furbishing up our equipments, or looking after the horses to make certain they were in condition for a forced march. by this time sidney and i were eighteen years of age, and no longer considered ourselves boys. since having been permitted to join the regulation we had been credited with doing good work, never flinching from a severe task or holding back because of danger, and thus we rode with the company as equals. i believe we two lads were more eager than any of our companions to meet tryon's forces in the open field; for it was our firm belief that the regulators would win the first battle fought and we burned with impatience to show what we could do as soldiers. "i never felt well inclined toward governor tryon until this moment," sidney said in a matter-of-fact tone as we overhauled our saddle-girths to make certain they were in good condition. "now it is very much as if he had suddenly become our friend, because of having boldly taken the field against us." "according to the report of our scouts, he must outnumber us two to one," i ventured to suggest. "the result will be the same if four against one is the odds. we must win, and what a relief it will be to ride forward with a definite aim, instead of going here and there without effecting anything, as we have been doing these two years past." "i agree with you on the last, sidney; but holding our own against twice our force is a different matter." the lad looked at me scrutinizingly for an instant, and then asked banteringly: "are you beginning to show the white feather just when our affairs look the most promising, clare?" "not a bit of it," i replied indignantly. "to my mind it is no evidence of cowardice to count well the situation and strength of the enemy." "but you went farther, and was near to questioning whether tryon's force might not worst us, simply because of its size." "and why might i not question it? a full thousand of his men are citizens of the carolinas, and should be our equals in both riding and fighting." "so they would were the cause the same; but they fight on the side of oppression, while we are striving to do that which shall be of benefit to every person in the american colonies." i did not attempt to continue what was rapidly becoming an argument, simply because it was useless just then. i believed it was folly to claim that gentlemen of the carolinas who did not hold to our opinions were our inferiors: but knew full well that it would be impossible to persuade my comrade to look at the matter in the same light i did. it is a sad mistake to think that ourselves and our adherents are better men than those who oppose us, and that, i think, has been fully proven by this time. i was ready to say that our cause was just, while theirs was not, and further than such a statement i would not go. finding that i was not inclined for a wordy quarrel, sidney ceased boasting of what the regulators could do, and set about speculating as to whether tryon would remain on the eno until we could come up with him, until suddenly, at the moment our people were least expecting it, word was passed through the camp that we were to fall into line, unmounted, to hear an important announcement from the commander. "i wish we had been summoned to appear ready for marching," my comrade said almost petulantly as he made his preparations for obeying by washing his hands, which were covered with the grease he had been applying to his bridle. "this talk of an 'announcement' has in it a suspicion that the regulators are not to break camp immediately." "don't begin to look after trouble," i replied with a laugh, knowing well sidney's disposition. "if we do not set out this night, the regulators will take the road to-morrow, and i'll warrant we see tryon's soldiers in good time." there were many others besides sidney who felt a certain degree of irritation because we were to hear words, instead of commands which would result in setting the entire company in motion toward the enemy; but all of us soon learned that master hamilton had no idea of trying to evade a pitched battle. "since this association was formed, it has been the custom to discuss any important movement with all the company, therefore have you been summoned," our commander said when we had been formed in a hollow square with him in our midst. "it is not necessary for me to promise that you shall be led against the enemy at the earliest fitting moment, and i also declare that you shall not be allowed to hurl yourselves upon the government troops like an unruly mob. when we have made ready, governor tryon shall see us. our scouts have brought in the information that general waddel is halted with a small force at salisbury, awaiting the arrival of powder from charleston. the regulators need that powder, and i propose that we take it. two hundred men well mounted will be sufficient for the enterprise, and in order that there shall be no charge of favoritism made against me, instead of detailing a force of such size, i ask that the best mounted among you step three paces to the rear, in token that you are willing to make the venture." the old gentleman had hardly more than ceased speaking when the entire company moved back as if with one accord, thus showing that every man of us was eager for active service, and that each one believed his horse superior to all the others. master hamilton laughed heartily, and then asked that none but the youngest volunteer for the service, and do so by stepping forward into the former position. once more was the square formed in the first position, for not a man was willing to be left behind at such a time. it was positive that all the company could not be spared for a service which might be performed by two hundred men, and i wondered how the matter could be arranged without causing jealousy. then our commander explained that it would be unwise to go for the powder with such a large company, and announced that since we could not settle the matter among ourselves, he would be forced to decide for us. "we will begin with william husband and count from one to five in regular order," he said at length. "every fifth man is to fall out of line and make immediate preparations for a forced march." sidney was standing by my side, and, fearing lest one should be taken and the other left, i whispered hurriedly to him: "move up until you are the fifth from me, and then if one goes the other will be with him. i would be as sad to leave you behind, as you would to see me stay in case you drew the lucky number." he agreed at once, for sidney was a true comrade in every sense of the word, and hardly had he taken up a new position when master husband began the count. my breath came thick and fast as the numbers sounded nearer and nearer, so fearful was i lest the number should doom me to stay in camp when glory might be earned, and i had so worked myself into a fever that when the man standing next beside me spoke the word "four," it was almost impossible for me to add the next number. i fell out of line silently, and one of those who had been selected to remain behind, thinking i was afraid to venture on the enterprise, whispered eagerly: "i'll swap my new saddle for your old one, if you'll give me your chance." "i'd not consent if you threw into the bargain the best horse in the company," i replied, and an instant later sidney and i were shaking hands vigorously in token of delight because of our good fortune. it can well be supposed that we were not many moments making ready for the expedition, and when we came to the center of the encampment, where the lucky ones were assembling, it was learned that master rednap howell had been selected as the leader of our party. the only orders master hamilton had to give were announced in the hearing of all. we were to ride toward salisbury until arriving at the bank of the yadkin, which river was to be crossed in order that we might come upon general waddel from cabarras county, thus hoping to give him the impression that the regulators were south of him, instead of in the course taken up by tryon. master hamilton was good enough to explain that he believed beyond a peradventure we would soon fight with the governor's forces; but it was his hope that we might meet them elsewhere than near about our own homes. a ride of between eighty and ninety miles was before us; but we gave little heed to the distance, since each yard traversed brought us so much nearer the enemy, and i venture to say that a more eager, happy party of men never set out to provoke a battle. when i say that the regulators were in sore need of powder, it can be understood that this venture of ours meant more than the worrying of general waddel; we were depending upon him for ammunition with which to wage battle against tryon. in less than an hour from the time when we had been summoned to hear master hamilton's announcement, our company of two hundred were riding away from the encampment, envied by every man who was forced to remain behind. many a time since governor tryon gave us the slip at hillsborough had we ridden across the country in company; but never before with the certainty before us that we might measure strength with the oppressors of the colony if it so pleased us, and this fact it was which put us in such wondrous spirits. it was the first opportunity we had had of striking a blow, and we were determined to give a good account of ourselves, regardless of the numbers to which we might find ourselves opposed. we rode at an easy pace, believing there was no urgent need for haste; but did not draw rein until sunset, when master howell gave the word to halt and unsaddle. "there is plenty of water and grass here," he said in explanation, "and the animals need a rest, not having the same spur to exertion as was given us with the news that waddel might be where we could get at him." each man carried his share of the provisions, and as soon as the horses had been cared for, we ate a hearty supper, knowing that many hours might elapse before another opportunity for satisfying hunger presented itself. at the end of two hours we were in the saddle again, and we rode until near two o'clock in the morning, with but one short halt, when the company had arrived at the bank of the yadkin. now was come the time when scouts should be sent out lest we come upon the enemy before gaining possession of the powder, and it was near daybreak before the march was resumed. by that time we had learned that general waddel's force was in salisbury, and counting on remaining there until the ammunition train came up. two miles below was a ford where we might cross the river without swimming the horses, and when the sun showed himself we were headed at full speed for the road leading from charlotte to salisbury, over which it had been reported that the powder would be sent. our horses were well blown; but we had made good time, and the only thing which might prevent the venture from being a success, was that general waddel had already received the ammunition. "if it turns out that we are too late to intercept the convoy, we must try conclusions with waddel," one of our party said when we were waiting on the west side of the river for our people to get into line, and, overhearing the remark, master howell said emphatically: "don't fear that we'll miss of getting our hands on the powder. we'll have a try for it even though it becomes necessary to face all the men tryon has brought with him." but that we were in an enemy's country our people would have cheered this statement; but as it was the men contented themselves with raising their hats to such a leader, and then we rode on, now intent only on finding a hiding-place where we might remain until scouts had been sent out to learn the condition of affairs. eager though sidney and i were to come face to face with those who wore the king's uniform, both were well pleased when the word was given to halt and make camp under cover. we had ridden nearly four and twenty hours, and although our hearts were stout for a battle, our bodies were sadly in need of a rest. we had halted by the side of the road between charlotte and salisbury, along which the powder must pass if it had not done so already, and on either side the highway were groves of live oak where five hundred men and horses might readily have found a hiding-place. five were told off as sentinels to give the alarm when the ammunition train came in sight, and five more were detailed to scout in the direction of charlotte to make certain the powder was yet to the south of our hiding-place. neither sidney nor i envied those who were obliged to remain in the saddle yet longer. if, four and twenty hours previous, there had been an opportunity to act as scouts, we two lads would have been willing to fight for the honor; but now we congratulated each other on the possibility of gaining a little sleep before the battle was begun. we tethered our horses near by; placed saddles and bridles where they might be come at in a hurry, and laid ourselves down in a thicket of small oaks, falling asleep almost as soon as we touched the ground. it was sunset when i awakened, and looked about me fearing, by some unlucky chance, the company had got away without my knowledge; but my mind was soon set at rest by seeing a score or more of men lounging near at hand as if discussing some matter of importance. without stopping to awaken sidney, i went toward them, and soon learned that our journey had not been in vain. the scouts had come in with the report that the powder and its convoy had not yet arrived at charlotte, therefore we had only to wait patiently for the desired opportunity. i was also told that master howell had stationed guards three miles down the road, in order that we might have timely warning of the movements of the train, and there was nothing for us to do but pass the time as best we might, providing all hands were ready for a quick jump at the word of command. when we first halted i was so sore in body from long riding that i believed four and twenty hours of a rest would not be sufficient to satisfy me; but within half an hour after awakening and being told that there was no doubt as to the coming of our game, i was eager to be in the saddle once more. although our sentinels were four miles away, and would come into camp at their best pace on hearing or seeing the ammunition train, the word was passed that no man should speak above a whisper, while the horses were to be guarded closely lest by whinnying they betray our whereabouts. then came a most trying time of waiting, when we crouched in the darkness close by our accouterments that there might be no delay in laying hands on them immediately the alarm was given, and expecting each instant to be engaged in deadly conflict. sidney and i were side by side, not making any attempt to start a conversation because our nerves were strung too tightly to admit of anything like ordinary topics, and i do not remember of passing such dreary, dismal moments. one had ample time in which to figure all the chances in favor of his being killed or wounded, and to speculate upon the probabilities of success. it seemed as if each moment was ten times its usual length, while the hours were like entire days. once when i believed it must be near morning, and was looking up at the sky for the first faint light of the coming dawn, i heard master howell say that it yet lacked a quarter of an hour to being midnight, and then both patience and courage oozed out at my finger ends. the cold chill of fear ran up and down my spine, and i believe that had the enemy made his appearance just at that moment, i should have been forced to fight against an inclination to run away. it is needless and impossible to try to give any correct story as to that night when we waited for the enemy, fearing because success was so necessary to our cause, that, by some blunder or unforeseen accident, we might fail. the sun had risen, showing haggard faces amid that thicket of live oaks, when we heard among the underbrush some distance away, that crashing which tells of a heavy body trying to force its way through the foliage. every man of us sprang to his feet and held his horse's bridle ready, when we saw one of the scouts in company with a sentinel. "the train will be here within an hour!" was the whisper, and even though the time when we might meet the foe was so far in the future, i ran with all speed to saddle my steed, exulting and at the same moment timorous. chapter xiv. the convoy. after the first flush of excitement had died away, leaving in its stead that tremulous calm which is caused by exceeding great courage or abject fear, we of the regulation went about our task in proper order and with due precaution. it was sidney who, when i was exultant and excited to the verge of doing some foolish thing, brought me to a realization of the situation by saying scornfully: "i'm beginning to grow ashamed of the regulators. to see them running around here as if bereft of reason simply because a rascally corporal's guard of a convoy is coming this way, one would say they had never seen service. is there like to be so much of credit in the capture of ten or twenty men by a force of two hundred, that each fellow burns with a desire to be in the front rank?" for a moment i was ashamed at having shown so much emotion over what was really nothing more than an incident, and then there came to my mind the knowledge that this capture meant more to us of the regulation than would the taking of a force twice our size, and i said decidedly, angry with myself for having been disconcerted by sidney's scorn: "one whose heart is with the cause cannot fail of being excited and anxious at such a time, no matter how small may be the force with which we are to contend. it is the idea that the powder is sadly needed by our people, which causes our company to be unduly excited. every man realizes the importance of doing the task well, and, quite naturally, fears lest it be not performed thoroughly." sidney had no reply to make, and i fancy he was somewhat ashamed of having spoken disparagingly of his companions. then the word was passed in a whisper for each man to conceal himself and his horse as near the edge of the road as possible, remaining there in readiness to spring out at the first word of command. a squad of ten was sent a quarter of a mile to the north in order to intercept any who might succeed in making their way past the main body, and our preparations were complete. i understood that the word for the attack would not be given until the convoy was opposite the center of our line, so that we might completely encircle it to prevent escape in either direction. then came half an hour of suppressed excitement, during which i could distinctly hear the beating of my own heart, and finally, the rumble of wheels in the distance, proclaiming the near approach of our prey. the train consisted of two heavily laden carts convoyed by twenty men, as i could see when the force was nearly opposite my hiding-place, and these details had no more than been noted when master howell's voice rang out like a trumpet: "at them, lads! at them, and make certain none escape you!" to those we were about to attack it must have seemed as if the thicket itself suddenly sprang out toward them, and before they had time to draw up in line ready to receive us, the party was completely surrounded. i would have been ashamed had there been no show of resistance, for the convoy was made up of carolinians, and, whether they were for the king or the people, it behooved them to display courage. at the word we could have shot all the little company down, most likely at the first volley, and in order to save bloodshed master howell cried sharply: "surrender, you of the convoy! we are full two hundred strong, and there is no good reason why you should throw away your lives!" while one might have counted ten a deep silence, save for the pawing or stamping of the horses, fell upon all that gathering in the road, and then the leader of the convoy, having seen that there was no hope of accomplishing anything by resistance, said curtly: "we can do no less than obey your order to surrender." "lay your arms on the wagons, after having dismounted, and then march toward the south." no one spoke while this command was being obeyed until, the men having marched down the road a dozen yards or more from the hindermost wagon, master howell called upon them to halt. then ten men were told off with orders to guard the prisoners, and when this squad had taken position near the convoy, our leader said in the tone of one who has already mapped out his course of action: "you will march your squad well to the westward of salisbury, and endeavor to gain our headquarters. do not take any chances of coming in contact with waddel's force, and see to it that not a man escapes. you may set off at once, gentlemen." the prisoners were first searched to make certain they had no weapons concealed about them, and then the little party rode slowly up toward salisbury counting on striking into the thicket before coming within dangerous distance of the town. when the party had disappeared in the distance, we set about taking possession of the ammunition. as a matter of course it was impossible for us to take the wagons with us, therefore each man was ordered to carry such portion of the powder as he could strap to his saddle, and we set about the work, the greater number of us stripping off our outer shirts, which we converted into bags by tying up the neck and sleeves. so great was the supply that even when each trooper had all he could conveniently carry, there yet remained a full third of the whole, and this we proceeded to destroy by pouring it into the tiny creek which bordered the western side of the road. then the horses were unharnessed and set free from the carts, which we left where they were in the highway, and our company formed in line once more. i had supposed that we would be ordered to join the main body of regulators; but in this i speedily found myself mistaken, for we rode directly to the yadkin river, and crossed it, going immediately into camp in a grove of live oaks. once this had been done master howell sent off five men as scouts, and soon we came to know that this last detachment was gone to spy upon general waddel's force. "yes," our leader said decidedly in reply to a question from one of the older men, "i count on attacking the force which is now at salisbury. it would be little less than criminal to let slip such an opportunity as is now before us. waddel is short of ammunition, now we have captured his supply, and i'm of the opinion that he will make an effort to join tryon, in which case we have him at our mercy. it will not cause us more than two days in time, and we shall be doing great service by preventing the union of the forces." now indeed were we doing something in aid of the cause, and my heart leaped high with joy, for it was reasonable to suppose that, in case our leader accomplished all he had set himself, the main body of the regulators could readily take care of governor tryon's army. it was at this time, although we did not come to know of it until after several days, that master rednap howell showed himself to be a great leader, inasmuch as he caused to be conveyed to general waddel, without trouble or inconvenience to ourselves, that information which we desired him to have, and the task was performed in this fashion: those who had in charge the captured convoy were instructed to allow one of them to escape, after the party were so far north of salisbury that there would be little likelihood of pursuit, and then it was certain the fugitive would take refuge with waddel's force. all this was done in accordance with master howell's orders, and thus it came about that when we were on the easterly bank of the yadkin, the general came to the conclusion that his wisest course would be to join tryon with the least possible delay, regardless of the fact that the powder had been lost. within twelve hours after we had made a camp in ambush, one of our spies came hot foot from salisbury with the word that the king's forces at that town were making ready for the march. in addition to this information we learned considerably to our surprise, that waddel's men were in a state of disorder nearly approaching mutiny. with but few exceptions they were members of the militia, and openly avowed that they would not fight under any consideration; others were favorably inclined toward the regulation, and already had many deserted. we were unprepared for such good news; but it did not require much reflection for master howell to hit upon a course of action which promised success. without delay two of our party, the eldest among us, were sent with all speed under a flag of truce for an interview with the general. they were instructed to warn the commander to remain where he was, or retreat to the coast, as might best please him, otherwise we would at once engage him. it was only natural waddel should believe that the entire force of regulators was within striking distance, and while his men were so sadly disorganized he could not well risk an encounter. we remained in hiding, ready to mount at a moment's notice, and before our messengers returned one of the scouts came in with the word that the militia was crossing the river, evidently bent on making at least one effort to join tryon. five minutes after this information was received we were riding out of the thicket toward that road which it would be necessary for the general to take if he counted on meeting the governor, and within two hours we were in advance of the king's poor soldiers, ready and eager for an engagement. it was only natural that sidney and i should be among those who most desired to be led against the enemy, for now, the first time in two years, might we add to whatsoever good reputation we had made as regulators, and we put aside the possible danger in the belief that we would succeed in distinguishing ourselves. skirmishers were sent out to learn when the enemy approached, and the remainder of us waited in anxious expectancy the moment when we might come face to face with the foe. in this we were doomed to disappointment, however. waddel also had skirmishers in advance, and immediately his men came in touch with ours they retreated, and soon word was brought that the entire force was retreating across the river again. now began a chase, when our horses were fresh, but handicapped considerably by the loads of powder they carried, and we were positive success would be ours whenever we could come within range of the foe. all evidence of military formation was lost sight of as we forded or swam our horses across the river, and in less than half an hour we were among the rear guard; but even this did not satisfy master howell. he believed the time had come when we might make prisoners of the entire force, and panted for the glory of capturing general waddel himself. to effect this fifty of us whose horses were fleetest, and among the number sidney and i, were directed to make a detour across the country in order to strike the enemy in front before he could gain shelter in salisbury, holding him there at whatsoever cost until the force was absolutely surrounded. how we rode that day! the horses were sent forward at racing speed, regardless of the danger that they might be foundered by carrying such a weight, and sidney and i were among the foremost when we broke cover directly in advance of the retreating column. "look after the general!" sidney shouted as we pressed on, our horses running neck and neck. "now has come the time when we can make names for ourselves which will not soon be forgotten!" we could see the leader and his officers plainly, and rode directly toward them without taking heed as to whether we were followed; but there yet remained a sufficient number of the men who were loyal to the king to prevent us from carrying out the plan. we speedily found ourselves confronted by a squad of twenty or more who stood bravely in line while their officers rode swiftly away, and this little party must be attended to before it might be safe to push on in pursuit of the prize. we drew back within the shelter of a clump of trees, where we were joined by a dozen or more of our men, and then began the first real fight in which i ever took part. there was no room in my mind for fear. i thought only of what might be done if we could disperse the party, and i fired and reloaded without realizing that my one desire was to take human lives. the militia held their ground well, and both sides were at a disadvantage because of trying to take aim while in the saddle. with such marksmen as we had among us that squad of the king's men should all have been disabled within ten minutes, and yet half an hour passed without any perceptible advantage on either side. three of our men were down, and four of theirs had dismounted or been knocked out of the saddle; but by such time the general and his officers had surely succeeded in making good their escape. from the sounds of firing which came from every direction we knew full well that all our party was engaged, and the question had just come into my mind as to whether this force of waddel's had been as badly demoralized as we were led to believe, when i heard shouts in the rear, and a moment later saw master howell ride up with eight or ten men at his back. "throw down your arms, and surrender!" he cried to our adversaries. "the remainder of the command have yielded, and you can do tryon no good by holding out longer!" in a twinkling the men came forward empty-handed, and the fight was won; but i failed to feel any great elation because of what we had lost, while sidney was furious with rage. "but for their holding out, we two might have captured waddel with, perhaps, some of his officers. it is a clear case of cheating, and we have got the worst of it!" "don't look a gift horse in the mouth," i cried laughingly, for my sorrow was dissipated by sidney's rage. "we never counted very surely on capturing the general, and should thank our lucky stars that we have deprived him of his force, for thus have we weakened tryon." he would not be consoled for the lost opportunity of distinguishing himself, and for a moment i really believed he was on the point of striking the disarmed men who had baffled his desires. there was no reason why we should not feel proud of our work. we had captured the ammunition, which was the first task set us, and, in addition held as prisoners a force which governor tryon counted on as adding to his own. surely we had done well, and if the remainder of the regulators could do as much, then was it certain tryon would be driven in shame from this portion of the colony. now it was that we had more prisoners than were convenient. as a matter of fact it would be impossible to feed them during the march to the alamance where we counted on meeting our companions-in-arms, to say nothing of providing them with horses, for not more than half the number were mounted, therefore master howell called for a consultation in which all hands were to take part. it was not necessary to spend very much breath over the question as to whether we would try to hold them captives. they must be disposed of in some manner, and without loss of time; but yet our duty was to make certain they did not join tryon. after hearing such propositions as our people had to make, and some of them were wild indeed, master howell raised the question as to whether it would not be wise to release them on parole? this was the solution to the whole matter, and if he had so stated it at first, we would have decided within a few seconds. on being consulted, our prisoners declared that they would readily take an oath not to bear arms against us until after having been properly exchanged, and all seemed pleased at being able to get out of the scrape so easily. the men were formed in a hollow square, and each was required to repeat the oath master howell administered, after which we parted company, the paroled force going toward charlotte, and we riding at full speed toward the alamance, for it was to be expected that tryon would go there to seek us. i would it were possible for me to set down all the details of our movements; but the yarn has already been spun out to such a length that much which might, possibly, be interesting to strangers must be omitted. it suffices to say that within three days after this encounter with general waddel's force, we of the two hundred which had been sent out to gather in a supply of ammunition rejoined the main body of regulators, and much rejoicing was there in camp after our story had been told. it was as if each of us had done something remarkable, to judge of the treatment we received, and certain it was that those who had been weak-kneed regarding our chances of a successful opposition to tryon, straightway became convinced that we could force him to retreat when the two forces came together. during our absence it had been decided by our leaders that we would await the enemy on the banks of the alamance, and there was no good reason to change the plan after we returned. we now had plenty of powder, and the women from roundabout melted lead into bullets until our wants were fully supplied. we had already fought and captured a full third of the force governor tryon counted on bringing with him, and this was done by only two hundred of our people, therefore it seemed positive that when we met them, a thousand regulators against no more than fifteen hundred militia and a few companies of soldiers, the result would be in our favor. twenty men or more were sent out as scouts and the remainder of our company lounged idly in camp, when, as a matter of fact, every moment should have been spent in fortifying the position. more than one of our people suggested that it would be a good plan to throw up breastworks, but our leaders gave no heed to the suggestion, and for the reason that they were suddenly plunged into distress not unmixed with dismay. our old commander, the man upon whom all relied at such a time, was taken with a most serious illness, and it was believed that his days on this earth were few. it was necessary to carry the old gentleman to a dwelling, and half a dozen of our best men undertook this duty, leaving the command of the force to herman husband, that member of the force in which we placed implicit confidence. as i look back upon that time, when all were confident regarding the future, it seems indeed strange that we should have selected as master hamilton's successor the only member of our company who would play us false. it was as if the gallant master hamilton had but just been carried away from us, when the scouts came in with the news that tryon was approaching, having heard of general waddel's defeat. then it was we leaned upon master husband, that man for whom we had risked our lives three several times in order that he might be spared imprisonment, and learned in the end that he was no more than a broken reed. chapter xv. the battle. it was as if we had no sooner learned that tryon was near at hand than he came almost upon us. just at sunset on the th day of may in the year of grace , our scouts came in with the report that the governor's force was encamped hardly more than six miles away, and was sending out skirmishers to ascertain our position. master husband's opinion was, and now he had become the leader we learned that he could be very obstinate once his mind was made up, that our scouts should be drawn in lest, peradventure, some of them be captured. thus it was we remained all in ignorance of what the enemy might be doing until, at about eight o'clock in the evening, our sentinels captured two of the king's men who were out reconnoitering, bringing them into camp. these were none other than colonel john ashe and captain john walker. now has come the moment when i must write of what we did to disgrace the regulation, because surely it was a disgrace for civilized men claiming to be at war, to act as did the regulators through the advice, or, i might almost say, the commands of, master husband. as we learned afterward, our new leader fancied he had cause for enmity against the two gentlemen whom our sentinels had taken prisoners, and within half an hour after they were brought into camp, he ordered both tied to a tree and severely whipped. it was an outrage which cannot be excused, however partial one may feel toward that organization which first nourished the spirit of liberty among the american people. yet it was done, and to master husband must be given the blame. in the carolinas colonel ashe and captain walker were looked upon as worthy gentlemen even by those whose politics were of a different complexion, and that we should flog them like slaves, nay, even in a more brutal fashion than one would whip his own chattels, was dire disgrace. had master husband delayed even ten minutes after making the proposal for punishment, our people would have cried out against the outrage; but it seemed almost as if the regulators were paralyzed by the mere suggestion of such an act as had never before disgraced them, and a few of the meaner spirits carried the order into execution while the remainder of the company were literally stupefied. this was the first wrong done, so far as i knew, by the regulation, and nineteen out of every twenty condemned it as brutal and uncalled-for. when the punishment was concluded, however, kindly hands took charge of the unfortunate gentlemen, and if words could have soothed their wounds, then of a verity had they been made whole while yet the sting of the lash was upon their flesh. master husband knew full well that he was censured by the majority of the company, and it was as if from that moment he took the entire command into his hands, determined that we should have no voice in whatsoever was done. thus it was that that brave company of gentlemen followed blindly a leader who was very shortly to prove himself a rank coward, raising no mutiny as would have been done under other circumstances, because we were facing the enemy and bickerings might bring about a disaster. when some of us would have accompanied colonel ashe and captain walker to tryon's camp under a flag of truce, master husband sternly forbade any such procedure, and declared that he should hold the gentlemen prisoners until after the enemy had retreated, or been whipped in battle. next morning, instead of sending out skirmishers, our leader appeared to think that a written notice from him would be sufficient to disperse the king's men, and accordingly he wrote what it pleased him to call a "proclamation," setting forth the fact that the governor had come contrary to law into counties over which he had abandoned control, and demanded that he should send answer within four hours explaining when it would please him to retreat. we had among us the reverend david caldwell of orange, that good minister who followed such of his congregation as belonged to the regulation, knowing full well a battle was imminent, and believing he might acceptably serve god and his fellow-man at the time when death was about to seize upon some of us. master caldwell had been among those who spoke the loudest against master husband's brutality of the previous evening; but now he accepted the position of messenger in the hope that he might prevail upon tryon to draw off and thus avert bloodshed. the good man disdained to use a flag of truce; but set off trusting that his cloth would protect him, as indeed it did, for he was speedily given audience with the enemy. governor tryon received the clergyman graciously; but excused himself from making a reply to the ill-advised proclamation until noon of the following day, because, as he said, until then there would not be time to discuss the matter with such of his officers as were entitled to consideration. however, he gave the parson the most positive assurance that no blood should be shed unless the regulators began the battle; in other words, he bound himself to keep his force in leash unless we made an unprovoked assault. when master caldwell came within our lines again, he had a long interview with master husband, the substance of which none of us knew thoroughly; but it was whispered among the more knowing, that the parson had insisted on liberty being given to the two prisoners, and our leader had flatly refused. master howell and a dozen others who had shared the command of the company with general hamilton, were loud in their complaints because master husband refused to send out scouts, and, finally, after no little bickerings which would have swelled into open mutiny but for the situation of affairs, they left the bigoted man to himself, and sent secretly a dozen or more to spy upon the enemy. by this means we knew that during the night governor tryon's force had crossed the alamance and marched silently along the salisbury road until within half a mile of our camp, where they were formed in battle order by daybreak. all this we of the rank and file knew; but our leader remained in ignorance, and had no suspicion that parson caldwell paid a second visit to the governor before breakfast was served our men, receiving from him another promise that blood would not be shed by his force without provocation; but now, having gained the position he desired, tryon demanded as the price of peace, that the regulation should surrender unconditionally. this he charged master caldwell to repeat to our leader, and when master husband heard it he showed himself, for a short time, as one who understood somewhat of warfare, for as soon as might be thereafter he marched us down the road until we were halted within three hundred yards of the governor's army. now did it appear as if the battle was to be fought by words rather than bullets, for tryon sent forward under flag of truce a magistrate from orange county, who read a lot of high-sounding words to the effect that we were ordered by the chief ruler of the colony to disperse within an hour. then was come the time when we should have set spurs to our horses and dashed into the king's lines, for of a verity could we have put them in full flight within ten minutes; but master husband, beginning to feel the influence of that cowardly fit which so beset him shortly afterward, ordered robert thompson, a gentleman well known among us all as being of a most peaceful and amiable disposition but prone at all times to speak his mind, to go into the governor's lines and learn what arrangements might be made for the settlement of the difficulty. this command was given secretly, else would master thompson never have been allowed to go forth on such an errand when we were prepared and eager to measure strength with the enemy. however, he went, and we remained in the saddle mystified, wondering why any parley should be held, until we saw our comrade halt in front of the governor himself. now this which i am to about to relate was afterward told me by a member of tryon's force. as a matter of course all that we of the regulation could see was the movements of the men. when master thompson advanced to the governor, he was told abruptly, and without even the ordinary civility which is due from one gentleman to another, to make his way to the rear as a prisoner. indignant because of such perfidy, he told the brute tryon some very plain truths regarding his actions in the carolinas, and wheeled about to return to our lines. my eyes were upon him at the moment, and sidney had expressed his satisfaction at seeing master thompson coming toward us in such a resolute manner, when i saw tryon seize a musket from the hands of a militiaman, and shoot the regulator dead. at the same instant it was as if the governor realized what he had done, for the smoke of the musket had hardly more than cleared away before we saw a flag of truce advance; but the murder of robert thompson was sufficient to arouse us all, and an hundred rifles were immediately emptied upon the bearer of the flag. then it was that we would have advanced without waiting for orders from master husband, but that parson caldwell rode swiftly up and down the line between us and the enemy, imploring the regulators to disperse rather than bring civil war upon the colony. we could not fire upon a man like master caldwell, neither was it in our hearts to ride him down, as we must have done had a charge been made at that moment; but tryon, losing his senses through rage, as it seemed to me, gave the word for the militia to fire. not a man obeyed the order. parson caldwell continued to urge that we have forbearance, and again tryon called out for his men to shoot, this time addressing the artillery as well as militia. it was as if both sides were listening to the entreaties of the clergyman, when the bully tryon, maddened with rage, rose in his stirrups as he shouted frantically: "fire! fire on them or on me!" this order was given to the entire force, and the men obeyed. how many of our people fell i know not. on the instant there came before my eyes a red mist; my brain swam, and i only know that there was but one desire in my heart, which was to kill--to kill the brute who had neither the instincts of a man nor the courage of a woman! we regulators fired rapidly as we could load and discharge our pieces, and then suddenly sidney shouted: "come forward, lads! spur your horses hard and we may take those cannon, for the men who work them act faint-hearted! follow me!" an hundred or more of us responded to this call. riding forward at full speed we literally swept the cannoneers from their pieces, and this done, after many lives had paid the price, we saw that man to whom general hamilton had entrusted the command of the gallant regulators, ride like a coward down the road a short distance, and then into the thicket. verily i believe there was not one among us save he who would have shown the white feather even in order to save his own life, and we cursed him--while we battled against the enemy we cursed him! what followed i know not of my own knowledge. it was as if a fever had seized upon me, and when reason returned sidney and i were in the jail at hillsborough, where we remained many a long, dreary month before finally being allowed to return to our homes under parole. here is an account as i have seen it set down by another who wrote at a later day, when all the facts were known, and in his words shall be told the remainder of the distressing story which began so bravely, and ended in shame and in death. [ ] "some young men among the regulators rushed forward and took possession of the cannons. they did not know how to manage them, and soon abandoned them. the military now fired with vigor, and the regulators fell back to a ledge of rocks on the verge of a ravine, not, however, until their ammunition was exhausted. "nine of the regulators and twenty-seven of the militia fell in that conflict, and a great number on both sides were wounded. tryon, in his report, said, 'the loss of our army in killed, wounded, and missing amounted to about sixty men.' "the admitted excesses of the regulators afford no excuse for the cruelty of tryon after the battle on the alamance. with the implacable spirit of revenge, he spent his wrath upon his prisoners, and some of his acts were worthy only of a barbarian. he exacted an oath of allegiance from the people; levied contributions of provisions; chastised those who dared to offend him; and at hillsborough he offered a large reward for the bodies of husband and other regulators, 'dead or alive.' "at hillsborough he held a court-martial for the trial of his prisoners. twelve were condemned to suffer death; six were reprieved, and the others were hung. his thirst for revenge satiated, tryon returned to his palace at newbern, where he remained but a short time, having been called to the administration of affairs in the province of new york. "the movements of the regulators and the result of the battle on the alamance form an important episode in the history of our revolution. their resistance arose from oppressions more personal and real than those which aroused the people of new england. it was not wholly the abstract idea of freedom for which they contended; their strife consisted of efforts to relieve themselves of actual burdens. while the tea-duty was but a 'pepper-corn tribute,' imposing no real burden upon the industry of the people in new england, extortion in every form, and not to be evaded, was eating out the substance of the working men in north carolina. implied despotism armed the new englanders; actual despotism panoplied the carolinians. each were equally patriotic, and deserve our reverent gratitude. the defeat on the alamance did not break the spirit of the patriots; and many, determined no longer to suffer the oppressions of extortioners, abandoned their homes, with their wives and children, went beyond the mountains, and began settlements in the fertile valleys of the tennessee." footnote: [ ] lossing's "field book of the revolution." the end. the boy spies series these stories are based on important historical events, scenes wherein boys are prominent characters being selected. they are the romance of history, vigorously told, with careful fidelity to picturing the home life, and accurate in every particular. handsome cloth bindings price, cents per volume the boy spies at the battle of new orleans. a story of the part they took in its defence. by william p. chipman. the boy spies at the defence of fort henry. a boy's story of wheeling creek in . by james otis. the boy spies at the battle of bunker hill. a story of two boys at the siege of boston. by james otis. the boy spies at the siege of detroit. a story of two ohio boys in the war of . by james otis. the boy spies with lafayette. the story of how two boys joined the continental army. by james otis. the boy spies on chesapeake bay. the story of two young spies under commodore barney. by james otis. the boy spies with the regulators. the story of how the boys assisted the carolina patriots to drive the british from that state. by james otis. the boy spies with the swamp fox. the story of general marion and his young spies. by james otis. the boy spies at yorktown. the story of how the spies helped general lafayette in the siege of yorktown. by james otis. the boy spies of philadelphia. the story of how the young spies helped the continental army at valley forge. by james otis. the boy spies of fort griswold. the story of the part they took in its brave defence. by william p. chipman. the boy spies of old new york. the story of how the young spies prevented the capture of general washington. by james otis. the navy boys series a series of excellent stories of adventure on sea and land, selected from the works of popular writers; each volume designed for boys' reading. handsome cloth bindings price, cents per volume the navy boys in defence of liberty. a story of the burning of the british schooner gaspee in . by william p. chipman. the navy boys on long island sound. a story of the whale boat navy of . by james otis. the navy boys at the siege of havana. being the experience of three boys serving under israel putnam in . by james otis. the navy boys with grant at vicksburg. a boy's story of the siege of vicksburg. by james otis. the navy boys' cruise with paul jones. a boy's story of a cruise with the great commodore in . by james otis. the navy boys on lake ontario. the story of two boys and their adventures in the war of . by james otis. the navy boys' cruise on the pickering. a boy's story of privateering in . by james otis. the navy boys in new york bay. a story of three boys who took command of the schooner "the laughing mary," the first vessel of the american navy. by james otis. the navy boys in the track of the enemy. the story of a remarkable cruise with the sloop of war "providence" and the frigate "alfred." by william p. chipman. the navy boys' daring capture. the story of how the navy boys helped to capture the british cutter "margaretta," in . by william p. chipman. the navy boys' cruise to the bahamas. the adventures of two yankee middies with the first cruise of an american squadron in . by william p. chipman. the navy boys' cruise with columbus. the adventures of two boys who sailed with the great admiral in his discovery of america. by frederick a. ober. the boy allies (registered in the united states patent office) with the navy by ensign robert l. drake handsome cloth binding, price cents per volume frank chadwick and jack templeton, young american lads, meet each other in an unusual way soon after the declaration of war. circumstances place them on board the british cruiser "the sylph" and from there on, they share adventures with the sailors of the allies. ensign robert l. drake, the author, is an experienced naval officer, and he describes admirably the many exciting adventures of the two boys. the boy allies on the north sea patrol; or, striking the first blow at the german fleet. the boy allies under two flags; or, sweeping the enemy from the seas. the boy allies with the flying squadron; or, the naval raiders of the great war. the boy allies with the terror of the sea; or, the last shot of submarine d- . the boy allies under the sea; or, the vanishing submarine. the boy allies in the baltic; or, through fields of ice to aid the czar. the boy allies at jutland; or, the greatest naval battle of history. the boy allies with uncle sam's cruisers; or, convoying the american army across the atlantic. the boy allies with the submarine d- ; or, the fall of the russian empire. the boy allies with the victorious fleets; or, the fall of the german navy. the boy allies with (registered in the united states patent office) the army by clair w. hayes handsome cloth binding, price cents per volume in this series we follow the fortunes of two american lads unable to leave europe after war is declared. they meet the soldiers of the allies, and decide to cast their lot with them. their experiences and escapes are many, and furnish plenty of the good, healthy action that every boy loves. the boy allies at liege; or, through lines of steel. the boy allies on the firing line; or, twelve days battle along the marne. the boy allies with the cossacks; or, a wild dash over the carpathians. the boy allies in the trenches; or, midst shot and shell along the aisne. the boy allies in great peril; or, with the italian army in the alps. the boy allies in the balkan campaign; or, the struggle to save a nation. the boy allies on the somme; or, courage and bravery rewarded. the boy allies at verdun; or, saving france from the enemy. the boy allies under the stars and stripes; or, leading the american troops to the firing line. the boy allies with haig in flanders; or, the fighting canadians of vimy ridge. the boy allies with pershing in france; or, over the top at chateau thierry. the boy allies with the great advance; or, driving the enemy through france and belgium. the boy allies with marshal foch; or, the closing days of the great world war. the boy scouts series by herbert carter handsome cloth binding, price cents per volume the boy scouts' first camp fire; or, scouting with the silver fox patrol. the boy scouts in the blue ridge; or, marooned among the moonshiners. the boy scouts on the trail; or, scouting through the big game country. the boy scouts in the main woods; or, the new test for the silver fox patrol. the boy scouts through the big timber; or, the search for the lost tenderfoot. the boy scouts in the rockies; or, the secret of the hidden silver mine. the boy scouts on sturgeon island; or, marooned among the game fish poachers. the boy scouts down in dixie; or, the strange secret of alligator swamp. the boy scouts at the battle of saratoga. a story of burgoyne's defeat in . the boy scouts along the susquehanna; or, the silver fox patrol caught in a flood. the boy scouts on war trails in belgium; or, caught between the hostile armies. the boy scouts afoot in france; or, with the red cross corps at the marne. our young aeroplane scout series (registered in the united states patent office) by horace porter handsome cloth binding, price cents per volume a series of stories of two american boy aviators in the great european war zone. the fascinating life in mid-air is thrillingly described. the boys have many exciting adventures, and the narratives of their numerous escapes make up a series of wonderfully interesting stories. our young aeroplane scouts in france and belgium; or, saving the fortunes of the trouvilles. our young aeroplane scouts in germany. our young aeroplane scouts in russia; or, lost on the frozen steppes. our young aeroplane scouts in turkey; or, bringing the light to yusef. our young aeroplane scouts in england; or, twin stars in the london sky patrol. our young aeroplane scouts in italy; or, flying with the war eagles of the alps. our young aeroplane scouts at verdun; or, driving armored meteors over flaming battle fronts. our young aeroplane scouts in the balkans; or, wearing the red badge of courage. our young aeroplane scouts in the war zone; or, serving uncle sam in the cause of the allies. our young aeroplane scouts fighting to the finish; or, striking hard over the sea for the stars and stripes. our young aeroplane scouts at the marne; or, harrying the huns from allied battleplanes. our young aeroplane scouts in at the victory; or, speedy high flyers smashing the hindenburg line. the jack lorimer series volumes by winn standish handsomely bound in cloth full library size-- captain jack lorimer; or, the young athlete of millvale high. jack lorimer is a fine example of the all-around american high-school boy. his fondness for clean, honest sport of all kinds will strike a chord of sympathy among athletic youths. jack lorimer's champions; or, sports on land and lake. there is a lively story woven in with the athletic achievements, which are all right, since the book has been o.k.'d by chadwick, the nestor of american sporting journalism. jack lorimer's holidays; or, millvale high in camp. it would be well not to put this book into a boy's hands until the chores are finished, otherwise they might be neglected. jack lorimer's substitute; or, the acting captain of the team. on the sporting side, the book takes up football, wrestling, tobogganing. there is a good deal of fun in this book and plenty of action. jack lorimer, freshman; or, from millvale high to exmouth. jack and some friends he makes crowd innumerable happenings into an exciting freshman year at one of the leading eastern colleges. the book is typical of the american college boy's life, and there is a lively story, interwoven with feats on the gridiron, hockey, basketball and other clean, honest sports for which jack lorimer stands. the big five motorcycle boys series by ralph marlow it is doubtful whether a more entertaining lot of boys ever before appeared in a story than the "big five," who figure in the pages of these volumes. from cover to cover the reader will be thrilled and delighted with the accounts of their many adventures. the big five motorcycle boys on the battle line; or, with the allies in france. the big five motorcycle boys at the front; or, carrying dispatches through belgium. the big five motorcycle boys under fire; or, with the allies in the war zone. the big five motorcycle boys' swift road chase; or, surprising the bank robbers. the big five motorcycle boys on florida trails; or, adventures among the saw palmetto crackers. the big five motorcycle boys in tennessee wilds; or, the secret of walnut ridge. the big five motorcycle boys through by wireless; or, a strange message from the air. the broncho rider boys series by frank fowler a series of stirring stories for boys, breathing the adventurous spirit that lives in the wide plains and lofty mountain ranges of the great west. these tales will delight every lad who loves to read of pleasing adventure in the open; yet at the same time the most careful parent need not hesitate to place them in the hands of the boy. the broncho rider boys with funston at vera cruz; or, upholding the honor of the stars and stripes. when trouble breaks out between this country and mexico, the boys are eager to join the american troops under general funston. their attempts to reach vera cruz are fraught with danger, but after many difficulties, they manage to reach the trouble zone, where their real adventures begin. the broncho rider boys at keystone ranch; or, three chums of the saddle and lariat. in this story the reader makes the acquaintance of three devoted chums. the book begins in rapid action, and there is "something doing" up to the very time you lay it down. the broncho rider boys down in arizona; or, a struggle for the great copper lode. the broncho rider boys find themselves impelled to make a brave fight against heavy odds, in order to retain possession of a valuable mine that is claimed by some of their relatives. they meet with numerous strange and thrilling perils and every wideawake boy will be pleased to learn how the boys finally managed to outwit their enemies. the broncho rider boys along the border; or, the hidden treasure of the zuni medicine man. once more the tried and true comrades of camp and trail are in the saddle. in the strangest possible way they are drawn into a series of exciting happenings among the zuni indians. certainly no lad will lay this book down, save with regret. the broncho rider boys on the wyoming trail; or, a mystery of the prairie stampede. the three prairie pards finally find a chance to visit the wyoming ranch belonging to adrian, but managed for him by an unscrupulous relative. of course, they become entangled in a maze of adventurous doings while in the northern cattle country. how the broncho rider boys carried themselves through this nerve-testing period makes intensely interesting reading. the broncho rider boys with the texas rangers; or, the smugglers of the rio grande. in this volume, the broncho rider boys get mixed up in the mexican troubles, and become acquainted with general villa. in their efforts to prevent smuggling across the border, they naturally make many enemies, but finally succeed in their mission. the boy chums series by wilmer m. ely in this series of remarkable stories are described the adventures of two boys in the great swamps of interior florida, among the cays off the florida coast, and through the bahama islands. these are real, live boys, and their experiences are worth following. the boy chums in mystery land; or, charlie west and walter hazard among the mexicans. the boy chums on indian river; or, the boy partners of the schooner "orphan." the boy chums on haunted island; or, hunting for pearls in the bahama islands. the boy chums in the forest; or, hunting for plume birds in the florida everglades. the boy chums' perilous cruise; or, searching for wreckage on the florida coast. the boy chums in the gulf of mexico; or, a dangerous cruise with the greek spongers. the boy chums cruising in florida waters; or, the perils and dangers of the fishing fleet. the boy chums in the florida jungle; or, charlie west and walter hazard with the seminole indians. the girl comrade's series all american authors all copyright stories a carefully selected series of books for girls, written by popular authors. these are charming stories for young girls, well told and full of interest. their simplicity, tenderness, healthy, interesting motives, vigorous action, and character painting will please all girl readers. handsome cloth binding. price, cents. =a bachelor maid and her brother.= by i. t. thurston. =all aboard. a story for girls.= by fanny e. newberry. =almost a genius. a story for girls.= by adelaide l. rouse. =annice wynkoop, artist. story of a country girl.= by adelaide l. rouse. =bubbles. a girl's story.= by fannie e. newberry. =comrades.= by fannie e. newberry. =deane girls, the. a home story.= by adelaide l. rouse. =helen beaton, college woman.= by adelaide l. rouse. =joyce's investments. a story for girls.= by fannie e. newberry. =mellicent raymond. a story for girls.= by fannie e. newberry. =miss ashton's new pupil. a school girl's story.= by mrs. s. s. robbins. =not for profit. a story for girls.= by fannie e. newberry. =odd one, the. a story for girls.= by fannie e. newberry. =sara, a princess. a story for girls.= by fannie e. newberry. the girl chum's series all american authors. all copyright stories. a carefully selected series of books for girls, written by popular authors. these are charming stories for young girls, well told and full of interest. their simplicity, tenderness, healthy, interesting motives, vigorous action, and character painting will please all girl readers. handsome cloth binding. price, cents. =benhurst, club, the.= by howe benning. =bertha's summer boarders.= by linnie s. harris. =billow prairie. a story of life in the great west.= by joy allison. =duxberry doings. a new england story.= by caroline b. le row. =fussbudget's folks. a story for young girls.= by anna f. burnham. =happy discipline, a.= by elizabeth cummings. =jolly ten, the; and their year of stories.= by agnes carr sage. =katie robertson. a girl's story of factory life.= by m. e. winslow. =lonely hill. a story for girls.= by m. l. thornton-wilder. =majoribanks. a girl's story.= by elvirton wright. =miss charity's house.= by howe benning. =miss elliot's girls. a story for young girls.= by mary spring corning. =miss malcolm's ten. a story for girls.= by margaret e. winslow. =one girl's way out.= by howe benning. =pen's venture.= by elvirton wright. =ruth prentice. a story for girls.= by marion thorne. =three years at glenwood. a story of school life.= by m. e. winslow. for sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of price by the publishers. a. l. burt company, - east d street. new york generously made available by internet archive (https://archive.org) note: images of the original pages are available through internet archive. see https://archive.org/details/britainsdeadlype lequrich britain's deadly peril are we told the truth? by william le queux author of "german spies in england" london stanley paul & co essex street, strand, w.c. first published in copyright in the united states of america by william le queux, contents foreword page the unknown to-morrow chapter i the peril of "muddling through" chapter ii the peril of exploiting the poor chapter iii the peril of not doing enough chapter iv the peril of the censorship chapter v the peril of the press bureau chapter vi the peril of the enemy alien chapter vii the peril of deluding the public chapter viii the peril of invasion chapter ix the peril of apathy chapter x the peril of stifling the truth chapter xi facts to remember foreword the unknown to-morrow the following pages--written partly as a sequel to my book "german spies in england," which has met with such wide popular favour--are, i desire to assure the reader, inspired solely by a stern spirit of patriotism. this is not a book of "scaremongerings," but of plain, hard, indisputable facts. it is a demand for the truth to be told, and a warning that, by the present policy of secrecy and shuffle, a distinct feeling of distrust has been aroused, and is growing more and more apparent. no sane man will, of course, ask for any facts concerning the country's resources or its intentions, or indeed any information upon a single point which, in the remotest way, could be of any advantage to the barbaric hordes who are ready to sweep upon us. but what the british people to-day demand is a sound and definite pronouncement which will take them, to a certain extent, into the confidence of the government--as apart from the war office, against which no single word of criticism should be raised--and at the same time deal effectively with certain matters which, being little short of public scandals, have irritated and inflamed public opinion at an hour when every man in our empire should put forth his whole strength for his god, his king, and his country. germany is facing the present situation with a sound, businesslike policy, without any vacillation, or any attempt to shift responsibility from one department of the state to another. are we doing the same? what rule or method can be discerned, for example, in a system which allows news to appear in the papers in scotland which is suppressed in the newspapers in england? why, indeed, should one paper in england be permitted to print facts, and another, published half a mile away, be debarred from printing the self-same words? the public--who, since august th last, are no longer school-children under the head-mastership of the prime-minister-for-the-time-being--are now wondering what all this curious censorship means, and for what reason such an unreliable institution--an institution not without its own scandals, and employing a thousand persons of varying ideas and warped notions--should have been established. they can quite understand the urgent necessity of preventing a horde of war correspondents, at the front, sending home all sorts of details regarding our movements and intentions, but they cannot understand why a government offer of £ reward, published on placards all over scotland for information regarding secret bases of petrol, should be forbidden to be even mentioned in england. they cannot understand why the admiralty should issue a notice warning the public that german spies, posing as british officers, are visiting government factories while at the same time the under-secretary for war declares that all enemy aliens are known, and are constantly under police surveillance. they cannot understand either why, in face of the great imports of foodstuffs, and the patriotic movement on the part of canada and our overseas dominions concerning our wheat supply, prices should have been allowed to increase so alarmingly, and unscrupulous merchants should be permitted to exploit the poor as they have done. they are mystified by the shifty shuttlecock policy which is being pursued towards the question of enemy aliens, and the marked disinclination of the authorities to make even the most superficial inquiry regarding cases of suspected espionage, notwithstanding the fact that german spies have actually been recognised among us by refugees from antwerp and other belgian cities. the truth, which cannot be disguised, is that by the government's present policy, and the amusing vagaries of its press censorship, the public are daily growing more and more apathetic concerning the war. while, on the one hand, we see recruiting appeals in all the clever guises of smart modern advertising, yet on the other, by the action of the authorities themselves, the man-in-the-street is being soothed into the belief that all goes well, and that, in consequence, no more men are needed and nobody need worry further. we are told by many newspapers that germany is at the end of her tether: that food supplies are fast giving out, that she has lost millions of men, that her people are frantic, that a "stop the war" party has already arisen in berlin, and that the offensive on the eastern frontier is broken. at home, the authorities would have us believe that there is no possibility of invasion, that german submarines are "pirates"--poor consolation indeed--that all alien enemies are really a deserving hardworking class of dear good people, and that there is no spy-peril. a year ago the british public would, perhaps, have believed all this. to-day they refuse to do so. why they do not, i have here attempted to set out; i have tried to reveal something of the perils which beset our nation, and to urge the reader to pause and reflect for himself. every word i have written in this book, though i have been fearless and unsparing in my criticism, has been written with an honest and patriotic intention, for i feel that it is my duty, as an englishman, in these days of national peril to take up my pen--without political bias--solely for the public good. i ask the reader to inquire for himself, to ascertain how cleverly germany has hoodwinked us, and to fix the blame upon those who wilfully, and for political reasons, closed their eyes to the truth. i would ask the reader to remember the formation in germany--under the guidance of the kaiser--of the society for the promotion of better relations between germany and england, and how the kaiser appointed, as president, a certain herr von holleben. i would further ask the reader to remember my modest effort to dispel the pretty illusion placed before the british public by exposing, in _the daily telegraph_, in march , the fact that this very herr von holleben, posing as a champion of peace, was actually the secret emissary sent by the kaiser to the united states in , with orders to make an anti-english press propaganda in that country! and a week after my exposure the emperor was compelled to dismiss him from his post. too long has dust been thrown in our eyes, both abroad and at home. let every briton fighting for his country, and working for his country's good, remember that even though there be a political truce to-day, yet the day of awakening must dawn sooner or later. on that day, with the conscience of the country fully stirred, the harmless--but to-day powerless--voter will have something bitter and poignant to say when he pays the bill. he will then recollect some hard facts, and ask himself many plain questions. he will put to himself calmly the problem whether the present german hatred of england is not mainly due to the weak shuffling sentimentalism and opportunism of germanophils in high places. and he will then search out britain's betrayers, and place them in the pillory. assuredly, when the time comes, all these things--and many more--will be remembered. and the dawn of the unknown to-morrow will, i feel assured, bring with it many astounding and drastic changes. william le queux. devonshire club, s.w. _april ._ britain's deadly peril chapter i the peril of "muddling through" has britain, in the course of her long history, ever been prepared for a great war? i do not believe she has; she certainly was not ready last august, when the kaiser launched his thunderbolt upon the world. perhaps, paradoxical as it may seem, this perpetual unreadiness may be, in a sense, part of britain's strength. we are a people slow of speech, and slow to anger. it takes much--very much--to rouse the british nation to put forth its full strength. "beware of the wrath of the man slow to anger" is a useful working maxim, and it may be that the difficulty of arousing england is, in some degree, a measure of her terrible power once she is awakened. twice or thrice, at least, within living memory we have been caught all unready when a great crisis burst upon us--in the crimea, in south africa, and now in the greatest world-conflict ever seen. hitherto, thanks to the amazing genius for improvisation which is characteristic of our race, we have "muddled through" somehow, often sorely smitten, sorely checked, but roused by reverses to further and greater efforts. the bulldog tenacity that has ever been our salvation has been aroused in time, and we have passed successfully through ordeals which might have broken the spirit and crushed the resistance of nations whose mental and physical fibre was less high and less enduring. we have "muddled through" in the past: shall we "muddle through" again? it is the merest truism--patent to all the world--that when germany declared war, we were quite unready for a contest. for years the nation had turned a deaf ear to all warnings. the noble efforts of the late lord roberts, who gave the last years of his illustrious life--despite disappointments, and the rebuffs of people in high places who ought to have known--nay, who did know--that his words were literally true, passed unheeded. lord roberts, the greatest soldier of the victorian era, a man wise in war, and of the most transcendent sincerity, was snubbed and almost insulted, inside and outside the house of commons, by a parcel of upstarts who, in knowledge and experience of the world and of the subject, were not fit to black his boots. "an alarmist and scaremonger" was perhaps the least offensive name that these worthies could find for him: and it was plainly hinted that he was an old man in his dotage. lulled into an unshakable complacency by the smooth assurances of placeholders in comfortable jobs, the nation remained serenely asleep, and never was a country less ready for the storm that burst upon us last august. i had, in my writings--"the invasion of england" and other works--also endeavoured to awaken the public; but if they would not listen to "bobs," it was hardly surprising that they jeered at me. i am speaking of the nation as a whole. to their eternal honour let it be said that there were nevertheless some who, for years, had foreseen the danger, and had done what lay in their power to meet it. foremost among these we must place mr. winston churchill, and the group of brilliant officers who are now the chiefs of the british army on the continent. to them, at least, i hope history will do full justice. it was no mere coincidence that just before the outbreak of war our great fleet--the mightiest armada that the world has ever seen--was assembled at spithead, ready, to the last shell and the last man, for any eventuality. it was no mere coincidence that the magnificent first division at aldershot, trained to the minute by men who knew their business, were engaged when war broke out in singularly appropriate "mobilisation exercises." all honour to the men who foresaw the world-peril, and did their utmost to make our pitiably insufficient forces ready, as far as fitness and organisation could make them ready, for the great day when their courage and endurance were to be so severely tested. but when all this is said and admitted, it is clear that our safety, in the early days of the war, hung by a hair. afloat, of course, we were more than a match for anything germany could do, and our fleet has locked our enemy in with a strangling grip that we hope is slowly choking out her industrial and commercial life. ashore, however, our position was perilous in the extreme. men's hair whitened visibly during those awful days when the tiny british army, fighting heroically every step of the way against overwhelming odds, was driven ever back and back until, on the banks of the marne, it suddenly turned at bay and, by sheer matchless valour, hurled the legions of the kaiser back to ruin and defeat. the retreat was stayed, the enemy was checked and driven back, but the margin by which disaster was averted and turned into triumph was so narrow that nothing but the most superb heroism on the part of our gallant lads could have saved the situation. we had neglected all warnings, and we narrowly escaped paying an appalling price in the destruction of the flower of the british army. with insufficient forces, we had again "muddled through" by the dogged valour of the british private. to-day we are engaged in "muddling through" on a scale unexampled in our history. the government have taken power to raise the british army to a total of three million men. in our leisurely way we have begun to make new armies in the face of an enemy who for fifty years has been training every man to arms, in the face of an enemy who for ten or fifteen years at least has been steadily, openly, and avowedly preparing for the day when he could venture, with some prospect of success, to challenge the sea supremacy by which we live, and move, and have our being, and lay our great empire in the dust. we neglected all warnings; we calmly ignored our enemy's avowed intentions; we closed our eyes and jeered at all those who told the truth; we deliberately, and of choice, elected to wait until war was upon us to begin our usual process of "muddling through." truly we are an amazing people! yet we should remember that the days when one englishman was better than ten foreigners have passed for ever. naturally, our preference for waiting till the battle opened before we began to train for the fight led us into some of the most amazing muddles that even our military history can boast of. when the tocsin of war rang out, our young men poured to the colours from every town and village in the country. everybody but the war office expected it. the natural result followed: recruiting offices were simply "snowed under" with men, and for weeks we saw the most amazing chaos. the flood of men could neither be equipped nor housed, nor trained, and confusion reigned supreme. we had an endless series of scandals at camps, into which i do not propose to enter: probably, with all the goodwill in the world, they were unavoidable. still the flood of men poured in. the war office grew desperate. it was, clearly, beyond the capacity of the organisation to handle the mass of recruits, and then the war office committed perhaps its greatest blunder. unable to accept more men, it raised the physical standard for recruits. no one seems to have conceived the idea that it would have been better to take the names of the men and call them up as they were needed. naturally the public seized upon the idea that enough men had been obtained, and there was an instant slump in recruiting which, despite the most strenuous of advertising campaigns--carried out on the methods of a vendor of patent medicines--has, unfortunately, not yet been overcome. following, came a period of unexampled chaos at the training-centres. badly lodged, badly fed, clothed in ragged odds and ends of "uniforms," without rifles or bayonets, it is simply a marvel that the men stuck to their duty, and it is surely a glowing testimony to their genuine patriotism. i do not wish to rake up old scandals, and i am not going to indulge in carping criticism of the authorities because they were not able to handle matters with absolute smoothness when, each week, they were getting very nearly a year's normal supply of recruits. confusion and chaos were bound to be, and i think the men--on the whole--realised the difficulties, and made the best of a very trying situation. but they were britons! my object is simply to show how serious was our peril through our unpreparedness. if our enemy, in that time of preparation, could have struck a blow directly at us, we must, inevitably, have gone under in utter ruin. happily, our star was in the ascendant. the magnificent heroism of belgium, the noble recovery of the french nation after their first disastrous surprise, the unexampled valour of our army, and the silent pressure of the navy, saved us from the peril that encompassed us. once again we had "muddled through" perhaps the worst part of our task. no one can yet say that we are safe. this war is very far indeed from being won, for there is yet much to do, and many grave perils still threaten us. it is, perhaps, small consolation to know that most of the perils we brought upon ourselves by our persistent and foolish refusal to face plain and obvious facts: by our toleration of so-called statesmen who, fascinated by the kaiser's glib talk, came very near to betraying england by their refusal to tell the country the truth, or even, without telling the country, to make adequate preparations to meet a danger which had been foreseen by every chancellory in europe for years past. it can never be said that we were not warned, plainly and unmistakably. the report of the amazing speech of the kaiser, which i have recorded elsewhere, i placed in the hands of the british secret service as early as , and the fact that it had been delivered was soon abundantly verified by confidential inquiries in official circles in berlin. yet, with the knowledge of that speech before them, ministers could still be found to assure us that germany was our firm and devoted friend! the kaiser, in the course of the secret speech in question, openly outlined his policy and said: "our plans have been most carefully laid and prepared by our general staff. preparations have been made to convey at a word a german army of invasion of a strength able to cope with any and all the troops that great britain can muster against us. it is too early yet to fix the exact date when the blow shall be struck, but i will say this: that we shall strike as soon as i have a sufficiently large fleet of zeppelins at my disposal. i have given orders for the hurried construction of more airships of the improved zeppelin type, and when these are ready we shall destroy england's north sea, channel, and atlantic fleets, after which nothing on earth can prevent the landing of our army on british soil and its triumphal march to london. "you will desire to know how the outbreak of hostilities will be brought about. i can assure you on this point. certainly we shall not have to go far to find a just cause for war. my army of spies, scattered over great britain and france, as it is over north and south america, as well as all the other parts of the world where german interests may come to a clash with a foreign power, will take good care of that. i have issued already some time since secret orders that will at the proper moment accomplish what we desire. "i shall not rest and be satisfied until all the countries and territories that once were german, or where greater numbers of my former subjects now live, have become a part of the great mother country, acknowledging me as their supreme lord in war and peace. even now i rule supreme in the united states, where almost one-half of the population is either of german birth or of german descent, and where three million german voters do my bidding at the presidential elections. no american administration could remain in power against the will of the german voters, who ... control the destinies of the vast republic beyond the sea. "i have secured a strong foothold for germany in the near east, and when the turkish 'pilaf' pie will be partitioned, asia minor, syria, and palestine--in short, the overland route to india--will become our property. but to obtain this we must first crush england and france." and, in the face of those words, we still went on money-grubbing and pleasure-seeking! if ever the british empire, following other great empires of the past, plunges downward to rack and ruin, we may rest assured that the reason will be our reliance on our ancient and stereotyped policy of "muddling through." i am glad to think that in the conduct of the present campaign we have been spared those scandals of the baser type which, in the past, have been such an unsavoury feature of almost every great war in which we have been engaged. minor instances of fraud and peculation, of supplying doubtful food, etc., have no doubt occurred. human nature being what it is, it could hardly be expected that we could raise, train, equip, and supply an army numbered by millions without some unscrupulous and unpatriotic individuals seizing the opportunity to line their pockets by unlawful means. we hear occasional stories of huts unfit for human habitation, of food in camp hardly fit for human consumption. on the whole, however, it is cordially agreed--and it is only fair to say--that there has been an entire absence of the shocking scandals of the type which revolted the nation during the crimean campaign. much has been said about the war office arrangement with mr. meyer for the purchase of timber. but the main allegation, even in this case, is that the war office made an exceedingly bad and foolish bargain, and mr. meyer an exceedingly good one. indeed it is not even suggested that the transaction involved anything in the nature of fraud. it seems rather to be a plea that the purely commercial side of war would be infinitely better conducted by committees of able business men than by permanent officials of the war office, who are, after all, not very commercial. undoubtedly this is true. we should be spared a good deal of the muddling and waste involved in our wars if, on the outbreak of hostilities, the war office promptly asked the leading business men of the community to form committees and take over and manage for the benefit of the nation the purely commercial branches of the work. yet i suppose, under our system of government, such an obvious common-sense procedure as this could hardly be hoped for. we continue to leave vast commercial undertakings in the hands of the men who are not bred in business, with the result that money is wasted by millions, and so are lucky if we are not swindled on a gigantic scale by the unscrupulous contractors. it is usually in an army's food and clothing that scandals of this nature are revealed, and it is only just to the war office to say that in this campaign, for once, food has been good and clothing fair. most of our muddling, so far, has been of a nature tending to prolong the duration of the war. our persistent policy of unreadiness has simply meant that for four, five, or six long months we have not been ready to take the field with the forces imperatively necessary if the germans are to be hurled, neck and crop, out of belgium and france across the rhine, and their country finally occupied and subjugated. already another new and graver peril is threatening us--the peril of a premature and inconclusive peace. already the voice of the pacifist--that strangely constituted being to whom the person of the enemy is always sacred--is being heard in the land. we heard it in the boer war from the writers and speakers paid by germany. already the plea is going up that germany must not be "crushed"--that germany, who has made belgium a howling wilderness, who has massacred men, women, and even little children, in sheer cold-blooded lust, shall be treated with the mild consideration we extend to a brave and honourable opponent. sure it is, therefore, that if britain retires from this war with her avowed purpose unfulfilled, we shall have been guilty of muddling compared with which the worst we have ever done in the past will be the merest triviality. if this war has proved one thing more clearly than another, it has proved that the german is utterly and absolutely unfit to exercise power, that he is restrained by no moral consideration from perpetuating the most shocking abominations in pursuit of his aims, that the most sacred obligations are as dust in the balance when they conflict with his supposed interests. it has proved too, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that england is the real object of germany's foaming hate. we are the enemy! france and russia are merely incidental foes. it is england that stands between germany and the realisation of her insane dream of world dominion, and unless great britain to-day completes, with british thoroughness, the task to which she has set her hand, this generation, and the generations that are to come, will never be freed from the blighting shadow of teutonic megalomania. it is quite conceivable that a peace which would be satisfactory to russia and france would be profoundly unsatisfactory to us. happily, the allies are solemnly bound to make peace jointly or not at all, and i trust there will be no wavering on this point. for us there is but one line of safety: the germanic power for mischief must be finally and irretrievably broken before britain consents to sheathe the sword. against the prosecution of the war to its final and crushing end, the bleating pacifists are already beginning to raise their puny voices. i am not going to give these gentlemen the free advertisement that their hearts delight in by mentioning them by name: it is not my desire to assist, in the slightest degree, their pestilential activity. they form one of those insignificant minorities who are inherently and essentially unpatriotic. their own country is invariably wrong, and other countries are invariably right. to-day they are bleating, in the few unimportant journals willing to publish their extraordinary views, that germany ought to be spared the vengeance called for by her shameful neglect of all the laws of god and man. is there a reader of these lines who will heed them? surely not. burke said it was impossible to draw up an indictment against a nation: germany has given him the lie. our pro-german apologists and pacifists are fond of laying the blame of every german atrocity, upon the shoulders of that mysterious individual--the "prussian militarist." i reply--and my words are borne out by official evidence published in my recent book "german atrocities"--that the most shameful and brutal deeds of the german army, which, be it remembered, is the german people in arms, are cordially approved by the mass of that degenerate nation. the appalling record of german crime in belgium, the entire policy of "frightfulness" by land and sea, the murder of women and children at scarborough, the sack of aerschot and of louvain, the massacre of seven hundred men, women, and children in dinant, the piratical exploits of the german submarines, are all hailed throughout germany with shrieks of hysterical glee. and why? because it is recognised that, in the long run and in the ultimate aim, they are a part and parcel of a policy which has for its end the destruction of our own beloved empire. hatred of britain--the one foe--has been, for years, the mainspring that has driven the german machine. the germans do not hate the french, they do not hate the russians, they do not even hate the "beastly belgians," whose country they have laid waste with fire and sword. the half-crazed lissauer shrieks aloud that germans "have but one hate, and one alone--england," and the mass of the german people applaud him to the echo. very well, let us accept, as we do accept, the situation. are we going to neglect the plainest and most obvious warning ever given to a nation, and permit ourselves to muddle into a peace that would be no peace, but merely a truce in which germany would bend her every energy to the preparation of another bitter war of revenge? here lies one of the gravest perils by which our country is to-day faced, and it is a peril immensely exaggerated by the foolish peace-talk in which a section of malevolent busybodies are already indulging. it is as certain as the rising of to-morrow's sun that, when this war is over, germany would, if the power were left within her, embark at once on a new campaign of revenge. we have seen how, for forty-five long years, the french have cherished in their hearts the hope of recovering the fair provinces wrested from them in the war of - . and the french, be it remembered, are not a nation capable of nourishing a long-continued national hatred. generous, proud, and intensely patriotic they are; malicious and revengeful they emphatically are not. as patriotic in their own way as the french, the germans have shown themselves capable of a paroxysm of national hatred to which history offers no parallel. they have realised, with a sure instinct, that britain, and britain alone, has stood in the way of the realisation of their grandiose scheme of world-dominion, and it is certain that for long years to come, possibly for centuries, they will, if we give them the opportunity, plot our downfall and overthrow us. are we to muddle the business of making peace as we muddled the preparations for war? if we do we shall, assuredly, deserve the worst fate that can be reserved for a nation which deliberately shuts its eyes to the logic of plain and demonstrable fact. germany can never be adequately punished for the crimes against god and man which she has committed in belgium and france. the ancient law of "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" is the only one under which adequate punishment could be meted out, and whatever happens we know that the soldiers of the allies will never be guilty of the unspeakable calendar of pillage and arson and murder which has made the very name of "german" a byword throughout civilisation throughout all the ages that are to come. however thoroughly she is humbled to the dust, germany will never taste the unspeakable horror that she has brought upon the helpless and unoffending victims of her fury and lust in belgium and in parts of france. it may be that if they fall into our hands we should hang, as they deserve to be hanged, the official instigators of atrocities whose complicity could be clearly proved--though we, to-day, give valets to the huns at donington hall. we cannot lay the cities of germany in ruin, and massacre the civilian population on the approved german plan. what we can do, and ought to do, is to make sure that, at whatever cost of blood and treasure to us, germany is deprived of any further capacity to menace the peace of the world. it is the plain and obvious duty of the allies to see that the hateful and purely german doctrine that might is the only right shall, once and for all, be swept from the earth. it is for us to make good the noble words of mr. asquith--that britain will prosecute the war to the finish. it is for us to see that there shall be no "muddling through" when the treaty of peace is finally signed in berlin. when the war was forced upon us, the best business brains of this country recognised that one of the surest and speediest means of securing an efficient guarantee that germany should not be able to injure us in the future would be a strenuous effort to capture her enormous foreign trade. modern wars, it must be remembered, are not merely a matter of the clash of arms on the stricken field. the enormous ramifications of commercial undertakings, immeasurably greater to-day than at any time in history, mean that, in the conduct of a great campaign, economic weapons may be even more powerful than the sword of the big battalions. this unquestionable fact has been fully realised by our leading thinkers. thoughtless people have been heard to say that, if france and russia wish to conclude peace, england must necessarily join with them because she cannot carry on the war alone. there could be no greater mistake. just so long as the british fleet holds the command of the sea, germany's foreign trade is in the paralysing grip of an incubus which cannot be shaken off. in the meantime, all the seas of all the world are free to our ships and our commerce, and, though the volume of world-trade is necessarily diminished by the war, there remains open to british manufacturers an enormous field which has been tilled hitherto mainly by german firms. we may now ask ourselves whether our business men are taking full advantage of this priceless opportunity offered them for building up and consolidating a commercial position which in the future, when the war is ended, will be strong enough to defy even the substantial attacks of their german competitors. i sincerely wish i could see some evidence of it. i wish i could feel that our business men of england were looking ahead, studying methods and markets, and planning the campaigns which, in the days to come, shall reach their full fruition. but alas! they are not. we heard many empty words, when war broke out, of the war on germany's trade, but i am very much afraid--and my view is shared by many business acquaintances--that the early enthusiasm of "what we will do" has vanished, and that when the time for decisive action comes we shall be found still relying upon the traditional but fatal policy of "muddling through" which has for so long been typical of british business as well as official methods. we shall still, i fear, be found clinging to the antiquated and worn-out business principles and stiff conventionalities which, during the past few years, have enabled the german to oust us from markets which for centuries we have been in the habit of regarding as our own peculiar preserves. that, in view of the enormous importance of the commercial warfare of to-day, i believe to be a very real peril. king george's famous "wake up, england!" is a cry as necessary to-day as ever. i do not believe germany will ever be able to pay adequate indemnity for the appalling monetary losses she has brought upon us, and if those losses are to be regained it can only be by the capture of her overseas markets, and the diversion of her overseas profits into british pockets. shall we seize the opportunity or shall we "muddle through"? this is not a political book, for i am no politician, and, further, to-day we have no politics--at least of the radical and conservative type. "britain for the briton" should be our battle-cry. there is one subject, however, which, even though it may appear to touch upon politics, cannot be omitted from our consideration. if the war has taught us many lessons, perhaps the greatest is its splendid demonstration of the essential solidarity of the british empire. we all know that the german writers have preached the doctrine that the british empire was as ramshackle a concern as that of austria-hungary; that it must fall to pieces at the first shock of war. to-day the british empire stands before the world linked together, literally, by a bond of steel. from canada, from australia, from india, even--despite a jarring note struck by german money--from south africa, "the well-forged link rings true." germany to-day is very literally face to face with the british empire in arms, with resources in men and money to which her own swaggering empire are relatively puny, and with, i hope and believe, a stern determination no less strong and enduring than her own. the lesson assuredly will not be lost upon her: shall we make sure that it is not lost upon us? for some years past there has been a steadily growing opinion--stronger in the overseas dominions, perhaps, than here at home--that the british empire should, in business affairs, be much more of a "family concern" than it is. either at home, or overseas, our empire produces practically everything which the complexity of our modern social and industrial system demands. commerce is the very life-blood of our modern world: is it not time we took up in earnest the question of doing our international business upon terms which should place our own people, for the first time, in a position of definite advantage over the stranger? is it not time we undertook the task of welding the empire into a single system linked as closely by business ties as by the ties of flesh and blood and sentiment? that, i believe, will be one of the great questions which this war will leave us for solution. in the past, germany's chief weapon against us has been her commercial enterprise and activity. it should now be part of our business to prevent her harming us in the future, and, in the commercial field, the strongest weapon in our armoury has hitherto remained unsheathed. shall we, in the days that are to come, do our imperial trading on a great family scale--british goods the most favoured in british markets--or shall we here again "muddle through" on a policy which gives the stranger and the enemy alien at least as friendly a welcome as we extend to our own sons? perhaps, in the days that are coming, that in itself will be a question upon which the future of the british empire will depend. chapter ii the peril of exploiting the poor no phenomenon of the present serious situation is more remarkable, or of more urgent and vital concern to the nation, than the amazing rise in food prices which we have witnessed during the past six months. at a time when the british navy dominates the trade routes, when the german mercantile flag has been swept from every ocean highway in the world, when the german "high seas" fleet lies in shelter of the guns of the kiel canal fortifications, we have seen food prices steadily mounting, until to-day the purchasing power of the sovereign has declined to somewhere in the neighbourhood of fifteen shillings, as compared with the period immediately preceding the outbreak of hostilities. now this is a fact of the very gravest significance, and unless the price of food falls it will inevitably be the precursor of very serious events. matters are moving so rapidly, at the time i write, that before these lines appear in print they may well be confirmed by the logic of events. ominous mutterings are already heard, the spectre of labour troubles has raised its ugly head, and, unless some _modus vivendi_ be found, it seems more than probable that we shall witness a very serious extension of the strikes which have already begun. the most important of our domestic commodities are wheat, flour, meat, sugar, and coal. inquiries made by a committee of the cabinet have shown that, as compared with the average prices ruling in the three years before the war, the price of wheat and flour has risen by something like per cent.! sugar has increased per cent., coal about per cent., imported meat about per cent., and british meat per cent. the rise in prices is falling upon the very poor with a cruelty which can only be viewed with horror. imagine, for a moment, the plight of the working-class family with an income of thirty shillings a week, and perhaps five or six mouths to feed. even in normal times their lot is not to be envied: food shortage is almost inevitable. suddenly they find that for a sovereign they can purchase only fifteen shillings' worth of food. hunger steps in at once: the pinch of famine is felt acutely, and, thanks to the appalling price to which coal has been forced, it is aggravated by intense suffering from the cold, which ill-nurtured bodies are in no condition to resist. i am not contending that there is any very abnormal amount of distress throughout the country, taking the working-classes as a whole. thanks to the withdrawal of the huge numbers of men now serving in the army, the labour market, for once in a way, finds itself rather under than over-stocked, and the ratio of unemployment is undoubtedly lower than it has been for some considerable time. the better-paid artisans, whose wages are decidedly above the average at the present moment, are not suffering severely, even with the high prices now ruling. but they are exasperated, and some of them are making all kinds of unpatriotic threats, to which i shall allude presently. the real sufferers, and there are too many of them, are the families of the labouring classes of the lower grades, whose weekly wage is small and whose families, as a rule, are correspondingly numerous. at the best of times these people seldom achieve more than a bare existence: at the present moment they are suffering terribly. yet all the consolation they get from the government is the assurance that they ought to be glad they did not live in the days of the crimean war, and the pious hope that "within a few weeks"--oh! beautifully elastic term!--prices will come down--if we, by forcing the dardanelles, liberate the grain accumulated in the black sea ports. no doubt the best possible arrangements have been made towards that issue, and we all hope for a victorious end, but our immediate business is to investigate the distress among the very poor, and to check the ominous threats of labour troubles which have been freely bandied about and have even been translated into action--or inaction--which has had the effect of delaying some of the country's preparations for carrying on the war. the average retail prices paid by the working-classes for food in eighty of the principal towns on march th and a year ago are compared in the following table issued by the president of the board of trade: last year now _s._ _d._ _s._ _d._ bread, per lbs. - / - / butter, per lb. - / - / jam, per lb. - / cheese, per lb. - / - / bacon (streaky), per lb. beef, english, per lb. - / beef, chilled or frozen, per lb. - / - / mutton, english, per lb. - / - / mutton, frozen, per lb. - / - / tea, per lb. - / sugar, granulated, per lb. - / a few more facts. though the matter was constantly referred to, yet we had been at war for five months before the government could be prevailed upon to prohibit the exportation of cocoa; with what result? in december, january, and february last our exports of cocoa to neutral countries were , , lbs., whilst for the corresponding period for the exports were but , , lbs.! before the war, holland was an _exporter_ of cocoa to this country; since the war she has been the principal _importer_; and there is a mass of indisputable evidence to show that nearly the whole of our exports of cocoa have found their way to germany through this channel. the prohibition is now removed, so we may expect that the old game of supplying the german army with cocoa from england will begin again! the german army must also have tea. let us see how we have supplied it. during the first fortnight of war, export was restricted and only , lbs. were sent out of the country, whereas for the corresponding period of the previous year , lbs. were exported. during the next three months the restrictions were removed, when no less a quantity than , , lbs. was sent away--the greater part of it by roundabout channels to germany--against , , lbs. for the corresponding period in . after three months a modified restriction was placed upon the export of tea, but after reckoning the whole sum it is found that _during the time we have been at war we have sent abroad over , , lbs. of tea_, while in the corresponding period of the previous year we sent only a little over , , lbs.! now where has it gone? in august and september last, germany received from holland , , lbs. whereas in that period of she only received , , lbs. tea is given as a stimulant to german troops in the field, so we see how the british government have been tricked into _actually feeding the enemy_! and again, let us see how the poor are being exploited by the policy of those in high authority. at the outbreak of war the market price of tea was - / _d._ per lb. as soon as exportation was allowed, the price was raised to the buyer at home to _d._ then when exports were restricted, it fell to - / _d._ but as soon as the restrictions on exports were removed altogether, the price rose until, to-day, the very commonest leaf-tea fetches _d._ a lb.--a price never equalled, save in the memories of octogenarians. who is to blame for this fattening of our enemies at the expense of the poor? let the reader put this question seriously to himself. generally speaking, of course, prices of all articles are regulated by the ordinary laws of supply and demand; if the supply falls or the demand increases, prices go up. but there is another factor which sometimes comes into play which is very much in evidence at the present moment--the existence of "rings" of unscrupulous financiers who, with ample resources in cash and organisation, see in every national crisis a heaven-sent opportunity of increasing their gains at the expense of the suffering millions of the poor. it is quite evident, to my mind, that something of the kind is going on to-day, as it has gone on in every great war in history. the magnates of mark lane and the bulls of the chicago wheat pit care nothing for the miseries of the unknown and unheeded millions whose daily bread may be shortened by their financial jugglings. they are out to make money. it may be true, as mr. asquith said, that we cannot control the price of wheat in america. but, at least, it cannot be said that the price of bread to-day is due to shortage of supply. during the last six months of , as compared with the last six months of , there was actually a rise of , tons in the quantities of wheat, flour, and other grain equivalent imported into this country. where, then, can be the shortage, and what explanation is there of the prevailing high prices except the fact that large quantities of food are being deliberately held off the market in order that _the price may be artificially enhanced_? this is not the work of the small men, but of the big firms who can buy largely enough, probably in combination, to control and dominate the market. when the subject was recently debated in the house of commons the voice of the labour member was heard unmistakably. mr. toothill said bluntly that if it was impossible for the government to prevent the prices of food being "forced up" unduly, then it remained for labour members to request employers to meet the situation by an adequate advance in wages. that request has since been made in unmistakable terms. mr. clynes was even more emphatic. "though the labour party were as anxious as any to keep trade going in the country," he said, "it was clear to them that the truce in industry could not be continued unless some effective relief were given in regard to the prices under discussion." in other words, the labour "organisers" will call for strikes--perhaps hold up a large part of our war preparations--unless the employers, most of whom are making no increased profit out of the price of food, are prepared to shoulder the entire burden. it is quite clear, to my mind, that the prices of food are being forced up by gigantic unpatriotic combines, either in this country or abroad, or both. i do not think that mere shortage of supply is sufficient to account for the extraordinary advances that have taken place. whether the government can take steps to defeat the wheat rings, as they did to prevent the cornering of sugar, is a question with which i am not concerned here. my purpose is merely to point out that the constant rise in food prices, brought about by gangs of unscrupulous speculators, is bringing about a condition of affairs fraught with grave peril to our beloved country. if we turn to coal we find the scandal ten times greater than in the case of flour and meat. it is at least possible that agencies outside our own country may be playing a great part in forcing up the prices of food; they can have no effect upon the price of coal, which we produce ourselves and of which we do not import an ounce. coal to-day is simply at famine prices. it is impossible to buy the best house coal for less than _s._ per ton, while the cheapest is being sold at _s._ per ton, and the very poor, who buy from the street-trolleys only inferior coal and in small quantities, are being fleeced to the extent of _s._ _d._ or _s._ per cwt. this is an exceedingly serious matter, and it is not to be explained, even under present conditions, by the ordinary laws of supply and demand. why should coal in a village on the banks of the thames be actually cheaper than the corresponding quality of coal when sold in london? there can be only one answer--the london supply is in the hands of the coal "ring" which has compelled all the london coal merchants to come into line. so extensive and powerful is the organisation of this ring, that the small men, unless they followed the lead of the big dealers, would be immediately faced with ruin: they would not only find it difficult to obtain coal at all, but would promptly be undersold--as the standard oil company undersold thousands of small competitors--until they were compelled to put up their shutters. the big coal men, the men who make the profit--and with their ill-gotten gains will purchase birthday honours later on--of course blame the war for everything. the railways, they say, cannot handle the coal; so much labour has been withdrawn for the army that production has fallen below the demand. but i am assured, on good authority, that coal bought before the war, and delivered to london depots at _s._ or _s._ per ton, is being retailed to-day at between _s._ and _s._ per ton. the big dealers know that, cost what it may, the public must have coal, and they are taking advantage of every plausible excuse the war offers them to wring from the public the very highest prices possible. "the right to exploit," in fact, is being pushed to its logical extreme in the face of the country's distress, and the worst sufferers, as usual, are the very poor, who for their pitiful half-hundred-weights of inferior rubbish pay at a rate which would be ample for the finest coal that could grace the grate of a west-end drawing-room. can we shut our eyes to the fact that in this shameful exploiting of the very poor by the unpatriotic lie all the elements of a very serious danger? let us not forget the noble services the working-classes of britain are rendering to our beloved country. they have given the best and dearest of their manhood in the cause of the empire, and it is indeed a pitiful confession of weakness, and an ironic commentary on the grandiose schemes of "social reform" with which they have been tempted of late years, if the government cannot or will not protect them from the human leeches--the birthday knights in the making--who suck their ill-gotten gains from those least able to protect themselves. the government have promised an inquiry which may, if unusual expedition is shown, make a "demonstration" with the coal-dealers just about the time the warm weather arrives. prices will then tumble, the government will solemnly pat itself upon the back for its successful interference, and the coal merchants, having made small or large fortunes as the case may be during the winter, will make a great virtue of reducing their demands to oblige the government. in the meantime, the poor are being fleeced in the interests of an unscrupulous combine. is there no peril here to our beloved country? are we not justified in saying that the machinations of these gangs of unscrupulous capitalists are rapidly tending to produce a condition of affairs which may, at any moment, expose us to a social upheaval which would contain all the germs of an unparalleled disaster? let the condition of affairs in certain sections of the labour world speak in answer. i have already quoted the thinly-veiled threat of mr. clynes. others have gone beyond threats and have begun a war against their country on their own account. there is an unmistakable tendency, fostered as usual by agitators of the basest class, towards action which is, in effect, helping the germans against our brave soldiers and sailors who are enduring hardships of war such as have not been equalled since the days of the crimea. how we supply the german army with food exports of cocoa to neutral countries (for the german market) dec. , , to mar. , | dec. , , to mar. , , , lbs. | , , lbs. exports of tea to neutral countries (for the german market) dec. , , to mar. , | dec. , , to mar. , , , lbs. | , , lbs. as i wrote these lines, strikes on a large scale had begun on the clyde and on the tyne, two of our most important shipbuilding centres, where great contracts--essential to the success of our arms--are being carried on, and in the london docks, where most of the food of london's teeming millions is handled. london dockers, to the number of some , , are agitating for a rise in wages; between , and , of them have struck work at the victoria and albert dock on the question, forsooth, whether they shall be engaged inside the docks, or outside. in other words, the expeditious handling of london's sorely needed food is being jeopardised by a ridiculous squabble which one would think half a dozen capable business men could settle in five minutes. but here, as usual, the poorest are the victims of their own class. in spite of the well-meaning but idiotic young women who have gone about distributing white feathers to men who, in their opinion, ought to have joined the army, common-sense people will recognise that the skilled workers in many trades are just as truly fighting the battles of their country as if they were serving with the troops in belgium or france. if every able-bodied man joined the army to-day the nation would collapse for want of supplies to feed the fighting lines. it is not my purpose here to discuss whether the men or the masters are right in the disputes in the engineering trades. probably the authorities have not done enough to bring home to the men the knowledge that, in executing government work, they are in fact helping to fight the country's battles. none the less the men who strike at the present moment delay work which is absolutely essential to the safety of our country. we know from lord kitchener's own lips that they have done so. our war organisation to-day may be divided into three parts--the navy fighting on the sea, the army fighting on land, and the industrial army providing supplies for the other two. it must be brought home to the last named, by every device in our power, that their duties are just as important to our success as the work of their brothers on the storm-swept north sea, or in the mud and slush and peril of the trenches in flanders. this war is very largely a war of supplies, and our fighting must be done not only in the far-flung battle lines, but in the factory and workshop, whose outputs are essential to the far deadlier work which we ask of the men who are heroically facing the shells and bullets of the common enemy. now there is no disguising the fact that the industrial army at home contains far too large a percentage of "slackers." that is the universal testimony of men who know. there are thousands of workmen who will not keep full time, for the simple reason that they are making more money than they really need and are so lazy and unpatriotic that they will not make the extra effort which the necessities of the situation so urgently demand. what we need to-day is, above all things, determined hard work: we do not want to see our fighting forces starved for want of material caused by the shirking of the "slackers" or by unpatriotic disputes and squabbles. to-day we are fighting for our lives. the privates of the industrial army ought to realise that "slacking" or striking is just as much a criminal offence as desertion in the face of the enemy would be in the case of a soldier. it is true, as a recent writer has said, that "those who fight industrially, working long hours in a spirit of high patriotism, may not seem very heroic," but it is none the less the fact that they are fighting: they are doing the work that is essential to our national safety and welfare. do they--at least do some of them--realise this? the following extract from _engineering_, the well-known technical journal, shows very clearly that among certain classes of highly paid workers there is a total disregard of our national necessity which is positively appalling. as the result of a series of inquiries _engineering_ says: "every reply received indicates that there is slackness in many trades. be it remembered that high wages can be earned; for relatively unskilled although somewhat arduous work, _s._ a day can be earned. "time-and-a-quarter to time-and-a-half is paid for saturday afternoon work, and double time for sunday work. men could earn from £ to £ per week--and pay no income-tax. "men will work on saturday and sunday, when they get handsomely paid, but will absent themselves on other days or parts of days. "the head of a firm, who has shown a splendid example in his work, and is most kindly disposed to all workers, states in his reply to us: 'our trouble is principally with the ironworkers, especially riveters, who appear to have a definite standard of living, and who regulate their wages accordingly; they seem to aim at making £ per week: if they can make this in four days, good and well; but if they can make it in three days, better still.... the average working-man of to-day does not wish to earn more money, and put by something for a 'rainy day,' but is quite content to live from hand to mouth, so long as he has as easy a time as possible." what words are strong enough to condemn the action of such men who, safe in their homes from the perils of the serving soldier, and infinitely better paid than the man who daily risks his life in the trenches, are ready deliberately to jeopardise the safety of our empire by taking advantage of the gravest crisis in our history to levy what is nothing less than industrial blackmail? it cannot be pretended that these men are under-paid: they can earn far more than many members of the professional classes. just as truly as the coal and wheat "rings" are exploiting the miseries of the very poor, so these aristocrats of the labour world are playing with the lives of their fellows and the destinies of our empire. they are helping the enemy just as surely as the german who is fighting in his country's ranks. they are, in short, taking advantage of a national danger to demand rates of pay which, in times of safety and peace, they could not possibly secure. for years past we have been striving to arrive at some means of settling these unhappy labour disputes which have probably done more harm to british trade than all the german competition of which we have heard so much. in every district machinery has been set up for conciliation and settlement where a settlement is sincerely desired by both parties to a dispute. and if this machinery is not set in motion at the present moment, it is because one party or the other is so blind and self-willed that it would rather jeopardise the empire than abate a jot of its demands. could anything be more heart-breaking to the men who are fighting and dying in the trenches? whatever may be the merits of any dispute, there must be no stoppage of war office or admiralty work at the present moment, and if any body of men refuse at this juncture to submit their dispute to the properly organised conciliation boards, and to abide by the result, they are traitors in the fullest sense of the world. how serious the crisis is, and how grave a peril it constitutes to our country, may be judged from the fact that the government found it necessary to appoint a special committee to inquire into the production in engineering and shipbuilding establishments engaged in government work. the committee's view of the case, which i venture to think will be endorsed by every thinking man, may be judged by the following extract from their report: "we are strongly of opinion that, during the present crisis, employers and workmen should under no circumstances allow their differences to result in a stoppage of work. "whatever may be the rights of the parties at normal times, and whatever may be the methods considered necessary for the maintenance and enforcement of these rights, we think there can be no justification whatever for a resort to strikes or lockouts under present conditions, when the resulting cessation of work would prevent the production of ships, guns, equipment, stores, or other commodities required by the government for the purposes of the war." the committee went on to recommend that in cases where the parties could not agree, the dispute should be referred to an impartial tribunal, and the government accordingly appointed a special committee to deal with any matters that might be brought before it. i do not think it is possible to exaggerate the seriousness of the danger with which we must be threatened if these unhappy disputes are not brought to a close, and i know of no incident since the war began that has shown us up in so unfavourable a light as compared with our enemy. whatever we may think of germany's infamous methods; whatever views we may hold of her monstrous mistakes; whatever our opinion may be as to the final outcome of the war, we must, at least, grant to the germans the virtue of patriotism. the german socialists are, it is notorious, as strongly opposed to war as any people on earth. but they have, since the great struggle began, shown themselves willing to sink their personal views when the safety of the fatherland is threatened in what, to them, is a war of aggression, deliberately undertaken by their enemies. we have heard, since the war began, a great deal of wild and foolish talk about economic distress in germany. we have been told, simply because the german government has wisely taken timely precautions to prevent a possible shortage of food, that the german nation is on the verge of starvation. but would germany, who for seven years prepared for war, overlook the vital question of her food supply? probably it is true that the industrial depression in germany, thanks to the destruction by our navy of her overseas trade, is very much worse than it is in england. but no one has yet suggested that the krupp workmen are threatening to come out on strike and paralyse the defensive forces if their demands for higher wages are not instantly conceded. it is more than probable that any one who suggested such a course, even if he escaped the heavy hand of the government, would be speedily suppressed in very rough-and-ready fashion by his own comrades. the germans, at least, will tolerate no treachery in their midst, and unless the leaders among the english trade unionists can bring their men to a realisation of the wickedness involved in strikes at the present moment, they will assuredly forfeit every vestige of public respect and confidence. i am not holding a brief either for the masters or the men. let ample inquiry be made, by all means, into the subject of the dispute. if the masters raise any objection to either the sitting or the finding of the government commission, they deserve all the blame that naturally attaches to the strikers. the inquiry should be loyally accepted by both sides, and its findings as loyally respected. _prima facie_, men who can earn the wages mentioned in the extract from _engineering_ which i have already quoted are well off--far better off than their comrades who are doing trench duty in france, and are free from the hourly risk to which the fighting forces are exposed. there may be, however, good and valid reasons why they should be paid even better. if there are, the government inquiry should find them out. but to stop work now, to hold up the production of the ships, guns, and materials necessary to carry on the war, is criminal, wicked, and unpatriotic in the highest degree. it is setting an evil example only too likely to be followed, and, if it is persisted in, may well be the first step of our beloved nation on the downward road which leads to utter destruction. mr. archibald hurd, a writer always well informed, has summed up the situation in the _daily telegraph_ in the following words, which are worth quotation: "the recruiting movement has shown that the great industrial classes are not, as a whole, unconscious of the stake for which we are fighting--the institutions which we cherish and our freedom. probably if the workers at home were reminded of the importance of their labours, they would speedily fall into line--if not, well, the resources of civilisation are not exhausted, and the government should be able to ensure that not an unnecessary day, or even hour, shall be lost in pressing forward the work of equipping the new fleet and the new army which is essential to our salvation. the government is exercising authority under martial law over army and navy; cannot it get efficient control over the industrial army? "in france and germany these powers exist, and are employed. we are not less committed to the great struggle than france and germany." those are wise and weighty words, and it may be that they point the way to a solution of what may become a very grave problem. chapter iii the peril of not doing enough the vast issues raised by the war make it a matter of most imperative necessity that great britain and her allies shall put forward, at the earliest possible moment, the greatest and supremest efforts of which they are capable, in order that the military power of the austro-german alliance should be definitely and completely crushed for ever. it must never be forgotten that the prize for which germany is fighting is the mastership of europe, the humbling of the power of great britain, and the imposition of a definitely teutonic "kultur" over the whole of western civilisation. that the free and liberty-loving british peoples should ever come under the heel of the prussian junker spirit involves such a monstrous suppression of national thought and feeling as to be almost unbelievable. yet, assuredly, that would be our fate and the fate of every nationality in europe should germany emerge victorious from this titanic struggle she has so rashly and presumptuously provoked. with our very existence as the ruling race at stake it is clear that our own dear country cannot afford to be sparing in her efforts. whatever the cost; whatever the slaughter; whatever the action of our allies may be in the future, when the terrific out-pouring of wealth will have bled europe white, we, at least, cannot afford to falter. for our own land, the struggle is really, and in very truth, a struggle of life and death. if we endure and win, civilisation, as we understand it to-day, will be safe; if we lose, then western civilisation and the british empire will go down together in the greatest cataclysm in human history. now are we doing everything in our power to avert the threatening peril? moreover--and this is of greatest importance--are our allies persuaded _that we are really making the great efforts the occasion demands_? this gives us to pause. let us admit we are not, and we have never pretended to be, a military nation in the sense that france, russia, and germany have been military nations. we have been seamen for a thousand years, and the frontiers of england are the salt waves which girdle our coasts. seeking no territory on the continent of europe, and unconcerned in european disputes unless they directly--as in the present instance--threaten our national existence, our armed forces have ever been regarded as purely defensive, yet not aggressive. for our defence we have relied on our naval power; perhaps in days gone by we have assumed, rather too rashly, that we should never be called upon to take part in land-fighting on a continental scale. even after the present war had broken out, it was possible for the parliamentary correspondent of a london liberal paper to write that certain liberal members of the house of commons were protesting against the sending of british troops to the continent on the ground that they were too few in number to exercise any influence in a european war! perish that thought for ever! i mention this amazing contention merely to show how imperfectly the issues raised by the present conflict were appreciated in the early days of the struggle. to-day we see the establishment of the british army raised by parliamentary sanction to , , men without a single protest being uttered against a figure which, had it been even hinted at, a year ago would have been received with yells of derision. yet, in spite of that vast number, i still ask "are we doing enough?" in other words, looking calmly at the stupendous gravity of the issues involved, is there any further effort we could possibly make to shorten the duration of the war? for eight months german agents, armed with german gold, have been industriously propagating, in france and in russia, the theory that those countries were, in fact, pulling the chestnuts out of the fire for england. german agents are everywhere. we were represented as holding the comfortable view that our fleet was doing all that we could reasonably be called upon to undertake; that, secure behind our sea barriers, we were simply carrying on a policy of "business as usual" with the minimum of effort and loss and the maximum of gain through our principal competitors in the world's commerce being temporarily disabled. the object of this manoeuvre was plain. germany hoped to sow the seeds of jealousy and discord, and to thrust a wedge into the solid alliance against her. now it is, to-day, beyond all question that, to some extent at least, this manoeuvre was successful. a certain proportion of people in both france and russia, perhaps, grew restive. in the best-informed circles it was, of course, fully recognised that britain, with her small standing army, could not, by any possibility, instantly fling huge forces into the field. the less well informed, influenced by the german propaganda, began to think we were too slow. this feeling began to gather strength, and it was not until m. millerand, the french minister for war, whom i have known for years, had actually visited england and seen the preparations that were in progress, that french opinion, fully informed by a series of capable articles in the french press, settled down to the conviction that england was really in earnest. unquestionably, m. millerand rendered a most valuable service to the cause of the allies by his outspoken declarations, and he was fully supported by the responsible leaders of french thought and opinion. the cleverly laid german plot failed, and our allies to-day realise that we have unsheathed our sword in the deadliest earnest. in spite of this, however, the thoughtful section of the public have been asking themselves whether, in fact, our military action is not slower than it should have been. germany, we must remember, started this war with all the tremendous advantage secured by years of steady and patient preparation for a contest she was fully resolved to precipitate as soon as she judged the moment opportune. she lost the first trick in the game, thanks to the splendid heroism of belgium, the unexpected rapidity of the french and russian mobilisation, and lastly, the wholly surprising power with which britain intervened in the fray--the pebble in the cog-wheels of the german machinery. the end of the first stage, represented, roughly, by the driving of the germans from the marne to the aisne, temporarily exhausted all the combatants, and there followed a long period of comparative inaction, during which all the parties to the quarrel, like boxers in distress, sparred to gain their "second wind." now just as germany was better prepared when the first round opened, so she was, necessarily, more advanced in her preparations for the second stage. thanks to her scheme of training, there was a very real risk that her vast masses of new levies would be ready before our own--and this has actually proved to be the case. new troops are to-day being poured on to both the eastern and western fronts at a very rapid pace, probably more rapidly than our own. we know that it was, in great part, their new levies that inflicted the very severe reverse upon the russians in east prussia and undid, in a single fortnight, months of steady and patient work by our allies. it is also probably true that germany's immense superiority in fully trained fighting men is steadily decreasing, owing partly to the enormous losses she has sustained through her adherence to methods of attack which are hopeless in the teeth of modern weapons. but she is still very much ahead of what any one could have expected after seven months of strenuous war, and we must ask ourselves very seriously whether, by some tremendous national effort, it is not possible to expedite the raising of our forces to the very maximum of which the nation and the empire are capable. it is not a question of cost: the cost would be as nothing as compared with the havoc wrought by the prolongation of the war. if there is anything more that we can do, we ought, emphatically, to do it. it is our business to see that at no single point in the conduct of the war are we out-stripped by any effort the germans can make. now it is a tolerably open secret that we are not to-day getting the men we shall want before we can bring the war to a conclusion. why? when our men read of the utter disregard of the spy question, of the glaring untruths told by ministers in the house of commons, of how we are providing german barons with valets on prison ships--comfortable liners, by the way--of the letting loose of german prisoners from internment camps, and how german officers have actually been allowed, recently, to depart from tilbury to holland to fight against us, is it any wonder that they hesitate to come forward to do their share? let the reader ask himself. are all departments of the government patriotic? is it not a fact that the public are daily being misled and bamboozled? let the reader examine the evidence and then think. now, though no figures as to the progress of recruiting have been published for some months, it is practically certain that we are still very far from the three million men we still assuredly require as a minimum before victory, definite and unmistakable, crowns our effort. i have not the slightest doubt that before this struggle ends we shall see practically _the entire male population_ of the country called to the colours in some capacity, and unfortunately that is an aspect of the case which is certainly not yet recognised by the democracy as a whole. we have done much, it is true. we have surprised our friends and our enemies alike--perhaps we have even surprised ourselves--by what has been achieved, but on the technical side of the war, under the tremendous driving energy of lord kitchener, amazing progress has been made in the provision of equipment, and the latest information i have been able to obtain suggests that before long the early shortage of guns, rifles, uniforms, and other war material will have been entirely overcome, and that we shall be experiencing a shortage, not of supplies--but alas! of men. that day cannot be far off, and when it dawns the problem of raising men will assume an urgency of which hitherto we have had no experience. up to now we have been content to tolerate the somewhat leisurely drift of the young men to the colours for the simple reason that we had not the facilities for training and equipping them. we cannot, and we must not, tolerate any slackness in the future. the wastage of modern war is appallingly beyond the average conception, and when our big new armies take the field, that wastage will rise to stupendous figures. it must be made good without the slightest delay by constant drafts of new, fully trained men, and when that demand rises, as it inevitably will, to a pitch of which we have hitherto had no experience, it will have to be met. can it be met by the leisurely methods with which we have hitherto been content? i do not think so for a moment, and i am convinced that our responsible ministers should at once take the country fully into their confidence and tell us plainly and unmistakably what the man-in-the-street has to expect. i have so profound an admiration for the men who have voluntarily come forward in the hour of their country's need that i hope, with all my heart, their example will be followed--and followed quickly--to the full extent of our nation's needs. but i confess i am not sanguine. the recent strikes in the engineering trade on the clyde have gone far to convince me that, even now, a very large proportion of our industrial classes do not even to-day realise the real seriousness of the position, for it is incredible that britons who understood that we are actually engaged in a struggle for our very existence should seriously jeopardise and delay, through a miserable industrial squabble, the supply of war material upon which the safety of our empire might depend. the strike on the clyde was, to me, the most evil symptom of apathy and lack of all patriotic instincts which the war has brought forth; it was, to my mind, proof conclusive that a section at least of our working-classes are entirely dead to the great national impulse by which, in the past, the british people have been so profoundly swayed. is the government doing enough to rekindle those impulses? has it taken the people fully and frankly into its confidence? above all, has it made it sufficiently clear to the masses that we are not getting the men we need, and that unless those men come forward voluntarily, some method of compulsory selection will become inevitable? no, it has not! we come back to the question in which, i am firmly convinced, lies the solution of many of our present difficulties--are we being told the truth about the war? has the nation had the clear, ringing call to action that, unquestionably, it needs? no, it has not! i shall try to show, in the pages of this modest work, that the country has not been given the information to which it is plainly entitled respecting the actual military operations which have been accomplished. it is certainly not too much to say that the country has not been really definitely and clearly informed as to the measure of the effort it will be called upon to make in the future. i am not in the secrets of the war office, and it is impossible to say what the policy of the government will be, or what trump cards they hold, ready to play them when the real crisis comes. but there certainly is an urgent and growing need for very plain speaking. i speak plainly and without fear. we should like to be assured that the recruiting problem, upon the solution of which our final success must depend, is being dealt with on broad, wise, and statesmanlike lines, and that the government will shrink from no measure which shall ensure our absolute military efficiency. i have no doubt that lord kitchener has a very accurate estimate of the total number of men he proposes to put into the field before the great forward movement begins, of the probable total wastage, and of the period for which, on the present basis of recruiting, that wastage can be made good. the country would welcome some very definite and explicit statement, either from mr. asquith or lord kitchener, as to the real position, and as to whether the government has absolute confidence that the requirements of the military authorities can be met under the existing condition of affairs. the time is, indeed, more than ripe for some grave and solemn warning to the people if, as i believe, the effort we have made up to now, great though it has undoubtedly been, has not been sufficient. we to-day need an authoritative declaration on the subject. there is far too strong a tendency, fostered by the undue reticence of the irresponsible press bureau and the screeching "victories" of the newspapers, to believe that things are going as well and smoothly as we could wish; and though i would strenuously deprecate an attitude of blank pessimism, the perils which hedge around a fatuous optimism are very great. my firm conviction, and i think my readers will share in it, is that the great mass of public opinion is daily growing more and more apathetic towards the war, and truly that is not the mental attitude which will bring us with safety and credit through the tremendous ordeal which lies before us. the government is not doing enough to drive home the fact that greater and still greater efforts will be required before the spectre of prussian domination is finally laid to rest: the country at large, befogged by the newspapers, and sullenly angry at being kept in the dark to an extent hitherto unheard of, is in no mood to make the supreme sacrifices upon which final victory must depend. we are, as a result, not exercising our full strength: we are not doing enough, and our full strength will not be exerted until the government takes the public into its confidence and tells them exactly what it requires and what it intends to have. that it would gain, rather than lose, by doing so, i have not the slightest doubt, while the gain to the world through the throwing into the scale of the solid weight of a fully aroused britain would be simply incalculable. while writing this, came the extraordinarily belated news of the decision of the government to declare a strict blockade of the german coasts. it has been a matter of supreme bewilderment to every student of the war why this decision was not taken long before. why should we have failed for so long to use the very strongest weapon which our indisputed control of the sea has placed in our hands, is one of those things which "no fellah can understand." we have been foolish enough to allow food, cotton, and certain other articles of "conditional contraband" free access to germany, and it is beyond question that in so doing we have enormously prolonged the war. and all this, be it remembered, at a time when germany _was violating every law of god and man_! assume a reversal of the prevailing conditions: would germany have been so foolishly indulgent towards us? would she have treated us with more consideration than she showed towards the starving population of paris in ? the very fact of our long inaction in this respect adds enormously to the strong suspicion that in other directions we are not doing as much as we should. lord fisher is credited with the saying, "the essence of war is violence: moderation in war is imbecility. hit first, hit hard, hit everywhere." i think it is safe to say that in more than one direction we have displayed an imbecility of moderation which has tended to encourage the germans in the supreme folly of imagining that they are at liberty to play fast and loose with the opinion of the civilised world. our treatment of german spies and enemy aliens in our midst is a classic example of our contemptuous tolerance of easily removable perils, just as much as is our incredible folly in neglecting to make the fullest use of our magnificent naval resources. thanks to our tolerance, the germans have been freely importing food and cotton, with probably an enormous quantity of copper smuggled through in the same ships. we have paid in the blood and lives of our gallant soldiers, husbands, brothers, lovers, while the germans have laughed at us--and not without justice--as a nation of silly dolts and imbeciles. yet we have tardily decided upon "retaliatory measures" which we were perfectly entitled to take the instant war was declared, only under the pressure of germany's campaign of murder and piracy at sea! are we doing enough in other directions? equally belated, and equally calculated to give the impression that we have been too slow in using our strength, is the attack upon the dardanelles. it has long been a mystery why, in view of the tremendous results involved in such a blow at germany's deluded ally, this attack was not made earlier. we do not know, and the government do not enlighten us. but the delay has helped to send the price of bread to famine prices through blocking up the russian wheat in the black sea ports; it has given the turks and the germans time to enormously strengthen the defences, and has prevented us from sending to our russian friends that support in munitions of war of which they undoubtedly stood in need. there may, of course, have been good reasons for the delay, but if they exist, they have baffled the investigation of the most competent military and naval critics. it must never be forgotten that the reopening of the dardanelles and the fall of constantinople must exercise a far more potent influence on the progress of the war than, say, the relief of antwerp--another example of singularly belated effort! it must, in fact, transform the whole position of the war and react with fatal effect through turkey upon her allies. yet the war had been in progress for seven months before a serious attempt was made at what, directly turkey joined in the war, must have been one of the primary objects of the allies. what added price, i wonder, shall we be compelled to pay for that inexplicable delay, not merely in the increased cost of the necessaries of life at home and the expenses of the war abroad, but in the lives of our fighting men? for it must not be forgotten that a decisive blow at turkey would do much to shorten the duration of the war. it would be a serious blow at germany, and would be more than likely to precipitate the entrance into the struggle, on the side of the allies, of italy and the wavering balkan states. in hard cash, the war is costing us nearly a million and a half a day. we have to pay it, sooner or later. the loss of life is more serious than the loss of wealth, and there is no doubt that both must be curtailed by any successful operation against the turks. the army has, beyond question, lost thousands of recruits of the very best class owing to the parsimony displayed in the matter of making provision for the dependents of men who join the fighting forces. the scale originally proposed, it will be remembered, produced an outburst of indignation, and it was very soon amended in the right direction, but when all is said and done it operates with amazing injustice. one of the most striking features of the war has been the splendid patriotism shown by men who, in social rank, are decidedly above the average standard of recruits. many comparatively rich men have joined the army as privates, and the roll descends in the social scale until we come down to the day labourer. we draw no distinction between the loyalty and devotion of any of our new soldiers, but it cannot be denied that the working of the system of separate allowances is exceedingly unfair to the men of the middle classes. financially, the family of the working-man is frequently better off through the absence of the husband and father at the front than it has ever been before--sometimes very much better off indeed. i am not complaining of that. but when we ascend a little in the scale we find a glaring inequality. the man earning, say, £ a year, and having a wife and one child, finds, too often, that the price he has to pay for patriotism is to leave his family dependent upon the government allowance of _s._ _d._ per week. is it a matter for wonder that so many have hesitated to join? can we praise too highly the patriotism of those who, even under such circumstances, have answered the call of duty? the truth is that the whole system of separation allowances, framed to meet the necessity of recruits of the ordinary standard, is inelastic and unsuitable to a campaign which calls, or should call, the entire nation to arms. it is throwing a great strain on a man's loyalty to ask him to condemn his wife and family to what, in their circumstances, amounts to semi-starvation, in order that he may serve his country, particularly when he sees around him thousands of the young and healthy at theatres and picture palaces, free from any domestic ties, who persistently shut their eyes to their country's need, and whom nothing short of some measure of compulsion would bring into the ranks. i am not going to suggest that every man who joins the army should be paid the salary he could earn in civil life, but i think we are _not doing nearly enough_ for thousands of well-bred and gently nurtured women who have given up husbands and brothers in the sacred cause of freedom. and now i come to perhaps the saddest feature of the war--the case of the men who will return to england maimed and disabled in their country's cause. that, for them, is supreme glory, though many of them would have infinitely preferred giving their lives for their country. they will come back to us in thousands, the maimed, the halt, and the blind: pitiful wrecks of glorious manhood, with no hope before them but to drag out the rest of their years in comparative or absolute helplessness. their health and their strength will have gone; there will be no places for them in the world where men in full health and strength fight the battle of life in the fields of commerce and industry. _are we doing enough_--have we, indeed, begun to do anything--for these poor victims of war's fury, much more to be pitied than the gallant men who sleep for ever where they fell on the battle-fields of france and belgium? too often in the past it has been the shame and the reproach of britain that she cast aside, like worn-out garments, the men who have spent their health and strength in her cause. have we not heard of crimean veterans dying in our workhouses? with all my heart i hope that, after the war, we shall never again be open to that reproach and shame. we must see that never again shall a great and wealthy empire disgrace itself by condemning its crippled heroes to the undying bitterness of the workhouse during life, and the ignominy of a pauper's grave after death. cost what it may, the future of the unhappy men "broke in our wars" must be the nation's peculiar care. i do not suggest--they themselves would not desire it--that all our wounded should become state pensioners _en masse_ and live out their lives in idleness. the men who helped to fling back the kaiser's barbaric hordes in the terrible struggle at ypres are not the men who will seek for mere charity, even when it takes the form of a deserved reward for their heroic deeds. speaking broadly, the state will have the responsibility of caring for two classes of wounded men--those who are condemned to utter and lifelong disablement and those who, less seriously crippled, are yet unable to obtain employment in ordinary commercial or industrial life. as to the former class, the duty of the state is clear: they must be suitably maintained for the rest of their lives at the state's charges. with regard to the second class, i do most sincerely hope that they will not be thrown into the world with a small wounds pension and left to sink or swim as fortune and their scattered abilities may dictate. it is for us to remember that these men have given their health and strength that we might live in safety and peace, and we shall be covering ourselves with infamy if we fail to make proper provision for them. as i have already said, they do not want charity. they want work, and i venture to here make an earnest appeal to the public to take up the cause of these men with all its generous heart. first and foremost, such of them as are capable should be given absolute preference in government and municipal offices, where there are thousands of posts that can be filled even by men who are partially disabled. every employer of labour should make it his special duty to find positions for as many of these men as possible: there are many places in business houses that can be quite adequately filled by men of less than ordinary physical efficiency. most of all, however, i hope the government will, without delay, take up the great task of finding a way of setting these men to useful work of some kind. in the past much has been done in this direction by the various private agencies which interest themselves in the care of discharged soldiers. a war of such magnitude as the present, however, must bring in its wake a demand for work and organisation on a scale far beyond private effort; and if the disabled soldier is to be adequately cared for, only the resources of the state can be equal to the need. _are we doing enough_, i ask again, for the gallant men who have served us so well? there are those who fear that, comparatively speaking, the war has only just begun. however this may be, the tale of casualties and disablement rises day by day at a terrible pace, and there is a growing need to set on foot an organisation which, when the time comes, shall be ready to grapple at once with what will perhaps be the most terrible legacy the war can leave us. chapter iv the peril of the censorship war brings into discussion many subjects upon which men differ widely in their opinions, and the present war is no exception to the general rule. amateur and expert alike argue on a thousand disputed points of tactics, of strategy, and of policy: it has always been so: probably it will be so for ever. but the censorship imposed by the government, on the outbreak of war, has achieved a record. it has earned the unanimous and unsparing condemnation of everybody. men who have agreed on no other point shake hands upon this. for sheer, blundering ineptitude, for blind inability to appreciate the mind and temper of our countrymen, in its utter ignorance of the psychological characteristics of the nation and of the empire, to say nothing of the rest of the world, the methods of the censorship, surely, approach very closely the limits of human capacity for failure. when i say "the censorship" i mean, of course, the system, speaking in the broadest sense. it matters nothing whether the chief censor, for the moment, be, by the circumstance of the day, mr. f.e. smith or sir stanley buckmaster. both, i make no doubt, have done their difficult work to the best of their ability, and have been loyally followed, to the best of their several abilities, by their colleagues. the faults and failures of the censorship have their roots elsewhere. now to avoid, at the outset, any possibility of misunderstanding, i want to make it absolutely clear that in all the numerous criticisms that have been levelled at the censorship, objection has been taken not to the _fact_ that news is censored, but to the _methods_ employed and to the extent to which the suppression of news has been carried. i believe that no single newspaper in the british isles has objected to the censorship, as such. i am quite sure that the public would very definitely condemn any demand that the censorship should be abolished. much as we all desire to learn the full story of the war, it is obvious that to permit the indiscriminate publication of any and every story sent over the wires, would be to make the enemy a present of much information of almost priceless value. early and accurate information is of supreme importance in war time, and certainly no englishman worthy of the name would desire that the slightest advantage should be offered to our country's enemies by the premature publication of news which, on every military consideration, ought to be kept secret. this is, unquestionably, the attitude of the great daily newspapers in london and the provinces, which have been the worst sufferers by the censor's eccentricities. they realise, quite clearly, the vital and imperative necessity for the suppression of information which would be of value to the enemy, and, as a matter of fact, the editors of the principal journals exercise themselves a private censorship which is quite rigid, and far more intelligently applied than the veto of the official bureau. it would surprise a good many people to learn of the vast amount of information which, by one channel or another, reaches the offices of the great dailies long before the press bureau gives a sign that it has even heard of the matters in question. the great retreat from mons is an excellent instance. it was known perfectly well, at the time, that the entire british expeditionary force was in a position of the gravest peril, and it is, perhaps, not too much to say that had the public possessed the same knowledge there would have been a degree of depression which would have made the "black week" of the south african war gay and cheerful by comparison, even if there had not been something very nearly approaching an actual panic. but the secret was well and loyally kept within the walls of the newspaper offices, as i, personally, think it should have been: i do not blame the military authorities in the least for holding back the fact that the position was one of extreme gravity. bad news comes soon enough in every war, and it would be senseless folly to create alarm by telling people of dangers which, as in this case, may in the end be averted. the public quarrel with the censorship rests on other, and totally different, grounds. that a strict censorship should be exercised over military news which might prove of value to the enemy will be cheerfully admitted by every one. we all know, despite official assurances to the contrary, that german spies are still active in our midst, and, even now, there is--or at any rate until quite recently there was--little or no difficulty in sending information from this country to germany. no one will cavil at any restrictions necessary to prevent the enemy anticipating our plans and movements, and if the censorship had not gone beyond this, no one would have had any reason to complain. what may perhaps be called the classic instance of the perils of premature publication occurred during the franco-prussian war of - . in those days there was no censorship, and france, in consequence, received a lesson so terrible that it is never likely to be forgotten. it is more than likely, indeed, that it is directly responsible for the merciless severity of the french censorship to-day. a french journal published the news that macmahon had changed the direction in which his army was marching. the news was telegraphed to england and published in the papers here. it at once came to the attention of one of the officials of the german embassy in london, who, realising its importance, promptly cabled it to germany. for moltke the news was simply priceless, and the altered dispositions he promptly made resulted in macmahon and his entire force capitulating at metz. truly a terrible price to pay for the single indiscretion of a french newspaper! it is not to be denied that to some extent certain of the "smarter" of the british newspapers are responsible for the severity of the censorship in force to-day. in effect, the censorship of news in this country dates from the last war in south africa. some of the english journals, in their desire to secure "picture-stories," forgot that the war correspondent has very great responsibilities quite apart from the mere purveying of news. the result was the birth of a war correspondent of an entirely new type. the older men--the friends of my youth, forbes, burleigh, howard russell, and the like--had seen and studied war in many phases: they knew war, and distinguished with a sure instinct the news that was permissible as well as interesting, from the news that was interesting but _not_ permissible. their work, because of their knowledge, showed discipline and restraint, and it can be said, broadly, that they wrote nothing which would advantage the enemy in the slightest degree. in the war in south africa we saw a tremendous change. many of the men sent out were simply able word-spinners, supremely innocent of military knowledge, knowing absolutely nothing of military operations, unable to judge whether a bit of news would be of value to the enemy or not. their business was to get "word-pictures"--and they got them. in doing so they sealed the doom of the war correspondent. the feeble and inefficient censorship established at cape town, for want of intelligent guidance, did little or nothing to protect the army, and the result was that valuable information, published in london, was promptly telegraphed to the boer leaders by way of lourenço marques. many skilfully planned british movements, in consequence, went hopelessly to pieces, and by the time war was over, lord roberts and military men generally were fully agreed that, when the next war came, it would be absolutely necessary to establish a censorship of a very drastic nature. we see that censorship in operation to-day, but far transcending its proper function. it was established--or it should have been established--for the sole purpose of preventing the publication of news likely to be of value to the enemy. had it stopped there, no one could have complained. i contend that in point of fact it has, throughout the war, operated not merely to prevent the enemy getting news which it was highly desirable should be kept from him, but to suppress news which the british public--the most patriotic and level-headed public in all the world--has every right to demand. we are not a nation of board-school children or hysterical girls. over and over again the british public has shown that it can bear bad news with fortitude, just as it can keep its head in victory. those of us who still remember the terrible "black week" in south africa, with its full story of the horror of defeat at colenso, magersfontein, and stormberg, remember how the only effect of the disaster was the ominous deepening of the grim british determination to "see it through": the tightening of the lips and the hardening of the jaws that meant unshakable resolve; the silent, dour, british grip on the real essentials of the situation that, once and for all, settled the fate of kruger's ambitions. are britons to-day so changed from the britons of that they cannot bear the truth; that they cannot face disaster; that they are indeed the degenerates they have been labelled by boastful germans? perish the thought! britain is not decadent; she is to-day as strong and virile as of old and her sons are proving it daily on the plains of flanders, as they proved it when they fought the kaiser's hordes to a standstill on the banks of the marne during the "black week" of last autumn. why then _should_ the public be treated as puling infants spoon-fed on tiny scraps of good news when it is happily available, and left in the bliss of ignorance when things are not going quite so well? from november th, , up to february th, --a period of three months of intense anxiety and strain--not one single word of news from the commander-in-chief of the greatest army britain has ever put into the field was vouchsafed to the british public. for that, of course, it is impossible to blame sir john french. but the bare fact is sufficient condemnation of the entirely unjustifiable methods of secrecy with which we are waging a war on which the whole future of our beloved nation and empire depends. the public was left to imagine that the war had reached something approaching a "deadlock." the ever-mounting tale of casualties showed that, in very truth, there had been, in that silent period of three months, fighting on a scale to which this country has been a stranger for a century. will any one outside the government contend that this absurd secrecy can be justified, either by military necessity or by a well-meant but, as i think, hopelessly mistaken regard for the feelings of the public? we are not germans that it should be necessary to lull us into a lethargic sleep with stories of imaginary victories, or to refrain from harrowing our souls when, as must happen in all wars, things occasionally go wrong. _we want the truth_, and we are entitled to have it! i do not say that we have been deliberately told that which is not true. i believe the authorities can be acquitted of any deliberate falsification of news. but i do say, without hesitation, that much news was kept back which the country was entitled to know, and which could have been made public without the slightest prejudice to our military position. at the same time, publication has been permitted of wholly baseless stories, such as that of the great fight at la bassée, to which i will allude later, which the authorities must have known to be unfounded. it is not for us to criticise the policy of our gallant allies, the french. we must leave it to them to decide how much or how little they will reveal to their own people. i contend, with all my heart, that the british public should not have been fobbed off with the studiously-guarded french official report, with its meaningless--so far as the general public is concerned--daily recital of the capture or loss of a trench here and there, or with the chatty disquisitions of our amiable "eye-witness" at the british headquarters, who manages to convey the minimum of real information in the maximum of words. it is highly interesting, i admit, to learn of that heroic soldier who brained four germans "on his own" with a shovel; it is very interesting to read of the "nut" making his happy and elaborate war-time toilet in the open air; and we are glad to hear all about german prisoners lamenting the lack of food. but these things, and countless others of which "eye-witness" has told us, are not the root of the matter. we want the true story of the campaign, and the plain fact is that we do not get it, and no one pretends that we get it. cheerful confidence is an excellent thing in war, as well as in all other human undertakings. blind optimism is a foolhardy absurdity; blank pessimism is about as dangerous a frame of mind as can be conceived. i am not quite sure, in my own mind, whether the methods of the censorship are best calculated to promote dangerous optimism, or the reverse, but i am perfectly certain that they are not calculated to evoke that calm courage and iron resolve, in the face of known perils, which is the best augury of victory in the long run. probably they produce a result varying according to the temperament of the individual. one day you meet a man in the club who assures you that everything is going well and that we have the germans "in our pocket." that is the foolishness of optimism, produced by the story of success and the suppression of disagreeable truths. twenty-four hours later you meet a gloomy individual who assures you we are no nearer beating the germans than we were three months ago. that is the depths of pessimism. both frames of mind are derived from the "official news" which the government thinks fit to issue. here and there, if you are lucky, you meet the man who realises that we are up against the biggest job the empire has ever tackled, and that, if we are to win through, the country must be plainly told the facts and plainly warned that it is necessary to make the most strenuous exertions of which we are capable. that is the man who forms his opinions not from the practically worthless official news, but from independent study of the whole gigantic problem. and that is the only frame of mind which will enable us to win this war. it is a frame of mind which the official news vouchsafed to us is not, in the least degree, calculated to produce. in the prosecution of a war of such magnitude as the present unhappy conflict the public feeling of a truly democratic country such as ours is of supreme importance. it is, in fact, the most valuable asset of the military authorities, and it is a condition precedent for success that the nation shall be frankly told the truth, so far as it can be told without damage to our military interests. mr. bonar law, in the house of commons, put the case in a nutshell when he said that-- "he had felt, from the beginning of the war, that as much information was not being given as might be given without damage to national interests. nothing could be worse for the country than to do what the japanese did--conceal disasters until the end of the war. he did not say that there had been any concealment, but the one thing necessary was to let the people of this and other countries feel that our official news was true, and could be relied upon. he wondered whether the house realised what a tremendous event the battle of ypres, in november, was. the british losses there, he thought, were bigger than any battle in which purely english troops were engaged. it was a terrible fight, against overwhelming odds, out of which british troops came with tremendous honour. all the account they had had was sir john french's despatch. surely the country could have more than that. whoever was in charge, when weighing the possible damage which might be brought about by the giving of news, should also bear in mind the great necessity for keeping people in this country as well informed as possible." that, i venture to think, is a perfectly fair and legitimate criticism. the battle of ypres was fought in november. mr. law was speaking in february. who can say what the country would have gained in recruiting, in strength of determination, in everything that goes to make up the _morale_ so necessary for the vigorous conduct of a great campaign, had it been given, at once, an adequate description of the "terrible fight against overwhelming odds" out of which the british thomas atkins came with so much honour? the military critics of our newspapers have, perhaps, been one of the greatest failures of the entire campaign. one of them, on the day before namur fell, assured us that the place could hold out for three months. another asserted that the russians would be in berlin by september th. another, just before the germans drove the russians for the second time out of east prussia, declared that russia's campaign was virtually ended! besides, all the so-called "histories" of the war published have been utter failures. personally, i do not think the nation is greatly perturbed, at the present moment, about the conduct of the actual military operations. no one is a politician to-day, and there is every desire, happily, to support the government in any measure necessary to bring the war to a conclusion. we have not the materials, even if it were desirable, to criticise the conduct or write the history of the war, and we have no wish to do so. but we desire to learn, and we have the _right_ to learn, the facts. it has always been an unhappy characteristic of the military mind that it has been quite unable, perhaps unwilling, to appreciate the mentality of the mere civilian who only has to pay the bill, and look as pleasant as possible under the ordeal. and i suspect, very strongly, that it is just this feeling which lies at the root of a good deal of what we have had to endure under the censorship. in its essence, the censorship is a military precaution, perfectly proper and praiseworthy, but only if applied according to the real needs of the situation. quite properly the military mind is impatient of the intrusion of the civilian in purely military affairs, and i have no doubt whatever that that fact explains the gratifying presence--in defiance of our long usage and to the annoyance of a certain type of politician--of lord kitchener at the war office to-day. but military domination of the war situation, however admirable from the military point of view, has failed to take into sufficient account the purely civilian interest in the progress of the war and the extent to which the military arm must rely upon the civilian in carrying the war to a successful conclusion. our military organisation, rightly or wrongly, is based upon the voluntary system. we cannot, under present conditions, obtain, as the conscriptionist countries do, the recruits we require merely by calling to the colours, with a stroke of the pen, men who are liable for service. we have to request, to persuade, to advertise, and to lead men to see their duty and to do it. to enable us to do this satisfactorily, public opinion must be kept well informed, must be stimulated by a knowledge of the real situation. when war broke out, and volunteers were called for, a tremendous wave of enthusiasm swept over the country. the recruiting organisation broke down, and, as i have pointed out, the government found themselves with more men on their hands than they could possibly train or equip at the moment. instead of taking men's names, telling them the exact facts, and sending them home to wait till they could be called for, the war office _raised the physical standard for recruits_, and this dealt a blow at popular enthusiasm from which it has never recovered. recruiting dropped to an alarming degree, and, so recently as february, mr. tennant, in the house of commons, despite the efforts that had been made in the meantime, was forced to drop a pretty strong hint that "a little more energy" was advisable. now the connection between the manner in which the recruiting question was handled, and the general methods adopted by the censorship, is a good deal closer than might be imagined at first sight. both show the same utter failure on the part of the military authorities to appreciate the psychology of the civilian. psychology, the science of the public opinion of the nation, must, in any democratic country, play a very large part in the successful conduct of a great war; and in sympathetic understanding of the temper of the masses, our military authorities, alike in regard to the censorship and recruiting question, have been entirely outclassed by the autocratic officials of germany. i do not advocate german methods. the gospel of hate and lies--which has kept german people at fever-heat--would fail entirely here. we need no "hymns of hate" or lying bulletins to induce britons to do their duty if the needs of the situation are thoroughly brought home to them. but we have to face this disquieting fact, that, whatever the methods employed, the german people to-day are far more enthusiastic and determined in their prosecution of the war than we are. that is a plain and unmistakable truth. i do not believe the great mass of the british public realises, even to-day, vitally and urgently, the immense gravity of the situation, and for that i blame the narrow and pedantic views that have kept the country in comparative ignorance of the real facts of the situation. we have been at war for eight months and we have not yet got the men we require. recruits have come forward in large numbers, it is true, and are still coming forward. but there is a very distinct lack of that splendid and enduring enthusiasm which a true realisation of the facts would inevitably evoke. priceless opportunities for stimulating that enthusiasm have been, all along, lost by the persistent refusal to allow the full story of british heroism and devotion to be told. we can take the battle of ypres as a single outstanding example. the full story of that great fight would have done more for recruiting in a week than all the displayed advertisements and elaborate placards with which our walls are so profusely adorned could achieve in a month! sir john french's despatch, as a military record, bears the hall-mark of military genius, but it is idle to pretend that it is a literary document calculated to stir the blood and fire the imagination of our countrymen. admirable in its firm restraint from the military point of view, it takes no account of the civilian imagination. that is not sir john french's business. he is a great soldier, and it is no reproach to him that his despatch is not exactly what is required by the urgency of the situation. moreover, it came too late to exercise its full effect. had the story of ypres been given to the public promptly, and in the form in which it would have been cast by a graphic writer who understood the subject with which he was dealing and the public for whom he was writing, we should probably have been better off to-day by thousands and thousands of the much-needed recruits. the failure to take advantage of such a glorious opportunity for the stimulation of enthusiasm by purely legitimate means, convicts our censorship authorities of a total failure to appreciate the mentality of the public whose supposed interests they serve. and as with successes, so with failures. it is the peculiar characteristic of the british people that either a great victory or a great disaster has the immediate result of nerving them to fuller efforts. we saw that in south africa: it has been seen a hundred times in our long history. let us turn for a moment to the affair at givenchy on december th. sir john french's despatch makes it clear that the repulse of the indian division on that occasion was a very serious matter, so serious, in fact, that it required the full effort of the entire first division, under sir douglas haig, to restore the position. yet, at the time, the british public was very far from fully informed of what had happened: much of our information, indeed, was derived from german sources; and these sources being naturally suspect, the magnitude of the operations was never realised. there may have been excellent military reasons for concealing, for the moment, the real position, though i strongly suspect that the germans were quite as well informed about it as we were. but there could be no possible reason for concealing the fact from the public for a couple of months, and thus losing another opportunity of powerfully stimulating our national patriotism and determination. chapter v the peril of the press bureau it is one of the curses of our parliamentary system that every piece of criticism is immediately ascribed to either party or personal motives, and politicians whose conduct or methods are impugned, for whatever reason, promptly assume, and try to make others believe, that their opponents are actuated by the usual party or personal methods. at the present moment, happily, we have, for the first time within our memory, no politics; the nation stands as one man in its resolve to make an end of the teutonic aggression against the peace of the world. in the recent discussion in the house of commons, however, sir stanley buckmaster, head of the press bureau, upon whom has fallen the rather ruffled and uncomfortable mantle discarded by mr. f.e. smith, seems to have interpreted the very unanimous criticism of the censorship as a personal attack upon himself. as a brilliant lawyer, of course he had no difficulty in making a brilliant reply to a fallacy originated entirely in his own brain. in very truth the personality of sir stanley buckmaster concerns us not at all. he is a loyal englishman. he does not originate the news which the press bureau deals out with such belated parsimony. no one blames him for the fact that the nation is kept so completely in the dark on the subject of the war. if it were possible for sir stanley buckmaster, personally, to censor every piece of news submitted to the press bureau, there would, i venture to think, be a speedy end to the system--or want of system--which permits an item of intelligence to be published in edinburgh or liverpool, but not in london; and that the speeches of cabinet ministers, reported in our papers verbatim, would be allowed free passage to the united states or to the colonies. i wish here to do the head of the press bureau the justice to say that he is an englishman who knows his own mind, and has the courage of his own convictions. yet that does not alter the fact that the press censorship as a system has worked unevenly, with very little apparent method, and with an amazing disregard of the best foreign and colonial opinion which, all along, it has been our interest to keep fully informed of the british side of the case. when the subject was last before the house of commons, some very caustic things were said. mr. joseph king, the radical member for north somerset, moved, and sir william byles, the radical member for north salford, seconded, the following rather terse motion: "that the action of the press bureau in restricting the freedom of the press, and in withholding information about the war, has been actuated by no clear principle and has been calculated to cause suspicion and discontent." now it will be noted that there is, in the first place, no possibility of attributing this motion to political hostility. both the mover and the seconder are supporters of the government, not merely at the present moment, as of course all englishmen are, but in the ordinary course of nightly political warfare. mr. king did not mince matters. he roundly charged the press bureau with exercising inequality, particularly in denying the publication in london of news permitted to be published in the provinces and on the continent. he pressed, too, for the issue of an official statement two or three times a week. this, of course, has since been granted, and it is a very decided improvement. mr. joynson-hicks, from the conservative benches, very truly emphasised the fact that the people of this country want the truth, even if it meant bad news, and added that they also wanted to hear about the heroism of our troops and the valorous deeds of any individual regiments. sir stanley buckmaster, in reply, denied somewhat vehemently that he had ever withheld, for five minutes, any information he had about the war, and asserted that nothing had ever been issued from his office that was not literally and absolutely true. now, as i have said, sir stanley buckmaster's hide-bound department does not originate news, and cannot be held responsible for either the fullness or the accuracy of the official statements. when sir stanley buckmaster tells us that he has _never delayed_ news i accept his word without demur. but when he says nothing has been issued from his department which is not "literally and absolutely true," then i ask him what he means by "literally and absolutely true"? if he means that the news which his department has issued has contained no actual misstatements on a point of fact, i believe his claim to be fully justified. if he means, on the other hand, that the press bureau, or those behind it, have told the nation the whole truth, he makes an assertion which the nation with its gritted teeth to-day will decline, and with very good reason, to accept. to quote mr. bonar law's words again: "from the beginning of the war as much information has not been given as might have been given without damage to national interests." to such full information as may be given without damage to national interests the nation is entitled, and no amount of official sophistry and hair-splitting can alter that plain and demonstrable fact. mr. king, in the resolution i have quoted, charged the head of the bureau with exercising inequality as between different newspapers. now this amounts to a charge of deliberate unfairness which it is very difficult indeed to accept. the house of commons, in fact, did not accept it. none the less, the fact remains that not once or twice, but over and over again, news has been allowed publication in one paper and refused in another, not merely as between london and the provinces, but as between london newspapers which are, necessarily, keen rivals. in support of this assertion i will quote one of the strongest supporters of the government among the london newspapers--the _daily chronicle_. there will be no question of political partisanship about this. after quoting the views of the _times_ and two liberal papers--the _star_ and the _westminster gazette_--the _daily chronicle_ said: "the methods of the censor are, certainly, a little difficult to understand. there reached this office yesterday afternoon, from our correspondent at south shields, a long story of the sinking of vessels in the north sea. it was submitted to us by the censor, who made a number of excisions in it. the telegram was returned to us with the following note by our representative at the press bureau: "'the censor particularly requests that south shields be not mentioned, though we can state "from our east coast correspondent."' "in the meantime the evening newspapers appeared with accounts of some occurrences in which most of the deletions made by the censor in the _daily chronicle_ report _were given_! the censor made the following remarks and excisions in the 'copy' submitted to him by the _daily chronicle_ representative at the press bureau: excisions in "daily where the forbidden passages chronicle" report appeared "please do not mention shields occurred in the reports that this came from south in the _star_ (three times), shields." (note by the _evening news_ (once), _pall mall censor.) gazette_ (three times), _globe_ (three times), _evening standard_ (three times), _westminister gazette_ (once). "within twenty miles of _star_ report stated: "the the mouth of shields harbour"-- trawler was sunk thirty miles (passage eliminated). e.n.e. of the tyne." "landed a cargo of fish this identical phrase, or its at grimsby." ("at grimsby" effect, appeared in the _star_, was eliminated.) _pall mall gazette_, _globe_, _evening standard_, _westminister gazette_. "landed by north the north shields trawler shields fishing steamer." was mentioned by the _star_, ("north shields" eliminated.) _pall mall gazette_, _globe_, _evening standard_. "bound for blyth." this phrase appeared in the ("blyth" eliminated.) _star_, _pall mall gazette_, _globe_, and _evening standard_. * * * * * from the _daily chronicle_ a central news telegram special correspondent. from paris ran as follows (passed by cable censor): _paris, august th._ _paris, thursday_ the ministry of war the following official issued this afternoon the communiqué is issued to the press following note: "in the at . this afternoon: "in region between----" (here the region between the vosges the censor has cut out a and nancy our troops continue short passage) "our troops to progress." continue to progress." "thus we were free to mention the offending passage on the authority of the central news agency, but not on that of 'our own correspondent'! what can be more ridiculous than this?" the importance of the last portion of the _daily chronicle_ article lies in the fact that we have here a clear case of mutilation of the french _official_ despatch, which the french papers even were free to publish! the _daily chronicle_ also mentioned another case in which its special correspondent in paris sent a long despatch giving, on the authority of m. clemenceau, a statement published in paris, that the th army corps gave way in a moment of panic. the censor refused permission to publish it, but another journal published a quotation under the heading: "french soldiers who wavered: officers and men punished by death." i ought, in fairness, to say, in passing, that the instances quoted above took place before sir stanley buckmaster assumed control of the press bureau, and that no responsibility attaches to him in respect of any of them. now, bad as has been the effect of the censorship on public opinion at home, it has been even worse abroad, and particularly in the united states, where the german propaganda had full play, while the british case was sternly withheld. the american press has not hesitated to say that our censors were incompetent and discriminated unfairly between one paper and another. this was untrue in the sense in which it was meant, but it was certainly unfortunate, to put it mildly, that the news of the declaration of war was allowed to be issued by one new york journal, and withheld for seven hours from the associated press, which represents , american and canadian newspapers. it was, perhaps, still more unfortunate that even the speeches of mr. asquith and sir edward grey on the subject of the declaration of war should have been similarly delayed. why? telegraphic reports of these speeches were held up for _four days_ by the censors at cable offices and were then "censored" before they were despatched. i ask, could mischievous and bungling stupidity go farther than this? here is another case. in one of his speeches, mr. asquith, on a friday night in dublin, announced that the indian troops were, that day, landing at marseilles. the speech, and the statement, were reported next day in the london newspapers. _after_ the publication of this, the press bureau forbade any mention of the _landing_ of the indian troops! in the house of commons, on september th, mr. sherwell exposed another instance of the ridiculous vagaries of the unequal censorship. in the _daily chronicle_, he said, there was published a brilliant article by mr. philip gibbs--who was with me during the first balkan campaign--describing the actual operations of sir john french's army up to the last few days. that article was published without comment and without criticism in the _daily chronicle_, yet the cable censor refused to allow it to be sent to the _new york times_. again why? it is, or should be, the function of the press bureau not merely to supply the public with accurate news, but to make sure that false or misleading reports are promptly suppressed. the reason for this is obvious. we do not wish to be depressed by unfounded stories of disaster, nor do we wish to experience the inevitable reaction which follows when we learn that we have been deluded by false news of a great victory. whatever may be the _raison d'être_ of the press bureau, it is assuredly not maintained for the purpose of assisting in the circulation of utterly futile fiction about the progress of the campaign. again: _are we told the truth?_ early in january a report--passed of course by the censor--appeared in practically every newspaper in the country, and probably in thousands of papers in all parts of the british empire, announcing the capture by the british troops of a very important german position at la bassée. the engagement was described as a brilliant one, in which the enemy lost heavily; circumstantial details were added, and on the face of it the news bore every indication of being based on trustworthy reports from the fighting line. it is true that it was not official, but the circumstances made it so important that, inasmuch as it had been passed by the censor, it was naturally assumed by every newspaper editor to be accurate. a few days later every one was amazed to learn, from official sources, that there was not a word of truth in the whole story! yet the censor had actually passed it for publication. and so the public pay their halfpennies to be gulled! i say, without hesitation, that this incident casts the very gravest reflection on the discretion and efficiency of the whole censorship. to permit the publication of an utterly baseless story of this nature, is simply to assist in hoaxing the public and the crying of false news. we await the next hoax. we may have it to-morrow. who knows? the censors in the matter are on the threshold of a dilemma. if the story in question were true, it ought to have been published on official authority without delay: as it was untrue, its publication should have on no account been permitted. consider the circumstances. sir john french, on november th, stated that throughout the battle of ypres-armentières, the position at la bassée had defied all efforts at capture, and naturally the most intense anxiety had been felt for news of a definite success in this region. yet the public, after hearing, by official sanction, the news of a success which would clearly have resulted in the germans being driven pell-mell out of la bassée, were calmly told, a few days later, that the entire story was a lie. to my mind, and i think the reader will agree with me, we could have no stronger illustration of the utter futilities and farcical eccentricities of the censorship as it to-day exists. are we told the truth about the war? no, i declare--_we are not!_ i will go a step farther. the suppression of news by the censorship is bad enough, but what are we to think of a deliberate attempt to stifle perfectly legitimate criticisms of ministers and their methods? as those who read these pages are aware, i have taken a prominent part in the effort to bring home to the public the dire peril to which we are exposed through the presence in our midst of hordes of uncontrolled enemy aliens. i deal with this subject elsewhere, and i should not mention it here except that it is connected in a very special way with an attempt on the part of the press bureau to stifle public discussion on a matter of the gravest importance. the _globe_ newspaper has, with commendable patriotism, devoted much attention to the question of the presence of alien spies in our midst, and, on many occasions, its correspondence and editorial columns have contained valuable information and comments. on september th last the _globe_ published the following letter: "press bureau, " , charing cross. "_september th, ._ "dear sir, "mr. f.e. smith desires me to draw your attention to a letter headed 'a german's outburst,' which appeared in your issue of the nd instant, and a facsimile of which appeared in your issue of the th instant. this letter has received the notice of the home secretary, who expresses the view that 'the articles and letters in the _globe_ are causing something in the nature of a panic in the matter of spies' and desires that they should be suppressed at once. in view of this expression of opinion by the home secretary, mr. smith has no doubt that you will refrain, in the future, from publishing articles or letters of a similar description. "yours very truly, "harold smith, _secretary_." very properly, the _globe_ pointed out that, in this matter, "nothing less is at stake than the liberty of the press to defend the public interest and criticise the administrative acts of a minister of the crown." the unwarrantable attempt of the home secretary, through the press bureau, to suppress criticism of this nature, to stop the mouths of those who insisted on warning the public of a peril which he has, all along, blindly refused to see, raises a constitutional issue of the very gravest kind. the _globe_ promptly asked the press bureau under what authority it claimed the "power to suppress the free expression of opinion in the english press on subjects wholly unconnected with military or naval movements." mr. harold smith's reply was the amazing assertion that such powers were conferred by the defence of the realm acts. he wrote: "press bureau, " , charing cross. "_september th, ._ "dear sir, "i am instructed by mr. f.e. smith to acknowledge your letter of to-day's date. on mr. smith's direction, i wrote you a letter, which, on re-reading, you will perceive was intended to convey to you the opinion of the home office, rather than an expressed intention of censorship in this bureau. you will, of course, use your own discretion in the matter, but mr. smith thinks that a consideration of the terms of the defence of the realm acts (nos. and ), and the regulations made thereunder, will satisfy you that the secretary of state is not without the legal powers necessary to make his desire for supervision effective. "yours faithfully, "harold smith, _secretary_." this reads very much like a threat to try the editor of the _globe_ by court-martial for the heinous offence of suggesting that mr. mckenna's handling of the spy-peril was not exactly what was required by the exigencies of the public safety. i must say that when i read the correspondence i was inclined to tremble for my own head! so far, however, it is still safe upon my shoulders. i, as a patriotic englishman who has dared to speak his mind, have no intention of desisting--even at the risk of being court-martialled--from the efforts i have continued for so long to arouse my countrymen to a realisation of the dangers to which we are exposed by the obstinate refusal of the government to face facts. the privilege of the press to criticise ministers was boldly asserted by the _globe_, which, in a leading article, said: "that correspondence ... raises issues directly affecting the independence of the press and its right to frank and unfettered criticism. at the time when we are receiving from our ever-increasing circle of readers many gratifying tributes to the sanity of our views, and the informing character of our columns, we are accused of publishing matter calculated to induce panic, and we have been called upon to suppress at once the articles and letters directing attention to the dangers arising from the lax methods of the home secretary in dealing with the alien enemy in our midst." after referring to a statement made by mr. mckenna in the house of commons the previous day as likely "to do something to allay public anxiety" on the subject, the _globe_ proceeded: "we are content with the knowledge that the attitude of the _globe_ has done something to convince the government of the widespread feeling that the danger from the alien enemy we harbour is real, and the fear justified. here we should be content to leave the question for the present, but for the attitude of the home secretary in seeking to prevent comment and criticism on his administrative acts, coupled with the veiled suggestion from the press bureau of power possessed under an emergency act. this attempt at pressure is made through a department set up for quite other and legitimate purposes.... if a government department, under cover of an order in council made for a wholly different purpose, is to shield itself from an exposure of its inefficiency, a dangerous precedent is set up, dangerous alike to the community and the press." we have to bear in mind, in this connection, that the press bureau had just been reorganised. mr. f. e. smith had resigned, on leaving for the front, and _the home secretary was the minister responsible to parliament for its conduct_. at his request the press bureau endeavoured to prevent the _globe_ continuing to criticise his action, or rather inaction. well indeed might the _globe_ say: "we must reserve to ourselves the right, at all times, to give expression to views on ministerial policy and even to dare to criticise the action of the home secretary." and i venture to say that, but for the jealousy inherent among british newspapers, the _globe_ would have had the unanimous support of every metropolitan and provincial journal, every single one of which was vitally affected by the home secretary's preposterous claim. the claim of the country for fuller information has been expressed in many ways, and by many people, and it has been admitted by no less a personage than mr. asquith himself. in the house of commons early in september mr. asquith said the government felt "that the public is entitled to prompt and authentic information of what has happened at the front, and they are making arrangements which they hope will be more adequate." that was months ago, and, up to the present, very few signs of the "prompt and authentic information" have been perceptible. even more significant is the following passage from the latest despatches of sir john french, which covered the period from november th to the beginning of february: "i regard it as most unfortunate that circumstances have prevented any account of many splendid instances of courage and endurance, in the face of almost unparalleled hardship and fatigue of war, coming regularly to the knowledge of the public." now i do not want to read into sir john french's words a meaning that he did not intend to convey, but this passage certainly strikes me, as it has struck many others, as a very definite plea for the presence at the front of duly accredited and responsible war correspondents. and why not? news could be still censored so that no information of value could reach the enemy. we should not be prejudiced one iota, but, on the other hand, should get prompt and trustworthy news, written by skilled journalists in a fashion that would make an irresistible appeal to the manhood of britain. and we should be far nearer than we are to-day to learning "the truth about the war." it has been urged, on behalf of the press bureau, that of late matters have been very much improved. my journalistic friends tell me that so far as the actual working is concerned this is a fact. there has undoubtedly been less of the haphazard methods which were characteristic of the early days. but there is still too much of what the _times_ very properly calls the "throttling" of permissible news, and, in spite of the fact that two despatches a week are now published from sir john french, we are still in the dark as to the _real_ story of the great campaign. neither our successes nor our failures are adequately described. we are still not told "the truth about the war." and i cannot help saying that the deficiencies of the official information are not made up by the tactics of certain sections of the press. there is too much of a tendency to magnify the good and minimise the bad. there are too many "great victories" to be altogether convincing. as the _morning post_ put it: "there seems to be a large section of the public which takes its news as an old charwoman takes her penn'orth of gin, 'for comfort.' and some of our contemporaries seem to cater for this little weakness. every day there is a 'great advance' or a 'brilliant victory,' and if a corporal's guard is captured or surrenders we have a flaming announcement on all the posters." it is very true. from the fiercest critics of the press bureau's methods we do not to-day get "the truth about the war," even so far as they know it. even the _daily news_ has been moved to raise a protest against the present state of affairs, and as recently as march th declared that the mind of authority "is being fed on selected facts that convey a wholly false impression of things." chapter vi the peril of the enemy alien "_every enemy alien is known, and is now under constant police surveillance._"--mr. tennant, under-secretary for war, in the house of commons, march rd. one of the gravest perils with which the country is still faced is that of the enemy alien. notwithstanding all that has been written and said upon this most serious question, ministers are still content to pursue a shuttlecock policy, in which there is very little satisfaction for any intelligent patriot. each time the subject is brought up in the house of commons there is an apparent intention of the government to wilfully throw dust into the eyes of the public, and prevent the whole mystery of the official protection afforded to our enemies being sifted to the bottom. a disgraceful illustration of this was given on march rd, when mr. joynson-hicks moved: "that in the opinion of this house it is desirable that the whole administration of the acts and regulations concerning aliens and suspected persons should be centred in the hands of one minister, who should be responsible to the house." the debate which followed was illuminating. sir henry dalziel, who is strongly in favour of a central board to deal with spies among us--a suggestion i made in my recent book "german spies in england," as a satisfactory solution of the problem--said, in the course of a splendid speech, that the government knew that, at the present moment, there was a settled spy-system, and there was no use denying it. as the _daily telegraph_ on the following day pointed out, that there is such a system is almost as natural an assumption as that the enemy possesses an army service organisation or a press censorship. i have already pointed out, in various books i have written, that systematic espionage is, and has been for many years, a most cherished part of german war administration, developed with characteristic thoroughness. the question is whether that department of the enemy's activity has, or has not, been stamped out as regards this country; and it would be idle to pretend that there is any public confidence that it has been stamped out. there is an absence of vigour and an absence of system about the dealing with this source of danger, and i maintain that the national safety requires the taking of this matter more seriously, and the placing of it upon a satisfactory footing. the government admitted that, on march rd, _seven hundred male enemy aliens_ were living in the east coast prohibited area, and we know that arrangements for their control are so futile as to leave, quite unmolested, some individuals whose known connections expose them to the highest degree of suspicion. of one such notorious case, mr. bonar law--who cannot, surely, be accused of spy-mania--declared that he would as soon have allowed a german army to land as allow the person in question to be at large in this country. how the arrangement has worked in another particular case was exposed in some detail by mr. butcher. the lady concerned is closely related to more than one of those in power in germany. her case was reported to the war office. the war office called upon the general officer commanding in the northern district to take action. he requested the police to make inquiries, and the chief constable of the east riding subsequently reported, "strongly recommending" the removal of the lady from the prohibited area. the general accepted this advice, and an order was made for her removal on january th. it was never executed; and on february th it was withdrawn. such is one illustration of the utter hopelessness of the present state of affairs. and yet, in face of it, mr. tennant, under-secretary for war, actually rose and made the definite assertion _that every enemy alien was known and constantly watched_! could any greater and more glaring official untruth be told? is every enemy alien known, i ask? let us examine a case in point, one in which i have made personal investigation, and to the truth of which a dozen officers of his majesty's service, and also civilians, are ready to testify. investigations recently made in certain german quarters in london, notably in the obscure foreign restaurants in the neighbourhood of tottenham court road, where men--many of them recently released from internment-camps--and women meet nightly and toast to the day of britain's destruction, revealed to me a startling fact. here, posing as an italian and a neutral, i learnt facts regarding the movements of german aircraft long before they were known either to our own authorities or to the press. for several weeks this fact, i confess, caused me considerable thought. some secret means of communication must, i realised, exist between the enemy's camp and london, perhaps by wireless, perhaps by the new german-laid cable, the shore-end of which is at bacton, in norfolk, and which, eighteen months ago, in company with the german telegraph-engineers, i assisted to test as it was laid across the north sea to nordeney. in the archives of the intelligence department of the war office will be found my report, together with a copy of the first message transmitted by the new cable from norfolk to germany, a telegram from one of the kaiser's sons who happened to be in scotland at the time, and addressed to the emperor, which read: "hurrah for a strong navy!"--significant indeed in the light of recent events! i was wondering if, by any secret means, this cable could be in operation when, on the afternoon of february rd, an officer of the naval armoured car squadron called upon me and invited me to assist in hunting spies in surrey. the suggestion sounded exciting. signals had been seen for a month or so past, flashed from a certain house high upon the surrey hills. would i assist in locating them, and prosecuting a full inquiry? within half an hour i was in a car speeding towards the point where mystery brooded, and which we did not reach till after dark. a gentleman living three miles across the valley, whose house commanded full view of the house under suspicion--a large one with extensive grounds--at once placed a room at our disposal, wherein we sat and watched. in the whole of these investigations i was assisted by an officer who was an expert in signalling and wireless, a signaller of the service, two other officers equally expert in reading the morse code, while i myself have qualified both in morse and wireless, and hold the postmaster-general's licence. on the previous evening an all-night vigil had been kept, and messages had been read, but i only here record my own experiences of this exciting spy-hunt. on reaching our point of vantage i learned that suspicion had first been aroused by a mysterious and intense white light being shown from a window in the country mansion in question, which was situated upon so strategic a point that it could be seen very many miles in the direction of london. and there, sure enough, was the one brilliant light--at all other windows of the house the blinds being drawn--shining like a beacon all over the country. it had shone first at . p.m. that night, and, as i watched, it showed till . , when it disappeared. after three minutes it was shown till . exactly, when suddenly it signalled in morse the code-letters "s.m." repeated twice, and then disappeared till o'clock, when again the same signal was made. the light remained full on for ten minutes, and was then suddenly switched off. this was certainly remarkable. the officers with me--all experts in signalling--were unanimous as to the two letters, and also to their repetition. these signals, i learned, had been seen times without number, but until the smart young officer who had called upon me had noticed them, no action had been taken. having established that mysterious signalling was really in progress, i set forth upon further investigation. taking my own signalling-apparatus, a very strong electric lamp with accumulators and powerful reflectors, which would show for fifteen miles or more, i got into the car with my companions--who were eager to assist--and, having consulted ordnance-maps and compass, we went to a spot high-up in an exposed position, where i anticipated the answering light from the mansion might be seen. we found ourselves in a private park, upon a spot which, by day, commands an immense stretch of country, and from which it is said that upon a clear day the sussex coast can be seen. here we erected our signalling-apparatus and waited in patience. the night proved bitterly cold, and as the hours crept slowly by, the sleet began to cut our faces. yet all our eyes were fixed upon that mysterious house which had previously signalled. for hours we waited in vain until, of a sudden, quite unexpectedly from the direction of london, we saw another intense white light shining from out the darkness. for a full half-hour it remained there, a beacon like the other. then suddenly it began winking, and this was the code-message it sent: "s.h.i.s. (pause) h. . (pause) s.h.i.s.f. (pause with the light full on for two minutes). i.s. i.e. (pause) e.s.t. (light out)." turning my signal-lamp in its direction, i repeated the first portion of the mysterious message, and then, pretending not to understand, asked for a repetition. at once this was given, and, with my companions, i received it perfectly clearly! sorely tempted as i was to signal further, i refrained for fear of arousing suspicion, and, actuated by patriotic motives, we agreed at once to prosecute our inquiry further, and then leave it to "the proper authorities" to deal with the matter. through the whole of that night--an intensely cold one--we remained on watch upon one of the highest points in surrey, a spot which i do not here indicate for obvious reasons--and not until the grey dawn at last appeared did we relinquish our watchfulness. all next day, assisted by the same young officer who had first noticed the unusual lights, i spent in making confidential inquiry regarding the mysterious house and elicited several interesting facts, one being that the family, who were absent from the house showing the lights, employed a servant who, though undoubtedly german--for, by a ruse, i succeeded in obtaining the address of this person's family in germany--was posing as swiss. that a brisk correspondence had been kept up with persons in germany was proved in rather a curious way, and by long and diligent inquiry many other highly interesting facts were elicited. with my young officer friend and a gentleman who rendered us every assistance, placing his house and his car at our disposal, we crept cautiously up to the house in the early hours one morning, narrowly escaping savage dogs, while one adventure of my own was to break through a boundary fence, only to find myself in somebody's chicken-run! that night was truly one of adventure. nevertheless, it established many things--one being that in the room whence the signals emanated was a three-branch electrolier with unusually strong bulbs, while behind it, set over the mantelshelf, was a mirror, or glazed picture, to act as a reflector in the direction of london. the signals were, no doubt, made by working the electric-light switch. the following night saw us out again, for already reports received had established a line of signals from a spot on the kent coast to london and farther north, other watchers being set in order to compare notes with us. again we watched the beacon-light on the mysterious house. we saw those mysterious letters "s.m."--evidently of significance--winked out in morse, and together we watched the answering signals. all the evening the light remained full on until at . a.m. we once more watched "s.m." being sent, while soon after a.m. the light went out. in the fourteen exciting days and nights which followed, i motored many hundreds of miles over surrey, sussex, and kent, instituting inquiries and making a number of amazing discoveries, not the least astounding of which was that, only one hour prior to the reception of that message on the first evening of our vigil--"h. "--five german aeroplanes had actually set out from the belgian coast towards england! that secret information was being sent from the kent coast to london was now proved, not only at one point, but at several, where i have since waited and watched, and, showing signals in the same code, have been at once answered and repeated. and every night, until the hour of writing, this same signalling from the coast to london is in progress, and has been watched by responsible officers of his majesty's service. after the first nights of vigilance, i had satisfied myself that messages in code were being sent, so i reported--as a matter of urgency--to the intelligence department of the war office--that department of which mr. mckenna, on march rd, declared, "there is no more efficient department of the state." the result was only what the public might expect. though this exposure was vouched for by experts in signalling, men wearing his majesty's uniform, all the notice taken of it has been _war office, whitehall, s.w._ th february . _the director of military operations presents his compliments to_ mr. w. le queux, _and begs to acknowledge, with thanks, the receipt of his letter of the_ th inst. _which is receiving attention_. a mere _printed acknowledgment_--reproduced above--that my report had been received, while to my repeated appeals that proper inquiry be made i have not even received a reply! but further. while engaged in watching in another part of surrey on the night of march rd, certain officers of the armoured car squadron, who were keeping vigil upon the house of mystery, saw some green and white rockets being discharged from the top of the hill. their suspicions aroused, they searched and presently found, not far from the house in question, a powerful motor-car of german make containing three men. the latter when challenged gave no satisfactory account of themselves, therefore the officers held up the car while one of them telephoned to the admiralty for instructions. the reply received was "that they had no right to detain the car!" but, even in face of this official policy of do-nothing, they took off the car's powerful searchlight, which was on a swivel, and sent it to the admiralty for identification. this plain straightforward statement of what is nightly in progress can be substantiated by dozens of persons, and surely, in face of the observations taken by service men themselves--the names of whom i will readily place at the disposal of the government--it is little short of a public scandal that no attempt has been made to inquire into the matter or to seize the line of spies simultaneously. it really seems plain that to-day the enemy alien may work his evil will anywhere as a spy. on the other hand, it is a most heinous offence for anybody to ride a cycle without a back-lamp! it will be remembered that in norfolk it has been found, by mr. holcombe ingleby, m.p. for king's lynn, that the zeppelin raid on the east coast was directed by a mysterious motor-car with a searchlight. therefore the apathy of the admiralty in not ordering full inquiry into the case in question will strike the reader as extraordinary. this is the sort of proceeding that gives force to the contention of those supporting the motion of mr. joynson-hicks in the house of commons, that the whole matter of spies ought to be placed in the hands of a special authority devoted to it alone, and responsible to parliament. as things stand, the country is certainly in agreement with mr. bonar law in believing that the government "have not sufficiently realised the seriousness of this danger, and have not taken every step to make it as small as possible." most people will agree with mr. john s. scrimgeour, who, commenting upon the shuffling of the government, said: "let the press cease from blaming the strikers. also let 'the men in power' cease from their censuring, for very shame. can i, or any man in the street, believe that we are 'fighting for our lives' while the enemy lives contentedly among us? read the debate, and take as samples mentioned therein--'brother of the governor of liége,' 'german financial houses,' and 'baron von bissing.' don't make scapegoats of these working-men, or even of the non-enlisting ones, while such is the case. neither they, nor any one else in his senses, can believe in the seriousness of this 'life struggle' while the above state of things continues. it is laughable--or deadly." the intelligence department of the war office--that department so belauded by mr. mckenna--certainly did not display an excess of zeal in the case of signalling in surrey, for, to my two letters begging that inquiry be made as a matter of urgency, i was not even vouchsafed the courtesy of a reply. yet i was not surprised, for in a case at the end of january in which two supposed belgian refugees, after living in one of our biggest seaports and making many inquiries there, being about to escape to antwerp, i warned that same department and urged that they should be questioned before leaving london. i gave every detail, even to the particular boat by which they were leaving for flushing. no notice, however, was taken of my report, and not until _three days after they had left for the enemy's camp_ did i receive the usual _printed acknowledgment_ that my report had been received!" that night-signalling has long been in progress in the south of england is shown by the following. written by a well-known gentleman, it reached me while engaged in my investigations in surrey. he says: "the following facts have been brought to my notice, and may be of interest to you. in the first week of october six soldiers were out on patrol duty around folkestone looking for spies--always on night-duty. "one night they saw morse signalling going on on a hill along the sea outside folkestone. the signalling was in code. they divided into two parties of three, and proceeded to surround the place. on approaching, a shot was heard, and a bullet went through the black oilskin coat of one man (they were all wearing these over their khaki). they went on and discovered two germans with a strong acetylene lamp, one of them having a revolver with six chambers, and one discharged, also ten spare rounds of ammunition. "they secured them and took them to the police station, but all that happened was that they were shut up in a concentration camp! this story was told me by one of the six who were on duty, and assisted at the capture." to me, there is profound mystery in the present disinclination of the intelligence department of the war office to institute inquiry. as a voluntary worker in that department under its splendid chief, col. g.w.m. macdonogh--now, alas! transferred elsewhere--my modest reports furnished from many places, at home and abroad, always received immediate attention and a private letter of thanks written in the chief's own hand. on the outbreak of war, however, red-tape instantly showed itself, and i received a letter informing me that i must, in future, address myself to the director of military operations--the department which is supposed to deal with spies. i trust that the reader will accept my words when i say that i am not criticising lord kitchener's very able administration. if i felt confident that he, and he alone, was responsible for the surveillance of enemy aliens in our midst, then i would instantly lay down my pen upon the subject. but while the present grave peril continues, and while the government continue in their endeavour to bewilder and mislead us by placing the onus first upon the police, then, in turn, upon the home office--which, it must be remembered, made an official statement early in the war and assured us that there were no spies--then upon the war office, then upon the admiralty war staff, while they, in turn, shift the responsibility on to the shoulders of the local police-constable in uniform, then i will continue to raise my voice in protest, and urge upon the public to claim their right to know the truth. this enemy alien question is one of britain's deadliest perils, and yet, by reason of some mysterious influence in high quarters, ministers are straining every muscle to still delude and mislead the public. these very men who are audacious enough to tell us that there are no german spies in great britain are the same who, by that secret report of the kaiser's speech and his intention to make war upon us which i furnished to the british secret service in ,[ ] knew the truth, yet nevertheless adopted a policy that was deliberately intended to close the eyes of the british public and lull it to sleep, so that, in august, our beloved nation nearly met with complete disaster. but the british public to-day are no longer children, nor are they in the mood to be trifled with and treated as such. the speeches made by mr. mckenna in the house of commons on march rd have revealed to us that the policy towards aliens is one of untruth and sham. the debate has aroused an uneasiness in the country which will only be restored with the greatest difficulty. to be deliberately told that the intelligence department of the war office is cognisant of every enemy alien--in face of what i have just related--is to ask the public to believe a fiction. and, surely, fiction is not what we want to-day. we want hard fact--substantiated fact. we are not playing at war--as so many people seem to think because of the splendid patriotism of the sons of britain--but we are fighting with all our force in defence of our homes and our loved ones, who, if weak-kneed counsels prevail, will most assuredly be butchered to make the kaiser a german holiday. that public opinion is highly angered in consequence of the refusal of the government to admit the danger of spies, and face the problem in a proper spirit of sturdy patriotism, is shown by the great mass of correspondence which has reached me in consequence of my exposures in "german spies in england." the letters i have received from all classes, ranging from peers to working-men, testify to an astounding state of affairs, and if the reader could but see some of this flood of correspondence which has overwhelmed me, he would realise the widespread fear of the peril of enemy aliens, and the public distrust of the apathy of the government towards it. surely this is not surprising, even if judged only by my own personal experiences. how the public are deluded! _the "times," february th_ the secretary of the admiralty makes the following announcement: information has been received that two persons, posing as an officer and sergeant, and dressed in khaki, are going about the country attempting to visit military works, etc. they were last seen in the midlands on the th instant, when they effected an entry into the works of a firm who are doing engineer's work for the admiralty. they made certain inquiries as to the presence or otherwise of anti-aircraft guns, which makes it probable that they are foreign agents in disguise. all contractors engaged on work for h.m. navy are hereby notified with a view to the apprehension of these individuals, and are advised that no persons should be admitted to their works unless notice has been received beforehand of their coming. _the "times," march th_ mr. tennant, under-secretary for war, during the debate in the house of commons upon the question of enemy aliens, raised by mr. joynson-hicks, said he could give the house the assurance that every single enemy alien was _known_, and was _at the present moment_ under constant police surveillance. he wished to inform the house and the country that they had at the war office a branch which included the censorship and other services all directed to the one end of safeguarding the country from the operations of undesirable persons. it would not be right to speak publicly of the activities of that branch, but it was doing most admirable service, and he repudiated with all earnestness the suggestion that the department did not take this matter of espionage with the utmost seriousness. let us further examine the facts. mr. mckenna, in a speech made in the house of commons on november th on the subject, said: "the moment the war office has decided upon the policy, the home office places at the disposal of the war office the whole of its machinery." on march rd the home secretary repeated that statement, and declared, in a retort made to mr. joynson-hicks, that he was not shirking responsibility, as _he had never had any_! now, if this be true, why did mr. mckenna make the communiqué to the press soon after the outbreak of war, assuring us that there were no spies in england, and that all the enemy aliens were such dear good people? i commented upon it in the _daily telegraph_ on the following day, and over my own name apologised to the public for my past offence of daring to mention that such gentry had ever existed among us. if lord kitchener were actually responsible, then one may ask why had the home secretary felt himself called upon to tell the public that pretty fairy-tale? now with regard to the danger of illicit wireless. early in january --seven months before the outbreak of war--being interested in wireless myself, and president of a wireless association, my suspicions were aroused regarding certain persons, some of them connected with an amateur club in the neighbourhood of hatton garden. having thoroughly investigated the matter, and also having been able to inspect some of the apparatus used by these persons, i made, on february th, , a report upon the whole matter to the director of military intelligence, pointing out the ease with which undesirable persons might use wireless. the director was absent on leave, and no action was taken in the matter. a month later i went to the wireless department of the general post office, who had granted me my own licence, and was received there with every courtesy and thanked for my report, which was regarded with such seriousness that it was forwarded at once to the admiralty, who have wireless under their control. in due course the admiralty gave it over to the police to make inquiries, and the whole matter was, i suppose--as is usual in such cases--dealt with and reported upon by a constable in uniform. here let me record something further. in february last i called at new scotland yard in order to endeavour to get the police to make inquiry into two highly suspicious cases, one of a person at winchester, and the other concerning signal-lights seen north-east of london in the metropolitan district. i had interviews with certain officials of the special department, and also with one of the assistant commissioners, and after much prevarication i gathered--not without surprise--that no action could be taken _without the consent of the home office_! how this latter fact can be in accordance with the home secretary's statement in the house of commons i confess i fail to see. but i warn the government that the alien peril--now that so many civil persons have been released from the internment camps--is a serious and growing one. the responsibility should, surely, not be placed upon, or implied to rest upon, lord kitchener, who is so nobly performing a gigantic task. if the public believed that he was really responsible, then they, and myself, would at once maintain silence. the british public believes in lord kitchener, and, as one man, will follow him to the end. but it certainly will not believe or tolerate this see-saw policy of false assurances and delusion, and the attempt to stifle criticism--notably the case of the _globe_--of which the home office have been guilty. there is a rising feeling of wrath, as well as a belief that the peril from within with which the country is faced--the peril of the thousands of enemy aliens in our midst--most of whom are not under control--together with the whole army of spies ready and daily awaiting, in impatience, the signal to strike simultaneously--is wilfully disregarded. even the police themselves--no finer body of men than whom exists anywhere in the world--openly express disgust at the appalling neglect of the mysterious so-called "authorities" to deal with the question with a firm and strong hand. naturally, the reader asks why is not inquiry made into cases of real suspicion reported by responsible members of the community. i have before me letters among others from peers, clergymen, solicitors, justices of the peace, members of city councils, a well-known shipowner, a government contractor, members of parliament, baronets, etc., all giving me cases of grave suspicion of spies, and all deploring that no inquiry is made, application to the police being fruitless, and asking my advice as to what quarter they should report them. all these reports, and many more, i will willingly place at the service of a proper authority, appointed with powers to effectively deal with the matter. at present, however, after my own experience as an illustration of the sheer hopelessness of the situation, the reader will not wonder that i am unable to give advice. could germany's unscrupulous methods go farther than the scandal exposed in america, in the late days of february, of how captain boy-ed, naval attaché of the german embassy at washington, and the kaiser's spy-master in the united states, endeavoured to induce the man stegler to cross to england and spy on behalf of germany? in this, germany is unmasked. captain boy-ed was looked upon as one of the ablest german naval officers. he is tall and broad-shouldered, speaks english fluently, and in order to americanise his appearance has shaved off his "prince henry" whiskers which german naval officers traditionally affect. when he took up his duties at washington he was a man of about forty-five, and ranked in the german navy as lieutenant-commander. but his career of usefulness as naval attaché, with an office in the shipping quarters of new york, has been irretrievably impaired by the charges of stegler, whose wife produced many letters in proof of the allegation that the attaché was the mainspring of a conspiracy to secure english-speaking spies for service to be rendered by german submarines and other german warships on the british side of the atlantic. the plot, exposed in every paper in the united states, was a low and cunning one, and quite in keeping with the methods of the men of "kultur." mrs. stegler, a courageous little woman from georgia, saw how her husband--an export clerk in new york--was being drawn into the german net as a spy, and she stimulated her husband to give the whole game away. to the united states police, stegler, at his wife's suggestion, was perfectly frank and open. he exposed the whole dastardly plot. he stated that captain boy-ed engineered the spy-plot that cost lody his life, and declared that in his dealings with the attaché the matter of going to england as a spy progressed to a point where the money that was to be paid to his wife for her support while he was in england was discussed. captain boy-ed, stegler went on to say, agreed to pay mrs. stegler £ a month while he was in england, and furthermore agreed that if the british discovered his mission and he met the fate of lody, mrs. stegler was to receive £ a month from the german government as long as she lived! stegler said he told his wife of the agreement to pay to her the amount named, and that she asked him what guarantee he could give that the money would be paid as promised. at that time mrs. stegler did not know the perilous nature of the mission that her husband had consented to undertake. when stegler reported fully to his american wife, and she got from him the entire story of his proposed trip to england, she, like a brave woman, determined to foil the conspiracy. captain boy-ed was not convincing regarding the payment to her for the services of her husband as a spy by the german government for life, and she told her husband that the german government would probably treat captain boy-ed's promise to pay as a "mere scrap of paper." having been urged to study the recent history of belgium, stegler confessed that he had his doubts. finally he resolved to reveal the existence of a plot to supply german spies from new york. could any facts be more illuminating than these? surely no man in great britain, after reading this, can further doubt the existence of german-american spies among us. there is not, i think, a single reader of these pages who will not agree with the words of that very able and well-informed writer who veils his identity in the _referee_ under the _nom-de-plume_ of "vanoc." on march th he wrote: "this is no question of party. i am not going to break the party truce. in the interests of the british empire, however, i ask that a list of all the men of german stock or of hebrew-german stock who have received distinctions, honours, titles, appointments, contracts, or sinecures, both inside or outside the house of commons, house of lords, and privy council, shall be prepared, printed, and circulated. also a list of frenchmen, russians, and colonials so honoured. it is also necessary for a clear understanding of the spy-question that the public should know whether it is a fact that favoured german individuals have contributed large sums to political party funds on both sides, and whether the tenderness that is shown teutons or hebrew-teutons decorated or rewarded with contracts, favours, or distinctions is due to the obvious fact that if dangerous spies were not allowed their freedom party government would be exposed, discredited, and abolished." this is surely a demand which will be heartily supported by every one who has the welfare of his country at heart. too long have we been misled by the bogus patriotism of supposed "naturalised" germans, who, in so many cases, have purchased honours with money filched from the poor. "vanoc" in his indictment goes on to say: "the facts are incredible. i know of one case of a german actually employed on secret service at the war office. this german is the son of the agent of a vast german enterprise engaged in making munitions and guns for the destruction of the sons, brothers, and lovers of the very englishwomen who are now engaged most wisely and energetically in waking the country to a sense of the spy-peril that lurks in our midst. the british public does not understand a decimal point of a tithe of the significance of the spy-peril. nonsense is talked about spies. energy is concentrated on the little spies, who don't count. much german money is wasted on unintelligent spies. the british officers to whom is entrusted the duty of spy-taking, if they are outside the political influence which is poisonous to our national life, are probably the best in the world. the big spies are still potent in control of our national life." are we not, indeed, coddling the hun? even the pampering of german officers at donington hall pales into insignificance when we recollect that, upon dr. macnamara's admission, £ , a month, or £ , , per year, is being paid for the hire of ships in which to intern german prisoners, and this is at a time when the scarcity of shipping is sending up the cost of every necessity! the hague convention, of course, forbids the use of gaols for prisoners of war, yet have we not many nice comfortable workhouses, industrial schools, and such-like institutions which could be utilised? we all know how vilely the germans are treating our officers and men who are their prisoners, even depriving them of sufficient rations, and forbidding tobacco, fruit, or tinned vegetables. with this in view, the country are asking, and not without reason, why we should treat those in our hands as welcome guests. certainly our attitude has produced disgust in the dominions. how germany must be laughing at us! how the enemy aliens in certain quarters of london are jeering at us, openly, and toasting to the day of our downfall, i have already described. how the spies among us--unknown in spite of mr. tennant's amazing assertion--must be laughing in their sleeves and chuckling over the panic and disaster for which they are waiting from day to day in the hope of achieving. the signal--the appearance of zeppelins over london--has not yet been given. whether it will ever be given we know not. all we know is that an unscrupulous enemy, whose influence is widespread over our land, working insidiously and in secret, has prepared for us a blow from within our gates which, when it comes, will stagger even mr. mckenna himself. with the example of how spies, in a hundred guises, have been found in belgium, in france, in russia, in egypt, and even in gallant little serbia, can any sane man believe that there are none to-day in great britain? no. the public know it, and the government know it, but the latter are endeavouring to hoodwink those who demand action in the house of commons, just as they endeavour to mystify the members of the public who present reports of suspicious cases. the question is: _are we here told the truth?_ i leave it to the reader of the foregoing pages to form his own conclusions, and to say whether he is satisfied to be further deluded and mystified without raising his voice in protest for the truth to be told, and the spy-peril to be dealt with by those fully capable of doing so, instead of adopting methods which are daily playing into germany's hands and preparing us upon the altar of our own destruction. i have here written the truth, and i leave it to the british public themselves to judge me, and to judge those who, failing in their duty at this grave crisis of our national history, are courting a disaster worse than that which overtook poor stricken belgium. footnotes: [footnote : for a full report of this astounding speech see "german spies in england," by william le queux, .] chapter vii the peril of deluding the public as showing the trend of public opinion regarding the spy-peril, i may perhaps be permitted to here give a few examples taken haphazard from the huge mass of correspondence with which i have been daily flooded since the publication of my exposure on that subject. many of my correspondents have, no doubt, made discoveries of serious cases of espionage. yet, as spies are nobody's business, the authorities, in the majority of cases, have not even troubled to inquire into the allegations made by responsible persons. i freely admit that many wild reports have been written and circulated by hysterical persons who believe that every twinkling light they see is the flashing of signals, and that spies lurk in houses in every quiet and lonely spot. it is so very easy to become affected with spy-mania, especially when one recollects that every german abroad is patriotic, and his first object is to become a secret agent of the fatherland. in this connection i have no more trust in the so-called "naturalised" german than in the full-blooded and openly avowed prussian. once a man is born a german he is always a german, and in taking out naturalisation papers he is only deliberately cheating the country which grants them, because, according to the imperial law of his own land, he cannot change his own nationality. so let us, once and for all, dismiss for ever the hollow farce of naturalisation, for its very act is one of fraud, and only attempted with some ulterior motive. as regards "unnaturalised" germans the inquirer may perhaps be permitted to ask why baron von ow-wachendorf, a lieutenant in the yellow uhlans of stuttgart, just under thirty years of age, was permitted to practise running in hyde park so as to fit himself for his military duties, and why was he on march st allowed to leave tilbury for holland to fight against us? again, has not mr. ronald mcneill put rather a delicate problem before the under-secretary for war in asking, in the house, whether count ergon von bassewitz and his brother, count adalbert von bassewitz, were brought to england as prisoners of war; whether either was formerly on the staff of the germany embassy in london, and well known in london society; whether one, and which, of the two brothers was recently set at liberty, and is now at large in london; whether he was released on any and what conditions; and for what reason this german officer, possessing exceptional opportunities for obtaining information likely to be useful to the enemy, is allowed freedom in england at the present time. the man-in-the-street who has, in the past, laughed at the very idea of spies--and quite justly, because he has been so cleverly misled and bamboozled by official assurances--has now begun to see that they do exist. he has read of a hundred cases abroad where spies have formed a vanguard of the invading german armies, and how no fewer than fifty-seven german spies were arrested and _convicted_ in switzerland during the month of august, therefore he cannot disguise from himself that the same dastardly vanguard is already here among us. then he at once asks, and very naturally too, why do the authorities officially protect them? what pro-german influence in high quarters can be at work to connive at our undoing? it is that which is to-day undermining public confidence. compare our own methods with those of methodical matter-of-fact germany? are we methodical; are we thorough? the man-in-the-street who daily reads his newspaper--if he pauses or reflects--sees quite plainly that instead of facing the alien peril, those in authority prefer to allow us to sit upon the edge of the volcano, and have, indeed, already actually prepared public opinion to accept a disclaimer of responsibility if disaster happens. the whole situation is truly appalling. little wonder is it that, because i should have dared to lay bare the canker in britain's heart, i should be written to by despairing hundreds who have lost all confidence in certain of our rulers. some of these letters the reader may find of interest. from one, written by a well-known gentleman living in devonshire, i take the following, which arouses a new reflection. he says: "i may be wrong, but one important point seems to have been overlooked, viz. the daily publication of somewhat cryptic messages and advertisements appearing in the personal columns of the british press. for instance: "'m.--darling. meet as arranged. letter perfect. should i also write? to "the day, and kismet."--vilpar.' "such a message may be, as doubtless it is, perfectly innocent; but what is to prevent spies in our midst utilising this method of communicating information to the enemy. the leading british newspapers are received in germany, and even the enclosed pseudo-medical advertisement may be the message of a traitor. it seems to me that the advertisement columns of our press constitute the safest medium for the transmission of information. "pray do not think i am suggesting that the british press would willingly lend their papers to such an infernal use, but unless they are exercising the strictest precautions the loophole is there. i am somewhat impressed by the number of refugees to be found in these parts--ilfracombe, combe martin, lynton, etc., coast towns and villages of perhaps minor strategic importance, but situated on the bristol channel and facing important towns like swansea, cardiff, etc. i notice particularly that their daily walks abroad are usually taken along the coastal roads. i've never met them inland. apologising for the length of this letter and trusting that your splendid efforts will in due time receive their well-deserved reward." here my correspondent has certainly touched upon a point which should be investigated. we know that secret information is daily sent from great britain to berlin, and we also know some of the many methods adopted. indeed, i have before me, as i write, a spy's letter sent from watford to amsterdam, to be collected by a german agent and reforwarded to berlin. it is written upon a column of a london daily newspaper, various letters of which are ticked in red ink in several ways, some being underlined, some crossed, some dotted underneath--a very ingenious code indeed--but one which has, happily, been decoded by an expert. this newspaper, after the message had been written upon it, had been placed in a newspaper-wrapper and addressed to an english name in amsterdam. this is but one of the methods. another is the use of invisible ink with which spies write their messages upon the pages of newspapers and magazines. a third is, no doubt, the publication of cryptic advertisements, as suggested by my correspondent. how the government have adopted mr. le queux's suggestion "_german spies in england," by william le queux. published february th, ._ the first step to stop the activity of spies should be the absolute closing of the sea routes from these shores to all persons, excepting those who are vouched for by the british foreign office. assume that the spy is here; how are we to prevent him getting out? by closing the sea routes to all who could not produce to our foreign office absolutely satisfactory guarantees of their _bona fides_. the ordinary passport system is not sufficient; the foreign office should demand, and see that it gets, not only a photograph, but a very clear explanation of the business of every person who seeks to travel from england to the continent, backed by unimpeachable references from responsible british individuals, banks, or firms. in every single case of application for a passport it should be personal, and the most stringent inquiries should be made. i see no other means of putting an end to a danger which, whatever the official apologists may say, is still acute, and shows no signs of diminishing. under the best of conditions some leakage may take place. but our business is to see, by every means we can adopt, that the leakage is reduced to the smallest possible proportions. _"daily mail," march th, ._ holiday-makers or business men who wish to travel to holland now find that their preliminary arrangements include much more than the purchase of a rail and steamship ticket. new regulations, which came into force on monday, necessitate not only a passport, but a special permit to travel from the home office. application for this permit must be made in person three clear days before sailing. passport, photograph, and certificate of registration must be produced and the names and addresses of two british subjects furnished as references. the home office erected a special building for this department, which was opened on thursday last, the first day on which application could be made. before lunch over applications had been received. by four o'clock, the official hour for closing, nearly persons had been attended to, and the crowd was even then so great that the doors had to be closed to prevent any more entering. intending travellers included british, french, and dutch business men, but quite a large number of belgian refugees attended for permits to return to their country. the tilbury route was the only one open to them. not all the applications were granted. it is necessary to furnish reasonable and satisfactory evidence as to the object of the journey, and some of the applicants were unable to do this. of other means of communication, namely, night-signalling--of which i have given my own personal experience in the previous chapter--my correspondents send me many examples. the same code-signal as a prefix--the letters "s.m."--are being seen at points as far distant as herne bay and alnwick, on both the yorkshire and fifeshire coasts, above sidmouth and at ilfracombe. dozens of reports of night-signalling lie before me--not mere statements of fancied lights, but facts vouched for by three and four reliable witnesses. yet, in face of it all, the authorities pooh-pooh it, and in some counties we have been treated to the ludicrous spectacle of the civil and military authorities falling at loggerheads over it! belgian refugees writing to me have, in more than one instance, reported highly interesting facts. in one case an ex-detective of the antwerp police, now a refugee in england, has identified a well-known german spy who was in antwerp before the germans entered there, and who came to england in the guise of a refugee! this individual is now in an important town in essex, while my informant is living in the same town. surely such a case is one for searching inquiry, and the more so because the suspect poses as an engineer, and is in the employ of a firm of engineers who do not suspect the truth. but before whom is my friend, the belgian ex-detective, to place his information? true, he might perhaps lay the information before the chief constable of the county of essex, but in his letter to me he asks, and quite naturally, is it worth while? if the intelligence department of the war office--that department so belauded in the house of commons by mr. mckenna on march rd--refuses to investigate the case of signalling in surrey, cited in the last chapter, and vouched for by the officers themselves, then what hope is there that they would listen to the report of a mere refugee--even though he be an ex-detective? as i turn over report after report before me i see another which seems highly suspicious. a hard-up german doctor--his name, his address, and many facts are given--living at a kent coast town, where he was a panel doctor, suddenly, on the outbreak of war, removes to another kent coast town not far from dover, takes a large house with grounds high up overlooking the sea, and retires from practice. my informant says he has written to the home office about it, but as usual no notice has been taken of his letter. another correspondent, a well-known shipowner, writing me from one of our seaports in the north, asks why the german ex-consul should be allowed to remain in that city and do shipping business ostensibly with rotterdam? by being allowed his freedom he can obtain full information as to what is in progress at this very important scotch port, and, knowing as we do that every german consul is bound to send secret information to berlin at stated intervals, it requires but little stretch of one's imagination to think what happens. but the matter has already been reported to the police and found to be, as elsewhere, nobody's business. phew! one perspires to think of it! take another example--that of a german hotel-keeper who, living on the coast north of the firth of forth, was proved to have tapped the coast-guard telephone, and yet he was allowed to go free! a lady, well known in london society, writes to me requesting me to assist her, and says: "i have been working for five months to get a very suspicious case looked into, and all the satisfaction i get is that 'the party is being watched.' i _know_ to what extent this same person has been working against my country and i should much appreciate an interview with you. i could tell you very much that would be of great benefit to the country, but it of course falls on deaf ears--officially." another correspondent asks why germans, naturalised or unnaturalised, are allowed to live in the vicinity of herne bay when none are allowed either at westgate or margate. in this connection it is curious that it is from herne bay the mysterious night-signals already described first appear, and are then transmitted to various parts of the country. in another letter the grave danger of allowing foreign servants to be employed at various hotels at plymouth is pointed out, and it is asked whether certain houses in that city are not hot-beds of german intrigue. now with regard to this aspect of affairs mr. mckenna, answering mr. fell in parliament on march th, said he had no power to impose conditions on the employment of waiters, british or alien, and so the suggested notice outside hotels employing aliens was not accepted. from tunbridge wells two serious cases of suspicion are reported, and near tenterden, in kent, there undoubtedly lives one of our "friends" the night-signallers, while in a certain village in sussex the husband of the sub-postmistress is a german, whose father, a tradesman in a neighbouring town, i hear, often freely ventilates his patriotism to his fatherland. that the "pirate" submarines are receiving petrol in secret is an undoubted fact. at swansea recently a vessel bound for havre was found to have taken on board as part of her stores gallons of petrol. she was not a motor-boat, and the customs authorities were very properly suspicious, but the captain insisted that the petrol was wanted as stores, and that there were no means by which we could prevent that petrol going. where did it go to? there were boats no doubt in the neighbourhood which wanted petrol. _they were enemy submarines!_ of isolated reports of espionage, and of the work of germany's secret agents, dozens lie before me, many of which certainly call for strictest investigation. but who will do this work if the "authorities" so steadily refuse, in order to bamboozle the public, to perform their duty? some of these reports are accompanied by maps and plans. one is from a well-known solicitor, who is trustee for an estate in essex where, adjoining, several men a month or so ago purchased a small holding consisting of a homestead and a single acre of land. they asserted that they had come from canada, and having dug up the single acre in question for the purpose of growing potatoes, as they say, they are now living together, their movements being highly suspicious. on more than one occasion mysterious explosions have been heard within the house--which is a lonely one, and a long way from any other habitation. the wife of a well-known scotch earl who has been diligent in making various inquiries into suspicious cases in scotland, and has endeavoured to stir up the authorities to confirm the result of her observations, has written to me in despair. she has done her best, alas! without avail. and again, in yet another case, the widow of an english earl, whose name is as a household word, has written to me reporting various matters which have come to her notice and deploring that no heed has been taken of her statements by the supine "powers-that-be." beside this pile of grave reports upon my table, i have opened a big file of reports of cases of espionage which reached me during the year . in the light of events to-day they are, indeed, astounding. here is one, the name and address of my correspondent i do not here print, but it is at the disposal of the authorities. he says: "staying recently at north queensferry i made the acquaintance of a young german, who was there, he informed me, for quiet and health reasons. he was a man of rather taciturn and what i put down to eccentric disposition, for he spoke very little, and, from the time he went away in the morning early, he never put in an appearance until dusk. one day, as was my wont, i was sitting in the front garden when i noticed a fair-sized red morocco notebook lying on the grass. i picked it up, and on my opening it up, what was my surprise and amazement to find that it was full to overflowing with sketches and multitudinous information regarding the firth of forth. all the small bays, buoys, etc., together with depth of water at the various harbour entrances at high and low tide, were admirably set out. i also found, neatly folded up, a letter addressed to my friend which had contained an enclosure of money from the german government. i hesitated no longer, for i sent notebook, etc., to the authorities at london. three days after i had sent the letter off, a stranger called to see my friend the german. they both left together, and i have never heard any more about it since. the german's trunk still lies at north queensferry awaiting its owner's return." the following reached me on march th: "i note what you mention regarding weybourne in norfolk, and would trespass on your time to relate an occurrence which took place about the autumn of , when i was living at overstrand. i had walked over to weybourne and was about to return by train when two men, dressed more or less as tramps, entered the station to take their tickets; they were followed by a tall, handsome man, unmistakably a german officer, who spoke to them, looked at their tickets and walked straight up the platform. the men sat down on a bench to wait for the train, and i took a seat near them with a view to overhearing their conversation. it appeared to be in german dialect and little intelligible. the officer, meanwhile, who had reached the end of the platform, turned round and, quickening his steps, came and placed himself directly in front of us: the men at once were silent, and the officer remained where he was, casting many scowls in my direction. on the following day i met him, on this occasion alone, on the pathway leading from the 'garden of sleep' to overstrand. he recognised me at once, scowled once again, and passed on to the overstrand hotel. i mentioned the subject to a gentleman resident in overstrand, who asked me to write an account of the matter to be placed before the war office, but i believe that my friend forgot to forward the paper. a retired officer in cromer informed me that the german officer in question was well known as the head of the german spies in the neighbourhood. some questions happened to be asked in the house of commons that very week as to the existence of spies in norfolk. the home secretary, the present lord gladstone, i think, replied to these in the manner which might be expected of him. "from the first i recognised the fact that the men were spies. i imagined that they had been surveying, at weybourne, but in the light of recent events i think a _gun emplacement_ or a _petrol store_ may have been their 'objective.' the two men were rather undersized, badly dressed, and more or less covered with mud, probably mechanics. one i remember had extraordinary teeth, about the size of the thickness of one's little finger. the officer, as i have said, was a fine man, broad and well-proportioned, from thirty to forty years of age. oddly enough i thought that i recognised him recently on a cinematograph film depicting the staff of the german emperor. i left the neighbourhood not long after, otherwise i should certainly have made further investigations, convinced as i was of the shady nature of these individuals. the officer, i am sure, recognised that i was a detective." another report is from a steward on a liner, who writes: "at the queen's hotel, at leith, one day i overheard these words from a man speaking in german. 'what's this! your highness's servants--when did they come north?' now one of these i have met several times. i have travelled with him from antwerp, and i was in his company between leith and london. he was of a cheerful disposition, and played the violin well, but would not allow any one to go into his cabin, not even the steward! one day, while he was playing to the passengers on the promenade deck, and the sailors were washing down the poop deck, i had to go into his berth to shut his port-hole; to my surprise i found that he had been working out the draft of a plan, and was marking in the coast defence stations, and all the information he had obtained from the ship's officers and passengers. there were also various other drawings of the forth and other bridges, and plans of the sea coast from the firth of forth to yarmouth, while in his box were all kinds of mathematical instruments, together with some envelopes addressed to count von x. [the name is given] of bremen. he told me that he was going to london for a year's engagement at a music hall, yet, strangely enough, two weeks later i found this same german on the carron company's steamer _avon_ bound for grangemouth. for some time i lost all trace of him, but last october i met the same german at the new dock at kirkcaldy, posing as a photographer. at that time the name on his bag was h. shindler. we had a drink together, but, on my asking why he had changed his profession, he laughed mysteriously, and admitted that he had made a long tour of england and wales, taking many interesting pictures. each time i met him he had considerably altered his appearance, and the last i saw of him was when i saw him into the train on his way to dunfermline." yet another i pick out at haphazard. it is from an actor whose name is well known, and is, as are all the others, at the disposal of any official inquirers. he writes to me: "i was engaged to play in the 'panto' of 'sinbad the sailor.' we were to rehearse and play a week at the 'prince's theatre,' llandudno. i was in the habit of visiting a certain barber's shop, and was always attended to by a german assistant. he seemed a man of about forty years of age, and his name was k---- [the actual name is given]. on the first saturday of my sojourn in the place i called at the shop, along with another member of our company. when about to leave, my 'pal' and myself were rather startled by the 'attendant' inviting the two of us to come for a drive on the following day, sunday. naturally we accepted the invitation, at the same time thinking it rather strange that a man earning say _s._ a week could afford such a luxury as a drive. at noon, next day, my friend and i turned up at the rendezvous, and sure enough our friend was there with a _landau_ and pair. this was certainly doing the 'big thing,' but more was to follow. "we drove to conway, stabled there, and then went for a stroll round the picturesque old castle. our friend then proposed that we adjourn for something to eat, so, as our appetites were a bit keen by this time, we went to the 'white hart hotel.' here another surprise awaited us, for dinner was all set and ready. and what a dinner! my 'pal' and i had visions of a huge bill, but on our friend squaring the amount we sat in open-mouthed surprise. "by this time we were anxious to know a little about our 'host,' but not until he had had a few brandy-and-sodas did he tell us much. he then said he had some estates in germany, and ultimately confessed (in strict confidence) that he held an important government appointment. after a few hours in conway we drove back to llandudno, and as our friend of the 'soap and brush' was in a hilarious mood, nothing would do but that we drive to his rooms. and what rooms! fit for a prince! we had a splendid supper followed by wine and cigars. he then proceeded to show my friend and me a great number of photographs (all taken by himself, he explained) of all the coast mountains and roads for many miles around llandudno. it was not till we mentioned the affair to some gentlemen in llandudno that we were informed that our barber friend was, in all probability, a spy in the pay of the german government!" here is another, from a correspondent at glasgow: "down by the shipping, along the clydeside, are many barbers' shops, etc., owned by foreigners, and in one of these i think i have spotted an individual whose movements and behaviour entitle me to regard him as a spy. the party in question is a german of middle age, a man of remarkably refined appearance--in fact, not the class of man that one would ordinarily associate with a barber's shop. one has but to engage him in conversation to discover that he is no stupid foreigner, but a man very much up to date as regards our methods and things happening in this country. our language, too, he speaks like a native, and, were it not for his markedly teutonic features, he might pass for one of ourselves. "what excited my suspicions first regarding this personage was the fact that he was continually quizzing and putting to me questions regarding my employment of a decidedly delicate nature, and conversing freely on subjects about which i thought few people knew anything. i also noticed, when in his shop, that he was most lavish in his remarks to customers, especially to young engineers and draughtsmen who came to him from the neighbouring shipbuilding yards, leading them on to talk about matters concerning the navy and shipbuilding; their work in the various engineering shops and drawing offices; and the time likely to be taken to complete this or that gunboat, etc. indeed, with some of these young engineers and draughtsmen i have not failed to notice that he is particularly 'chummy,' and i also know, for a fact, that on several occasions he has been 'up town' with them, visiting music halls and theatres, and that they have spent many evenings together. on these occasions no doubt, under the influence of liquor, many confidences will have been exchanged, and many 'secrets' regarding work and methods indiscreetly revealed. "but so much for the above. on surmise alone my conclusions regarding this man might have been entirely wrong, but for the fact that i, one evening, met with a former employee of his, also a german, in another barber's shop in the city. this youngster, evidently nursing a grievance against his late employer for something or other, was quick to unburden himself to me regarding him, and gave me the following particulars. he said that his late master was not what he appeared to be, and that his barbering was all a blind to cover something else; in fact (and this he hinted pretty broadly) that his presence over here in this country was for no good. he further said that he was still a member of the german army (although in appearance he looks to be long past military service), and that regularly money was sent to him from berlin; that he was an agent for the bringing in to this country of crowds of young germans, male and female, who came over here to learn our language and study our methods; that his shop was the rendezvous for certain members of his own nationality, who met there periodically at night for some secret purpose which he had never been able to fathom; that he was often away from the shop for weeks at a time, no one knew where, the business in his absence then being looked after by a brother. in addition to the above, i may say that the walls of his shop are positively crowded with pictures of such celebrities as lord roberts, lord kitchener, general french, etc., etc., the face of the kaiser being a noticeable absentee, doubtless on purpose. he likes you, too, to believe in his affection for this country, which he openly parades, although i am told that in private he sneers at us, at our soldiers and people. from the above, i think i have established my case against this wily teuton, who, while masquerading as a barber, is yet all the time here for a totally different purpose, _i.e._ to spy upon us." how a german secret agent altered a british military message is told by another of my correspondents, who says: "the time of the incident was during the visit of the kaiser to the earl of lonsdale at lowther castle. i was employed at an hotel in keswick, and my duties were to look after a billiard-room. among my customers was a foreign gentleman, who was always rather inquisitive if any military matter was under discussion, and our many chats brought us on very friendly terms. well, about the last week of the emperor's visit, the earl of lonsdale arranged a drive for the emperor and the house-party for the purpose of letting them see the english lake district. the route lay via patterdale, windermere, thirlmere, then on to keswick, from there by train to penrith, and again drive the three or four miles back to lowther castle. "it must be remembered that, the emperor's visit being a private one, military displays would be out of place, but on the day of the above-mentioned drive a telegram was received from the officer in command of the penrith volunteers asking if permission could be granted for the volunteers to mount a guard of honour at the station on the arrival of the emperor's train at penrith. now, as i was going up home to the 'forge' i met my father coming to keswick, and as he seemed out of wind, i undertook to take his message, which was the reply to the above 'wire.' the text of the answer only contained two words, which were to the point: 'certainly not,' and signed by the commanding officer at headquarters. when i got within half a mile of keswick i was overtaken by my foreign acquaintance, who was on a bicycle, and on his asking me why i was hurrying, i told him i had a rather urgent 'wire' to send. he kindly undertook to have it despatched, as he was passing the post office, and i unsuspectingly consented. on the arrival of the royal train at penrith you may judge the surprise and disgust of the officers, some of whom had in private travelled in the royal train to see the volunteers lining the station approach! inquiries were made--the post office authorities produced the telegram, as handed in, with the word 'not' carefully erased, making the message mean the opposite. i never from that day saw my foreign friend again, but many times have wondered was it one of the kaiser's wishes to see if his agents could play a trick on the volunteers for his own eyes to see!" here is a curious story of a german commercial spy, the writer of which gives me his _bona fides_. he writes: "in a glucose factory where i worked, the head of the firm had a bookkeeper who went wrong. if that bookkeeper had never gone wrong, we should never have known of the german who worked hard in england for a whole year for nothing. one day the head--i'll call him mr. brown for short--received a letter from a young german saying that he would like to represent the glucose manufacturer among the merchants of this country, whose trade, he said, he could secure. he said he would be willing to postpone the consideration of salary pending the result of his services. well, brown turned the german over to the bookkeeper, who found that the german had splendid credentials from his own country. so brown told the bookkeeper to engage the german, and pay him £ a month to start. at the end of six months the german's service had proved so satisfactory that brown told his bookkeeper to pay the german £ a month till further notice; and three months later the salary was again raised by brown to £ . along about the time the german's year was up, he suddenly disappeared. that is, he failed one morning to put in an appearance at the office at the usual time. brown noticed that morning that his bookkeeper, who was also cashier, was extremely absent-minded and looked altogether unhappy. 'what's the matter with you?' said brown, addressing the bookkeeper. 'this is the matter,' was the reply, and thereupon the bookkeeping cashier laid before his employer a cheque for hundreds of pounds. it was made payable to the order of the absent german, and was signed with the personal signature of the bookkeeper. 'what's this mean?' asked brown. 'it means,' said the wild-eyed bookkeeper, 'that i have never paid that german his salary--not one penny in all the time he has been here. he never asked for money, always had plenty, so i pocketed from month to month the money due to him. but it's killing me. i didn't need to do it. i just couldn't resist the temptation. i had money of my own, and knew i could pay him any time. yesterday when you said that i must again raise his salary i realised for the first time the enormity of the thing i was doing. i resolved to tell the german the whole story this morning, and give him his money in full. this is the cheque for the money i have stolen from him. i have money in the bank to meet it. i want him to have it, i don't care what follows.' brown, gazing spellbound at his clerk, said: 'but i don't understand. did the german never ask for his salary?' 'no,' replied the bookkeeper. 'he always had money; he seemed only to want the situation--to be connected with this house; he has some mysterious influence over the german trade in this country.' a weather-beaten man in a sea-jacket an hour or two later unceremoniously shuffled into the office. he handed brown a note, who read it aloud: 'i am aboard ship by this time,' the letter said, 'bound for my country. receive my sincere regrets at the abrupt termination of our pleasant relations. through connection with your firm, i have found out the secret of glucose-making, and am going back to impart it to the firm which i belong to in germany. you owe me nothing." these few cases i print here because i think it but right to show that both before the war, and since, the public have not been so utterly blinded to the truth as the authorities had hoped. many of the other cases before me are of such a character that i do not propose to reveal them to the public, still hoping against hope that proper inquiry may be instituted by a reliable board formed to deal with the whole matter. and, for obvious reasons, premature mention of them might defeat the ends of justice by warning the spies that their "game" is known. i here maintain that there is a peril--a very grave and imminent peril--in attempting to further delude the public, and, by so doing, further influence public opinion. the seed of distrust in the government has, alas! been sown in the public mind, and each day, as the alien question is evaded, it takes a firmer and firmer root. chapter viii the peril of invasion there are few questions upon which experts differ more profoundly than that of a possible invasion of this country by germans. here, in england, opinion may be roughly divided into two schools. it is understood generally that the naval authorities assert that the position of our fleet is such that even a raid by say ten thousand men, resolved to do us the greatest possible damage and cause the maximum of alarm even if the penalty be annihilation, is out of the question. on the other hand, the military authorities hold the view--a view expressed to me by the late lord roberts--that it would be quite possible for the germans to land a force in great britain which would do an enormous amount of damage, physically and morally, before it was finally rounded up and destroyed by the overwhelming numbers of troops we could fling against it. what we think of the matter, however, is of less importance than what the enemy thinks, and it is beyond question that, at any rate until quite recently, the german war staff regarded the invasion of england as perfectly practicable, and had made elaborate plans for carrying out their project. when writing my forecast "the invasion of england," in , i received the greatest advice and kind assistance from the late lord roberts, who spent many hours with me, and who personally revised and elaborated the german plan of campaign which i had supposed. without his assistance the book would never have been written. i am aware of the strong views he held on the subject, and how indefatigable he was in endeavouring to bring the grave peril of invasion home to an apathetic nation. poor "bobs"! the public laughed at him and said: "yes, of course. he is getting so old!" old! when i came home from the last balkan war i brought him some souvenirs from the battle-fields of macedonia, and he sent me a telegram to meet him at a.m. at a quiet west end hotel--where he was in the habit of staying. i arrived at that hour and he grasped my hand, welcomed me back from many months of a winter campaign with the servian headquarters staff, and, erect and smiling, said: "now, let's talk. i've already done my correspondence and had my breakfast. i was up at half-past five,"--when i had been snoring! roberts was a soldier of the old school. he knew our national weakness, and he knew our stubborn stone-wall resistance. after the outbreak of war he told me that he would deplore racing, football, and cricket--our national sports--while we were at death-grips with germany, because, as he put it, if we race and play games, the people will not take this world-war seriously. then he turned in his chair in my room, and, looking me straight in the face, said: "what did i tell you, le queux, when you were forecasting 'the invasion'--that the british nation will not be awakened by us--but only by a war upon them. they are at last awakened. i will never seek to recall the past, but my duty is to do my best for my king and my country." and so he died--cut off at a moment when he was claiming old friendship of those from india whom he knew so well. the night before he left england to go upon the journey to the front which proved fatal, he wrote me a letter--which i still preserve--deploring the atrocities which the germans had committed in belgium. ever since the war broke out we have heard of great concentration of troops, and ships intended to carry them, at wilhelmshaven and cuxhaven, a strong indication that something in the nature of a raid was in contemplation. it is quite possible that opinion, both in germany and in this country, has been very profoundly modified by the fate which befell the last baby-killing expedition launched against our eastern coasts, which came to grief through the vigilance of admiral beatty. the terrible mauling sustained by the german squadron, the loss of the _blucher_ and the battering of the _seydlitz_ and _derfflinger_, may have done a good deal to drive home into the german mind the conviction that in the face of an unbeaten--and to germany unbeatable--battle-fleet, the invasion of england would be, at the very best, an undertaking of the most hazardous nature which would be foredoomed to failure and in which the penalty would be annihilation. perhaps, however, the enemy are only waiting. we know from german writings that the plans for the invasion of england have usually postulated that our fleet shall be, for the time being, absent from the point of danger, probably out of home waters altogether, and that the attack would be sprung upon us as a surprise. we do not know, and we do not seek to know, the exact position of the british fleet, but we can be perfectly certain that, with the invention of wireless, the moment at which the germans might have sprung a surprise upon us has gone for ever. there is good reason for believing that the germans intended to strike at us without any formal declaration of war, and i have been informed, on good authority, that before war broke out, certain dispositions had actually been made which were brought to naught only by a singularly bold and daring manoeuvre on the part of our naval authorities. no doubt, in the course of time, this incident, with many others of a similar nature, will be made public. i can only say at present that when the startling truth becomes known, further evidence will be forthcoming that germany deliberately planned the war, and was ready to strike long before war was declared. people who say that an invasion of our shores is impossible usually do so with the reservation, expressed or implied, that the effort would be unsuccessful--that is, that it could not succeed so far as to compel britain to make peace. but, even if the germans believe this as firmly as we do, it by no means follows that they may not make the attempt. it is a part of the germans' theory and practice to seek, by every possible means, to create a panic, to do the utmost moral and material damage by the most inhuman and revolting means, and it is more than likely that they would hold the loss of even fifty or sixty thousand men as cheap indeed, if, before they were destroyed, they could, if only for a few days, vent german wrath and hatred on british towns and on british people. to say they could not do this would be exceedingly foolish. few people would be daring enough to say that it would be impossible for the germans, aided undoubtedly by spies on shore, to land suddenly in the neighbourhood of one of the big east coast towns a force strong enough to overpower, for the moment, the local defences, and establish itself--if only for a few days--in a position where it could lay waste with fire and sword a very considerable section of country. and we must never forget that, if ever the germans get the chance, their atrocious treatment of the british population will be a thousand times worse than anything they have done in france and belgium. that fact ought to sink deeply into the public mind. a german expedition into this country would be undertaken with the one definite object of striking terror and producing a panic which would force our government to sue for peace. to secure that end, the germans would spare neither young nor old--every man, woman, and child within their power would be slaughtered without mercy, and without regard for age or sex. we have heard something, though not all, of the infamies perpetrated by german troops upon the helpless belgians even before the world had realised how much belgium had done to foil their plans. and we must not overlook the fact that certain german officers--enjoying the services of valets and other luxuries at donington hall, fitted up by us at a cost of £ , --were those who ordered the wholesale massacre of women and children. we relieve the poor belgian refugees, and caress their murderers. if the flood-gates of german hatred were opened upon us, what measure would the enemy mete out to us who, as they now bitterly realise, have stood between the kaiser and his megalomaniac dreams? i do not think we need be in any doubt as to what the german answer to that question would be! recent events have made it vividly apparent that the germans have already reached a pitch of desperation in which they are willing to try any and every scheme which, at whatever cost to themselves, offered a prospect of injuring their enemies. they feel the steel net slowly, but very surely, tightening around them; like caged wild beasts they are flinging themselves frantically at the bars, now here, now there, in mad paroxysms of rage. their wonderful military machine, if it has not absolutely broken down, is at any rate badly out of gear, though there is a huge strength still left in it. their vaunted fleet skulks behind fortifications, and whenever it ventures to poke its head outside is hit promptly and hit hard. their boasted zeppelins, which were to lay ever so many "eggs" on london, have certainly, up to the time of writing, failed utterly. we frequently hear the man-in-the-street jeer at the zeppelin peril, and declare that it is only a "bogey" raised to frighten us. to a certain extent i think it is, but the fact that zeppelins have not yet appeared over london is, surely, no reason why they should not come and commit havoc and cause panic as the vanguard of the raid which may be intended upon us. there is much in our apathy which is more than foolish--it is criminal. had the country, ten years ago, listened to the warnings of lord roberts and others, instead of being immersed in their own pleasure-seeking and money-grubbing, we should have had no war. the public, who are happily to-day filled with a spirit of patriotism because they have learnt wisdom by experience, now realise their error. they see how utterly foolish they were to jeer at my warnings in the _daily mail_; and by singing in the music halls "are we down-'earted--no!" they have gallantly admitted it--as every britisher admits where he is wrong--and have come forward to stem the tide of barbarians who threaten us. as one who has done all that mortal man can do to try to bring home to his country a sense of its own danger, and who, by the insidious action of "those in power," narrowly escaped financial ruin for _daring_ to be a patriot, i cast the past aside and rejoice in the fine spirit of the younger generation of men, actuated by the fact that they are still britons. but, after this war, there will be men--men whose names are to-day as household words--who must be indicted before the nation for leading us into the trap which germany so cunningly prepared for us. those are men who knew, by the kaiser's declaration in , what was intended, and while posing as british statesmen--save the mark!--lied to the public, and told them that germany was our best friend, and that war would never be declared--"not in our time." there will be a day, ere long, when the pro-german section of what britons foolishly call their "rulers"--certain members of that administration who are now struggling to atone for their past follies in being misled by the cunning of the enemy--will be arraigned and swept out of the public ken, as they deserve to be. the blood of a million mothers of sons in great britain boils at thoughts of the ghastly truth, and the wholesale sacrifice of their dear ones, because the diplomacy of great britain, with all its tinsel, its paraphernalia of attachés, secretaries (first, second, and third), its entertainments, its fine "residences," its whisperings and jugglings, and its "conversations," was quite incapable of thwarting the german plot. by our own short-sightedness we have been led into this conflict, in which the very lives of our dear ones and ourselves are at stake. yet, to-day, we in england have not fully realised that we are at war. illustrated papers publish fashion numbers, and the butterflies of the fair sex rush to adorn themselves in the latest _mode_ from paris--the capital of a threatened nation! stroll at any hour in any street in london, or any of our big cities. does anything remind the thoughtful man that we are at war? no. our theatres, music halls, and picture palaces are full. our restaurants are crowded, our night-clubs drive a thriving trade--and nobody cares for to-morrow. why? read the daily newspapers, and learn the lesson of how the public are being daily deluded by false assertions that all is well, and that we have great imperial germany--the country which has, for twenty years, plotted against us--in the hollow of our hand. the public are not told the real truth, and there lies the grave scandal which must be apparent to every person in the country. but, i ask, will the malevolent influence which is protecting the alien enemy among us, and refusing to allow inquiry into spying, _ever permit the truth to be told_? let the reader pause, and think. despite the cast-iron censorship, and the most docile press the world has ever seen, the german people must, on the other hand, to-day be suspecting the truth. germans may be braggarts, but they are not fools, and it is safe to say that the hysterical spasms of hatred of great britain--by which the entire nation seems to be convulsed--have their origin in an ever-growing conviction of failure and a very accurate perception of where that failure lies. in this frame of mind they may venture on anything, and it is for this reason that i believe they may yet, in spite of all that has happened, attempt a desperate raid on these shores. what are we doing to meet that peril? chapter ix the peril of apathy there is an apathy towards any peril of invasion that is astounding. of our military measures, pure and simple, i shall say nothing except that it is the bounden duty of every briton to place implicit reliance upon lord kitchener and the military authorities and, if necessary, to assist them by every means in his power. we can do no good by criticising measures of the true meaning of which we know nothing. there are some other points, however, on which silence would be culpable, and one of these is the amazing lack of any clear instructions as to the duties of the civil population in the event of a german attack. now it is perfectly obvious that one of the first things necessary in the face of a german landing would be to get the civilian population safely beyond the zones threatened by the invaders. it is simply unthinkable that men, women, and children shall be left to the tender mercies of the german hordes. yet, so far as i am able to ascertain, no steps have yet been taken to warn inhabitants at threatened points what they shall do. they have been _advised_, it is true, to continue in their customary avocations and to remain quietly at home. does any sane human being, remembering the treatment of belgian civilians who just did this, expect that such advice will be followed? we can take it for granted that it will not, and i contend that in all districts along the east coast, where, it is practically certain, any attempt at landing must be made, the inhabitants should at once be told, in the clearest and most emphatic manner, just what is required of them, and the best and quickest way to get out of harm's way, leaving as little behind them as possible to be of any use to the invaders, and leaving a clear field of operations for our own troops. a century ago, when the peril of a french invasion overshadowed the land, the most careful arrangements were made for removing the people from the threatened areas, and the destruction of food and fodder. is there any reason why such arrangements should not be taken in hand to-day, and the people made thoroughly familiar with all the conditions necessary for carrying out a swift and systematic evacuation? i am aware, of course, that already certain instructions have been issued to lord-lieutenants of the various counties in what may be called the zone of possible invasion. but i contend that the public at large should be told plainly what is expected of them. it is not enough to say that when the moment of danger comes they should blindly obey the local policeman. in the event of a withdrawal from any part of the coast-line becoming necessary, it ought not to be possible that the inhabitants should be taken by surprise; their course ought to be mapped out for them quite clearly, and in advance, so that all will know just what they have to do to get away with the minimum of delay and without impeding the movements of our defensive forces. whatever we may say or do, the appearance off the british coast of a raiding german force would be the signal for a rush inland, and there is every reason to take steps for ensuring that that rush shall be orderly and controlled, and in no sense a blind and panic flight which would be alike unnecessary and disastrous. it may well be, and it is to be hoped, that the danger will never come. that does not absolve us from the necessity of being ready to meet it. war is an affair of surprises, and germany has sprung many surprises upon the world since last august. the refusal of the war office authorities to extend any sympathetic consideration towards the new civilian corps, which are striving, despite official discouragement, to fit themselves for the duty of home defence in case the necessity should arise, is another instance of the lack of imagination and insight which has shown itself in so many ways during our conduct of the campaign. these corps now number well over a million men. all that the army council has done for them is to extend to such of them as became affiliated to the central volunteer training association the favour of official "recognition" which will entitle them to rank as combatants in the event of invasion. even that recognition is coupled with a condition that has given the gravest offence and which threatens, indeed, to go far towards paralysing the movement altogether. it is in the highest degree important, as will readily be admitted, that these corps should not interfere with recruiting for the regular army. that the volunteers themselves fully recognise. but to secure this non-interference the government have made it a condition of recognition that any man under military age joining a corps shall sign a declaration that he will enlist in the regular army when called upon unless he can show some good and sufficient reason why he should not do so. here we have the cause of all the trouble. the army council, in spite of all entreaties, obstinately refuses to state what constitutes a good and sufficient reason for non-enlistment. one such reason, it is admitted, is work on government contracts. but it is impossible for us to shut our eyes to the fact that there are many thousands of men of military age and good physique who, however much they may desire to do their duty, are fully absolved by family or business reasons from the duty of joining the regular army. many of them have dependents whom it is simply impossible for them to leave to the blank poverty of the official separation allowance; many of them are in businesses which would go to rack and ruin in their absence; many of them are engaged on work which is quite as important to the country as anything they could do in the field, even though they may not be in government employ. to withdraw every able-bodied man from his employment would simply mean that industry would be brought to a standstill, and as this country must, to some extent, act as general provider for the allies, it is, plainly, our duty to keep business going as well as to fight. rightly or wrongly, this particular provision is looked upon as an attempt to introduce a veiled form of compulsion. it has been pointed out that there is no power to compel men to enlist, even if they have signed such a declaration as is required. but the men, very properly, say that britain has gone to war in defence of her plighted word, and that they are not prepared to give their word and then break it. what is the result? many thousands of capable men, fully excused by their own consciences from the duty of joining the regular army, find that, unless they are prepared to take up a false and wholly untenable position, they are _not even allowed to train_ for the defence of their country in such a grave crisis that all other considerations but the safety of the empire must go by the board. i am not writing of the slackers who want to "swank about in uniform" at home when they ought to be doing their duty in the trenches. i refer to the very large body of genuinely patriotic men who, honestly and sincerely, feel that, whatever their personal wishes may be, their duty at the moment is to "keep things going" at home. for men over military age the volunteer corps offer an opportunity of getting ready to strike a blow for england's sake should the time ever come when every man who can shoulder a rifle must take his place in the ranks. and it certainly argues an amazing want of sympathy and foresight that, for the lack of a few words of intelligible definition, a splendid body of men should lose the only chance offered them of getting a measure of military education which in time to come may be of priceless value. no one complains that the army council does not immediately rush to arm and equip the volunteers. undoubtedly, there is still much to be done in the way of equipping the regular troops and accumulating the vast reserves that will be required when the great forward move begins. much could be done even now, however, to encourage the volunteers to persevere with their training. it should not be beyond the power of the military authorities, in the very near future, to arm and equip such of the corps as have attained a reasonable measure of efficiency in simple military movements, and in shooting with the miniature rifle. at the same time some clear definition ought to be forthcoming of what, in the opinion of the army council, constitutes a valid reason, in the case of a man of military age, for not joining the regular forces. it is certain that when the time comes for the allies to take a strong offensive we shall be sending enormous numbers of trained men out of the country, and, the wastage of war being what it is, huge drafts will be constantly required to keep the fighting units up to full strength. in the meantime large numbers of territorials in this country are chained to the irksome--though very necessary--duty of guarding railways, bridges, and other important points liable to be attacked. there seems to be no good reason why a great deal, if not the whole, of this work should not be undertaken by volunteers. this would free great numbers of territorials for more profitable forms of training and would, undoubtedly, enable us to send far more men out of the country if the necessity should arise. if the volunteers were regarded by those in authority with the proper sympathy which their patriotism deserves, it would be seen that they provide, in effect, a class of troops closely corresponding to the german landsturm, which is already taking its part in the war. it is important to remember that, up to the present time, we have enlisted none but picked men, every one of whom has had to pass a strict medical and physical examination. we have left untouched, in fact, our real reserves. those reserves, apparently scorned by the official authorities, are capable, if they receive adequate encouragement, of providing an immense addition to our fighting forces. no one pretends, of course, that the entire body of volunteers whom we see drilling and route-marching day by day are capable of the exertions involved in a strenuous campaign. but a very large percentage of them are quite capable of being made fit to serve in a home-defence army, and it is a feeble and shortsighted policy to give them the official cold shoulder and nip their enthusiasm in the bud. at the present moment they cost nothing, and they are doing good and useful work. is it expecting too much to suggest that their work should be encouraged with something a little more stimulating than a scarlet arm-band and a form of "recognition" which, upon close analysis, will be found to mean very little indeed? there has been too strong a tendency in the past to praise, in immoderate terms, german methods and german efficiency. but, undoubtedly, there are certain things which we can learn from the enemy, and one of them is the speed and energy with which the germans, at the present moment, are turning to their advantage popular enthusiasm of exactly the same nature as that which has produced the volunteer movement here. it is a popular misconception that in a conscriptionist country every man, without distinction, is swept into the ranks for his allotted term. this is by no means the case. there are many reasons for exemption, and a very large proportion of the german people, when war broke out, had never done any military duty. travellers who have recently returned from germany report that the volunteer movement there has made gigantic strides. men have come forward in thousands, and the government, with german energy and foresight, has pounced upon this splendid volume of material and is rapidly licking it into shape. i don't believe, for one moment, the highly coloured stories which represent germany as being short of rifles, ammunition, and other munitions of war: she has, apparently, more than sufficient to arm her forces in the field and to permit her _to arm her volunteers as well_. whether i am right or wrong, the german government is taking full advantage of the patriotic spirit of its subjects, and there does not appear to be any good reason why our government should not take a leaf out of the enemy's book. if they would do so and help the volunteer movement by sympathy and encouragement, and the assurance that more would be done at the earliest possible moment, we should be in a better condition to meet an invasion than we are to-day, in that we should have an enormous reserve of strength for use in case of emergency. no doubt the military authorities, after the most careful study of the subject, feel convinced that our safety is assured: my point is, that in a matter of such gravity it is impossible to have too great a margin of safety. it is no use blinking the fact that, despite the efforts we have made, and are making, the time may come when the entire manhood of the united kingdom must be called upon to take part in a deadly struggle for national existence. trust-worthy reports state that the germans are actually arming something over four million fresh troops--some of them have already been in action--and if this estimate prove well founded, it is quite clear that the crisis of the world-war is yet to come. i do not think any one will deny that when it does come we shall need every man we can get. closely allied with the subject of invasion are the german methods of "frightfulness" by means of their submarines and aircraft. of the latter, it would seem, we are justified in speaking with absolute contempt. three attempts at air raids on our shores have been made, and though, unhappily, some innocent lives were lost through the enemy's indiscriminate bomb-dropping, the military effect up to the day i pen these lines has been absolutely nil, except to assist us in bringing more recruits to the colours. several of the vast, unwieldy zeppelins, of which the germans boasted so loudly, have been lost either through gunfire or in gales, while we have official authority for saying that our own air-service is so incomparably superior to that of the enemy that the german aviators, like the baby-killers of scarborough, seek safety in retreat directly they are confronted by the british fliers. no doubt the german air-men have their value as scouts and observers, but it is abundantly clear that, as a striking unit, they are hopelessly outclassed. they have done nothing to compare with the daring raids on friedrichshafen and düsseldorf, to say nothing of the magnificent and devastating attack by the british and french air-men on zeebrugge, ostend, and antwerp. the submarine menace stands on another and very different footing, for the simple reason that luck, pure and simple, enters very largely into the operations of the underwater craft. it is quite conceivable that, favoured by fortune and with a conveniently hidden base of supplies--one of which, a petrol-base, i indicated to the authorities on march th--either afloat or ashore, submarines might do an enormous amount of damage on our trade routes. a few dramatic successes may, of course, produce a scare and send insurance and freight rates soaring. moreover, the submarine is exceedingly difficult to attack: it presents a very tiny mark to gunfire, and when it sights a hostile ship capable of attacking it, it can always seek safety by submerging. but, when all is said and done, the number of german submarines, given all the good fortune they could wish, is quite inadequate seriously to threaten the main body of either our commerce or our navy. we are told, and quite properly, nothing of the methods which the admiralty are adopting to deal with german pirates. but it will not have escaped the public attention that the submarines have scored no great success against british warships since the _hawke_ was sunk in the channel. i think we may fairly conclude, therefore, that our admiralty have succeeded in devising new means of defence against the new means of attack. we know that at the time of writing two enemy submarines have been sunk by the navy, and it seems fairly certain that another was rammed and destroyed in the channel by the steamer _thordis_. whatever, therefore, may be our views on the general subject of the war, it seems clear that we can safely treat the submarine menace as the product of the super-heated teutonic imagination. we know of, and can guard against, the risks we run of any armed attack from germany. but there is another peril which will face us when the war is over--a renewal of the commercial invasion which we have seen in progress on a gigantic scale for years past. we know how the british market has, for years, been flooded with shoddy german imitations of british goods to the grave detriment of our home trade. we know, too, how the german worker, over here "to learn the language," has wormed himself into the confidence of the foolish english employer, and has abused that confidence by keeping his real principals--those in germany--fully posted with every scrap of commercial information which might help them to capture british trade. we know, though we do not know the full story, that hundreds of "british" companies have been, in fact, owned, organised, and controlled solely by germans. we know that for years german spies and agents, ostensibly engaged in business here, have plotted our downfall. are we going to permit, when the war is over, a repetition of all this? i confess i look upon this matter with the gravest uneasiness. it is all very well to say that after the war germans will be exceedingly unpopular in every civilised community. that fact is not likely to keep out the german, who is anything but thin-skinned. and, i regret to say, there are only too many british employers who are likely to succumb to the temptation to make use of cheap german labour, regardless of the fact that they will thus be actively helping their country's enemies. germans to-day are carrying on business in this country with a freedom which would startle the public, if it were known. i will mention two instances which have come to my knowledge lately. the first is the case of a company with an english name manufacturing certain electric fittings. up to the time the war broke out, every detail of this company's business was regularly transmitted once a week to germany: copies of every invoice, every bill, every letter, were sent over. though the concern was registered as an "english" company, the proprietorship and control were purely and wholly german. that concern is carrying on business to-day, and in the city of london, protected, no doubt, by its british registration. and the manager is an englishman who, before the war, explained very fully to my informant the entire system on which the business was conducted. the second case is similar, with the exception that the manager is a german, at least in name and origin, who speaks perfect english, and is still, or was very recently, conducting the business. in this case, as in the first, every detail of the business was, before war broke out, regularly reported to the head office of the firm in germany. i wonder whether english firms are being permitted to carry on business in berlin to-day! whether we shall go on after the war in the old haphazard style of rule-of-thumb rests solely with public opinion. and if public opinion will tolerate the employment of german waiters in our hotels in time of war, i see very little likelihood of any effort to stay the german invasion which will, assuredly, follow the declaration of peace. then we shall see again the unscrupulous campaign of commercial and military espionage which has cost us dear in the past, and may cost us still more in the future. our foolish tolerance of the alien peril will be used to facilitate the war of revenge for which our enemy will at once begin to prepare. chapter x the peril of stifling the truth ignorance of the real truth about the war--an ignorance purposely imposed upon us by official red-tape--is, i am convinced, the gravest peril by which our beloved country is faced at the present moment. i say it is the gravest peril for the simple reason that it is the root-peril from which spring all the rest. and this ignorance springs not from official apathy, or from the public wilfully shutting its eyes to disagreeable truths. it is born of the deliberate suppression of unpleasant facts, of the deliberate and ridiculous exaggeration of minor successes. in a word, it is the result of the public having been fooled and bamboozled under the specious plea of safeguarding our military interests. are we children to believe such official fairy-tales? the country is not being told the truth about the war. i don't say, and i do not believe, that it is being fed with false news of bogus victories. but untruths can as easily be conveyed by suppression as by assertion, and no one who has studied the war with any degree of attention can escape the impression that the news presented to us day by day takes on, under official manipulation, a colour very much more favourable than is warranted by the actual facts. day after day the press bureau, of course under official inspiration from higher sources, issues statements in which the good news is unduly emphasised and the bad unduly slurred over. day by day a large section of the press helps on, with every ingenious device of big type and sensational headlines, the official hoodwinking of the public. many pay their nimble halfpennies to be gulled. a naval engagement in which our immensely superior forces crush the weaker squadron of the enemy is blazoned forth as a "magnificent victory" for our fighting men, when, in sober truth, the chief credit lies with the silent and utterly forgotten strategist behind the scenes, whose cool brain worked out the eternal problem of bringing adequate force to bear at exactly the right time and in just exactly the right place. i say no word to depreciate the heroism of our gallant bluejackets. they would fight as coolly when they were going to inevitable death--cradock's men did in the _good hope_ and _monmouth_--as if they were in such overwhelming superiority that the business of destroying the enemy was little more dangerous than the ordinary battle-practice. my whole point is that by the skilful manipulation of facts a wholly false impression is conveyed. there is, in truth, nothing "magnificent" about beating a hopelessly inferior foe, and our sailors would be the last to claim to be heroes under such conditions. it is, of course, the business of our naval authorities to be ready whenever a german squadron shows itself, to hit at once with such crushing superiority of gunfire that there will be no need to hit again at the same object. that can only be achieved by sound strategy, for which we are entitled to claim and give the credit that is due. when our navy has won a decisive success against great odds we may be justified in talking of a "magnificent" victory. to talk of any naval success of the present war as a "magnificent victory" is simply to becloud the real, essential, vital facts, and to assist in deceiving a public which is being studiously kept in the dark. by every means possible, short of downright lying of the german type, the public is being lulled into a false and dangerous belief that all is well--a blind optimism calculated to produce only the worst possible results, a state of mental and physical apathy which has already gone far to rob it of the energy and determination and driving force which are absolutely necessary if we are to emerge in safety from the greatest crisis that has faced our country in its thousand years of stormy history. as an example of what the public are told concerning the enemy, a good illustration is afforded by a well-known sunday paper dated march th. here we find, among other headings in big type, the following: "stake of life and death!" "germany's frantic appeal for greater efforts!" "russia's hammer blow." "german offensive from east prussia ruined: losses , in a month." "german plans foiled: enemy's , , losses." "on reduced rations: german troops getting less to eat." "germany cut off from the seas." "germans cut in two: , prisoners and 'rich booty' taken." "killed to last man: appalling austrian losses." "the verge of famine: bread doles cut down again in germany: frantic efforts to stave off starvation." and yet, in the centre of the paper, next to the leader, we find a huge advertisement headed "the man to be pitied," calling for recruits, appealing to their patriotism, and urging them to "enlist to-day." surely it is the reader who is to be pitied! again, we have wilfully neglected the formation of a healthy public opinion in neutral countries. while germany has, by every underhand means in her power, by wireless lies, and by bribery of certain newspapers in america and in italy, created an opinion hostile to the allies, we have been content to sit by and allow the disgraceful plot against us to proceed. we have, all of us, read the screeches of the pro-german press in the united states, and in italy the scandal of how germany has bribed certain journals has already been publicly exposed. the italians have not been told the truth by us, as they should have been. in italy the greater section of the public are in favour of great britain and are ready to take arms against the hated tedesco, yet on the other hand we have to face the insidious work of germany's secret service and the lure of german gold in a country where, unfortunately, few men, from contadino to deputy, are above suspicion. we must not close our eyes to the truth that in neutral countries germany is working steadily with all her underhand machinery of diplomacy, of the purchase of newspapers, of bribery and corruption and the suborning of men in high places. to what end? to secure the downfall of great britain! i have myself been present at a private view of an amazing cinema film prepared at the kaiser's orders and sent to be exhibited in neutral countries for the purpose of influencing opinion in favour of germany. the pictures have been taken in the fighting zone, both in belgium and in east prussia. so cleverly have they been stage-managed that i here confess, as i sat gazing at them, i actually began to wonder whether the stories told of german barbarities were, after all, true! pictures were shown of a group of british prisoners laughing and smoking, though in the hands of their captors; of the kind german soldiery distributing soup, bread, etc., to the populace in a belgian village; of soldiers helping the belgian peasantry re-arrange their homes; of a german soldier giving some centimes to a little belgian child; of great crowds in berlin singing german national songs in chorus; of the marvellous organisation of the german army; of thousands upon thousands of troops being reviewed by the kaiser, who himself approaches you with a salute and a kindly smile. it was a film that must, when shown in any neutral country--as it is being shown to-day all over the world--create a good impression regarding germany, while people will naturally ask themselves why has not england made a similar attempt, in order to counteract such an insidious and clever illusion in the public mind. such a mischievous propaganda as that being pursued by germany in all neutral countries we cannot to-day afford to overlook. our enemy's intention is first to prepare public opinion, and then to produce dissatisfaction among the allies by sowing discord. and yet from the eyes of the british nation the scales have not yet fallen! in our apathy in this direction i foresee great risk. with these facts in view it certainly behoves us to stir ourselves into activity by endeavouring, ere it becomes too late, to combat germany's growing prestige among other nations in the world, a prestige which is being kept up by a marvellous campaign of barefaced chicanery and fraud. the dangerous delusion is prevalent in great britain that we are past the crisis, that everything is going well and smoothly, perhaps even that the war will soon be over. in some quarters, even in some official quarters, people to-day are talking glibly of peace by the end of july, not openly, of course, but in the places where men congregate and exchange news "under the rose." the general public, taking its cue from the only authorities it understands or has to rely upon, the daily papers, naturally responds, with the eager desire of the human mind to believe what it wishes to be true. hence there has grown up a comfortable sense of security, from which we shall assuredly experience a very rude awakening. for, let there be no mistake about it, the war is very far from ended; indeed, despite our losses, we might almost say it has hardly yet begun. for eight months we have been "getting ready to begin." to-day we see germany in possession of practically the whole of belgium and a large strip of northern france. with the exception of a small patch of alsace, she preserves her own territory absolutely intact. her fortified lines extend from the coast of belgium to the border of switzerland, and behind that seemingly impenetrable barrier she is gathering fresh hosts of men ready for a desperate defence when the moment comes, as come it must, for the launching of the allies' attack. on her eastern frontiers she has at least held back the russian attack, she has freed east prussia, and not a single soldier is to-day on german soil. i ask any one who may be inclined to undue optimism whether the situation is not one to call imperatively for the greatest effort of which the british nation and the british empire are capable? we are assured by the official inspirers of optimism that time is on the side of the allies, and is working steadily against the germans. in a sense, of course, this is true, but it is not the whole truth. i place not the slightest reliance upon the stories industriously circulated from german sources of germany being short of food; all the evidence we can get from neutrals who have just returned from germany condemns them _in toto_. the germans are a methodical and far-seeing people, and no doubt they are very rightly looking ahead and prudently conserving their resources. but that there is any real scarcity of either food or munitions of war there is not a trace of reliable evidence, and those journals, one of which i have quoted, which delight to represent our enemy as being in a state of semi-starvation are doing a very bad service to our country. the germans can unquestionably hold out for a very considerable time yet, and we are simply living in a fool's paradise if we try to persuade ourselves to the contrary. if it were true that germany is really short of food, that our blockade was absolutely effective, and that no further supplies could reach the enemy until the next harvest, it might be true to say that time was on the side of the allies. but supposing, as i believe, that the tales of food shortage have been deliberately spread by the germans themselves with the very definite object of working upon the sympathies of the united states, what position are we in? here, in truth, we come down to a position of the very deepest gravity. it is a position which affects the whole conduct and conclusion of the war, and which cannot fail to exercise the most vital influence over our future. speaking at the lord mayor's banquet last november, mr. asquith said: "we shall never sheathe the sword, which we have not lightly drawn, until belgium recovers in full measure all, and more than all, she has sacrificed; until france is adequately secure against the menace of aggression; until the rights of the smaller nationalities of europe are placed on an unassailable foundation; and until the military domination of prussia is wholly and finally destroyed." those noble words, in which the great soul of britain is expressed in half a dozen lines, should be driven into the heart and brain of the empire. for they are, indeed, a great and eloquent call to britain to be up and doing. four months later, mr. asquith repeated them in the house of commons, adding: "i hear sometimes whispers--they are hardly more than whispers--of possible terms of peace. peace is the greatest of all blessings, but this is not the time to talk of peace. those who do so, however excellent their intentions, are, in my judgment, the victims, i will not say of a wanton but a grievous self-delusion. the time to talk of peace is when the great purposes for which we and our allies embarked upon this long and stormy voyage are within sight of accomplishment." every thinking man must realise the truth and force of what the premier said. the question inevitably follows--are we acting with such swiftness and decision that we shall be in a position, before the opportunity has passed, to make those words good? there is a steadily growing volume of opinion among men who are in a position to form a cool judgment that, partly for financial and partly for physical reasons, a second winter campaign cannot possibly be undertaken by any of the combatants engaged in the present struggle. if that view be well founded, it follows that peace on some terms or other will be concluded by october or november at the latest. we, more than any other nation, depend upon the issue of this war to make our existence, as a people and an empire, safe for a hundred years to come. have we so energetically pushed on the preparations that, by the time winter is upon us again, we shall, with the help of our gallant allies, have dealt germany such a series of crushing blows as to compel her to accept a peace which shall be satisfactory to us? there, i believe, we have the question which it is vital for us to answer. if the answer is in the negative, i say, without hesitation, that time fights not with the allies but with germany. if, as many people think, this war must end somehow before the next winter, we must, by that time, either have crushed out the vicious system of prussian militarism, or we must resign ourselves to a patched-up peace, which would be but a truce to prepare for a more terrible struggle to come. despite our most heroic resolves, it is doubtful whether, under modern conditions of warfare, the money can be found for a very prolonged campaign. i do not forget, of course, that the allies have undertaken not to conclude a separate peace, and i have not the least doubt that the bargain will be loyally kept. but we cannot lose sight of the possibility that peace may come through the inability of the combatants to continue the war, which it is calculated will by the autumn have cost nine thousand millions of money. and we can take it for granted that the task of subduing a germany driven to desperation, standing on the defensive, and fighting with the blind savagery of a cornered rat, is going to be a long and troublesome business. we are assured that the allies can stand the financial strain better than germany. possibly; but the point is that no one knows just how much strain germany can stand before she breaks, and in war it is only common prudence to prepare for the worst that can befall. this is precisely what we, most emphatically, are _not_ doing to-day. thanks to the reasons i have given--the chief of which is the unwarrantable official secrecy and the wholly unjustifiable "cooking" of the news--the british public is _not yet fully aroused to the deadly peril_ in which the nation and the empire stand. the british people are, as they ever have been, slow of thought and slower of action. they need much rousing. and in the present war it is most emphatically true that the right way of rousing them has not been used. smooth stories never yet fired british blood. let an englishman think things are going even tolerably well, and he is loth to disturb himself to make them go still better. but tell him a story of disaster, show him how his comrades fall and die in great fights against great odds: bring it home to his slow-working mind that he really has his back to the wall, and you fan at once into bright flame the smouldering pride of race and caste that has done, and will yet do, some of the greatest deeds that have rung in history. is there, we may well ask, another race in the world that would have wrested such glory from the disaster at mons? and the lads who fought the germans to a standstill in the great retreat did so because the very deadliness of the peril that confronted them called out all that is greatest and noblest and most enduring in our national character. is there no lesson our authorities at home can learn from that deathless story? are they so blind to all the plainest teachings of history that they fail to realise that the british people cannot be depressed and frightened into panic by bad news, though, such is our insular self-confidence, we can be only too easily lulled into optimism by good news? if the autocrats who spoon-feed the public with carefully selected titbits truly understood the mental characteristics of their own countrymen, they would surely realise that the best, indeed the only, way to arouse the british race throughout the world to a sense of the real magnitude of the task that lies before them is to tell them the simple truth. we want no more of the glossing over of unpleasant facts which seems to be one of the main objects of the press censorship. we want the real truth, not merely because we are, naturally, hungry for news, but because the real truth alone is capable of stimulating englishmen and welshmen, scotchmen and irishmen, the world over to take off their coats, turn up their sleeves, and seriously devote their energies to giving the german bully a sound and effective thrashing. chapter xi facts to remember we have heard a good deal about "business as usual": it would be well if we heard a little more of the companion saw--"do it now." for if this campaign, for good or ill, is to finish before the snows of next winter come, the need for an instant redoubling of our energies is pressing beyond words. in his gallant defence of the press bureau against overwhelming odds--few people share his admiration for that most unhappy institution--sir stanley buckmaster denied that information was ever "kept back." so far as i know no one has ever suggested that the press bureau had anything to say about the circulation of official news: its unhappily directed energies seem to operate in other directions. but that it is keeping back news of the very gravest kind admits of no shadow of doubt. the official reports have assured us of late, with irritating frequency, that there is "nothin' doin'." now and again we hear of a trench being heroically captured. but we hear very little of the reverse side of the picture, upon which the casualty lists, a month or six weeks later, throw such a lurid light. time and again lately we have read in the casualty lists of battalions losing anything from two hundred to four hundred men in killed or wounded or "missing," which means, in effect, prisoners. even the guards, our very finest regiments, have lost heavily in this last disagreeable fashion: other regiments have lost even more heavily. now british soldiers do not surrender readily, and we can take it for granted that when a large number of our men are made prisoners it is not without very heavy fighting. one single daily paper recently contained the names of very nearly two thousand officers and men killed, or wounded, or missing, on certain dates in january. where, why, or how these men were lost we do not know, and we are told absolutely nothing. the real fact is that the news is carefully concealed under a tiny paragraph which announces that a line of trenches which had been lost have been brilliantly recaptured. we are glad, of course, to learn of the success, but would it not be well for the nation to learn of the failure? can it be supposed for an instant that the germans do not know? is it giving away military information of value to the enemy to publish here in great britain news with which they are already perfectly well acquainted? is it not rather that in their anxiety to say smooth things the authorities deliberately suppress the news of reverses, and tell us only the story of our triumph? the most injurious suppression of news by the government has made its effect felt in practically every single department of our public life which has the remotest connection with the prosecution of the war. take recruiting as an example. recruiting is mainly stimulated, such is the curious temper of our people, either by a great victory or a great disaster. failing one or other of these, the flow of men sinks to what we regard as "normal proportions," which means in effect that the public is lukewarm on the subject. it is perfectly well known that a specially heroic deed of a particular regiment will bring to that regiment a flood of recruits, as was the case after the gallant exploit of the london scottish had been published to the world. and what is true of the regiment, is true of the army. yet with all their enthusiastic advertising for recruits, the military authorities have neglected the quickest and easiest way of filling the ranks: instead of telling our people in bold stirring words of the heroic deeds of our individual regiments, they have, except in a few instances, fought the war with a degree of anonymity which may be creditable to their modesty, but does no tribute to their intelligence. turn the shield to the darker side: every reverse has stimulated patriotism and brought more men to the colours. what, i wonder, was the value of the scarborough raid as compared with the recruiting posters? the sense of insult bit deep, as it always does in the english mind. the kaiser's own particular insult--his jibing reference to "general french's contemptible little army"--probably did more to rouse the fighting blood of our men than all the german attacks. the splendid story of the retreat from mons flushed our hearts to pride, and men poured to the colours. is there no lesson here for the wiseacres of whitehall? does the knowledge that englishmen may be led, but cannot be driven, convey nothing to them? are they unaware that the englishman is the worst servant in the world if he is not trusted, but the very best if full confidence is extended to him? can they not see that their foolish policy of suppressing ugly facts is, day by day, breeding greater distrust and apathy? i confess to feeling very strongly on the clyde strikes, which, for a wretched industrial dispute--probably engineered by german secret agents--held up war material of which we stood in the gravest need. i cannot understand how scotsmen, belonging to a nation which has proved its glorious valour on a hundred hard-fought fields, could have ceased work when they were assured that their claims would be investigated by an impartial tribunal. the bare idea, to me, is as shocking as it must be to most people. and i can only hope and believe that the action the men took is mainly attributable to the simple fact that they did not understand the real gravity of the position; that they did not appreciate the desperate character of our need, and that they utterly failed to realise that to cease work at such a time was as truly desertion in the face of the enemy as if they had been soldiers on duty in the trenches. i confess i would rather think this than put the cause down to laziness, or lack of patriotism, or drink. but if this, indeed, be the real cause--a lack of knowledge of the essential facts of the situation--whom have we to thank? those, surely, who have cozened a great people with fair words; those, surely, who have spoken as though our enemy were in desperate straits, that all goes well, and that the war will soon be over. with regard to the alien peril, it is a source of great gratification to me that his majesty's government have adopted my suggestion of closing the routes to holland to all who cannot furnish to the foreign office guarantees of their _bona fides_. in my book, "german spies in england," i suggested this course, and in addition, that the intending traveller should apply personally for a permit, that he should furnish a photograph of himself, his passport, his certificate of registration, if an alien, and two references from responsible british individuals stating the reason for the journey and the nature of the business to be transacted. within a fortnight of the publication of my suggestion the government adopted it, and have established a special department at the home office for the purpose of interviewing all intending to leave england for holland. the regulations are now most stringent. and, surely, not before they were required. thus one step has been taken to reduce the enemy alien peril. but more remains to be done. if we wish to end it, once and for all, we should follow the example of our allies, the russians, who were well aware of the network of spies spread over their land. in russia every german, whether naturalised or not, has been interned, every german woman and child has been sent out of the country, and all property belonging to german companies, or individuals, has been confiscated for ever by the government. one result of this confiscation is that factories in first-class condition can now be purchased from the russian government for what the bricks are worth. in addition, there is a fine upon all persons heard speaking german in public. in the opinion of russians, germany was, as in england, a kind of octopus, and now they have the opportunity they have thrown it off for ever. why should we still pursue the policy of the kid-glove and allow the peril to daily increase when the government could, by a stroke of the pen, end it for ever, as russia has done? now there is one remedy, and only one, for the national apathy. the truth must be told, and with all earnestness i beg of my readers, each as opportunity offers, to do all in his power to stimulate public opinion in the right direction until the demand for the truth becomes so universal, and so insistent, that no government in this country can afford to ignore it. many members of parliament have appealed in vain; the great newspapers have fought unweariedly for the cause of honesty and common sense. the real remedy lies in the hands of the people. democracy may not bring us unmixed blessings, but it does, at least, mean that, in the long run, the will of the people must rule. if the people insist on the truth, the truth must be told, and in so insisting the people of england, i firmly believe, will be doing a great work for themselves, for our empire, and for the cause of civilisation. they will be working for the one thing necessary above all others to hearten the strong, to strengthen the weak, to resolve the hesitation of the doubters, to nerve britons as a whole for a stupendous effort which shall bring nearer, by many months, the final obliteration of the greatest menace which has ever confronted civilisation--the infamous doctrine that might is right, that faith and honour are but scraps of paper, that necessity knows no law but the law of self-interest, that the plighted word of a great nation can be heedlessly broken, and that the moral reprobation of humanity counts for nothing against material success. the end _printed by hazell, watson & viney, ld., london and aylesbury._ german spies in england an exposure: by william le queux ( th thousand) /- net what great men think the lord mayor of london says:-- "your new book deserves the serious attention of the authorities, as it vividly depicts a very grave national peril." the earl of halsbury says:-- "the public has not yet appreciated the extent to which germany has expended money and pains in spying. your book will help to make it known." the earl of portsmouth says:-- "your book is most instructive. the national democratic movement aroused by the war should be employed to expiate all hostile aliens, from the highest to the lowest." viscount galway says:-- "your book is most interesting. i sincerely hope it will cause more attention to be paid to the danger to england from german spies." the earl of crawford says:-- "i am glad attention is being so prominently drawn to this most important subject." lord leith of fyvie says:-- "your book is most serviceable. the emperor william's speech shows how treacherously brutal is his madness for world power, and it opens the eyes of all americans who are inclined to admire the emperor. it shows his intention to run the elections and to boss the united states. i hope you will be able to demonstrate who are the degenerates who are betraying their country by active sympathy and assistance to the enemy." what the press thinks _the daily mail_ says:-- "it is a book which should be carefully studied from cover to cover. the present arrangement for dealing with spies mr. le queux pronounces altogether unsatisfactory." _the daily telegraph_ says:-- "the discovery of the german spy system has, we believe, been made in time, and mr. le queux must take his share in the credit of the discovery. his self-sacrificing energy is vindicated to the world. the stories which he tells will come as an alarming revelation to the public." _the globe_ says:-- "the audacity of some german agents in england, as revealed by mr. le queux, is only equalled by their enterprise. mr. le queux emphasises the point that it is those rich germans of the schulenberg type, for whom some one in our government or administration seems to have so unwholesome a tenderness, who are the most dangerous. there are many astonishing statements in this most amazing book." _the pall mall gazette_ says:-- "mr. le queux has devoted special attention to german spies, and his book will be read with much interest." _the evening standard_ says:-- "mr. le queux has here written on spies and spying, as sensational a book as any of his romances. indeed, it may be questioned whether mr. le queux would have gone the length of introducing into a fictional plot so extraordinary a chapter as that in which he reports one of the kaiser's speeches." _the scotsman_ says:-- "mr. le queux gives a résumé of espionage methods. he goes over the recent spy convictions, and describes a considerable number of other cases, unpunished, which have come under his own observation. he has certainly laboured hard to impress the danger of the german system of spying on the mind of the british public, and gives several instances of the ease with which communication with germany can still be carried out." a clear account of how the present burdens of taxation, high prices, and low wages can be changed to individual and national prosperity. the cure for poverty by john calvin brown _in crown vo. cloth gilt. s. net_ mr. h. page croft, m.p., writes: "i hope this valuable book will be widely read, for it deals with the two greatest difficulties with which the british people are faced--that of raising revenue for national defence and social reform and that of industrial unrest--and points to the only possible road to solution." sir charles allen, v.d., j.p., writes: "i am convinced the book will prove to be one of the most useful and best compiled editions on fiscal subjects ever circulated in this country. it deals with the subject in the most refreshing manner; there is hardly a page that is not deeply interesting." london stanley paul & co essex street, strand, w.c. war up to date a vade-mecum of modern methods of warfare, together with a naval .. and military dictionary.. by charles e. pearce f'cap. vo ( - / × - / ), with illustrations, including reproductions of naval and military badges. _canvas, round corners, /- net; cloth, / net; leather, /- net_ an attempt to bring together in a handy and readable form the various developments of warfare, for service to the man-in-the-street who may be desirous of gaining information on essential points. every care has been taken to consult reliable authorities, and the book, it is hoped, will satisfy a want which no other popular book of reference on the subject has hitherto supplied in a concrete form. london stanley paul & co essex street, strand, w.c. daily mail says:--"_mr. will dyson has the most virile style of any british cartoonist.... wonderful ... striking war cartoons._" kultur cartoons by will dyson foreword by h.g. wells. original war cartoons, each mounted on a dark background (suitable for framing). imperial to, cover design, s. net. a limited edition of copies, numbered and signed by the artist, s. net each. _the observer._--"mr. will dyson will have to be reckoned with as one of the leading illustrators of the present day ... his poignant humour strikes a deeper and more thrilling note than that of any other graphic humorist of to-day." london stanley paul & co essex street, strand, w.c. new six shilling novels the sails of life cecil adair a gentlewoman of france rené boylesve the prussian terror alexandre dumas greater than the greatest hamilton drummond the heiress of swallowcliffe e. everett-green herndale's heir e. everett-green the persistent lovers a. hamilton gibbs passion and faith dorothea gerard three gentlemen from new caledonia r.d. hemingway and henry de halsalle the house of many mirrors violet hunt the creeping tides kate jordan the old order changeth archibald marshall on desert altars norma lorimer the black lake sir william magnay, bart. miss billy's decision eleanor h. porter miss billy married eleanor h. porter the ink-slinger "rita" the school for lovers e.b. de rendon fantômas pierre souvestre and marcel allain tainted gold h. noel williams london: stanley paul & co., essex st., strand, w.c. stanley paul's '_clear type_' sixpenny novels new titles. edelweiss "rita" only an actress "rita" the apple of eden e. temple thurston gay lawless helen mathers the dream--and the woman tom gallon love besieged charles e. pearce a benedick in arcady halliwell sutcliffe justice of the king hamilton drummond the man in possession "rita" a will in a well e. everett-green edward and i and mrs. honeybun kate horn priscilla of the good intent halliwell sutcliffe fatal thirteen william le queux a struggle for a ring charlotte brame a shadowed life charlotte brame the mystery of coldo fell charlotte brame a woman's error charlotte brame claribel's love story charlotte brame at the eleventh hour charlotte brame love's mask effie adelaide rowlands the wooing of rose effie adelaide rowlands white abbey effie adelaide rowlands heart of his heart madame albanesi the wonder of love madame albanesi co-heiresses e. everett-green the evolution of katherine e. temple thurston the love of his life effie adelaide rowlands a charity girl effie adelaide rowlands the house of sunshine effie adelaide rowlands dare and do effie adelaide rowlands beneath a spell effie adelaide rowlands the man she married effie adelaide rowlands the mistress of the farm effie adelaide rowlands little lady charles effie adelaide rowlands a splendid destiny effie adelaide rowlands cornelius mrs. henry de la pasture traffic e. temple thurston st. elmo augusta evans wilson indiscretions cosmo hamilton the trickster g.b. burgin the city of the golden gate e. everett-green shoes of gold hamilton drummond adventures of a pretty woman florence warden troubled waters headon hill the human boy again eden phillpotts stolen honey ada & dudley james the princess mathilde bonaparte by philip w. sergeant, author of "the last empress of the french," etc. _demy vo, cloth gilt, fully illustrated, /- net._ princess mathilde bonaparte, the niece of the great emperor, died only ten years ago. she was the first serious passion of her cousin, the emperor napoleon iii, and she might have been, if she had wished, empress of the french. instead, she preferred to rule for half a century over a salon in paris, where, although not without fault, she was known as "the good princess." from jungle to zoo by ellen velvin, f.z.s., author of "behind the scenes with wild animals," etc. _large crown vo, cloth gilt, with many remarkable photographs, /- net_. a fascinating record of the many adventures to which wild animals and their keepers are subject from the time the animals are captured until their final lodgment in zoo or menagerie. the author has studied wild animals for sixteen years, and writes from personal knowledge. the book is full of exciting stories and good descriptions of the methods of capture, transportation and caging of savage animals, together with accounts of their tricks, training, and escapes from captivity. the admirable painter: a study of leonardo da vinci by a.j. anderson, author of "the romance of fra filippo lippi," "his magnificence," etc. _demy vo, cloth gilt, fully illustrated, / net._ in this book we find leonardo da vinci to have been no absorbed, religious painter, but a man closely allied to every movement of the brilliant age in which he lived. leonardo jotted down his thoughts in his notebooks and elaborated them with his brush, in the modelling of clay, or in the planning of canals, earthworks and flying-machines. these notebooks form the groundwork of mr. anderson's fascinating study, which gives us a better understanding of leonardo, the man, as well as the painter, than was possible before. women of the revolutionary era by lieut.-col. andrew c.p. haggard, d.s.o., author of "remarkable women of france, - ," etc. _demy vo, cloth gilt, fully illustrated, /- net._ lieut.-col. haggard has many times proved that history can be made as fascinating as fiction. here he deals with the women whose more or less erratic careers influenced, by their love of display, the outbreak which culminated in the reign of terror. most of them lived till after the beginning of the revolution, and some, like marie antoinette, théroigne de méricourt and madame roland, were sucked down in the maelstrom which their own actions had intensified. the memoirs of the duke de st. simon newly translated and edited by francis arkwright. _in six volumes, demy vo, handsomely bound in cloth gilt, with illustrations in photogravure, / net each volume._ (_volumes i. and ii. are now ready._) no historian has ever succeeded in placing scenes and persons so vividly before the eyes of his readers as did the duke de st. simon. he was a born observer; his curiosity was insatiable; he had a keen insight into character; he knew everybody, and has a hundred anecdotes to relate of the men and women he describes. he had a singular knack of acquiring the confidential friendship of men in high office, from whom he learnt details of important state affairs. for a brief while he served as a soldier. afterwards his life was passed at the court of louis xiv, where he won the affectionate intimacy of the duke of orleans and the duke of burgundy. st. simon's famous memoirs have recently been much neglected in england, owing to the mass of unnecessary detail overshadowing the marvellously fascinating chronicle beneath. in this edition, however, they have been carefully edited and should have an extraordinarily wide reception. by the waters of germany by norma lorimer, author of "a wife out of egypt," etc. with a preface by douglas sladen. _demy vo, cloth gilt, with a coloured frontispiece and other illustrations by_ margaret thomas _and_ erna michel, _ / net_. this fascinating travel-book describes the land of the rhine and the black forest, at the present time so much the centre of public interest. the natural and architectural beauties of germany are too supreme for even the sternest german-hater to deny; and this book describes them and the land around them well. but apart from the love-story which miss lorimer has weaved into the book, a particularly great interest attaches to her description of the home life of the men who, since she saw them, have deserved and received the condemnation of the whole civilized world. by the waters of sicily by norma lorimer, author of "by the waters of germany," etc. _new and cheaper edition, reset from new type, large crown vo, cloth gilt, with a coloured frontispiece and other illustrations, /-._ this book, the predecessor of "by the waters of germany," was called at the time of its original publication "one of the most original books of travel ever published." it had at once a big success, but for some time it has been quite out of print. full of the vivid colour of sicilian life, it is a delightfully picturesque volume, half travel-book, half story; and there is a sparkle in it, for the author writes as if glad to be alive in her gorgeously beautiful surroundings. the new france, being a history from the accession of louis philippe in to the revolution of , with appendices by alexandre dumas. translated into english, with an introduction and notes by r.s. garnett. _in two volumes, demy vo, cloth gilt, profusely illustrated with a rare portrait of dumas and other pictures after famous artists. /- net._ the map of europe is about to be altered. before long we shall be engaged in the marking out. this we can hardly follow with success unless we possess an intelligent knowledge of the history of our allies. it is a curious fact that the present generation is always ignorant of the history of that which preceded it. everyone or nearly everyone has read a history--carlyle's or some other--of the french revolution of to ; very few seem versed in what followed and culminated in the revolution of , which was the continuation of the first. both revolutions resulted from an idea--the idea of _the people_. in the people destroyed servitude, ignorance, privilege, monarchical despotism; in they thrust aside representation by the few and a monarchy which served its own interests to the prejudice of the country. it is impossible to understand the french republic of to-day unless the struggle in be studied: for every profound revolution is an evolution. a man of genius, the author of the most essentially french book, both in its subject and treatment, that exists (its name is _the three musketeers_) took part in this second revolution, and having taken part in it, he wrote its history. only instead of calling his book what it was--a history of france for eighteen years--that is to say from the accession of louis philippe in to his abdication in --he called it _the last king of the french_. an unfortunate title, truly, for while the book was yet a new one the "last king" was succeeded by a man who, having been elected president, made himself emperor. it will easily be understood that a book with such a title by a republican was not likely to be approved by the severe censorship of the second empire. and, in fact, no new edition of the book has appeared for sixty years, although its republican author was alexandre dumas. during the present war the germans have twice marched over his grave at villers cotterets, near soissons, where he sleeps with his brave father general alexandre dumas. the first march was en route for paris; the second was before the pursuit of our own and the french armies, and while these events were taking place the first translation of his long neglected book was being printed in london. _habent sua fata libelli._ written when the fame of its brilliant author was at its height, this book will be found eminently characteristic of him. although a history composed with scrupulous fidelity to facts, it is as amusing as a romance. wittily written, and abounding in life and colour, the long narrative takes the reader into the battle-field, the court and the hôtel de ville with equal success. dumas, who in his early days occupied a desk in the prince's bureaux, but who resigned it when the duc d'orleans became king of the french, relates much which it is curious to read at the present time. to his text, as originally published, are added as appendices some papers from his pen relating to the history of the time, which are unknown in england. croquet by the rt. hon. lord tollemache. _demy vo, cloth gilt, with photographs and a large coloured plan of the court, / net._ this work, intended both for the novice and for the skilled player, explains in clear language the various methods, styles and shots found after careful thought and practical experiences to have the best results. it is thoroughly up-to-date, and includes, besides good advice on the subject of "breaks," a treatise on the either ball game, explaining how to play it. the jolly duchess: harriot, duchess of st. albans. fifty years' record of stage and society ( - ) by charles e. pearce, author of "polly peachum," etc. _demy vo, cloth gilt, fully illustrated, /- net._ mr. charles e. pearce tells in a lively, anecdotal style the story of harriot mellon, who played merry, hoydenish parts before the foot-lights a hundred years ago, until her fortunes were suddenly changed by her amazing marriage to thomas coutts, the banker prince, who died a few years later, leaving her a gigantic fortune. she then married the duke of st. albans. sir herbert tree and the modern theatre: a discursive biography by sidney dark, author of "the man who would not be king," etc. _demy vo, cloth gilt, fully illustrated, / net._ mr. sidney dark, the well-known literary and dramatic critic, has written a fascinating character-study of sir herbert tree both as actor and as man, and he has used the striking personality of his subject as a text for a comprehensive survey and criticism of the modern english stage and its present tendencies. mr. dark's opinions have always been distinctive and individual, and his new book is outspoken, witty, and brilliantly expressed. the master problem by james marchant, f.r.s. ed., author of "dr. paton," and editor of "prevention," etc. with an introduction by the rev. f.b. meyer, d.d. _crown vo, cloth gilt, /- net._ this book deals with the social evil, its causes and its remedies. necessarily, the writer is compelled to present many aspects of the case, and to describe persons and scenes which he has encountered, as director of the national council of public morals, in america, india, europe, the colonies, etc.; the overruling object of the book, however, is the more difficult and more useful task of discovering the root causes of this vice and of suggesting lasting remedies. the friend of frederick the great: the last earl marischall of scotland by edith e. cuthell, f.r.hist.s., author of "a vagabond courtier," etc. _demy vo, cloth gilt, fully illustrated, vols., /- net._ george keith, a gallant young colonel of life guards under marlborough and ormonde, fought at sheriffmuir, led the ill-fated jacobite expedition from spain, and was a prominent figure in all the jacobite plottings before and after the ' . he was the ambassador and friend of frederick the great and the friend and correspondent of voltaire, hume, rousseau and d'alembert. this excellent biography is to be followed later by a work on james keith, frederick the great's field-marshal, who was killed in attempting to retrieve the reverse of hochkeich. gaiety and george grossmith: random reflections on the serious business of enjoyment by stanley naylor. _crown vo, cloth gilt, with a coloured frontispiece, and other illustrations, /- net._ here is mr. george grossmith in his moments of leisure, laughing, joking, relating anecdotes (personal and otherwise), criticising people and places, and generally expressing a philosophy which has serious truth behind it, but nevertheless bubbles over here and there with humour. through his "boswell," mr. stanley naylor, he talks of "love making on the stage and off," "the difference between a blood and a nut," "the ladies of the gaiety," and other similar subjects. mr. grossmith in this book is as good as "gee-gee" at the gaiety. what more need be said? the history of gravesend: from prehistoric times to the beginning of the twentieth century by alex. j. philip. edition limited to sets, signed by the author. _in four vols., - / × - / , bound in sealskin, fully illustrated, / net each volume._ the first volume of this important work is now ready. on historical grounds it is of value not only to those interested in gravesend and its surroundings, but to the wider circle interested in the britons, romans, and anglo-saxons, and their life in this country. it also deals with the early history of the river thames. august strindberg: the spirit of revolt by l. lind-af-hageby. _crown vo, cloth gilt, with many illustrations, /- net._ this book tells strindberg's biography, criticises and explains his many writings, and describes truly yet sympathetically the struggles and difficulties of his life and the representativeness and greatness in him and his work. miss hageby has written a fascinating book on a character of great interest. napoleon in exile at elba ( - ) by norwood young, author of "the growth of napoleon," etc.; with a chapter on the iconography by a.m. broadley. _demy vo, cloth gilt, with coloured frontispiece and illustrations_ (from the collection of a.m. broadley), _ /- net_. this work gives a most interesting account of napoleon's residence in the isle of elba after his abdication at fontainebleau on april th, . both mr. young and mr. a.m. broadley are authorities on napoleonic history, and mr. broadley's unrivalled collection of mss. and illustrations has been drawn upon for much valuable information. napoleon in exile at st. helena ( - ) by norwood young, author of "napoleon in exile at elba," "the story of rome," etc. _in two volumes, demy vo, cloth gilt, with two coloured frontispieces and one hundred illustrations_ (from the collection of a.m. broadley), _ /- net_. a history of napoleon's exile on the island of st. helena after his defeat at waterloo, june th, . the author is a very thorough scholar and has spent four years' work on these two books on napoleon in exile. he has studied his subject on the spot as well as in france and england, and gives a very informative study of the least-known period of napoleon's life. training for the track, field & road by harry andrews, official trainer to the a.a.a., etc. _crown vo, cloth, with illustrations, /- net._ the athlete, "coming and come," has in this volume a training manual from the brain and pen of our foremost athlete trainer to-day. every runner knows the name of harry andrews and his long list of successes--headed by that wonderful exponent, alfred shrubb. it is, however, for the self-training man that the author explains the needed preparation and methods for every running distance. this most authoritative and up-to-date book should therefore prove of immeasurable assistance to every athlete, amateur or professional, throughout the empire. paul's simplicode _crown vo, cloth, /- net._ a simple and thoroughly practical and efficient code for the use of travellers, tourists, business men, departmental stores, shopping by post, colonial emigrants, lawyers, and the general public. everyone should use this, the cheapest code book published in english. a sentence in a word. the marie tempest birthday book giving an extract for each day of the year from the various parts played by miss marie tempest. _demy mo, cloth gilt, with an introductory appreciation and portraits in photogravure, / net._ miss marie tempest is undoubtedly one of the most popular actresses of the english stage. she has created for herself a distinctive character, into which is weaved much of her own personality, and the charm of that personality is illustrated by these happy quotations from the parts she has played. the illustrations, show her at various periods in her theatrical career, while the introductory appreciation by mr. sidney dark is especially illuminating. a garland of verse for young people edited by alfred h. miles. _handsome cloth gilt, / net._ a collection of verse for children. the pieces, selected from a wide field, are graded to suit age and classified to facilitate reference, and many new pieces are included to help nature-study and interest children in collateral studies. never before has an attempt been made to cover in one volume such a wide range of pieces at so small a price. this is my birthday by anita bartle. with an introduction by israel zangwill. _handsomely bound, gilt and gilt top, pages, / net. also in various leather bindings._ this is a unique volume, being a birthday-book of the great, living and dead, whether poets, artists, philosophers, statesmen, warriors, or novelists. a page of beautiful and characteristic quotations is appropriated to each name, and the page opposite is left blank for the filling in of new names. everyone likes to know the famous people who were born on their natal day, and few will refuse to add their signatures to such a birthday book as this. mr. zangwill has written a charming introduction to the book, and there is a complete index. stories of the kaiser and his ancestors by clare jerrold, author of "the early court of queen victoria," and "the married life of queen victoria," etc. _crown vo, cloth gilt, with portraits, / net; paper, /- net._ in this book mrs. clare jerrold presents in anecdotal fashion incidents both tragic and comic in the career of the kaiser wilhelm and his ancestors. the frank and fearless fashion in which mrs. jerrold has dealt with events in her earlier books will pique curiosity as to this new work, in which she shows the kaiser as an extraordinary example of heredity--most of his wildest vagaries being foreshadowed in the lives and doings of his forebears. a new series of reciters pages large to, double-columns, clear type on good paper, handsome cover design in three colours, d. net. also in cloth, /- net. the first favourite reciter edited by alfred h. miles. valuable copyright and other pieces by robert louis stevenson, sir edwin arnold, austin dobson, sir w.s. gilbert, edmund gosse, lord lytton, coulson kernahan, campbell rae-brown, tom gallon, artemus ward, and other poets, wits, and humorists. mr. miles' successes in the reciter world are without parallel. since he took the field in with his a series, he has been continually scoring, reaching the boundary of civilisation with every hit. for nearly years he has played a famous game, and his score to date is a million odd, not out! the secret is, he captains such wonderful elevens, and places them with so much advantage in the field. who could not win with such teams as those named above? _uniform with the above in style and price_: the up-to-date reciter edited by alfred h. miles. valuable copyright and other pieces by great authors, including hall caine, sir a. conan doyle, robert buchanan, william morris, christina rossetti, lord tennyson, robert browning, mark twain, bret harte, max adeler, and other poets and humorists. "an ideal gift for your girls and youths for christmas. it is just as admirable a production for grown-ups, and many a pleasant hour in the cold evenings can be spent by the fire with 'the up-to-date reciter.'"--_star._ "a very handy collection of recitations has been gathered here by mr. alfred h. miles. the editor has aimed at including poems and prose pieces which are not usually to be found in volumes of recitations, as well as a few of the old favourites.... the grave and gay occasions are equally well provided for. a sign of the times is here, too, shown by the inclusion of such pieces as 'woman and work' and 'woman,' both from the chivalrous pen of the editor."--_the bookman._ "a marvellous production for sixpence, excellent in every respect."--_colonial bookseller._ the everyday series edited by gertrude paul. books on household subjects, giving a recipe or hint for every day in the year, including february th. _in crown vo, strongly bound, /- net each._ the everyday soup book by g.p. recipes for soups, purées, and broths of every kind for a quiet dinner at home or an aldermanic banquet. the everyday pudding book by f.k. one of the most valuable cookery books in existence. it gives ways of making puddings. the everyday vegetable book by f.k. this includes sauces as well as vegetables and potatoes. it gives an unexampled list of new and little-known recipes. the everyday economical cookery book by a.t.k. "very practical."--_westminster gazette._ "really economical and good."--_world._ the everyday savoury book by marie worth. "a practical book of good recipes."--_spectator._ camp cookery: a book for boy scouts by lincoln green. _crown vo, strongly bound, d. net._ this is the officially approved book for the boy scouts' association, and contains a clear account of the methods, materials, dishes, and utensils appropriate to camp life. it also describes the construction of an inexpensive cooking apparatus. the laughter lover's vade-mecum good stories, epigrams, witty sayings, jokes, and rhymes. _in f'cap vo ( - / × - / ), cloth bound, round corners, / net; leather, /- net_ (uniform with diner's out vade-mecum). whoever wishes to secure a repertoire of amusing stories and smart sayings to be retailed for the delight of his family and friends, cannot possibly do better than get "the laughter lover's vade-mecum"; and those who seek bright relief from worries little and big should take advantage of the same advice. the diner's-out vade-mecum a pocket "what's what" on the manners and customs of society functions, etc., etc. by alfred h. miles. _in fcap. vo ( - / × - / ), cloth bound, round corners, / net.; leather, /- net._ this handy book is intended to help the diffident and inexperienced to the reasonable enjoyment of the social pleasures of society by an elementary introduction to the rules which govern its functions, public and private, at dinners, breakfasts, luncheons, teas, at homes, receptions, balls and suppers, with hints on etiquette, deportment, dress, conduct, after-dinner speaking, entertainment, story-telling, toasts and sentiments, etc., etc. _a new edition reset from new type._ cole's fun doctor first series. one of the two funniest books in the world. by e.w. cole; _ pp., cr. vo, cloth, / _. the mission of mirth is well understood, "laugh and grow fat" is a common proverb, and the healthiness of humour goes without saying. this book, therefore, should find a place in every home library. it is full of fun from beginning to end. fun about babies; fun about bad boys; fun about love, kissing, courting, proposing, flirting, marrying; fun about clergymen, doctors, teachers; fun about lawyers, judges, magistrates, jurymen, witnesses, thieves, vagabonds, etc., etc. it is doubtful if any man living could read any page without bursting into a hearty laugh. cole's fun doctor second series. the other of the two funniest books in the world. by e.w. cole; _ pp., crown vo, cloth, / _. dr. blues had an extensive practice until the fun doctor set up in opposition, but now fun doctors are in requisition everywhere. "the second series of _cole's fun doctor_ is as good as the first. it sparkles thoroughout, with laughs on every page, and will put the glomiest curmudgeon into cheery spirits ... it is full of fun."--_evening standard._ ballads of brave women. records of the heroic in thought, action and endurance. by alfred h. miles and other writers. _large crown vo, red limp, /- net; cloth, gilt, / net; paste grain, gilt (boxed), /- net; persian yapp, gilt top (boxed), /- net._ "ballads of brave women" is a collection of poems suitable for recitation at women's meetings and at gatherings and entertainments of a more general character. its aim is to celebrate the bravery of women as shown in the pages of history, on the field of war, in the battle of life, in the cause of freedom, in the service of humanity, and in the face of death. the subjects dealt with embrace loyalty, patriotism, in war, in domestic life, for love, self-sacrifice, for liberty, labour, in danger, for honour, the care of the sick, in face of death, etc., by a selection of the world's greatest writers, and edited by alfred h. miles. "the attention which everything appertaining to the woman's movement is just now receiving has induced mr. alfred h. miles to collect and edit these 'ballads of brave women.' he has made an excellent choice, and produced a useful record of tributes to woman's heroism in thought, action and endurance."--_pall mall gazette._ my own reciter alfred h. miles. original poems, ballads and stories in verse, lyrical and dramatic, for reading and recitation. _crown vo, /- net._ drawing-room entertainments a book of new and original monologues, duologues, dialogues, and playlets for home and platform use. by catherine evelyn, clare shirley, robert overton, and other writers. edited by alfred h. miles. _in crown vo, red limp, /- net; cloth gilt, / net; paste grain, gilt (boxed), /- net; persian yapp, gilt (boxed), /- net._ _extract from editor's preface_, "the want of a collection of short pieces for home use, which, while worthy of professional representation shall not be too exacting for amateur rendering, and shall be well within the limits of drawing-room resources, has often been pressed upon the editor, and the difficulty of securing such pieces has alone delayed his issue of a collection. "performances may be given in drawing-rooms, school rooms, and lecture halls, privately or for charitable purposes unconditionally, except that the authorship and source _must_ be acknowledged on any printed programmes that may be issued, but permission must be previously secured from the editor, who, in the interests of his contributors reserves all dramatic rights for their performance in theatres and music halls or by professionals for professional purposes." * * * * * * transcriber's note: two occurences of unpaired duouble quotation marks could not be corrected with confidence. a case of sunburn by charles l. fontenay _in the past year the martian rebels had been pushed back to the wall. all that was left to them was plan blue. and_ what _was plan blue_...? [transcriber's note: this etext was produced from worlds of if science fiction, april . extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the u.s. copyright on this publication was renewed.] jonner's hand dropped to his pistol and he edged cautiously behind a big rock as another groundcar appeared among the dunes to the south and approached the little group of men. he was sure sir stanrich had told him there were to be four others in his little task force: and there were four with him now. but the new groundcar did not approach like a hostile patrol car. there was an air of confidence about the way its driver swung it up to the others. jonner held his hand, thinking furiously, as the airtight door swung open and the newcomer leaped lightly to the ground. the sun was settling over the iron-red wastes of the isidis desert. the groundcars clustered like giant beetles at the top of the cliff that dropped straight down to the shadowed lowland of syrtis major. the six men in marsuits, huddled at rendezvous, kept their helmet radios low, for mars city was less than fifty miles east of them. with the twilight, the blue mist of mars was beginning to settle toward the ground. jonner debated with himself. could he have misunderstood sir stanrich? or could the plans have been changed after he left the isidis spaceport? no. then who was the sixth man? and which man was he? "regina fell right after i left," said the burly, gray-haired man. that would be tyruss, the former space captain, who had come here from regina. "our troops were falling back along the hadriacum lowland. i suppose they plan to make a stand before charax." "no, charax is to be evacuated tonight," said jonner, and savored the shock of that announcement on his hearers. he studied the credentials each man had handed him on arrival. there was tyruss, from regina. there was farlan, an astrogator from the rebel defenses in the strymon canals, and there was aron, who had just arrived, a space engineer from the hadriacum front. there were stein, an astrogator, and wessfeld, an engineer, who had come together in one groundcar from charax. the credentials were all alike, except the names. but one of them was--must be--a marscorp spy. * * * * * jonner could not check with sir stanrich by radio--mars city was too close, and they would be overheard. he had no time to spend investigating his personnel--sir stanrich had impressed on him that their mission must be carried out on schedule. he decided he would not tell them just yet that one of them could not be trusted. he might be able to trip the spy. but he said: "one or more of us may be killed or captured, so i'm going to brief everyone. no matter how many of us are lost, those who are left must carry out the mission. what were you told about this?" "i was told to meet you here and follow your instructions. i was told it's a dangerous and important assignment. that's all," said tyruss. the others murmured agreement. "the instructions i give you won't be mine, but those of sir stanrich o'kellin, supreme commander of the rebel forces," said jonner. he squatted on the sand and the others crowded around in the blue twilight as he sketched diagrams with his gloved hand while he talked: "as some of you may have learned, the charax rebellion is in danger of collapsing, because our supplies have been running out since marscorp intercepted and destroyed our last space fleet from earth. plan red, which was our master plan for defeating marscorp in the field by capturing the dome-cities one by one, has failed. regina and charax are being evacuated because we couldn't hold them much longer anyway, and all our people are being transported around the marscorp territory to the secret underground spaceport we established in the isidis desert two years ago. "this is a temporary measure, to prepare for plan blue, our last-gasp emergency plan. marscorp will no doubt find the location of the underground base by observation of the refugees, but we hope to have plan blue in operation before they can shift their forces from hadriacum to the desert and break through our defenses." "i've heard rumors of this plan blue," said farlan, a slight man with blond hair. "what is it?" "i don't know," conceded jonner candidly. "i don't think anyone does but sir stanrich and a few of our top strategists. but our part of it is this: "you may not know it, but we lost our last g-boat when we pulled that unsuccessful attack on phobos early this year. we do have an old spaceship, riding in a polar orbit, that marscorp doesn't know about, but no way to get up to it. our job is to capture a marscorp g-boat, get to that spaceship, capture the egg and tow it into an earthward orbit." "the egg?" repeated stein, a dark, chubby fellow. "you mean that ovoid space station of marscorp's with the antennae sticking out all over it? i've seen that thing floating up there. i always wondered why we didn't blast it." "not important enough," said jonner. "it's an experimental laboratory that amplifies the magnetic field of mars, and they've been experimenting with it as an auxiliary power station. but neither side is bothered by any lack of power from the atomic energy sources on mars." tyruss appeared annoyed at this. "tell me something, jonner," he demanded. "if it wasn't important enough to blast when we had the ships to do it, why is it important enough for us to capture now?" "i don't know," said jonner. "those are our orders. now, we leave the groundcars here and go on foot to marsport. check equipment, everyone." "say," commented farlan after a moment, "i don't seem to have any sunburn lotion." "you can have mine," said aron, laughing. "this far from the sun, i haven't been sunburned yet, and don't expect to be." "haven't been on mars a year yet, have you?" suggested tyruss. "no," admitted aron. "i came from earth with the last space fleet and escaped in a lifeboat. why?" "there's an earth-sun conjunction coming up. every time the earth swings between mars and the sun, everybody on mars gets a bad sunburn. when it comes, you better cover yourself with lotion, because clothes don't protect you and even if you're in a city, the domes and house roofs are transparent to pick up the sun's heat." "we have enough among us," said jonner. "besides, if our mission goes off on schedule, we'll be back at base by the time the earth-sun conjunction starts. let's head for marsport." * * * * * the six men crouched in the concealing canal sage near the edge of marsport, the spaceport outside mars city. the blue mist was a heavy fog that swirled around them. in the lighted circle of the spaceport area three stubby, two-stage gravity-boats sat upright, about a hundred yards apart. these were the heavy duty rockets that plied back and forth to phobos, mars' inner moon and marscorp's natural space station, entering the planetary atmosphere of mars where spaceships could not go. workmen stirred busily around one of the g-boats; a guard stood at the entrance port of each of the other two. jonner tried to assess the evidence, to decide which of his five companions was the marscorp spy. how marscorp had found out about the expedition, how the credentials had been forged, how the rendezvous had been learned, did not matter now. marscorp could not know their plans beyond the rendezvous in the desert, because only he and sir stanrich had known the orders sir stanrich had given him for this mission. the fact that stein and wessfeld had arrived together from charax eliminated them as suspects, for the charax command would have known whether one or two men were to be sent from there. jonner did not believe tyruss was the spy. jonner had won his space papers just before the rebellion began, but it was logical that sir stanrich would send a more experienced space captain to handle their ship. that left farlan and aron, from different sections of the hadriacum front. which one? in their specialties, farlan was an alternate to stein as an astrogator, aron an alternate to wessfeld as an engineer. but every spaceman could handle every other spaceman's duties in an emergency, and it was hard to say which task they had decided to double up on. jonner expected the spy to make some move here, tonight, and he had prepared for it on the way from the desert. one earphone of his helmet receiver was tuned with his speaker to the rebel band they used, the other was tuned to the local frequency used by marscorp. jonner listened with one ear to the occasional reports and orders that were passed around the spaceport. jonner punched tyruss, next to him, twice on the shoulder. it was the signal. the six men rose and moved forward together. the sentry who loomed before them had no chance. a heat-gun beam is invisible. they cut him down and scurried to the edge of the spaceport, into the circle of light, running in long leaps toward the nearest g-boat. it was as they broke from the canal sage that the thing happened which jonner had expected. the words were shouted into the earphone attuned to the marscorp band: "attention, marscorp! att...." jonner pressed a button on his belt, and his other defense went into action. a scrambler beam cut in on the attempted warning, and everything on that channel dissolved into a buzzing roar. jonner cast a glance down the line of his companions, but they were too far separated for him to see whether any of them was talking into his helmet microphone. some of the workmen at the far g-boat saw them running across the field, and scattered in alarm, but the scrambling prevented them from warning others through helmet communicators. the guard at the g-boat that was their goal saw them when they were fifty feet away. he was cut down as he tried to duck around the g-boat. they ran up the ramp. jonner, first to reach the port, stopped and tried to watch his companions as they hurried past him. tyruss was fumbling at some control on the belt of his marsuit. his radio channel control? armed men were converging on the g-boat from all over the field as jonner slammed and fastened the port. they scrambled up to the nose of the g-boat, and he and tyruss sank into the pilots' seats. "strap down for blast-off!" shouted jonner, and wished viciously that the spy would still be tuned on the marscorp band and fail to hear him. but everyone strapped down, hurriedly. a score of marscorp soldiers were standing around the g-boat, firing up at its ports with heat-guns. the beams were futile, for g-boats were built to stand frictional temperatures it would take a heat-gun minutes to build to. halfway across the field, a squad of men wheeled an anti-tank gun into position. the gentle gravity of mars quadrupled as the g-boat strained upward on roaring jets, gathering speed. through the port, jonner saw the anti-tank gun's muzzle elevate and blossom flame. there was no impact; and there was no opportunity for another shot. the g-boat curved eastward in a long ascending arc. the first stage dropped off over the aerian desert, and in a few moments they were in free fall. * * * * * jonner unstrapped and floated to each man in turn, examining his control belt. farlan's channel dial was a fraction off the band they used. "farlan, your radio control's off center," said jonner quietly. "what?" said farlan's voice, blurred a little. he fumbled at the dial, and his words came in clearly. "must have hit it against something." or he could have missed a little when he returned the dial to channel after trying to warn marscorp. but tyruss had been fumbling with something on his belt as they ran onto the g-boat. no, it wouldn't do to make an accusation against the wrong man. an automatic calendar on the g-boat's control board showed the date: upright, the martian date, aster , ; reversed, the earth date, june , . jonner looked down through the port at the inhabited hemisphere of mars unfolding below them. those green lowlands, those red deserts, now were all in marscorp hands--even the cradle of the charax rebellion, the dome-city of charax, at the edge of the edge of the tiphys fretum lowland in the south polar area. there, six martian years ago, the rebellion had flared bravely against the mars corporation. marscorp had held a monopoly on space travel between earth and mars since the first martian colony was established at mars city in the earth year . for the supplies marscorp brought from earth, the price was kept high. marscorp also was the ogm--the official government of mars, or, as the colonists read the initials, "old greedy marscorp"--and marscorp made and enforced the laws. it had been a fairly even match at first. marscorp's initial monopoly of the supply lines had been overcome when many of the people on earth were roused to sympathy for the rebel cause. gradually, the rebels had invested much of the hadriacum lowland with its dome-farms and had captured regina, another of the planet's six dome-cities. that had been before the disastrous space battle of the year . now, in the past year, the rebels had been pushed back to the wall. all that was left to them was plan blue. and what was plan blue? jonner looked over his five companions. all helmets were off now, and jonner couldn't detect a guilty look in any face. he had never seen such pure unanimity of apparent innocence and loyalty. "now that we're aspace, we'll go on the customary shifts," he said: "eight hours duty, eight hours sleep, eight hours free time. we'll pair off: stein with farlan, wessfeld with aron, tyruss with me. "and these are special orders: no one is to let the man with whom he is paired out of his sight." he would not tell them more than that now; he hoped to trap the spy when they approached the egg. * * * * * the spaceship slid up orbit, overtaking the shining ovoid from which antennae sprouted like pins from a pin-cushion. the captured g-boat was lashed to the spaceship's side. "you'd think they'd have some defenses, anyhow," grumbled tyruss, watching the ovoid on the screen. "why?" countered jonner. "they knew we didn't have any g-boats left, and they didn't know we had any spaceships left, either. of course, they don't know this is our target, but i'll bet they have some ships from phobos on the way here now, anyhow." their timing was just right. thirty minutes later the egg would swing around the limb of mars, in line of sight with marsport. but so far there had been no chance for the egg to receive a radio warning of the stolen g-boat. the spaceship pulled abreast of the egg and jonner and tyruss went across to it in spacesuits. they passed through the airlock to find the egg's crew of three waiting with welcoming smiles. the smiles faded at the sight of their levelled heat-guns. "sorry you weren't expecting us," said jonner, opening the face-plate of his spacesuit with his left hand. "you'll have to get into spacesuits." they sent their captives through the airlock and across the intervening space to the spaceship, where the others would be awaiting them. then jonner and tyruss searched the egg for other marscorp personnel. they found none. "we'd better get a line on her and get under way before those ships from phobos can get here," said tyruss. "right," agreed jonner, and they got busy. a towline secured between the two vessels, jonner and tyruss returned to the spaceship. the three marscorp captives had been secured by chains to stanchions on the storage deck, just above the engine deck. stein and farlan, the engineers, were standing by. "we're getting under way," tyruss told them. stein and farlan descended to the engine deck, and tyruss and jonner climbed to the control deck. on the centerdeck, aron and wessfeld, the astrogators, were asleep. tyruss climbed into the control chair and switched the radio to the marscorp band. a voice blared from the communicator: "marscorp calling the egg. marscorp calling the egg. come in, egg. can you hear us, egg? rebels captured g-boat here. double alert. marscorp calling...." tyruss switched it off, laughing. "a little late," he commented. "yes," said jonner. "keep the receiver on that band, tyruss, because we won't be hearing from our side. but, until we finish our mission, i'm going to disconnect the sending equipment." jonner floated to the other side of the control deck and moved around behind the control board. he was busy disconnecting wires, a few minutes later, when he heard an exclamation from tyruss. he peeked around the edge of the control board. the three marscorp captives were floating up the companionway from below, heat-guns in their hands! "keep your hands off those controls, reb," warned one of them. "this ship's staying right here." "wasn't there another one in this gang, robbo?" asked another. tyruss twisted in his chair and reached for his heat-gun. one of the marscorp men rayed him through the throat. cautiously, jonner poked the muzzle of his heat-gun around the edge of the control board. methodically, he shot the three marscorp men, one by one. they died without discovering the source of the invisible heat-beam that cut them down. tyruss was dead. cursing, jonner went below, heat-gun in hand. on the centerdeck, wessfeld's body floated. wessfeld was dead, burned through the chest. aron was not there. he found all three of the others, locked in the airlock, without spacesuits. jonner watched aron suspiciously as they emerged. "what happened?" he demanded of aron. "i don't know," disclaimed aron. "they woke us up. they had heat-guns then. wessfeld tried to reach his, and they shot him. stein and farlan were already in the airlock when they brought me down." "stein, were you and farlan constantly in sight of each other, as ordered?" asked jonner, watching aron. did aron's eyes widen apprehensively? stein started. "why, no," he admitted. "farlan was on the engine deck, and i was down in the airlock checking the spacesuits before blast-off. that's routine, you know. they herded farlan down and caught me by surprise." "that's right," said farlan. "i was checking the engines when they came through the hatch from above with heat-guns." "damn!" exploded jonner. "i gave everyone strict orders--all right, it's too late now. it just cost us two men, and one of the four of us left is a marscorp spy. everyone get above and strap down for acceleration." the spy was aron or farlan, but he still didn't know which. aron could have feigned sleep, and slipped down to the storage deck to release and arm the marscorp men. or farlan could have climbed from the engine deck and done it while stein was in the airlock. whoever it was, he had chosen to be locked in with the others--probably in case the sortie failed. now they were two men short, and still he would have to pair off with aron and pair stein with farlan. they would have to go on twelve-hour duty shifts, with only four hours free time. and to what purpose? as tyruss had suggested several times, why couldn't they have just blasted the egg out of space, if the purpose was to get rid of it? why go to all the trouble of shifting it to an earthward orbit? the earth would be nowhere near the intersection point when the egg reached earth's orbit, if that made any difference. jonner had at last let the others know, as he should have before, that one of them was a spy. but he would not tell them, as he had told tyruss, that he had disconnected the radio transmitter. let the spy try to get in touch with marscorp now! * * * * * "jonner," said aron, "there are a couple of blips on the radar screen that shouldn't be there." jonner swung the control chair to look at the screen. there were two dots there, almost directly to the rear of the spaceship. jonner watched them. they held their position on the screen. "i don't know," he said. "pretty large for meteors, and there doesn't seem to be any lateral movement." their ship had just begun acceleration, following a hyperbola that would break them free of mars' gravity. it was a hyperbola that swung the ship against the direction of the planet's orbital travel, and, while speeding the ship away from the planet, slowed it in relation to the sun. jonner and aron were on duty on the control deck. stein and farlan slept on the centerdeck below. two -hour periods had passed since they captured the egg and maneuvered it into the right orbit for their departure from the martian area. the blips grew on the screen, and still they did not move laterally. "spaceships," jonner decided. "they're following our course, and overtaking us." "marscorp ships!" exclaimed aron. "but jonner, we never were in radar range of any marscorp ship or installation. how could they know our position and course?" without replying, jonner arose from the control chair and went around behind the control board. the wires to the radio transmitter, which he had disconnected so carefully, had been reconnected. "aron," said jonner, coming back to the control chair, "go down and chain farlan to his bunk. he's our marscorp spy." "he is?" aron's eyes widened. "how do you know?" "because you haven't been out of my sight since we took the egg in tow, and you haven't been near that control board while we were on duty. stein must have let farlan get away from him again." "why not stein?" "you forget. stein and wessfeld arrived together from charax, at the rendezvous. they had to be clean." aron unstrapped and arose. "shouldn't we boost acceleration and try to evade them?" he asked, gesturing at the radar screen. "we can't now," said jonner. "we're on an escape hyperbola and we've got to hold this acceleration until she runs out, or we'd throw it completely off." aron went below. jonner watched the screen anxiously. the marscorp ships must have set an interception course, for their acceleration was much too high to be following their own escape orbit. they were getting closer rapidly. jonner looked at the chronometer and at the tape still ticking through the ship's control mechanism. eleven minutes was a brief time, but it seemed long when enemy ships were overtaking them at twice their acceleration. towing the egg, this old ship could not match the marscorp attackers' acceleration. it could accelerate much faster than it was, but if he was to hit the earthward orbit he had been ordered to take he would have to hold his present acceleration until the eleven minutes was up. and the marscorp ships got closer by the minute. * * * * * aron climbed back to the control deck from below. "farlan's tied up, and he's madder than hell," aron reported. "stein said farlan _did_ go behind the control board on their last duty stretch, to 'adjust' the radio. what's the situation now?" "they've started decelerating to match our pace when they get abreast of us," said jonner, indicating the rocket flares that now appeared on the aft visual screen. the tape suddenly ran out, and the rockets' roar faded. they were in free fall again. "get into a spacesuit and cut that towline," commanded jonner. "we're going to make a run for it." "we're not going to stay and guard the egg?" asked aron, getting a suit off one of the hooks. "no outside guns. this hulk was a supply ship. as soon as you get back in and secure the outer airlock, holler and we'll start partial acceleration. when you've strapped down somewhere below, holler again and we'll blow the tubes." while aron went below to carry out his assignment, jonner swung the ship end-to with the gyroscopes. he prayed silently that the towline to the egg wouldn't foul. they'd have to head back toward mars, for further acceleration in this direction would throw them, helpless, in a path toward outer space. the radio loudspeaker boomed: "ogm ship phobos- to rebel spaceship. stand by for boarding or get blasted." the marscorp ships were within a few miles now, slowing to match the pace of the rebel ship. the outer airlock warning light flashed red, then green again. "ready!" said aron's voice on the ship's communicator. jonner flicked his radio transmitter to the marscorp beam. "go to hell!" he announced, and depressed the firing buttons. it was uncomfortable for aron, climbing out of the airlock, but jonner threw the ship into a full g acceleration. the marscorp ships loomed suddenly to each side, then faded behind them. a few futile flashes of gunfire blossomed from their noses. then rings of fire appeared behind them as they gave chase. "strapped down!" called aron, and jonner gave the rockets full blast. the ship leaped like a frantic old war-horse. jonner was pressed down heavily in his control chair. its beams and plates groaned as g was piled on g. the egg was gone from the rearward screens, released and floating free in an earthward orbit. the marscorp ships fell farther behind. then they stopped receding and began to grow on the screens again. newer and more powerful, they were overtaking the rebel ship. suddenly the ship's rockets ceased firing again, and they were in free fall. a moment later, aron popped up from below. "are we hit?" he asked. "no, they aren't back in range yet," answered jonner. "we're out of fuel. maybe it's just as well they came along, because i don't believe this clunk had enough fuel to overtake mars again, even if we hadn't blown it in that escape try." the marscorp attackers apparently interpreted the rebel ship's dead rocket tubes as a surrender. within half an hour they had drawn alongside, and armed men in spacesuits came through the airlock. farlan was freed of his chains, and jonner, stein and aron were herded onto the centerdeck of one of the marscorp ships and secured to stanchions. the marscorp captain floated before them, looking them over quizzically. "i don't know what you fellows were trying to prove, but you're lucky," he said. "if you hadn't cut your rockets when you did, we'd have blasted you out of space." jonner answered out of the knowledge that no ships which had accelerated as these two had in the past hour would have more than enough fuel left to get them back to phobos. the egg, trailing far behind mars now, would overtake the planet gradually as the pull of the sun sped it up, but it would pass mars well to sunward in its plunge toward the orbit of earth. any ship that tried to intercept it from mars now would fight increasing solar gravity and would run the risk of not getting back to mars. "well, we accomplished our mission, anyhow," jonner said resignedly, "for whatever it's worth." "a fool's mission," said the marscorp captain, and jonner was inclined to agree with him. "the egg was an experimental laboratory and an auxiliary power station, and we can build another cheaper than we could recover it. as for you fellows, you're better off than you realize." "how's that?" asked stein. "why, if you aren't tried as war criminals, you ought to be freed pretty quickly. according to the latest news reports from mars city, our armies are driving your people back into your underground base in the isidis desert. the war will be over as soon as we've cracked that." * * * * * jonner, stein and aron lay around in the marscorp brig on phobos for more than a month. to be precise, they floated around, for phobos had little more surface gravity than a spaceship in orbit. when there was no indication they were going to be transferred from phobos, jonner set up a howl that at last was heard in the little moon's officialdom. jonner was taken before the adjutant of the phobos base to air his complaint. "look," said jonner, placing both hands belligerently on the official's desk, "the terms of the terrestrial space compact apply to mars, too. no prisoners of war shall be confined beyond a planetary atmosphere, except for so long as it is impracticable for them to be transferred to a surface prison." "that provision was written into the compact to permit inspection by neutral powers and because, ordinarily, a prisoner has some hope that a surface prison will be overrun by troops of his own side and he will be released," answered the adjutant mildly, peering at jonner over old-fashioned rimless spectacles. "in your case, that's not likely to happen and i can't see why you're raising such a fuss. the last we heard up here, our troops were about to overrun your last base." "what do you mean, the last you heard?" demanded jonner. "i heard that two days before we were brought to phobos." "radio communication with mars has been out completely," explained the adjutant good-naturedly. "static's always bad during the earth-sun conjunctions, as you ought to know, being a spaceman. this time we haven't been able to get anything through at all." "well, maybe it's true that we've lost and the war's about over," said jonner. "but the three of us still want to be transferred to the surface. free fall can drive you nuts when you're in an eight-by-eight cell." "as a matter of fact," said the adjutant, "there hasn't been any g-boat traffic to and from the surface since the radio went out. it's a dangerous business, trying to land at a spaceport without any radio guide. but we have to send a g-boat down for supplies in a couple of days, and if you fellows are insistent about it, we'll send you down to marsport on it." it was not two days, but more than a week later that the three of them were allowed to get into spacesuits and were escorted out to a g-boat anchored to the surface of phobos. above them, the orange disc of mars filled the sky. phobos was swinging across the inhabited hemisphere now, and the dark green areas of syrtis and hadriacum were plainly visible. jonner strained his eyes upward at the red spot that was the isidis desert. somewhere in the heart of that red spot, sir stanrich o'kellin was directing the last-gasp stand of the charax rebels. they would be manning the underground chambers of the base, perhaps fighting in the corridors as the marscorp troops battled to effect an entry. it might even be that the base had fallen by now, overrun by the government forces, and he and his companions would be, technically, free men by the time they landed at marsport. jonner sighed unhappily. he didn't want that kind of freedom. following stein and aron, he climbed into the g-boat. it had a crew of two, plus an armed guard for the prisoners. "there'll be no unstrapping during free fall," announced the g-boat pilot. "everybody will remain strapped down until we land. with the earth-sun conjunction over, we've re-established radio communication partially, but it's spotty, and we may crash." "is the war over?" asked jonner. "how the hell should i know?" grunted the pilot. "we haven't had a single news broadcast that makes sense since the radio came back in. they're all chopped up with static." the g-boat lifted gently from the surface of phobos and began its spiral downward toward mars. the six men, crowded together in its single passenger compartment, listened to the radio that spat and growled over their heads. what they heard was unintelligible. "sector four ... squawk ... spsst!" snarled the loudspeaker. "colonel ... squawk ... troops in ... squawk ... move tank squad to ... spsst-crack-crack!... more ambulances ... squawk ... ninety per cent disabled...." periodically the pilot tried to establish contact: "g-boat mc- to marsport. g-boat mc- to marsport. come in, marsport." the attempts were futile until the g-boat had entered the atmosphere and was gliding high above the desert on its broad wings. then, miraculously, the airwaves were clear for a moment. "marsport to g-boat mc- ," said the loudspeaker. "go ahead." "g-boat mc- to marsport," said the pilot hurriedly. "give us a beam. we're coming in for a landing." "don't land! we're...!" exclaimed the loudspeaker, and exploded into static in midsentence. "what the hell do they mean, don't land?" snorted the pilot, fiddling frantically and uselessly with dials. "they think i've got enough fuel to get back to phobos?" the g-boat held its glide and swooped down on marsport, a tiny landing field and a miniature group of buildings set apart from the dome of mars city. groups of men were scurrying about at the port like ants. a column of smoke rose ominously from one of the buildings. the g-boat touched ground and skidded to a stop in mid-field. its passengers unstrapped and the pilot opened the port. men crowded into the g-boat, men with drawn heat-guns, men in the blue-and-gold marsuits of the charax rebels! * * * * * jonner, a free man again, rode into mars city in a groundcar with sir stanrich o'kellin. stein and aron had remained at marsport for the time being. marsport was completely in the hands of the rebels, and efforts were being made to get through by radio to phobos to give the marscorp forces there a surrender ultimatum. "what's happened to the mars city dome?" asked jonner in astonishment as they approached the city. the once-transparent dome was cracked and badly discolored. "plan blue," answered sir stanrich with a smile. "look, sir, how about telling me what happened?" said jonner. "when we got captured in the middle of our wild goose chase with marscorp's egg, our troops had been driven into the ground at the isidis base and we got the impression it was only a matter of time before that fell. then the radio goes out for a few days and we land here to find mars city overrun with our troops." "why," said sir stanrich, his mustache quirking mischievously, "we counter-attacked. we came out of the base, defeated the marscorp army there, drove across the desert to mars city and took it. task forces are out now, taking over the other cities. that's all there is to it." "simple!" snorted jonner. "except that they outnumbered us four or five to one, and probably outgunned us more than that." "science wins wars now; my boy, not numbers and guns." they had entered the mars city airlock and were driving down the broad avenue of the canals. rebel soldiers swarmed through the city. the few men and women they saw in marscorp uniforms staggered around, groping blindly, their faces and arms fiery red and peeling from sunburn. "you'll get a medal out of it, too," commented sir stanrich. "why? why me?" "because you followed orders, even though your mission appeared useless. it was your 'wild goose chase' that made our victory possible. "you see, only the blue mist of mars protects its surface from the hard rays of the sun. without it, we'd have no more protection than a naked man in space. the reason we're in for a bad sunburn every year is that the blue mist dissipates partially at every earth-sun conjunction." "but what would the egg have to do with that?" asked jonner. "the egg amplifies the effect of magnetic fields, the way a lens concentrates light rays," answered sir stanrich. "it's the earth's magnetic field, not that of mars, that interferes with the blue mist every time the earth passes between mars and the sun. and to amplify earth's magnetic field, we had to place the egg directly between mars and earth during the earth-sun conjunction--and you put it there when you got the egg into an earthward orbit on schedule." "but, sir stanrich, i've been sunburned a dozen times at these conjunctions...." "not like this. when the blue mist was stripped away completely this time, everyone on the surface was affected. marscorp's troops were put out of action as an effective fighting force when they received severe burns over most of their bodies and were afflicted with acute conjunctivitis so badly they were half blinded. that's why we abandoned charax and regina and pulled all our people to the isidis base while the conjunction was under way, we were all protected from the sun ... underground!" they had reached the center of the city. above the old syrtis major hotel, which had served as marscorp's supreme headquarters, the flag of the charax rebels was fluttering in the breeze from the city's air circulators. marscorp was beaten. mars was free. the wailing octopus a rick brant science-adventure story by john blaine by grosset & dunlap, inc. new york, n. y. all rights reserved _printed in the united states of america_ [transcriber note: extensive research was unable to find a u.s. copyright renewal.] [illustration: _with his spear scotty jerked off the enemy frogman's face plate_] contents i destination: clipper cay ii the scuba slip iii the shadow iv visitors by night v the warning vi the deadly tank vii the derelict viii the fancy frogmen ix wreck of the "maiden hand" x the wailing octopus xi lights on clipper reef xii clouds over clipper cay xiii message in the storm xiv below the dark coral xv how sings the gay sardine? xvi the deadly spring gun xvii trapped in twenty fathoms xviii the fight on the "maiden hand" xix janig takes to the water xx the buried secret list of illustrations _with his spear scotty jerked off the enemy frogman's face plate_ _pretending to lose his balance, rick fell squarely against the man_ _the valve assembly, traveling with bullet speed, barely missed scotty's head_ _rick turned in time to see a six-foot shark speed past_ _a third man lowered something that glistened like gold_ _rick nudged scotty to back away_ [illustration: spindrift island] the wailing octopus chapter i destination: clipper cay the sky wagon droned through caribbean skies, following a compass course that led to charlotte amalie, capital city of the virgin islands. with eager interest, the four people in the small plane watched the blue water below. in a few moments they should pass over the island that was their ultimate destination. rick brant, in the pilot's seat, turned to the husky, black-haired boy next to him. "see anything yet?" he asked. don scott had been surveying the far horizon through binoculars. he took them from his eyes and shook his head. "nothing but water. you sure there is an island called clipper cay?" rick let the plane fly itself for a moment while he stretched luxuriously. he was a lean, long-legged boy with brown hair and eyes and a bone-deep tan. he grinned at his friend. "no faith. that's the trouble with you." "no logic, that's the trouble with you," scotty countered. "if there were such an island it would be called an island, not a cay. a cay is something that follows an o, as in okay." the two scientists in the rear seat had been listening with amusement to the boys. since the start of the expedition scotty had professed doubt and misgiving, more for the sake of conversation than anything else, rick was sure. dr. anthony briotti, archaeologist of the spindrift staff, leaned forward. "at least pronounce it correctly, scotty. 'cay' is pronounced 'key.'" "see?" scotty exclaimed triumphantly. "the only place where they have islands called keys is in florida. we're on a wild-goose chase, i tell you!" big hobart zircon, a nuclear physicist and long-time friend of the boys, tapped scotty on the shoulder. "since you're so certain of that, may i ask why you came?" scotty tried to look martyred. "only because of the buddy system," he said solemnly. "the first rule of underwater safety--or above-water safety, for that matter--is that you have to swim with a buddy. you and tony swim together, so i had to go along as a buddy for rick. somebody has to chase the mermaids away from him, and it might as well be me." "that's nice of you," rick said soberly. "there'll probably be a whole horde of mermaids guarding the treasure, not to mention half a dozen sea monsters." tony briotti said, "there's one mermaid i wish were with us, and that's barby. after all, she started this whole thing. too bad she has to miss out." rick's pretty sister, barbara brant, had unwittingly launched the flight to the virgin islands by getting into an argument with tony briotti about the authenticity of the legend that pirates had once used spindrift island as a hangout. tony had challenged the legend. after that, of course, proof had to be found. rick had recalled digging up the remains of a campfire in pirate's field during the installation of equipment for the moon rocket, the first great experiment that had put the spindrift island scientific group in business as a research foundation headed by rick's father, hartson brant. it was during this experiment that scotty had joined the staff after rescuing rick from an unscrupulous gang. the two boys had been on a number of expeditions together since that time and were fast friends. zircon was one of the original spindrift group. youthful tony briotti was one of the new staff members, but he had already earned the loyalty and friendship of the boys by his fine leadership of the expedition to the philippines, as related in _the golden skull_. starting with the campfire site, barby and the boys had excavated pirate's field under tony's direction. they had unearthed positive evidence that pirates had landed there. the most vital evidence was the remains of a logbook, once the log of the bark _maiden hand_, sunk by the woman pirate anne bonney off the island of clipper cay in the virgin islands. scotty turned and looked at the two scientists. "i'm just kidding, of course. you couldn't have kept me from coming without tossing me into irons. but seriously, do you expect to find treasure, tony?" the archaeologist grinned. "depends on what you mean by treasure. as i recall, one definition is 'something rare or precious.' well, a chance to go skin diving in the virgin islands is certainly that--a rare and precious opportunity. at least i think so." hobart zircon grunted, "and so do i." "amen," rick echoed. "you're evading the issue," scotty accused. "you know perfectly well what i mean. do you expect to find that golden statue mentioned in the logbook?" "expect? on a treasure hunt, one hopes; one doesn't expect," zircon stated in his booming voice. rick smiled to himself. probably no spindrift expedition ever had started with such a flimsy excuse. according to the log of the _maiden hand_, the ship had gone down before the pirates could locate a golden statue of st. francis, hidden by the bark's captain, thomas campion. according to captain campion, the statue had weighed "an hundred-weight." certainly a hundred pounds of gold was worth going after, but there were a few considerations that made finding it rather unlikely. in captain campion's words: "_that we did prevent the boucaniers from fynding the blessede statue was moste fortunate, yette the bark did go to her deathe in twentye fathomes, and so the statue is loste._" rick and scotty had become underwater enthusiasts on their return from the philippines, and both had aqualung equipment that would take them to twenty fathoms without difficulty. however, working time at that depth was sharply limited by the capacity of their tanks. this was assuming that they were able to find the wreck of the _maiden hand_ in the first place. still, there was enough of a chance to provide an excuse for a vacation expedition. the real purpose, so far as rick was concerned, was to get in some superb swimming in clear water. he also intended getting plenty of underwater movies of the colorful reefs and fish. scotty planned to do some underwater hunting. tony briotti's interest grew out of his profession. the virgin islands had been pretty well worked over by archaeologists, and most of the early indian middens and mounds explored. but on the west coast, archaeologists equipped with aqualungs had recently found primitive artifacts a half mile offshore, and tony wanted to do a little underwater artifact hunting of his own. hobart zircon was the only one without a specific objective. he had readily agreed to go along simply because he wanted a vacation. he had said, "tell you what, i'll go along and do some surface fishing. rick and scotty can catch fish underwater and put them on my hook, then signal me to pull up. if the fish aren't heavy enough to ruin my rest, i'll haul them in." mr. and mrs. brant had already made plans to take a vacation in canada, and barby was registered at a summer girl's camp. weiss, winston, gordon, and shannon, the other staff scientists, were away on various projects. so the four "treasure hunters" had welcomed an excuse to go off on a venture of their own. they would have a wonderful time, rick thought, and who knew? they might even find the treasure! scotty had been looking through the binoculars again. he gave rick a grin. "i take it all back," he said. "there's an island ahead." the scientists leaned forward eagerly, and rick strained to see. sure enough, in a few moments they began to make out the island on the horizon ahead. rick had enough confidence in his navigation to be certain that it was clipper cay. the group had spent the night in puerto rico, then departed early in order to fly off the direct route for an advance look at clipper cay. rick didn't intend to land. he would circle the island once or twice, then head again for charlotte amalie on the island of st. thomas. scotty asked, "where does the word 'cay' come from, anyway?" tony briotti answered. "it's from the spanish, scotty. it means island, or islet. however, the spanish got it from the taino people, who were the indians of the antilles." the island was close enough now so that they could discern its shape. rick saw that it formed a rough crescent, running from north to south. it was about a mile long, perhaps a half mile wide at its greatest width, tapering to the horns of the crescent. he saw also that the color of the water changed gradually from the fathomless blue of the ocean to the green of shallow water. inwardly excited, he put the nose of the plane down and let the small craft pick up speed. scotty grinned his pleasure, and rick knew that his pal was just as excited in spite of his joking skepticism. rick leveled off at an altitude of four thousand feet and put the plane in a wide circle. zircon leaned over tony to look out the window, and rick had to compensate in a hurry because the big scientist's weight threw the plane out of trim. then scotty, just as eager, leaned over to rick's side and the trim had to be corrected again. the island was a travel agent's wildest dream. the blue water gradually shifted to green, then lighter green, and finally the white of lovely beaches on both sides of the island. lines of surf marked the position of reefs off both shores. somewhere along the western reef was the wreck of the _maiden hand_. rick wondered if they would have diver's luck and locate the ancient bark, and at the same moment he was sure they would. "plenty of vegetation," briotti remarked. "probably palms, perhaps some mangrove," zircon agreed. "take us down for a closer look, rick." rick obliged by standing the sky wagon up on a wing and sliding down as quickly as safe flying allowed. he, too, wanted a closer look. he cast a glance at his gas gauge. there was enough fuel, with a margin of safety, unless he got too enthusiastic about lingering around the island. he leveled off again at a thousand feet and flew up the east coast, between the outer reef and the beach. this was the atlantic side of the island, and the surf on the reef was heavy. "cottages," scotty called. "look!" they counted seven on the eastern side of the island, most of them near the middle. it was hard to see details among the palms, but they seemed small and unpainted, like fishermen's shacks. rick reversed course and flew down the western side and they counted five more. one fairly pretentious beach house was near the northern tip of the island. in general, the houses on the western side seemed better kept, and slightly larger. a few houses had small docks. off the southern tip of the island, on the western side, a boat was trolling. the occupants waved as rick flew over. "wonder which house is ours?" scotty asked. they didn't know, of course. arrangements for a beach house had been made for them by a friend of zircon's, and not until they landed at charlotte amalie would they get the details. the same friend, dr. paul ernst, had also arranged for a boat, to be used as a diving tender. rick was tempted to land in the smooth water off the western shore. the sky wagon had been equipped with pontoons for that very purpose. they had realized that no landing place would be available on the cay for a wheeled aircraft. but there was little to be gained by landing now when they didn't even know which house would be theirs. besides, there were supplies and equipment to be picked up and charts to be obtained, and the sky wagon needed to have the tank topped off, since they couldn't very well carry aviation gas to the island. reluctantly, rick asked, "anyone want to see anything else?" "not me," hobart zircon said flatly. "i want to get to charlotte amalie so we can get started back. that water looks clear enough to drink." "see any sign of wrecks on the bottom?" tony inquired. no one had. no one had looked. they were too interested in getting an over-all view of clipper cay. rick set his course for st. thomas. now that he thought about it, he was rather pleased with himself. the flight from spindrift was the longest single trip he had ever taken in the sky wagon. the party had stopped for fuel as needed and had stayed overnight as darkness overtook them along the way. he had hit every destination on the nose, on time. and now the end of the trip was in sight without a single incident to mar its smoothness. in a short time the mountains of st. thomas rose out of the sea, and soon afterward rick circled high above the colorful roofs of charlotte amalie. he switched on his radio and asked for seaplane landing instructions. the airfield directed him to the proper landing place, a beach and pier at the edge of the city. then scotty took over the mike and, while rick started in for a landing, asked the airfield tower to phone dr. paul ernst, zircon's friend, and notify him of their arrival. apparently the tower operator phoned immediately, because as rick taxied toward the dock, zircon saw his friend waiting. following the instructions of a dockman, rick beached the sky wagon and cut the engine. two husky virgin islanders hauled the ship higher onto the beach, and the spindrifters climbed out. dr. ernst was a small, bespectacled man with a shock of unruly white hair. he looked like a country doctor--which was reasonable enough, rick thought, because that's just about what he was. charlotte amalie, with a population of about , , could not be described as a big city. the doctor greeted them all cordially, then immediately got down to business. "i'm sorry you are not remaining in charlotte amalie. however, hobart, i have done as you requested. for tonight i have reservations for you at one of our oldest hotels, alexander's rest. named for alexander hamilton, of course." rick remembered that the revolutionary hero had been brought up in the virgin islands. "the beach cottage is waiting at clipper cay. it is on the western side, the third from the southern tip of the island. you shall have my own boat. i think you will find it ideal for a diving tender. i call it the _water witch_. an attractive name, is it not? i have checked on your equipment. it is held at the warehouse in my name. the supplies you wished to buy here have been ordered and are waiting at andersen's supply house. i have told them you will be calling." the group listened, delighted at the obvious efficiency with which dr. ernst had taken care of zircon's requests. by lunchtime they had picked up their equipment and supplies, scotty had tested the twin diesel engines on the _water witch_ and announced himself more than pleased, rick had checked over the aqualungs and compressor that had come down with his camera and other equipment by freight, the supplies had been stowed, the sky wagon refueled, and nothing remained but to check in at the hotel. this, they had decided, could wait until after lunch. while the scientists drove off in dr. ernst's car to pick up the doctor at his office, rick and scotty walked into town, headed for "the danish pastry" where the group was to meet for lunch. rick spoke his amazement. "look at us," he marveled. "ready to go. no trouble, no strain, no pain. ever see an expedition get off to such a smooth start? we can't lose, scotty. after a beginning like this we couldn't help finding the treasure." scotty grinned his agreement. "i didn't ask," he said, "but i wouldn't be surprised if the good dr. ernst hasn't done some advance diving and marked the statue's location with a buoy hung around its neck, just to make things easier for us!" "twenty fathoms," rick said reflectively. "that's a lot of water. besides, we don't know how accurate captain campion's guess was. we may be getting into water that's too deep for us." which, though unknowing, was one of the most prophetic remarks he had ever made. chapter ii the scuba slip charlotte amalie had color. it was an old community, dating back to danish ownership of the virgin islands, and there was a feeling of antiquity underneath the color of the tropics. there was no sharp lines to buildings; everything had a pleasant weathered look. "friendly folks," scotty observed, after the tenth passer-by had bidden them a good day. "doesn't seem to matter whether they're rich or poor. they look happy, and they're certainly polite." "i like it," rick agreed. "those colored roofs get me." he stumbled on a cobblestone and added, "but the street could stand improving. cobbles are fine for horses, maybe, but they're hard on cars." "what do they do here for a living?" scotty asked. "wish we had chahda along. he could reel off the straight dope from his _worrold alm-in-ack_." their indian friend, chahda, was at home in bombay and they hadn't heard from him in some time. his ability to quote from _the world almanac_, which he had memorized, had caused the boys considerable amusement, even while they appreciated having a kind of walking encyclopedia with them. they passed a fruit stand where women were shopping for mangoes, soursops, and other delicious-looking things, including sugar cane. "that's part of it," rick said. "sugar. this is also the headquarters for bay rum." scotty's eyebrows went up. "_bay_ rum?" he stepped out of the way to let an ancient woman on a donkey go by. "what's the bay part of it?" rick shrugged. "search me. anyway, you don't drink it, you put it on your face. i guess it was originally distilled from bayberry trees or something. anyway--" he stopped suddenly as scotty's fingers sank into his arm. "look!" scotty exclaimed. rick looked, and let out a yell. "steve! steve ames!" in the next moment he could have bitten his tongue out, because it was entirely possible that steve wasn't traveling under his own identity. ames was an athletic-looking young man in a white suit and panama hat. he stopped at rick's hail, turned, and waited for the boys to catch up. his face split in a pleased grin. rick breathed his relief. evidently steve didn't mind being called by name. the boys knew steve as spindrift's contact with janig, the joint army-navy intelligence group for which spindrift had worked in the past, once to solve _the whispering box mystery_, and again to track down the secret of _the caves of fear_. "wonder what he's doing here?" scotty muttered. "we'll soon find out," rick said. steve greeted them cordially. "what brings you two wanderers to these shores?" "we were about to ask the same of you," rick returned. steve grinned at the obvious curiosity in the boys' faces. "nothing very exciting. i'm here on a little vacation. swimming." "what kind of swimming?" scotty wanted to know. "oh, skin diving, mostly." "gosh, that's wonderful!" rick exclaimed. "scuba or snorkel?" there was the barest of hesitations before steve replied. "snorkel. there's nothing that's more fun than snorkeling around the reefs. that's the only way to swim in waters like these. you can get right down among the fish." rick saw scotty's mouth open to point out steve's error, but he stepped on his friend's foot and said quickly, "we're here for the swimming, too. maybe we can join forces." he knew the answer would be no. steve wasn't vacationing; he was on a case. a vacationing skin diver would know that a snorkel is nothing but a tube that allows a swimmer to float face down on the surface of the water while looking for something to dive after. once the dive starts, the snorkel has no purpose, since its short length only allows it to project a few inches above the surface while a diver is floating face down. on the other hand, the scuba--self-contained underwater breathing apparatus, like the boys' aqualungs, really does allow the diver to get down among the fish. "thanks for the invitation," steve said. he smiled. "i don't usually try a cover story unless i have it down cold. just for my future guidance, where did i slip? your faces were quite a study." rick told him. steve nodded. "thanks. i just got here on the morning plane, and i haven't been briefed yet. by tonight i'll be an expert on skin diving." the statement only whetted further rick's over-sharp curiosity. if steve was to be briefed on skin diving, it sounded like a case that would interest him and scotty. steve continued to smile. "i don't want to linger too long. want to give me a hand?" rick refrained from shouting and merely nodded his head. scotty, with only slightly less restraint, said, "you know we do." "fine. don't look. in the doorway of the tailor shop is a dark-complexioned man in a gray sharkskin suit. he's a tail. he picked me up at the airport. i don't know the town well enough to lose him easily in broad daylight. never been here before today. take him out for me?" rick and scotty nodded. neither looked toward the doorway. "how will we get in touch with you?" rick asked. steve hesitated. "there's no one i'd rather see more of, and no one i'd rather have on my side. but this case is not for you. just do me this favor, then forget you saw me." "you never know when you'll need help," rick pointed out. "we won't horn in, but it won't do any harm to know how we can reach other. tonight we'll be at a hotel called alexander's rest. tomorrow we take off for an island called clipper cay." "all right. if you really need to reach me, call the duty officer at the udt base and leave a message. i'll get it." rick turned slightly. in a plate-glass window across the street he could see a reflection of the tailor shop steve had mentioned, and he could make out the form of a man in the shadowed doorway. he estimated that the shop was about fifty feet away. scotty was also measuring the situation. he said, "walk away from us so the tail will have to come by." steve nodded. he shook hands, gave them each a grin, and was gone. rick said loudly, "give me your shoulder to lean on. i've got a rock in my shoe." scotty obliged, and rick half turned as he did so. he saw the man in the gray sharkskin suit saunter out of the doorway and start toward them. rick balanced on one leg, one hand on scotty's shoulder, the other hand fumbling with the shoelace on his lifted foot. the tail walked toward them, unfolding a paper as he did so. he was apparently devoting his full attention to the paper; his actions said he didn't even know the boys existed. "you ought to get tighter shoes," scotty observed. "then you wouldn't get stones in them." "save the advice," rick grunted. "i've got a knot in the lace." the man came abreast of them, between rick and the building, and in that moment, clawing wildly for balance, rick lost his hold on scotty's shoulder. he fell squarely against the man in the gray suit and crushed him into the building. [illustration: _pretending to lose his balance, rick fell squarely against the man_] "hey!" the man yelled. "what's the idea?" scotty rushed to the rescue, took the fallen shadow by the shoulders, and tried to pull him to his feet. this only made matters worse, since rick was stretched across his legs. "i'm so sorry," scotty said. "gosh, i'm sorry. he slipped. here. let me help you up." "get off me," the man yelled. rick tried, lost his balance again, and fell against the man's chest, pinning him to the sidewalk. scotty groaned. "rick! you clumsy ox. get off the man!" "i'm trying to," rick said plaintively. "my shoe came off. here. help me up." "help yourself!" scotty returned sharply. "i'm trying to help this gentleman." rick rolled clear and scotty got the man to his feet. he was something less than spotlessly clean, thanks to the dust of the road, and there was a rip in the arm of his coat. "look at that!" scotty exclaimed. he made ineffectual efforts to dust the man off. "rick, you ripped his coat." rick looked embarrassed. "i'm terribly sorry. here, sir. let me take you to this tailor shop. we can have it repaired in a jiffy." "forget it!" the man snapped. "and get out of my way. i'm in a hurry." "it was all my fault, and i refuse to take no for an answer," rick said firmly. he took the man by the arm. "come on. it will only take a moment. you can't walk around town like that. i insist on having your suit repaired. i'm sure that the tailor can mend it so no one would ever notice." "no," the man grated. "please stand aside." both boys had managed to block the sidewalk. "please," rick pleaded. "this is terribly upsetting. we really should have the damage to your suit repaired." the man's dark complexion was turning a grayish pink with rage. rick estimated quickly. if he knew steve ames, the janig agent was long gone, and the tail would not catch up with him again. they had delayed the shadow for perhaps two minutes, but for steve that would be enough. rick stepped aside. "very well. if you insist--" "i do." the man brushed by and hurried off. the boys looked at each other and grinned. "he won't catch steve," rick said. "not a chance. well, my clumsy friend, shall we put your shoe back on and go meet the others for lunch?" "we shall," rick returned. "indeed we shall." he slipped his shoe on and tied it quickly. "wasn't it interesting, where steve said we could reach him?" steve had said at the udt base. that meant simply at the home of the navy frogmen--the underwater demolition teams. no wonder steve had said he would be an expert on skin diving by nightfall. he was going to be with the most expert experts of all. rick sighed. "just our luck he doesn't want us in the case. wouldn't it be great to work with the navy frogmen? we could learn plenty." "forgetting st. francis?" scotty inquired. "there he lies, twenty fathoms down, probably covered with barnacles and waiting to be rescued. and you want to go fogging off with the frogmen." "all right, all right! don't rub it in. we'll go back to being interested in the bark _maiden hand_. and st. francis. and pirates. let's cast off, my hearty." the danish pastry was only a few blocks away, and dr. ernst and the spindrifters were already seated. the boys joined them, with apologies for being late, but without mentioning their meeting with steve ames. there was nothing to be gained by bringing the matter up in front of dr. ernst. they could tell zircon and tony later. zircon knew steve, but tony didn't. over dessert, dr. ernst reached into his bag and brought forth a chart. "i thought you might need this," he said. it was a detailed chart of clipper cay and the surrounding waters. it showed clearly the position of the reefs, and it gave soundings that showed the depths. zircon shook his massive head. "paul, your thoroughness has never failed to amaze me. what would we have done without you?" ernst smiled his pleasure. "thank you, hobart. i try to be thorough. besides, i want you all to have a pleasant recollection of the virgin islands. we who live here love them very much." the boys and tony echoed zircon's thanks, then fell to a study of the chart. it was apparent that the water deepened rapidly beyond the western reef. in a few places, the twenty-fathom line was only a short distance out. "have you any idea where this ship went down?" dr. ernst asked. "a bare idea," tony replied. "it was off the western shore of the island, probably close to the reef, in twenty fathoms. the bark had been hit and was sinking. the captain ran for the island with the hope of beaching the ship on the reef, but he never made it. the bark went down, and anne bonney's pirates picked up the survivors." "we know of anne bonney here," dr. ernst told them. "you realize that the virgin islands were once a hangout for pirates? oh, we have a dark and bloody history, what with piracy, slave rebellions, even indian massacres." "you'd never know it," rick said. "this is the most peaceful place i've seen in years." he didn't add that the peace was only apparent. steve ames wasn't needed in really peaceful places. something was stirring under the tropical calm of st. thomas. "tonight you must have a taste of st. thomas home life," dr. ernst said. "you shall be my guests at dinner. dr. briotti will be interested in my collection of indian pottery. and you young men will be interested in my wife's hobby, which is fish. she has an amazing collection." "alive?" scotty asked. "yes, indeed. in salt-water aquariums. our misfortune makes it easy. you see, we have no natural fresh-water supplies on st. thomas. we depend on catching rain for our drinking water. so our plumbing is operated by sea water, of which we have plenty. as a result, mrs. ernst is able to have a constant supply of salt water flowing through her aquariums. i know you'll be interested." the boys agreed. mrs. ernst's hobby sounded like fun. after lunch dr. ernst departed for his office, leaving the spindrift group to their own devices. not much remained to be done, except for checking in at their hotel. for now, they were content to walk around town. as they passed the post office where alexander hamilton had once been a clerk, scotty smiled meaningfully at rick. "steve lost a tail this morning. remember?" rick looked at him doubtfully. "of course. why?" "somebody loses, somebody gains," scotty replied cheerfully. "don't look behind you, but we've found one!" chapter iii the shadow the two scientists had been walking ahead of rick and scotty, but zircon's keen ears had overheard the boys' remarks. however, he was too wise to make his interest obvious. he waited until the group passed a store with a large display, then stopped, as though to examine it. rick found himself surveying a collection of tools for the do-it-yourself addict. "what's this about steve and a tail?" zircon asked. he pointed at a power-drill set, as though discussing it. his normally loud voice couldn't have been heard five feet away. rick shook his head, then pointed at a different drill set. anyone watching would have thought the tools were the subject of conversation. rick quickly outlined what had happened and concluded, "scotty spotted a tail on us a few minutes ago. same guy?" scotty bent down for a closer look at a series of wood power bits. his voice was scarcely audible. "not the same one. this one is a virgin islander. looks like a farmer. when we stopped he walked right on by. he's out of sight now. but he'll pick us up as soon as we start." tony briotti, to whom this kind of adventure was new, asked, "what do we do about it?" "nothing," zircon answered. "steve ames wanted to get rid of his shadow and the boys helped him out. but we have no particular reason for wanting to get rid of ours. let him follow. undoubtedly whoever is tailing steve got interested when they saw him talking with the boys, but they'll learn nothing by trailing us." "and it's one less for steve to contend with," rick added. scotty straightened up. "i have to admit this bunch of tools is beginning to bore me a little. where are we going?" zircon shrugged. "i have nothing in mind. we might check in at the hotel." "i'd rather swim," rick said. "same here." scotty made a quick survey of the street without seeming to do so. "no sign of our friend. he's probably in another doorway." "then hobart and i might as well check in," tony suggested. "i'd like a swim, but frankly i'm a little sleepy from too much lunch." "how about checking in for us?" rick asked. "then we could get right into the water. no need for all of us to go to the hotel." the scientists agreed, and at scotty's suggestion hailed a taxi. as the car rolled off toward the boat where their luggage was stored, scotty grinned. "this was the only taxi in sight. wonder how our friend will manage to follow us?" he had his answer at the pier. while zircon was piling their overnight bags into the taxi, a farmer rode past on a bicycle. he didn't look at them. "there he goes," scotty said. "pretty easy after all. guess the town is small enough so he wasn't worried about finding us." "we'll give him a choice to make when tony and i leave." zircon smiled. "let's see whether he stays with you, or follows us." not until the boys had changed to swimming trunks in the cabin of the _water witch_ did they find the answer to zircon's question. the shadow had decided to stay with them. this time it was rick who spotted him. the shadow was nearly hidden beyond a curve in the shore line. to anyone not aware of being tailed, he would have appeared to be with any of the other casual figures that went unhurriedly about their business in the neighborhood. if scotty hadn't pointed him out, rick would not have suspected that the shadow had the slightest interest in the spindrift party. "we going to rig the aqualungs?" scotty asked. "let's not bother. masks, snorkels, and fins. we can swim out and take a look at some of the coral heads." "how about a gun?" rick considered. "i guess not. we don't want to do any hunting. but you might take a hand spear in case something real inviting shows up. and let's take our knives." he had also decided against taking his camera. a leisurely, unencumbered swim was what he wanted. there would be time enough for hunting fish or taking pictures later, when they got to clipper cay. while scotty went into the cabin to select a spear from their assortment of fishing gear, rick surveyed the _water witch_ with satisfaction. it was a thirty-five-foot craft with a small cabin forward and a spacious cockpit aft. it had been used as a diving tender before, apparently, because there was a ladder that could be swung outboard for a diver to use. there was also a small boom that could be rigged quickly for lowering or lifting gear from the water. the gas tanks were ample for their purposes. one filling would be more than sufficient for a round trip to clipper cay plus any cruising they would do while at the island. the tanks were full. water capacity, an important consideration on waterless clipper cay, was more than adequate. in addition to a built-in fifty-gallon tank in the cabin, there was a rack of five ten-gallon jerry cans in the cockpit. scotty emerged from the cabin with a short, low-powered spring gun. "thought i might as well bring a light gun," he said. "it's just as easy to carry as a spear." "okay." rick led the way down the pier to the beach, carrying his mask, snorkel, and slippers. these he placed carefully on one of the sky wagon's pontoons, in order to protect the clear glass of his mask from any possible scratching. then, with a yell to scotty to hurry, he bounded through the shallows, threw himself forward, and planed along the surface of the water. lifting his head for a quick breath, he dove under, feeling the wonderful coolness of the water close over him. he judged its temperature quickly. it was close to eighty degrees, he estimated, and cool only by comparison with the warm air. he reversed course quickly and stood up. scotty was also in the water. "i'm glad we didn't bother with suits," rick said. "in water like this we'd even be too warm in midseason suits." because of the coldness of the water off the new jersey coast, the boys had equipped themselves with full, waterproof rubber suits under which long under-wear was worn, and with lighter "midseason" suits of foam neoprene. because of the reported warmth of water in the virgin islands they hadn't added the suits to their already heavy load of supplies. they returned to the beach, picked up their equipment, and took it into the water. rick sat down and rinsed out his flippers, then carefully removed the last traces of sand from his feet. he pulled the flippers on, adjusting them for maximum comfort. his face mask was next. he spat into it, then rubbed the saliva over the glass. this rather unsanitary-appearing trick was essential, since saliva is an excellent antifogging compound needed to help keep the glass clear underwater. then he rinsed his mask lightly and adjusted the head straps, leaving the mask on his forehead. the snorkels used by the boys were plastic tubes curved at both ends. at one end was a mouthpiece; at the other was a cage that held a rubber ball. a dive or rough wave action floated the ball upward, closing the tube and preventing water entry. rick and scotty adjusted the rubber bands of their snorkels around their heads above the mask straps. scotty was ready. he slipped his mask into place, molded the soft rubber skirt of the mask to the contours of his face, inhaled through his nose to make sure the seal was airtight, then called, "let's go!" he gripped the mouthpiece of his snorkel between his teeth, the rubber flange under his lips, and slid into the water. rick was right behind him. as his mask touched water he saw the white coral sand of the bottom a few inches down. the only sign of life was a hermit crab, perhaps a half inch in length, dragging his home of the moment--a tiny spiral shell. in one hand, scotty carried the spear gun by its pistol grip. he swam in the position that suited him best, both arms hanging limply down. rick, on the other hand, preferred to swim with arms relaxed along his sides, as long as his hands were empty. when carrying a spear gun or his camera, he also swam with arms hanging downward. neither boy used his arms for swimming. the rhythmic, powerful leg strokes were enough, thanks to the swim fins. the water deepened rapidly but lost none of its clarity. even at a depth of a dozen feet, rick thought, he could have counted every grain of sand. this was unlike anything he had ever experienced. at home, visibility of five feet was considered good. lost in the enjoyment of really clear water, he completely forgot about the shadow. scotty reminded him. he touched rick's arm and signaled a stop. the boys removed their snorkel mouthpieces and faced each other upright in the water, holding position with easy flipper movements. "just pretend we're talking," scotty said. "don't look around. i'm trying to spot our friend over your shoulder." after a moment he shook his head. "no sign. wonder if he ran for a bathing suit?" "forget him. let's swim. see any coral heads?" "darker water off yonder. let's look." they readjusted their snorkels and headed in the direction scotty had indicated. rick breathed easily through his tube, constantly scanning the bottom. now and then he saw various kinds of debris on the bottom, including abandoned beer cans and a section of newspaper that had not yet rotted away. rubbish like this was to be expected in a harbor, he supposed, still it was as unattractive to a swimmer as junk along the roadside is to the motorist. suddenly he noticed a fish--the first he had seen. he took a deep breath and dove by letting his head drop and then lifting his legs to a nearly vertical position. he slid underwater without a splash. when his fins were below the surface he started his leg motion again, and the flippers propelled him smoothly downward. the fish was perhaps a foot long, silvery, with a pointed nose and yellow fins. rick couldn't identify it. the fish was busily rooting in the sand for morsels of food and paid no attention to the diver until rick reached out and almost touched it, then it sped just beyond reach and commenced rooting again. his curiosity satisfied for the moment, rick surfaced and rejoined scotty. as he took position at his friend's side, the other boy hooted once, their signal for "attention." the hooting was done by making a kind of "hooty" groan into the snorkel mouthpiece, about the only sound that could be made without letting water pass the lips. because water conducted sound so well, the hoot could be heard clearly some distance away. rick lifted his face from the water and saw that scotty was pointing to an area a short distance to their right. he followed scotty's lead and saw the reason for the signal. it was a rocky, coral-covered area about thirty feet square and perhaps fifteen feet below the surface. the boys swam directly over it, then floated motionless, watching the activity below. at first glance, there appeared to be only a pair of odd-shaped file-fish nibbling at the formation, but as their vision adjusted they made out literally dozens of tiny, colorful fish in clefts, under overhangs, or waiting motionless against a patch of color on the rocks. rick pointed to a school of about ten vivid little fish of electric-blue color. the largest was less than two inches long. scotty hooted for attention and pointed in his turn to a section of the rock that held over a dozen sea urchins that looked like black horse chestnuts with exaggerated spines. rick watched a pair of brown doctorfish about eight inches long swim by below, then his attention was attracted by a brilliant red squirrelfish peering out of a cleft. he pointed the red fish out to scotty, who in turn showed him where a little moray was peering out of a hole near the base of the rock. rick was fascinated. if a tiny patch of rock held this amount of life, what must the real reefs be like off clipper cay? he was suddenly impatient to get going, to put on his aqualung and explore the reef from top to bottom. and if they should really find the wreck of the _maiden hand_, there was every chance that the exploration of the wreck and the sea life it had acquired would more than compensate for the treasure none of them really hoped to find anyway. what a vacation! he was suddenly conscious of a throb in his ears. he listened and tried to identify it. a motorboat of some kind, but it didn't sound like a very powerful one. he lifted his head and searched for it. scotty, too, had heard the boat. he began to tread water, lifting his mask, then rinsing it because it had fogged a little. rick spotted the boat. it looked like a large row-boat, powered with an outboard motor, and it was headed in their direction. scotty took his snorkel out of his mouth. "better stay topside and watch. we don't want to start our vacation by getting run over." "too true," rick said. "isn't this great? i've never seen so many kinds of small fish in one place in my life. wait until we get out to the reefs where the big ones are." scotty patted his spear gun. "i'll keep us supplied with fresh sea food. wonder if there are any lobsters around?" but rick had stopped listening. "scotty, that guy is heading right for us!" the boat was getting close, and through his face plate rick could make out the figure of a single occupant. scotty suddenly gripped his arm. "rick! it's our shadow!" rick started. "are you sure?" "yes. i don't like this. what would he come out here for? get ready to dive." scotty pulled his mask into place and molded it to his face, then gripped his snorkel between his teeth. rick followed suit and leveled off in the water in diving position, but he hesitated, waiting to see what the boat would do. it didn't take long to find out. the boat stayed on a perfectly straight course, headed directly for them. rick waited. perhaps the shadow intended to sheer off when he got close. he might have come out to talk with them. scotty hooted four times, their signal for danger! then he went under. still rick hesitated, until it was clear that the boat did not intend to swerve. he saw the shadow's face, set in grim lines, then his legs went up and he slid under, using his hands as well as his legs to pull himself down to safety. he thought incredulously, "he tried to run us down!" a dozen feet under he turned over on his back and saw the bright circle of the propeller and its trail of foam. the boat was past. he shot to the surface and filled his lungs with air, waiting for the next move. the boat spun around in a tight turn and headed back. scotty surfaced next to rick, pulled the snorkel from his mouth, and gritted, "swim away. let him use you for a target. i'm going to get that son of a spiny sea walrus." rick saw from the position of the spear in scotty's gun that his friend had charged the weapon during the dive. he nodded, then turned and swam away, flippers flailing as though trying to hurry. he watched over his shoulder and saw the boat head for him. he was breathing hard from the excitement now, but he took a deep breath and got ready to dive. but still he swam, leading the rapidly overtaking boat until it was almost on him. only then did he shoot downward, twisting as he went. he looked back in time to see scotty sight the spear gun and fire as the boat went past. at first rick thought his pal had missed, then he realized what scotty had done. the spear shaft was attached to a long wire leader, and the leader to a safety line coiled around a spool just ahead of the pistol grip. scotty had deliberately fired ahead of the propeller, knowing that the wire leader would be caught and would wrap around the shaft. rick saw the spear stop short as the wire caught, saw it hauled back against the propeller and drop free as the prop blades cut it loose. scotty shot up for a breath, then dove instantly, toward the rapidly falling spear. rick had to breathe himself. he surfaced, caught a quick breath, then went under again. scotty was picking up the spear. rick saw him place it in the gun barrel, swing the loader over the razor-sharp harpoon head, and shove down on the spring. in a moment the gun was loaded again. luckily the spear had not bent when the prop blade hit it. the boat had come to a halt, the engine dead. the propeller could no longer turn against the wrapping of wire and heavy fishline. scotty hooted twice, their signal to surface, and rick followed him up. near the surface they separated, rick taking the side of the boat away from his friend. he longed for a weapon, even a hand spear. but he was helpless. scotty would have to get in the first blow with the gun. but, rick thought, that might give him time to get over the gunwale to grapple with the shadow. his head broke water. he pulled the snorkel from his mouth and let it hang. as luck would have it, the shadow saw him first. he stood up, oar in hands, poised for a swing at rick's head. scotty's voice stopped the swing. "don't do it or you'll get three feet of steel through you!" the man turned and faced the needle point of scotty's spear. the oar dropped from his hands. rick gulped his relief. apparently the shadow had no weapon. "jump overboard!" scotty ordered. the man hesitated. scotty thrust the spear gun forward. "jump, i said!" the shadow did, and sank in a flurry of bubbles. when he rose to the surface again, the point of the spear was against his back. "hang on to the boat with both hands," scotty directed. rick got to his side with a kick of the flippers and ran his hands over the man's clothing. he found a switch knife, which he put in his belt. "he's clean," he said. "no other weapons." "take a look in the boat," scotty suggested. rick did so, lifting himself up on the gunwale. there was nothing in the boat but oars and a can of gasoline. "want to tell us why you tried to run us down?" rick asked. the shadow merely stared. "talk," scotty ordered, "or i'll put this spear through you." the man spoke, and his accent was the soft speech of the island. "no, you won't. i could explain running down swimmers by accident, but you could never explain putting a spear through a man in a boat. you don't want that kind of trouble." scotty grinned at the truth of it. "okay," he said. "just one thing. don't push us too far. stay in the water until we're ashore, and don't try to overtake us." "better heed that advice," rick warned. "come on, scotty. let's go." he put his snorkel in place. scotty moved to his side. "welcome to the hospitable waters of st. thomas," he said. "what say we look up some friendly sharks before we go ashore?" chapter iv visitors by night rick and scotty stood on the pier and watched their erstwhile shadow row slowly toward another pier some distance away. "we probably should have tied him up and called the police," rick remarked. "it wouldn't have gotten us anything," scotty disagreed. "he could always claim he didn't see us in the water. after all, it wouldn't be the first time divers had been run over by motorboats." "it's too late now, anyway. let's dress, then go to the hotel and tell zircon and tony about this." as they dressed in the small cabin of the _water witch_, rick spoke aloud the question that had been bothering him. "what did he have to gain by running us down? that's what puzzles me. it was a stupid thing to try, because he didn't really have much chance of getting both of us, or even one, once he failed to catch us by surprise." "he wasn't very well prepared for murder, either," scotty added. "no weapons except a switch knife." rick nodded agreement. "he was desperate," he concluded. "suddenly he had to take a chance on getting us. he must have known it wasn't much of a chance. either he lost his head, or he wasn't very bright. what could have made him try?" scotty had no answer, nor could rick even hazard a reasonable guess. they locked the cabin of the _water witch_, walked into town, and found a taxi. their shadow did not show up again, and if a new tail had replaced him, the new one was too good to be spotted. however, the boys doubted that they were being followed. "i just don't get it," rick said for the twentieth time. "our friend must have lost his head. otherwise he'd have waited on shore and continued to follow us when we came out of the water." "we'll probably never know," scotty returned. "after all, we'll be gone in the morning." "i know. but meanwhile, we'd better have eyes in the back of our heads." the taxi discharged them in front of alexander's rest and they climbed out and surveyed the hotel with interest. scotty spoke first. "alexander's rest? which alexander? the great, or hamilton? if it was hamilton, as dr. ernst said, he must have built it personally." it was a two-story frame structure that had definitely seen better days. on closer inspection rick decided that the second story had been added as an afterthought. it looked like the second layer of a poorly constructed cake. inside, however, the hotel proved to be very comfortable. it was cool, and the rooms were large and clean. the boys learned that they had been registered in a twin bedroom on the second floor, while zircon and briotti were on the first floor. the boys found the scientists attired only in shorts, cooling off over long, cold drinks. they accepted glasses of iced ginger ale and told the scientists of their adventure. "it's amazing." tony briotti shook his head. "do you realize that you two are a phenomenon? i should write you up for one of the scientific journals." "you mean because we turned the tables on the shadow?" scotty asked. "no. because you're adventure-prone. did you ever hear of people who are accident-prone?" zircon chuckled. "a good observation of these two. i agree absolutely, tony. they are adventure-prone." rick sighed. "all right. what's the joke?" "none. i'm quite serious." tony found more ice for his glass. "insurance statistics show that certain people are accident-prone. accidents happen to them. they're going along minding their own business and bang! a streetcar jumps the tracks and hits them. or they step into open manholes. they're the kind of people who always manage to be walking under things when workmen drop tools." "and you," zircon concluded, "are adventure-prone in the same way. consider this. had you walked down the street either a minute earlier or later this morning you would not have seen steve ames. it's quite likely that you would never have known of his presence in town. but what happens? you walk right into an adventure. one thing leads to another, and suddenly a stranger is trying to run you down with a motorboat." "that's what bothers me," rick replied. "there's no pattern. it just makes no sense." "it doesn't have to," tony briotti said with a grin. "the golden skull pattern makes no sense, either. but you got us into more excitement than i knew was possible. you're just adventure-prone." "and for the sake of my gray hair, stay out of trouble," zircon pleaded. "stay close to us until we get to clipper cay." "it will be a pleasure," rick assured him. "only let us out of your sight long enough to shower, please. i'm sticky." "we'll stay in the hotel," scotty promised. "fine. i'll feel better about it if i know where you are. suppose you come by in an hour and we'll have a quiet dinner at the ernsts'." dinner was quiet but interesting. the ernsts were excellent hosts, and both dr. and mrs. ernst had many tales of the islands to tell. as the good doctor had promised, the boys enjoyed the wonderful variety of sea life mrs. ernst had collected to keep in salt-water tanks. she identified for them a number of the smaller reef fishes, including clowns, demoiselles, and even the deadly scorpion fish. the party broke up early, since the start for clipper cay was to be made at dawn by the scientists. the plan was for zircon and tony to make the trip in the _water witch_, with the boys flying over in the sky wagon. that way, both the plane and boat would be available. zircon thought that fast trips to st. thomas might be necessary to replenish supplies, and he added that he would be happier if the plane were available in case of accident. that way, the patient could be in charlotte amalie in a short time. as the boys bade good night to the scientists and started up the stairs to their room, rick asked, "any sign of a shadow tonight?" "nope. guess steve's friends--or enemies--must have lost interest." "i hope that you're right. as long as steve ordered us to stay out of the case, i'll be glad when we get to the cay and get underwater. we have to find that precious gadget even if it takes two solid weeks of diving. if we don't, barby will never let us forget it." this last was uttered as rick turned the key in the lock and pushed the door open. he flicked on the light, then gave a sudden gasp. the shadow and a stranger--in their room! the boys looked into the muzzles of . -caliber pistols. "come on in quietly," the stranger said. "put your hands on the tops of your heads and sit down on the bed over there." the boys did so. they had no alternative. rick's mind raced. somehow they had to warn the scientists, and they had to get out from under the muzzles of the guns! what could these men want of them? the stranger sat down on the other bed. his pistol muzzle was centered precisely on rick's belt buckle. "we want information. give it to us without any trouble and we'll go away. give us a hard time and you'll regret it." rick studied the stranger. he was of medium height, dressed in tan slacks and sport shirt with a darker jacket. his face was ordinary. he might have been a store clerk, or streetcar conductor, or nearly anything. but rick saw from the way his jacket fitted that he was powerfully built for his size, and his hands were lean and strong-looking. he had a heavy tan, as though he had spent many months in the sun. "what do you want to know?" scotty asked. "let's start with what you were saying when you walked in. who is barby?" "my sister," rick said. "she's at home, in new jersey." the stranger sighed. "i was afraid of this. give us straight answers or you'll buy plenty of grief. now, who is barby? who does he represent?" "he told you," scotty answered. "she's his sister." the stranger tried a different tack. "how did you know where to swim today? did ames tell you?" "no," rick replied. "we just swam straight out from the pier looking for coral heads." "come on! you must have had some source of information. who gave it to you?" "we didn't have any source of information," scotty protested. "we just went for a swim!" the stranger lifted the pistol menacingly. "you'd better sing, and it better be straight. i'm warning you!" "warn all you like," rick said angrily. "what do you want us to say?" the shadow walked over and pulled back his fist. "lay off!" the stranger growled. "you've pulled enough stupid stunts for one day. you'll be lucky if the boss doesn't rip the hide off you." the former tail subsided and glared at the boys. the stranger rose. "all right. if you won't talk here, we'll take you where you will talk. get up." the boys looked at each other. scotty raised his eyebrows. rick grinned. he asked calmly, "suppose we don't go?" "you'll go!" the stranger snapped. "i don't think we will," scotty answered. "look, mister. you're in a hotel. it's early, and there are people in the lobby. how far do you think you'd get if you tried to march us downstairs with a gun in your hand?" "we're not going through the lobby," the stranger told them. "we're going the way we came--through the window. and you'll go quietly or we'll take our chances. they might catch us, but you wouldn't care with a couple of slugs in you. pete, go outside and wait. they'll come down one at a time. keep them covered, and don't hesitate to shoot if they try anything." the shadow slipped through the window, hung by his hands, and dropped. the stranger's gun singled out rick. "get going." rick shrugged. there was nothing else to do but obey--at least for the moment. he looked at scotty, and his pal made a small gesture to the right. rick's forehead wrinkled. this was no signal he recognized, unless scotty meant to jump to the right. he swung a leg over the sill and looked down. the shadow was waiting, and the light from the window glinted dully off the gun in his hand. rick went on out, then holding by his hands he gave a swing to the right and dropped. the gun covered him as he rose to his feet again. "against the wall!" the shadow hissed. rick dutifully moved back against the wall. the shadow was standing about six feet away. overhead, scotty was climbing through the window now. rick watched carefully as his pal lowered himself to full length, and swung _to the left_. instantly rick divined scotty's tactics. if the two boys were apart, the gun couldn't cover both of them at the same moment, and there would be an instant while the stranger jumped when only a single gun would be on them. and the shadow had already shown that he wasn't the smartest man in the world. rick slipped to the right a step or two while the shadow was distracted by scotty's jump. scotty fell to his knees, and in getting up he managed to put a few more feet between himself and rick. "watch 'em!" the stranger's voice floated down. rick glanced up and saw the stranger with one leg over the sill. he tensed. scotty said, "listen, you mug ..." the shadow's head turned toward scotty, and rick left the ground in a wild spring. he struck the shadow, hand clawing for the gun. he found a wrist, and twisted, falling backward as he did so. the shadow, the entire weight of his own body on his wrist from the throw, screamed! the gun landed on the ground. rick let go and scrambled for it, but scotty was there before him. in the instant of the struggle the stranger had hesitated on the window sill, hand grabbing for the pistol he had tucked in his belt. he pulled it free and aimed at the struggling figures below, but in the gloom there was no way to distinguish friend from foe. and in that heartbeat, scotty picked up the shadow's gun and fired one snap shot. the stranger's gun dropped to the ground and he fell backward into the room. scotty thrust the pistol into the shadow's stomach. "face the wall," he ordered. "put your hands against it. now support your weight on your hands." the shadow did as ordered. rick took the man's legs and pulled them backward so that the shadow's whole weight was against his hands, his outstretched body forming the hypotenuse of a right triangle. the only way he could move to regain his balance was to lower himself to the ground and then get up. rick picked up the stranger's fallen pistol and hefted it. "better see about the one upstairs," he advised. "i'll watch this one." "i fired at his hand, but i was high," scotty told him. "he got it in the shoulder. he won't get far." zircon and briotti charged around the corner of the hotel in pajamas and slippers, followed by other guests and members of the hotel staff. "we had a little trouble," rick explained briefly. the scientists took in the situation at a glance. "as i said," tony briotti muttered. "adventure-prone. and lucky! how do you beat a combination like that?" chapter v the warning steve ames walked into the hotel dining room accompanied by a young navy lieutenant. he spotted the boys immediately and waved. rick breathed a sigh of relief. "there he is." "we can turn this whole business over to him and then get out of here," scotty returned. the events of the night before had culminated in two phone calls, one by the hotel manager to the police, the other by rick to steve ames. however, the duty officer at the udt base had replied that ames was not available. rick had then asked for intelligence, and his query had gotten fast results. steve ames didn't show up, but navy shore patrol officers did. the sp's had conferred with the local police, and the affair had ended with the shadow and the stranger, whom scotty had potted in the shoulder, being carried off by both groups. first, however, the senior shore patrol officer had listened to their story, then instructed the boys, "wait for steve ames. talk to no one else. the police won't ask any questions." after conferring, the spindrift group decided to go ahead with their plans. the scientists were anxious to transfer their activities to clipper cay, not only to get on with their vacation, but to get the boys away from the mysterious danger that dogged their footsteps in charlotte amalie. the scientists had departed at dawn in the _water witch_, after extracting a promise from rick and scotty that they would not stir from the hotel until steve ames contacted them, and that they would then fly at once to clipper cay. the wait had been a long one. it was now nearly noon, and the boys, hungry because their breakfast had been at daybreak, were ordering lunch. steve ames sat down and motioned the lieutenant to a seat. "jimmy, this is rick brant and don scott. boys, lieutenant kelly. have you ordered lunch?" "we were just looking over the menu," rick replied. "fine. we'll join you." the four consulted menus, then ordered. steve turned to kelly. "jimmy, being the athletic type, you've probably never heard of the spindrift scientific foundation." the lieutenant, a heavily tanned young man with crisp black hair, shook his head. "sorry. i never have." "well, it's a reputable, highly competent and conservative group of some of the best scientific brains in the country. but somehow, these two got attached to it. they're not very conservative, although they're competent--especially at getting into trouble." kelly gave the boys a comradely grin. "if he talks that way, he must like you." the boys grinned back. the lieutenant was likable. "all right. last i saw of you two, rick was lying across the legs of the guy who had been tailing me. the next thing i heard, two men we've been keeping an eye on were in the hoosegow, one with a slug in his shoulder. and i also heard some wild tales of jumping out of windows. now fill in the details." rick started from the moment they first noticed that a shadow had picked them up. he told the story in careful and accurate detail, knowing that steve's trained mind might find significance in things that meant nothing to him. now and then scotty elaborated on a point. when rick concluded the recital, steve cupped his chin in one hand and stared at them thoughtfully. kelly complimented them. "sounds as if you took care of things like real professionals, both in the water and in the hotel. and i must say, i wish my people would learn to give reports like that." the boys thanked him, and scotty added, "i don't suppose you can tell us anything about what you do?" "sure i can. i'm not one of steve's hush-hush crew. i'm a simple navy lieutenant." rick chuckled. "in other words, you can't tell us." steve said, "he's executive officer of the udt group here. and he's group intelligence officer. i might also add that he's brighter than he looks." "then what do you make of this business?" scotty inquired. "i'm not that bright," kelly replied. "seriously, this one has me stumped. first of all, it's easy to understand why a shadow picked you up. after all, it must have been obvious that you knocked steve's tail off. so they simply picked you up instead, hoping that you'd lead them back to steve, or that you might be important in some way they couldn't understand." "it's nice to have someone do my thinking for me," steve said. "carry on, lieutenant." "aye, aye, sir. the tail stuck with you. when your party split in two, he decided to stay with you instead of zircon and briotti. there could be two reasons: first, you were the ones who contacted steve on the street. second, you stayed at the waterfront while the others went off in a taxi. i like the second reason better because of what happened later. how about you, steve?" "i'm with you. go ahead." "well, at this point i get lost. you put on your gear and swam out, not with any particular destination in mind, but looking for a rock or a coral head or something of the kind where you could see fish. the shadow watched you. suddenly he got excited, grabbed a boat, and tried to run you down." steve grinned at the boys. "in fact, he got so excited that he stole a boat right out from under the owner's nose. what do you think of that?" rick scratched his head. "we'd about decided he was either desperate or stupid. i guess he was both." kelly continued. "the big point is, what made him desperate? it could only have been one thing, as i see it. you were getting close to something, and he was afraid you'd find it. so he lost his head. that's borne out by the remark his pal made last night, that he'd pulled enough stupid stunts for one day." "but what could we have been getting close to?" "i don't know. whatever it was, it isn't there now." scotty and rick sat up straight. scotty demanded, "how do you know?" steve smiled. "because a team of navy frogmen went over the entire area inch by inch this morning." at the boys' surprised looks, kelly explained, "you told the shore patrol enough to get us interested. we put teams in the water at daylight. there's nothing there." "but there could have been," scotty pointed out. "if they suspected we knew about it, they could have removed it yesterday afternoon or last night." "correct," steve agreed. "they were worried, too. otherwise why the call on you last night? and the questions?" steve paused while the waiter served them. "the conclusion is this: something they value was in the water near where you swam. you met me yesterday morning, and they had already identified me. which means that they must have agents in washington who warned them janig was moving in on the case. since it's no secret that i'm with the outfit, they could peg me easily. when you swam out toward this object, whatever it was, they were convinced that somehow janig had learned about it. the tail got desperate and tried to knock you off. then, last night, they tried to find out what you knew, and how." "who are 'they'?" rick asked. "if i knew that, i'd wrap the case up and go home. jimmy has been working on it for a week, but he hasn't any answers yet. i've been here twenty-four hours, and i know even less." "could you identify the two men?" scotty queried. "yes. both small fry, both local. and both are obviously green at this kind of business, otherwise you'd be a pair of real cold turkeys by now." that was true, rick knew. experienced agents wouldn't have given him and scotty the chances that they'd seized. "the men must know what was under the water," scotty said. "not necessarily. they just knew it was important, and they may have been ordered to protect it. but your former shadow was on the griddle all night, and told all he knew. it wasn't much. he didn't even know who had hired him. he wasn't stalling, either." "what's the next step?" rick wanted to know. "jimmy and i will drive you to the plane. then you take off for clipper cay. and stay there until your vacation is over. have you a short-wave radio, by the way?" "yes. why?" rick had an all-wave battery portable. "monitor the navy command frequency. here, i'll write it down for you. listen every night at six for five minutes. if i want you, i'll send a message. i don't think i will, but it won't do any harm to set up a schedule." steve lowered his voice. "now listen to me. this thing is big. the two you ran up against yesterday were not good samples. we're dealing with some tough professionals. i don't know who they are, but from what i've seen i can tell you they're dangerous. so you two are to stay out of this case. that is an order. stay on clipper cay and have fun." "i can add a small note to that," lieutenant kelly said. "i'm new here. i was ordered down from norfolk only a week ago. a first-class intelligence officer had my job. he turned up in a hospital in the british virgins after being missing for two days. he had a fractured skull. he still doesn't know what happened to him, and neither do we." "okay," steve said flatly. "i appreciate the way you handled things yesterday, but that's the end so far as you are concerned. get out, and stay out! and that's final!" chapter vi the deadly tank the sky wagon droned smoothly through a series of figure eights as rick and scotty inspected every inch of clipper cay and its surrounding waters. while rick flew, scotty marked off landmarks on the chart of the island that dr. ernst had provided. "i wish we could spot the wreck of the _maiden hand_," scotty remarked. "too deep," rick said. "we can't see bottom at twenty fathoms even in water as clear as this." "i've got everything important marked. what say we land and look over our property?" "okay. i'll shoot the beach while you look for coral heads. we don't want to snag a pontoon." the boys had already identified their house. it was set at the edge of the palms, about fifty yards inland from the beach. it looked fine. there was a small dock to which the _water witch_ could be tied up when the scientists arrived. rick estimated that tony and zircon would arrive about sundown, two hours hence. the boys had flown over the _water witch_ en route from st. thomas. apparently the scientists were enjoying the trip. zircon had been sprawled in the cockpit while tony trolled for fish. "i'm a little surprised there wasn't something wrong with the plane," rick observed. he and scotty had gone over the sky wagon from propeller hub to rudder, fearful that the unknown enemy might have sabotaged the plane. but there was no sign of any tampering. however, the inspection had taken so long that it was late afternoon before they got away. it was significant and perhaps a little ominous that steve and jimmy kelly had assigned a pair of husky shore patrol men with . -caliber sidearms to stay with them until the plane actually took off. "maybe the two men who came after us were acting without orders," scotty replied. "maybe the real brains of the gang aren't even interested in us." "i hope that you're right. see any coral heads?" although most coral growth was limited to the reef area, outcroppings of coral called "heads" had grown up toward the surface in some places. there were none in the stretch of water before the beach house where rick planned to land. "the water's clear. pick your direction. there's not enough wind to make any difference." "i'll land parallel to the beach." rick turned south down the center of the island. when he had reached the right position he cut the throttle, and the nose of the sky wagon dropped. he banked tightly, reversing course, until the plane was headed north a hundred yards out from the beach. he let the plane feel its way toward the water, then felt the first bump as the pontoons touched. in a moment they were down, and rick swung the plane to taxi in toward their new home. scotty was already stripping off his shoes and socks. as the pontoons touched bottom a few yards from shore, scotty climbed out. rick cut the gun while his pal pulled the plane up on the beach. rick got out and waited until scotty slipped his shoes on again, then they walked to the cottage. the door was unlocked. few people came to clipper cay, and locks weren't considered necessary. the boys pushed open the front door and walked in. there was a large living room and three bedrooms, each with twin beds. in the rear of the cottage was a kitchen with kerosene stove and kerosene refrigerator. a fifty-gallon drum out back provided the fuel supply, which was piped in through copper tubing. rick checked the fuel. the tank was full. he read the simple instructions tacked to the wall over the refrigerator, then lighted the burner. there were frozen foods and soft drinks as well as dairy products among their supplies, packed in dry ice in the _water witch's_ food locker; the refrigerator would be cold enough for the supplies by the time the boat arrived. for bathing in fresh water there was an outdoor shower, a shower head rigged to a five-gallon drum and supported on a frame of two-by-four wooden members. a canvas curtain gave privacy. other sanitary facilities were equally primitive but effective. scotty opened the door of a lean-to shed on the rear of the house. "we can stow our diving gear in here. there's a bench, too. looks as though the owner used the place for cleaning fish and stowing his fishing equipment." they walked around to the front of the house where there was a small porch. a few wicker chairs were upended against the wall. the boys righted them and sat down. "this is the life," rick observed. "look at that view." they looked from the porch down to the sandy beach, past the pier and the sky wagon to water that was almost glassy calm. the water continued in a smooth stretch for about five hundred yards out to the reef. light breakers foamed along the reef, and beyond, the water was a blue waste to the horizon. a quarter mile south, a break in the reef marked a passage where boats could enter. somewhere, out beyond the reef, was the wreck of the _maiden hand_. in his mind, rick planned how they would go about finding it. the first step was to rig some kind of underwater towing boards. then he and scotty, equipped with their aqualungs, would be towed behind the _water witch_, scanning the bottom as they went. he wasn't worried about finding material for the towing boards. any kind of planks would do, or they could even make a tow board out of a fallen log, although that would be harder to control. "come on," he invited. "let's walk through the palms. we need a few planks, and we might as well get them now." by the time the scientists approached the pier, the boys had explored the central part of the island and had returned to the cottage lugging planks found in the ruin of a cottage apparently blown down by some long-past hurricane. they dropped the planks beside the house and hurried to catch the line that zircon threw, then they warped the _water witch_ in to the dock. all hands turned to, and in a short time supplies were unloaded and stored, beds were made with linen and blankets loaned by dr. ernst, and the cottage began to take on an inhabited look. while tony briotti began preparations for dinner, the boys carried their aqualung equipment to the shed at the rear of the cottage and began to check it over. since their lives would depend on proper functioning of the equipment, they inspected the regulators carefully, checking the condition of the neoprene flaps. once checked, the regulators were hung on nails on the shed walls, out of harm's way. the next step was to inspect the tanks. rick had already looked them over, but for the sake of safety the boys did it again. there were six of them, each of seventy-cubic-feet capacity. there was an advantage to this particular capacity at the depth where they expected to dive; a diver could work only fifteen minutes at feet without requiring decompression, and seventy cubic feet of air would last just long enough. double tanks would have meant the boys would be able to stay down nearly twice as long, but would also have meant the nuisance of waiting through the decompression period of about thirteen minutes ten feet below the surface on the ascent. for this reason, the boys planned to dive with single tanks, leaving the spares on the surface. of course, to get even fifteen minutes of diving at twenty fathoms the tanks had to be filled to capacity. when full, they were under enormous internal pressure of over two thousand pounds per square inch. the tanks had been filled at spindrift, but the boys decided to check them again, in case there had been some leakage through the valves during shipment. scotty swung one tank upright and prepared to attach the pressure gauge. rick, inspecting another tank for bumps that might have weakened the tank wall, saw him do it. for a moment rick continued his inspection, then what he had seen suddenly registered. he yelled, "scotty! the valve!" in that instant, as scotty attached the pressure gauge, the valve blew out! the entire valve assembly and the pressure gauge, propelled by the tremendous pressure in the tank, blew straight upward, ripping clear of scotty's hand and taking a patch of skin along. the ascending assembly, traveling with bullet speed, clipped a lock of hair from his bent head. [illustration: _the valve assembly, traveling with bullet speed, barely missed scotty's head_] scotty yelled, "run!" the tank, its air free to escape, writhed and turned, then fell over on its side. it was like an inflated balloon, turned loose to fly around a room. air jetted from it with terrific velocity, so that the tank was, for the period while its air lasted, a true rocket. it struck the wall of the shed and went through it like paper, smashed into a stud and caromed slightly, so that its trajectory was altered enough to drive it directly at rick. he fell flat and it went over, just grazing him, then flew into the palm grove. it hit a palm a slanting blow and turned upward, shooting high in the air, clipping off the top of another palm as it went. as the boys watched, horrified, it climbed straight up. then, its high pressure nearly exhausted, it turned leisurely and plunged back into the grove, almost burying itself in the sandy soil. the boys sat down and stared weakly at each other. for the first time, rick noted that scotty's hand was bleeding. he said shakily, "here, let me look at that." the scientists rushed out of the house and demanded to know what had happened. the tank had blown through its devastating course so fast that they had not even had time to get outdoors. zircon bandaged scotty's hand with supplies from the first-aid kit while the boys told them what had happened. tony said, "very careless, leaving a valve loose like that." rick told him positively, "it wasn't left unscrewed, tony. we always use a wrench on those valves because high pressure is so dangerous. and it wasn't like that yesterday. i checked the tanks when we stowed them on the boat." scotty gestured toward the other tanks. "better take a look." rick did so, and gave a low whistle. the valves had all been loosened. they were in place only by a turn or two of the threads. "they could have come out any time," he said grimly. "any rough handling could have knocked a valve out. and if it had happened on the boat, the tank would have gone right through the bottom or side. it was just luck scotty and i weren't killed." zircon wordlessly found the valve wrench and got to work screwing the assemblies back in place. the others watched silently, until scotty said, "well, at least we're out of st. thomas. there won't be any more sabotage!" chapter vii the derelict rick and scotty were up at dawn the next morning. they didn't bother with anything so prosaic as breakfast. instead, they collected masks, snorkels, and flippers for a preliminary dip. they didn't use the lungs; those were to be saved for more important work than casual swimming. for this first swim, each boy selected a spear gun. scotty chose the same light spring gun he had used to save them from the shadow, while rick took his favorite gun, a four-strand rubber-powered weapon that packed a terrific wallop. they belted on their knives and blew up their plastic floats. these were essential for resting, if necessary, and for bringing home their catch, if any. once a fish was speared, it was important to get it out of the water as soon as possible, since blood would bring sharks or barracuda if any were in the neighborhood. "come on," rick said impatiently. "let's go." "i'm coming." scotty finished coiling up the light line he used to tether the float to his belt, and they stepped into the water. the temperature was just right. they ducked under, then put on their equipment. scotty pulled a rubber glove over his injured hand. pushing their floats ahead of them, faces down in the water, they started for the reef. rick watched the bottom carefully. it was clear sand, with no sign of life other than an occasional conch or other shellfish. this was to be expected, since marine life tended to collect around reefs, rocks, pilings, wrecks, and similar things. as they approached the reef, coral heads and outcroppings began to appear. and with them, fish. rick hooted for scotty's attention, then lifted his head and let his mouthpiece fall free. "let's go outside!" he called as scotty looked up. the other boy nodded agreement. both were anxious to examine the reef. the surf was light. they crossed over the reef by towing their floats and timing their movements through the breakers. once beyond the point where the waves broke, the water was fairly calm, with only light surges from the passing waves. rick looked down and saw the reef drop away under him. it shelved off perhaps twenty feet down, then beyond the shelf it fell away into the depths. he looked into the blueness with a stirring of excitement. to find the _maiden hand_, they would have to swim into that mysterious blue realm. scotty hooted. rick looked, and followed the direction of his pointing arm. there, browsing around the shelf below, was a handsome red snapper, perhaps fifteen inches long. they had stopped in miami and rick had noticed that red-snapper prices were about the same as those for steak. there was no doubt that the fish was very good eating. he gestured to scotty to go after it, then floated motionless, watching. scotty put the loader over the tip of his spear and pushed down, cocking the gun. then, without a splash, he slid under the water. rick watched as his fins propelled him slowly toward the snapper. scotty was moving slowly, because this was the prime rule in underwater hunting. as he swam, he extended the spear gun, aiming over the short barrel. the snapper stopped browsing and his dorsal fin suddenly erected, a sign of alarm. but he didn't move because he was not yet sure the big invader was an enemy. before he could make up his mind, scotty fired. the spear took the fish right behind the gills. he gave a quick spurt that brought the line humming from its spool. scotty followed quickly, caught the shaft, then sped upward to where rick waited. "good shot," rick complimented him as scotty caught his float. together, they took the fish off the shaft and examined him with some pride. their first catch off clipper cay was a good one. the snapper was pink and firm-fleshed. he would make good eating. rick put his face down in the water again while scotty secured the catch to his float. as he did so he saw a target and hooted for attention. scotty joined him and they looked down to where a barracuda hovered motionless. the 'cuda was perhaps two and a half feet long, not big as such predators went, but big enough. scotty motioned to rick to get him. obviously the fish had been attracted by the blood or the struggles of the snapper. rick hoped that his big brothers wouldn't join him. this one was plenty big enough. while scotty held both floats, rick charged his gun, pulling back the strong rubbers a pair at a time. then he checked his safety line, filled his lungs, and went under. the barracuda hovered, waiting. rick knew that his apparent disinterest could change to lightning flight. few fish were so fast. he followed scotty's example, moving slowly toward the quarry. he was a dozen feet down now, and in the lessened light the barracuda loomed large, a slim arrow of a fish, poised for flight. the spear gun was extended, the spear point nearing firing range. rick planned to shoot from about six feet. he doubted that he could get closer. flippers propelling him gently, he closed. now he could see the pointed jaws that contained razor-edged teeth. the fish was watching him, but without apparent fear. the barracuda head was squarely in his sights. rick squeezed the trigger. for a moment he thought he had missed, then the safety line ran out and the jerk almost pulled the gun from his hands. he was running out of breath, too. quickly he planed for the surface, feeling the fury on the end of his line. he broke water, gulped air, then dove again. he pulled in the line until he saw the fish struggling. he had nearly missed. the harpoon had taken the barracuda near the tail, fortunately hitting the spine. rick pulled him in, hand over hand, then gripped his spear by the extreme end. he had no desire to close with those slashing, dangerous jaws. holding fast to the spear he shot to the surface again. scotty was waiting, knife in hand. as rick extended the spear toward him the keen knife flashed across the 'cuda's spine just behind the gills. rick tossed his gun onto the float, then together they heaved the fish up beside it. "spindrift was never like this," scotty said, grinning. rick gulped air and grinned back. a hail from the shore reached them. they turned and saw tony briotti. he was waving a frying pan in a signal for breakfast. suddenly rick realized that he was famished. "let's go," he said. "we'll trade these for bacon and eggs." it was nearly noon before they got into the water again. the first part of the morning was spent in fashioning sea sleds from the planks the boys had gathered. this was simple enough, but it took a little time. first the planks were cut to proper length, then two of them were nailed together. a bridle was arranged so that they could be towed, and spare weight belts and weights were used to counteract their bouyancy. they were very much like the aqua-planes commonly towed behind motorboats, but much cruder, and designed to go under rather than remain on the surface. two long ropes were arranged so that a sled could be towed on either side of the _water witch_. once this was done, the boys rechecked their equipment, attached the regulators to the tanks, and carried them to the beach. zircon would pilot the boat, following the -foot mark on the chart. tony would act as tender at the stern, while rick and scotty would ride the sleds. the first leg would take them through the reef channel, then south to the tip of the island, reverse course and north again, staying at the twenty-fathom mark. zircon was sure that he would be able to follow the prescribed course by judging his distance from the reef. when all was in readiness, they loaded their gear aboard the _water witch_, including the spare tanks. only the runaway tank was missing, and rick had determined that its wild flight had not weakened it. the valve and pressure gauge had been recovered after a considerable search, and the tank could be refilled with the others. zircon took the _water witch_ through the reef, and the boys donned their equipment while tony swung the ladder outboard. rick checked his own straps, and then those of scotty, while scotty returned the favor. then each checked the flow of air through his mouthpiece, and made sure the reserve rod was in the "up" position. this done, they entered the water. tony tossed the boards over and made sure the lines were secured. rick and scotty paddled the boards to the extreme length of the lines, then separated as much as the lines allowed. they were about thirty feet apart and a hundred feet behind the boat. they waved their readiness to tony, who relayed the go-ahead to zircon. the boat started slowly. rick moved forward on his board, and the weighted board tilted down. it acted as a hydrofoil, its forward motion pulling it deeper into the water. rick waited until he was only ten feet from the bottom, then shifted his weight back again. obediently the board tilted upward and raced for the surface. rick moved forward again just in time to keep from breaking through the surface. by adjusting his weight, he could keep the board level, or go up or down. it wasn't easy and he had to fight the board level almost constantly. bubbles rose from the regulator between his shoulder blades as he breathed rhythmically. the lung performed effortlessly, giving him as much air as he needed. he felt the pressure on his ears as he steered the board toward bottom, and there was an instant of pain before his ears adjusted. the bottom was sandy. to his right he saw the wall of the reef, and once a startled snook shot out of his way. to his left he could see scotty. before he knew it the boat had throttled down, a signal that they were at the southern end of the reef. he tilted upward and surfaced. tony called, "how is it?" "great!" rick called back. "but we'll need lots more line. it was shallow on the way down, but if we try to go any deeper the angle of the line will make the boards come up." "you should try it," scotty said. "honestly, tony, it's wonderful!" "i'll try it a little later," tony promised. "i'm giving you all the line we have, about three hundred feet each. if you can't make it, surface. we'll have to splice the two lines together and use just one board." zircon came to the stern and bellowed, "you forgot these!" he tossed in two fishing floats and coils of line. those were in case they found the wreck. whoever spotted it was to drop off his board, secure the line to the wreck, and let the float rise to the surface. in that way, they would have a guide. each boy took one of the units and fastened it to his weight belt. "we're off!" zircon called. "ready?" the boys yelled that they were. rick fitted his mouthpiece and checked the seal of his mask. scotty did the same, then both tilted their boards and slid under. on the northbound leg they had trouble keeping the boards down because of the tendency of the lead rope to pull the front of the boards up, but by crawling far forward, they managed. they were deeper than they had ever gone before, but rick felt no sensation of fright or strangeness. it was a green world, not dark but yet not bright. the light was subdued, filtered by the fathoms of water. the bottom was mostly clear sand, dotted now and then by patches of growth. there did not seem to be many fish, or perhaps their eyes were not adjusted to the subdued light. scotty was close to the reef on the northbound leg, while rick was about twenty feet farther out. for long moments there was only the sensation of rushing through the water, the distant throb of the engines, and the sound of their own bubbles. then, ahead, rick saw a mass of growth and tilted his board upward just in time to clear it. scotty hooted once, then again. rick turned in time to see his pal's board leap ahead, free of scotty's weight. sudden fear gripped him. had scotty been caught? instantly he released his own board and saw it scoot for the surface. he reversed his course and swam rapidly back. the obstruction he had cleared was dead ahead. and there were fish! so many that they seemed like a swarm of flies around it. the biggest was not more than five inches long. then he saw scotty. his friend was fastening the float line to a projection! rick's heart leaped. what he thought was a rock formation on the sea floor was the wreck of a ship! scotty had recognized it and dropped off. the _maiden hand_? he hooted and scotty looked up. the other boy shook his head. it wasn't the _maiden hand_, then. but how did scotty know? in a moment, when he joined the other boy, he saw the curling edges of steel plate. this was a steel ship, then, and not a very large one at that. he estimated its length as not more than a hundred feet. still, it was a wreck--their first. there, at twenty fathoms, he and scotty shook hands solemnly while the tiny fish swam around them like curious gnats. scotty finished tying his line and unwound it from the wooden spool. the float rose upward and vanished far overhead. they heard the throb of the returning boat, and rick hooted twice, the signal to surface. scotty nodded, and they went up, slowly, careful to breathe naturally and not to overtake their small bubbles, as doctrine dictated. in a moment rick saw the hull of the boat, propellers barely turning, and knew that zircon was holding position overhead. they broke water off the side of the _water witch_, and rick waited until scotty hailed the scientists. "we found a wreck, but it's a steel ship." "come aboard!" tony called, and helped them up the ladder when they complied. the tanks were cumbersome when out of the water. "it's a fish paradise!" rick said excitedly. "i'm going to get my camera working and take some pictures. you've got to go down and look, both of you." "how did you spot it?" zircon asked. "scotty did. i thought it was a rock formation and went over it, but scotty dropped off." "i saw curled plate," scotty answered. "i knew it wasn't the _maiden hand_, with steel sides, but i didn't think we'd want to pass up a wreck." "you were so right," rick agreed, grinning. a check of their tanks with the gauge showed that only about five minutes diving time remained at the twenty-fathom depth, so the regulators were transferred to spare tanks. tony and zircon, already in trunks, donned diving gear and followed scotty's line to the bottom. the boys waited impatiently, scotty taking the helm to hold the boat in place. ten minutes later the scientists surfaced, and rick helped them aboard. tony removed his mask and grinned. "it's as wonderful as you said it was." "what kind of ship was it?" rick asked. tony had been a destroyer skipper during the war and he knew ships. "probably an interisland cargo carrier of some kind. at any rate, it appears to be a small cargo ship. it's so overgrown with marine growth that the shape is cluttered. it might have been a small tanker." "we can explore it from stem to stern," rick suggested excitedly. scotty joined them and commented, "but not right now. we'll have to go ashore and charge the tanks. there may be time for one more dive this afternoon if we hurry." "besides," hobart zircon said with a smile, "i'm hungry. as you say, rick, diving certainly develops the appetite!" they docked, and tony and zircon went off to see about preparing sandwiches. the boys decided that rather than carry the tanks back and forth from the pier to the shed, it would be more sensible to bring their small, portable gas-driven compressor to the pier. scotty went after it while rick tied the tanks to the afterrail of the _water witch_, in position for filling. a yell from scotty stopped him. he looked up and saw his friend beckon, and ran down the pier to the house. the scientists joined him and scotty at the shed where the compressor had been stored. "we've been sabotaged again," scotty told them flatly. "there's oil in the compressor!" "are you certain?" zircon pressed close to examine the machine. "yes. i stumbled over my own feet and tipped the compressor on its side. and oil ran out through the air fitting. look!" scotty held up his hand, and it was smeared with glistening oil. a cold shiver traced its way down rick's spine. oil in a compressor was blown into fine particles, too small to be seen. if they got into an air tank they would be breathed in, leaving a thin coating on a diver's lungs. the result was a condition almost exactly like pneumonia, called "lipoid pneumonia." their special filter, designed by zircon, probably would have taken all the oil particles out of the air before it got into the tanks, but that didn't alter the fact that faced them. someone had deliberately put oil in the compressor. someone just didn't want them around! chapter viii the fancy frogmen "the question is," rick stated, "when was the oil put in? while we were at charlotte amalie? or while we were out hunting the wreck just now?" "in charlotte amalie, of course," tony said. "why do you think it might have been done just a little while ago?" rick shrugged. he had no answer to that. the question had popped into his mind unbidden. "we didn't take the compressor apart," scotty reminded him. that was true. but rick had started it in charlotte amalie to be sure it was functioning. there was no oil in it then. he said as much. "you started the compressor at the same time you checked the tanks," zircon reminded him. "i believe the oil was put in at the same time the valves were loosened." that seemed reasonable. rick put aside his hunch. "well, we found it in time, anyway. now scotty and i will have to tear the compressor down and clean it before we can recharge the tanks." "after lunch," tony said. "don't you remember? a diver is supposed to rest after each dive. relax, and i'll have some sandwiches ready in a few minutes." all hands were hungry. scotty stowed away four sandwiches and rick did nearly as well. then they started work on the compressor. it wasn't a hard job, but it was tedious, and nearly two hours elapsed before they finished. each part had to be washed in soap and water, then carefully dried. finally, the compressor was ready. they carried it to the boat, started the gas engine, and connected the tanks. but before the air started to flow, rick carefully inspected the filter system to be sure that hadn't been tampered with too. "you know," he observed, "these enemies steve is hunting know a lot about sport diving." scotty considered. "they knew that tanks could be dangerous, and they knew that oil in a compressor is dangerous. you're right, rick. they know plenty about it." "but it doesn't do us much good to know that they know," rick concluded. "well, now what? it will be a few hours before all the tanks are charged." "where are zircon and tony?" "napping. we probably should join them." "not me. there's nothing to do after sundown but sleep. i'd like to take a walk and look the island over." rick sighed. "always an eager beaver. i'll go with you, if you don't walk fast." they turned north and walked up the beach. somewhere off this stretch of beach was the _maiden hand_. but where? they strolled along leisurely, stopping now and then to examine some bit of beach flotsam. there were shells, but most of them were small and water worn. "we'll have to collect a few shells on the reef," rick said. "barby will be disappointed if we don't." "that's easy enough to do," scotty replied. "i saw half a dozen different varieties this morning." they passed a beach house, obviously empty. rick gestured toward it. "funny how few people there are here. if i owned a place on this island i'd be here all the time." "unless you had to make a living," scotty added practically. "this isn't the season for vacations. i expect vacation time finds plenty of activity here. there's one cabin occupied to the south of us. i saw people there this morning. they're probably the same ones who waved at us from a boat when we flew over day before yesterday." "the boat isn't there now," rick observed. "at least, i haven't seen it." "they may have gone to st. thomas for supplies. or they may have gone home." scotty pointed to what seemed to be the largest house on the island, near the northern tip. "that's quite a place. let's go have a look." there was a long pier in front of the house, and, unlike the others on the island, this house had a second story. there was no sign of life. they walked around it and found a barbecue pit. scotty examined it. "this has been used recently, probably in the past few days." rick bent down and peered at a scrap of meat. "you're right. they had steak. and this piece hasn't dried out yet." "maybe they're still here." scotty walked to the back of the house. "they might be out fishing or something." he looked in a window and called urgently, "rick! look!" rick hurried to his side and peered in. the room was evidently used for storing diving equipment. hung along one wall were three full diving suits of expensive make. next to them, neatly racked, was an assortment of spear guns, all of the spring type, and all of italian make. on another wall were three scuba regulators, not aqualung types such as the boys used, but the variety that carries a full face mask through which the diver breathes. in a rack on the floor were nine spare tanks and a compressor much larger and more expensive than theirs. swim fins, also of italian make, were lying on a table. they were the shoe type, put on like a pair of slippers. rick identified an underwater camera, complete with steering fins and outside controls, and a number of face masks with built-in snorkels. boxes stacked on the floor carried labels that identified them as midseason suits of french make. "we've found some real fancy frogmen," scotty observed. "this place looks like a high-priced show-room for diving gear." "pretty plush," rick agreed. they wandered back down to the beach and found that this area of the island was apparently more open to the sea. there were bits of flotsam, including coconuts that had washed in. the sea shells were larger, and they found a few worth picking up. scotty beckoned and pointed to a piece of wood, nearly buried in the sand. "what do you make of this?" rick examined it. it was curved, and a shred of green metal still clung to the rusty remains of an ancient hand-fashioned nail. he looked up with sudden excitement. "it's a section of a ship rib. and a pretty old one, too." his finger indicated the shred of metal. "copper. or used to be." he broke it off. "completely oxidized. it's been in the water a long time, perhaps even centuries." the boys stared out at the reef, both half afraid to put their thoughts into words. finally scotty asked, "do you remember reading about any earthquakes or big tidal waves down here recently?" rick tried to recall. "no. why?" "well, the _maiden hand_ has been under the water out here for a couple of centuries--and in pretty deep water, too. it would take some disturbance that could reach down a hundred and twenty feet to break off a chunk." rick grinned. "you're right. but we haven't anything to lose by taking a look, have we?" they trotted down the beach toward their own house at a half run. rick looked at his watch. "at least one pair of tanks should be full by now, and there's plenty of time for a dive. come on!" they paused at the pier, put the pressure gauge on the first two tanks in series, and found them charged, as rick had predicted. then they ran for the house. zircon and tony were gone and there was a note on the living-room table. "_we're exploring the southern end. be back in an hour or two._" "shall we wait?" scotty asked. "no need. we can take our floats. let's get going." they changed to trunks. then, since they would not have anyone on the surface to keep track of time or depth, strapped on wrist watches, compasses, and wrist depth gauges. floats and weight belts were put on, then the boys added small plastic slates and pencils for writing underwater. knives, masks, snorkels, their favorite guns, fins, and lungs completed their equipment. "shall we walk up the beach, or swim?" "swim," rick said promptly. "this stuff is too heavy to carry comfortably." they launched floats, placed aqualung mouthpieces on top of their masks, and swam parallel to the beach. by using snorkels they avoided the effort of lifting their faces out of water to breathe and conserved the air in the tanks. with effective but effortless leg strokes they moved along rapidly. as they approached the ship rib that scotty had found they turned and swam straight out toward the reef, crossed it, then came to a halt. "let's tie our floats to something," rick suggested, and scotty nodded. aqualung mouthpieces replaced the snorkels, and each boy tested his flow of air, checked to be sure his mask was connected to the lung by a safety line, charged his gun, and set his watch. the watches, designed especially for underwater swimming, had an outer dial that could be set to show elapsed diving time. rick hooted and pointed down. scotty nodded and they submerged. because of their belt weights, and the weight of air in their tanks, they were just heavy enough to sink slowly. after the dive, when the air in the tanks was nearly exhausted, they would weigh about five pounds less and have a slight positive buoyancy that would help them to rise. they found coral outcroppings and tied their float lines, being careful not to cut their hands. rick suddenly wished they had brought canvas gloves. scotty still wore a single rubber one. then, with a few strong kicks to overcome their inertia, they started down the face of the reef. it fell off sharply for about forty feet, then more gradually until sand bottom was reached at about ninety feet. rick felt the sensation of thrusting his face into a wedge as the pressure increased. he swallowed a couple of times and felt his ears equalize, but his mask was beginning to hurt. he exhaled through his nose and equalized the pressure inside the mask. there were plenty of fish around now. a grouper saw them coming and ducked into his hole in the coral. a fairly large moray eel, only his head visible, watched their progress. tiny demoiselles fluttered around them, and a pair of red squirrelfish watched from the shelter of a purple coral fan. the coral growth was spectacular, with fantastic shapes and colors. then, as they went deeper, the colors gradually faded to a uniform green. rick knew from underwater flash photographs that the appearance was deceptive. the colors remained, but the quality of light changed. scotty hooted four times, the signal for danger! rick looked and saw a barracuda hovering near by. he gulped. the fish was easily five feet long. both boys lifted their spear guns just in case the 'cuda attacked, but the motion alarmed him and he was gone with one powerful flick of his tail. rick consulted his wrist depth gauge, holding it close to his face plate. they were at bottom at ninety feet, and the clean sand dropped away at an angle of about thirty degrees. the boys planed downward, a few feet above the sand until rick's gauge read feet. this was the limit of their dive. going deeper would mean stopping for decompression on the way up. he recalled that the waves came into the beach from a slightly northerly direction and motioned to scotty that they should turn north. scotty moved out to the limit of visibility, and they swam on a compass heading of north, watching for any sign of a wreck. now and then a coral shelf extended out from the reef, but they saw nothing that could have been a wreck. once they swam over a patch of marine growth perhaps twenty feet long and ten wide, and a huge eagle ray lifted from it and glided off like a weird futuristic airplane. it was quiet, except for the regular chuckle of their exhausts, and the light was subdued and even. it was a world without shadows. still, rick thought, there was plenty of light for photography. next time he would bring his camera. the watch showed him that over half their allotted time was gone, and he hooted once to scotty, then reversed course, heading back toward their floats. they approached the patch where they had seen the ray and rick paused suddenly. there was an odd shape on the sand near the patch. he flippered over to it and examined it. scotty joined him. it looked like an oversized mushroom protruding from the sand at an angle. rick unsheathed his knife and poked at it. the sharp tip penetrated for a fraction of an inch, then stopped. it was either rock or metal, and judging from the shape, it was unlikely that it was rock. he put his knife under it and pried, and the thing moved in the sand. both boys went to work on it, scooping the sand from around it. in a moment they had it clear. it was something like a dumbbell, covered with marine growth where it had been above the sand, but fairly smooth under it. rick took his belt slate and scribbled, "metal." scotty nodded. then both of them turned to look at the patch of marine life. a distant throb, as though of a boat, caught their attention. they looked up, but the surface was invisible. it was tony and zircon, rick decided. they probably had returned to the cottage and found the diving equipment missing. they could spot the location where the boys were diving easily enough, first by the floats, then by the bubbles of their exhausts. scotty hooted suddenly, four times. rick turned quickly in time to see a six-foot shark speed past. the tips of the pectoral fins and the second dorsal were darker than the rest of the fish, and rick identified it as a black-tipped shark. obviously, the shark was on business of its own, not particularly interested in them. still, it was curious. the shark was rushing almost straight up. [illustration: _rick turned in time to see a six-foot shark speed past_] scotty gripped his arm and pointed. more sharks! another black tip. and a ten-foot leopard shark! all rushing upward. the boys watched tensely, and then out of the dimness above something sped down at them, followed by the sharks. it landed in the clear sand just beyond the marine growth. rick saw a black tip go for it, then the black tip was struck from the side by the big leopard. in spite of his sudden apprehension, rick couldn't help wishing for his camera. the sharks rushed again, and the falling object was lifted from the sand by the disturbed water. this time, rick recognized it. a chicken! it was tied to a length of string from which dangled a lead sinker. the bird was dead, but apparently freshly so. he knew that it was the chicken blood that had brought the sharks--and a giant barracuda! the great fish, a full six feet in length, slashed past the sharks and tore a chunk out of the bird. the leopard shark made a fast pass at the barracuda, then turned and snapped at a black tip. rick gulped. a hole suddenly appeared in the black's side, as smooth as though scooped out of ice cream. and then the other sharks hit the wounded black tip. there were many sharks now, worrying the chicken and the wounded black tip like fierce dogs over scraps of meat. rick thought, "we'd better get out of here!" he hooted twice at scotty, the signal to ascend. scotty motioned to him to retreat. rick picked up the dumbbell-shaped object. it was heavy, but not too heavy to handle, and he started a slow retreat along the sand. the sharks were paying no attention to the boys, but rick wasn't at all sure that they wouldn't, once the supply of chicken and wounded shark were exhausted. his mind raced. where had the chicken come from? whoever had tossed it into the water would have known that the blood would bring sharks. it wasn't a casual toss, either. not when the chicken had been weighted with a fishing sinker big enough to carry it to the bottom. tony and zircon would never do such a thing. besides, they had no chickens. rick and scotty backed far enough away so that the sharks could no longer be seen. then, heading toward the reef, they started for the surface. scotty was slightly in the lead, and rick kept glancing back in case one of the big fish decided to follow. but they reached the surface without incident and broke water about two hundred feet from their floats. there was no boat in sight. replacing aqualung tubes with snorkels, they swam on the surface, faces down, alert for sharks. when they reached the floats, scotty kept watch from the surface while rick dove to untie the lines. as they climbed on the floats and lifted masks, scotty and rick pointed and yelled "hey!" simultaneously. but they had seen different things. rick had seen the _water witch_ pass through the reef and head for them. scotty had seen another boat, a big cabin cruiser, tied up at the pier in front of the house occupied by the fancy frogmen! rick turned and looked at the cruiser, then at the house. he was in time to see the front door close. there would have been plenty of time for someone to drop the chicken from the cruiser and then cross the reef and tie up at the dock. "i'll bet that's where the chicken came from," rick said harshly. "that's a bet i won't take," scotty returned. "but you can bet we'll find out!" chapter ix wreck of the "maiden hand" tony briotti examined the metallic object they had brought from the bottom, then took his knife and scraped at it. under the covering of marine growth, red rust appeared. he looked at hobart zircon. "recognize this, hobart?" "there's only one thing i can think of that fits the shape, tony. bar shot." "my conclusion exactly." tony weighed the thing in his hand. he grinned at the boys. "adventure-prone, and lucky. describe the place where you found it." rick did so, concluding, "the patch didn't look anything like a ship, though. if that's what you're thinking." "after two centuries, the ship would no longer look like a ship. but this is unquestionably a bar shot for an ancient cannon. it was used to cut ship's rigging, and to knock down masts, and create other damage of that sort. it's likely that the pirates, or the _maiden hand_, would have carried bar shot." "i think you have found the ship," zircon told them, "and the question about earthquakes was a good one. there was a heavy quake in this region about a year ago. i had occasion to recall it a half hour ago when we found a slight fault at the southern tip of the island that had uncovered an indian midden." "and a fine one," tony added. "you boys can dive for treasure if you want to. i've some work of my own to do." "incidentally," scotty reminded rick, "in the confusion below we forgot to send up a buoy. hope we can find the place again." "we can." "what confusion?" zircon asked. rick told him. "a freshly killed chicken was dropped near us. and it must have been bleeding when it hit the water, because we suddenly had a shark convention around us." he pointed to the boat tied at the pier, now far behind them because the _water witch_ had been moving. "and we think that was the boat that dropped it." "it was weighted," scotty added. the scientists looked at each other. tony grunted. "it makes no sense, hobart. why would anyone weight a freshly killed chicken and throw it over the side?" "no reason at all," the big scientist said, "unless he wanted to create mischief below." "but just the act of dropping a chicken wouldn't ensure harm to divers below," tony objected. "that's why i said mischief. inexperienced divers might panic under such circumstances and attract the sharks to themselves." rick hazarded a guess. "what if they just wanted to keep people from diving in the area?" "that might be one way of doing it." zircon said thoughtfully. "are you suggesting that there are others after the _maiden hand_ treasure?" scotty spoke up. "how could anyone else find out about the treasure?" "it's possible that there are other references besides the logbook we found," tony replied. "but it would be too farfetched to speculate that other treasure hunters had found the location and were diving right at this time." "this might be related to what happened on st. thomas," rick ventured. zircon shook his massive head. "extremely unlikely. consider." he ticked off the points on his fingers. "who knew we were coming to clipper cay? ernst, steve, and his navy friend. we did not mention it to the people from whom we bought supplies, nor did we discuss it in the presence of others. we were not followed here. no, rick, i think that we cannot blame this incident on the ones in st. thomas." "then it was a dangerous practical joke," tony concluded. "unless there was some legitimate reason for throwing the chicken over that we don't know about." zircon steered the _water witch_ through the reef entrance, and the spindrifters tied up at the dock. rick and scotty inspected the compressor and then measured the amount of air in the tanks. they hooked the tanks up, refilled the gas tank of the compressor engine, and left the tanks to fill while they went to the cottage. rick and zircon prepared dinner while tony and scotty refilled the gasoline lanterns that provided light, and generally straightened up the cottage. rick called, "tony, tell us more about this indian stuff you found." scotty added, "and what's a midden, anyway?" tony leaned on his broom. "a midden is a polite name for a refuse heap. before the days of rubbish collection, people used to dump their trash in the yard. the indians did, and thereby provided archaeologists with an important source of information. apparently a tribe lived on this island, close to the southern tip. it's likely that they simply dumped their rubbish into the water. well, the earthquake hobart spoke of shifted the old coral formations at the southern tip slightly and lifted a few square yards out of the water." he went to the front porch and brought back a curved piece of material, encrusted with coral. "this used to be a pottery bowl, probably taino in origin. i'll probably find many like it." it didn't look like much of a find to rick, but he knew that tony's trained eyes could see many things that he couldn't. "you'll dive with us, though, won't you?" he asked. "of course. but you and scotty are the real enthusiasts, and the diving i do will use up air that you properly should be using. i'll go down with you in the morning, because i want a look at the wreck. but after that i think hobart and i can amuse ourselves on the midden while you and scotty hunt treasure. of course we'll be ready to help if you need us." a few minutes before six, rick turned on his portable all-wave radio to the channel steve had given him, but the air was silent. he waited for ten minutes, then snapped it off again. apparently steve had no message for them. dinner consisted of fresh snapper and barracuda steaks served with coconut sauce for which zircon had learned the recipe during his tours of the pacific. it was delicious, and rick wondered about the fussiness of people who refuse to eat barracuda simply because the fish is a noted predator. however, he knew that people are served barracuda every day under less offensive names. after dinner they sat over coffee on the porch and watched the sun sink beyond the reef. it was like a pacific sunset--colorful and somehow soothing. the boys walked to the pier, checked their tanks, and found them fully charged. then, at scotty's suggestion, they locked tanks and compressor in the cabin of the _water witch_. fresh-water rinses for the remainder of their equipment followed, and they carried the equipment into the house. zircon was already engrossed in a book, while tony was engaged in scraping the pottery shard he had found. the boys watched him for a few minutes, then scotty suggested, "how about a walk?" "okay." there was an idea stirring in the back of rick's head. as they walked down to the beach he said, "we ought to take a look at the folks who own that boat." and scotty said in the same breath, "let's visit the fancy frogmen." they grinned at each other, amused at how much alike their thought processes were. "we'd better approach from the back," scotty suggested. rick agreed. "suppose we cross to the eastern shore, then walk up until we're in sight of the house. it's close to the northern tip, anyway." it was almost fully dark now, and no lights appeared in the houses south of them. as they watched, lights showed far up the beach where the fancy frogmen lived. but there were no other lights anywhere on the island. "just two houses occupied," rick said. "we'll probably have more neighbors during the week end," scotty answered. "the people in the house south of us must have left, but they may be back. come on." they made their way through the palm grove, watching fruit bats whirl against the darkening sky. there was a slight breeze, just enough to make the palms whisper. it reminded rick of hawaii. the eastern shore was rough. the reef was much closer here, and long swells that had come all the way across the atlantic sounded like subdued thunder as they broke. it was dark now, and only the white of the breaking water could be seen. they walked up the eastern shore until the lights of the frogmen's house were directly opposite, then turned toward it, moving with caution. "take it easy," rick whispered. "they may be outside." as they drew closer they could see that the lights were in the front rooms of the house. the back was dark, except for light that came through open inner doors. "wait." scotty whispered. "i'll see if they're out front." rick sat down to wait as scotty vanished. few could equal his pal when it came to moving silently and invisibly. in a surprisingly short time scotty reappeared. "no one out front," he reported. "they're all in the living room." rick rose, and together they walked swiftly and silently to the rear of the house. the door of the room in which the diving gear was stowed opened into the living room. perhaps they could see in there. a card game was in progress by the light of a kerosene lamp. rick studied the face of a heavy-set, dark-haired man who sat facing him. the man wore a t shirt that displayed the heavy muscles of arms and chest. his face was square-jawed and powerful, the eyes set deep under bushy eyebrows. his hair was short and curly, sprinkled with gray. he looked like one used to command. rick's quick imagination pictured him on the quarterdeck of a slaver, ruling his cutthroat crew with iron fists. the others were not visible through the door. the boys moved silently to the side of the house and drew back so they could look through the living-room window. the second man was visible now. he was young, perhaps in his twenties, and he had an unruly shock of blond hair. once he might have been good-looking, but a scar crossed a nose that had been badly broken. the third man sat with his back to them. rick touched scotty's sleeve and they went around the house via the back. the view was blocked by an open door. scotty put his lips close to rick's ear. "the front." rick led the way, moving carefully because light spilled out of the front windows and the open front door. they reached a vantage point and looked in. the third man was clearly visible. the boys reached for each other at the same moment. the third man was steve's shadow! * * * * * morning found the _water witch_ anchored on the reef close to the place where the boys had found the bar shot. there was no sign of activity at the fancy frogmen's house, and the boat was tied up as it had been the previous evening. apparently they were late sleepers. the spindrifters tossed coins to see who would make the first dive, and the lot fell to rick and tony. they donned their equipment, then rick picked up a spear gun while tony selected a wrecking bar from his equipment. it took ten minutes of their precious fifteen to find the wreck again. this time, rick took the precaution of tying a float to a projection and unwinding line while the float rose to the surface. tony started at one end of the mass of marine growth and inserted his wrecking bar. rick joined him in heaving, and a cloud of dust and fish eggs rose to envelop them. it took a moment or two for the water to clear enough so they could see, then tony hooted his triumph. the pull had exposed rotted timbers. this had to be a ship! but was it the _maiden hand_? rick wondered if they would ever be sure. yet, he felt that it was, even though he realized that the feeling grew as much out of optimism and hope as anything else. still, it was unlikely that another ship would be wrecked at this same depth. tony wrote on his slate, "mor undr sand thn can see, likely." rick nodded. the shifting sands had undoubtedly covered, exposed, and recovered the wreck dozens of times in the years it had lain here. he looked at his watch, then reluctantly gave tony the signal to surface. their time was up. on the _water witch_, tony said, "it's a ship all right. and since its on the western reef at twenty fathoms, i'd say that it's very likely the one we want." "wonder how captain campion pegged the depth so accurately?" scotty inquired. zircon had a possible answer. "let's assume the pirates knew he was carrying the golden statue. it would have been logical for them to sound, just to see if there was any possibility of recovering the treasure from the wreck. since they kept campion for ransom, he would have heard the depth mentioned." it seemed reasonable, and it was as good an answer as any, since there was no hope of knowing whether it was right or wrong. "how do we find the statue?" rick asked. tony handed him the wrecking bar with a grin. "take the wreck apart a piece at a time. and if you still haven't found it, start digging." the boys sighed. rick recalled reading somewhere that treasure hunting was synonymous with ditch digging. now he knew what the author meant. scotty and zircon prepared to dive, shifting the regulators to fresh tanks. while they checked equipment, rick rummaged through the boat's locker and found a length of heavy line. an empty water jug with a screw cap was attached to it, and he handed the end of the line to scotty to take down with him. "the fishing float and line isn't heavy enough. let's add this, just in case." scotty took it and went over the side. he carried his spear gun while zircon took the wrecking bar. rick watched as they vanished from sight, leaving only the continuing track of bubbles. ashore, a man came out of the fancy frogmen's house and walked down to the beach. he shaded his eyes and stared at the _water witch_. rick pointed him out to tony. "this business stumps me," the archaeologist admitted. "are you certain about the identity of the man who was trailing ames?" "we're dead sure." "then is there any possible way he could have known about our presence on the island?" "not unless he recognized the _water witch_." "that must be it. the question is, what do we do about it?" "nothing, i guess. except to be on our guard." twin sets of bubbles rose, some distance from the boat, showing that both lungs were working well twenty fathoms down. since the bubbles did not ascend vertically, they did not show the location of the two on the bottom. rick studied them, working on an idea. the chicken had dropped pretty close to them. but since their floats were tied to the reef, and their bubbles were carried off a vertical path by the light currents, neither could have been used to pinpoint their whereabouts--_unless whoever dropped the chicken had an excellent knowledge of the currents in this particular place_! he carried the thought further. the shadow had gotten upset because he and scotty had gone swimming in an area where something was hidden. at least, that was a reasonable assumption, based on the events at st. thomas. the fancy diving gear in the house, the attempt to warn them off, and the presence of steve's erstwhile shadow on clipper cay could then be added up. right here, in this particular area, another mysterious something was hidden! something that the fancy frogmen dived often to see, use, collect, or whatever they did with it. that would account for their familiarity with the currents! he started to tell tony, then reconsidered. it was a pretty good hypothesis, he thought, but not supported by ironclad evidence. if he told the scientists, they might forbid any more diving in the area. and he was determined to get that treasure--more for his sister barby than for himself. if he failed to get it there would be no living with barby, since she would always maintain _she_ could have found it if they had only allowed her to go on their old expedition. zircon and scotty broke water and rick helped them aboard. "it's a ship, and a sailing ship at that," zircon boomed. "we identified what was almost certainly a compass binnacle, probably brass, but there wasn't time to get it free and bring it up. scotty found what is probably the muzzle of a cannon, buried in the sand." "there's so much growth over everything that it's hard to tell what's what," scotty added. "but it certainly looked like a cannon muzzle." "from what we saw, i suspect that the portion above the sand is the stern, probably the stern super-structure. if the timbers haven't completely rotted away, ripping off the top should expose the stern cabins." "that seems reasonable," tony agreed. "at any rate, it's a good basis for operation. rick, if you'll look in my kit, you will find a larger bar you can borrow. you'll both need tools if you're going to take the ship apart." "anyway, that's enough diving for the morning," zircon said. "let's up anchor and go." while the others got the boat underway, rick started the compressor in the cockpit and connected up the tanks they had used. he almost wished he and scotty had been extravagant and had ordered triple tank blocks to give them maximum time under water. still, the singles were convenient, and diving was a sport it wasn't wise to overdo. by the time they were through with lunch and had rested awhile, the tanks would be fully charged again. as they tied up, zircon said, "tony and i will work at his midden this afternoon. you two take the boat. we won't need it. i'll walk over and take a look every once in a while, and if we see our friends from the cottage near you, we'll come running." the boys helped tony prepare a simple lunch of soup and sandwiches, then all hands retired to the front porch to eat. up the beach, there were signs of activity around the frogmen's boat. as they ate and watched, the boat moved away from the pier and approached the reef, where it anchored. rick went to get the binoculars and focused them on the scene. two frogmen, complete with suits, went over the side right where their buoys floated! "they're diving at the wreck!" he exclaimed. zircon took the glasses and watched, then handed them to tony. the archaeologist muttered, "surely they can't be interested in the treasure. it would be simply too much coincidence for them even to know about it." "maybe they're just looking to see what interested us," scotty offered, and his explanation seemed the most plausible. the group watched until the frogmen surfaced and the boat went back to its pier. "scotty has it," zircon agreed. "from what we've seen, i'd say they simply followed our buoy lines down to see what we had been doing." "if that's the extent of their interest, i don't see how we could object," tony said. "or even if they tried for the treasure we'd have no grounds for objecting. the ship is anyone's property after all these years." rick said flatly, "we won't do any objecting, but we'll do plenty of watching. we're going to get that treasure if it's there, whether the fancy frogmen like it or not!" chapter x the wailing octopus as rick steered the _water witch_ to its anchorage above the reef, he told scotty about the theory he had developed that morning. he concluded, "their going out to take a look where we were diving is another piece of evidence. unless they were afraid that we might be interested in their stuff--whatever and wherever it is--why would they be so concerned about what we're doing?" "it makes a lot of sense," scotty agreed soberly. he looked at rick with a sudden twinkle. "it might be a good idea to take a look around down below--just so we'll know what to stay away from, of course." rick grinned. by the time they dropped anchor, scotty had the diving gear rigged and it was only the work of minutes to get into the water. each carried a spear gun in one hand and a wrecking bar in the other. ordinarily they would not have bothered with the guns, but being armed seemed just common sense. on the bottom, rick scouted around the wreck, looking for signs of its former structure while scotty attacked the stern with a crowbar. under scotty's prying, a timber suddenly gave with an audible crack, and a huge grouper that must have weighed nearly three hundred pounds rushed past rick, startling him half to death until he saw what it was. scotty hooted in derision as rick back-pedaled, then he put his bar down and swam to rick's side. he scrawled on his belt slate, "whre he cm frm?" rick shrugged. it was a good question. they swam slowly around, looking for the grouper's hiding place and failed to locate it. rick knew the big fish liked caves, rocky clefts, and the interiors of wrecks. this one must have a hole somewhere. he tried again, going right down to the bottom and crawling along with stomach touching the sand. even so, he might have missed the hole if stirred-up dust from the fish's sudden departure hadn't indicated where it was. the hole, big enough for him to crawl through, was _under_ the wreck, hidden by rotted planks covered with marine growth. he hooted for scotty's attention and showed it to him. he took his belt slate and wrote, "way into shp?" scotty nodded and wrote in his turn, "too drk. need lites." rick nodded. for a moment he was tempted to try ripping off the planks with his bar, but he decided against it. any disturbance might very well collapse the entire structure. he wondered whether the hole was just a shallow opening, or whether it actually led into the ship. no matter. they had watertight flashlights with their spare gear in the boat. they could find out on the next dive. for their remaining time underwater he joined scotty in his assault on the stern of the ship. they were rewarded by finding what was evidently the interior of a cabin. rick ripped off another plank, then jumped as scotty hooted four times for danger. the cabin was the home of a fairly large moray eel! both boys dropped their bars and grabbed for their spear guns, but scotty held up his hand in a sign to wait. rick did so, and saw the big eel emerge and swim rapidly toward the reef. scotty had shown wisdom. the moray is hard to kill, and this one would have given them a battle that might have used up more air than they could spare. the water inside the cabin was murky. rick looked at his watch. they had only a few minutes left. he wrote on his slate, "sty dwn til rsrve wrning." scotty nodded agreement. they watched as the water settled and the interior of the cabin grew clearer. evidently it had been a very small cabin. there was a rotted frame that might once have been a single bunk, and a few broken, almost disintegrated boards that might have been a table. mattress and bedding had long since vanished. then rick spotted a squarish shape under the ruin of the bunk and motioned to scotty. they went in after it. the top crumbled under their touch and silt rose into the water around them. but rick persisted and felt fabric under his hands. he pulled it out and recognized a seaman's jacket, brass buttons corroded and fabric nearly rotted through. apparently they had found a sea chest, but their exploring hands discovered nothing but rotted fabrics. rick felt the warning constriction that told him he had only minutes left. he pulled down the reserve lever of his tank and touched scotty's arm. he hooted twice for the ascent. back in the _water witch_, they connected their tanks to the compressor, put the regulators on charged tanks, then tested their underwater flashlights. rick said, "do you realize i haven't taken a single picture?" "why not take some on the next dive?" "good idea." rick went into the cabin and brought out his camera. the camera was the same one he had adapted for night movies, during their adventure known as _smugglers' reef_. he had built an underwater case for it from stainless steel and lucite. an intricate gear arrangement allowed him to focus or change aperture underwater, and a light meter in the rear of the case told him what setting to use. there was an ordinary inner-tube valve projecting from one side by which the case could be charged with compressed air to compensate for the pressure of the water. the unit was battery-powered and had a bracket for mounting the infrared light used for night photography. he unscrewed the front of the case and took the camera from its mount. he hesitated. "suppose there's enough light down there for color film?" "there might be," scotty replied, "but you wouldn't gain much by using color. everything would photograph in shades of green. might as well have it in shades of gray." "you've got a point." rick loaded the camera with fast black-and-white film and returned it to the case. then he replaced the cover and disconnected the compressor long enough to pump pressure into the camera case. "ready to go," he announced. "take it easy," scotty said. "we'd better rest a half hour or so. if we don't knock ourselves out, we can get in three more dives today." rick knew the wisdom of that. he adjusted the camera and took a series of "establishing" shots, to establish that the movie had been taken on a boat near an island. then, when the time came to dive, he photographed scotty entering the water. at his direction, scotty got out again, while rick got in, swam down a few feet, and took a shot of scotty entering from that angle. then the camera followed as scotty flippered smoothly down into the deep water. rick followed, camera extended in front of him, sighting through the gun-type sights mounted on top of the case. there was a handgrip on each side, with the controls handy to his fingers. by watching the light meter he could change his exposure as the shifting light required. he moved ahead of scotty, panned across the wreck, then reversed the camera to photograph scotty approaching. on a hunch, he stood well back when scotty approached the underwater entrance and got a picture that was priceless! the grouper had returned to his home, and frightened by the light that suddenly probed his hide-out, he flashed out and caught scotty by surprise. scotty dropped his flashlight and back-pedaled frantically. grinning, rick kept his camera grinding. scotty turned and saw that rick was shooting, and held both hands to his face in mock dismay. rick cut and secured the camera to an outcropping with its safety line. scotty picked up his light and crawled slowly into the opening. rick waited, watching anxiously to be sure his friend's hoses and regulator cleared the entrance. then scotty vanished inside. in a moment he reappeared, headfirst, and beckoned. rick followed him in, his own flashlight extended. it was a little murky from the grouper's hurried departure, but he saw instantly that they were in what had been for those days a large cabin. this must have been the skipper's quarters. his light picked out the remains of furniture, including one massive chair that was still in good condition. scotty gestured with his light and rick saw an oaken door. he swam over to it and inspected it closely. it was still firm, still in place. where did it lead? there was only one way to find out. he took hold of the old-fashioned handle and pulled. the door didn't budge. rick tried again and failed. he swung himself around and put both feet on the wall next to the door, then applied leverage. the handle came completely off. rick sailed backward across the cabin and his tank rang like a bell as it struck something metallic. scotty hurried to his side, and rick gestured that he was all right. they turned to inspect the object against which rick had hurtled and found that it was the still-sound strap for a beam, probably made of wrought iron. rick took his belt slate and wrote, "whre wld he hide it?" scotty read it with his light, then shrugged. they began a methodical inspection of the cabin, surprised that it was so clear of marine life. rick surmised that the opening had developed only recently, perhaps from the shifting of the ship. they found a closet and a heap of what had once been clothes on its floor. then scotty made the big discovery of the day. he reached into a shelf space above the bunk, hand exploring, and touched something hard. he drew it out. it looked like a green-covered bundle about a foot long and two inches thick. but before he had a chance to inspect it further, his air gave out and both boys hurried to the surface on their reserves. aboard the _water witch_ they shed their equipment and sat down to inspect scotty's find. the covering proved to be layer after layer of oilcloth, wrapped around the object. the outer layers had deteriorated somewhat, but the inner ones were intact. scotty finished unwrapping and found a second wrapping of still-dry linen. he pulled the linen off, and both boys gasped. it was a jeweled dagger, with a good-sized ruby winking in its hilt! "take it out of the sheath," rick suggested. scotty did so, and disclosed a blade covered with some hard brown substance. "that's not rust. got a jackknife?" rick found one and handed it to him. scotty scraped and was rewarded by the gleam of bright metal. "it must have been coated with heavy grease," rick remarked. "during the years, the grease hardened into a permanent rustproof coating. wait until the scientists see this!" scotty grinned his pleasure. "this is one treasure the log didn't mention. poor captain campion must have thought a lot of it to protect it so thoroughly." "he might have been taking it to the new world as a gift for some influential friend," rick ventured. "it looks like spanish work." scotty looked at rick speculatively. "are you making a claim on this?" rick knitted his brows. what was scotty driving at? "you found it," he said. "technically, we're supposed to share and share alike, the four of us and barby. but how do you split a dagger? and we wouldn't sell it, anyway. it's too nice a souvenir." "i'll ask tony and zircon," scotty said, "but if none of you have any objection, i would like to claim it, because i want to give it to dad for a birthday present next month." rick punched him on the arm. "you'll get no objection from me. or from tony and zircon either." "i can buy presents for the family," scotty said slowly. "i do, on birthdays and christmas. but i've always wanted to give dad something really special, something to tell him how i feel about being taken into the family." rick nodded. he knew how scotty felt, and he liked him all the better for it. "let's get ready for the next dive," he said abruptly. they went through the necessary checks on their equipment, transferring the regulators to the third set of tanks. rick decided to leave the camera on the boat this time. he was anxious to inspect the ship thoroughly, and photography took time. after a half hour of rest the boys went back into the water again, carrying their wrecking bars and spear guns, flashlights on their belts. an inch-by-inch inspection of the cabin disclosed no more treasures, but rick found a plate, still intact. he wondered if it were the plate from which the captain had last dined before the pirate attack, and put it outside the entrance to be carried to the surface. once satisfied that the cabin held no secrets, the boys attacked the door. it was hard work, and they raised so much dust that their light beams were almost useless. however, they struggled on until the door finally gave, only to admit quantities of sand. rick guessed that the door had opened onto a deck that was now buried far under the sand. they went outside to allow the murkiness to settle in the cabin, and rick consulted his watch. their time was nearly up. he hooted to scotty and they surfaced. the first tanks they had used were ready now. they shifted the regulators and hooked up another pair to the compressor. "i'm afraid tony was right," rick said. "we'll have to take the ship apart piece by piece." scotty examined his foot where the fin was rubbing a little. "what would be a logical hiding place? if i were the captain, i'd probably hide the statue under false flooring or something. anyway, i'd hide it aft, in officer's country, and not near the forecastle where the crew lived." "that's probably right. anyway, we won't have time to do much wrecking today. what say we hunt for loose boards in the cabin?" scotty grinned. "the treasure fever has got our boy rick. have you forgotten we were going to see what those fancy frogmen were curious about?" rick grinned back, a little sheepishly. "you're right. i had forgotten. well, we can spend half the time looking for the treasure and the other half looking for the frogmen's cache." the search for the treasure disclosed no loose boards, or anything resembling a secret hiding place. at the end of ten minutes they turned from the wreck and swam along the bottom toward the reef. since they had no idea what they were looking for, the search couldn't be a very carefully planned one. rick led the way, following the reef, taking time to examine the coral formations. there were countless sea urchins, and enough small fish to feed the entire population. bigger fish, however, were not plentiful. once rick saw a snook that would have been worth taking, but the fish sped off into the watery gloom. again, scotty called his attention to a deadly scorpion fish. this small, rather weird-looking little creature had a dangerous defense mechanism in the spines of his back. his poison bore a strong resemblance to cobra venom. the boys gave him a wide berth. now and then a moray glared at them with unwinking eyes from a crevice, but the boys paid no attention. the morays wouldn't attack unless disturbed, and there was no reason for disturbing them. rick wondered if the big one they had ousted from the wreck had found a new home. they passed a colony of sea worms, colorful even in the green light. the worms were pretty, but their long hairs could give a painful sting. their time was growing short. rick consulted his watch, then his depth gauge. they were at eighty-five feet. because of the shallower water they would have a little more time, perhaps another five minutes before constricted breathing told them only a few minutes of air remained. scotty found a puffer and waved at him, but the fish paid no attention. scotty motioned to rick, then reached out and scratched the creature's stomach. it began to gulp water until it resembled a balloon. they left it to return to normal in its own time. on the surface, the puffer would have gulped air in the same way. they had caught them on lines many times. they were past the _water witch_ now, rick estimated. he hooted at scotty, then led the way up to a depth of about forty feet. there he started back along the cliff. suddenly he wished he had brought a game bag attached to his belt. the reef here was alive with shellfish. he identified cowries, whelks, and some excellent specimens of triton's horn. they would have to come back again, to collect some to take home. the biggest problem was getting the animals out of their shells, unless there were some anthills on the island. ants would do the job neatly in a few days. scotty hooted, and pointed. directly ahead was a small shelf. rick moved to scotty's side and saw the dark opening of a cave. next to the opening was a small octopus. as they approached he changed color, trying to imitate the multicolored coral against which he rested. rick reached out a hand and the animal retreated, sliding into the mouth of the cave. apparently this was his home, because the ledge was littered with shells from a number of meals. now rick wished for his camera, then smiled inwardly. to satisfy all his unexpected wishes he would need a sort of underwater trailer to tow his gear. scotty moved close to the octopus and it retreated still further. both boys knew the creatures were harmless to divers, and some divers even handled them. but there were reports of divers being bitten while playing with octopuses, and they had learned long ago that unnecessary risks were foolish. rick suddenly rocked back as his ears were smitten by sound. a wail echoed in his head, so intense that it almost hurt. scotty started, too, and reached for the ledge in his astonishment. the octopus peered out of the cave, and the wail came again, buzzing uncomfortably in their heads. and in that moment, rick's air gave out. he pulled the reserve lever and planed to the surface, scotty close on his heels. on the _water witch_ they stared at each other. "did you hear that?" scotty demanded. "i'll say i did!" "that octopus wailed," scotty insisted. "twice!" he hesitated, then put rick's thoughts into words. "only--octopuses don't wail. they don't make noise of any kind." "this one did," rick said. "a wailing octopus! this is either a new scientific find, or ..." "or we've found what the fancy frogmen didn't want us to find," scotty concluded. chapter xi lights on clipper reef "this," hobart zircon boomed, "is a phenomenon that will rock the science of zoology to its very depths! we will examine this creature and determine his genus and species, and we will name him after you two. _octopus waili branti-scotti._ or perhaps _octopus screami_ would be better." "of course we're not certain that it was a wail," rick said soberly. "he might have been singing. he might even have been telling us to go catch him a fish." tony briotti observed, "this may not be an isolated phenomenon. who knows? a search may disclose screaming squid, or simpering sharks, or burbling barracuda." "seriously," zircon asked, "have either of you a theory to account for this? or do you really believe that the octopus wailed?" "we'd be in a better position to answer that if we'd had a chance to explore the cave," scotty replied. "how can we tell? maybe the octopus really did wail, and we were the lucky ones who heard the sound for the first time." he grinned. "we should have wailed back and tried to strike up a conversation." rick agreed. "i'm with scotty. we just don't know. i agree that a wailing octopus is a new kind of beast, but that's not entirely impossible, is it?" "perhaps not." tony stared at the sunset. "i'm trying to recall the physiology of _octopus vulgaris_, as the garden variety of octopus is called, but my memory isn't working. it isn't beyond reason. after all, some fish make sounds. i've caught croakers myself that were pretty noisy. but i've never heard of octopus sounds until now." scotty chuckled. "haven't i read that octopuses have some intelligence? we might teach him to sing. he'd be a natural for television." "you say that the sound was loud?" tony asked. "very loud. my head hurt. did yours, scotty?" "i'll say! for a minute i thought my brain cells were rubbing together." zircon sighed. "i am stumped. and not only by your wailing willie, either. this whole affair baffles me, including the presence of steve's former tail on this island. hasn't it occurred to you that those fancy frogmen, as you call them, would have made some overt move by now if they were really interested in us?" "dropping the chicken was an overt move," rick pointed out. "yes and no. i'd prefer to call it a not-too-subtle warning. yet they haven't tried to interfere with your diving around the wreck." "i've wondered about that," scotty offered, "and it seems to me they've satisfied themselves that our interest is just in the wreck, and not in whatever they have hidden underwater. if they have anything hidden, i mean. as long as we stick with the wreck, they have no reason for causing trouble." tony agreed. "that makes sense to me. perhaps you can answer this: why do they wear cold-water suits? it's appreciably cooler at twenty fathoms, but it's certainly not cold enough for a suit." "we only stay down fifteen minutes," scotty said. "if we stayed down longer we might get chilled. the water isn't warm by any means down by the wreck." rick had a thought. "we're used to cold water, remember? diving off spindrift would chill a polar bear, even in summer. suppose these people had done all their diving in tropic waters? this water would seem cold to them, particularly down deep." it was nearly dark now, only a glimmer of light in the west. the four sat on the front porch of the cottage. zircon asked, "did you monitor the radio tonight, rick?" "yes, but there was no word from steve." "don't you think he might like to know about the presence of his shadow on clipper cay?" tony inquired. rick pointed to the sky wagon resting on the beach. "trouble is, that's our only communication. i could contact the st. thomas airport and request that they pass a message, but that would be like broadcasting it to the world. steve might not like it." zircon's deep voice cut into his comment. "look! our friends are apparently going to do some night work." there were lights on the frogmen's boat, and it was putting out. as the spindrifters watched, it slowly approached the reef, then stopped. scotty got the glasses and examined the scene. "something's up!" he exclaimed. "i saw a diver go over the side!" hobart zircon coughed self-consciously. "do you know, i have taken a certain amount of pride in the fact that i am by nature a conservative individual with a highly developed capacity for minding my own business." rick wondered what on earth the big scientist was getting at. "the pursuit of truth has led me along many devious routes," zircon continued. "i have tried, with some success and many failures, to plumb the mysteries of nature. but while i have tried to make the business of our natural universe my own, i have never thrust my not-inconsiderable nose into the business of neighbors. however, this admirable reticence has limits, since, as a scientist, i am also possessed of that inherent trait of curiosity without which no person can succeed in science." rick exploded into laughter. "and what you're leading up to is, you want to go see what those people are doing!" "precisely," zircon admitted. tony and the boys roared with laughter. "hobart," tony said with a chuckle, "you never fail to astonish me. and how do you propose to stick your not-inconsiderable nose into the business now going on over there?" zircon waved his hand. "the method was developed by our young mr. brant, who sometimes shows slight sparks of intelligence. he has a device which projects infrared light, and glasses that allow the wearer to see whatever that light illuminates." rick stared. zircon was proposing that they take his underwater camera and use it for illumination. that must mean ... "you want to swim over with the lungs?" he asked incredulously. "and why not?" "but we've never done any night diving!" "you tested the camera at night, did you not?" "yes," rick admitted, "but that was in water that we knew, off pirate's field at home. and we only stayed in long enough to expose a few feet of film." "we know enough about these waters to know that there are no dangerous obstructions beyond the reef, at least between here and the _maiden hand_." scotty laughed. "this is a day i never thought would come. it's usually the other way around, with rick trying to sell some idea that everyone else opposes. why not swim at night, rick?" "no reason," rick admitted. "it was just that it hadn't occurred to me. there's one difficulty, though. i have only two pairs of glasses with infrared-sensitive lenses. so only two of us could go." "only two could dive with the camera," tony corrected. "but all of us could go. two would remain on the surface, with the floats, in case of trouble." "who would dive and who would stay on the surface?" scotty demanded. rick produced a quarter. "let coins decide. except for the professor. he thought of it, so he dives." "fair enough," scotty agreed. "all right with you, tony?" "of course. the three of us, then. odd man goes with hobart." tony and scotty produced coins. with rick, they walked into the living room and lighted a kerosene lamp. "now," rick said, and tossed his coin, catching it in the palm of his hand and slapping it onto his other wrist. tony and scotty followed suit. rick uncovered first. he had heads. tony uncovered and displayed a tail. scotty groaned. "shucks! i lose. it's one of you." rick held his breath as scotty uncovered--another tail! he turned to zircon. "we dive, while scotty and tony stay topside." "good. well, what are we waiting for?" they changed quickly into trunks, then assembled their diving gear. rick took the front plate from his camera and put the infrared searchlight on its mounting bracket. he changed to a fresh battery, then replaced the film in the camera with the special infrared-sensitive film. whatever the infrared illuminated could be seen through special glass. rick had ordered lenses ground from the glass and had placed them in frames made to fit into a face mask. these frames could be purchased at any diving-equipment supply house. they had been designed for divers who had to wear their own corrective glasses, and they suited rick's purpose to perfection. he handed a pair to hobart zircon, then inserted the other pair in his own mask. zircon, tony, and scotty decided to take spear guns. zircon chose rick's rubber-powered gun, while tony selected the light spring gun. scotty chose the highest-powered gun they had, a new jet-type powered with carbon dioxide. rick and zircon connected their regulators to two freshly filled tanks, then tested the equipment. zircon tied a rope to his belt. the big scientist drew them together for a brief conference. "we'll swim out and cross the reef," he directed. "then we'll swim along the reef, staying as close as possible to the breakers. they will help conceal us. when we approach the boat, tony and scotty will stop and hold position. scotty, are the binoculars waterproof?" "yes, they are." "then take them. rick and i will go directly to the bottom at the base of the reef. we will then proceed along the reef until we spot our friends yonder." rick had an unhappy thought. "suppose they see us?" "we will try to prevent them from seeing us. however, if they do, i suggest a retreat in as good order as we can manage. if they should catch up with us, we will bluster and bluff our way on the basis that we were only diving to see if they were trying to search our wreck." scotty laughed. "turn their own table on them. that's very good, professor." "i'm glad i'm not a physicist," tony said piously. "we archaeologists aren't half so devious." "i am acting in my capacity as a former consultant to janig, and not as a physicist," zircon retorted with dignity. "you will refrain from casting aspersions on my profession, doctor briotti." "my apologies," tony said, grinning. "in other words, the man is devious, but the scientist is not." "exactly. well, shall we go?" rick was glad to get into the water. the camera in its underwater case was heavy in air, but weighed only a few ounces in water. he swam with face mask under, breathing through his snorkel and letting the camera hang. they crossed the reef without difficulty, then turned to swim along it. the trough just seaward of the breaking point of the waves was the most comfortable swimming position and they went in single file, zircon leading. every now and then rick looked up. they were getting near the boat, he thought. perilously near. the boat was anchored just inside the reef, and he could see activity on its deck. apparently the frogmen had returned from their first dive and were changing tanks. zircon stopped swimming and lay motionless in the water. rick drew abreast of the big scientist, and tony and scotty stopped behind them. as they watched, suited figures with belt lights and back tanks climbed down a ladder into the water. a third man, on deck, lowered something to them. it was hard to see, but rick thought it had a golden glisten and that it was round, about the size of a basketball. the frogmen took it and went under. [illustration: _a third man lowered something that glistened like gold_] zircon's big hand took rick by the shoulder, then he turned and motioned to the others that they were going under. rick shifted from snorkel to aqualung mouthpiece. he took the end of rope that zircon held out and snapped it to his weight belt. he and zircon were now connected by a ten-foot length of rope, necessary to keep them from becoming separated in the darkness. he submerged and dove straight down into the blackness. his thumb compressed the button on the side of the case and the camera started, the infrared light turning on. a narrow cone of water extending out about twenty feet was illuminated, but the illumination was visible only through the special glasses he and zircon wore. rick held the button until they reached bottom, then suddenly realized he would use all his film before they had even found the frogmen. he groaned silently. why hadn't he used his head? the light as well as the camera motor were operated by the same button. if he had only thought, it would have been a few seconds' work to change the circuit so the light would be on continuously. or he might even be able to rig a waterproof switch that would operate just the light. well, it was too late now. he jerked on the rope for zircon to stop, then took his belt slate and wrote, "cam on whn lite is. wll use nw & thn." he held it in the beam of infrared light for zircon to read. the scientist scribbled "ok" under the message, then gave him a gentle push as a signal to go ahead. rick held his wrist in the beam and read ninety-two feet on his depth gauge. he calculated quickly. they would have enough air for about twenty-five minutes at this depth. he held the camera switch long enough to see that there was only smooth bottom ahead, then released it. almost total blackness flooded in. for all practical purposes it was completely dark, no glimmer of light to mark their way. for an instant rick felt panic, but reason reasserted itself. it was instinctive to feel fear under such circumstances, he thought. not only was he out of his own medium, air, but in a high-pressure realm inhabited by potentially dangerous creatures. he grinned inwardly at the thought. the most dangerous creatures in this vicinity were human. a twinkle of light stopped him, but zircon continued on and the connecting line tightened. rick identified the twinkle as phosphorescence from some marine creature on the reef. there were many such in the ocean. he flashed the infrared light, saw that they were still heading properly, and cut it off again. the rope at his belt tugged four times for danger! he stopped instantly, letting go of the camera with one hand while he reached for his belt knife. then he saw what zircon had seen, a glow in the water ahead and above them. rick estimated quickly the distance they had traveled. there was no doubt of it. the frogmen were at the octopus cave! he followed zircon's lead, cutting the light off and on as necessary, as the big scientist moved ahead. the glow grew in intensity, but they were still too far away to see its exact position, or whether there were men around it. rick's heart beat faster, and his breathing speeded up appreciably. in spite of zircon's plan to claim they were only checking on the frogmen's interest in the wreck, rick knew that being discovered would mean serious trouble. he recalled steve's warning that they were up against a ruthless enemy. the question was, how close could they get without being seen? he could take pictures at ten feet, but at any greater distance the camera would be useless. zircon moved ahead, going slowly now. rick followed, not bothering with the dark-light unit because the glow in the water was enough for a beacon. then the glow faded for a moment as a figure crossed in front of it. still zircon moved ahead until rick could see two additional, smaller glows that he identified as the belt lights the frogmen had been wearing. zircon continued on, still hugging the bottom, and rick divined his intention. the big scientist was going to take them directly under the frogmen! it was logical, since the frogmen would not expect danger below. rick followed, staying just behind zircon's flippers, feeling the wash of water from his wake. the light was nearly overhead now, and rick saw dark figures moving. it was unreal, like a hollywood motion picture, except that the tense music of a movie production was replaced only by the soft sighing of their regulators. and with the thought, rick almost lost his mouthpiece. their bubbles! their bubbles would rise right past the frogmen, a dead giveaway! it might already be too late, because zircon was almost directly under the cave! chapter xii clouds over clipper cay rick jerked frantically on the tie rope, four times for danger, then he turned and swam rapidly back the way they had come. at first he felt resistance on the line, then zircon hurried to catch up. not until they were barely within seeing distance of the light did rick stop, then he took his belt slate, started the camera for light, and wrote "bubbles go by thm if we undr. they see." zircon held a hand to his head in a sign of chagrin that he had forgotten, then he wrote, "hw we gt clos?" rick pondered the problem. the bubbles had alarmed him in another way, too. it was possible that the man on the boat could see four sets of bubbles rising where only two were supposed to be. yet, he couldn't escape the feeling that it was important to get a look at what the frogmen were doing. there was no way out of it. he just had to take a chance. he wrote, "i mak pass hldng brth so no bbls, tak pix. u sty out of rnge & cvr me wth gn." rick had just one hope of getting away with it. he had to assume that the frogmen would be busy with whatever they were doing in the cave. if so, their backs would be to the open sea. at least the chance was worth taking. zircon wrote, "ok bt be crfl." rick didn't need the warning. together, they swam back until they were close to the glow of the lights. he hoped that the darkness and breaking surf above were concealing their bubbles. finally zircon halted. rick unsnapped the line that held him to the scientist, squeezed zircon's shoulder, and swam away from the reef toward the open water. he kept his head turned so he could keep the light in his field of vision. when he was out far enough he swam upward until he was on a level with the light, and directly out to sea from it. he inhaled, filling his lungs, then with camera outthrust, he drove directly toward the light. it wasn't hard to hold his breath--not with his heart acting as a stopper in his throat. the light grew clearer. he started the camera and kept moving with powerful strokes. then he held his legs still and let inertia carry him in a silent glide. he had to get close--close! the light grew in intensity, and details grew clearer. he saw the frogmen, and their backs were to him! between them, he caught a glimpse of something brassy and round, and he saw the octopus, clinging to the reef to one side of the cave. he held the camera button as long as he dared. then when it seemed that he would glide right into the frogmen, he twisted sideways and bent backward like a circus acrobat, flippers moving in powerful thrusts. it was an excellent underwater imitation of a wingover, the plane maneuver that reversed direction by diving and turning. he planed downward until he touched bottom, then thrust himself with frantic kicks away from the vicinity of the cave. his lungs were about to burst, he felt, when finally he drew a deep breath. the gurgling sigh of his bubbles was sheer relief. he kept moving until he bumped headlong into hobart zircon. the scientist reached out and snapped his rope onto rick's belt, then tugged twice. zircon led the way along the reef bottom until they reached the spot where, they estimated, tony and scotty would be waiting. as they started for the surface, rick switched on the camera and looked at his watch. they had been under only ten minutes! and he had been waiting for the warning constriction of air running out! zircon broke water and instantly submerged again. he led the way a few feet under the surface to where he had seen tony and scotty, then led rick to the top once more. tony and scotty saw them emerge and without a word turned and started back toward the cottage, pushing their floats. instead of bothering with the snorkel, rick kept the aqualung mouthpiece in place and swam a few feet under the surface, guiding himself by the wake of the others. he was tired--and relieved. the group crossed over the reef and swam to the beach in front of the cottage. there they gathered at the water's edge and stripped off their gear. for long moments no one spoke, then zircon asked, "see anything, rick?" "a little. enough to get an answer, i think. we haven't discovered a new breed of octopus, because they were installing something in the cave. something that makes a noise." "do you know that, or do you infer it?" tony asked. "i didn't hear the noise, if that's what you mean. but what else could it be?" "too bad," scotty said. "now we won't have a new species named after us. come on, give us the word. how was it?" rick said, with complete truth, "i was scared to death." "and so was i," zircon admitted. "at first the sensation of complete blackness caused an emotional reaction. then i began to see that we had done a rather foolish thing. and i almost got us into trouble by forgetting that we send up a constant stream of bubbles." he told them of his plan to get under the cave, and of rick's warning. "we thought of your bubbles," scotty told them. "i talked it over with tony, and came within an ace of diving after you, although i doubt that i could have reached bottom and found you. but we watched, and we couldn't see any bubbles at all. it was too dark, and we were right where the water was breaking." "my question is, did you get a picture?" zircon wanted to know. "i'm sure i did. the camera was going, and it probably saw much more than i did--since cameras don't get scared. but it won't do us much good right now. we can't develop the film." the boys picked up the equipment and carried it to the _water witch_. rick turned off the compressor. he was too tired to wait until all tanks were full. time enough for that in the morning. when he and scotty returned to the cottage, tony greeted them with cups of hot chocolate and they sat on the porch and enjoyed them. "let's sum up what we know," zircon invited. "if anyone agrees that we know anything worth summing." "i think we do," rick said, "and i think we ought to get it to steve ames. we don't know what he's after, or what kind of gang he's fighting, but we know one of them is here." "yes, and we also know that steve's agency is primarily concerned with protecting military secrets," zircon added. "i agree with rick. we must get word of these mysterious frogmen to him." "we discussed that earlier," tony recalled. "in view of our discussion, it would seem that either rick or scotty or both must fly to charlotte amalie and tell him personally." scotty pointed at the sky. "have any of you looked up there?" all of them did. the moon was just rising, and there was enough light to see heavy cirrus moving high overhead. "there's a front of some kind moving down on us," scotty said. "and did you notice the swells tonight? long ones. i'm no first-class weather forecaster, but all the signs are there. we're in for a storm. the question is, how soon will it arrive?" "he's right," zircon agreed. "i'm glad you're observant, scotty. frankly, i hadn't even bothered looking at the weather. i suppose i thought it would just continue to be perfect." rick stared at the gathering clouds for long moments, then put into words the thing that had been bothering him. "you know, there has been a cloud over this vacation almost from the moment we landed at charlotte amalie. we didn't want to get involved in anything but diving and exploring, but we got pulled by the ears into a hot case. steve warned us off that first day. the warning didn't help, because we got dragged back into things when we went swimming, and again at the hotel." three faces were turned toward him, listening. he was expressing what all of them had been thinking, too. "we thought we'd leave trouble behind when we came here," rick continued, "but it was waiting for us. we didn't look for it, until tonight." he drew a deep breath. "well, from now on we have to become the hunters. steve ames doesn't know there's anything strange going on here. we do, and it's up to us to find out what. the goings-on in the octopus cave have something to do with the case steve is working on--and what steve is working on has something important to do with national security." he smiled grimly. "i know none of you will disagree with this, because it's the only thing we can do. professor zircon knew it tonight when he tried to excuse our looking in on the frogmen as curiosity." zircon nodded silently. "from now on," rick concluded, "we have to operate as unofficial janig agents, until we can get word to steve ames so he and his men can take over." chapter xiii message in the storm the wind blew. it piled the surf high on the reef and blew the tops from waves between the reef and the shore. hour by hour the wind stiffened, until the breakers on the shore were higher than those through which the spindrifters had swum on the reef. the first hours of the morning were spent getting ready for a blow. the _water witch_ was secured by springlines, and extra fenders were put over her side. the four hauled the sky wagon high onto the beach by sheer muscle power, then turned the plane into the wind. rick and scotty salvaged the concrete-block foundation from the wreck of the cottage where they had found the planks, and used the blocks for land anchors on the plane. the shutters were checked, and closed on the front of the cottage. the shed where the tank had broken through was repaired as well as improvised tools and materials allowed, and all loose gear was stowed inside. the rain came. it drove with the wind into the front of the cottage in a continuous thunder. its force carried it under the door, through cracks beside the window frames. the spindrifters were forced to shred rags to stuff into cracks. in the kitchen the roof began to leak, and soon every available pot and pan was being used to catch drippings. rick worked almost in silence, not joining in the bantering of his friends. as was his way, he worried the problem of the frogmen and their mysterious behavior the way his dog, dismal, would worry a bone. he discarded a dozen possible reasons for their actions, including underwater communications, bombs, and an unusual way of fishing. he pondered on the relations of the spindrift group--or lack of them--with the frogmen and re-examined their various theories. first premise: the frogmen, specifically steve's former shadow, hadn't recognized them or the _water witch_. second premise: the frogmen considered them harmless tourists, interested only in diving to the wreck, and therefore to be watched but not considered dangerous. he rather liked that one. it would mean that the chicken had been dropped "mischievously," to use zircon's word, to try to scare them out of the immediate vicinity. but there were other possibilities. first premise: the frogmen knew of their connection with steve. second premise: the frogmen weren't worried about people with janig connections. this might be explained by superior weapons in the hands of the frogmen, coupled with the assumption that the spindrifters had no communication with steve. it might also be explained by knowledge of their real reason for being on clipper cay. rick didn't care much for the last two premises. the first one seemed more reasonable. after all, they were not sure that the former tail had seen the _water witch_ in st. thomas, or had known of their connection with it. on the contrary, to get to clipper cay so soon after the spindrifters arrived, the frogman must have left about the same time the scientists did. there was even a possibility that he had arrived ahead of the spindrift group and that the frogmen's boat had been out when rick and scotty had first spotted the diving equipment in the house. anyway, there had been no sign of any tail but the virgin islander while they were around the pier and on the _water witch_. either he or scotty would almost certainly have spotted a second man--especially since they had seen him before. there was a major precaution, however, to be taken: he and scotty must not let steve's former tail get a good look at them. they had to assume he had recognized their clumsiness for what it was--a deliberate stall. scotty poked him, and rick suddenly realized that he had been leaning for quite a long while on the broom he was supposed to be using. "made up your mind about anything?" scotty asked. rick knew his friend had been watching him. during their many adventures each had developed a rather unusual understanding of how the other's mind worked. "partly," rick replied. he told scotty his thoughts. "you make sense," scotty agreed, then added practically, "but i don't see what difference it makes, whether they know about our connection with steve or not. the moment they catch us snooping they'll assume we're enemies. until then, they'll let us alone just as they've been doing." zircon and scotty joined forces to prepare lunch. the temperature had dropped sharply, and hot soup and hamburger sandwiches were welcome. after lunch, rick braved the storm long enough to go to the _water witch_ for his camera. he returned to the cottage soaked to the skin. "we'll need diving equipment to go outside if this keeps up," he announced. he took the camera case apart and disconnected his circuits, then he went outside again with tools in hand and got into the sky wagon. the plane had a heater switch that would do. he removed it, leaving the wires to dangle for the moment. if the heater was needed he could put the wires together. that done, he sat in the plane and racked his memory for a source of sheet rubber. there was none, but he recalled a repair kit for the plastic floats in their tool supply. he found it and took it back to the house. using the awl blade on his scout knife, he bored a hole through the plastic back of the case and installed the switch. then he reconnected his circuits so the new switch would turn on only the infrared light. he waterproofed the switch as best he could, making gaskets from a rubber jar ring he found in the kitchen. he knew, however, that the switch wouldn't be waterproof under pressure. he took a sheet of plastic repair material from the float repair kit and shaped it carefully with his knife. after much trial and error he succeeded in cementing it onto the case so that it would protect the switch from the outside, but left enough slack for the switch to be operated through the flexible patch. satisfied, he put it aside to dry. it was nearly time for dinner when he finished. he took a hand in cooking ham and eggs with fried potatoes, while tony prepared a salad and made coffee. as they ate, zircon gestured toward the front of the house. "getting worse instead of letting up. this must be a hurricane, although i've never heard of one quite this early in the season." "if it gets much worse we'll have to anchor the cottage," scotty observed. they finished just in time to tune in for the weather forecast from st. thomas. according to the announcer, the storm was now centered off the island of st. croix, moving in a northwesterly direction. that meant it would pass st. thomas, and perhaps come very close to them. the announcer said, "while the storm has many of the characteristics of a hurricane, including the general form and wind velocities, we hesitate to designate it as one." "in other words," tony said, "it's a hurricane but we'll call it something else because it's too early in the season for hurricanes." "whatever it is, we'll have more of it," zircon stated. rick switched to the navy command frequency in time to intercept a conversation with a destroyer somewhere off the british virgin islands. the destroyer had just lost one of its boats. at four minutes after six the air went silent, then a new voice took over the microphone. the voice said: "_a message for the ones who hunted blue sheep._" "that's us!" rick gasped. when steve had dispatched rick, scotty, and zircon to tibet, it had been with the cover story that they were going to hunt the blue sheep called bharals in the mountains of west china. only steve would know that. the message was from him. static crackled, but the message was clear: "_the one who started the hunt needs the biggest hunter. only the biggest hunter. he should be delivered as soon as possible. call your usual contact before arrival and say that the doctor is coming and to notify the patient._" the message was repeated, while the four strained to be certain they had heard every word. when normal traffic resumed, rick switched the set off. "it appears," zircon said slowly, "that i'm wanted." "yep." scotty grinned. "the demand is there, all right. but delivery is a long way off." the storm punctuated his words. chapter xiv below the dark coral the sky was overcast, ceiling about two thousand feet, visibility about two miles. the wind was moderate and steady. rick examined the water in front of the cottage and told his friends, "i can take off all right. but i don't want to leave without a weather report or we might find ourselves with no place to land." "i'm going to swap this radio for a newspaper," scotty grumbled. he had been trying without success to get a weather report. tony briotti looked at the sky wagon, brows furrowed, then asked, "rick, couldn't you turn on the radio in the plane and get a weather report from the airport at charlotte amalie?" rick was climbing into the sky wagon before tony finished. of course he could! he called, "i'm a chump!" the set warmed and rick called the airport, then held the phones to his ears to hear the reply through heavy static. when the airport answered he asked for a weather report for the area between st. thomas and clipper cay. he got it, and climbed out, his face thoughtful. "the storm is having a pup," he told the others. "we're in a lull at the moment. the main storm swung off to the north, but there's another one right on its tail. we have just about time to get to charlotte amalie and back before the second one closes us in." the group went into action fast. all four pushed the plane into the water. zircon ran to pack a bag, and tony went to get the film rick had taken for zircon to carry to steve. scotty and rick went through the check list, inspecting the plane for possible storm damage. then rick started the engine and warmed it up. by the time they were ready, zircon was climbing aboard. scotty yelled, "tony and i will keep the home fires burning. don't waste any time, rick!" "i won't." zircon closed the cabin door and rick taxied out. in a few moments he was air-borne, swinging seaward over the north end of the island. he looked down and saw two of the frogmen. they were in front of the house, watching the plane. "be sure to tell steve everything," rick reminded the big scientist, "and don't forget to give him the film. i won't have time to see him, unless he meets the plane. but it doesn't matter, because you know everything scotty and i do." "i'll be glad to get actively to work on this confounded business," zircon stated. "i'm so curious about that brass ball the frogmen had in the cave that i'm about to burst." rick set a compass course for st. thomas, flying just under the clouds. when they were a half hour out he contacted the airport again and asked for the weather. the report hadn't changed. he told the airport operator, "the doctor is coming. please notify the patient." he could almost see the operator jerk to attention as the headphones gave out a crisp "roger." he sat down on a heavy chop at charlotte amalie, and the sky wagon gave them a rough ride as he taxied to the pier. lieutenant jimmy kelly was waiting in a navy sedan with an armed guard in attendance. rick supervised the refueling of his plane at the pier gasoline depot, a task he would not delegate to anyone else. the presence of attendants made it impossible to talk to the navy lieutenant. as rick tightened the gas cap, jimmy kelly said, "hop into your great mechanical bird and shove off, birdman. you'll just about beat the weather home as it is. don't stop to fish on the way." "i won't. professor zircon will tell you an interesting story. and we'll be monitoring the command channel at six for any advice you can give us." "okay. don't get your feet wet." rick waved good-by to jimmy and zircon, then taxied out to the clear area and took off. the ceiling was lower than on the trip in, and he almost missed clipper cay because of strong winds and low visibility. he spotted the southern tip of the island just in time to avoid going right on by. he landed with beads of perspiration on his forehead. if he had missed, with luck he might have hit puerto rico, but more likely he would have had to make a landing in the open ocean. scotty and tony came to greet him. "we were worried," tony said. "it's closing in fast." "i got a little worried myself," rick admitted. "anything new here?" scotty gestured toward the northern end of the island. "our pals have been busy, diving. they got the brass ball, or whatever it is, and stowed it aboard their boat. i kept an eye on 'em through the binoculars. also, i suspect they're going to do some more diving, because they left their equipment on the boat." rick didn't particularly care at that moment. the flight back had been something of a strain. "let 'em go," he said. "we can't do anything about it, anyway--not in broad daylight. maybe tonight we can take a look." they spent the afternoon indoors, napping or reading, unable to swim or fish because the second storm had arrived on schedule. then, a few minutes before six, rick turned on the radio to the navy command channel. at six on the nose, the radio emitted: "_a message for the blue-sheep hunters. the blue sheep seen by the big hunter and the little hunter is important. obtain more information if possible. but remember that the owners of the sheep are also mighty hunters. the snapshots of the sheep were fine._" the message was repeated. when they were sure there was no more, rick switched the set off. "well, we're in it, and with steve's blessing. now what?" scotty shrugged. "now we steal the brass ball. didn't steve's message say to get more information?" "apparently the pictures turned out well, if i understood that reference to snapshots correctly," tony said. "be serious, scotty. what can we do next?" "keep an eye on the frogmen, i guess, and play it by ear. i can't see anything else to be done. we probably could steal their brass ball, all right, but they'd know at once who had done it because we're the only other people on the island." "have you looked recently to see what they're doing?" tony asked. neither boy had. both went to the front porch, but the frogmen's cottage was invisible through the driving rain. "we'll have to go see," rick said. "after dark," scotty added. "in about an hour. it will be pretty dark then." "do you suppose the brass ball is still on the boat?" rick inquired thoughtfully. "we might be able to sneak aboard after dark and get a picture of it from close up, and we could examine it and have something definite to report to steve." "that's a possibility," scotty admitted. "anyway, we can get ready." rick rechecked the camera and infrared unit. he loaded the camera with a fresh roll of film. then the three sat in the living room over coffee and listened to the storm batter at the front of the house until it was nearly dark outside. "what now?" tony inquired. "do we all go? or just one of us?" "no point in all of us getting soaked," scotty said. "have you had any experience in this kind of spying, tony?" the archaeologist had not. he grinned. "until i came to spindrift, i led a rather quiet, academic sort of life. except for the war, of course." "then scotty or i had better go," rick said. "or both of us." scotty shook his head. "no need for both. it's only a reconnaissance, anyway. toss you for it." rick produced a coin. "all right. call it." he flipped it as scotty claimed heads. it was a tail. "best two out of three?" scotty invited. rick grinned. "and after that, best three out of five?" scotty growled, "all right. i'll go." he got ready by taking off shoes and socks. he could change his shirt and shorts when he returned. he slipped through the back door and was gone. rick turned on the radio, tried for a weather report, and settled for a miami disk jockey who was playing some good records. the static was bad, but the station came through clearly enough to make listening worth while. scotty was back before a half dozen records had been played. he sat down, ignoring the water that dripped from him. "listen, our friends just rounded the northern tip of the island in the boat and they're heading south just inside the eastern reef. what do you make of that?" rick pictured the movements of the enemy boat from scotty's description. "they can't be putting out to sea, otherwise they'd be outside the reef. and they're not interested in anything on the island or they'd have walked. i'd say they're planning to do some night diving on the eastern side of the island." "in this kind of weather?" tony asked incredulously. "sure. it's stormy on top, but once you're below the wave motion it's quiet as ever. they could dive." scotty stood up. "if they can, so can we." there was no denial to that. they made a trip to the _water witch_ and collected their equipment, then planned what they would do. "we'll all use lungs," tony said. "we have three regulators and there are plenty of full tanks, enough for two dives each. however, we have only two pairs of glasses for the dark-light camera. i'll yield to scotty as the more experienced diver, so you and he use the glasses, rick. i'll stay on top, or near the top, with a single float, and a gun. if i use the lung i can stay submerged most of the time and not have to fight waves." "lash yourself to the float," scotty cautioned. "and we'll use a buddy line," rick added. "the same one the professor and i used. scotty, you take a gun, and i'll take the camera." "if i see any trouble in the making, i'll bang on my air tank," tony said. "you should be able to hear that for quite a distance." there was nothing else to be planned in advance. they picked up their equipment and went out the back door into the storm, crossing the island through the palms. as they emerged onto the eastern shore, scotty called, "look--about five hundred yards north." the lights of the frogmen's boat, visible as bright halos through the rain, were tossing violently just inside the eastern reef. apparently the boat was anchored. the rain was too thick for them to see any movement aboard, or to see details of the boat itself. "move carefully," rick cautioned. he had to raise his voice to be heard above the storm. "we haven't explored this shore. it may be full of coral heads." "i doubt it," scotty returned. "it would be too dangerous for the boat in this kind of weather, even if they knew a channel." "rick's right about careful movement, nevertheless," tony replied. "we must move with care, especially near the reef." he indicated his float. "i'll never be able to tow this through that water, so i'll leave it in the palm grove. we can pick it up on the way back. we shouldn't need it with lungs, anyway. do you boys have rescue packs?" the packs were plastic floats compressed into packages no larger than a cigarette pack. they contained a carbon-dioxide cartridge and could be inflated simply by squeezing them, which punctured the cartridge. the boys had carried them on their weight belts for so long that they took them for granted. they donned their equipment, then walked down to the beach. the surf was not heavy, since the wind was blowing from the opposite side of the island. nevertheless, there was enough water motion to lift a fine screen of sand and dust. "the camera will be useless until we get into deeper water," rick called. "let's rope together and swim straight out." they waded in, awkward in the fins, until they were deep enough for swimming. then all adjusted mouthpieces and started out. rick tried the infrared light intermittently, but not until they were in about twenty feet of water did the roiled bottom allow its use. he led the way to the reef, the others following in file. the reef was closer to the surface than on the western side. rick had to swim along it until he found a place where they could cross without being buffeted by breakers. once across, he swam down the face of the reef, knowing that the trip was hard on tony, because the underwater world was completely dark to one without light, or glasses with which to see the infrared illumination. rick found a fairly level shelf at about thirty feet and swam along it, keeping close to the reef wall, until he thought they were in the vicinity of the frogmen. then he pulled twice on the tie rope in a signal to surface, knowing that scotty would pass the signal along to tony. he emerged in a rough sea, only yards from the point on the reef opposite the anchored boat. he was in time to see two frogmen climb down the boat's ladder. they got into the water and the third man, on deck, lowered the brass object to them. rick had no fear that they would be seen from the boat. their heads would be hidden by the breaking waves, and their bubbles would merge with the natural foam. he saw at once what their tactics should be. he pulled scotty and tony to him, then let his mouthpiece drop. putting his lips close to their ears, he said softly, "if it's like last time, they won't be down long. scotty and i will track them to find out where they go, and watch what they're doing. then, after they leave, we'll see if they left anything behind." scotty and tony nodded. tony untied the line that had held him to scotty. rick replaced his mouthpiece, cleared a little mist from his face mask, and led the way down. this time the infrared light operated continuously. now and then rick worked the toggle switch through its loose plastic covering and shut the unit off while he searched for visible light. he found it, far down the face of the reef. the camera made it easy, and his mind was at rest because this time nature had made it impossible for their bubbles to give them away to surface watchers. there were heavy swells on the surface. he knew it because of the pressure surges on his ears. but otherwise there was no sign of the storm. he grinned because he suddenly realized that he felt dry. on the surface, with the rain beating at him, he had felt like a drowned kitten. moving with the confidence gained in his first experience, he led the way seaward, then went to the level of the light. soon they were close enough to see the frogmen working over something on a coral ledge on the reef face. they hovered motionless, watching, and as one of the frogmen moved they saw that it was the brass ball. rick started his camera. he had an advantage, because the frogmen were concentrating on what they were doing, their backs to him. he moved in cautiously, camera grinding, then backed away again when he thought he had enough long shots. one frogman moved away a few feet, and rick's breathing stopped as the man's belt light flashed toward him. had the frogman been looking, he could have seen the boys, but he was too interested in the second frogman's actions. the second frogman crouched over the brass object, hand moving. rick recoiled as a wail lanced through his head with painful impact. he felt the rope tighten as scotty involuntarily drew away. it was not the octopus, then! it was the brass ball that wailed. but why? for what possible reason? the frogmen were apparently satisfied. one of them picked up the powerful light they had been using and turned it off. then, with only belt lights, they started back up the reef. rick waited until the lights were no longer visible. he glanced at his depth gauge and wrist watch. they were at eighty feet, and they had plenty of air left. he swam to the brass ball, camera grinding. he had never seen anything quite like it. the brass sphere was mounted on a box about twelve inches square and six inches high. from the sphere, two rounded projections thrust out. he identified a waterproof switch on the box, and two small knobs mounted on calibrated plates. these were obviously controls, but he had no idea what they controlled. steve would want a few close-ups. rick worked his camera focus and took shots from every angle. when he had enough, he pulled twice on the rope in a signal to surface. scotty motioned to him to lead the way. as rick started up, four metallic clangs, irregularly spaced, rang faintly in his ears. tony, banging his tank in the signal for trouble! rick instantly changed course and followed the bottom, watching the water overhead for any sign of the frogmen. when he had reached a spot below the point on the reef where tony should be waiting, he turned toward the surface, moving slowly, searching for any sign of activity. there was no sign of whatever had alarmed tony. he paused a few inches under the surface, then carefully put his face into the air. scotty surfaced beside him. there was no sign of tony. rick peered through his mask and saw that the boat was still anchored in the same place. there were figures on its deck. four of them--four! he ripped his mask off for a clearer look, and his heart skipped a beat. the frogmen had tony! chapter xv how sings the gay sardine? rick and scotty held a hurried consultation, mouth to ear. "we'll have to get him," scotty whispered urgently. he held up his spear gun. "i've only got one shot in this." rick's instinctive reaction was the same. they had to rescue tony! but they also had a job to do. "wait," he cautioned. "they probably don't know we're here. tony wouldn't give us away. if they find out, we'll lose the pictures, and we may make it worse for tony. let's stay right here and watch." scotty subsided. they floated motionless, eyes on the boat, peering to penetrate the mist. the rain had let up somewhat, but the air was far from clear. rick would have given the treasure they sought to be able to hear what was being said on the boat. the three frogmen were all facing tony, and the conversation seemed to be pretty animated. then, as he watched, the boat pulled up anchor. it moved north. "they're taking him to their house," scotty gasped. the boys swam frantically for shore, recklessly crossing the reef without regard to the danger of cutting themselves on the sharp coral. they reached the beach and shed tanks and equipment under the palms, then raced for the frogmen's house. they could see the lights of the boat as it rounded the northern tip of the island, and, lying among the palms, they watched it tie up at the pier. tony and the three frogmen got off and walked down the pier. rick strained to see, and could not find any sign that tony was covered by a gun. but that wouldn't be necessary, anyway, since he was outnumbered three to one. the four marched up to the front door of the frogmen's house and stopped. the boys were prone under a palm less than twenty feet away. one of the frogmen said, "let me get a jacket. i'm getting chilled. then we'll walk you home." there was something very odd here! rick nudged scotty and they backed slowly away. when they were sure they could not be seen, they stood up and ran on silent bare feet through the palm grove, circling to approach their own cottage from the rear. [illustration: _rick nudged scotty to back away_] at the back door they paused. "now what?" rick said helplessly. "they're bringing him home. why?" "i wondered about that while we were running. i think they're bringing him home to check up on us. he must have sold them some kind of yarn." "steve's tail will recognize us!" "not if we're in bed," scotty answered quickly. "we'll pretend to be asleep. come on." "just a minute." rick hurried to the shed and got two short hand spears. he handed one to scotty. "here. have a bedfellow." a few minutes later they heard footsteps and voices on the front porch. the door opened. a strange voice said, "your friends don't seem to be here." the voice hardened. "i thought you said they were?" "they're probably in bed," tony replied mildly. "we go to bed right after dark because there's nothing to do." "except stick your nose in other people's business," a harsh voice snapped. tony replied tartly, "i've already apologized for letting my curiosity get the better of me." "i'd like to see the bedrooms," a third voice said. rick thought it belonged to the man they had taken off steve's tail. he lay motionless as a form blocked out the lamp-light from the living room. in a moment the voice said, "they're asleep, all right. they must sleep soundly." "young men do." tony sounded relieved. rick grinned to himself. the archaeologist couldn't have known they were in bed, but his stall had worked. "all right. we'll be going. but keep in mind that the most stupid thing anyone can do is to dive alone, even by day. at night it's worse than stupid. it's sheer insanity. also, we'll thank you and your party to keep away from us and not gum up our recordings with your flipper noises and bubble sounds." "we will," tony said. "good night." the front door closed. scotty rose, slid open the window, and went out. tony scraped a chair in the living room. rick stayed where he was, in case the frogmen had lingered outside. in a few moments he heard the back door open and close, and he tensed, but it was scotty's voice that spoke. "they're gone. i just wanted to make sure." the three gathered in the living room, and tony chuckled. "if i associate with you two for much longer, i'll get to be the world's champion dissembler." "what happened?" rick demanded. "simple and unlucky. the two frogmen surfaced practically under me. my own fault, because i had moved much closer to the boat. i think one of them almost fired a spear at me, but the other stopped him. they invited me to go aboard, and i didn't think it wise to refuse the invitation." "i imagine not," rick commented grimly. "then what?" "naturally, they demanded to know what i was doing. i admitted to overpowering curiosity that got the better of my manners. they wanted to know who i was and why i was on the island. i told them the truth, of course, at least partly. i identified all of us. then i'm afraid i told a slight untruth. i said we had found reference to the _maiden hand_ in an old manuscript, and were diving in hopes of finding cannon and other old things which we planned to sell for museum pieces to pay for our vacation. i believe they accepted my story." "it's a good story," scotty approved. "just enough truth to make it ring true." "they've been watching us," tony went on. "they asked why the plane had gone, and why it had come back with only the pilot. i told them professor zircon had cut himself and gotten a coral infection, and that the doctor at charlotte amalie felt that he should stay there for treatment." "i guess they haven't recognized scotty and me as the two who stopped steve's tail." "seems not," tony agreed. "well, i admitted that i was still curious about their activities, since night diving is not common. so they told me a story." the boys waited breathlessly. "these gentlemen thirst for scientific knowledge," tony said with a grin. "they claim an interest in ichthyology, but they know less about fish than any cat does. their story is that they have developed an underwater recording device with which to make recordings of fish noises. since they have some evidence that certain fish make their noises only at night, it is obviously necessary to make recordings at night. so they dive, leave their equipment, and pick it up the next morning. our diving too close to their gadget creates false sounds, especially our bubbles. therefore we are requested politely but firmly to stay away." scotty whistled. rick laughed. "quite a story," he said. "i pointed out the obvious," tony went on, "that it was strange they should choose a stormy night. their answer was that storms upset fish, and they thought it possible that some sounds might be obtained only under storm conditions." "very interesting," rick remarked. "it's a good story, and if we didn't know steve was after at least one of those men, we'd probably believe it!" "fish noises!" scotty exclaimed. "if they knew we'd been snooping around before, they'd probably claim that the octopus really did wail, and that they were only recording him. your gag about screaming squid and burbling barracuda would appeal to them, tony." the archaeologist chuckled. "anyway, we got out of that one pretty well. i had a little trouble banging my tank. didn't want to do it overtly, of course. finally i managed to get in position while we were swimming to the boat, and i banged my tank against one of theirs. but how did you know what to do?" rick explained briefly, then he broke into a smile again. "these guys are smart," he declared. "i like that fish-recording story." "it's appealing," tony admitted. "i'm almost tempted to pay them another call tomorrow to ask if they have captured for posterity the hunting cry of the wild sea trout, or the love song of the gay sardine." "but you won't," scotty said practically. "you certainly came out of that mess with a whole skin, tony." rick laughed. "he's adventure-prone. and lucky. how do you beat a combination like that?" chapter xvi the deadly spring gun the storm blew itself out by noon of the following day, leaving an overcast sky and heavy swells. an inspection with the binoculars showed that all was quiet at the frogmen's house. their boat was tied to the pier. "they probably recovered the brass ball during the night," rick observed, "or perhaps early this morning." "the question is," scotty remarked, "did they take the gadget to the octopus cave?" tony joined them on the porch in time to hear scotty's query. "i can shed some light on that. it happens that i woke up at dawn and looked out to see how the weather was behaving. the frogmen were anchored off the eastern reef in the same place. we can assume that they picked up the brass ball and put it back in the cave near the wreck." rick rubbed his hand over his short hair in a gesture of bewilderment. "but what's their game? what do they get from the brass ball?" "i rather imagine steve ames would like to know the same thing. if you boys have no objection, i think i'll spend the afternoon at my midden. what are you planning?" rick looked at scotty. "dive at the wreck?" "sure. frogmen or no frogmen, there's still a golden statue of st. francis somewhere down there." after lunch the boys checked their equipment, being particularly careful because they had not rinsed out the regulators with fresh water after every dive. their small supply of water, coupled with the odd hours at which the equipment had been used, was the reason. they took a little water from their supply and used it to clean the regulators. the rest of the equipment would just have to wait. tony departed for his indian midden, tools slung over his shoulder. the boys started the compressor to fill the tanks used the previous night, then untied the _water witch_ and headed for the diving area. scotty scanned the frogmen's house through the glasses, but saw nothing of interest. they anchored just outside the reef and looked for their buoy. it was gone, probably torn away by the storm. "we can find the wreck again," rick said. "no trouble. i could find my way around here in the dark." he grinned. "i have!" "shall we take a look in the octopus cave too?" "a quick one. i doubt that we'd see more than we saw last night. our job now is finding out what kind of information the frogmen get. and i don't know how we'll do that." "wait for a break," scotty replied. "come on. let's get into the water." it was cold. the storm had blown in colder water from the open sea. rick felt goose flesh and wished they had brought along midseason suits. the water was murky, too, because of the sand and silt stirred up by the storm. the murkiness started about twenty feet below the surface. not until they were over fifty feet down did the water clear again. the light was reduced somewhat by the murk, but visibility was good. rick had brought his camera to take motion pictures around the wreck. there would be enough light. scotty carried the big jet spear gun. it was powerful enough to spear sharks or big barracuda, just in case the frogmen decided to be "mischievous" again. rick led the way to the octopus cave, glancing up now and then to make sure they were alone in the water. the little octopus was in his usual position on the ledge. scotty, spear gun extended, swam right into the cave. rick followed, holding the camera tightly to his chest to keep it from scraping on the coral. scotty had his flashlight going, so rick didn't bother with his own. the cave was just about large enough for both of them. it was a typical coral formation, not much different from the reef outside, except that the brass ball was in the center of the rough floor. the boys examined the cave thoroughly and saw nothing of interest. rick pushed at scotty's shoulder and swam out again. scotty followed. the octopus watched them go. the wreck of the _maiden hand_ was just as they had left it, and the grouper was back in his comfortable cabin. he departed at high speed as the boys appeared. they had agreed to start work aft of the captain's cabin, and the wrecking bars were carried under their tank harnesses for the purpose. both were convinced that there was nothing more to be found in the cabin, although the possibility remained that false boards in the floor or walls might conceal the statue. rick tied his camera to a projection, then took his wrecking bar and looked for a place to start. scotty pointed to a place where there were boards aft of the cabin they had already uncovered, and they started to work. by the time they had pried off the first few boards it was time to surface. they went topside and changed tanks, then rested for half an hour. there was no sign of activity at the frogmen's house, nor could they see tony at work on his midden, since the location was hidden by palms. rick said thoughtfully, "the brass ball might be some kind of signaling device." "what kind of signals?" he didn't know the answer to that. "anyway, since it's underwater, if it sends out anything it must be sound impulses. otherwise we wouldn't hear it wail. and what good is sound if not for signals?" added rick. "sonar," scotty reminded. the boys were familiar with sonar because of the spindrift work on the submobile. very high frequency sound impulses were sent out, and the echoes were timed or used in other ways. it was the way in which bottom tracings were made by surface craft, and the way in which navy ships detected submarines. it could be used for locating schools of fish. "it could be sonar of some kind," rick agreed. "but what good would it do anyone to stick a sonar device on an island like this?" and there speculation stopped again, the question still unanswered. they dove to the wreck and continued the hard labor of taking the aft end of the ship apart. when they finally got the new area cleared of rotted boards and timbers it was only to find a cabin already filled with sand. rick borrowed the spear from scotty's gun and thrust it down into the sand. it slid in easily, meeting no obstruction. he probed with it but found nothing except more sand. discouraged, he wrote on his belt slate, "mybe no bottm. flr of cbn my be gne." scotty nodded. he lifted his hands in a gesture of inquiry. now what? rick thought about it for a moment. tony had been right! they probably would have to remove every board in sight, carrying the ship away piece by piece. but then what? there was the distinct possibility that the statue was somewhere under sand, and they had no way of removing the sand to see. it was apparent that most of the ship was under the sand--if the remainder of the ship was still intact. but rick couldn't escape the feeling that captain campion would have kept the statue close to him. and that meant in the aft part of the ship, the part that was exposed. scotty hooted twice, pointing at his watch. it was time to surface. the next dive would be their last for the day. on the surface, rick sounded discouraged as he said, "the cabin we uncovered might not even have a deck. there may be nothing but a mile of sand under it. and there isn't much of the aft part of the ship left to explore, either. i guess tomorrow we can plan to take the captain's cabin apart board by board." "we'll need tony and zircon for hard labor like that," scotty answered. "notice how quickly you get tired down there? also, we use air a lot faster when we work." "let's just sort of make a survey this time," rick suggested. "we can probe for any cracks we might have missed, and i'll take some over-all shots of the wreck. then we'll call it a day." they followed rick's plan. he took pictures of scotty, with wrecking bar, prying at likely places in the exposed part of the ship. but scotty uncovered nothing of interest. in one place his prying disturbed another moray, who demonstrated his anger at the intruders by trying to fasten his needle teeth in the wrecking bar. a metallic clang caused them to lose interest in the eel suddenly. they looked at each other, then turned and swam toward the apparent direction of the sound. at that moment a distant wail struck their ears. the brass ball! rick wondered. he had heard no boat noise. the brass ball must be operating automatically. he hooted for scotty's attention, then pointed toward the cave. scotty checked his spear gun and motioned for rick to lead. rick pushed his camera in front of him and made his fins move rapidly. there might be some outward sign when the ball sounded, something that would tell them a little about its mechanism or purpose. as the cave came in view he coasted, looking upward. the murky layer prevented his seeing very far, but there was no one in sight. he let inertia carry him toward the cave, then swung upright in the water as he saw that the octopus had moved a little distance from the cave mouth. instinctively rick knew that something was wrong, but it was too late to get out of harm's way. a frogman emerged from the cave, spring-type spear gun pointed directly toward them. the frogman held the brass instrument in his free hand. even as rick hooted a warning, the frogman fired! his spear lanced through the water directly at scotty! chapter xvii trapped in twenty fathoms scotty writhed to one side, and the fact that the frogman had fired from too great a distance gave him time to dodge. the spear went by, and scotty lifted his own gun to return the shot. rick, senses suddenly acute, glanced upward again in time to see two more figures descending through the murky layer. he hooted for danger! scotty glanced up, too. then, instead of firing, he sped forward and thrust the tip of his spear at the frogman's chest. the frogman lifted his hands high. scotty jerked the man's face plate loose, then turned swiftly and motioned to rick. rick followed, fins driving, as scotty led the way into deeper water in the direction of the wreck. the frogman who had been in the cave was temporarily out of things. his scuba was the type that combined the breathing apparatus with the full face plate. he could clear the face plate of the water scotty had let in, but it would take a little time. suddenly scotty shot upward. rick turned and looked over his shoulder as he followed. the second two frogmen were in clear water now, and both had spear guns! scotty led the way into the murky layer, then leveled off and swam horizontally. rick wondered what kind of evasive action his pal was planning, but he followed without trying to communicate with the other boy. in a situation like this, scotty's instincts were dependable. rick stayed close to scotty in the murky layer, swimming at his side and a little behind. after a few yards scotty dove again, into clear water. rick looked around but could see no sign of the enemy. apparently the frogmen had followed and were still in the murk. scotty shot downward, rick at his side. the wreck was directly below them. scotty didn't hesitate. he let his momentum carry him right through the grouper's front door into the cabin. rick followed, half expecting to see scotty and the grouper meet head on, but the fish hadn't returned. inside the cabin, scotty switched on his flashlight, took his slate, and wrote, "thyl thnk we wnt bk to bot. we sty hr lng nuff thy fnd out we nt thr & cm bck lkng fr us. thn we go up to bot." rick nodded his understanding. it was good strategy, provided they timed it right. the frogmen would assume the boys had returned to the _water witch_ when they went up through the murky layer. they would examine the boat, then dive down again. at that time, if he and scotty could time it right, the two groups would pass in the murky layer and the boys would emerge while their enemies were still descending. he looked at his watch. they had only a few minutes of air left. the frogmen would have more air, not only because they had entered the water after the boys were already on the bottom, but because they had not descended so deeply. he wrote, "rlax. brethe easy." the less effort they made, the longer their air would last. for a moment he debated suggesting that they share one tank by trading the mouthpiece back and forth, but that would leave one of them practically without air when they had to leave. he tried to imagine the movements of their enemies. the frogmen would be on the surface now, approaching the boat ladder with caution. they couldn't be sure the boys were not waiting in ambush. both boys had switched off their lights and were resting motionless in the darkness of the cabin. a little light filtered through the hole near the roof, but not enough to see by. suddenly the light was blocked out! rick reached for his belt knife and scotty thrust the spear gun forward, then both relaxed a little. the grouper had returned. the big fish turned at the opening and backed into his hole. he hovered in the opening, holding position while he stared out into his watery kingdom. apparently the fish had no idea that the boys were in the cabin. when it came time to leave and they touched him or hooted at him, he would get the surprise of his life. even in their predicament, rick could see the humor in the grouper's reaction. he wondered if groupers were subject to heart failure from shock. rick returned to trying to imagine the movements of the frogmen. now they would be cautiously boarding the _water witch_, one up the ladder, the other climbing the anchor chain. they would be careful, still unsure whether or not the quarry was aboard. he thought he felt constriction in his lungs from the warning signal that his air was running out, but finally decided it was only his imagination. now the frogmen would be aboard the _water witch_, making a quick search, spear guns ready to fire their lethal shafts. now they would be in the cabin and shouting their disappointment. now the frogmen would be hurrying back into the water, readjusting their face masks, ready to dive. the grouper shot out of the cabin with a flick of his powerful tail that raised the silt around them. rick's heartbeat faltered. the grouper had been alarmed. they had mistimed! right now, the frogmen were outside the _maiden hand_! chapter xviii the fight on the "maiden hand" they had only one hope now--that the frogmen would make a quick survey of the wreck, then go away. the boys waited tensely, ears alert for any sound that would tell them the whereabouts of their enemy. there was only the sound of their bubbles. rick pressed close to the opening and peered out. the water that could be seen from the entrance was clear. however, it was only a narrow sector. for all he knew, the frogmen might be right overhead. he backed down into the cabin and pushed his camera into a corner. he could get it later. right now he preferred to have both hands free. he wished for a spear gun, to double their armament. but the other guns were on the _water witch_. the wrecking bars were useless, too. it was almost impossible to strike a blow against the resistance of the water. something scraped outside, and both boys froze. there was no doubt that the frogmen were at the wreck. why didn't they go away? they couldn't know about the entrance to the cabin--or could they? the moments dragged by. there couldn't be much air left in their tanks. rick risked holding his wrist close to the opening and saw that his watch showed one minute of diving time before shortness of breath would signal time to turn on their air reserve and surface. time was critical. if the frogmen didn't go away before their air ran out, they would have to surface, if they were allowed to by the enemy. with luck, scotty could account for one. but that would leave two, both armed. by this time the first frogman would have blown the water from his mask and recovered his spear. no, it would be dangerous for scotty even to take time for a shot, unless he could fire without pausing. their best bet was to make a run for it, depending on speed. on land, he was sure he and scotty could outrun the enemy, but in the water, speed depended on skill with the fins, and the power of leg strokes. he doubted that the frogmen were much faster than he and scotty, but there was an excellent chance that their speed in the water was equal. he conserved his air, spacing his breathing, taking only enough air to keep comfortable. there was another scraping sound, and he knew the frogmen were still around. were they actually searching the wreck? if so, they might find the entrance. and then rick suddenly discovered a new danger! their air bubbles had been floating to the top of the cabin, forming a pool under the ceiling. but they had stayed in the cabin so long that enough water had been displaced to bring the pool of exhausted air close to the entrance, which was only a few inches below roof level. in a moment the air would spill out, and rising bubbles would warn the frogmen! he gripped scotty's shoulder and pointed to the silvery mass of exhausted air that curled perilously close to the entrance. the other boy saw the danger at once. he wrote on his slate, "we go whn air duz," and held it in the light for rick to see. rick nodded. he drew his belt knife. there couldn't be many breaths left before the air spilled out. nor could there be many before warning constriction forced them to turn on the reserves. at this depth the reserve wasn't very great. he saw scotty reach for his reserve lever and pull it down. a moment later he had to pull his own. something rang like a struck tank, almost directly overhead! the lip of the bubble pool moved from the water motion caused by pulling their reserves. rick watched it, scarcely breathing. the air pool trembled. a tiny bubble broke loose and sped upward. rick squeezed scotty's arm, then with a powerful thrust of his flippers he shot out into light, right into the stomach of a frogman! he thrust with his knife, and a hand gripped his wrist and twisted. scotty shot from the hole in the wreck and turned, fins flailing. his spear gun belched carbon dioxide, and the deadly spear ripped into the leg of one frogman. rick flailed arms and legs, trying to break free of the grip that held him. he saw the wounded frogman fire his spear at scotty. the boy moved just in time, and the shaft shot between his arm and side. scotty let go of his useless gun and grappled with the frogman, reaching for his knife with one hand while he gripped the frogman's wrist with the other. rick knew their air was running out fast. he felt a knife glance from his tank and heard the ring of metal. he struggled for footing and turned in time to thrust a flippered foot into the stomach of the frogman behind him. next to him he caught a glimpse of scotty and his opponent rolling in the water, and he saw the shimmer of metal as a knife flashed. arms locked around his throat. he reached backward over his head and his hands touched rubber. he gripped and pulled with all his strength and felt the man's face plate come free. the frogman who had lost his mask suddenly threw off tanks and weight belt and sped for the surface. the odds were even! rick locked with his opponent and felt powerful arms drag him close. the man had more strength than he! he fought to break loose, and couldn't! then the mouthpiece was pulled away from rick's lips in mid-breath, and he choked on sea water. without air--twenty fathoms down! frantically he fought, locking his air passage so his last lungful couldn't escape. he got a hand free and caught his opponent's hose where it joined the tank. he pulled with all his strength and felt it give. bubbles rose in a cloud. he would have sobbed if he could. it was the wrong hose! he had only torn loose the exhaust. he groped and found the intake hose, then, lifting his knee and thrusting for leverage, he pulled with all his strength. the hose gave! the grip on him loosened. rick was now desperate for air! he pulled the quick release on his weight belt and felt it drop away, then he kicked for the surface, frantic with fear for scotty. had he gotten free? had he? his last view had been of his pal locked with the remaining frogman! bubbles streamed from his mouth as the compressed air in his lungs expanded under the decreasing pressure. he let himself exhale as he rose, fighting against panic and the impulse to lock the remaining air in his lungs. that would be fatal, he knew, and he willed himself to act properly. he kept his fins moving, knowing that, if he kept his head, he would make the surface. he passed through the murky layer and saw the surface like a wrinkled silver sheet far overhead. straining, he swam for it, letting out his breath as the pressure on his lungs demanded. there was another boat hull in the water, almost over him! he angled away, to avoid coming up under it. and suddenly there were forms around the boat. a cry tore from his lips and was swallowed in the water. more frogmen! more enemies, when they were already defeated! chapter xix janig takes to the water a figure dove to meet rick. he angled away, fighting the impulse to breathe, keeping the compressed air moving out of his lungs. the figure angled with him, then suddenly sheered off. rick shot past and the figure followed. these new frogmen were diving in midseason suits. he was aware of nearly a dozen of them. he didn't count them; with his terrible need for oxygen he didn't care that much. he knew he would make it. he had to! but where was scotty? rick shot to the surface, went right through it, his impetus carrying him into the blessed air. he gulped a great lungful before he fell back with a splash, and as he hit water his fins were flailing, to carry him toward the hastily glimpsed shore. a masked figure surfaced beside him and called, "take it easy!" he only moved faster. the frogman caught him easily, because the power was gone from his leg strokes now. but he had enough strength to fight. he reached for the frogman's face plate, and a strong arm pushed him back. a voice penetrated his consciousness. "stop it, rick, or i'll have to let you have one." the frogman knew his name! he hesitated, fist pulled back to throw the best punch he had left, and the new frogman back-pedaled. "hold it," the frogman called, and lifted his face mask. rick stopped moving, staring numbly. jimmy kelly! lieutenant kelly! "i'll tow you to the boat," the lieutenant called. "relax." rick obeyed, head spinning. he was a little groggy, and he couldn't make sense out of things. how had kelly got here? and scotty! where was scotty? he started struggling again, calling his friend's name. "he's all right," kelly said urgently. "relax, rick!" rick caught the words, and they penetrated. how did kelly know scotty was all right? but the lieutenant had spoken with authority, so he relaxed. kelly towed him to the landing stage of the ship rick had seen, a destroyer escort. willing hands lifted him from the water. he slumped down on the edge of the stage, shaking his head to clear it while navy frogmen stripped his aqualung harness from him and pulled the mask from his face. a voice said, "drink this." a mug of steaming black coffee was thrust into his hand and he sipped, grateful for the spreading warmth it brought. suddenly he started again. "scotty! where is he?" "up here, rick, with me." he looked up, and his eyes focused again--on tony and zircon! a motor whaleboat drew up to the landing stage, and two husky frogmen handed up a suited figure. "here's one, lieutenant," a frogman called. "all right, danny. where's the other?" "heading for the reef at top speed. jonesy's after him." "go help jonesy haul him in." "yes, sir." the motor whaleboat veered off and sped toward shore. a frogman surfaced almost at rick's feet. he instinctively drew back, and the frogman gripped the edge of the stage, spat out his mouthpiece, and pulled up his mask with the other hand. rick found himself looking at steve ames! what was he doing here? "where's the brass ball?" steve asked. "i don't know." with an effort rick pulled his scattered wits together. his mind began to work again. obviously, through some miracle steve and zircon had arrived on a navy ship with jimmy kelly and a detachment of navy frogmen. scotty called from on deck. "it's at the octopus cave, steve. i saw one of the frogmen drop it there." steve hauled himself out to the landing stage. he grinned at rick. "feeling better?" "much," rick said. he was beginning to feel nearly human again. "let's go on deck. i want to find out about this octopus cave." rick stood up, and was surprised to find that he didn't wobble. he followed steve up the ladder to the deck and found scotty seated on a canvas stool, sipping coffee. zircon asked anxiously, "are you all right, rick?" tony said, "here's the doctor for a look at you." a young navy officer joined them and motioned rick to a canvas stool. he applied a stethoscope and listened, then grunted his satisfaction. "he seems all right. pulse a little fast, but that's to be expected. you had a slight dose of oxygen starvation. feel better now?" rick nodded. he was beginning to feel wonderful. they were out of it, and with whole skins. scotty grinned sheepishly. "i abandoned you. i had to, because i ran completely out of air. i shoved my man away and headed for the surface. i felt pretty guilty about leaving you with two of them." rick returned the grin. "i felt the same way. i thought i'd abandoned you. but i see you got to the surface first." steve accepted a cup of coffee and squatted on the deck, facing them. "suppose we start from the beginning. what happened?" rick told him, starting from the moment when they had heard the brass ball wail. he finished, "there were three of them. did you get them all?" "yes. including one with a spear through his leg. the last one is just being hauled aboard now. he tried to get to the island." jimmy kelly and a group of frogmen joined them. jimmy asked, "how about the sounding gear, steve?" "we'll ask now. how about that octopus cave? where is it?" "we'll take you," rick said. "let us get tanks from our boat. there should be a pair fully charged by now." steve shot a look at the doctor. the officer shrugged, then nodded. "okay, if it's a short dive. they've had plenty for today." "chief? where are you?" kelly called. a frogman stepped from the rear of the group. "here, sir." "check their regulators, please. if they're okay, hook up fresh tanks. if not, loan them complete outfits." "yes, sir." "thanks, chief. then get set to come with us. danny, jonesy, mike, and dick come along, too. bring still and motion-picture cameras. when we get down, split into two-man teams and search the area. you know what we're looking for. it's just like the one we found off st. croix." rick stared at the frogman officer. another brass ball off st. croix? but there wasn't time for questions. "quick dive, please," zircon requested. "these boys have had enough." "they're through as soon as they show us the cave," steve agreed. "come on, gang. let's get to it." rick carefully checked his equipment, something that no diver can ever take for granted or leave to someone else, while scotty did the same. then they put the equipment on and adjusted face masks. their knives, rick's camera, and scotty's spear and gun were somewhere near the wreck. they would have to get them another time. the group entered the water. rick looked around and oriented himself by the position of the _water witch_, then led the way with scotty, steve, and jimmy swimming along with him while the navy frogmen stayed closed behind. it was a thrill for rick to be swimming with the famous udt frogmen. he looked to the side and saw that steve was perfectly at home in the water, and he marveled at the adaptability of the janig agent. steve hadn't been joking when he said he would be an expert by nightfall. at the reef rick turned northward and led the way toward the level of the cave. a few moments later he hooted for attention and with pointed finger showed it to steve and jimmy. the octopus was still there. a frogman swam over and picked the little creature up. the octopus spurted away, leaving a blob of ink behind. he came to rest above the cave, poised for further flight. rick swam down to the sandy floor of the cave and began to search for the brass ball. scotty beckoned, and they swam together toward the spot where scotty had last seen it. the frogmen swam to the bottom with them, then fanned out, searching. a few moments later someone hooted, and a tanned, muscled frogman swam over, holding the object triumphantly. steve ames pointed to the surface and jimmy hooted an order. the group swam leisurely up through the murky layer, oriented themselves by the sleek shape of the destroyer escort hull, and emerged at the landing. the frogman who had found the ball handed it up to hobart zircon. steve ames motioned to one of the frogmen. "run these fellows over to the beach, please, then wait and bring them back." he turned to the boys. "put on dry clothes. then come on back. we need to talk." an hour later the boys, the scientists, steve, and kelly were seated at a table in the destroyer escort's tiny wardroom, noses twitching over the savory steaks that were being served. the boys ate like starved men, talking a steady stream between bites. rick sighed and let out his belt. "well, that's our story. what's yours?" steve stirred his coffee thoughtfully. "i can make it short. we don't know the whole story yet, but we will by the time i get back to st. thomas. have you two any idea what these brass-ball gadgets are?" "we decided that they were probably sonar equipment of some type," scotty said. "but we couldn't figure out what they were for." "easy," steve said. "although you couldn't know, of course. they were for spotting submarines." rick stared. submarines? steve saw his look of bewilderment. "it happens that our new atomic-powered submarines are conducting manuevers in this area. does that help?" it did! light slowly dawned. "then these were scanning our subs! but i still don't see why it would be any problem to find them. the subs must have equipment that will tell when sonar beams hit them." "they do. and that's a big part of the story." steve sipped his coffee for a moment. "these sonar devices are a new type, and very cleverly designed. they don't send out a continuous beam. instead, they operate in bursts, in a random pattern. they might send out a beam twice in a minute, or wait an hour between bursts. the beam is a powerful one. it's effective for an extraordinary distance." "the wail, of course, was the beam operating," zircon interjected. "you didn't hear the beam itself, since that's ultrasonic. but you did hear the mechanical vibration of the brass ball. it had a kind of sub-harmonic effect that was audible." "that's right," steve agreed. "anyway, there were several different stations, in different locations. some were on islands, some on fishing boats. since they operated only in short bursts in a random pattern, the subs--and the special teams we sent out--were never able to get a bearing that meant much." "they must be self-recording," rick said thoughtfully, "otherwise the enemy couldn't get the information out of them." "they are. whatever echo they get makes a tracing inside the box they're mounted on." scotty objected, "but what kind of information is it? how can anyone tell anything about the subs from such recordings?" "by putting all the recordings together and running a rather complex analysis. the analysis will give speed, depth of operation, maneuverability--if the spies are lucky to have beams operating at the right time--and number of torpedoes fired, with the same information on the torps. that's enough information to make it worth an enemy's while." "i'll say!" scotty turned to zircon. "and what were you doing, professor?" "i'm afraid i arrived on the scene too late to do much good," zircon boomed. "however, i believe we can be useful in preventing such occurrences in the future. i have an idea for an improvement in our scanners that will allow a fix to be made on such beams." there was a pause when dessert arrived. the boys savored excellent apple pie smothered in a generous helping of ship-made ice cream. "we thought zircon might help us work out a system of getting fixes on the transmitters," steve said. "as it happened, we got a lucky break. the subs happened to have their devices pointed at st. croix simultaneously when a beam scanned them. they got a fix on it. we flew a team of frogmen down in a navy amphibian right in the middle of the second storm. they found it, and got the men who were handling it. one of them talked." jimmy kelly picked up the story, "you arrived with zircon at about the same time the st. croix team took off from our base, and headed right into the storm. they didn't get back until late last night, and it was nearly dawn before we got the story from the man who talked. then we loaded on this de and headed here." "i'm glad you didn't wait ten minutes longer," rick said fervently. "they foxed us. i kept listening for their boat, but they didn't use it." "they probably decided to swim out and sneak up on you," zircon stated. "after capturing tony last night, their suspicions were probably aroused somewhat. even if they swallowed his story entirely, it would be only good sense to check up." tony looked hurt. "i'm sorry you don't think my story was enough to allay their suspicions entirely. but speaking of listening for their boat, why didn't you hear this ship coming? and why didn't the fancy frogmen?" rick thought that one over. "we wouldn't have heard the ship until it was very close because of the noise our bubbles make. but we should have heard it about the time it left the reef opening near our cottage. i don't know why we didn't." "and i don't know why we didn't see it," scotty added. "it's big enough to be spotted at horizon distance." jimmy grinned. "we pulled a fast one. we had enough steerageway to drift over your position after a few turns of the screws down by the reef passage. you see, we didn't know what was going on, so we took no chances. then, when we got into position, we got into the water without waiting to anchor. we dropped anchor right after we got both of you out, but you probably didn't notice." "i couldn't have cared less, at that point," rick said, and scotty echoed the sentiment. "the reason why you didn't see us coming is that we came from the other side of the island. it's safer for a ship that draws as much water as this one. tony spotted us as we approached the southern point." steve grinned. "anyway, it's a good idea to move in on an objective as quickly, silently, and invisibly as possible." "have you captured the rest of the stations yet?" rick asked. "no. but we have teams out, and they know where to go and what to look for, thanks to the man who talked last night." "who are these people?" scotty demanded. steve scratched his chin. "well," he said finally, "you might put it this way: they're people who have no business knowing what they're trying to find out." rick hid a grin. he knew perfectly well they would get no more information out of steve. the essence of security is to give information only to people who have a need to know it. the spindrifters had no reason for knowing the identity of the enemy, apart from their own curiosity. one thing was certain, though, it was another nation that wanted the information. "you're probably tired of answering questions," rick said, "but i've got one more. how did you happen to arrive right in the nick of time?" "nothing very mysterious about it," jimmy kelly answered. "we steamed up to the island and sent a boat ashore, with professor zircon. dr. briotti had seen us approach, and he met the boat. he told us you were diving. zircon had assumed as much since we could see your boat anchored on the reef." "i told them about last night," tony added. "yes, and we sent a party of men to the house up the beach to capture these fancy frogmen of yours. the house was empty. since their boat was tied up, we made a quick assumption that they were out on the reef with you. we did a fast run out ..." "and got the fright of our lives," steve finished. "we knew there were three of the enemy and two of you down below, and we could see only three sets of bubbles. we thought you were done for." "it was remarkable the way lieutenant kelly and his men got ready to dive," zircon said. "i've never seen people move so fast. steve, too. then, just as they were about to go over the side, we saw two more bubble trails and knew at least that you were still alive. but in a moment the entire pack of bubbles merged." "we hit the water," jimmy kelly said, "and were about to dive when one of the enemy skyrocketed up. he was blue in the face and scared witless. we hauled him out and then started to dive again. and along came scotty, half dead and babbling about you. i started straight down to get you, but you met me halfway." he grinned. "you weren't in very good shape, either, for a few minutes." "how about the men? where are they?" scotty asked. "down below. locked up, with an armed guard at the door." steve ames finished his coffee and sat back with a sigh of satisfaction. "i'm happy," he announced. the boys grinned. he looked it. "glad you wound this up so fast," zircon boomed. "when will you return to charlotte amalie?" steve looked at jimmy kelly. "you in a hurry?" "not particularly. now that this case is over we go back to some pretty dull routine. why?" "oh, i thought your boys might like a little recreation." jimmy looked suspicious. "any sailor likes recreation. the more the better. the udts enjoy it more than most. what's on your mind?" steve's wave took in the four spindrifters. "it wasn't their fault one of the gang talked his head off last night. if he hadn't, their work here would have given us a lead we couldn't have gotten in any other way. suppose we repay 'em." jimmy sighed. "get to the point." "keep the ship here tomorrow. turn your boys loose to help find the treasure they're after. you've got equipment they need. besides, i'm sure your gang can find some nice souvenirs if they put their minds to it. old cutlasses, cannon, cannon balls--things like that." "it's a deal." the udt lieutenant chuckled. "i'll try a little souvenir hunting myself. of course, since it's unofficial, i'll have to ask for volunteers." "think you'll get many?" rick asked anxiously. steve and jimmy laughed. the lieutenant said with a chuckle, "if one of them doesn't volunteer i'll turn him over to the doctor, because i'll know he's sick. the udt's volunteer because they like to swim. it isn't often they get a chance like this, to dive just for fun." "if we don't find the treasure," scotty said with satisfaction, "it'll be because it isn't there!" chapter xx the buried secret at first, the captured frogmen were defiant. they insisted that the navy had nothing on them. the brass ball wasn't theirs. they were only sport divers having some fun. then, faced with the unassailable fact that rick had taken motion pictures of their activities, they lapsed into sullen silence and refused to talk. rick and scotty watched jimmy kelly check the diving equipment of the frogman teams lined up on the destroyer escort's deck. beyond the teams they could see the three enemy frogmen, taking the air under the watchful eye of a shotgun-armed sailor. "i wonder if we'll ever get the full story," rick mused. "we've got all we need," scotty answered. "what pieces are missing?" "well, i'm curious about the chicken. i think we hit it when we decided they wanted to scare us out of the octopus-cave area, but it would be nice to know for sure. and why did they take the sonar equipment to the eastern reef during the storm?" "probably to make a recording as a routine check. they couldn't assume all sub activity was taking place to the west." "but how can we be sure?" "we can't. we can only try to figure out what happened, based on what information we have. for instance, there must have been a sonar unit near where we swam at st. thomas. it's the only thing that could have got the shadow so excited. but what difference does it really make? we know most of the story, and we can guess the rest." "steve may be able to fill in some pieces later," rick observed. he liked to have a thing wrapped up neatly, with no loose ends hanging. still, that was almost impossible in a case like this. jimmy kelly called, "you boys ready to go?" "whenever you are," rick called back. he picked up his heavy three-tank block from where it rested against the rail and handed it to scotty. while his friend held the rig, rick got into it. then he performed the same service for scotty. the tanks were heavy. tony and zircon, similarly equipped, came out of the amidships cabin with steve ames. jimmy had loaned equipment from the frogmen's supplies, to enable the group to work around the wreck longer. the search party assembled on the landing stage. jimmy had split his teams into two groups. they would dive in relays. "we'll look the situation over, then get to work," jimmy instructed. "how many have wrecking bars?" four of the udt gang held them up. "all right. turn and turn about. work for ten minutes then pass them to your mates. watch your hoses, especially when working inside. okay. let's go." they slipped into the water four at a time, rick and scotty in the first four. once in the water, the weight of the heavy tanks vanished. the boys had removed weights from their belts to allow for the extra tanks and for more than ten additional pounds of air on the descent. a pair of frogmen payed out a heavy rope, taking the reel down with them in order to provide a direct link from wreck to ship. on the way up the divers would pause at knots in the rope to decompress, allowing time for compressed nitrogen to get out of their blood streams. with the boys and the scientists, jimmy went over all visible portions of the wreck. he summed up his attitude with an elaborate shrug and spreading of his hands that said he didn't know where to begin. for his frogmen, he made a sweeping gesture that told them to tackle the wreck anywhere. the frogmen moved in, operating in pairs. the water clouded rapidly with silt, particles of marine growth, and fish eggs. the top of the captain's cabin came off. rick swam in through the murk and picked up the chair that had seemed to be in good condition. he carried it to clear water and placed it on the sand. now that it was out in the open, it could be seen that teredos--shipworms--had feasted on it and burrowed into it until it was nothing but a chair-shaped shell. the same was true of the cabin interior. it collapsed soundlessly under the prying bars of the frogmen. under their enthusiastic attack the water was soon so roiled that visibility at the wreck was reduced to almost zero. jimmy sounded the signal for ascent and the group surfaced without decompressing. they had just about exhausted a single tank. on the landing stage, the lieutenant said, "no use continuing until the water settles. any ideas, chief?" sanders, the group's chief petty officer, replied, "i think we're going to need a sand hose, sir. most of the wreck is buried." jonesy, a short, husky frogman with a bright-red crew cut, added, "sir, i think the cannon and stuff would be on the deck ahead of the cabin we opened up, but the deck is under the sand. could we rig a hose, sir?" "good idea. put a detail to work, chief." sanders called out four names and issued instructions. jimmy called a ten-minute break for the rest. during the break, rick sought out steve ames. he commented, "you know, this wasn't a very well-organized gang. i keep thinking about the two who tried to get us at st. thomas." steve disagreed. "you're wrong. it was a _very_ well-organized gang. their trouble was not enough trained agents. they had to hire extras, and the extras were just ordinary mugs, and not very bright ones. it was the mugs who made the mistakes, not the real agents." jimmy kelly spoke up. "did we tell you? we got reports from the other udt teams this morning. our people have all the stations except one in british territory. maybe our british cousins can get the station team for us. we've tipped them off." the lieutenant finished a glass of orange juice and rose. "time's up. let's get back to the wreck." hobart zircon asked, "don't you want to take your camera, rick?" "good idea." he hurried to get it. one of the frogmen had picked it up, along with the rest of the equipment they had left behind. the water had settled enough for thorough inspection of the entire aft portion of the wreck. rick and scotty helped the frogmen poke into every possible place without finding more than a pair of rusted cutlasses. rick surveyed the scene with discouragement. the statue was somewhere under the sand, which probably meant they would never find it. he had another sudden realization, too. they had no proof that this ship was the _maiden hand_, no proof that the whole business wasn't just a wild-goose chase. by the time the dive was over, the sand hose had been rigged. the first group surfaced and jimmy ordered the fresh group of frogmen to hose out the aft cabins to find anything that might be left. then the group was to start work on the probable location of the foredeck. during the rest period, rick told jimmy about the other wreck they had found, the modern ship that he guessed was a war casualty. "we'll take a look at it first thing in the morning before we shove off for st. thomas," jimmy promised. "you never know what you'll find in a wreck. we've found a lot of things worth salvaging." the boys were operating under navy rules now. they put on fresh tanks and got their instructions from chief sanders. "longer decompression this time. stick with me on the way up and move when i move. we don't want you to get the bends." the boys nodded their understanding, then took to the water. the frogmen below were still hosing sand. water forced at high pressure through the hose that ran down from the ship sent the stuff swirling in great clouds. the boys watched. they couldn't do much looking around until the water settled. then they saw that the frogmen weren't waiting. they swam into the murk, feeling around with their hands. rick saw one emerge triumphantly holding a round object that could only have been a cannon ball. he and scotty plunged in, too. working with the frogmen they rapidly assembled a treasure trove of cannon, more cannon balls, cutlasses still in good condition, and useless ship's gear. fifteen minutes later a frantic hooting brought them in a rush to where jonesy was holding something. zircon and tony got there at the same time, and soon all work had ceased while jonesy's find was examined. tony took his belt knife and scraped. then he looked around at the watching group and nodded. he clasped his hands together and shook them like a fighter mitting the crowd. rick and scotty hooted their triumph. jonesy had found the statue of st. francis! the boys, the scientists, steve, and jimmy carried the treasure to the surface. the rest of the frogmen continued hunting for souvenirs. on the landing stage they put the statue down with loving care. even under the marine growth they could make out the cowled figure of the sainted monk, head bent over the fawn he held in his arms. tony went to work. soon there was a gleam of gold that brought a yell of triumph from the boys. then--amazingly--the gleam of dull silver. "hobart, look at this!" tony exclaimed. the big scientist knelt and examined the silvery streak. he borrowed tony's knife and probed, then his laugh boomed across the water. "we are the victims of our own research!" he roared. "all this trouble--over a statue of lead!" "lead!" rick stared incredulously. this couldn't be true! "there's gold, too," he pointed out. "apparently gold leaf over a lead base," tony said with a sigh. "no, rick. hobart is right. this is lead." a call from the water made them look up. chief sanders and his diving buddy had surfaced, and they were carrying a statue of st. francis! behind them, another pair of frogmen, with still another statue! within a half hour there were no less than eight identical statues lined up on deck. st. francis, in lead, repeated eight times. scotty scratched his head. "well," he said finally, "we certainly found st. francis! in fact, we overdid it a little." not until long afterward did they learn the answer. tony briotti, a scientist of great persistence, did some research in england during a european trip to attend a conference of archaeologists. he found that the _maiden hand_ had carried several dozen st. francis statues, for sale to churches and individuals in the new world. captain campion had considered only one special enough to mention, because it had been blessed by the cardinal of france and entrusted to his care for delivery to the governor of barbados. the spindrifters took one statue as a gift for barby. a cutlass was rick's share of the loot, while tony took the bar shot they had found near the wreck and zircon selected a cannon ball. it was understood that the knife scotty had found was to be his, so that he could present it to hartson brant. a few quick dives the following morning disclosed nothing of interest around the first wreck they had found, but jimmy identified it as a common type of small cargo vessel. then the destroyer escort sailed for st. thomas. before it left, there was time for a few words with steve ames. "i'm leaving st. thomas by air tonight for washington," he reported. "something new has come up and i'm needed. i may need you, too, before this case is over. the report wasn't detailed, but it carried a few implications that have me worried." "we'll be ready if you need us," rick assured him. steve's warm smile flashed. "i know," he said. "i'll see you soon." the rick brant science-adventure stories by john blaine science-adventure stories [illustration: rick brant] rick brant is the boy who with his pal scotty lives on an island called spindrift and takes part in so many thrilling adventures and baffling mysteries involving science and electronics. you can share every one of these adventures in the pages of rick's books. they are available at your book store in handsome, low-priced editions. the rocket's shadow the lost city sea gold fathoms under the whispering box mystery the phantom shark smugglers' reef the caves of fear stairway to danger the golden skull the wailing octopus the electronic mind reader the scarlet lake mystery the pirates of shan the blue ghost mystery the egyptian cat mystery the flaming mountain the automobile girls at washington or, checkmating the plots of foreign spies by laura dent crane author of the automobile girls at newport, the automobile girls in the berkshires, the automobile girls along the hudson, the automobile girls at chicago, the automobile girls at palm beach, etc. [illustration: a fat chinese gentleman stood regarding her. (frontispiece)] contents chapter i. a chance meeting ii. cabinet day in washington iii. mr. tu fang wu iv. at the chinese embassy v. sub rosa vi. the arrest vii. mollie's temptation viii. at the white house ix. bab's discovery x. the confession xi. in mr. hamlin's study xii. barbara's secret errand xiii. a foolish girl xiv. "grant no favors!" xv. bab refuses to grant a favor xvi. barbara's unexpected good luck xvii. the white veil xviii. a tangled web or circumstance xix. harriet in danger xx. foiled! xxi. the discovery xxii. oil on the troubled waters xxiii. suspense and the reward xxiv. home at laurel cottage chapter i a chance meeting barbara thurston stood at the window of a large old-fashioned house, looking out into connecticut avenue. it was almost dark. an occasional light twinkled outside in the street, but the room in which barbara was stationed was still shrouded in twilight. suddenly she heard a curtain at the farther end of the drawing-room rustle faintly. bab turned and saw a young man standing between the curtains, peering into the shadows with a pair of near-sighted eyes. barbara started. the stranger had entered the room through a small study that adjoined it. he seemed totally unaware of any other presence, for he was whistling softly: "kathleen mavourneen." "i beg your pardon," bab began impulsively, "but are you looking for some one?" the newcomer flashed a charming smile at barbara. he did not seem in the least surprised at her appearance. "no," he declared cheerfully, "i was not looking for any one or anything. the butler told me mr. hamlin and harriet were both out. but, i say, don't you think i am fortunate to have found you quite by accident! i came in here to loaf a few minutes." barbara frowned slightly. the young man's manner was surprisingly familiar, and she had never seen him before in her life. "i hope i am not disturbing you," he went on gayly. "i am an attaché of the russian legation, and a friend of miss hamlin's. i came with a message for mr. hamlin. i was wondering if it were worth while to wait for him. but i can go away if i am troublesome." "oh, no, you are not disturbing me in the least," barbara returned. "i expect miss hamlin and my friends soon. we arrived in washington last night, and the other girls have gone out to a reception. i had a headache and stayed at home. won't you be seated while i ring for the butler to turn on the lights?" the newcomer sat down, gravely watching barbara. "would you like me to guess who you are?" he asked, after half a minute's silence. bab laughed. "i am sure you will give me the first chance to tell you your name. i did not recognize you at first. but i believe harriet told us about you last night. she described several of her washington friends to us. you are peter dillon, aren't you?" "at your service," declared the young attaché, who looked almost boyish. "but now give me my opportunity. i do not know your name, but i have guessed this much. you are an 'automobile girl!' permit me to bid you welcome to washington." barbara nodded her head decidedly. "yes, i am barbara thurston, one of the 'automobile girls.' there are four of us. harriet has probably explained to you. my sister, mollie thurston, grace carter, ruth stuart and i form the quartet. mr. william hamlin is ruth's uncle. so we are going to spend a few weeks here with harriet and see the capital. i have never been in washington before." "then you have a new world before you, miss thurston," said the young man, his manner changing. "washington is like no other city in the world, i think. i have been here for four years. before that time i had lived in dublin, in paris, in st. petersburg." "then you are not an american!" exclaimed bab, regarding the young man with interest. "i am a man without a country, miss thurston." bab's visitor laughed carelessly. "or, perhaps, i had better say i am a man of several countries. my father was an irishman and a soldier of fortune. my mother was a russian. therefore, i am a member of the russian legation in washington in spite of my half-irish name. have you ever been abroad?" "oh, no," bab returned, shaking her head. "for the past two years, since i have known ruth stuart, the 'automobile girls' have traveled about in this country a good deal. but we are only school girls still. we have never really made our début in society, although we mean to forget this while we are in washington, and to see as much of the world as we can. i do wish i knew something about politics. it would make our visit in washington so much more interesting." "it is the most interesting game in the world," declared barbara's companion, dropping for an instant his expression of indifference. his blue eyes flashed. then he said quickly: "perhaps you will let me teach you something of the political game at washington. i am sure you will be quick to learn and to enjoy it." "thank you," bab answered shyly. "but i am much too stupid ever to understand." "i don't quite believe that. you know, you will, of course, hear a great deal about politics while you are the guests of the assistant secretary of state. mr. hamlin is one of the cleverest men in washington. i am sure you will be instructing me in diplomacy by the end of a week. but good-bye; i must not keep you any longer. will you tell mr. hamlin that i left the bundle of papers he desired on his study table? and please tell harriet that i shall hope to be invited very often to see the 'automobile girls.'" the young man looked intently at barbara, as though trying to read her very thoughts while she returned his scrutiny with steady eyes. then with a courteous bow, he left the room. when barbara found herself alone she returned to the window. "i do wish the girls would come," she murmured to herself. "i am just dying to know what mollie and grace think of their first reception in washington. of course, ruth has visited harriet before, so the experience is not new to her. i am sorry i did not go with the girls, in spite of my headache. i wonder if some one is coming in here again! i seem to be giving a reception here myself." by this time the room was lighted, and barbara saw a young woman of about twenty-five years of age walk into the drawing-room and drop into a big arm chair with a little tired sigh. "you are miss thurston, aren't you?" she asked briskly as bab came forward to speak to her, wondering how on earth this newcomer knew her name and what could be the reason for this unexpected call. "yes," barbara returned in a puzzled tone, "i am miss thurston." "oh, don't be surprised at my knowing your name," bab's latest caller went on. "it is my business to know everybody. i met mr. dillon on the corner. he told me harriet hamlin was not at home and that i had better not come here this afternoon. i did not believe him; still i am not sorry miss hamlin is out, i would ever so much rather see you. harriet hamlin is dreadfully proud, and she is not a bit sympathetic. do you think so?" bab was lost in wonder. what on earth could this talkative young woman wish of her? did her visitor believe bab would confide her opinion of harriet to a complete stranger? but the young woman did not wait for an answer. "i want to see you about something awfully important," she went on. "please promise me you will do what i ask you before i tell you what it is." bab laughed. "don't ask me that. why you may be an anarchist, for all i know." the new girl shook her head, smiling. she looked less tired now. she was pretty and fragile, with fair hair and blue eyes. she was very pale and was rather shabbily and carelessly dressed. "no; i am not an anarchist," she said slowly. "i am a newspaper woman, which is almost as bad in some people's eyes, i suppose, considering the way society people fight against giving me news of themselves and their doings. i came to ask you if you would give me the pictures of the 'automobile girls' for my paper? oh, you need not look so surprised. we have all heard of the 'automobile girls.' everybody in washington of importance has heard of you. couldn't you let me write a sketch about you and your adventures, and put your photographs on the society page of our sunday edition? it would be such a favor to me." barbara looked distressed. she was beginning to like her visitor. though barbara had been associated mainly with wealthy people in the last two years of the "automobile girls'" adventures, she could not help feeling interested in a girl who was evidently trying to make her own way in the world. "i am awfully sorry," bab declared almost regretfully, but before she finished speaking the drawing-room door opened and ruth stuart and harriet hamlin entered the room together. "how is your head, bab, dear?" ruth cried, before she espied their caller. harriet hamlin bowed coldly to the newspaper woman in the big arm chair. the young woman had flushed, looked uncomfortable at sight of harriet and said almost humbly: "i am sorry to interrupt you, miss hamlin, but my paper sent me to ask you for the pictures of your guests. may i have them?" "most certainly not, miss moore," harriet answered scornfully. "my friends would not dream of allowing you to publish their pictures. and my father would not consent to it either. just because he is assistant secretary of state i do not see why my visitors should be annoyed in this way. i hope you don't mind, ruth and barbara." harriet's voice changed when she turned to address her cousin and friend. "forgive my refusing miss moore for you. but it is out of the question." ruth and bab both silently agreed with harriet. but barbara could not help feeling sorry for the other girl, who flushed painfully at harriet's tone and turned to go without another word. bab followed the girl out into the hall. "i am so sorry not to give you our photographs," barbara declared. "but, of course, we cannot let you have them if mr. hamlin would object. and, to tell you the honest truth, the 'automobile girls' would not like it either." barbara smiled in such a frank friendly way that no one could have been vexed with her. the older girl's eyes were full of tears, which she bravely winked out of sight. "everyone has his picture published in the papers nowadays," she replied. "i am sure i intended no discourtesy to you or to miss hamlin." then the girl's self-control gave way. she was very tired, and bab's sympathy unnerved her. "i hate harriet hamlin," she whispered, passionately. "i am as well bred as she is. because i am poor, and have to support my mother, is no reason why she should treat me as though i were dust under her feet. i shall have a chance to get even with her, some day, just as certainly as i live. then, won't i take my revenge!" barbara did not know what to reply, so she went on talking quietly. "i am sure your asking us for our pictures was a very great compliment to us. only important people and beauties and belles have their pictures in the society papers. it is just because the 'automobile girls' are too insignificant to be shown such an honor that we can't consent. but please don't be angry with us. i am sure harriet did not intend to wound your feelings, and i hope i shall see you soon again." marjorie moore shook barbara's hand impulsively before she went out into the gathering darkness. "i like you," she said warmly. "i wish we might be friends. good-night." "where are mollie and grace?" was bab's first question when she rejoined ruth and harriet. "they would not come away from the reception," harriet returned, smiling. she was quite unconscious of having treated marjorie moore unkindly. "ruth and i were worried about your headache, so we did not wish to leave you alone any longer. strange to relate, father offered to stay until mollie and grace were ready to come home. that is a great concession on his part, as he usually runs away from a reception at the first opportunity that offers itself. mrs. wilson, a friend of father's is helping him to look after mollie and grace this afternoon. bab, did some boxes come for me this afternoon? i left orders at the shop to send them when father would surely be out. come on upstairs, children, and see my new finery." "why, harriet, are you getting more clothes?" ruth exclaimed. "you are like 'miss flora mcflimsey, of madison square, who never had anything good enough to wear.'" "i am no such thing, ruth stuart," returned her cousin, a little peevishly. "you don't understand. does she, barbara? ruth has so much money she simply cannot realize what it means to try to make a good appearance on a small allowance, especially here in washington where one goes out so much." "i was only joking, harriet," ruth apologized as she and barbara obediently followed their hostess upstairs. bab, however, secretly wondered how she and mollie were to manage in washington, with their simple wardrobes, if their young hostess thought that clothes were the all-important thing in washington society. harriet hamlin was twenty years of age, but she seemed much older to bab and ruth. in the first place, harriet was an entirely different type of girl. she had been mistress of her father's house in washington since she was sixteen. she had received her father's guests and entertained his friends; and at eighteen she had made her début into washington society, and had taken her position as one of the women of the cabinet. harriet's mother, ruth's aunt, had died a few months before mr. hamlin had received his appointment as assistant secretary of state. since that time harriet had borne the responsibilities of a grown woman, and being an only child she had to a certain extent done as she pleased, although she was secretly afraid of her cold, dignified father. mr. william hamlin was one of the ablest men in washington. he was a quiet, stern, reserved man, and although he was proud of his daughter, of her beauty and accomplishments, he was also very strict with her. he was a poor man, and it was hard work for harriet to keep up the appearance necessary to her father's position on his salary as assistant secretary of state. harriet, however, never dared tell her father of this, and mr. hamlin never offered harriet either sympathy or advice. barbara and ruth could only watch with admiring eyes and little exclamations of delight the exquisite garments that harriet now lifted out of three big, pasteboard boxes; a beautiful yellow crêpe frock, a pale green satin evening gown and a gray broadcloth tailor-made suit. harriet was tall and dark, with very black hair and large dark eyes. she was considered one of the beauties of the "younger set" in washington society. ruth had not seen her cousin for several years, until she received the invitation to bring the "automobile girls" to washington. ruth stuart and barbara thurston had changed very little since their last outing together at palm beach. barbara was now nearly eighteen. at the close of the school year she was to be graduated from the kingsbridge high school. and she hoped to be able to enter vassar college the following fall. yet the fact that she was in washington early in december requires an explanation. two weeks before bab had walked slowly home to laurel cottage at about three o'clock one november afternoon with a great pile of books under her arm. on the front porch of their little cottage she found her mother and mollie, greatly excited. a telegram had just come from ruth stuart. the "automobile girls" were invited to visit ruth's cousin in washington, d.c. ruth wished them to start at the end of the week. bab's face flushed with pleasure at the news. she had not been with her beloved ruth since the easter before. then the color died out of her face and her cheeks showed an unaccustomed pallor. "i am so sorry, mother," bab responded. "i would give anything in the world to see ruth. but i simply can't stop school just now, or i shall lose the scholarship. mollie, you can accept ruth's invitation. you and grace carter can go to washington together. you won't mind going without me." "i shall not stir a single step without you," blue-eyed mollie returned firmly. "and mother thinks you can go!" mollie and mrs. thurston, aided by bab's teachers, at last persuaded barbara to take a few weeks' holiday. bab could study to make up for lost time during the christmas holidays. for no one, except the young woman herself, doubted barbara's ability to win the desired vassar scholarship. and so it was arranged that bab and mollie should go with ruth to washington. bab had grown taller and more slender in the past few months. her brown braids are now always coiled about her graceful head. her hair was parted in the middle, although a few little curls still escaped in the old, careless fashion. ruth stuart, too, was looking sweeter and fresher than ever, and was the same ingenuous, unspoiled girl, whose sunny disposition no amount of wealth and fashion could change. readers of the first volume in the "automobile girls series," entitled "the automobile girls at newport," will recall how, nearly two years ago, ruth stuart, with her father and her aunt, miss sallie stuart, came from their home in far away chicago to spend the summer in kingsbridge, new jersey. the day that barbara thurston stopped a pair of runaway horses and saved ruth stuart from death she did not dream that she had turned the first page in the history of the "automobile girls." a warm friendship sprang up between ruth and bab, and a little later ruth stuart invited barbara, her younger sister, mollie thurston, and their friend, grace carter, to take a trip to newport in her own, red automobile with ruth herself as chauffeur and her aunt, miss sallie stuart, as chaperon. exciting days at newport followed, and the four girls brought to bay the "boy raffles," the cracksman, who had puzzled the fashionable world! there were many thrilling adventures connected with the discovery of this "society thief," and the "automobile girls" proved themselves capable of meeting whatever emergencies sprang up in their path. in "the automobile girls in the berkshires," the second volume of the "automobile girls series," the scene is laid in a little log cabin on top of one of the highest peaks in the berkshire hills, where the four girls and miss sallie spent a happy period of time "roughing it." there it was that they discovered an indian princess and laid the "ghost of lost man's trail." in the third volume of the series, "the automobile girls along the hudson," the quartet of youthful travelers, accompanied by miss sallie stuart, motored through the beautiful sleepy hollow country, spending several weeks at the home of major ted eyck, an old friend of the stuarts. there many diverting experiences fell to their lot, and before leaving the hospitable major's home they were instrumental in saving it from destruction by forest fires. the fourth volume of the series, "the automobile girls at chicago," relates the adventures of the four friends during the christmas holidays, which mollie, grace and bab spent with ruth at chicago and at "treasureholme," the country estate of the presbys, who were cousins of the stuart family. while there, principally through the cleverness of barbara thurston, the hiding place of a rich treasure buried by one of the ancestors of the presbys was discovered in time to prevent the financial ruin of both richard presby and robert stuart, who had become deeply involved through speculation in wheat. before mollie, grace and barbara returned to kingsbridge, mr. stuart had promised that they should see ruth again in march at palm beach, where he had planned a happy reunion for the "automobile girls." there it was that they had, through a series of happenings, formed the acquaintance of a mysterious countess and become involved in the net of circumstances that was woven about her. how they continued to be her friend in spite of dark rumors afloat to the effect that she was an impostor and how she afterwards turned out to be a princess, is fully set forth in "the automobile girls at palm beach." "really, bab," said ruth, as the two girls went upstairs to their rooms to dress for dinner, "i have not had a chance to talk to you, alone, since we arrived in washington. how is your mother?" "as well as can be," bab answered. "how is darling aunt sallie? i am so sorry she did not come to washington with you to chaperon us. there is no telling what mischief we may get into without her." ruth laughed. "i have special instructions for the 'automobile girls' from aunt sallie. we are to be particularly careful to mind our 'p's' and 'q's' on this visit, for aunt sallie wishes us to make a good impression in washington." barbara sighed. "i'll try, ruth," she declared, "but you know what remarkable talent i have for getting into mischief." "then you are to be specially par-tic-u-lar, mistress bab!" ruth said teasingly. "for aunt sallie's last words to me were: 'tell barbara she is to look before she leaps.'" barbara shook her brown head vigorously. "i am not the impetuous bab of other automobile days. but, just the same, i wish aunt sallie had come along with you." "oh, she may join us later," ruth returned. "to tell you the truth, bab, aunt sallie is not fond of harriet. she thinks harriet is clever and pretty, but vain and spoiled. here come mollie and grace. home from that reception at last!" the other two girls burst into ruth's room at this moment. "whom do you think we have seen?" called out miss mollie rapturously. "oh, washington is the greatest fun! i feel just like a girl in a book, we have been presented to so many noted people. i tell you, barbara thurston, we are country girls no longer! now we have been traveling about the country so much with ruth and mr. stuart, that we know people everywhere. just guess whom we know in washington?" "i can guess," ruth rejoined, clapping her hands. "you have seen mrs. post and hugh. surely, you had not forgotten that they live in washington. hugh has finished college and has a position in the forestry department. i had a note from him this morning." "and didn't tell! oh, ruth!" teased grace carter. "but, bab, what about our lenox friends, who spend their winters in washington?" "you mean dorothy and gwendolin morton, the british ambassador's daughters, and funny little franz haller, the german secretary, i hope we shall see them. but do hurry, children. please don't keep the assistant secretary of state waiting for his dinner. that would surely be a bad beginning for our washington visit. no, mollie thurston; don't you put on your very best dress for dinner to-night. i have just gotten out your white muslin." "but harriet wears such lovely clothes all the time, bab," mollie pleaded, when she and barbara were alone. "never mind, child. harriet hamlin is not mollie thurston," barbara concluded wisely. chapter ii cabinet day in washington it was harriet hamlin's reception day. there are certain times appointed in washington when the members of the president's cabinet hold receptions. the "automobile girls" had come to washington in time for one of these special entertainments. for, as harriet explained, they could see everyone worth seeing at once. not only would the diplomats, the senators and congressmen call with their wives, but the army and navy officers, all official washington would appear to pay their respects to mr. william hamlin and his lovely daughter. "then there will be a crowd of unimportant people besides," harriet had continued. "people who are never asked to any small parties come to this reception just because they can get in. so you girls will have to entertain yourselves this morning. i have a thousand things to do. why not take the girls to look at the white house, ruth? that is the first thing to do in washington. i am sorry i can't go with you. but you just walk straight down connecticut avenue and you can't miss it." it was a perfect day. although it was early in december, the atmosphere was like indian summer. washington shone sparkling white through a dim veil of haze. the "automobile girls" walked briskly along toward the white house, chatting every step of the way. "where are the poplar trees planted along this avenue by thomas jefferson, ruth?" grace carter demanded. "i read somewhere that jefferson meant to make this avenue look like the famous street called '_unter den linden_' in berlin." "he did, child, but most of the poplar trees died," ruth rejoined, "and some one else planted these oaks and elms. why are you so silent, barbara? are you tired?" "i think washington is the most beautiful city in the whole world," bab answered with sudden enthusiasm. "wait until you have seen it," ruth teased. "uncle william wants to take us through the capitol. but i suppose there is no harm in our looking at the outside of the white house. later on, when we go to one of the president's receptions, we can see the inside of it." "shall we ever see the president?" mollie asked breathlessly. "won't it be wonderful? i never dreamed that even mr. hamlin could take us to the president's home." "here we are at the white house," said ruth. the "automobile girls" stood silent for a moment, looking in through the autumn foliage at the simple colonial mansion, which is the historic "white house." "i am glad our white house looks like that," bab said, after half a moment's pause. "i was so afraid it would be pretentious. but it is just big and simple and dignified as our president's home ought to be. it makes me feel so glad to be an american," barbara ended with a flush. she was afraid the other girls were laughing at her. "i think so too, bab," ruth agreed. "i don't see why girls cannot be as patriotic as boys. we may be able to serve our country in some way, some day. i hope we shall have the chance." the "automobile girls" had entered the white house grounds and were strolling along through the park. bab and ruth were talking of the beauties of washington. but no such thoughts were engrossing pretty mollie's attention. mollie's mind was dwelling on the society pleasures the "automobile girls" expected to enjoy at the capital city. grace carter was listening to barbara's and ruth's animated conversation. from the very first days at newport, mollie thurston had cared more for society than had her sister and two friends. her dainty beauty and pretty manners made her a favorite wherever she went. mollie's friends had spoiled her, and since her arrival in washington the old story had repeated itself. harriet hamlin had already taken mollie under her special protection. and mollie was wildly excited with the thought of the social experiences ahead of her. the four girls spent some time strolling about the white house grounds. then ruth proposed that they take a car and visit the congressional library. "i think it is the most beautiful building in washington, and, in fact, one of the finest in the world," she said enthusiastically, and later when the "automobile girls" were fairly inside the famous library, they fully agreed with her. it was particularly hard to tear barbara away from what seemed to her the most fascinating place she was ever in, and she announced her intention of visiting it again at the first opportunity. the sightseers arrived home in time for luncheon and at four o'clock that afternoon they stood in a row, beside harriet hamlin and her father, helping to receive the guests who crowded in to the reception. some of the women wore beautiful gowns, others looked as though they had come from small towns where the residents knew nothing of fashionable society. mollie and bab wore the white chiffon frocks mr. prescott had presented them with in chicago. but grace and ruth wore gowns that had been ordered for this particular occasion. bab thought their white frocks, which looked as though they were new, as pretty as any of the gowns worn there. but little mollie was not satisfied. she hated old clothes, no matter how well they looked. and harriet hamlin was rarely beautiful in an imported gown of pale, yellow crêpe. after receiving for an hour, bab slipped quietly into a chair near a window. she wished to examine the guests at her leisure. mollie and ruth were deep in conversation with mrs. post and hugh. grace was talking to dorothy and gwendolin morton. barbara's eyes wandered eagerly over the throng of people. suddenly some one touched her on the shoulder. "you do not remember me, do you?" bab turned and saw a young woman. "i am marjorie moore," said the newcomer. "i am the girl who came to ask you for your pictures. perhaps you think it is strange for me to come to harriet hamlin's reception when she was so rude to me last night. but i am not a guest. besides, newspaper people are not expected to have any feelings. my newspaper sent me to find out what people were here this afternoon. so here i am! i know everybody in washington. would you like me to point out some of the celebrities to you? see that stunning woman just coming in at the door? she has the reputation of being the most popular woman in washington. but nobody knows just where she comes from, or who she is, or how she gets her money. but i must not talk washington gossip. you'll meet her soon yourself." "how do you do, miss moore?" broke in a charming contralto voice. "you are the very person i wish to see. i can give you some news for your paper. it is not very important, but i thought you might like to have it." "you are awfully good, mrs. wilson," marjorie moore replied gratefully. "i have just been talking to miss thurston about you. may i introduce her? she has just arrived in washington, and i told her, only half a second ago, that you were the nicest woman in this town." mrs. wilson laughed quietly. "i know miss thurston's sister and her friend, miss carter. mr. hamlin let me help chaperon them at a reception yesterday afternoon. but miss moore has been flattering me dreadfully. i am a very unimportant person, though i happen to have the good fortune to be a friend of mr. hamlin's and harriet's. i am keeping house in washington at present. some day you must come to see me." bab thanked her new acquaintance. she thought she had never seen a more unusual looking woman. it was impossible to guess her age. mrs. wilson's hair was snow-white, but her face was as young as a girl's and her eyes were fascinatingly dark under her narrow penciled brows. she was gowned in a pale blue broadcloth dress, and wore on her head a large black hat trimmed with a magnificent black plume. "the top of the afternoon to you!" declared a new arrival in bab's sheltered corner. "how is a man to find you if you will hide behind curtains?" this time bab recognized peter dillon, her acquaintance of the afternoon before. mrs. wilson, whose manner suggested a charming frankness and innocence, took peter by the arm. "which of the three graces do you mean to devote yourself to this afternoon, peter? you shall not flatter us all at once." "i flatter?" protested peter, in aggrieved tones. "why truthfulness is my strong point." marjorie moore gave a jarring laugh. "is it, mr. dillon?" she returned, not too politely. "please count me out of mr. dillon's flatteries. he does not include a woman who works in them." marjorie moore hurried away. "whew-w!" ejaculated peter. "miss moore does not love me, does she? i came up only to say a few words. miss hamlin is keeping me busy this afternoon. come and have some coffee, miss thurston. i am sure you look tired." "i would rather not," barbara protested. "i am going to run away upstairs for a minute, if you will excuse me." before barbara could make her escape from the drawing-room she saw that peter dillon and mrs. wilson had both lost their frivolous manner and were deep in earnest conversation. chapter iii mr. tu fang wu bab knew that at the rear of this floor of mr. hamlin's house there was a small room that was seldom used. she hoped to find refuge in it for a few minutes, and then to return to her friends. the room was empty. bab sank down into a great arm chair and closed her eyes. a few moments later she opened them though she heard no sound. a fat little chinese gentleman stood regarding her with an expression of amusement on his face. barbara jumped hastily to her feet. where was she? she felt frightened. although the man before her was yellow and foreign, and wore strange chinese clothes, he was evidently a person of importance. had barbara awakened at the court of pekin? her companion wore a loose, black satin coat, heavily embroidered in flowers and dragons and a round, close fitting silk cap with a button on top of it. "i beg your pardon," bab exclaimed in confusion. "whom did you wish to see? there is no one in here." the chinese gentleman made bab a stately bow. "no one," he protested. "this is the first time, since my residence in america, that i have heard an american girl speak of herself as no one. miss united states is always some one in her own country. but may i therefore present myself to little 'miss no one'? i am dr. tu fang wu, his imperial chinese majesty's envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to the united states." "i am very proud to meet you, mr. minister," barbara returned, wondering if "mr. minister" was the proper way to address a foreign ambassador. she thought mr. hamlin had told her so, only the night before. bab did not know in the least what she should do or say to such a distinguished oriental. she might make a mistake at any minute. for bab had been learning, every hour since her arrival in washington, that in no place is social etiquette more important than in the capital city. "may i find mr. hamlin for you?" bab suggested, hoping to make her escape. the chinese minister shook his head slowly. "mr. hamlin is engaged with his other guests." "then won't you be seated?" bab asked in desperation. really she and this strange yellow gentleman could not stand staring at each other the whole afternoon. it made bab feel creepy to have a chinaman regard her so steadfastly and without the slightest change of expression, even if he were a foreign minister. bab felt this meeting to be one of the strangest experiences of her whole life. she had never seen a chinaman before, except on the street carrying a basket of laundry. but here she was forced into a tête-à-tête with one in the highest social position. "have you any daughters?" barbara asked in her effort to break the awful silence. mr. tu fang wu again bowed gravely. "i have one daughter and one small son. my daughter is not here with me this afternoon. chinese girls do not go to entertainments where there are young men. my daughter has been brought up according to the customs of our country. but she has been in washington for several years. i fear she, too, would like to be emancipated, like the american girl. it is not possible, although she enjoys many privileges she will not have when she returns to china. my daughter is betrothed to a nobleman in her own country. perhaps you would like to meet my daughter, wee tu? she is fifteen years old. i shall ask miss hamlin to bring you to luncheon at the embassy." to barbara's relief mr. william hamlin now appeared at the door. the chinese minister again bowed profoundly to barbara. "i was looking for your smoking-room," he laughed, "but i found this young woman instead." as the two men went out of the room, bab had difficulty in making sure that she had not been dreaming of this fat, yellow gentleman. "barbara thurston, what do you mean by running away by yourself?" exclaimed grace carter, a moment later. "we have been looking for you for ten minutes." hugh post, mollie and a strange young man were close behind grace. "i want to present my friend, lieutenant elmer wilson," hugh announced. "he is a very important person in washington." "not a bit of it," laughed the young man. "i am one of the president's aides. i try to make myself generally useful." "your work must be very interesting," barbara said quickly. "do you--" just then a soft contralto voice interrupted her. "are you ready to go with me, elmer?" it said. barbara recognized the voice as belonging to the mrs. wilson whom she had met in the drawing room not an hour before. could it be that this young and lovely looking woman was the mother of elmer wilson? surely the young man was at least twenty-two years old. "coming in a moment, mother," elmer replied. "have you said good-bye to harriet?" "harriet is not in the reception room now. nearly all her guests have gone," mrs. wilson murmured softly. "mr. hamlin is angry. but poor harriet ought to have a chance to talk for a few minutes to the richest young man in washington. i will leave you, elmer. if you see harriet, you may tell her i did not think it fair to disturb her." barbara went back to the drawing-room to search for ruth. she found ruth standing next her uncle, mr. hamlin, saying the adieux in harriet's place. a few moments later the last visitor had withdrawn and mr. hamlin quickly left ruth and bab alone. mr. hamlin was a small man, with iron gray hair, a square jaw and thin, tightly closed lips. he seldom talked, and the "automobile girls" felt secretly afraid of him. "uncle is dreadfully angry with harriet," ruth explained to bab, after mr. hamlin was out of hearing. "but he is awfully strict and i do not think he is exactly fair. he does not give harriet credit for what she does, but he gets awfully cross if she makes any mistakes. harriet is upstairs, in her own sitting-room, talking to a great friend of hers. he is a man uncle hates, although he has known charlie meyers since childhood. he is immensely rich, but he is very ill-bred, and that is why uncle dislikes him. i don't think harriet cares a bit more for this young man than she does for half a dozen others. but if uncle doesn't look out harriet will marry him for spite. harriet hates being poor. she is not poor, really. but i am afraid she is terribly extravagant. promise not to laugh when you see charlie meyers. he looks a little like a pig, he is so pink and fat." "girls!" called harriet's voice. "are you still in here? mr. meyers has just gone, and i wanted you to meet him. he is going to have a motor party and take you to see mount vernon. we can drive along the potomac and have our supper somewhere in the country." "i'm going to drive mr. a. bubble, harriet," ruth replied. "as long as i brought my car to washington i must use it. but i suppose we can get up guests enough to fill two automobiles, can't we?" "where's father?" harriet inquired, trying to conceal a tremor in her voice. "did he know i was upstairs?" "i am afraid he did, harriet," ruth replied. "well, i don't care," declared harriet defiantly. "i will select my own friends. charlie meyers is stupid and ill-bred, but he is good natured, and i am tired of position and poverty." "you are no such thing, harriet," protested ruth, taking her cousin by the hand and leading her to a long mirror. "there, look at yourself in your yellow gown. you look like a queen. please don't be silly." "it's clothes that make the woman, ruth," harriet replied, kissing ruth unexpectedly. "and this yellow gown is just one of the things that troubles me. dear me, i am glad the reception is over!" chapter iv at the chinese embassy "shall we eat our luncheon with chopsticks to-day?" mollie thurston asked harriet hamlin an hour before the "automobile girls" and their hostess were to start for the chinese embassy. harriet laughed good-humoredly at mollie's question. "you absurd child, don't you know the chinese minister is one of the most cultivated men in washington! when he is in america he does what the americans do. but his wife, lady tu, is delightfully chinese. she paints her face in the chinese fashion and wears beautiful chinese clothes in her own home. and the little chinese daughter is a darling. really, mollie, you will feel as though you had been on a trip to the orient when you meet dainty little wee tu." "oh, i don't believe a chinese girl can be attractive," mollie argued, her eyes fixed on the pile of pretty gowns which harriet was laying out on her bed. "do wear the rose-colored gown to-day, harriet!" mollie pleaded. "it is such a love of a frock and so becoming to you with your white skin and dark hair. dear me, it must be nice to have such lovely clothes!" mollie paused for a minute. harriet turned around to find her little friend blushing. "i do hope," mollie went on, "that you are not going to feel ashamed of bab and me while we are your guests in washington. you can see for yourself that we are poor, and have only a few gowns. of course it is different with grace and ruth. but our father is dead, and--" mollie stopped. she did not know how to go on with her explanation. somehow she did not feel that barbara or her mother would approve of her apologizing to harriet for their simple wardrobes. "mollie!" harriet exclaimed reproachfully. "you know i think you and barbara are so pretty and clever that it does not matter what your clothes are like. besides, if you should ever want anything special to wear while you are here, why, i have a host of gowns." mollie shook her head. of course she could not borrow harriet's gowns. and, though harriet was trying to comfort her, her tone showed very plainly that she had noticed the slimness of the thurston girls' preparations in the matter of wardrobe for several weeks of gayety in washington. at a little before one o'clock the "automobile girls" and harriet were ushered into the reception room of the chinese embassy by a grave chinese servant clad in immaculate white and wearing his long pig-tail curled on top of his head. the minister and his wife came forward. lady tu wore a dress of heavy chinese embroidery with a long skirt and a short full coat. her hair was inky black and built out on each side of her head. she had a band of gold across it and golden flowers set with jewels hung above each ear. her face was enameled in white and a small patch of crimson was painted just under her lip. bab could hardly restrain an exclamation of delight at the beauty of the reception room. the walls were covered with chinese silk and heavy panels of embroidery. a chinese banner, with a great dragon on it, hung over the mantel-piece. the furniture was elaborately carved teakwood. the girls at once glanced around for the chinese minister's daughter. but she was no where to be seen. instead, peter dillon, bab's first chance acquaintance in washington, was smiling a welcome. mrs. wilson and her son were also present. the two or three other visitors were unknown to the "automobile girls." even when luncheon was served the little chinese girl did not make her appearance. the four girls were beginning to feel rather disappointed. they had come to the embassy chiefly to see wee tu, and they were evidently not going to be granted that pleasure. just as they were about to go back to the reception room, mr. tu fang wu suggested courteously to his girl guests: "if it pleases you, will you now go up to my daughter's apartments? she does not eat her meals with us when we entertain young men guests. it is not the custom of our country." the chinese minister touched a bell and another chinese servant appeared, his slippered feet making no noise. at the top of the stairs a chinese woman met the "automobile girls" and conducted them to the apartment of wee tu, the minister's daughter. wee tu bowed her head to the floor when the "automobile girls" entered. but when she raised her face her little black eyes were glowing, and a faint pink showed under her smooth, yellow skin. think what it meant to this little chinese maid, with her shut-in life, to meet four american girls like barbara, ruth, grace and mollie! harriet had lingered behind for a few moments. "your most honorable presence does my miserable self much honor," stated wee tu automatically. bab laughed. she simply could not help it. wee tu's greeting seemed so absurd to her ears, though she knew it was the chinese manner of speaking. but bab's merry laugh saved the situation, as it often had done before, for the little chinese maid laughed in return, and the five girls sat giggling in the most intimate fashion. the servant passed around preserved chinese fruits, nuts and dried melon seed. "is miss hamlin not with you?" the chinese minister's daughter asked finally, in broken english. at this moment harriet's voice was heard in the corridor. she was talking gayly to peter dillon. the chinese girl caught the sound of the young man's charming laugh. bab was gazing straight at wee tu. wee tu looked like a beautiful chinese doll, not a bit like a human being. at the entrance to wee tu's apartment peter bowed gracefully. he waited until harriet entered. "your most honorable ladyship," he inquired. "have i your permission to enter your divine apartment? your most noble father has waived ceremony in my favor and says i may be allowed to see you in company with your other guests. you are to pretend you are an american girl to-day." wee tu again made a low bow, almost touching the soft chinese rug with her crown of black hair. her mantle was of blue silk crepe embroidered in lotus flowers, and she wore artificial lotus blossoms drooping on either side of her head. after peter's entrance, wee tu did not speak nor smile. she sat with her slender yellow hands clasped together, her nails so long they were tipped with gold to prevent their breaking. her tiny feet in their embroidered slippers looked much too small for walking. peter made himself agreeable to all the girls. he chatted with harriet, joked with bab and ruth. now and then he spoke to the chinese girl in some simple gentle fashion that she could understand. "peter dillon is awfully attractive," bab thought. "i wonder why i was prejudiced against him at first because of what that newspaper girl said." peter walked with barbara back to mr. hamlin's house. "would you mind my asking you a question?" bab demanded when they were fairly on the way. peter laughed. "it's a woman's privilege, isn't it?" "well, how do you happen to be so intimate at the chinese minister's?" was barbara's direct question. "they seemed so formal and then all of a sudden mr. tu fang wu let you come up to see his daughter." "i know them very well," peter returned simply. "i often dine at the chinese minister's with his family. so i have met his daughter several times before. i have made myself useful to mr. tu fang wu once or twice, and my legation likes me to keep in touch with the people in authority." "oh," exclaimed barbara. she remembered that peter was equally intimate at mr. hamlin's, and she wondered how he managed to keep up such a variety of acquaintances. "i wonder if you would do a fellow a favor some day?" peter asked. "i'll bet you have lots of nerve. harriet is apt to get frightened at the critical minute." "it would all depend on what you asked me to do," bab returned puzzled by peter's remark. "oh, i won't ask you until i have managed to do something for you first. it is only that i think you can see a joke and i have a good one that i mean to try some day," peter replied. chapter v sub rosa the next morning, peter dillon was lounging in mrs. wilson's library, chatting with her on apparently easy terms. "i think it is a special dispensation of providence that sent the 'automobile girls' to washington to visit harriet hamlin just at this particular time, mrs. wilson," declared peter dillon. mrs. wilson walked back and forth across her drawing room floor several times before she answered. she looked older in the early morning light. but her restlessness did not disturb peter, who was reclining gracefully in a chair, smoking a cigarette. "i am not sure you have reason to bless providence, peter dillon," mrs. wilson protested. "what a man you are! you simply cannot judge all girls by the same standard. some day you are going to meet a girl who is cleverer than you are. and then, where will you be?" "oh, i'll go slowly," peter argued. "i know i am taking chances in making friends with the clever one. but she has more nerve and courage than the others. i am sure it will be much better to leave harriet out of the whole business, if possible." "all right, peter," mrs. wilson agreed. "manage your own affairs, since this happens to be your own special joke. but you had much better have left the whole matter to me." "and spoil my good time with five charming girls?" peter protested, smiling. "no, mrs. wilson; that is too much to ask of me. if i can't carry the thing off successfully, you will come to the rescue and help me. you've promised that. we have had our little jokes together before. but this strikes me as being about the best of the whole lot. we will have everybody in washington laughing up his sleeve pretty soon. there will be a few people who won't laugh, but so long as we keep quiet we need not worry about them. has elmer gone to work? i know i have made you a dreadfully early visit. it is very charming of you to be up in time to see me." "don't flatter me, peter; it is not worth while," mrs. wilson said angrily. then she smiled. "never mind, peter; you can no more help flattering than you can help breathing, whether your reason is a good or a bad one. i suppose it is because you are an irishman. by the way, elmer admires one of these charming 'automobile girls.' he has talked of no one else except mollie thurston since harriet's tea. be careful what you say or do before him." "i shall be careful," peter returned easily. "my attentions are directed toward the other sister. how have you managed to keep that big boy of yours so much in the dark about--oh, a number of things?" finished peter. "it is because elmer has perfect faith in me, peter," mrs. wilson answered, passing her hand over her eyes to hide their expression. "as all other men have had before him, my lady," peter avowed. "is it true that mr. william hamlin is now a worshiper at your shrine?" "absurd!" protested mrs. wilson. "here comes elmer." "why, peter dillon, this is a surprise!" exclaimed the young lieutenant, walking into the room in search of his mother. "i never knew mother to get up so early before. i have just been inquiring of your maid, mother, to know what had become of you. harriet hamlin wants you to chaperon us on an automobile ride out to mt. vernon and along the potomac river. charlie meyers is giving the party, and harriet thinks her father won't object if you will go along to look after us. that charlie meyers is an awful bounder! but harriet wants to show her little yankee visitors the sights. do come along with us, mother. for i have a fancy i should like to stroll through the old washington garden with 'sweet sixteen.'" "i will chaperon you with pleasure, elmer," mrs. wilson agreed. "but what about you, peter? are you not invited?" peter looked chagrined. "no; i am not invited, and i call it unkind of harriet. she knows i am dreadfully impressed with the 'automobile girls.'" mrs. wilson and elmer both laughed provokingly. "that is just what's the trouble with you, peter. harriet is accustomed to your devotion to her. now that you have turned your thoughts in another direction, she may look upon you as a faithless swain," mrs. wilson teased. "don't undertake more than you can manage, peter," teased elmer wilson. "that is good advice for peter. remember, peter, i have warned you. some day you will run across a girl who is cleverer than you are. then look out, young man," mrs. wilson repeated. but peter only laughed cheerfully. "what girl isn't cleverer than a man?" he protested. "_au revoir_. i shall do my best to persuade harriet to let me go along with her party this afternoon. i suppose we shall be starting soon after luncheon, as it is saturday." "mother, can you let me have some money?" elmer asked, as soon as peter was out of hearing. "i am ashamed to ask you for it. but going out in society does cost a fellow an awful lot." mrs. wilson shook her head. "i am sorry, boy; i can't let you have anything just now. i am short of money myself at present. but i expect to have some money coming in, say in about two weeks, or even ten days. then i can let you have what you like." * * * * * "how shall we divide our party for the motor ride, ruth?" asked harriet hamlin about two o'clock on the afternoon of the same day. ruth's red car was standing in front of mr. hamlin's door with another larger one belonging to harriet's friend, charlie meyers, waiting behind it. the automobile party stood out on the side walk and peter dillon had somehow managed to be one of them. "suppose, barbara, grace and hugh post go along with me, harriet?" ruth proposed. "mr. meyers' car is larger than mine. he can take the rest of the party." "what a division!" protested peter dillon, as he climbed into ruth's automobile and took his seat next bab. "do you suppose, for one instant, that we are going to see hugh post drive off, the only man among three girls? not if i can help it!" the two automobiles traveled swiftly through washington allowing the four "automobile girls" only tantalizing glimpses of the executive buildings which they passed on the way. in about an hour the cars covered the sixteen miles that lay between the capital city and the home of its first president. such a deep and abiding tranquillity pervaded the atmosphere of mt. vernon that the noisy chatter of the young people was, for an instant, hushed into silence, as they drove through the great iron gates at the entrance to mt. vernon, and on up the elm-shaded lawn to the house. although it was december, the fall had been unusually warm and the trees were not yet bare of their autumn foliage; the grass still looked smooth and green under foot. the "automobile girls" held their breath as their eyes rested on the most famous historic home in america. "oh, ruth!" exclaimed bab. but when she saw peter's eyes smiling at her enthusiasm she stopped and would not say another word. of course, mt. vernon was an old story to mrs. wilson, to harriet, and indeed to the entire party, except the four girls. but they wished to see every detail of the washington house. they went into the wide hall and there beheld the key to the bastile presented by lafayette to general washington. they examined the music room, with its queer, old-fashioned musical instruments; went up to martha washington's bedroom and even looked upon the white-canopied bed where george washington died. indeed, they wandered from garret to cellar in the old house. but it was a beautiful afternoon and the outdoors called them at last. and, after all, it is the outdoors at mt. vernon that is most beautiful. the house is a simple country home with a wide, old-fashioned portico and gallery built of frame and painted to look like stone. but there is no palace on the rhine, no castle in spain, that has a more beautiful natural situation than mt. vernon. it stands on a piece of gently swelling land that slopes gradually down to the potomac, and commands a view of many miles of the broad and noble river. bab and ruth managed to get away from the rest of their party and to slip out on the wide colonnaded veranda. "how peaceful and beautiful it is out here," ruth exclaimed, with her arm around her friend's waist. "it seems to me that, if i lived in washington, i would just run out here whenever anything uncomfortable happened to me. i am sure, if i spent the day at mt. vernon, i should not feel trouble any more." barbara stood silent. a vague premonition of some possible trouble overtook her. "ruth," bab asked suddenly, "do you like harriet's friend, peter dillon? every now and then he talks to me in the most mysterious fashion. i don't understand what he means." ruth looked unusually grave. then she answered bab in a very curious tone. "i know you have lots of common sense, bab, dear," ruth began. "but promise me you won't put any special faith in peter dillon. he is not one bit like hugh, or ralph ewing, or the boys we met at the major's house party. when i meet any one who is such a favorite with everyone i always wonder whether he has any real feelings or whether he is trying to accomplish some end. i suppose peter dillon can't help striving to be agreeable to everyone." bab laughed a little. "why, ruth," she protested, "that idea does not sound a bit like you. you are sweet to everyone yourself, dear, and everyone loves you. but i do know what you mean about peter dillon. i--" "hello," cried mollie's sweet voice. she waved a long blue scarf toward ruth and bab. mollie and elmer wilson were standing on the lawn, examining the motto on the sun dial. it read, "i record none but sunny hours." "let me write down that motto for you, miss thurston," elmer wilson suggested. "i hope you may follow the old sun dial's example and record none but sunny hours yourself." "ruth!" called hugh, coming around from the other side of the porch with peter dillon. "well, here you are, at last! it is not fair for you two girls to run off together like this. harriet has disappeared, and mrs. wilson is hiding somewhere. do you remember, ruth, you promised to go with me to see the old washington deer park. it has just been restocked with deer. won't you come, too, bab?" barbara shook her head as hugh and ruth walked off together. bab felt sure that hugh would like to have a chance to talk with ruth alone, for they had never ceased to be intimate friends since the early days at newport. peter dillon stood looking out at the river, whistling softly, "kathleen mavourneen." it was the song barbara had first heard him whistle in the drawing-room of mr. hamlin's house. the young man said nothing, for a few moments, even when he and bab were alone. but when bab came over toward him, peter smiled. he had his hat off and he had run his hands through his dark auburn hair. "i say, miss thurston, why can't you make up your mind to like me?" he questioned. "surely you don't suspect me of dark designs, do you? you american people are so strange. just because i am half a russian you think i have some sinister purpose in my mind. i am not an anarchist, and i don't want to go about trampling on the poor. i wish you could meet the russian ambassador. he is about the most splendid-looking man you ever saw. i know him, well, you see, because my mother was a distant cousin of his." barbara laughed good-humoredly. "you seem to be a kind of connecting link between three or four nations--russia, america, china. what are your real duties at your legation?" barbara looked at her companion with a real question in her brown eyes--a question she truly desired to have answered. she was interested to know what duties an attaché performed for his embassy. peter, in spite of his frivolities, claimed to be a hard worker. "you have not seen the loveliest part of mt. vernon yet, miss thurston," peter dillon interposed just at this instant. "i want to show you the old garden, and we must hurry before the gates are closed. yes; i know i did not answer your question. an attaché just makes himself generally useful to his chief. but if you really want to know what my ambition is, and how i work to achieve it, why some day i will tell you." peter looked at bab so seriously that she answered quickly: "yes, i should dearly love to see the garden." bab and peter dillon wandered together through the paths formed by the box hedges planted in martha washington's garden more than a century ago. neither seemed to feel like talking. the young man had seen the gardener as they entered the enclosure, and had persuaded him to allow them to go through the lovely spot alone. bab's vivid imagination brought to life the old colonial ladies who had once wandered in this famous garden. she saw their white wigs, their powder and patches and full skirts. so bab forgot all about her companion. suddenly she heard peter give a slight exclamation. they had both come to the end of the garden walk. there before them stood a great rose tree. blooming in the unusually warm sunshine were two rose-buds, gently tipped with frost. "ah, miss thurston, how glad i am we found the garden first!" peter cried. "this is the famous mary washington rose, which washington planted here in his garden, and named in honor of his mother. wait here until i find the gardener. i am going to make him let us have these two tiny rose-buds." "how nice peter dillon really is," bab thought. "ruth was mistaken in warning me against him. of course, he does not show on the surface what he actually feels. but perhaps i shall find out he is a finer fellow than we think he is. mr. hamlin says harriet is wrong in believing peter is never in earnest about anything." "it's all right, miss thurston," called peter, returning in a few minutes with his eyes shining. "the gardener says we may have the roses." the young fellow dropped down on his knees before the rose bush without a bit of affectation or self-consciousness. he skilfully cut the two half faded rose-buds from the stalk and handed one to barbara. "keep this, miss thurston," he said earnestly. "and if ever you should wish me to do you a favor, just send the flower to me and i shall perform whatever task you set me to do to the best of my skill." peter looked at his own rose. "may i keep my rose-bud for the same purpose?" he begged quietly. "perhaps i shall send my flower to you some day and ask you to do me a service. will you do it for me?" "yes, mr. dillon, i will do you any favor that i can," bab returned steadily. "but i don't make rash promises in the dark. and i have very little opportunity to do people favors. you make me think of the newspaper girl, marjorie moore. she tried to force me into a promise without letting me know what she wanted, the first day i saw her. does everyone try to get some one to do something for him in washington?" at the mention of marjorie moore's name the change in peter dillon's face was so startling that barbara was startled. just now he did not look in the least like an irishman. his lips tightened into a fine, cruel line, his eyes grew almost black and had a queer, chinese slant to them. it suddenly dawned on barbara, that russians have asiatic blood in their veins and are often more like oriental people than they are like those of the western world. but peter only said carelessly, after he had regained control of his face: "miss moore doesn't like me; and frankly, i don't like her. she told you she did society work for her newspaper. she does a great deal more. she is constantly watching at the legations to see if she can spy on any of their secret information. it is not good form to warn one girl against another. but if i were you, miss thurston, i would take with a grain of salt any information that miss moore might give you." barbara answered quietly: "oh, i don't suppose miss moore will tell me any of her secrets. she does not come to mr. hamlin's except on business. harriet does not like her." "good for harriet!" peter muttered to himself. "it may be harriet, after all!" "barbara thurston, you and peter come along this minute," harriet ordered unexpectedly. "don't you know we shall be locked up in mt. vernon if we stay here much longer. ruth's automobile is already filled and she is waiting to start. you and peter are to get into mr. meyers' car with me. we have another hour before sunset. we are going to motor along the river and have our supper at an inn a few miles from here." as peter dillon ran ahead to join harriet hamlin, a small piece of paper fell out of his pocket. barbara picked it up and slipped it inside her coat, intending to hand it back to mr. dillon as soon as she had an opportunity. but there were other things that seemed of more importance to absorb her attention for the rest of the evening. and barbara was not to remember the paper until some time later. chapter vi the arrest after eating supper, and spending the evening at an old-fashioned southern inn on the virginia side of the potomac river, the two automobile parties started back to washington. barbara and peter dillon occupied seats in the car with harriet and mr. meyers, mrs. wilson, and two washington girls who had been members of their party. as ruth did not know the roads it was decided that she keep to the rear and follow the car in front of her. it was a clear moonlight night, and, though the roads were not good, no member of the party dreamed of trouble. bab sat next to charlie meyers, and her host was in a decidedly sulky temper. for harriet had grown tired of his devotion, after several hours of it during the afternoon, and was amusing herself with peter. no sooner had the two cars sped away from the peaceful shadows of mt. vernon, than peter began to play prince charming to harriet. charlie meyers did not know what to do. he was a stupid fellow, who expected his money to carry him through everything. he would hardly listen to barbara's conversation or take the slightest interest in anything she tried to say. every time harriet's gay laugh rang out from the next seat charlie meyers would drive his car faster than ever, until it fairly bounded over the rough places in the road. several times mrs. wilson remonstrated with him. "you are going too fast, mr. meyers. it is dark, and i am afraid we shall have an accident if you are not more careful. please go slower." for an instant, mr. meyers would obey mrs. wilson's request to lessen the speed of his car. then he would dash ahead as though the very furies were after him. as for ruth, she had to follow the automobile in front in order to find her way, so it was necessary for her to run her car at the same high speed. neither ruth nor her companions knew the pitfalls along the road. hugh did not keep his automobile in washington, and, though he had a general idea of the direction they should take, he had never driven along the particular course selected by mr. meyers for their return trip. ruth felt her face flush with temper as her car shook and plunged along the road. in order to keep within a reasonable distance of the heavier car, she had to put on full power and forge blindly ahead. once or twice ruth called out: "won't you go a little slower in front, please? i can't find my way along this road at such a swift pace." but ruth's voice floated back on the winds and the leading car paid no heed to her. then elmer and hugh took up the refrain, shouting with all their lung power. they merely wasted their breath. charlie meyers either did not hear them or pretended not to do so. he never once turned his head, or asked if those back of him were making a safe journey. barbara was furious. she fully realized ruth's predicament, although she was not in her chum's car. "please don't get out of sight of ruth's car, mr. meyers," bab urged her companion. but he paid not the slightest attention to her request. bab looked anxiously back over the road. now and then she could see mr. a. bubble's lamps; more often ruth's car was out of sight. patience was not barbara's strong point. "harriet," she protested, "won't you ask mr. meyers to slow down so that ruth can follow him. he will not pay the least attention to me." "what is your hurry, charlie!" asked harriet, in a most provoking tone. she knew the young fellow was not a gentleman, and that he was showing his anger against her by making them all uncomfortable. but harriet was in a wicked humor herself, and she would not try to appease their cross host. she was having an extremely pleasant time with peter dillon, and really did not realize ruth's difficulties. the front car slowed imperceptibly, then hurried on again. at about half past ten o'clock, mr. meyers turned into one of the narrow old-fashioned streets of the town of alexandria, which is just south-west of washington. the town was only dimly lighted and the roads made winding turns, so that it was impossible to see any great distance ahead. ruth had managed to keep her car going, though she had long since lost her sweet temper, and the others of her party were very angry. "it serves us right," hugh post declared to ruth. "we ought never to have accepted this fellow's invitation. i knew he wasn't a gentleman, and i know mr. hamlin does not wish harriet to have anything to do with him. yet, just because the fellow is enormously rich and gives automobile parties, here we have been spending the evening as his guests. look here, ruth, do you think i can forget i have enjoyed his hospitality, and punch his head for him when we get back to washington, for leading you on a chase like this?" ruth smiled and shook her head. she was seldom nervous about her automobile after all her experiences as chauffeur. yet this wild ride at night through towns of which she knew little or nothing, was not exactly her idea of sport. mr. bubble was again outdistanced. as the streets were deserted, ruth decided to make one more violent spurt in an effort to catch up with the front car. poor mr. a. bubble who had traveled so far with his carload of happy girls was shaking from side to side. but ruth did not think of danger. alexandria is a sleepy old southern town and nearly all its inhabitants were in bed. "aren't there any speed regulations in this part of the world, hugh?" ruth suddenly inquired. but she was too late. at this instant everyone in her car heard a loud shout. "hold up there! stop!" a figure on a bicycle darted out of a dark alley in hot pursuit of them. "go it, ruth!" hugh whispered. but ruth shook her head. "no," she answered. "we must face the music." ruth put on her stop brake and her car slowed down. "what do you mean," cried a wrathful voice, "tearing through a peaceful town like this, lickitty-split, as though there were no folks on earth but you. you just come along to the station with me! you'll find out, pretty quick, what twenty-five miles an hour means in this here town." "let me explain matters to you," hugh protested. "it is all a mistake." "i ain't never arrested anybody for speeding yet that they ain't told me it was just a mistake," fumed the policeman. "but you will git a chance to tell your story to the chief of police. you're just wasting good time talkin' to me. i ain't got a mite of patience with crazy automobilists." "don't take us all to the station house, officer!" hugh pleaded. "just take me along, and let the rest of the party go on back to washington. it's awfully late. you surely wouldn't keep these young ladies." "it's the lady that's a-runnin' the car, ain't it? she's the one that is under arrest," said the policeman obstinately. ruth had not spoken since her automobile was stopped. she had a lump in her throat, caused partly by anger and partly by embarrassment and fright. then, too, ruth was wondering what her father would say. in the years she had been running her automobile, over all the thousands of miles she had traveled, ruth had never before been stopped for breaking the speed laws. she had always promised mr. stuart to be careful. and one cannot have followed the fortunes of ruth stuart and her friends in their adventures without realizing ruth's high and fine regard for her word. yet here were ruth and her friends about to be taken to jail for breaking the laws of the little virginia city. it was small wonder that ruth found it difficult to speak. "i will go with the policeman," she assented. "perhaps he will let you take mollie and grace on home." of course no one paid the slightest attention to ruth's ridiculous suggestion. her friends were not very likely to leave her alone to argue her case before the justice of the peace. "i say, man, do be reasonable," hugh urged. he would not give up. "you can hold me in jail all night if you will just let the others go." "please don't argue with the policeman, hugh," ruth begged. "he is only doing his duty. i am so sorry, mollie darling, for you and grace. but i know you won't leave me." "oh, we don't mind," the two girls protested. "i suppose we can pay the fine and they will let us go at once." hugh said nothing, for he knew that he had only a few dollars in his pocket. when ruth's car finally reached the station house it was almost eleven o'clock. the policeman took the automobile party inside the station. it was bitter cold in the room, for the winter chill had fallen with the close of the december day. the fire had died out in the air-tight iron stove in the room, and mollie, ruth and grace could hardly keep from shivering. "well, where is the justice of the peace or whatever man we ought to see about this wretched business?" hugh demanded. at last the policeman looked a little apologetic. "i'll get some one to make up a fire for you," he answered. "i have got to go out and wake up the justice to look after your case. it's bed-time and he's home asleep." "do you expect us to sit here in this freezing dirty old room half the night while you go around looking up a magistrate?" hugh demanded, wrathfully. "i told you i would have the fire built up," the policeman answered sullenly. "but it ain't my fault you got into this trouble. you ought not to have broken the law. we have had about as much trouble with automobilists in this here town as we are willing to stand for. and i might as well tell you, right now, the court will make it pretty hot for you. it may be i can't get the justice to hear your case until to-morrow, and you'll have to stay here all night." "stay here all night!" cried the five young people, as they sank down into five hard wooden chairs in utter despair. "harriet, have you seen ruth's automobile?" bab asked, as charlie meyers' car got safely out of alexandria and started on the road toward washington. harriet and peter both looked around and strained their eyes in the darkness. but there was no sign of ruth or her party. "don't you think we had better go back a little, charlie?" harriet now suggested. "i am afraid you have gotten too far ahead of ruth for her to follow you." "what has miss stuart got hugh post and elmer wilson with her for, if they can't show her the way to town?" argued the impolite host of the automobile parties. "i think charlie is right, harriet. i would not worry," interposed mrs. wilson, in her soft tones. "elmer may not have known the road during the early part of our trip, but neither one of the boys is very apt to lose his way between alexandria and washington." mrs. wilson laughed at the very absurdity of the idea. harriet said nothing more, and, although bab was by no means satisfied, she felt compelled to hold her peace. "will you leave me at my house, charlie?" mrs. wilson demanded, as soon as their automobile reached washington. "i know harriet expects to make a welsh rarebit for you at her home, but i am going to ask you to excuse me. i am a good deal older than you children, and i am tired." when barbara reached the hamlin house she hoped ardently to see the familiar lights of her old friend, a. bubble waiting outside the door. but the street was bare of automobiles. there was nothing to do but to follow the other young people into the house and take off her hat and coat. but bab had not the heart to join harriet in the dining-room where the preparations for making the rarebit were now going on. she lingered forlornly in the hall. every now and then she would peer anxiously out into the darkness. still there was no sign of ruth or any member of her party! barbara was wretched. she was now convinced that some accident had befallen them. "come in, barbara," called harriet cheerfully. "the welsh rarebit is done and it has to be eaten on the instant. i will make another for ruth's crowd when they get in. they are certainly awfully slow in arriving." "harriet!" barbara's white face appeared at the dining-room door. "i hate to be a nuisance, but i am dreadfully worried about the other girls. i know they would have gotten home by this time if nothing had happened to them." poor barbara had to make a dreadful effort to swallow her pride, for charlie meyers had been dreadfully rude to her all afternoon. "mr. meyers," she pleaded, "won't you take me back in your car to look for my friends? i simply can't bear the suspense any longer." barbara's eyes were full of tears. "oh, bab, you are foolish to worry," harriet protested. "it would not be worth while for you and mr. meyers to go back now. you would only pass ruth on the road. it is nearly midnight." "i know it is," bab agreed. "and that is why i am so frightened. don't you think you could take me to look for them? please do, mr. meyers." the ill-bred fellow shrugged his shoulders. "what do you take me for, miss thurston? i am not going to let my rarebit get cold. there is nothing the matter with your friends. they are likely to be along at any minute." barbara did not know what to do. mr. hamlin had not yet come in. yet she must find out what had happened to ruth, mollie and grace. bab once thought of starting out alone and on foot, back up the long country road, but she gave up the idea as sheer foolishness. at that moment the grandfather's clock in the hall chimed midnight. almost two hours had passed since the two automobiles had entered alexandria, and the little town was only eight miles from washington. bab felt she was going to cry before harriet's guests. she slipped her hand in her pocket to find her handkerchief. as she silently pressed her handkerchief against her trembling lips she smelt a delicate perfume. something fresh and cool and aromatic touched her face. it was the tiny rose-bud peter dillon had presented to her in the garden! now bab had determined never to ask peter to do her a favor. she felt that, once she returned his pledge to him, he had the same right to ask a favor of her. but what could barbara do? her beloved sister and friends had certainly come to grief somewhere. and bab was helpless to find them alone. "mr. dillon," bab spoke under her breath, just showing her handkerchief to him with the rose-bud crushed between its damp folds, "won't you help me to find ruth?" bab only glanced at the flower with a shy smile. but peter saw it. he jumped to his feet, his face flushing. "put the flower back, miss thurston," he said quietly to barbara. "you do not need to ask me to help you look for your friends as a favor to you. i am ashamed of myself to have waited until you asked me. harriet, i am going back to look for your guests." harriet, who was also feeling uneasy without being willing to confess it, cheerfully agreed. "i am going to take your car, meyers," declared peter dillon without saying so much as by your leave. bab and peter dillon hurried out to the waiting automobile. both stopped only to take coats and caps from the rack in the hall. if peter dillon wished to make a friend of barbara thurston, his prompt response to her plea for help came nearer accomplishing it than anything else in the world. when peter refused bab's proffered rose-bud she then determined to do him any favor that she could whenever he might desire to ask it of her. chapter vii mollie's temptation the next morning the "automobile girls" were sitting in the library of mr. hamlin's home. ruth, mollie and grace were there, for peter and bab had secured their release from the alexandria jail. "but how do you think he ever accomplished it?" mollie inquired. harriet laughed and flushed. "oh, peter accomplished it in the same way he does everything else--by making friends with people," she declared. "girls, i hope you realize how ashamed i am of last night's proceedings. i never dreamed that anything had happened to you, or i should have certainly forced charlie meyers to turn back. but i think i have learned a lesson. charlie meyers was horribly rude to you, bab, and i told him what we thought of him after you left. i don't want to see him again. so father, at least, will be glad. though how i am to get on in this world without a husband with money, i don't know." and harriet sighed. "still i would like to have my questions answered," mollie repeated. "how did peter dillon get us away from that wretched jail in such a short time when we thought we might have to stay there all night?" "why, he just found the justice of the peace, arranged about ruth's fine, mentioned mr. hamlin's name and did a few more things," bab laughed. "so, at last, you were permitted to come home." "poor hugh and elmer were so mortified at not having enough money with them to pay the fine. it was just an accident. yet it was truly my fault," ruth argued. "father has always insisted that i take my pocket-book whenever i go out of the house. but, of course, i forgot it yesterday." "will uncle robert be very angry with you, ruth, for being arrested?" harriet asked. "he need never find out anything about it. your fine wasn't so very large, and you always have money enough to pay for anything." ruth laughed. "oh, i always tell father every thing! i don't think he will be very angry with me, when he hears how we happened to get into trouble." "do you really tell your father everything?" harriet asked, in a surprised tone. "why, yes; why not?" ruth questioned. harriet shook her head. "well, i do not tell my father all my affairs. oh, dear me, no!" "i suppose i shall have to go back to alexandria to-day, and appear at court," ruth lamented. "i just dread it." "oh, no you won't," bab explained. "mr. dillon said he would talk matters over with mr. hamlin, and that he had some influential friends over there. you will have to pay your fine, ruth, but you probably will not have to appear at the trial. they will settle it privately." "girls," exclaimed harriet, "i forgot to tell you something. there is a big reception at the white house to-morrow evening, and father says he wishes to take the 'automobile girls' to present them to the president." "how exciting!" exclaimed grace carter. "to think that the 'automobile girls' are going to meet the president, and yet you speak of it as calmly, harriet hamlin, as though it were an everyday affair." "oh, nonsense, grace," harriet begged. "it will be fun to go to the white house with you. you girls are so interested in everything. but a white house reception is an old story to me, and i am afraid there will be a frightful crowd. but which one of you will go shopping with me this morning?" "i will," cried mollie. "i'd dearly love to see the shops. we don't have any big stores in kingsbridge." "is there anything i can get for you, girls?" harriet asked. ruth called her cousin over in the corner. "will you please order flowers for us to-morrow night!" ruth requested. "father told me to be sure to get flowers whenever we wanted them." "lucky ruth!" sighed harriet. "i wish i had such a rich and generous father as you have!" "what can we wear to the president's reception to-morrow, bab?" mollie whispered in her sister's ear, while harriet and ruth were having their conference. bab thought for a moment. "you can wear the corn-colored frock you wore to dinner with the princess sophia at palm beach. it is awfully pretty, and you have never worn it since." "that old thing!" cried mollie, pouting. "suppose you get some pale yellow ribbons, mollie, and i will make you a new sash and a bow for your hair," bab suggested. pretty mollie frowned. "all right," she agreed. harriet and mollie did not go at once to the shops. they drove first to harriet's dressmaker, the most fashionable in washington. "i must try on a little frock," harriet explained. "we can do our shopping afterwards. i want you to see a beautiful coat i am having made, from a chinese crepe shawl the chinese minister's wife gave me." madame louise, the head of the dressmaking establishment, came in to attend to harriet. the new coat was in a wonderful shade of apricot, lined with satin and embroidered in nearly every color of silk. "oh, harriet, how lovely!" mollie exclaimed. "yes, isn't it?" harriet agreed. "but i really ought not to have had this coat made up. it has cost almost as much as though i had bought it outright. and i don't need it. i hope you have not made my dress very expensive, madame. i told you to get me up a simple frock." "ah, but miss hamlin, the simple frocks cost as much as the fancy ones," argued the dressmaker. "this little gown is made of the best satin and lace. but how charming is the effect." mollie echoed the dressmaker's verdict as she gazed at harriet with admiring eyes. harriet's gown was white satin. her black hair and great dusky eyes looked darker from the contrast and her skin even more startlingly fair. harriet could not help a little smile of vanity as she saw herself in the long mirror in the fitting room. "be sure to send these things home by to-morrow, madame louise," she demanded. "father and i are going to take our guests to one of the president's receptions and i want to wear this gown." mollie gave a little impatient sigh. "what is the matter, mollie?" inquired harriet, seeing that her little friend looked tired and unhappy. "i am awfully sorry to have kept you waiting like this. it is a bore to watch other people try on their clothes. i will come with you directly." "oh, i am not tired watching you, harriet," pretty mollie answered truthfully. "i was only wishing i had such a beautiful frock to wear to the reception to-morrow." madame louise clapped her hands. "wait a minute, young ladies. i have something to show you. you must wait, for it is most beautiful." the dressmaker turned and whispered to one of her girl assistants. the girl went out and came back in a few minutes with another frock over her arm. mollie gave a deep sigh of admiration. "how exquisite!" harriet exclaimed. "whose dress is that, madame? it looks like clouds or sea foam, or anything else that is delicately beautiful." madame shook out a delicate pale blue silk, covered with an even lighter tint of blue chiffon, which shaded gently into white. "this dress was an order, miss hamlin," madame louise explained. "i sent to paris for it. of course it was some time before it arrived in washington. in the meanwhile a death occurred in the family of the young woman who had ordered the dress. she is now in mourning, and she left the dress with me to sell for her. she is willing to let it go at a great bargain. the little frock would just about fit your young friend. would she not be beautiful in it, with her pale yellow hair and her blue eyes? ah, the frock looks as though it had been created for her! do you think she would allow me to try it on her?" "do slip the frock on, mollie," harriet urged. "it will not take much time. and i would dearly love to see you in such a gown. it is the sweetest thing i ever saw." mollie shook her head. "it is not worth while for me to put it on, harriet. madame must understand that i cannot possibly buy it." "but the frock is such a bargain, mademoiselle," the dressmaker continued. "i will sell it to you for a mere song." "but i haven't the song to pay for it, madame," mollie laughed. "come on, harriet. we must be going." "of course you can't buy the dress, mollie," harriet interposed. "but madame will not mind your just slipping into it. try it on, just for my sake. i know you will look like a perfect dream." mollie could not refuse harriet's request. "shut your eyes, mollie, while madame dresses you up," harriet proposed. mollie shut her eyes tightly. madame louise slipped on the gown. "it fits to perfection," she whispered to harriet. then the dressmaker, who was really an artist in her line, picked up mollie's bunch of soft yellow curls and knotted them carelessly on top of mollie's dainty head. she twisted a piece of the pale blue shaded chiffon into a bandeau around her gold hair. "now, look at yourself, mademoiselle," she cried in triumph. "mollie, mollie, you are the prettiest thing in the world!" harriet exclaimed. mollie gave a little gasp of astonishment when she beheld herself in the mirror. certainly she looked like cinderella after the latter had been touched with the fairy wand. she stood regarding herself with wide open eyes of astonishment, and cheeks in which the rose flush deepened. "the dress must belong to mademoiselle! i could not have made such a fit if i had tried," repeated the dressmaker. "how much is the dress worth, madame?" harriet queried. "worth? it is worth one hundred and fifty dollars! but i will give the little frock away for fifty," the dressmaker answered. "can't you possibly buy it, child?" harriet pleaded with mollie. "it is a perfectly wonderful bargain, and you are too lovely in it. i just can't bear to have you refuse it." "i am sorry, harriet," mollie returned firmly. "but i have not the money. won't you please take the gown off me, madame!" "your friend can take the frock from me now and pay me later. it does not matter," said the dressmaker. "she can write home for the money." for one foolish moment mollie did dream that she might write to her mother for the price of this darling blue frock. mollie was sure she had never desired anything so keenly in her life. but in a moment mollie came to her senses. where would her mother get such a large sum of money to send her? it had been hard work for mrs. thurston to allow barbara and mollie the slight expenses of their trip to washington. no; the pretty gown was impossible! "do unbutton the gown for me, please, harriet," mollie entreated. "i really can't buy it." mollie felt deeply embarrassed, and was sorry she had allowed herself to be persuaded into trying on the gown. "mollie!" exclaimed harriet suddenly. "don't you have a monthly allowance?" mollie nodded her head. silly mollie hoped harriet would not ask her just what her allowance was. for mrs. thurston could give her daughters only five dollars a month apiece for their pin money. "then i know just what to do," harriet declared. "you must just buy this frock, mollie dear. i expect to have a dividend from some stock i own, and when it comes in, i shall pay madame for the dress, and you can pay me back as it suits you. do please consent, mollie. just look at yourself in the glass once more and i know you can't resist my plan." mollie did take one more peep at herself in the mirror. but if she had only had more time to think, and harriet and the dressmaker had not argued the point with her, she would never have fallen before her temptation. "you are sure you won't mind how long i take to pay you back, harriet?" mollie inquired weakly. "sure!" harriet answered. "all right then; i will take it," mollie agreed in a sudden rush of recklessness, feeling dreadfully excited. for little mollie thurston had never owned a gown in her life that had cost more than fifteen dollars, except the two or three frocks which had been given to her on different occasions. "madame, you will send miss thurston's gown with mine, so she can wear it to the white house reception," harriet insisted. "certainly; i shall send the frocks this evening," the dressmaker agreed, suavely. "but are you sure you will be in? i want you to be at home when the frocks arrive." several other customers had entered madame louise's establishment. harriet hamlin flushed at the dressmaker's question. but she replied carelessly: "oh, yes; i shall be in all the afternoon. you can send them at any time you like." before mollie and harriet had gotten out into the street, mollie clutched harriet's arm in swift remorse. "oh, harriet, dear, i have done a perfectly awful thing! i must go back and tell madame that i cannot take that gown. i don't see how i could have said i would take it. why, it will take me ages to pay you so much money!" mollie's eyes were big and frightened. her lips were trembling. "sh-sh! you silly child!" harriet protested. "here comes mrs. wilson. you can't go to tell madame louise you have changed your mind before so many people. and what is the use of worrying over such a small debt? the dress was a wonderful bargain. you would be a goose not to buy it." now, because harriet was older than mollie, and mollie thought her very beautiful and well trained in all the graces of society, foolish little mollie allowed herself to be silenced, and so made endless trouble for herself and for the people who loved her. "don't tell barbara about my buying the frock, harriet," mollie pleaded, as the two girls went up the steps of the hamlin home, a short time before luncheon. "i would rather tell bab about it myself, when i get a chance." "oh, i won't tell. you may count on me," promised harriet, in sympathetic tones. "will bab be very cross!" "oh, not exactly that," mollie hesitated. "but i am afraid she will be worried. i am glad we are at home. i want to lie down, i feel so tired." not long after harriet and mollie had started off on their shopping expedition, bab came across from her room into ruth's. "ruth, do you think i could telephone mr. dillon?" she asked. "i picked up a piece of paper that he dropped in the garden yesterday, and i forgot to return it to him." "give it to me, child. i told you yesterday that i did not wish you to grow to be an intimate friend of that man. but i am writing him a note to thank him for his kindness to us last night. i can just put your paper in my letter and explain matters to him." bab carelessly tossed the sheet of paper on ruth's desk. it opened, and ruth cried out in astonishment. "oh, bab, how queer! this note is written in chinese characters. what do you suppose peter dillon is doing with a letter written in chinese?" "i don't know i am sure, ruth," bab demurred. "it is none of our business." "did you get the yellow ribbon, mollie?" barbara asked her sister, two hours later, when mollie and harriet came in from their shopping. "i have been fixing up your dress all morning. it is awfully pretty. now i want to make the sash." "i did not get any ribbons, bab." mollie answered peevishly. "i told you i would not wear that old yellow dress." chapter viii at the white house mollie thurston was not well the next day. she stayed in bed and explained that her head ached. and harriet hamlin behaved very strangely. she was shut up in the room with mollie for a long time; when she came out mollie's eyes were red, and harriet looked white as a sheet. but neither of the girls would say what was the matter. just before the hour for starting to the white house reception, mollie got out of bed and insisted on dressing. "i am afraid you are not well enough to go out to-night, mollie," bab protested. "i hope you won't be too disappointed. shall i stay at home with you?" mollie shook her head obstinately. "i am quite well now," she insisted. "bab, would you mind leaving me alone while i dress? i do feel nervous, and i know ruth and grace won't care if you go into their room." "all right, mollie," barbara agreed cheerfully, wondering what had come over her little sister. "call me when you wish me to button your gown. i have put the yellow one out on the lounge, if you should decide to wear it." when mollie was left alone two large tears rolled down her cheeks. once she started to crawl back into bed and to give up the reception altogether. but, after a while, she walked over to her closet and drew out a great box. with trembling fingers mollie opened it and gazed in upon the exquisite blue frock that had already caused her so much embarrassment and regret. should she wear the frock that night? mollie thurston asked herself. and what would bab say when she saw it? for mollie had not yet mustered up the courage to make her confession. well, come what might, mollie decided to wear her new frock this one time. she had risked everything to own it, so she might as well have this poor pleasure. when mollie joined mr. hamlin and the other girls downstairs a long party cape completely concealed her gown. mr. hamlin did not keep a private carriage; so, as long as ruth's automobile was in washington, he decided to take his party to the white house in ruth's car. the girls were ready early, for mr. hamlin explained to them that they would have to take their position in the line of carriages that slowly approached the white house door, and that sometimes this procession was nearly a mile in length. "i suppose you girls won't mind the waiting as much as we older people do, because you always have so much to say to each other. and perhaps this is my best chance to learn to know you better. i have been so busy that i have seen little of you during your visit to harriet." but mollie and harriet were strangely silent, and bab felt absolutely tongue-tied before mr. hamlin. fortunately, grace and ruth sat on each side of him. "mr. hamlin," grace asked timidly, "would you mind telling me what are the duties of the secretary of state? washington is like a new, strange world to us. i have learned the titles of the different members of the president's cabinet, but i have not the faintest idea what they do. mollie and i looked over the cards of the guests who came to your reception. some of the cards just read: 'the speaker,' 'the chief of staff,' 'l'ambassadeur de france,' without any personal names at all." mr. hamlin seemed pleased. the stern, half-embarrassed expression, that he usually wore before the girls relaxed a little at grace's eager questioning. "i am glad, miss carter, to find you take an interest in washington affairs," he answered. "it is most unusual in a young girl. i wish harriet cared more about them, but she seems devoted only to society." mr. hamlin sighed under his breath. "yes; it is the custom for the officials in washington to put only the titles of their office on their visiting cards. you are sure you wish to know the duties of the secretary of state? i don't want to bore you, my child." grace nodded her head eagerly. "well, let me see if i can make it plain to you. the secretary of state has charge of all the correspondence between the foreign countries and their representatives in the united states," mr. hamlin continued. "do you understand?" "i think i do," grace answered hesitatingly, while bab leaned over from the next seat to see if she could understand what mr. hamlin was explaining. "the secretary of state also receives all kinds of information from the consuls and diplomatic officers, who represent the united states abroad," mr. hamlin went on. "sometimes this information is very important and very secret. it might bring on serious trouble, perhaps start a war with another country, if some of these secrets were discovered. the secretary of state has other duties; he keeps the great seal of the united states. but my chief business as assistant secretary is just to look after the important private correspondence with all the other countries." "father," exclaimed harriet, "why are you boring the girls to death with so much information? they don't understand what you mean. i have been living in washington for four years, and i have not half an idea of what your duties are. but thank goodness, we have arrived at the white house at last!" their motor car had finally drawn up before the entrance to the executive mansion at the extremity of the eastern wing. the house was a blaze of lights; the marine band was playing a national air. harriet, who was familiar with all the rules that govern the president's receptions, quickly marshaled her guests into the lobby, where they had to take off their coats and hats. bab was so overcome at the enormous number of people about her, that she did not see mollie remove her cape. mollie slipped quietly into a corner, and was waiting by harriet's side, when harriet called the other girls to hurry up the broad stairs to the vestibule above, where the guests were forming in line to enter the reception room. barbara, ruth and grace gave little gasps of astonishment when they first beheld mollie. if little mollie thurston's heart was heavy within her on this brilliant occasion, she held her pretty head very high. the worry and excitement had given her a slight fever; her cheeks were a deep carmine and her eyes glittered brightly. "why, mollie! what a vision you are!" exclaimed ruth and grace together. "where did you get that wonderful gown? you have been saving it to surprise us to-night, haven't you?" but bab did not say a single word. she only looked at mollie, her face paling a little with surprise and curiosity. how had mollie come by a gown that was more beautiful than anything bab had ever seen her sister wear? barbara knew mollie had not had the gown when they left home together, for she had packed her sister's trunk for her. but this was not the time to ask questions. bab's mind was divided between the wonder and delight she felt at the scene before her, and amazement at mollie's secret. "i do hope," she thought, as she followed mr. hamlin up the steps, "that mollie has not borrowed that gown of harriet. but no; it fits her much too well. some one must have given it to her as a present and she has kept the secret until to-night to surprise me." the "automobile girls" stood behind mr. hamlin and harriet in the great vestibule just outside the famous blue room of the white house, where the president and his wife were waiting to receive their guests. the line was moving forward so slowly that the girls had a chance to look about them. never had any one of them beheld such a beautiful spectacle. of course the "automobile girls" had been present at a number of receptions during their brief social careers, but for the first time to-night they saw men in other than ordinary evening dress. the diplomats from other countries wore their superb court costumes with the insignia of their rank. the american army and navy officers had on their bright full dress uniforms. bab thought the russian ambassador the most superb looking man she had ever seen, and mollie blushed when lieutenant elmer wilson bowed gallantly to her across the length of the hall. when the girls first took up their positions in the line, they believed they would never grow weary of looking about them. but by and by, as they waited and the number of people ahead of them only slowly decreased, they grew tired. a girl passed by barbara and smiled. it was marjorie moore. she was not going to try to shake hands with the president. she had a note book and a pencil in her hand and was evidently bent on business. barbara also caught a glimpse of peter dillon, but he did not come up to speak to them. mr. hamlin's charges at last entered the blue room. the president and his receiving party stood by a pair of great windows hung with heavy silk portieres. it was now almost time for the "automobile girls" to shake hands with the president. they were overcome with nervousness. harriet was next to her father; bab stood just behind harriet, followed by ruth, grace and mollie. "you are just supposed to shake hands with the president, not to talk to him," harriet whispered. "then the president's wife is next and you may greet the other women in the receiving line as you pass along. the vice-president's wife stands next to the president's wife and the ladies of the cabinet just after her." bab watched harriet very carefully. she was determined to make no false moves. finally, barbara heard her name announced by the master of ceremonies. she felt her heart stop beating for a moment, and the color mount to her cheeks. the next moment her hand was clasped in that of the president of the united states. barbara said a little prayer of thankfulness when she had finished speaking to all the receiving ladies. she felt glad, indeed, when mr. hamlin drew her behind a thick blue silk cord, where the president's special guests were talking in groups together. bab then watched ruth, grace and mollie go through the same formality. now nobody had ever warned mollie that it was not good form to speak to the president before he spoke to her. she thought it was polite to make some kind of a remark when she was introduced to him. so all the way up the line she had been wondering what she ought to say. as the president took mollie's little hand he bent over slightly. for a very small voice said, "i like washington very much, mr. president." the president smiled. "i am glad you do," he answered. a little later, mr. hamlin took the girls through all the state apartments of the white house. one of these rooms was less crowded than the others. groups of mr. hamlin's friends were standing about laughing and talking together. barbara was next mr. hamlin when she happened to glance toward a far corner of the room. there she saw her newspaper friend. the girl made a mysterious sign to barbara to come over to her and to come alone. but bab shook her head. still she felt the girl's eyes on her. each time she turned, marjorie moore again made her strange signal. once she pointed significantly toward a group of people. but bab only saw the broad back of the little chinese minister and the stately form of the russian ambassador. the two men were talking to a number of washington officials whose names barbara did not even know. of course, marjorie moore's peculiar actions could not refer to them. but to save her life bab could not find any one else nearby. womanlike, barbara's curiosity was aroused. what could the girl want with her? evidently, her news was a secret, for miss moore did not come near mr. hamlin's party and bab simply could not get away without offering some explanation to them. barbara was growing tired of the reception. she had been introduced to so many people that her brain was fairly spinning in an effort to remember their names. again bab looked across at miss moore. this time the newspaper girl pointed with her pencil through a small open door, near which she was standing. her actions said as plainly as any words could speak: "follow me when you have a chance. there is something i must tell you!" the next instant marjorie moore vanished through this door and was lost to sight. a few minutes later bab managed to slip over to that side of the room. she intended merely to peep out the open door to see whether miss moore were waiting for her in the hall. bab carefully watched her opportunity. mr. hamlin and the girls were not looking. now was her chance. she was just at the door, when some one intercepted her. "ah! good evening, miss thurston," said a suave voice. barbara turned, blushing again to confront the chinese minister looking more magnificent than ever in his imperial robes of state. the young girl paused and greeted the official. still the chinese minister regarded her gravely with his inscrutable oriental eyes that seemed to look her through and through. he seemed always about to ask her some question. of course, barbara was obliged to give up her effort to follow marjorie moore, though she was still devoured with curiosity to know what the girl had wished to say to her. the next ten minutes, wherever bab went, she felt the chinese minister's gaze follow her. it was not until barbara thurston discovered that the oriental gentleman had himself withdrawn from the reception room that she mustered up a sufficient courage to try her venture the second time. "miss moore, of course, is not expecting me now," barbara thought. "but as i have a chance, i will see what has become of her." bab peeped cautiously out through the still open door. she saw only an empty corridor with a servant standing idly in the hall. should she go forward? no; barbara did not, of course, dare to wander through the white house halls alone. she was too likely to find herself in some place to which visitors were not admitted. the servant who waited in the hall saw barbara hesitate, then turn back. he leaned over and whispered mysteriously: "you are to come to the door at the west side, which opens on the lawn. the young woman left a message that she would wait for you there." "but i don't know the west side," bab faltered hesitatingly, feeling that she ought to turn back, yet anxious to go on. "the young woman said it was most important for her to see you; i can show you the way to the west door," the man went on. barbara now quickly made up her mind. marjorie moore was only a girl like herself. if she needed her or if she wanted to confide in her, bab meant to answer the summons. bab found the portico deserted. there was no one in sight. down on the lawn, some distance ahead, she thought she saw a figure moving. barbara drew her chiffon scarf more closely over her shoulders and ran quickly out into the garden without thinking. it was, of course, marjorie moore ahead of her. but bab had not gone far, when the figure disappeared, and she realized her own foolishness. she must get back into the white house in a hurry before any one found out what she had done. it was exceedingly dark out on the lawn in contrast with the brilliant illumination of the house, and barbara was running swiftly. she had begun to wonder what explanation she could make if harriet or mr. hamlin asked where she had been. as usual, barbara was repenting a rash impulse too late. she ran obliquely across the yard in order to return in a greater hurry. between a clump of bushes set at some distance apart her feet struck against something soft and heavy and bab pitched forward across the object. chapter ix bab's discovery then barbara thurston's heart turned sick with horror. she recognized, in the same instant, that she had fallen over a human body. in getting back on her own feet, bab was obliged to touch the figure over which she had fallen. she shuddered with fright. it could not be possible that any one had been murdered in the grounds of the white house, while a great ball was being given on the inside. had marjorie moore expected foul play and called on bab to help her guard some one from harm? barbara did not know what to do--to go on with her search for the newspaper girl, or go back to the white house and raise an alarm. bab was standing up, but she dared not look at the figure at her feet. she was now more accustomed to the darkness and she did not know what one glance might reveal. "what a coward i am!" bab thought. trembling, she put out her hand and touched the body. it was warm, but the figure had fallen forward on its face. as bab's hand slipped along over the object that lay so still on the hard ground, an even greater horror seized her. her hand had come in contact with a skirt. the figure was that of a woman! barbara dropped on her knees beside the figure. she gently turned the body over until it was face upward. one long stare at the face was enough. the woman who lay there was the young newspaper girl who had summoned bab to follow her but a short time before. she still had on her shabby evening dress. the pad and pencil with which she took down her society items lay at her side. but marjorie moore's face was pale as death. bab's tears dropped down on the girl's face. "my dear miss moore, what has happened? can't you hear me?" bab faltered. "it is barbara thurston! i tried to come to help you, but i could not get here until now." the figure lay apparently lifeless, but bab knew now that the girl was still alive. bab did not like to leave her, for what dreadful person might not stumble over the poor, unconscious girl? yet how else could bab get help? at this moment bab looked up and saw a number of lighted cigars in the garden near the white house. evidently a group of men had come out on the lawn to smoke. as bab ran forward she saw one of the men move away from the others. he was whistling softly, "kathleen mavourneen, the bright stars are shining." "oh, mr. dillon!" cried bab. "poor miss moore has been dreadfully hurt and is lying unconscious out here on the grass. won't you please find mr. hamlin, or some one, to come to her aid?" "miss moore!" exclaimed peter dillon in a shocked tone. "i wonder whom the girl could have been spying upon to have gotten herself into such trouble? but, miss thurston, you ought not to be out here. come back with me to the reception rooms. i will get some one to look after miss moore at once. it is best to keep this affair as quiet as possible." "i can't leave the poor girl alone," bab demurred. "so please find mr. hamlin as soon as you can. i will ask two of these other men to take miss moore up on a side porch, out of the way of the guests." the rest of the group of men now came forward; their uniforms showed they were young army and navy officers. one of them was lieutenant elmer wilson. "what a dreadful thing!" he exclaimed, as he and another officer, under bab's directions, picked up marjorie moore's limp form and carried it into the light. "some one has struck miss moore over the temple with a stick. she has a nasty bruise just there. but she is only stunned. she will come to herself presently." mr. hamlin now hurried out with peter dillon, followed by ruth and harriet. "find our automobile; have it brought as near as possible. we must put the poor girl into it," mr. hamlin declared authoritatively. "mr. dillon is right. this affair must be kept an entire secret. it is incredible! above all things, the newspapers must not get hold of it. it would be a nine days' wonder! mr. dillon, will you go to miss moore's paper? say you feel sure the president himself would not wish this story to be published. then you can find out where miss moore's mother lives, and see that she is told. the girl is not seriously injured, but she must be seen by a physician." "but you are not going to take marjorie moore to our house, father," harriet protested. "she is so--" harriet checked herself just in time. she realized it would not be well to express her feeling toward the injured girl before so large a group of listeners. "i most certainly do intend to take miss moore to our house," interrupted mr. hamlin sternly. "her father was an old friend of mine whom changes in politics made poor just before his death. his daughter is a brave girl. i have a great respect for her." in the excitement of helping their wounded visitor to bed, barbara forgot all about mollie's wonderful gown, and the questions she intended asking her. bab and ruth undressed marjorie moore, and stayed with her until the doctor and a nurse arrived. then bab went quickly to her own room and undressed by a dim light, so as not to disturb her sister. mollie's face was turned toward the wall and she seemed to be fast asleep. there was no sign of the blue gown about to reawaken bab's curiosity. barbara was too weary from the many impressions of the evening and the fright that succeeded them, and hurriedly undressing she crept quietly to bed and was soon fast asleep. chapter x the confession it was almost dawn when barbara began to dream that she heard low, suppressed sobs. no; she must be wrong, she was not dreaming. the sounds were too real. the sobs were close beside her, and bab felt mollie's shoulders heaving in an effort to hold them back. "why, little sister," cried bab in a frightened tone, putting out her hand and taking hold of mollie, "what is the matter with you! are you ill?" "no," sobbed mollie. "there is nothing the matter. please go to sleep again, bab, dear. i did not mean to wake you up." "you would not cry, mollie, if there was nothing the matter. tell me at once what troubles you," pleaded barbara, who was now wide awake. "if you are not ill, then something pretty serious is worrying you and you must tell me what it is." mollie only buried her head in her pillow and sobbed harder than ever. "tell me," bab commanded. "it's the blue gown!" whispered mollie under her breath. "the gown?" queried barbara, suddenly recalling mollie's wonderful costume at the president's reception. "oh, yes. i have not had an opportunity to ask you where you got such a beautiful frock and how you happened not to tell me about it." "i was ashamed," mollie sobbed. barbara did not understand what mollie meant, but she knew her sister would tell her everything now. "i bought the frock," mollie confessed after a moment's hesitation. "that is i did not exactly buy it, for i did not have the money to pay for it. but harriet was to pay for it and i was to give her back the money when i could." "how much did the gown cost, mollie?" bab inquired quietly, although her heart felt as heavy as lead. "it cost fifty dollars!" mollie returned in a tired, frightened voice. "oh, mollie!" bab exclaimed just at first. then she repented. "never mind, molliekins; it can't be helped now. the dress is a beauty, and i suppose harriet won't mind how long we take to pay her back. we must just save up and do some kind of work when we go home. i can coach some of the girls at school. so please don't cry your pretty eyes out. there is an old story about not crying over spilt milk, kitten. go to sleep. perhaps some one will have left us a fortune by morning." barbara felt more wretched about her sister's confession than she was willing to let mollie know. she thought if mollie could once get to sleep, she could then puzzle out some method by which they could meet this debt. for fifty dollars did look like an immense sum to the two poor thurston girls. "but, bab dear, i have not told you the worst," mollie added in tones of despair. "mollie, what do you mean?" poor bab asked, really frightened this time. "harriet can't let me owe the money to her. something perfectly awful has happened to harriet, too. promise me you will never tell, not even ruth! well, harriet thought she could lend me the money. but, the day after we got home from the dressmaker's, that deceitful madame louise wrote poor harriet the most awful note. she said that harriet owed her such a dreadfully big bill, that she simply would not wait for her money any longer. she declared if harriet did not pay her at once she would take her bill straight to mr. hamlin and demand the money. now harriet is almost frightened to death. she says her father will never forgive her, if he finds out how deeply in debt she is, and that he would not let her go out into society again this winter. of course, harriet went to see madame louise. she begged her for a little more time, and the dressmaker consented to let us have a week. but she says that at the end of that time she must have the money from me and from harriet. harriet is dreadfully distressed. she simply can't advance the money to me for, even if the dividend she expects comes in time, she will have to pay the money on her own account. oh, bab, what can we do? i just can't have mr. hamlin find out what i have done! he is so stern; he would just send me home in disgrace, and then what would mother and aunt sallie and mr. stuart say? i shall just die of shame!" "mr. hamlin must not know," barbara answered, when she could find her breath. somehow her own voice sounded unfamiliar, it was so hoarse and strained. yet bab knew she must save mollie. how was she to do it? "do you think, bab," mollie asked, "that we could ask ruth to lend us the money? i should be horribly ashamed to tell her what i have done. but ruth is so sweet, and she could lend us the money without any trouble." "i have thought of that, mollie," barbara answered. "but, oh, we could not ask ruth for the money! it is because she has been so awfully good to us, that i can't ask her. she has already done so much for us and she would be so pleased to help us now that somehow i would rather do most anything than ask her. don't you feel the same way, mollie?" "yes, i do," mollie agreed. "only i just can't think what else we can do, bab. i have worried and worried until i am nearly desperate. we have only one week in which to get hold of the money, bab." "yes, i know. but go to sleep now, mollie. you are too tired to try to think any more. i will find some way out of the difficulty. don't worry any more about it now." bab kissed her sister's burning cheeks, whereat mollie could only throw her arms about barbara and cry: "oh, bab, i am so sorry and so ashamed! i shall never forget this as long as i live." bab never closed her eyes again that night. a little while later she saw the gray dawn change into rose color, and the rose to the blue of the day-time sky. she heard several families of sparrows discussing their affairs while they made their morning toilets on the bare branches of the trees. at last an idea came to barbara. she could pawn her jewelry and so raise the money they needed. she had the old-fashioned corals her mother had given to her on her first trip to newport. there was also the beautiful ruby, which had been mr. presby's gift to her from the rich stores of his buried treasure. and the princess sophia had made bab a present of a beautiful gold star when they were at palm beach. barbara's other jewelry was marked with her initials. now bab had very little knowledge of the real value of her jewelry, and she had an equally dim notion of what a pawn shop was. but she did know that at pawn shops people were able to borrow money at a high rate of interest on their valuable possessions, and this seemed to be the only way out of their embarrassment. but how was barbara to locate a pawn shop in washington? and how was she to find her way there, without being found out either by mr. hamlin or any one of the girls? bab was still puzzling over these difficulties when she went down to breakfast. "miss moore says she would like to see you, barbara," harriet hamlin explained, when bab had forced down a cup of coffee and eaten a small piece of toast. "miss moore is much better this morning, and a carriage is to take her home in a few hours. i have just been up to inquire about her. father," continued harriet, turning to mr. hamlin, "miss moore wants me to thank you for your kindness in bringing her here, and to say she hopes to be able to repay you some day. marjorie moore seems to think you discovered her out on the white house lawn, barbara. however did you do it? i suppose you were out there walking with peter dillon. but it is against the rules." "does miss moore happen to know how she was hurt, daughter?" mr. hamlin queried. "lieutenant wilson declares the girl was struck a glancing blow on the head with the end of a loaded cane. and the doctor seemed to have the same idea last night." "miss moore does not understand just what did happen to her," harriet replied. "or at least she won't tell me. she declares she was out in the grounds looking for some one, when she was knocked down from behind. she never saw who struck her. how perfectly ridiculous for her to be running about the white house park alone at night! i wonder the guards permitted it. what do you suppose she was doing?" "attending to her business, perhaps, daughter," mr. hamlin returned dryly. "miss moore works exceedingly hard. it cannot always be pleasant for a refined young woman to do the work she is sometimes required to do. i hope you will be kind to her, harriet, and help her when it is within your power." but harriet only shrugged her shoulders and looked obstinate. "i should think miss moore would find the society news for her paper inside the reception rooms, rather than outside in the dark. it looks to me as though she went out into the grounds either to meet some one, or to find out what some one else was doing." none of the "automobile girls" or mr. hamlin made response to harriet's unkind remark and they were all glad when breakfast was over and the discussion ended. barbara at once went upstairs to the room that had been allotted to their wounded guest the night before. she found marjorie moore dressed in a shabby serge suit, lying on the bed looking pale and weak. a refined, middle-aged woman, with a sad face, sat by her daughter holding her hand. she was marjorie's mother. the two women were waiting for the carriage to take them home. "i want to thank you, miss thurston," marjorie moore spoke weakly. "i believe it was you who found me. i ought not to have asked you to come out into the yard, but i did not dream there would be any danger to either one of us. i want you to believe that i did have a real reason for persuading you to join me, a reason that i thought important to your happiness, not to mine. but i cannot tell you what it was, now; perhaps because i may have made a mistake. i must have been struck by a tramp, who had managed to hide in the white house grounds. i have no other explanation of what happened to me. but--" miss moore stopped and hesitated. "i have an explanation of the reason i wanted to talk to you alone. yet i cannot tell you what i mean to-day. i want to ask you to trust me if ever you need a friend in washington." bab thought the only friend she was likely to need was some one who could lend her fifty dollars. and marjorie moore was too poor to do that. she would have liked to ask the newspaper girl where she could find a pawn shop, but was ashamed to make her strange request before that gentle, sad-eyed woman, marjorie moore's mother. so barbara only pressed the other girl's hand affectionately, and said she was glad to know she was better, and that she appreciated her friendship. chapter xi in mr. hamlin's study all morning barbara pondered on how she could find a pawn shop in washington, without asking questions and without being discovered. her cheeks burned with humiliation and disgust at the very name pawn shop! still mollie must never know how much she dreaded her errand, and her mother must be spared the knowledge of their debt at any cost. about noon the hamlin house was perfectly quiet. grace and ruth had gone out sight-seeing and harriet and mollie were both in their rooms. mr. hamlin was over at his office in the state department. bab had taken a book and gone downstairs to the library, pretending she meant to read, but really only desiring to think. she was feeling almost desperate. a week seemed such a little time in which to raise fifty dollars. bab wished to try the pawn shop venture at once, so that in case it failed her, she would have time to turn somewhere else to secure the sum of money she needed. barbara was idly turning over the pages of her book, staring straight ahead of her at nothing in particular, when she unexpectedly leaped to her feet. her face flushed, but her lips took on a more determined curve. when barbara thurston undertook to accomplish a thing she usually found a way. only weak people are deterred by obstacles. bab had remembered that she had heard mr. hamlin say that he kept a washington directory in his private study. she knew that by searching diligently through this book she could find the address of a pawn shop. now was the time, of all others, to accomplish her purpose. with bab, to think, was to do. barbara knew that no one was expected to enter mr. hamlin's study. she did not dream, however, that she would be doing any harm just to slip quietly into it, find the directory and slip quickly out again, without touching a single other thing in the room. as has already been explained, mr. hamlin's study was a small room adjoining the drawing-room, and separated from it by a pair of heavy curtains and folding doors, which were occasionally left open, when mr. hamlin was not in the house, so that the room could be aired and at the same time shut it off from public view. bab went straight through the hall and entered mr. hamlin's study through a small back door. the room was dark, and bab thought empty when she entered it. the inside blinds were closed, but there was sufficient light through the openings for barbara to see her way about perfectly. she was bent upon business and went straight to her task without pausing to open the window, for she wished to take no liberties with mr. hamlin's apartment. the four walls of the study were lined with books, reports from congress; everything pertaining to the business of the government at washington. certainly finding that old-time needle in a haystack was an easy duty compared with locating the city directory in such a wilderness of books. first on her hands and knees, then on tip-toe, bab thoroughly searched through every shelf. no directory could be found. "i can hardly see," bab decided at last. "it will not do any harm for me to turn on an electric light." bab was so intent on her occupation that, even after she had turned on the light, which hung immediately over mr. hamlin's private desk, she still thought she was alone in the room. lying under a heap of magazines and pages of manuscript on mr. hamlin's desk, was a large book, which looked very much as though it might be the desired directory. still bab wavered. she knew no one was ever allowed to lay a hand on mr. hamlin's desk. even harriet herself never dared to touch it. but what harm could it do mr. hamlin for barbara to pick up the book she desired? she would not disarrange a single paper. bab reached out, intending to secure what she wished. but immediately she felt her arm seized and held in a tight grip. a low contralto voice said distinctly: "what do you mean by stealing in here to search among mr. hamlin's papers?" the vise-like hold on bab's arm continued. the fingers were slender, but strong as steel, and the grip hurt barbara so, she wanted to cry out from the pain. "answer me," the soft voice repeated. "what are you doing, prying among mr. hamlin's papers, when he is out of the house? you know he never allows any one to touch them." [illustration: bab felt her arm seized in a tight grip.] "i am not prying," cried bab indignantly. "i only came in here to look for the city directory. i thought it might be on mr. hamlin's desk." "a likely story," interrupted bab's accuser scornfully. "if you wished the directory, why did you not ask mr. hamlin to lend it to you? you wanted something else! what was it? tell me?" the hold on barbara's arm tightened. "let go my arm, mrs. wilson," returned barbara firmly. "i am telling you the truth. how absurd for you to think anything else! what could i wish in here? but i needed to look into the directory at once--for a--for a special purpose," barbara finished lamely. then her eyes flashed indignantly. "i am a guest in mr. hamlin's house," she said, coldly. "how do you know, mrs. wilson, that i have not received his permission to enter this room? but you! will you be good enough to explain to me why you were hiding behind the curtains in mr. hamlin's study when i came in? you, too, knew mr. hamlin was not at home. besides, harriet receives her guests in the drawing-room, not in here." "i came to see mr. hamlin on private business," mrs. wilson replied haughtily. "he is an old and intimate friend of mine, so i took the liberty of coming in here to wait for his return. but seeing you enter, and suspecting you of mischief, i did conceal myself behind the curtains. i shall be very glad, however, to remain here with you until mr. hamlin returns from his office. i can readily explain my intrusion and you will have an equal opportunity to tell mr. hamlin what you were doing in here." now barbara, who had slept very little the night before, and had worried dreadfully all morning, did a very foolish thing. she blushed crimson at mrs. wilson's request. she might very readily have agreed to stay, and could simply have explained later to mr. hamlin that she had come into his private room because she needed to see the directory. but would mr. hamlin have inquired of barbara her reason for desiring the directory? this is, of course, what barbara feared, and it caused her to behave most unwisely. she trembled and fixed on mrs. wilson two pleading brown eyes. "please do not ask me to wait here until mr. hamlin returns," she entreated. "and, if you don't mind, you will not mention to mr. hamlin that i came into his study without asking his permission. truly i only wanted to look at the directory, and i will tell harriet that i have been in here." mrs. wilson eyed bab, with evident suspicion. "why are you so anxious to see the directory?" she inquired. "if you wish to know a particular address why do you not ask your friends, the hamlins, about it?" "that is something that i cannot explain to you, mrs. wilson," said barbara, a look of fear leaping into her eyes that was not lost on her companion. "very well, if you cannot explain yourself, i shall lay the whole matter before mr. hamlin the instant he comes home," returned mrs. wilson cruelly. "it looks very suspicious, to say the least, when a guest takes advantage of his absence to prowl among his private papers." tears of humiliation sprang to barbara's eyes. it was bad enough to have mrs. wilson doubt her integrity, but it would be infinitely worse if stern mr. hamlin were told of her visit to his study. bab felt that he would be sure to believe that she was deliberately meddling with matters that did not concern her. she looked at mrs. wilson. the forbidding expression on her face left no doubt in bab's mind that the older woman would carry out her threat. suddenly it flashed across the young girl that perhaps if mrs. wilson really knew the truth she would agree to drop the affair without saying anything to mr. hamlin. "perhaps it will be better after all for me to tell you my reason for being here," bab said with a gentle dignity that caused mrs. wilson's stern expression to soften. "what i am about to say, however, is in strictest confidence, as it involves another person besides myself. i shall expect you to respect my confidence, mrs. wilson," she added firmly. mrs. wilson made a jesture of acquiescence. then barbara poured forth the story of mollie's extravagance and her subsequent remorse over the difficulties into which her love of dress had plunged both of the thurston girls. "it is just this way, mrs. wilson," bab concluded. "we have very little money of our own and we simply can't ask mother to pay this debt. i won't ask ruth to lend it to us because we are too deeply indebted to her already. i have some jewelry that is valuable; a ring, a pin and several trinkets, and i intend to take them to a pawn shop and borrow enough money on them to free mollie of this debt. then we will save our allowance money and redeem the things. i have never been in a pawn shop and don't know anything about them, so i thought i would find the address of a pawn broker in the directory and go there this afternoon. that is why i wanted the directory and why i came into mr. hamlin's study. now that i have told you, perhaps you will feel differently about saying anything to mr. hamlin. he is so stern and cold that he would never forgive me if he knew of all this, although i am doing nothing wrong. it is very humiliating to be placed in this position, but now that the mischief has been done we shall have to pay for the gown and set it all down under the head of bitter experience." mrs. wilson regarded barbara steadily while she was speaking. there was a look of admiration in the older woman's eyes when barbara had finished. "you are a very brave girl, miss thurston, to take your sister's trouble on your own shoulders. i am very glad that you saw fit to tell me what you have. i hope you will forgive me for my seeming cruelty, but i simply cannot endure anything dishonorable or underhanded. to show you that i believe what you have told me, and to prove to you that your confidence in me is well founded, i propose to help you out of your difficulty." "you?" queried bab in surprise. "i--i don't understand." "i will lend you the money to pay the modiste," exclaimed mrs. wilson. "then you shall pay it back whenever it is convenient for you to do so, and no one will ever be the wiser. we need tell no one that we met here in the study this afternoon." "but--i--can't," protested barbara rather weakly. "it wouldn't be right. it would be asking entirely too much of you and--" mrs. wilson held up her hand authoritatively. "my dear little girl," she said quickly. "i insist on lending you this money. i am a mother, and if my son were in any little difficulty and needed help, i should like to feel that perhaps some one would be ready to do for him the little i am going to do for you. come to my house this afternoon and i will have the money ready for you. will you do this, barbara?" she asked extending her hand to the young girl. barbara hesitated for a second, then she placed her hand in that of mrs. wilson's. "i will take the money," she said slowly, "and i thank you for your kindness. i hope i shall be able to do something for you in return to show my appreciation." "perhaps you may have the opportunity," replied mrs. wilson meaningly. "who knows. i think i won't wait any longer for mr. hamlin. come to my house at half past four o'clock this afternoon. i shall expect you. good-bye, my dear." "good-bye," replied bab mechanically, as she accompanied mrs. wilson to the vestibule door. "i'll be there at half past four." chapter xii barbara's secret errand after the older woman had departed, bab remained in a brown study. had she been wise in accepting mrs. wilson's offer? would it have been better after all to ask ruth for the loan of the money? bab sighed heavily. she had been so happy and so interested in washington, and now mollie's ill-advised purchase had changed everything. for a moment barbara felt a little resentment toward mollie, then she shook off the feeling as unworthy. mollie had experienced bitter remorse for her folly, and bab knew that her little sister had learned a lesson she would never forget. as for the money, it should be paid back at the earliest opportunity. barbara turned and went slowly upstairs to prepare for luncheon. she found mollie sitting by the window in their room. her pretty mouth drooped at the corners and her eyes were red with weeping. "cheer up, molliekins!" exclaimed bab. "i've found a way out of the difficulty." "oh, bab," said mollie in a shamed voice. "did you have to tell ruth?" "no, dear," responded bab. "ruth knows nothing about it. bathe your face at once. it is almost time to go down to luncheon, and your eyes are awfully red. while you are fixing up i'll tell you about it." "oh, bab!" mollie said contritely when her sister had finished her account of what had happened in the study. "you're the best sister a girl ever had. i don't believe i'll ever be so silly about my clothes again. this has cured me. i'm so sorry." "of course you are, little sister," soothed bab. "don't say another word. here comes ruth and grace." the two girls entered the room at that moment and a little later the four descended to luncheon. "i am going to do some shopping this afternoon," announced ruth. "would you girls like to do the stores with me?" "i'll go," replied grace. "i want to buy a pair of white gloves and i need a number of small things." "i have an engagement this afternoon," said harriet enigmatically. "i must ask you to excuse me, ruth." "certainly, harriet," returned ruth. "how about you and mollie, bab?" "mollie can go with you," answered bab, coloring slightly. "but would you be disappointed if i do not go? i have something else that i am obliged to see to this afternoon." "of course, i'd love to have you with me, bab, but you know your own business best." suspecting that bab wished to spend the afternoon in going over her own and mollie's rather limited wardrobe, ruth made no attempt to persuade bab to make one of the shopping party, and when a little later a. bubble carried the three girls away, she went directly upstairs to prepare for her call on mrs. wilson. it was a beautiful afternoon, and bab decided that she would walk to her destination. as she swung along through the crisp december air the feeling of depression that had clung to her ever since mollie had made her tearful confession vanished, and bab became almost cheerful. she would save every penny, she reflected hopefully, and when she and mollie received their next month's pocket money, she would send that to mrs. wilson. it would take some time to pay back the fifty dollars, but mrs. wilson had assured her that she could return it at her own convenience. bab felt that her vague distrust of this whole-souled, generous woman had been groundless, and in her impulsive, girlish fashion she was ready to do everything in her power to make amends for even doubting this fascinating stranger who had so nobly come to her rescue. by following carefully the directions given her by mrs. wilson for finding her house, bab arrived at her destination with very little confusion. she looked at her watch as she ascended the steps and saw that it was just half past four o'clock. "i'm on time at any rate," she murmured as she rang the bell. "is mrs. wilson here?" she inquired of the maid who answered the bell. "come this way, please," said the maid, and bab followed her across the square hall and through a door hung with heavy portieres. she found herself in what appeared to be half library, half living room, and seemed especially designed for comfort. a bright fire burned in the open fire place at one side of the room, and before the fire stood a young man, who turned abruptly as bab entered. "how do you do, miss thurston," said peter dillon, coming forward and taking her hand. "why--i thought--" stammered barbara, a look of keen disappointment leaping into her brown eyes, "that mrs. wilson--was--" "to be here," finished peter dillon, smiling almost tantalizingly at her evident embarrassment. "so she was, but she received a telephone message half an hour ago and was obliged to go out for a little while. i happened to be here when the message came and she told me that she expected you to call at half past four o'clock and asked me if i would wait and receive you. she left a note for you in my care. here it is." peter dillon handed bab an envelope addressed to "miss barbara thurston," looking at her searchingly as he did so. bab colored hotly under his almost impertinent scrutiny as she reached out her hand for the envelope. she had an uncomfortable feeling at that moment that perhaps peter dillon knew as much about the contents of the envelope as she did. "thank you, mr. dillon," she said in a low voice. "i think i won't wait for mrs. wilson. please tell her that i thank her and that i'll write." "very well," replied the young man. "i will deliver your message." he held the heavy portieres back for bab as she stepped into the hall and accompanied her to the vestibule door. "good-bye, miss thurston," he said with a peculiar, meaning flash of his blue eyes that completed bab's discomfiture. "i shall hope to see you in a day or two." bab hurried down the steps and into the street. the shadows were beginning to fall and in another hour it would be dark. when she reached the corner she looked about her in bewilderment, then with a little impatient exclamation she wheeled and retraced her steps. she had been going in the wrong direction. she had passed mrs. wilson's house, when a murmur of familiar voices caused her to start and look back at it in amazement. stepping off the walk and behind the trunk of a great tree, barbara stared from her place of concealment, hardly able to believe the evidence of her own eyes. peter dillon was standing just outside the vestibule door, his hat in his hand and just inside stood mrs. wilson. the two were deep in conversation and bab heard the young man's musical laugh ring out as though something had greatly amused him. filled with a sickening apprehension that she was the cause of his laughter, bab stepped from behind the tree unobserved by the two on the step above and walked on down the street assailed by the disquieting suspicion that mrs. wilson had had a motive far from disinterested in lending her the fifty dollars. she glanced down at the envelope in her hand. she felt positive that it contained the money, and her woman's intuition told her that peter dillon's presence in the house had not been a matter of chance. she experienced a strong desire to run back to the house and return the envelope unopened, and at the same time ask mrs. wilson why peter had untruthfully declared that she was not at home. bab paused irresolutely. then a vision of mollie's tearful face rose before her, and squaring her shoulders, she marched along through the gathering twilight, determined to use the borrowed money to pay mollie's debt and face the consequences whatever they might be. when bab reached home she found that harriet had come in and gone to her room, while the other girls had not yet returned. barbara was glad that no one had discovered her absence, and divesting herself of her hat and coat she hurried up to her room. closing and locking the door, she sat down and tore open the envelope and with hands that trembled, drew out a folded paper. inside the folded paper was a crisp fifty dollar bill. mrs. wilson had kept her word. while she sat fingering the bill, she heard voices downstairs and a moment later mollie tried the door, then knocked. bab rose and unlocked the door for her sister. "did you get it, bab?" asked mollie eagerly, a deep flush rising to her face. "yes, molliekins, here it is," answered barbara quietly, holding up the money. "to-morrow you and i will go to madame louise and pay the bill." "oh, bab," said mollie, her lips quivering. "i'm so sorry. i've been so much trouble, but i'll save every cent of my pocket money and pay mrs. wilson as soon as i can. it was so good of her to lend us the money wasn't it?" barbara merely nodded. her early gratitude toward mrs. wilson had vanished, in spite of her efforts to believe in mrs. wilson, her first feeling of distrust had returned. she thought gloomily, as she listened to mollie's praise of mrs. wilson's generosity, that perhaps after all it would have been better to pay a visit to the pawn broker. chapter xiii a foolish girl in the meantime harriet hamlin was equally as unhappy as bab and mollie. for, instead of owing madame louise a mere fifty dollars, she owed her almost five hundred and she dared not ask her father for the money to pay the bill. the dividend, with which she had tempted mollie to make her ill-advised purchase, amounted to only twenty-five dollars. it had seemed a sufficient sum to harriet to pay down on her friend's investment, but she knew the amount was not large enough to stay the wrath of her dressmaker, as far as her own account was concerned. now, harriet had never intended to let her bill mount up to such a dreadful sum. she was horrified when she found out how large it really was. yet month by month harriet had been tempted to add to her stock of pretty clothes, without inquiring about prices, and she now found herself in this painful predicament. harriet, also, thought of every possible scheme by which she might raise the money she needed. on one thing she was determined. her father should never learn of her indebtedness. she would take any desperate measure before this should happen; for harriet stood very much in awe of her father, and knew that he had a special horror of debt. since charlie meyers had behaved so rudely to barbara, on the night of their automobile ride to mt. vernon, harriet had had nothing to do with him. but now, in her anxiety, she decided to appeal to him. she could think of no other plan. charlie meyers was immensely rich and a very old friend. five hundred dollars could mean very little to him, and harriet could, of course, pay him back later on. she fully intended to live within her allowance in the future and save her money until she had paid every dollar that she owed. but how was harriet to see charlie meyers? after all she had said about him to the "automobile girls," she was really ashamed to invite him to her house. so harriet dispatched a note to the young man, making an appointment with him to meet her on a corner some distance from the house on the same afternoon that bab made her uncomfortable visit to mrs. wilson. charlie meyers was highly elated when he read harriet hamlin's note. he had known her since she was a little girl in short frocks and was very fond of her. he had been deeply hurt by her coldness to him since their automobile party, but he was such an ill-bred fellow that he simply had not understood how badly he had behaved. he did know that mr. hamlin disliked him and did not enjoy his attentions to his daughter; so he hated mr. hamlin in consequence. when harriet's note arrived, he interpreted it to mean that she was sorry she had treated him unkindly, and that she did care for him in spite of her father's opposition. so he drove down to the designated corner in his car, feeling very well pleased with himself. harriet, however, started out to meet the young man feeling ashamed of herself. she knew that she was behaving very indiscreetly, but she believed that charlie meyers would be ready to help her and that she could make him do anything she wished. she accepted his invitation to take a ride, but she put off the evil moment of voicing her request as long as possible, and as they glided along in meyers' car, she made herself as agreeable to her escort as she knew how to be. after they had driven some distance out from washington in the direction of arlington, the old home of general robert e. lee, charlie meyers said bluntly to harriet: "now, harriet, what's the matter? you said in your note that you wanted to see me about something important. what is it?" harriet stopped abruptly and looked rather timidly at meyers. she had been trying in vain to lead up to the point of asking her favor, and here her companion had given her the very opportunity she required. yet harriet hesitated, and the laughter died away on her lips. she knew she was doing a very wrong thing in asking this young man to lend her money. but harriet had been spoiled by too much admiration and she had had no mother's influence in the four years of her life when she most needed it. she was determined not to ask her father's help, and she knew of no one else to whom she could appeal. "i am not feeling very well, charlie," harriet answered queerly, turning a little pale and trying to summon her courage. "you've been entertaining too much company!" charlie meyers exclaimed. "i don't think much of that set of 'automobile girls' you have staying with you. they are good-looking enough, but they are kind of standoffish and superior." "no, indeed; i am not having too much company," harriet returned indignantly, forgetting she must not let herself grow angry with her ill-bred friend. "i am perfectly devoted to every one of the 'automobile girls,' and ruth stuart is my first cousin." harriet and charlie were both silent for a little while after this unfortunate beginning to their conversation, for harriet did not know exactly how to go on. "i am worried," she began again, after a slight pause in which she counted the trees along the road to see how fast their car was running. "i am worried because i am in a great deal of trouble." "you haven't been getting engaged, have you, harriet?" asked the young man anxiously. "if you want to break it off, just leave matters to me." harriet laughed in spite of herself. it seemed so perfectly absurd to her to be expected to leave a matter as important to her happiness as her engagement to a person like charlie meyers to settle. charlie meyers was twenty-two years of age. he had refused to go to college and had never even finished high school. his father had died when he was a child, leaving him to the care of a stepmother who had little affection for him. at the age of twenty-one the boy came into control of his immense fortune. so it was not remarkable that charlie meyers, who had almost no education, no home influence and a vast sum of money at his disposal, thought himself of tremendous importance without making any effort to prove himself so. "no, i am not engaged, charlie," harriet answered frankly. "but i do want you to do me a favor, and i wonder if you will do it?" the young man flushed. his red face grew redder still. what was harriet going to ask him? he began to feel suspicious. now this rich young man had a peculiarity of which harriet had not dreamed, or she would never have dared to ask him for a loan. he was very stingy, and he had an abnormal fear that people were going to try to make use of him. harriet had started with her request, so she went bravely on: "i'll just tell you the whole story, charlie," she declared, "so you will see what an awful predicament i am in. i know you won't tell father, and you may be able to help me out. i owe madame louise, my dressmaker, five hundred dollars! she has threatened to bring suit against me at the end of a week unless i pay her what i owe before that time. would you lend me the money, charlie? i am awfully ashamed to ask you. but i could pay you back in a little while." harriet's voice dropped almost to a whisper, she was so embarrassed. her companion must have heard her, for he was sitting beside her in the automobile, but he made no answer. poor harriet sat very still for a moment overcome with humiliation. she had trampled upon her pride and self-respect in making her request, and she had begun to realize more fully how very unwise she had been in asking such a favor of this young man. yet it had really never dawned on the girl that charlie meyers could refuse her request. when he did not answer, she began to feel afraid. harriet could not have spoken again for the world. her usually haughty head was bent low, and her lids dropped over her eyes in which the tears of humiliation were beginning to gather. "look here, harriet," protested the young man at last. "five hundred dollars is a good deal of money even for me to lend. what arrangements do you want to make about paying it back?" "why, charlie!" harriet exclaimed. "you can have the interest on the money, if you like. i never thought of that." "you can pay me back the interest if you wish," charlie replied sullenly. "but you know, harriet, that i like you an awful lot, and for a long time i've been wanting you to marry me. but you've always refused me. now if you'll promise to marry me, i'll let you have the money. but if you won't, why you can't have it--that's all! i am not going to lend my good money to you, and then have you go your way and perhaps not have anything more to do with me for weeks. i tell you, harriet, i like you an awful lot and you know it; but i am not going to be made a fool of, and you might as well find it out right now." harriet was so angry she simply could not speak for a few minutes. the enormity of her mistake swept over her. but silence was her best weapon, for charlie meyers began to feel ashamed. he was dimly aware that he had insulted harriet, and he really did care for her as much as he was capable of caring for any one. "i didn't mean to make you angry, harriet," he apologized in a half frightened voice. "i don't see why you can't care for me anyhow. i've asked you to marry me over and over again. and i can just tell you, you won't have to worry over debts to dressmakers ever again, if you marry me. i've got an awful lot of money." "i am very glad you have, mr. meyers," harriet answered coldly, with a slight catch in her voice. "but i am certainly sorry i asked you to lend any of it to me. will you never refer to this conversation again, and take me home as soon as you can? i don't think it is worth while for me even to refuse your offer. but please remember that my affection is something that mere money cannot buy." harriet's tone was so scornful that the young man winced. he could think of nothing to reply, and turned his car around in shame-faced silence. harriet too was very quiet. she would have liked to tell her companion what she truly thought of him, how coarse and ill-bred he was, but she set her lips and remained silent. she did not wish to make an enemy of charlie meyers. after that day's experience, she would simply drop him from her list of acquaintances and have nothing more to do with him. stupid though he was, the discomfited young man felt harriet's silent contempt. he wanted to apologize to her, to explain, to say a thousand things. but he was too dense to know just what he should say. it was better for him that he did wait to make his apology until a later day, when harriet's anger had in a measure cooled and she was even more miserable and confused than she was at that time. "i am awfully sorry, harriet," charlie meyers stumbled over his words as he helped her out of his machine. "you know i didn't exactly mean to refuse your request. i'll be awfully glad to--" but harriet's curt good-bye checked his apologetic speech, and he turned and drove swiftly away. chapter xiv "grant no favors!" "mrs. wilson's tea is at four o'clock, girls, remember," harriet announced a day or so later, looking up from the note she was writing. "are you actually going sight-seeing again to-day before the reception? truly, i never imagined such energy!" "oh, come, harriet hamlin, don't be sarcastic," ruth rejoined. "if you had not lived so long in washington you would be just as much interested in everything as the 'automobile girls' are. but bab and i are the only ones to go sight-seeing to-day. mollie isn't feeling well, and grace is staying to console her. we shall be back in plenty of time. why don't you lie down for a while! you look so tired." "oh, i am all right," harriet answered gently. "good-bye, children. be good and remember you have promised not to be late." ruth and bab were highly anxious for a walk and talk together, and they had a special enterprise on hand for this afternoon. bab had received a mysterious summons from her newspaper friend, marjorie moore. the note had asked bab to bring ruth, and to come to the visitors' gallery in the senate chamber at an appointed time. marjorie moore chose this strange meeting place because she had a "special story" of the senate to write for her paper and was obliged to be in the gallery. barbara was not particularly surprised at the request. she knew that marjorie moore had been wishing to make her a confidant ever since the reception at the white house. and she knew that the girl could not come to mr. hamlin's house because of harriet's hostile attitude toward her. so bab confided the whole story to ruth, and feeling much mystified and excited, the two girls set out for the capitol. during the long walk barbara thought of her own secret, which she longed to confide to ruth, but she dared not tell ruth of the borrowed money for fear ruth would at once insist on paying her debt. the money had to be paid, of course, and bab hoped to pay it back at an early date, but she had not yet come to the point where she could bear to ask ruth for it. when ruth and bab finally reached the capitol building, and made their way to the visitors' gallery in the senate chamber, marjorie moore was not there. she had failed to keep her appointment. "i am not so very sorry miss moore has not come," barbara remarked to ruth. "she seems to be such a mysterious kind of person, always suggesting something and never really telling you what it is." ruth laughed. "the 'automobile girls' hate mysteries, don't they, bab? but goodness knows, we are always being involved in them!" the two visitors sat down to listen to the speeches of united states senators. there was some excitement in the chamber, bab decided, but neither she nor ruth could exactly understand what was going on. both girls listened and watched the proceedings below them with such intensity that they forgot all about marjorie moore and her strange request. a few moments later she dropped down into the vacant seat next to barbara. she looked more hurried and agitated than ever. her hat was on one side, and her coat collar was half doubled under. she was a little paler from her trying experience of a few nights before, and an ugly bruise showed over her temple. but she made no reference to her accident. "i am sorry i am late," she whispered. "but come back here in the far corner of the gallery with me. i want to talk with you just half a minute. i am so busy i can't stay with you any longer. i just felt i must see you, miss thurston, before you go to tea with mrs. wilson this afternoon." "tea with mrs. wilson!" bab ejaculated. "how did you know we were going to mrs. wilson's tea? and has that anything to do with your message to me?" barbara did not speak in her usual friendly tones. she was getting decidedly cross. it seemed to her that she had been under some one's supervision ever since her arrival in washington. "yes, it has, miss thurston," the newspaper girl replied quickly. "i want to ask you something. promise me you will grant no one a favor, no matter who asks it of you to-day?" barbara flushed. "why how absurd, miss moore. i really cannot make you any such promise. it is too foolish." "foolish or not, you must promise me," marjorie moore insisted. then she turned earnestly to ruth. "i know you have a great deal of influence with your friend. if she will not agree to what i ask her, won't you make her promise you this: she is not to consent to do a favor for any one this afternoon, no matter how simple the favor seems to be. do you understand?" ruth looked at marjorie moore blankly, but something in the newspaper girl's earnest expression arrested her attention. "i don't see why you won't make miss moore the promise she begs of you, bab," ruth argued. "it seems a simple thing she has asked you. and i don't think it is very nice of you, dear, to refuse her, even though her request does seem a little absurd to you." "but won't you tell me why you ask me to be so exceedingly unaccommodating, miss moore?" bab retorted. marjorie moore shook her head. "that's just the trouble. again i can't tell you why i ask this of you. but i want to assure you of one thing. it would mean a great deal more to me, personally, to have you agree to do the favor that may or may not be asked of you this afternoon. i am the only outside person in washington who knows of a certain game that is to be played. it would mean a big scoop for my paper and a lot of money for me if i would just let things drift. but i like you too well to hold my tongue, though i am not going to tell you anything more. and i certainly won't beg you to do what i ask of you. of course you may do just as you please. good-bye; i am too busy to talk any more to-day." before barbara could make up her mind what to answer, the newspaper woman hurried away. ruth looked decidedly worried after marjorie moore's departure. but barbara was still incredulous and a little bored at being kept so completely in the dark. "look here, bab," ruth advised, as the two girls walked slowly home together, "you did not promise miss moore to do what she asked of you. but you must promise me. oh, i know it seems absurd! and i am not exactly blaming you for refusing to make that promise to miss moore. but, bab, we cannot always judge the importance of little things. so i, at least, shall be much happier at this particular tea if you will promise me not to do a single thing that any one asks you to do." both girls laughed gayly at ruth's request. "won't i be an agreeable guest, ruth?" bab mimicked. "if any one asks me to sit down, i must say, 'no; i insist on standing up. because i have promised my friend miss stuart not to do a single thing i am requested to do all afternoon.' i wish i did not have to go to mrs. wilson's tea to-day." "you need not joke, bab," ruth persisted. "and you need not pretend you would have to behave so foolishly. i only ask you to promise me what you would not agree to, when marjorie moore asked it of you: 'don't do any favor for any one, no matter who asks it of you this afternoon!'" bab gave up. "all right, ruth, dear; i promise," she conceded. "you know very well that i can't refuse you anything, though i do think you and miss moore are asking me to be ridiculous. i do hereby solemnly swear to be, for the rest of this day, the most unaccommodating young person in the whole world. but beware, ruth stuart! the boomerang may return and strike you. don't dare request me to do you a favor until after the bells chime midnight, when i shall be released from my present idiotic vow." mrs. wilson's afternoon teas were not like any others in washington. they were not crowded affairs, where no one had a chance to talk, but small companies of guests especially selected by mrs. wilson for their congeniality. so mrs. wilson was regarded as one of the most popular hostesses at the capital and distinguished people came to her entertainments who could not be persuaded to go anywhere else. harriet and the four "automobile girls" were delighted to see a number of service uniforms when they entered the charming french drawing-room of their hostess, which was decorated in old rose draperies against ivory tinted walls. lieutenant elmer wilson's friends, young army and navy officers, were out in full force. they were among the most agreeable young men in washington society. lieutenant elmer at once attached himself to mollie; and his attentions might have turned the head of that young woman if she had not been feeling unusually sobered by her recent experience with debt. barbara soon recognized the two young men who had helped her carry marjorie moore from the lawn to the white house veranda. but neither one of them referred to the incident while there were other people surrounding them. finally an opportunity came to one of the two men to speak to barbara. he leaned over and whispered softly: "how is the young woman we rescued the other night? i almost thought she had been killed. we have been sworn to secrecy. but one of my friends has an idea that he saw the man who may have attacked miss moore. he was out on a porch before the rest of us joined him, and he swears he saw two figures at some distance across the lawn." bab shuddered. "i was on the lawn. perhaps he saw me." "no," her companion argued, unconvinced. "my friend is sure he saw two men; one of them was rather heavily built--" peter dillon's approach cut short the conversation and the young army officer turned away, as peter joined bab. barbara hardly turned around to greet the newcomer. she did not like peter dillon and she was very anxious to hear what her previous companion had to say. so bab only gave mr. dillon her haughtiest bow. peter did not appear discouraged; he stood for a moment smiling at bab good humoredly, the boyish look shining in his near-sighted dark blue eyes. barbara was forced to speak to him. "how do you do, mr. dillon?" she asked at last. "very well indeed," replied the young man cheerfully. "did you arrive home safely the other day?" barbara colored hotly. she felt certain now that despite her promise of secrecy mrs. wilson had betrayed her confidence and told peter dillon about the borrowed money. why she had done so was a mystery and why he had lied to bab in saying mrs. wilson was out was also a problem bab could not solve. while all this was passing through her mind peter stood regarding her with a quizzical smile. then he said smoothly: "miss thurston, will you do me a favor?" bab flashed a peculiar glance at him. "no," she replied abruptly. the young man looked surprised. "i am sorry," he declared. "i was only going to ask you to go in the other room to look at a picture with me." a little later in the afternoon, harriet managed to get the four "automobile girls" together. "mrs. wilson wishes us to stay to dinner with her," harriet explained. "she has asked eight or ten other people and father has telephoned that he will come in after dinner to take us home." chapter xv bab refuses to grant a favor the dinner party was delightful. the "automobile girls" had not had such a good time since their arrival in washington. mrs. wilson was a charming hostess. she was particularly gracious to bab, and the young girl decided to forget the disquieting suspicions she had harbored against this fascinating woman and enjoy herself. it was almost ten o'clock. mr. hamlin had not yet arrived at mrs. wilson's. bab was sitting in one corner of the drawing-room talking gayly with a young annapolis graduate, who was telling her all about his first cruise, when elmer wilson interrupted them. "i am terribly sorry to break into your conversation like this, miss thurston," he apologized. "but mother wishes to have a little talk with you in the library before you leave here. i am sure i don't know what she wishes to see you about; she told me to give you her message and ask no questions. may i show you the way to her!" bab's gay laughter died on her lips. she rose at once and signified her willingness to accompany elmer to the library, but both young men noticed that her face had grown grave and she seemed almost embarrassed. elmer wilson wondered why miss thurston had taken his mother's simple message so seriously. he was almost as embarrassed as bab appeared to be. when barbara entered the room where she had received the envelope from peter dillon the room was but dimly lighted. two rose-colored shades covered the low lamps, and great bunches of pink roses ornamented the mantel. mrs. wilson wore a black and white chiffon gown over white silk and had a little band of black velvet about her throat from which hung a small diamond star. her beautiful white hair looked like a silver crown on her head. she was leaning back in her chair with closed eyes when bab entered the room, and she did not open them at once. she let the young girl stand and look at her, expecting her unusual beauty to influence bab, as it had many other older people. mrs. wilson looked tired and in a softened mood. her head rested against a pile of dark silken cushions. her hands were folded, in her lap. she opened her dark eyes finally and smiled at barbara. "come here, barbara," she commanded, pointing to a chair opposite her. bab looked at her beautiful hostess timidly, but her brown eyes were honest and clear. "you sent for me?" bab queried, sitting down very stiff and straight among the soft cushions. "of course i did," mrs. wilson smiled. "and i should have done so before, only you and i have both been too busy. i am so glad you came to my tea to-day." mrs. wilson reached out her slender white hand and took hold of barbara's firm brown one. "i want to make you a very humble apology," she continued. "i am very sorry that i was obliged to be away the other day when you called. i left the envelope with mr. dillon. i received your note yesterday, so i know that it was delivered into your hands. i did not return until after seven o'clock the other night, so it was just as well you didn't wait for me. i knew i could trust mr. dillon to give it to you." the girl made no reply. she did not dare raise her eyes to the other woman's face for fear mrs. wilson would divine from their expression that bab knew she had lied. at the same time a thrill of consternation swept over her. what had been mrs. wilson's object in lending her the money? bab was now sure that the loan had not been made disinterestedly. but what had peter dillon to do with it? it looked very much as though mrs. wilson and the attaché were playing a game, and were seeking to draw her into it. she resolved at that moment that she would write to her mother for the money, or ask ruth for it. she would do anything rather than remain in mrs. wilson's debt. there was something about the intent way in which her hostess looked at her that aroused fresh suspicion in her mind. bab braced herself to hear what she knew instinctively was to follow. "i am so glad i was able to help you," mrs. wilson purred, continuing to watch the young girl intently. "i know that you meant what you said when you declared that you hoped to some day be able to do some favor for me. i did not think then that i should ever wish to take you at your word, but strange as it may seem, you are the very person i have been looking for to help me with a joke that i wish to play upon mr. hamlin. you know, mr. hamlin is a very methodical man. well, i wagered him a dozen pairs of gloves, the other day, that he would misplace one of his beloved papers. and i hope to win the wager. what i wish you to do is to secure a certain paper from his desk and give it to me. he will never know how i obtained it. of course i shall return it to him in a day or so, after he acknowledges his defeat and pays his wager." barbara shook her head. "i don't think i can take any part in any such joke, mrs. wilson," she said, looking appealingly at her hostess. "you don't really mean that you wish me to take one of mr. hamlin's papers without his knowledge, and then give the paper to you?" "certainly, child, i do mean just that thing," mrs. wilson said, laughing lightly. "you need not take my request so seriously. mr. hamlin will appreciate the joke more than any one else when i have explained it to him. won't you keep your word and grant me this favor?" "i can't do what you ask, mrs. wilson," bab said slowly. "i'm awfully sorry, but it wouldn't be honorable." mrs. wilson turned away her head, so that barbara could not see the expression of her face. "very well, miss thurston," she said sharply. "don't trouble about it, if you think you will be committing one of the cardinal sins in doing me this favor. but don't you think you are rather ungrateful? you were perfectly willing to accept my offer the other day when you were in need of money to pay your sister's debt, but now you are in no hurry to cancel your obligation. i consider you an extremely disobliging young woman." barbara sat silent and ashamed. yet she made no effort to propitiate her angry hostess. the butler came to the library door to announce the arrival of mr. hamlin. barbara rose quickly. "i am so sorry not to be able to do you the favor you asked of me, mrs. wilson," she said in a low tone. mrs. wilson did not reply. then in a flash barbara thurston remembered something! it was the promise marjorie moore had asked of her, and which ruth stuart had insisted upon her making. without recalling that promise at the time, bab had still kept her word. she had been asked to do some one a favor--and she had refused. but of course marjorie moore must have had some other thing in mind when she made her curious demand. now that barbara thought again of her vow, she determined to be wary for the rest of the evening and to keep as far away from peter dillon as possible. "i am going to play chaperon at your house in the near future, harriet," mrs. wilson announced, as her guests were saying good night. "your father says he is to be out of town on business and that i may look after you." "we shall be delighted to have you, mrs. wilson," harriet returned politely, though she wondered why her father had suddenly requested mrs. wilson to act as chaperon. harriet had often stayed at home alone with only their faithful old servants to look after her, when her father went away for a short time. and now that she had the four "automobile girls" as her guests, she did not feel in need of a chaperon. peter dillon had not spoken to bab again during the evening, but had studiously avoided her, and bab was exceedingly glad that he had kept his distance. but as she put on her coat to go home, she heard the rustle of a small piece of paper. barbara glanced down at it, of course, and found that some one had pinned a folded square of paper to the inner lining of her coat. she blushed furiously, for fear one of the other guests would discover what had happened. bab hated sentimentality and secrecy more than anything in the world. inside the folded square of paper she found the tiny faded rose-bud, peter dillon had placed in his pocket that day when he had picked the two buds in the old washington garden at mt. vernon. on the way downstairs, barbara still kept the flower in her hand. but when she found peter's eyes were upon her she deliberately crushed the little rose-bud, then defiantly tossed it away. chapter xvi barbaba's unexpected good luck it was the second day after mrs. wilson's dinner when barbara made up her mind to tell ruth of her debt to mrs. wilson and to ask her friend to lend her the money to relieve her of her obligation. bab could endure the situation no longer. she simply determined to tell ruth everything, except the part that poor mollie had played in the original difficulty. she meant to explain to ruth that she had needed fifty dollars, that she had intended going to a pawn shop to secure the money, her interview with mrs. wilson and her acceptance of the loan offered by the beautiful woman. she would not tell ruth, however, why she had suddenly required this sum of money. now, bab knew ruth would ask her no questions and would grant her request without a moment's hesitation or loss of faith. the sympathy between ruth and barbara was very deep and real. it was one thing for barbara thurston to decide to appeal to ruth's ever-ready generosity, but another thing actually to make her demand. the two girls lay on ruth's bed, resting. they had been to a dance at the british embassy the night before. mollie and grace were together in the next room and harriet was alone. "barbara!" exclaimed ruth suddenly. "if you could have one wish, that would surely be granted, what would you wish?" "i would like to have some money in a hurry," flashed through bab's mind, but she was ashamed to make such a speech to ruth, so she said rather soberly. "i have so many wishes its hard to single out one." "well what are some of them?" persisted ruth. "do you wish to be rich, or famous, or to write a great book or a play?" "oh, yes; i wish all those things, ruth," bab agreed. "but you were not thinking of such big things. what little private wish of your own did you have in your mind? please don't wish for things that will take you far away from me," bab entreated. ruth's blue eyes were misty when she replied: "oh, no, bab! i was just going to wish that something would happen so that you and i need never be separated again. i love you just as though you were my sister, and i am so lonely at home without you and mollie. yet, as soon as our visit to harriet is over, you must go back to school in kingsbridge and i have to go home to chicago. who knows when we shall see each other again? i don't suppose that our motor trips can go on happening forever." bab pressed ruth's hand silently, her own thoughts flying toward the future, when she would perhaps be working her way through college, and teaching school later on, and ruth would be in society, a beauty and a belle in her western home. "why don't you say something, bab?" queried ruth, feeling slightly offended at bab's silence. "can't you say you wish the same thing that i do, and that you believe our motor trips will last forever?" a knock at the door interrupted bab's answer. when she went to open it a maid handed her three letters. two of them were for ruth and one for barbara. ruth opened her letters quickly. the handwriting on one of them was her aunt sallie's. the other was from ruth's father. the postmark on bab's letter was unfamiliar, however, so she did not trouble to open it, until she heard what ruth had to say. "oh, i am so sorry!" ruth ejaculated. "see here, bab, aunt sallie writes us that she cannot come on to washington. she has rheumatism, or something, in her shoulder and does not want to make the long trip. she says i had better come home in a week or ten days, and that father will probably come for me. of course, aunt sallie sends love and kisses all around to her 'automobile girls.' she ends by declaring i must bring you home with me." bab gave a deep sigh. "i do wish miss sallie had been here with us," she murmured. ruth looked reflective. "have you any special reason for needing aunt sallie, bab? i have an idea you have something on your mind. won't i do for your confidant!" "yes, you will, ruth!" bab said slowly, turning her face to hide her painful embarrassment. "ruth will you--" bab had picked up her own letter. more to gain time than for any other reason, she opened it idly. a piece of paper fluttered out on the bed, which ruth picked up. "why, bab!" she cried. "look! here is a check for fifty dollars! and there is some strange name on it that i never heard of before." but ruth could not speak again, for bab had thrown her arms about her and was embracing her excitedly. "oh, ruth, i am so glad, i am so glad!" bab exclaimed, half laughing, half crying. "just think of it--fifty dollars! and just now of all times. i never dreamed of such luck coming to me. it is just too wonderful!" "barbara thurston, will you be quiet and tell me what has happened to you?" ruth insisted. "you haven't lost your wits, have you, child?" "no, i have found them," bab declared. "more wits than i ever dreamed i had. now, ruth, don't be cross with me because i never confided this to you before. but i have not told a single person until to-day, not even mother or mollie. months before i came to washington, just before school commenced, i saw a notice in a newspaper, saying that a prize would be given for a short story written by a schoolgirl between the ages of sixteen and eighteen. so, up in the little attic at laurel cottage, i wrote a story. i worked on it for days and days, and then i sent it off to the publisher. i was ashamed to tell any one that i had written it, and never dreamed i should hear of it again. but now i have won the prize of fifty dollars," bab stood up on the bed waving her check in one hand and, holding the skirt of her blue kimono in the other, executed a few jubilant dance steps. "oh, barbara, i am so proud!" ruth rejoined, looking fully as happy as bab. "just think how clever you are! the fame of being an author is more desirable than the money. i must tell mollie and grace all about it." [illustration: "oh, ruth, i am so glad!"] but mollie and grace had been attracted by the excitement in the next room, and now rushed in to hear the news. mollie's eyes filled with tears as she embraced her sister. she knew how bab's fifty dollars must be used, and why her sister was so delighted with her success. "what are you going to do with the fifty dollars, bab?" grace inquired. "i suppose you will put it away for your college money." bab did not reply. she was already longing for a little time to herself, a pen, and ink and note paper. harriet came in now with a message: "children," she said, "it is time to dress for dinner. i have just had a telephone call from father. he is going out of town to-night, but mrs. wilson is to stay with us. father is not going until after dinner, and mrs. wilson and elmer and peter dillon will be here to dine with us. so we shall have rather a jolly party. you girls had better dress." harriet's was at once informed of bab's good luck, and in offering barbara her congratulations she forgot to tell the rest of her story. harriet had asked her father to come home half an hour before his guests arrived. she had almost persuaded herself to make a full confession of her fault. but the tangle of circumstance was not to be so easily unraveled. before bab went down to dinner she slipped over to her desk and indorsed the check, put it in an envelope, and hid the envelope inside her dress. her heart was lighter than it had been in weeks, for she believed her own and mollie's share in the washington trouble was over. mr. william hamlin was late to dinner and his guests were compelled to hurry through the meal on his account, as he wished to catch a special train out of the city. but they had a gay dinner party nevertheless and harriet did not know whether she was sorry or glad that her confession had been delayed. after mr. hamlin had said good-bye to his visitors harriet followed her father out into the hall. she thought if she told him of her fault just before he went away his anger would have time to cool before he could have opportunity to do more than reproach her for her extravagance. "father," harriet whispered timidly, "can't you wait a few minutes longer? i told you there was something i had to tell you." mr. hamlin shook his head impatiently. "no, harriet, this is not the time nor the place for confidences. i am in far too much of a hurry. if you want to ask me for money i positively haven't any to give you. now run on back to your guests." harriet turned slowly away, and so mr. hamlin lost his chance to set matters straight. just before he went out the door, he called back to his daughter: "oh, harriet, i have left the key to my strong box on my study table. don't forget to put it away for me; it is most important that you do so, for i really have not time to turn back." during the entire evening peter dillon devoted himself exclusively to harriet, and bab was vastly relieved that he did not approach her. she decided that he fully understood that she did not consider the pledge of the faded rose-bud, binding. mrs. wilson had apparently forgotten bab's refusal of her request. she was as cordial to barbara as she was to harriet, or to any of the "automobile girls." it was after midnight when mrs. wilson told elmer and peter that they must both go home. bab's envelope was still tucked inside her dress. she had had no chance so far to give it to mrs. wilson. after peter and elmer had gone, however, and the girls trooped upstairs to bed, laughing and chatting gayly, bab found a chance to slip the troublesome envelope into mrs. wilson's hand. with a whispered, "in the envelope is a check for the money i borrowed. i thank you so much for your kindness," bab ran down the hall to her own room, feeling more at ease in her mind than she had since mollie's confession. as for harriet, she was so fully occupied with her guests that her father's command to secure the key of his strong box, which he had left on his study table, slipped from her mind and she retired without giving the matter a second thought. chapter xvii the white veil long after every one had retired ruth stuart lay wide awake. try as she might, sleep refused to visit her eyelids. at last, after she had counted innumerable sheep and was wider awake than ever, she resolved to go and waken bab. ruth moved about in the dark carefully, in order not to arouse grace, with whom she roomed, found her dressing-gown and slippers, and tip-toed softly into barbara's room. she knew that barbara would not resent being awakened even at that unseasonable hour. "barbara, are you awake?" she whispered, coming up to bab's bed and laying a gentle hand on her friend's face. "i want to talk with you and i am so thirsty. won't you come downstairs with me to get a drink of water?" bab turned over sleepily and yawned: "isn't there always some water in the hall, ruth? i am so tired i can't wake up," she declared. but ruth gave her another shake. barbara crawled slowly out of bed, while ruth found her bedroom slippers and wrapped her in her warm bathrobe. then both girls stole softly out into the dark hall. at the head of the stairs there was a broad landing. on this landing, just under a stained glass window, there was a leather couch and a table, which always held a pitcher of drinking water. on the window ledge the servants were required to keep a candle, so that anyone who wished to do so might find his way downstairs at night, without difficulty. the two girls made their way slowly to this spot, and bab felt along the sill for the candle. it was not in its accustomed place. "i can't find the candle, ruth," bab whispered. "but you know where to find the water. just fumble until you get hold of the pitcher." "won't you have a glass of water?" ruth invited, pushing the tumbler under bab's very nose. then the two girls began to giggle softly. "no, thank you," bab answered decidedly. "come, thirsty maiden! who took me from my nice warm bed? ruth stuart! let's go back upstairs and get to sleep again in a hurry." but for answer, ruth drew barbara down on the old leather couch in the complete darkness and put her arms about her. "don't go back to bed, bab. i'm not a bit sleepy. that's why i dragged you out of bed. i couldn't go to sleep and i just had to have company. be a nice bab and let's sit here and exchange conversation." "all right," bab replied amiably, snuggling up closer to her friend. "dear me, isn't it cold and dark and quiet out here!" ruth gave a faint shiver. then both girls sat absolutely still without speaking or moving--they had heard an unmistakable sound in the hall below them. the noise was so slight it could hardly be called a sound. yet even this slight movement did not belong to the night and the silence of the sleeping household. the sound was repeated. then a stillness followed, more absolute than before. "is it a burglar, bab?" ruth breathed. barbara's hand pressure meant they must listen and wait. "it may be possible," bab thought, "that a dog or cat has somehow gotten into the house downstairs." at this, the girls left the sofa and, going over to the banister, peered cautiously down into the darkness. this time the two girls saw a light that shone like a flame in the darkness below. quietly there floated into their line of vision something white, ethereal--perchance a spirit from another world. it vanished and the blackness was again unbroken. the figure had seemed strangely tall. it appeared to swim along, rather than to walk, draperies as fine as mist hanging about it. "what on earth was that, barbara?" ruth queried, more curious than frightened by the apparition. "if i believed in spirits i might think we had just seen the ghost of harriet's mother. harriet's old black mammy has always said that aunt hattie comes back at night to guard harriet, if she is in any special trouble or danger." "i suppose we had better go downstairs and find out what we have seen," whispered more matter-of-fact bab. "mr. hamlin is not here. i don't think there is any sense in our arousing the family until we know something more. i should not like to frighten mrs. wilson and harriet for nothing." the two girls slipped downstairs without making a sound. everything on the lower floor seemed dark and quiet. ruth and bab both began to think they had been haunted by a dream. they were on their way upstairs again, when ruth suddenly turned and glanced behind her. "bab," she whispered, clutching at barbara's bathrobe until that young woman nearly tumbled backwards down the steps, "there is a light in uncle's study! i suppose it is harriet who is down there." it flashed across bab's mind to wonder, oddly, if harriet's visit to her father's study at night could have anything to do with her debt to her dressmaker of five hundred dollars! for mollie had reported to her sister that harriet was feeling desperate over her unpleasant situation. "if it is harriet downstairs i don't think we ought to go down," bab objected. "we would frighten her if we walked in on her so unexpectedly." "harriet ought not to be alone downstairs," ruth insisted. "uncle would not like it. i am going to peep in on her, and then make her come on upstairs to bed." ruth led the way, with bab at her heels. but it occurred to barbara that the midnight visitor to mr. hamlin's study might be some one other than his daughter. bab did not know whether mr. hamlin kept any money in his strong box in the study. she and ruth were both unarmed, and might be approaching an unknown danger. quick as a flash bab arranged a little scheme of defense. there were two old-fashioned square stools placed on opposite sides of the hall. without a word to ruth, who was intent on her errand, bab drew out these two stools and placed them side by side in the immediate centre of the hall. any one who tried to escape from the study would stumble over these stools and at once alarm the household. of course, if bab and ruth found harriet in her father's study bab could warn them of her trap. "what shall we do, bab?" ruth asked when barbara joined her. "the light is still shining in the study. but i do not want to knock on the door; it would frighten harriet. and it would terrify her even more if we walked right into the study out of this darkness. but we can't wait out here all night. i am catching cold." barbara did not reply. they were in a difficult situation. suppose harriet were in the study? they did not wish to frighten her. in case the veiled figure was not harriet any speech of theirs would give their presence away. "i think we had better open the door quickly and rush in," ruth now decided. "then harriet can see at once who we are." without waiting for further consultation with bab, ruth flung wide the study door. in the same instant the light in the room went out like a flash. "harriet, is that you?" ruth faltered. there was no answer, save some one's quick breathing. ruth and bab could both perceive that an absolutely white figure was crouched in a corner of the room in the dark. bab moved cautiously toward the spot where she knew an electric light swung just above mr. hamlin's desk. but it was so dark that she had to move her hand gropingly above her head, for a moment, in order to locate the light. the veiled being in the corner must have guessed her motive. like a zephyr it floated past the two girls. so light and swift was its movement that bab's hand was arrested in its design. surely a ghost, not a human creature, had passed by them. the next sound that ruth and bab heard was not ghostlike. it was very human. first came a crash, then a cry of terror and surprise. at the same moment bab found the light she sought, turned it on, and ruth rushed out into the hall. there on the floor ruth discovered a jumble of stools and white draperies. and, shaking with the shock of her fall and forced laughter, was--not harriet, but her guest, mrs. wilson! she had a long white chiffon veil over her head, a filmy shawl over her shoulders, and a white gown. with her white hair she made a very satisfactory picture of a ghost. "my dear mrs. wilson!" cried ruth, in horrified tones, "what has happened to you? were you walking in your sleep! do let me help you up. i did not know these stools were out here where you could stumble over them." bab stood gravely looking on at the scene without expressing such marked surprise. mrs. wilson gave one curious, malignant glance at bab, then she smiled: "help me up, children. i am fairly caught in my crime." bab took hold of mrs. wilson by one arm, ruth grasped her by the other, and they both struggled to lift her. mrs. wilson gave a slight groan as she got fairly on her feet. her right hand clutched bab for added support. in falling over the stools mrs. wilson had given her knee a severe wrench. at the moment she staggered, barbara saw a large, oblong envelope fall to the floor from under mrs. wilson's soft white draperies. "what is the trouble?" called harriet, mollie and grace, poking their three sleepy heads over the banisters. at this interruption bab stooped down and quickly caught up the envelope, while mrs. wilson's attention was distracted by the three girls who were rapidly descending the steps. "mrs. wilson came downstairs for something," ruth explained in her quiet, well-bred fashion. "bab and i heard a noise and, as we did not recognize her, we followed her. we frightened mrs. wilson so that she stumbled over these stools out in the hall. i am afraid she is a little hurt. i think you had better call the servants, harriet." ruth did not, for an instant, let the surprise she felt at mrs. wilson's extraordinary conduct appear in her voice. "no, don't call any of the servants to-night, harriet," mrs. wilson demurred. "i am all right now. i owe you children an apology for my conduct to-night and also an explanation. but i think i can explain everything much more satisfactorily if we wait until morning. i think miss thurston already understands my escapade. i have taken her into my confidence." mrs. wilson directed at barbara a glance so compelling that it was almost hypnotic. bab did not return her look or make any answer. a little while later barbara disappeared. she went back alone to mr. hamlin's study. on top of his desk she discovered a box about a foot and a half long. it had been opened and a key was lying beside it on the desk. barbara could see that there was no money in the box, only a collection of papers. bab returned the long envelope, which she had found at mrs. wilson's feet in the hall to its place, turned the key in the lock of the box, and then carried the key upstairs, intending to hand it over to harriet. but bab did not know whether or not she ought to explain to harriet how she had come by the key. harriet was in the room with mrs. wilson, seeing her guest to bed for the second time, when barbara went upstairs. bab had no desire to face mrs. wilson again that night. the distrust of the woman that was deepening in the girl's mind was too great to conceal. "come into my room in the morning before breakfast, harriet, dear," mrs. wilson entreated, as she kissed her young hostess good night. "i know you will forgive my foolishness, when i have had a little talk with you. it is too late now for explanations." it was between two and three o'clock in the morning before the household of the assistant secretary of state again settled itself to sleep. under her pillow barbara thurston had the key to mr. william hamlin's strong box, in which valuable state papers were sometimes temporarily placed. chapter xviii a tangled web of circumstance harriet hamlin spent half an hour in the room with mrs. wilson before she came down to the breakfast table the next morning. "it is all right, girls," she announced promptly, as soon as the maid left the room. "mrs. wilson is going to have her breakfast in bed. she is a little upset by the happenings of last night. but she has explained everything to me. for some time, mrs. wilson has been trying to play a joke on father, and last night she made another attempt. i promised her none of us would mention to him what had occurred. will you give me your word, all of you, not to tell?" "certainly, harriet," ruth agreed seriously. the other three "automobile girls" quietly nodded their heads. "i don't know that i quite approve of mrs. wilson's method of practical joking," harriet went on. "she frightened all of us. but then, if no one had discovered her, no harm would have been done." mollie and grace gazed at harriet, without trying to conceal their surprise, but ruth and bab only looked steadfastly at their plates. "father is so strict and good all the time, i just wish somebody would play a trick on him," harriet went on angrily. she was annoyed at the attitude of the "automobile girls," and she was still smarting under the hurt of her father's speech the night before. as long as her father had refused her money before she had even asked him for it, harriet had decided that it would be worse than useless to appeal to him again. she was now waiting for disaster to break over her head. "mrs. wilson rather blames you, barbara," harriet continued. "she says she did not succeed in her joke, after all, because you came down stairs at the wrong time and foiled the whole thing. she could not find the silly old paper she needed. but do please be quiet as mice about the whole affair. don't mention it before the servants. father will be home to-night. will you girls mind excusing me for the day, and finding some way of amusing yourselves? i have promised mrs. wilson to go home with her." "of course we can get along, harriet," grace replied. "i hope you will have a good time." bab made no answer to harriet's report of mrs. wilson's attitude toward her. but she was convinced that mrs. wilson knew she had discovered the stolen paper and returned it to its rightful place. the "automobile girls" did not see harriet again that morning. at noon a message was sent upstairs. mr. william hamlin had returned and wished to see his daughter at once. when he learned that harriet was not at home, he immediately sent for ruth. "ruth, i have come home sooner than i had planned," he declared, "and i wish to have a talk with you. now, please keep your self-control. girls and women have such a fashion of flying into a rage at the first word one says, that it is perfectly impossible to have any reasonable conversation with them. i wish to talk with you quite quietly and calmly." "very well, uncle," ruth replied, meekly enough, though she was far from feeling meek. she could readily understand why harriet had found it impossible to make a confidant of her father. "i am glad you are so sensible, ruth," mr. hamlin went on. "for i have reason to believe that your friend, barbara thurston, has proved herself an undesirable guest, since her arrival in washington, which i very much deplore. she is dishonorable, for she has secretly entered my study and been seen handling my papers, and she has contracted a debt; for i saw the check by means of which she returned the borrowed money to mrs. wilson. i cannot understand how you and your father have managed to be so deceived by the young woman." "stop, uncle william," ruth interrupted hotly. "i cannot, of course, tell you that the things which you say are untrue. but at least i have the right to say that i positively know you are wrong. i shall ask barbara to come down to your study, at once, to deny these charges. then we shall go home immediately." "there, ruth, i expected it," mr. hamlin answered testily. "just as i said. you have gone off the handle at once. of course your young friend may have some plausible explanation for her actions. but i will not be guilty of making any accusations against a guest in my own house under any circumstances. i have only mentioned these facts to you because i feel that it is my positive duty to warn you against this girl, whom you have chosen for your most intimate friend. it is impossible that i have been deceived in regard to her. i have positive proof of what i say, and i sadly fear she is a very headstrong and misguided girl." ruth was already crying from anger, which made it hard for her to answer her uncle's speech. "you certainly don't object to my telling barbara of your accusations, uncle william?" ruth demanded. "i think it is only fair to her." "not while she is in my house. you are to tell her nothing," mr. hamlin ordered. "when miss thurston leaves you may tell her whatever you wish. but i will not have a scene with her while she is staying here." mr. hamlin was a cold, selfish and arrogant man. he well deserved the blow to his pride that he was to receive later. ruth controlled herself in order to think deeply and quietly. her father was wise in his trust in her. ruth had excellent judgment and good sense. she was not particularly impressed by her uncle's command. she felt that she had a perfect right to tell her friend of what she had been accused. yet would it be a good idea? barbara would be heart-broken, and nothing would induce her to remain in mr. hamlin's house another hour after she learned his opinion of her. ruth knew it would not be well for bab to rush off home in sudden anger, leaving a false impression behind her. barbara must stay in mr. hamlin's house until he himself apologized to her. ruth did not dare to go back upstairs to the other girls immediately after her interview with her uncle. she knew her friends would recognize at once, from her red eyes and her excitement, that something was the matter. yet ruth longed for a confidant, and she meant to unburden herself to grace as soon as she had the opportunity. to go upstairs now would reveal everything to mollie and barbara as well. ruth seized her coat and hat from a closet in the hall and rushed out into the street. she began walking as rapidly as she could, to let the fresh air cool the tumult of feeling that was surging within her. ruth must have walked a mile before she determined what to do. before she returned to mr. hamlin's house, she found a telegraph office and went into it. she sent a telegram to her father in chicago, which read: "come to washington as soon as possible. bab wrongly suspected. she is still in ignorance, but we need you. "ruth stuart." little did ruth yet dream why these toils were being wound about unhappy barbara. mollie's one act of weakness had involved her sister in a number of actions that did look wrong to an outsider. yet the explanation of them was so simple, if bab had only known it were best for her to tell the whole story! but barbara was trying to shield mollie, and mollie did not dream that bab would suffer any consequences from her foolish deed. so bab's peculiar proceedings since her arrival in washington had indeed played well into the hands of her enemies. mr. hamlin's mind had been poisoned against her. she had been seen to do several underhanded things, one following directly after the other. if a big game were being attempted, the reputation of barbara thurston was of little account. besides bab had already blocked several of the players in the game. revenge could very well enter into the present scheme of things, and a girl who had no one to defend her might prove a useful tool. as a last resort she could be made a scapegoat. in the meanwhile, barbara was blissfully unconscious of any trouble, and went singing cheerily about her room that morning. since the delivery of her check to mrs. wilson it seemed to her that the skies were blue again. during the rest of her stay in washington bab meant just to enjoy the beautiful sights of the wonderful city and not to trouble about the disagreeable people. she did intend to ask harriet to take her to see the cunning little chinese girl, wee tu, before she went home, but she had no other very definite desires. as for mrs. wilson? barbara had just wisely decided that the woman belonged to a curious type, which she did not understand and wished to keep away from. bab did not admire mrs. wilson's methods of playing jokes. on the other hand it was none of barbara thurston's business. so long as she had put the paper back in mr. hamlin's strong box no harm had been done. barbara still had in her possession the key to that strong box. she had neglected to give it to harriet, because harriet had left home so soon after breakfast. and now that very terrifying person, mr. william hamlin, had returned home, and barbara thurston still had the key in her possession. even ruth had gone out. what should she do? she decided to keep the key until harriet came back in the afternoon. then harriet could make some sort of explanation to her father. barbara simply did not have the courage to tell mr. hamlin that she had discovered mrs. wilson tampering with his papers, and that it was she who had found the stolen paper and locked it up again. however, fate was certainly against bab at the present time. a servant knocked at the door of the next room, where grace and mollie were reading. "please," the maid said, "mr. hamlin wants to know if miss harriet left a key with you? it is a most important key, and mr. hamlin needs it at once." grace and mollie both shook their heads. no; harriet had mentioned no such key to them. barbara was waiting in the next room with the door open. she knew her turn would come next. "do you know anything of the key, miss barbara?" harriet's maid inquired. of course bab blushed. she always did at the wrong time. "yes, i have the key, mary," she replied. "wait a minute, i will get it for you." "do the young ladies know anything of my key?" mr. william hamlin's impatient voice was heard just outside barbara's door. innocently the maid opened it. "wait a minute, mr. hamlin, please. miss thurston says she has the key. she is getting it for you now." and barbara had to come to the door herself to present the key to this dreadful old "bluebeard." "i presume my daughter left my key in your charge," mr. hamlin asked coldly. "no," she declared almost under her breath, hoping her stern host would either not hear her, or at least not heed her. "harriet did not leave it with me." "then kindly tell me how my key came into your possession?" mr. hamlin inquired, in chilling, even tones. bab shivered. "i found it," bab answered lamely, having it in mind to tell the whole strange story of last night's experience. but she was too frightened by mr. hamlin's manner and by the fear that she would be regarded as a telltale by harriet. if mr. hamlin's own daughter had not considered her guest's actions unusual, it was not exactly bab's place to report them. so she remained silent, and her host also turned away in silence. harriet did not come home until just before dinner time. she told the "automobile girls" she had spent a delightful day, but her behavior was unusual. she looked frightened, though at the same time happier than she had seemed since the hour she had received the first threatening letter from her dressmaker. peter dillon had walked home with harriet. barbara, who happened to be standing at the front window, saw them stop to talk for a moment at the door before peter said good-bye. peter was making himself very charming to harriet. he was talking to her in his half laughing, half earnest fashion in the very manner that had seemed so attractive to bab, too, at first. but it was a manner she had learned later on to distrust and even to fear. when harriet parted from peter dillon she nodded her head emphatically and apparently made him a promise, and barbara saw peter look back at her with a peculiar smile as she ascended the steps. chapter xix harriet in danger harriet hamlin was restless and nervous all the next day. even mr. hamlin, noticing his daughter's nervous manner at luncheon, suggested that she take her friends out to pay some calls. so bab put forth her plea that she wished to make another visit to the home of the chinese minister. as the girls had not yet paid their luncheon call at the embassy harriet agreed to take them to see wee tu. before she left the house harriet called up her dressmaker and had a long confidential talk with her over the telephone. she seemed in better spirits afterwards. the chinese minister's wife, lady tu, was receiving. as there were no men in the drawing-room, her daughter, wee tu, sat among the young girls as quiet and demure as a picture on a fan. bab managed to persuade the little girl into a corner to have a quiet chat with her. but miss wee tu was difficult to draw out. across the room, harriet hamlin chanced to mention the name of peter dillon. at once the little chinese girl's expression changed. the change was very slight. hardly a shade of emotion crossed her unexpressive, oriental face, but curious barbara was watching for that very change. she remembered the young girl had been affected by peter's appearance during their former visit. "do you like mr. dillon?" inquired bab. she had no excuse for her question except her own wilful curiosity. but wee tu was not to be caught napping. "lige?" she answered, with a soft rising inflection that made the "k" in "like" sound as "g." "i do not know what americans mean by the word--'lige.' you 'lige' so many people. a chinese girl 'liges' only a few--her parents, her relatives; sometimes she 'liges' her husband, but not always." "don't like your husband!" exclaimed bab in surprise. "why, what do you mean?" the little chinese maiden was confused both by the american word and the american idea. "the chinese girl has respect for her husband; she does what he tells her to do, but she does not all the time 'lige' him, because her father has chosen him for her husband. i shall marry a prince, when i go back to china, but he is 'verra' old." "oh, i see!" bab rejoined. "you thought i meant 'love' when i said 'like.' it is quite different to love a person." bab smiled wisely. "to love is to like a great deal." "then i love this mr. peter dillon," said the chinese girl sweetly. bab gasped in shocked surprise. "it is most improper that i say so, is it not?" smiled miss wee tu. "but so many things that american girls do seem improper to chinese ladies. and i do like this mr. peter very much. he comes always to our house. he is 'verra' intimate with my father. he talks to him a long, long time and they have chinese secrets together. then he talks with me so that i can understand him. many people will not trouble with a chinese girl, who is only fifteen, even if her father is a minister." barbara was overwhelmed with wee tu's confidence, but she knew she deserved it as a punishment for her curiosity. the strangest thing was that the young chinese girl spoke in a low, even voice, without the least change of expression in her long, almond eyes. any one watching her would have thought she was talking of the weather. "i go back to china when my father's time in the united states is over and then i get married. it makes no difference. but while i am in your country i play i am free, like an american girl, and i do what i like inside my own head." "it's very wrong," barbara argued hastily. "it is much better to trust to your parents." "yes?" answered wee tu quietly. bab was vexed that peter dillon's careless irish manners had also charmed this little oriental maiden. but bab was wise enough to understand that wee tu's interest was only that of a child who was grateful to the young man for his kindness. barbara rose to join her friends, who were at this moment saying good-bye to their hostess. "it is the chinese custom," lady tu remarked graciously, "to make little presents to our guests. will not mr. hamlin's daughter and her four friends receive these poor offerings?" a servant handed the girls five beautiful, carved tortoise shell boxes, containing exquisite sets of combs for their hair, the half dozen or more that chinese women wear. "i felt ashamed of my wind-blown hair when lady tu presented us with these combs," grace exclaimed, just before the little party reached home. they had paid a dozen more calls since their visit to the chinese embassy. "i suppose chinese women are shocked at the way american girls wear their hair." "yes, but we can't take three hours to fix ours," laughed mollie, running up the steps of the hamlin house. in the front hall mollie spied an immense box of roses. they were for harriet. harriet picked up the box languidly and started upstairs. she had talked very little during the afternoon, and had seemed unlike herself. "aren't you going to open your flowers, harriet?" mollie pleaded. "i am crazy to see them." "i'll open them if it pleases you, mollie," harriet returned gently. the great box was crowded with long-stemmed american beauties and violets. "have some posies, girls?" harriet said generously, holding out her arms filled with flowers. for a long time afterwards the "automobile girls" remembered how beautiful harriet looked as she stood there, her face very pale, her black hair and hat outlined against the dark oak woodwork with the great bunch of american beauties in her arms. "of course we don't want your posies, lady harriet," mollie answered affectionately. "here is the note to tell you who sent them to you." but harriet went on to her room without showing enough interest in her gift to open the letter. after dinner harriet complained of a headache, and went immediately to her room. the "automobile girls" were going out to a theater party, which was being given in their honor by their old friends, mrs. post and hugh. harriet sent word she would have to be excused. when ruth put her head into harriet's room to say good-bye, just before she started for the theater, she thought she heard her cousin crying. "harriet, dear, do let me stay with you," ruth pleaded. "i am afraid you are feeling worse than you will let us know." but harriet insisted that she desired only to be left alone. feeling strangely unhappy about her cousin, ruth, at last joined the theater party. mr. hamlin did not leave the house immediately after dinner, although he had an engagement to spend the evening at the home of mrs. wilson. she had asked him, only that morning, to come. mr. hamlin was also troubled about his daughter. he had not been so unobservant that he had not seen the change in her. she was less animated, less talkative. mr. hamlin feared harriet was not well. though he was stern and unsympathetic with harriet, he was genuinely frightened if she were in the least ill. so it was with unusual gentleness that he tapped lightly on harriet's door. "i am all right, mary, thank you," harriet replied, believing her maid to be outside. "go to bed whenever you please. i shall fall asleep after a while." mr. hamlin cleared his throat and harriet started nervously. why was her father standing outside her door? had he learned of her bill to her dressmaker? "i do not wish to disturb you, harriet," mr. hamlin began awkwardly. "i only desired to know if i could do anything for you." "no, father," poor harriet replied wearily. as mr. hamlin turned away, she sprang up and started to run after him. at her own door she stopped. she heard her father's stern voice giving an order to a servant, and her sudden resolution died within her. a few moments later the front door closed behind him and her opportunity had passed. an hour afterwards, when the house was quiet and the servants nowhere about, harriet hamlin slipped cautiously downstairs. she was gone only a few minutes. but when she came back to her own room, she opened a private drawer in her bureau and hid something in it. harriet then threw herself on her bed and lay for a long time with her eyes wide open, staring straight ahead of her. just before midnight, when she heard the gay voices of her friends returning from the theater, and when ruth tripped softly to her bedroom, harriet lay with closed eyes, apparently fast asleep. the next morning harriet was really ill. her hand trembled so while she poured the breakfast coffee that she spilled some of it on the tablecloth. when mr. hamlin spoke to her sharply she burst into tears and left the room, leaving her father ashamed of himself, and the "automobile girls" so embarrassed that they ate the rest of their breakfast in painful silence. ruth did dart one indignant glance at her uncle, which mr. hamlin saw, but did not in his heart resent. harriet was willing, that morning, to have ruth come into her darkened bedroom and sit by her bed. for harriet's wakeful night had left her slightly feverish. "i don't want to disturb you, harriet," bab apologized, coming softly to the door. "but some one has just telephoned for you. the person at the telephone has a message for you, but whoever it is refuses to give his name. what shall i do!" harriet sat up in bed, quickly, a hunted expression on her beautiful face. "tell mr. peter dillon that i will keep my word," harriet answered angrily. "he is not to worry about me again." "is that your message?" bab queried wonderingly. "it was not mr. dillon's voice." harriet laughed hysterically. "of course not!" she returned. "oh, i know you girls are wondering why i am behaving so strangely. and i am breaking my word to tell you. but i must tell some one. i don't care what mrs. wilson and peter dillon say, i know i can trust you. i have decided to help mrs. wilson and peter play their silly joke on father and the state department! oh, you needn't look so horrified, girls. it is only a joke. the papers are about some chinese business. i have them hid in my bureau drawer." harriet nodded toward her dressing-table, while ruth and bab stood looking at each other, speechless with horror, the same idea growing in their minds. "when father comes to look for his stupid papers he'll find them gone, and, of course, will think he has misplaced them," harriet continued. "he will be dreadfully worried for a little while; then mrs. wilson will return the papers to me and i will slip them back in their old place, and father will never know what has happened. mrs. wilson and peter have vowed they will never betray me, and i have promised not to betray them. if i were to be caught, i suppose father would never forgive me. but i'll take good care that he doesn't find out about it." "harriet, do please give up this foolish plan!" ruth entreated earnestly. "i know you are doing something wrong. mrs. wilson and mr. dillon both know that uncle william's papers are too valuable to be played with. why, they belong to the united states government, not to him! harriet, i implore you, do not touch your father's papers!" harriet shook her head obstinately. she was absolutely adamant. ruth pleaded, scolded, in vain. bab did not say a word nor enter a protest. she was too frightened. all of a sudden a veil had been rent asunder. now she believed she understood what peter dillon and mrs. wilson had planned from the beginning. they were spies in the service of some higher power. the papers that harriet thought were to be used for a joke on her father were really to be sold! was not some state secret to be betrayed? ever since bab's arrival in washington it had looked as though peter dillon and mrs. wilson had been working toward this very end. having failed with her they had turned their attention to poor harriet. but mrs. wilson and peter dillon must be only hired tools! shrewdly barbara thurston recalled her recent conversation with innocent wee tu: "mr. dillon and my father, they have chinese secrets together." could a certain distinguished and wisely silent oriental gentleman be responsible for the thrilling drama about to be enacted? bab was never to know positively, and she wisely kept her suspicion to herself. "i do wish, ruth, you and bab would go away and leave me alone," harriet protested. "i shall be well enough to get up for luncheon, if you will let me take a nap. i don't see any harm in playing this joke on father. at any rate, i have quite made up my mind to go through with my part in it and i won't give up my plan. you can tell father if you choose, of course. i cannot prevent that. i know i was foolish to have confided in you. but, unless you are despicable tale bearers, the papers in my bureau drawer will go out of this house in a few hours! i don't see any harm in their disappearing for a little while. father will have them back in a few days. please go!" yet with all harriet's air of bravado, however, there was one point in her story which she did not mention. in return for her delivery of certain of her father's state papers mrs. wilson and peter dillon had promised to advance to harriet the five hundred dollars necessary to pay her dressmaker. harriet had agreed only to receive it as a loan. and she tried to comfort herself with the idea that her friends were only doing her a kindness in exchange for the favor she was to do for them. still, the thought of the money worried harriet. but how else was she to be saved from the weight of her stern father's displeasure? chapter xx foiled! at harriet's request bab and ruth went silently out of her room, their faces white and frightened. "ruth, is there any place where we can be alone?" barbara whispered faintly. "i must talk with you." ruth nodded, and the two friends found their way into the library, turning the key in the lock. then they stood facing each other, speechless, for a moment, from the very intensity of their feelings. "ruth, you must do something," bab entreated. "the papers that mrs. wilson and mr. dillon are making harriet get for them they do not intend to use for a joke. oh, ruth, they are no doubt important state papers! harriet may be betraying her country and ruining her father by placing these papers in their hands." "i think, too, that mrs. wilson and peter dillon are spies," ruth returned more quietly. "and, of course, we must do something to prevent their getting their hands on the papers." "but what can we do?" barbara demanded sharply. "we cannot tell mr. hamlin of harriet's deed. it would be too cruel of us. nor can we confront mrs. wilson and peter dillon with the accusation. they would only laugh at us, and declare that we were mad to have imagined any such thing. then, again, we would be betraying harriet's confidence. we do not know just what state papers harriet is to give to them, but they must be very, very valuable. i suppose those dreadful people will have the papers copied, sell our country's secret, and return the papers to harriet when all the mischief has been done. ruth, i believe, now, that mrs. wilson and peter dillon both meant to make me steal mr. hamlin's papers. then they would have declared i had sold them to some one. and mr. hamlin would never have suspected his friends. now, they think poor harriet will be too much afraid to betray them." bab's voice trembled slightly. she realized how nearly she had been the dupe of these two clever schemers. she felt that she and ruth must save harriet at all events. "mrs. wilson tried to steal mr. hamlin's papers the night she masqueraded as a ghost," barbara continued. "i picked up the envelope she dropped on the floor in the hall." "i know it, barbara," ruth answered in her self-controlled fashion, which always had a calming effect on the more impetuous bab. "i also believe mrs. wilson meant to fix the guilt of the theft upon you. uncle william called me into his study the other day and asked me if i considered you trustworthy. of course i was awfully indignant and told him just what i thought of him for being so suspicious. but i believe mrs. wilson had tried to poison his mind against you. you must be on your guard now, bab, dear. if harriet gives up these papers of uncle's the plotters may still try to use you as their scapegoat. when uncle finds his papers have disappeared mrs. wilson and mr. dillon will, of course, appear to know nothing of them; but they will somehow try to direct suspicion against you, trusting to harriet's cowardice. don't you worry though, bab, dear. you shall not suffer for harriet's fault while i am here." "oh, i am not worrying about myself, ruth," bab answered. "it is harriet's part in the affair that troubles me. do, please, go to harriet and talk to her again. surely you can make her see the risk she is running. do you suppose it would do any good if i were to call on mrs. wilson? i could just pretend i still thought she meant to play the joke on mr. hamlin. you know she told me she intended to do so. i could beg her to give it up without mentioning harriet's name or letting mrs. wilson guess that harriet had confided in us." ruth shook her head. "it would not do any good for you to go to mrs. wilson, bab. and, somehow, i am afraid for you. we do not know how much further they intend to involve you in their plot." "oh, they won't do me any harm, now," barbara rejoined. "anyhow, i am willing to take the risk, if harriet will not give in." "just wait here, bab, until i have been to see harriet again," ruth entreated. "i will go down on my knees to her, if i can persuade her to give up this wicked deed. oh, why is she so determined to be so reckless and so foolish?" fifteen minutes afterwards ruth came back from her second interview with harriet, looking utterly discouraged. "harriet simply won't give up," ruth reported to bab. "she is absolutely determined to go her own way, and she is angry with me for interfering. oh, bab, what will happen? uncle is so proud! if his daughter is known to have given mrs. wilson and peter dillon state papers, the report will be circulated that she stole them, and uncle william will be disgraced. then, what will become of harriet? she does not intend to do wrong. but i simply can't make her see this thing as we see it. so what can we do?" unusually self-contained, ruth broke down, now, weeping on bab's shoulder. the thought of the dreadful disgrace to her uncle and her cousin was more than she could face. "i am going to see mrs. wilson, ruth," bab declared. "you had better stay here and do your best with harriet. the papers are not to be delivered until four this afternoon, when, i believe, harriet is to meet peter dillon. of course it was he who telephoned harriet, only he was clever enough to disguise his voice. so we have until afternoon to work. don't worry yourself sick. we simply must save harriet in some way. i don't pretend that i see the way clearly yet, but i have faith that it will come. i cannot do any harm by going to mrs. wilson, and i may do some good." "i don't like you to go there alone, bab," ruth faltered. "but i don't dare to leave harriet by herself. she might find a way to give up the papers while we were out, and then all would be lost!" when bab rang the bell at the door of mrs. wilson's home she did not know that her approach had been watched. she meant to be very careful during her interview, for she realized that she and ruth were endeavoring to foil two brilliant and unscrupulous enemies. mrs. wilson and peter were in the library, and through the window mrs. wilson had watched bab approaching the house. "here comes that tiresome thurston girl, whom you were going to use as your tool, peter," teased mrs. wilson. "she wasn't so easy to manage as you thought, was she? never mind; she will still be used as our scapegoat. but i shall not see her this morning. what's the use?" "let her come in, by all means, mrs. wilson," peter dillon urged. "i shall hide so that she will not see me. what would fall in with our plans better than to have this girl come here to-day! who knows how this visit may be made to count against her? of course, if suspicion never points to us we had best never mention the name of barbara thurston. but--if mr. hamlin ever questions you, why not say miss thurston came here to-day and betrayed the fact to you that she had stolen mr. hamlin's papers? we have circumstantial evidence enough against her." bab found mrs. wilson very much surprised to see her, and looking very languid and bored. straightforward barbara rushed headlong into her request. "really, miss thurston, don't you think you are rather impertinent?" drawled her hostess, when bab finished. "i don't see what business it is of yours whether or not i wish to play a joke on my friend, mr. hamlin. don't try to get out of mischief by reporting to mr. hamlin the story of my poor little joke. you can hardly save yourself by any such method. no one will believe you. and i have an idea that you came to my house to-day for a very different purpose than to persuade me to give up my joke. what was it?" bab was mystified. she had no idea how mrs. wilson and peter dillon had planned to use her visit as evidence against her, so it was impossible for her to understand mrs. wilson's insinuation. barbara did not stay long. she saw mrs. wilson had no intention of being persuaded from her design. even though the woman was beginning to see that bab and ruth were a little suspicious of her, she had no idea of being frightened from her deep-laid scheme by two insignificant schoolgirls. barbara hurried to her car as fast as she could, anxious to get back to ruth and to devise some other move to checkmate the traitors. she even hoped, against hope, that harriet had been induced to change her mind and that all would yet be well. but as bab jumped aboard her car she saw another girl, running down the street, waving something in the air and evidently trying to induce bab's street car to wait for her. barbara begged the conductor to hold the car for a moment, before she recognized the figure, running toward them. but the next second she beheld the ever-present newspaper girl, marjorie moore, tablet and pencil in hand, completely out of breath and exhausted. marjorie moore could not speak for some time after she had secured a seat next bab in the car. "i have been watching mrs. wilson's house since eight o'clock this morning," she finally gasped. "what on earth made you go in there?" "i can't tell you," bab returned coldly. not for anything in the world would she have marjorie moore suspect what she and ruth feared. miss moore gave a little, half amused, half sarcastic laugh. "you can't tell? oh, never mind, my dear. i know you are all right. you weren't doing anything wrong. i expect you were trying to help set matters straight. you don't need to tell me anything. i think i know all that is necessary. good-bye now. i must get off this car at the corner. let me tell you, however, not to worry, whatever happens. i am in possession of all the facts, so there will be no trouble in proving them. but if anything disagreeable happens to you," marjorie moore gave bab a reassuring smile, "telephone me, will you? my number is , union." marjorie moore rushed out of the street car as hurriedly as she had entered it, before bab could take in what she had said. barbara puzzled all the rest of the way home. could it be possible that marjorie moore had discovered mrs. wilson's and peter's plot? could she also have guessed harriet's part in it? bab shuddered, for she remembered the newspaper girl's words to her on the night of their first meeting: "if ever i have a chance to get even with harriet hamlin, won't i take my revenge?" did marjorie moore also suspect that an effort would be made to draw barbara into this whirlpool of disgrace? no one ate any luncheon at the home of the assistant secretary of state, except mollie and grace. fortunately mr. hamlin did not return home. ruth and bab had decided not to tell the other two "automobile girls" of their terrible uneasiness unless they actually needed the help of the younger girls to save the situation. ruth and bab did not wish to prejudice mollie and grace against harriet if it were possible to spare her. but ruth had told bab that, at four o'clock, harriet was determined to deliver the papers to peter dillon. at two o'clock, however, the two friends had found no way to influence harriet to give up her mad project. indeed, harriet scarcely spoke to either of them, she was so bitterly angry at what she termed their interference. at three o'clock, ruth and barbara grew desperate. for, at three, harriet hamlin closed the door of her bedroom and commenced to dress for her engagement. "try once again, ruth," bab pleaded. "it is worse even than you know. i believe marjorie moore suspects what harriet is about to do. suppose she publishes the story in the morning papers. tell harriet i have a reason for thinking she knows about the affair." bab waited apprehensively for ruth's return. it seemed to her that, for the first time in their adventures, the "automobile girls" had met with a situation that no amount of pluck or effort on their part could control. this was the most important experience of their whole lives, for their country was about to be betrayed! once barbara stamped her foot in her impatience. how dared harriet hamlin be so willful, so headstrong? bab's face was white with anxiety and suspense. her lips twitched nervously. then in a flash her whole expression changed. the color came back to her cheeks, the light to her eyes. at the eleventh hour the way had been made clear. ruth had no such look when she returned to barbara. she flung herself despondently into a chair. "it's no use," she declared despairingly. "harriet must go her own way. we can do nothing with her!" "yes, we can!" bab whispered. she leaned over and murmured something in ruth's ear. ruth sprang to her feet. "barbara thurston, you are perfectly wonderful!" she cried. "yes, i do know where it is. go to my desk and take that blank paper. it is just the right size. fold it up in three parts. there, it will do, now; give it to me. now go and command grace and mollie, if they love us, to call harriet out of her room for a minute. we can explain to them afterwards." mollie and grace feared barbara had gone suddenly mad when she rushed in upon them with her demand. but mollie did manage to persuade harriet to go into the next room. as harriet slipped out of her bedroom, her cousin, ruth stuart, stole into it, hiding something she held in her hand. she was alone in harriet's room for not more than two minutes. at a quarter to four o'clock, harriet hamlin left her father's house with a large envelope concealed inside her shopping bag. opposition had merely strengthened harriet's original resolution. she was no longer frightened. ruth and bab were absurd to have been so tragic over a silly joke. at a little after four o'clock, in a quiet, out-of-the-way street in washington, harriet turned over to peter dillon this envelope, which, as she supposed, contained the much-coveted papers which she had extracted from the private collection of the assistant secretary of state. whatever the papers were, peter dillon took them carelessly with his usual charming smile. but inwardly he was chanting a song of victory. he and mrs. wilson would be many-thousands of dollars richer by this time to-morrow. he glanced into the envelope with his near-sighted eyes. the papers were folded up inside and all was well! peter did not dare, before harriet, to be too interested in what the envelope contained. it would not have made him happier to have looked closer; the song of victory would have died away on his lips. for, instead of certain secret documents sent to the office of the secretary of state, from representatives of the united states government in china, harriet hamlin had turned over to peter dillon an official envelope, which contained only folded sheets of blank paper! it had been barbara's idea and ruth had carried it out successfully. in the moment when harriet left her room in answer to mollie's call, ruth had exchanged the valuable state papers for the worthless ones. once harriet was safely out of the way, she and bab carried the precious documents downstairs and shut them up in mr. hamlin's desk. both girls hoped that all trouble was now averted, and that mr. hamlin would never hear of harriet's folly! chapter xxi the discovery the members of the hamlin household went early to their own rooms that night. ruth at once flung herself down on a couch without removing her clothing. in a few minutes she was fast asleep, for she believed their difficulties were over. bab did not feel as secure. she was still thinking of the speech the newspaper girl had made to her in the car. at ten o'clock the assistant secretary of state, who was sitting alone in his study, heard a violent ringing of his telephone bell. he did not know that, at this same instant, his daughter harriet had crept down to his study door intending to make a full confession of her mistakes to him. mr. hamlin picked up the receiver. "'the washington news?' yes. you have something important to say to me? well, what is it?" mr. hamlin listened quietly for a little while. then harriet heard him cry in a hoarse, unnatural voice: "impossible! the thing is preposterous! where did you ever get hold of such an absurd idea?" harriet stopped to listen no longer. she never knew how she got back upstairs to her room. she half staggered, half fell up the steps. suddenly she realized everything! she had been used as a tool by mrs. wilson and peter dillon. ruth and barbara had been right. she had stolen her father's state papers. a newspaper had gotten hold of the story and already her father and she were disgraced. in the meantime, mr. hamlin continued to talk over the telephone, though his hand shook so he was hardly able to hold the receiver. "you say you think it best to warn me that the story of the theft of my papers will be published in the morning paper, that you know that private state documents entrusted to me keeping have been sold to secret spies? what evidence have you? i have missed no such papers. wait a minute." mr. hamlin went to his strong box. sure enough, certain documents were missing. ruth and bab had put the papers in the desk. "have you an idea who stole my papers?" mr. hamlin called back over the telephone wire, his voice shaken with passion. evidently the editor who was talking to mr. hamlin now lost his courage. he did not dare to tell mr. hamlin that his own daughter was suspected of having sold her father's papers. mr. hamlin repeated the editor's exact words. "you say a young woman sold my papers? you are right; this is not a matter to be discussed over the telephone. send some one up from your office to see me at once." mr. hamlin reeled over to his bell-rope and gave it a pull, so that the noise of its ringing sounded like an alarm through the quiet house. a frightened servant answered the bell. "tell miss thurston and my niece, miss stuart, to come to my study at once," mr. hamlin ordered. the man-servant obeyed. "ruth, dear, wake up," bab entreated, giving her friend a shake. "something awful must have happened. your uncle has sent for us. he must have missed those papers." [illustration: "what have you done with my papers?"] ruth and bab, both of them looking unutterably miserable and shaken, entered mr. hamlin's study. their host did not speak as they first approached him. when he did he turned on them such a haggard, wretched face that they were filled with pity. but the instant mr. hamlin caught sight of barbara his expression changed. he took her by the arm, and, before she could guess what was going to happen, he shook her violently. "what have you done with my state papers?" he demanded. "tell me quickly. don't hesitate. there may yet be time to save us both. oh, i should never have let you stay in this house!" he groaned. "i suspected you of mischief when i learned of your first visit to my office. but i did not believe such treachery could be found in a young girl. ruth, can't you make your friend speak! if she will tell me to whom she sold my papers, i will forgive her everything! but i must know where they are at once. i can then force the newspaper to keep silence and force my enemies to return me the documents, if there is only time!" barbara dropped into a chair and covered her face with her hands. she did not utter a word of reproach to mr. hamlin for his cruel suspicion of her. she could not tell him that his daughter harriet was the real thief. "uncle," ruth entreated, laying a quiet hand on mr. hamlin's arm, "listen to me for a moment. yes, you must listen! you are not disgraced; you are not ruined. look in your desk. your papers are still there. only the old envelope is gone. i put the papers in this drawer only this afternoon, because i did not know in what place you kept them. some papers were given away, a few hours ago, to two people, whom you believed to be your friends, to mrs. wilson and peter dillon. but they were not your state papers, they were only blank sheets." mr. hamlin looked into his drawer and saw the lost documents, then he passed his hand over his forehead. "i don't understand," he muttered. "do you mean that, instead of the actual papers, you saved me by substituting blank papers for these valuable ones? then your friend did try to sell her country's secrets, and you saved her and me. i shall never cease to be grateful to you to the longest day i live. for your sake i will spare your friend. but she must leave my house in the morning. i do not wish ever to look upon her again." "bab did not sell your papers, uncle," ruth protested passionately. "you shall not make such accusations against her. it was she who saved you. i did only what she told me to do. i did substitute the papers, but it was barbara who thought of it." "then who, in heaven's name, is guilty of this dreadful act?" mr. hamlin cried. neither ruth nor bab answered. bab still sat with her face covered with her hands, in order to hide her hot tears. she cried partly for poor harriet, and partly because of her sympathy for mr. hamlin. ruth gazed at her uncle, white, silent and trembling. "who, ruth? i demand to know!" mr. hamlin repeated. "i shall not tell you," ruth returned, with a little gasp. "send for my daughter, harriet. she may know something," mr. hamlin ejaculated. then he rang for a servant. the two girls and the one man, who had grown old in the last few minutes, waited in unbroken silence. the girls had a strong desire to scream, to cry out, to warn harriet. she must not let her father know of her foolish deed while his anger was at its height. it seemed an eternity before the butler returned to mr. hamlin's study. "miss hamlin is not in her room," he reported respectfully. "not in her room? then look for her through the house," mr. hamlin repeated more quietly. he had gained greater control of himself. but a new fear was oppressing him, weighing him down. he would not give the idea credence even in his own mind. three--four--five minutes passed. still harriet did not appear. "let me look for harriet, uncle," ruth implored, unable to control herself any longer. at this moment mollie came innocently down the stairs. "is mr. hamlin looking for harriet?" she inquired. "harriet left the house ten minutes ago. she had on her coat and her hat, but she would not stop to say good-bye. i think her maid went with her. mary had just a shawl thrown over her head. i am sure they will be back in a few minutes. harriet must have gone out to post a letter. i thought she would have come back before this." imagine poor mollie's horror and surprise when mr. hamlin dropped into a chair at her news and groaned: "it was harriet after all. it was _my own child_!" "uncle, rouse yourself!" ruth implored him. "harriet thought she was only playing a harmless trick on you. she did not dream that the papers were of any importance. mrs. wilson and peter dillon deceived her cruelly. you must go and find out what has become of harriet." mr. hamlin shook his head drearily. "you must go!" insisted gentle ruth, bursting into tears. "harriet does not even know that the papers she gave away were worthless. if she has found out she has been duped she will be doubly desperate." at this instant the door bell rang loudly. no one in the study appeared to hear it. mollie had crept slowly back upstairs to grace. ruth, mr. hamlin and bab were too wretched to stir. a sound of hasty footsteps came down the hall, followed by a knock at the study door. the door flew open of its own accord. like a vision straight from heaven appeared the faces of mr. robert stuart and his sister, miss sallie! ruth sprang into her father's arms with a cry of joy. and bab, her eyes still streaming with tears, was caught up in the comforting arms of miss sallie. chapter xxii oil on the troubled waters "what does all this mean, william hamlin?" mr. stuart inquired without ceremony. with bowed head mr. hamlin told the whole story, not attempting to excuse himself, for mr. hamlin was a just man, though a severe one. he declared that he had been influenced to suspect barbara ever since her arrival in his home. his enemies had also made a dupe of him, but his punishment had come upon him swiftly. he had just discovered that his own daughter had tried to deliver into the hands of paid spies, state papers of the united states government. mr. stuart and aunt sallie looked extremely serious while mr. hamlin was telling his story. but when mr. hamlin explained how ruth and bab had exchanged the valuable political documents for folded sheets of blank paper, mr. stuart burst into a loud laugh, and his expression changed as though by a miracle. he patted his daughter's shoulder to express his approval, while miss sallie kissed bab with a sigh of relief. mr. stuart and his sister had both been extremely uneasy since the arrival of ruth's singular telegram, not knowing what troubled waters might be surrounding their "automobile girls." indeed miss sallie had insisted on accompanying her brother to washington, as she felt sure her presence would help to set things right. mr. stuart's laugh cleared the sorrowful atmosphere of the study as though by magic. ruth and barbara smiled through their tears. they were now so sure that all would soon be well! "it seems to me, william, that all this is 'much ado about nothing,'" mr. stuart declared. "of course, i can see that the situation would have been pretty serious if poor harriet had been deceived into giving up the real documents. but bab and ruth have saved the day! there is no harm done now. you even know the names of the spies. there is only one thing for us to consider at present, and that is--where is harriet?" "yes, father," ruth pleaded. "do find harriet." "the child was foolish, and she did wrong, of course," mr. stuart went on. "but, as ruth tells me harriet did not know the real papers were exchanged for false ones, she probably thinks she has disgraced you and she is too frightened to come home. you must take steps to find her at once, and to let her know you forgive her. it is a pity to lose any time." mr. hamlin was silent. "i cannot forgive harriet," he replied. "but, of course, she must be brought home at once." "nonsense!" mr. stuart continued. "summon your servants and have some one telephone to harriet's friends. she has probably gone to one of them. tell the child that sallie and i are here and wish to see her. but where are my other 'automobile girls,' mollie and grace?" "upstairs, father," ruth answered happily. "come and see them. i want to telephone for harriet. i think she will come home for me." "show your aunt and father to their rooms, ruth," mr. hamlin begged. "i must wait here until a messenger arrives from the newspaper, which in some way has learned the story of our misfortune. and even they do not know that the stolen papers were valueless. i must explain matters to them." "a man of your influence can keep any mention of this affair out of the newspapers," mr. stuart argued heartily. "so the storm will have blown over by to-morrow. and i believe you will be able to punish the two schemers who have tried to betray your daughter and disgrace my barbara, without having harriet's name brought into this affair." for the first time, mr. hamlin lifted his head and nodded briefly. "yes, i can attend to them," he declared in the quiet fashion that showed him to be a man of power. "it is best, for the sake of the country, that the scandal be nipped in the bud. i alone know what was in these state papers that mrs. wilson and peter dillon were hired to steal. so i alone know to whom they would be valuable. there would be an international difficulty if i should expose the real promoter of the theft. peter dillon shall be dismissed from his embassy. mrs. wilson will find it wiser to leave washington, and never to return here again. i will spare the woman as much as i can for the sake of her son, elmer, who is a fine fellow. ruth, dear, do telephone to harriet's friends. your father is right. we must find my daughter at once." miss sallie, mr. stuart and ruth started to leave the room. bab rose to follow them. "miss thurston, don't go for a minute," mr. hamlin said. "i wish to beg your pardon. will you forgive a most unhappy man? of course i see, now, that i had no right to suspect you without giving you a chance to defend yourself. i can only say that i was deceived, as well as harriet. the whole plot is plain to me now. harriet was to be terrified into not betraying her own part in the theft, so she would never dare reveal the names of mrs. wilson or peter dillon. i, with my mind poisoned against you, would have sought blindly to fasten the crime on you. i regard my office as assistant secretary of state as a sacred trust. if the papers entrusted to my keeping had been delivered into the hands of the enemies of my country, through my own daughter's folly, i should never have lifted my head again, i cannot say--i have no words to express--what i owe to you and ruth. but how do you think a newspaper man could have unearthed this plot? it seems incredible, when you consider how stealthily peter dillon and mrs. wilson have worked. a man--" "i don't think a man did unearth it," bab replied. just then the bell rang again. the next moment the door opened, and the butler announced: "miss marjorie moore!" the newspaper girl gave bab a friendly smile; then she turned coldly to mr. william hamlin. "miss moore!" mr. hamlin exclaimed in surprise and in anger. "i wish to see a man from your newspaper. what i have to say cannot possibly concern you." "i think it does, mr. hamlin," miss moore repeated calmly. "one of the editors from my paper has come here with me. he is waiting in the hall. but it was i who discovered the theft of your state documents. i have been expecting mischief for some time. i am sorry for you, of course--very sorry, but i have all the facts of the case, and as no one else knows of it, it will be a great scoop for me in the morning." "your newspaper will not publish the story at all, miss moore," mr. hamlin rejoined, when he had recovered from his astonishment at miss moore's appearance. "the stolen papers were not of the least value. will you explain to miss moore exactly what occurred, miss thurston?" mr. hamlin concluded. when bab told the story of how she and ruth had made their lightning substitution of the papers, marjorie moore gave a gasp of surprise. "good for you, miss thurston!" she returned. "i knew you were clever, as well as the right sort, the first time i saw you. so i had gotten hold of the whole story of the theft except, the most important point--the exchange of the papers. it spoils my story as sensational political news. but," miss moore laughed, "it makes a perfectly great personal story, because it has such a funny side to it: 'foiled by the "automobile girls"!' 'the assistant secretary of state's daughter!'" miss moore stopped, ashamed of her cruelty when she saw mr. hamlin's face. but he did not speak. it was bab who exclaimed: "oh, miss moore, you are not going to betray harriet, are you? poor harriet thought it was all a joke. she did not know the papers were valuable. it would be too cruel to spread this story abroad. it might ruin harriet's reputation." marjorie moore made no answer. "you heard miss thurston," mr. hamlin interposed. "surely you will grant our request." "mr. hamlin," marjorie moore protested, "i am dreadfully sorry for you. i told you so, but i am going to have this story published in the morning. it is too good to keep and i have worked dreadfully hard on it. indeed, i almost lost my life because of it. i knew it was peter dillon who struck me down on the white house lawn the night of the reception. but i said nothing because i knew that, if i made trouble, i would have been put off the scent of the story somehow. i tried to see miss thurston alone, that evening, to warn her that mrs. wilson and peter dillon were going to try to fasten their crime on her. i am obliged to be frank with you, mr. hamlin. i will stick to the facts as you have told them to me, but a full account of the attempted theft will be published in the morning's 'news.'" "call the man who is with you, miss moore; i prefer to talk with him," mr. hamlin commanded. "you do not seem to realize the gravity of what you intend to do. it will be a mistake for your newspaper to make an enemy of a man in my official position." mr. hamlin talked for some time to one of the editors of the washington "news." he entreated, threatened and finally made an appeal to him to save his daughter and himself by not making the story public. "i am afraid we shall have to let the story go, miss moore," the editor remarked regretfully. "it was a fine piece of news, but we don't wish to make things too hard for mr. hamlin." the man turned to go. "mr. hughes," marjorie moore announced, speaking to her editor, "if you do not intend to use this story, which i have worked on so long, in your paper, i warn you, right now, that i shall simply sell it to some other newspaper and take the consequences. all the papers will not be so careful of mr. hamlin's feelings." "oh, miss moore, you would not be so cruel!" bab cried. marjorie moore turned suddenly on barbara; "why shouldn't i?" she returned. "both harriet hamlin and peter dillon have been hateful and insolent to me ever since i have been making my living in washington. i told you i meant to get even with them some day. well, this is my chance, and i intend to take it. good-bye; there is no reason for me to stay here any longer." "mr. hamlin, if miss moore insists on selling her story on the outside, i cannot see how we would benefit you by failing to print the story," the editor added. "very well," mr. hamlin returned coldly. but he sank back into his chair and covered his face with his hands. harriet's reputation was ruined, for no one would believe she had not tried deliberately to sell her father's honor. but bab resolved to appeal once more to the newspaper girl. she ran to marjorie moore and put her arm about the newspaper girl's waist to detain her. she talked to her in her most winning fashion, with her brown eyes glowing with feeling and her lips trembling with eagerness. the tears came to marjorie moore's eyes as she listened to bab's pleading for harriet. but she still obstinately shook her head. some one came running down the stairs and ruth entered the study without heeding the strangers in it. "uncle!" she exclaimed in a terrified voice, "harriet cannot be found! we have telephoned everywhere for her. no one has seen her or knows anything about her. what shall we do? it is midnight!" mr. hamlin followed ruth quickly out of the room, forgetting every other consideration in his fear for his daughter. he looked broken and old. was harriet in some worse peril? as marjorie moore saw mr. hamlin go, she turned swiftly to barbara and kissed her. "it's all right, dear," she said. "you were right. revenge is too little and too mean. mr. hughes has said he will not publish the story, and i shall not sell it anywhere else. indeed, i promise that what i know shall never be spoken of outside this room. good night." before barbara could thank her she was gone. chapter xxiii suspense and the reward all night long diligent search was made for harriet hamlin, but no word was heard of her. the "automobile girls" telephoned her dearest friends. mr. hamlin and mr. stuart tramped from one hotel to the other. none of the hamlin household closed their eyes that night. "it has been my fault, robert," mr. hamlin admitted, as he and his brother-in-law returned home in the gray dawn of the morning, hoping vainly to hear that harriet had returned. "my child has gotten into debt and she has been afraid to confess her mistake to me. her little friend, mollie, told me the story. mollie believes that mrs. wilson and peter dillon tempted harriet by offering to lend her money. and so she agreed to aid them in what she thought was their 'joke.' i have seen, lately, that harriet has been so worried she hardly knew what she was doing. yet, when my poor child tried to confess her fault to me, i would not let her go on. my harshness and lack of sympathy have driven her to--i know not what. oh, robert, what shall i do? she is the one joy of my life!" mr. stuart did not try to deny mr. hamlin's judgment of himself. he knew mr. hamlin had been too severe with his daughter. if only harriet could be found she and her father would be closer friends after this experience. mr. stuart realized fully what danger harriet was in with her unusual beauty, with no mother and with a father who did not understand her. "harriet has done very wrong," mr. hamlin added slowly. it was hard, indeed, for a man of his nature to forgive. "but i shall not reproach her when she comes back to me," he said quickly. the fear that harriet might never return to him at all struck a sudden chill to his soul. "the child has done wrong, william, i admit it," returned good-natured mr. stuart. "she has been headstrong and foolish. but we have done worse things in our day, remember." "i will remember," mr. hamlin answered drearily, as he shut himself up in his room. mr. hamlin would not come down to breakfast. there was still no news of harriet. while dear, comfortable aunt sallie and the "automobile girls" were seated around the table, making a pretense of eating, there came a ring at the front door bell. ruth jumped up and ran out into the hall. then followed several moments of awful suspense. ruth came back slowly, not with harriet, but with a note in her hand. she opened it with shaking fingers, for she recognized harriet's handwriting in the address. the note read: "dearest ruth, i shall never come home again. i have disgraced my father and myself. i would not listen to you and bab, and now i know the worst. mrs. wilson and peter dillon were villains and i was only a foolish dupe. i spent the night in a boarding house with an old friend of my mother's." ruth stopped reading. her voice sank so low it was almost impossible to hear her. she had not noticed that her uncle was standing just outside the door, listening, with white lips. "i don't know what else to do," harriet's note continued, when ruth had strength to go on. "so early this morning i telegraphed to charlie meyers. when you receive this note, i shall be married to him. ask my father to forgive me, for i shall never see him again. your heart-broken cousin, harriet." "absurd child!" miss sallie ejaculated, trying to hide her tears. but mr. stuart stepped to mr. hamlin's side as he entered the room, looking conscience-stricken and miserable. poor harriet was paying for her folly with a life-time of wretchedness. she was to marry a man she did not love; and her friends were powerless to save her. mollie slipped quietly away from the table. no one tried to stop her. every one thought mollie was overcome, because she had been especially devoted to harriet. "won't you try to find mr. meyers, uncle?" ruth pleaded. "it may not be too late to prevent harriet's marriage. oh, do try to find her. she does not care for charlie meyers in the least. she is only marrying him because she is so wretched she does not know what to do." mr. stuart was already getting into his coat and hat. mr. hamlin was not far behind him. the two men were just going out the front door, when a cry from mollie interrupted them. the three girls rushed into the hall, not knowing what mollie's cry meant. but when they saw the little golden haired girl, who sympathized the most deeply with harriet in her trouble, because of her own recent acquaintance with debt, the "automobile girls" knew at once that all was well! "oh, mr. hamlin! oh, mr. stuart! do wait until i get my breath," mollie begged. "dear, darling harriet is all right. she will come home if her father will come for her. i telephoned to mr. meyers and he declares harriet is safe with his aunt. he says, of course, he is not such a cad as to marry harriet when she is so miserable and frightened. he went to the boarding house for her, then took her to his aunt's home. mr. meyers was on his way here to see mr. hamlin." two hours later, harriet was at home again and in bed, suffering from nervous shock. but her father's forgiveness, his sympathy, his reassuring words, and above all, the thought that by the ruse of bab, she had been mercifully saved from the deep disgrace that had shadowed her life, soon restored her to her normal spirits. there was a speedy investigation by the state department--the result of which was that mrs. wilson disappeared from washington society. her son elmer reported that his mother had grown tired of washington and was living in new england. as for peter dillon, his connection with the russian embassy was severed at once. no one knew where he went. * * * * * "the president would like to see the 'automobile girls' at the white house to-day at half past twelve o'clock," mr. william hamlin announced a few mornings later, looking up from his paper to smile first at his daughter and then at the group of happy faces about his breakfast table, which included miss sallie stuart and mr. robert stuart. harriet was looking very pale. she had been ill for two days after her unhappy experience. "what on earth do you mean, mr. hamlin?" inquired grace carter anxiously, turning to their host. the other girls smiled, thinking mr. hamlin was joking, he had been in such different spirits since harriet's return home. "i mean what i say," mr. hamlin returned gravely. "the president wishes to see the 'automobile girls' in order to thank them for their service to their country." mr. hamlin allowed an earnest note to creep into his voice. "the story has not been made public. but i myself told the president of my narrow escape from disgrace, and he desires personally to thank the young girls who saved us. i told him that he might rely on your respecting his invitation." "oh, but we can't go, mr. hamlin," mollie expostulated. "grace and i had nothing to do with saving the papers. it was only ruth and bab!" "it is most unusual to decline an invitation from the president, mollie," mr. hamlin continued. "only a death in the family is regarded as a reasonable excuse. now the president most distinctly stated that he desired a visit from the 'automobile girls'!" "united we stand, divided we fall!" ruth announced. "bab and i will not stir a single step without grace and mollie." "there is one other person who ought to be included in this visit to the president," harriet added, shyly. "whom do you mean, my child?" mr. hamlin queried. harriet hung her proud little head. "i mean marjorie moore, father. i think she did as much as any one by keeping the story out of the papers when it would have meant so much for her to have published it." "good for harriet!" ruth murmured under her breath. "i did not neglect to tell the president of miss moore's part in the affair, daughter," mr. hamlin rejoined. "but i am glad you spoke of it. i shall certainly see that she is included in the invitation." promptly at twelve o'clock the "automobile girls" set out for the white house in the care of their old and faithful friend, mr. a. bubble. on the way there they picked up marjorie moore, who had now become their staunch friend. the girls were greatly excited over their second visit to the white house. it was, of course, very unlike their first, since to-day they were to be the special guests of the president. on the evening of the presidential reception they had been merely included among several hundred callers. ruth sent in mr. hamlin's card with theirs, in order to explain whose visitors they were. the five girls were immediately shown into a small room, which the president used for seeing his friends when he desired a greater privacy than was possible in the large state reception rooms. the girls sat waiting the appearance of the president, each one a little more nervous than the other. "what shall we say, bab?" mollie whispered to her sister. "goodness knows, child!" bab just had time to answer, when a servant bowed ceremoniously. a man entered the room quickly and walked from one girl to the other, shaking hands with each one in turn. "i am very glad to meet you," he declared affably. "mr. hamlin tells me you were able to do him a service, and through him to your country, which it is also my privilege to serve. i thank you." the president bowed ceremoniously. "it was a pretty trick you played on our enemies. strategy is sometimes better than war, and a woman's wits than a man's fists." then the president turned cordially to marjorie moore. "miss moore, it gives me pleasure to say a word of appreciation to you. your act in withholding this information from the public rather than to sell it and make a personal gain by it, was a thoroughly patriotic act, and i wish you to know that i value your service." "thank you, mr. president," replied miss moore, blushing deeply. the president's wife now entered the sitting-room with several other guests and members of her family. when luncheon was announced, the president of the united states offered his arm to barbara thurston. the "automobile girls" are not likely to forget their luncheon with the president, his family and a few intimate friends. the girls were frightened at first; but, being simple and natural, they soon ceased to think of themselves. they were too much interested in what they saw and heard around them. the president talked to ruth, who sat on his left, about automobiles. he was interested to hear of the travels of mr. a. bubble, and seemed to know a great deal about motor cars. but, after a while, as the girls heard him converse with three distinguished men who sat at his table, one an engineer, the other a judge, and the third an artist, the "automobile girls" decided wisely that the president knew almost everything that was worth knowing. * * * * * "children," said mr. stuart that night, when the girls could tell no more of their day's experience, "it seems to me that it is about time for you to be going home." mr. stuart and aunt sallie were in the hamlin drawing-room with the "automobile girls." mr. hamlin and harriet had gone for a short walk. it was now their custom to walk together each evening after dinner, since it gave them a little opportunity for a confidential talk. "you girls have had to-day the very happiest opportunity that falls to the lot of any visitor in washington," mr. stuart continued. "you have had a private interview with the president and have been entertained by him at the executive mansion. i have no doubt you have also seen all the sights of washington in the last few weeks. so homeward-bound must be our next forward move!" "oh, father," cried ruth regretfully, her face clouding as she looked at her beloved automobile friends. how long before she should see them again? the same thought clouded the bright faces of mollie, grace and bab. "we have hardly seen you at all, miss sallie," grace lamented, taking miss sarah stuart's plump, white hand in her own. "we have been the centre of so much excitement ever since you arrived in washington." "must we go, father?" ruth entreated. "i am afraid we must, daughter," mr. stuart answered, with a half anxious and half cheerful twinkle in his eye. "then it's chicago for me!" sighed ruth. "and kingsbridge for the rest of us!" echoed the other three girls. "ruth cannot very well travel home alone," mr. stuart remonstrated, looking first at barbara, then at mollie and grace, and winking solemnly at miss sallie. "don't tease the child, robert," miss sallie remonstrated. "aren't you and aunt sallie going home with me, father?" ruth queried, too much surprised for further questioning. "no, ruth," mr. stuart declared. "you seem to have concluded to return to chicago. but your aunt sallie and i are on our way to kingsbridge, new jersey, to pay a visit to mrs. mollie thurston at laurel cottage. mrs. thurston wrote inviting us to visit her before we returned to the west. but, of course, if you do not wish to go with us, daughter--." mr. stuart had no chance to speak again. for the four girls surrounded him, plying him with questions, with exclamations. they were all laughing and talking at once. "it's too good to be true, father!" cried ruth. chapter xxiv home at laurel cottage mrs. thurston stood on the front porch of her little cottage, looking out in the gathering dusk. back of her the lights twinkled gayly. a big wood fire crackled in the sitting-room and shone through the soft muslin curtains. a small maid was busily setting the table for supper in the dinning room, and there was a delicious smell of freshly baked rolls coming through the kitchen door. on the table stood a great dish of golden honey and a pitcher of rich milk. mrs. thurston had not forgotten, in two years, the favorite supper of her friend, robert stuart. it was a cold night, but she could not wait indoors. she had gathered up a warm woolen shawl of a delicate lavender shade, and wrapped it about her head and shoulders, looking not unlike the gracious spirit of an autumn twilight as she lingered to welcome the travelers home. she was thinking of all that had happened since the day that bab had stopped ruth's runaway horses. she was recalling how much mr. stuart had done for her little girls in the past two years. "he could not have been kinder to mollie and barbara, if they had been his own daughters," thought pretty mrs. thurston, with a blush. but did she not hear the ever-welcome sound of a friendly voice? was not mr. bubble calling to her out of the darkness? surely enough his two great shining eyes now appeared at the well-known turn in the road. a few moments later mrs. thurston was being tempestuously embraced by the "automobile girls." "do let me speak to miss stuart, children," mrs. thurston entreated, trying to extricate herself from four pairs of girlish arms. "come in, miss stuart," she laughed. "i hope you are not tired from your journey. i cannot tell you what pleasure it gives me to see you and mr. stuart once more." mr. stuart gave mrs. thurston's hand a little longer pressure than was absolutely necessary. mrs. thurston blushed and finally drew her hand away. "look after mr. stuart, dear," she said to bab. "he is to have the guest chamber upstairs. i want to show miss stuart to her room. i am sorry, ruth, our little home is too small to give you a room to yourself. you will have to be happy with mollie and bab. grace you are to stay to supper with us. your father will come for you after supper. i had to beg awfully hard, but he finally consented to let you remain with us. our little reunion would not be complete without you." mrs. thurston took miss sallie into a charming room which she had lately renovated for her guest. it was papered in miss stuart's favorite lavender paper, had lavender curtains at the windows, and a bright wood fire in the grate. "i hope you will be comfortable, miss stuart," said little mrs. thurston, who stood slightly in awe of stately and elegant miss sallie. for answer miss sallie smiled and looked searchingly at mrs. thurston. "is there any question you wish to ask me?" mrs. thurston inquired, flushing slightly at miss stuart's peculiar expression. "oh, no," smiled miss sallie. "oh, no, i have no question to ask you!" it was seven o 'clock when the party sat down to supper, and after nine when they finally rose. they stopped then only because squire carter arrived and demanded his daughter, grace, whom he had to carry off, as he and her mother could bear to be parted from their child no longer. miss sallie asked to be excused, soon after supper, as she was tired from her trip. "i think the 'automobile girls' had better go to bed, too," she suggested. then miss sallie flushed. for she was so accustomed to telling her girls what they ought to do that she forgot it was no longer her privilege to advise bab and mollie when they were in their mother's house. bab insisted on running out to their little stable to see if her beloved horse, "beauty," were safe and sound. and, of course, ruth and mollie went with her. but not long afterwards, the three girls retired to their room to talk until they fell asleep, too worn out for further conversation. "i am not tired, mrs. thurston, are you?" mr. stuart asked. "if you don't mind, won't you sit and talk to me for a little while before this cozy open fire? we never have a chance to say much to each other before our talkative daughters. how charming the little cottage looks to-night! it is like a second home." mrs. thurston smiled happily. "it makes me very happy to have you and ruth feel so. i hope you will always feel at home here. i wish i could do something in return for all the kindness you have shown to my two little girls." mr. stuart did not reply at once. he seemed to be thinking so deeply that mrs. thurston did not like to go on talking. "mrs. thurston," mr. stuart spoke slowly, "why would you not come to my house in chicago to make us a visit when i asked you, nearly a year ago?" mrs. thurston hesitated. "i told you my reasons then, mr. stuart. it was quite impossible. but it has been so long i have almost forgotten why i had to refuse." "it was after our trip in the private car with our friends, the fall before, you remember, mrs. thurston. but i know why you would not come to my home," mr. stuart answered, smiling. "you were willing to accept my hospitality for your daughters, but you would not accept it for yourself. am i not right?" "yes," mrs. thurston faltered. "i thought it would not be best." "i am sorry," mr. stuart said sadly. "because i want to do a great deal more than ask you to come to visit me in chicago. i wish you to come to live there as my wife." mrs. thurston's reply was so low it could hardly be heard. but mr. stuart evidently understood it and found it satisfactory. a few moments later mrs. thurston murmured, "i don't believe that ruth and your sister sallie will be pleased." "ruth will be the happiest girl in the world!" mr. stuart retorted. "poor child, she has longed for sisters all her life. now she is going to have the two she loves best in the world. as for sallie--." here mr. stuart hesitated. he thought miss sallie did not dream of his affection for the little widow, and he was not at all sure how she would receive the news. "as for sallie," he continued stoutly, "i am sure sallie wishes my happiness more than anything else and she will be glad when she hears that i can find it only through you." mrs. thurston shook her head. "i can only consent to our marriage," she returned, "if my girls and yours are really happy in our choice and if your sister is willing to give us her blessing." * * * * * "oh, aunt sallie, dear, please are you awake?" ruth cried at half-past seven the next morning, tapping gently on miss stuart's door. ruth had been awakened by her father at a little after six that morning and carried off to his bedroom in her dressing-gown, to sit curled up on her father's bed, while he made his confession to her. ruth had listened silently at first with her head turned away. once her father thought she was crying. but when she turned toward him her eyes were shining with happy tears. ruth never thought of being jealous, or that her adored father would love her any less. she only thought, first, of his happiness and next of her own. mr. stuart would not let ruth go until, with her arms about his neck and her cheek pressed to his, she begged him to let her be the messenger to barbara, mollie and aunt sallie. "you will be careful when you break the news to your aunt," mr. stuart entreated. "i should have given her some warning in regard to my feelings for mrs. thurston. i fear the news will be an entire surprise to her." ruth wondered what she should say first. "come in, dear," miss sallie answered placidly in reply to ruth's knock. miss stuart was sitting up in bed with a pale lavender silk dressing sacque over her lace and muslin gown. "i suppose," miss sallie continued calmly, "that you have come to tell me that your father is going to marry mrs. thurston." "aunt sallie," gasped ruth, "are you a wizard?" "no," said miss stuart, "i am a woman. why, child, i have seen this thing coming ever since we first left robert stuart here in kingsbridge when i took you girls off to newport. are you pleased, child?" miss sallie inquired, a little wistfully. "gladder than anything, if you are, aunt sallie," ruth replied. "but father told me to come to ask you how you felt. he says mrs. thurston won't marry him unless we all consent." "nonsense!" returned miss stuart in her accustomed fashion. "of course i am glad to have robert happy. mrs. thurston is a dear little woman. only," dignified miss sallie choked with a tiny sob in her voice, "i can't give you up, ruth, dear." and miss stuart and her beloved niece shed a few comfortable tears in each other's arms. "i never, never will care for any one as i do for you, aunt sallie," ruth protested. "and aren't you chaperon extraordinary and ministering angel plentipotentiary to the 'automobile girls'? the other girls care for you almost as much as i do. i wonder if mrs. thurston has told bab and mollie. do you think they will be glad to have me for a sister?" "fix my hair, ruth, and don't be absurd," miss sallie rejoined, returning to her former severe manner, which no longer alarmed any one of the "automobile girls." "it is wonderful to me how i have learned to do without a maid while i have been traveling about the world with you children." the winter sunshine poured into the breakfast room of laurel cottage. the canary sang rapturously in his golden cage. he rejoiced at the sound of voices and the cheerful sounds in the house. bab and mollie were helping to set the breakfast table, when ruth joined them. neither girl said anything except to ask ruth why she had slipped out of their room so early. ruth's heart sank. after all, then, barbara and mollie were not pleased. they did not care for her enough to be happy in this closer bond between them. mrs. thurston kissed ruth shyly, but she made no mention of anything unusual. and when mr. stuart came in to breakfast he looked as embarrassed and uncomfortable as a boy. there was a constraint over the little party at breakfast that had not been there the night before. unexpectedly the door opened. into the room came grace carter with a big bunch of white roses in her hand. "i just had to come early," she declared simply. "i wanted to find out." grace thrust the flowers upon mrs. thurston. "come here to me, grace," miss sallie commanded. "you are a girl after my own heart. robert, mrs. thurston, i congratulate you and i wish you joy with my whole heart." barbara and mollie gazed at each other in stupefied silence. what did it all mean? mrs. thurston blushed like a girl over her roses. "miss stuart, i never dreamed you could have heard so soon. i have not yet told barbara and mollie." "told us what?" bab demanded in her emphatic fashion. then ruth's heart was light again. but bab did not wait to be answered. she suddenly guessed the truth. now she knew why ruth's manner had changed so quickly a short time before. she ran round the table, upsetting her chair in her rush. and before she said a word either to her mother or to mr. stuart, she flung her arms about ruth and whispered: "our wish has come true, ruth, darling! we are sisters as well as best friends." then bab congratulated her mother and mr. stuart in a much more dignified fashion. "when is it to be, father?" ruth queried. mr. stuart looked at mrs. thurston. "in the spring," she faltered. "then we will all go away together and have a happy summer, somewhere," mr. stuart asserted, smiling on the faces of his dear ones. "we shall do no such thing, robert stuart," miss sallie interposed firmly. "you shall have your honeymoon alone. i intend to take my 'automobile girls' some place where we have never been before. will you go with me, children?" "yes," chorused the four girls. "aunt sallie and the 'automobile girls' forever." german spies in england german spies in england an exposure by william le queux author of "lying lips," "fatal thirteen," "the four faces," etc. toronto thomas langton _printed in great britain_ contents chap. page to the reader i. how the truth was hidden ii. the kaiser's secret revealed iii. how the public were bamboozled iv. under the kaiser's thumb v. how spies work vi. some methods of secret agents vii. master-spies and their cunning viii. the spy and the law ix. a remarkable spy x. some recent cases xi. , aliens at large in great britain xii. how to end the spy peril to the reader from the outbreak of war until to-day i have hesitated to write this book. but i now feel impelled to do so by a sense of duty. the truth must be told. the peril must be faced. few men, i venture to think, have been more closely associated with, or know more of the astounding inner machinery of german espionage in this country, and in france, than myself. though the personnel of the confidential department established at whitehall to deal with these gentry have, during the past six years, come and gone, i have, i believe, been the one voluntary assistant who has remained to watch and note, both here and in belgium--where the german headquarters were established--the birth and rapid growth of this ever-spreading canker-worm in the nation's heart. i am no alarmist. this is no work of fiction, but of solid and serious fact. i write here of what i know; and, further, i write with the true spirit of loyalty. though sorely tempted, at this crisis, to publish certain documents, and make statements which would, i know, add greatly to the weight of this book, i refrain, because such statements might reveal certain things to the enemy, including the identity of those keen and capable officials who have performed so nobly their work of contra-espionage. yet to-day, with the fiercest war in history in progress, with our bitterest enemy threatening us with invasion, and while we are compelled to defend our very existence as a nation, yet spies are nobody's business! it is because the british public have so long been officially deluded, reassured and lulled to sleep, that i feel it my duty to now speak out boldly, and write the truth after a silence of six years. much contained within these covers will probably come as a complete revelation to many readers who have hitherto, and perhaps not unjustly, regarded spies as the mere picturesque creation of writers of fiction. at the outset, however, i wish to give them an assurance that, if certain reports of mine--which now repose in the archives of the confidential department--were published, they would create a very considerable sensation, and entirely prove the truth of what i have ventured to write within these covers. i desire, further, to assure the reader that, since , when i first endeavoured to perform what i considered to be my duty as an englishman, i have only acted from the purest patriotic motives, while, from a pecuniary point of view, i have lost much by my endeavour. the knowledge that in the past, as now, i did what i conceived to be but my duty to my country, was, in itself, an all-sufficient reward; and if, after perusal of this book, the reader will only pause for a moment and reflect upon the very serious truths it contains, then i shall have accomplished all i have attempted. we have, since the war, had a rude awakening from the lethargy induced by false official assurances concerning the enemy in our midst. it is for the nation to now give its answer, and to demand immediate and complete satisfaction from those who were directly responsible for the present national peril, which, if unchecked, must inevitably result in grave disaster. william le queux. hawson court, buckfastleigh, devon. _february, ._ german spies in england chapter i how the truth was hidden the actual truth regarding germany's secret and elaborate preparations for a raid upon our shores has not yet been told. it will, however, i venture to think, cause considerable surprise. a few curious facts have, it is true, leaked out from time to time through the columns of the newspapers, but the authorities--and more especially the home office, under mr. mckenna--have been most careful to hide the true state of affairs from the public, and even to lull them into a false sense of security, for obvious reasons. the serious truth is that german espionage and treasonable propaganda have, during past years, been allowed by a slothful military administration to take root so deeply, that the authorities to-day find themselves powerless to eradicate its pernicious growth. unfortunately for myself--for by facing the british public and daring to tell them the truth, i suffered considerable pecuniary loss--i was in the first person to venture to suggest to the authorities, by writing my forecast "the invasion of england," the most amazing truth, that germany was secretly harbouring serious hostile intentions towards great britain. the reader, i trust, will forgive me for referring to my own personal experiences, for i do so merely in order to show that to the grievous, apathetic attitude of the government of the time the present scandalous state of affairs is entirely due. i had lived in germany for a considerable period. i had travelled up and down the country; i had lived their "home life"; i had lounged in their officers' clubs; and i had indulged in the night-life of berlin; and, further, i had kept my eyes and ears open. by this, i had gained certain knowledge. therefore i resolved to write the truth, which seemed to me so startling. my daring, alas! cost me dearly. on the day prior to the publication of the book in question, sir henry campbell bannerman, then premier, rose in the house of commons and--though he had never had an opportunity of seeing my work--deliberately condemned it, declaring that it "should never have been written" because it was calculated to create alarm. who, among the readers of this book, would condemn anything he had not even seen? now the last thing the government desired was that public attention should be drawn to the necessity of preparing against german aggression. once the real fear of the german peril had taken root in our islands, there would instantly have been an irresistible demand that no money should be spared to equip and prepare our fighting forces for a very possible war--and then good-bye to the four-hundred-a-year payments to members, and those vast sums which were required to bribe the electors with social reform. in the columns of the _times_ i demanded by what right the prime minister had criticised a book which he had never even seen, and in justice to the late sir henry campbell bannerman i must here record that he apologised to me, privately, for committing what he termed a "political error." political error! if there had been no further "political errors" in this dear old country of ours, we should have no war to-day. the government was bent upon suppressing the truth of my earnest appeal; hence i was held up to derision, and, in addition, denounced on all hands as a "scaremonger." now, at the outset, i wish to say that i am no party politician. my worst enemy could never call me that. i have never voted for a candidate in my life, for my motto has ever been "britain for the british." my appeal to the nation was made in all honesty of purpose, and in the true sense of the patriotism of one who probably has the ear of a wide public. the late lord roberts realised this. our national hero, who, like myself, was uttering words of solemn warning, knew what pressure the government were endeavouring to place upon me, and how they meant to crush me; therefore on november th, , he wrote the following:-- "speaking in the house of lords on the th july, , i said:--'it is to the people of the country i appeal to take up the question of the army in a sensible practical manner. for the sake of all they hold dear, let them bring home to themselves what would be the condition of great britain if it were to lose its wealth, its power, its position.' the catastrophe that may happen if we still remain in our present state of unpreparedness is vividly and forcibly illustrated in mr. le queux's new book, which i recommend to the perusal of _every one who has the welfare of the british empire at heart_." but alas! if the public disregarded the earnest warnings of "bobs," it was scarcely surprising that it should disregard mine--especially after the prime minister had condemned me. my earnest appeal to the nation met only with jeers and derision, i was caricatured at the music halls, and somebody wrote a popular song which asked, "are we downhearted?" neither the british public, nor the authorities, desired the truth, and, ostrich-like, buried their heads in the sand. germany would never dare to go to war, we were told, many wiseacres adding, "not in our time." the violent storm of indignation sweeping upon my unfortunate head, i confess, staggered me. the book, which had cost me eighteen months of hard work, and a journey of ten thousand miles in a motor-car, was declared to be the exaggerated writing of a jingo, a sensationalist, and one who desired to stir up strife between nations. i was both puzzled and pained. shortly afterwards, i met mr. (now lord) haldane--then war minister--at dinner at a country house in perthshire, when, in his breezy way, he assured me over the dinner-table that he knew germany and german intentions better than myself, and that there would never be war. and he waxed humorous at my expense, and scorned lord roberts's warnings. the kaiser's cleverness in ingratiating himself with certain english statesmen, officers, and writers is really amazing, yet it was--though at that time unsuspected--part of the great german plot formed against us. as an instance how the emperor was cleverly misleading the british cabinet, lord haldane, speaking on june th, , at a public dinner, at which baron marschall von bieberstein, the german ambassador, was present, said:-- "i speak of one whom we admire in this country and regard as one of ourselves. "he (the kaiser) knows our language and our institutions as we do, and he speaks as we do. "the german emperor is something more than an emperor--he is a man, and a great man. he is gifted by the gods with the highest gift that they can give--i use a german word to express it--_geist_ (spirit). he has got _geist_ in the highest degree. he has been a true leader of his people--a leader in spirit as well as in deed. he has guided them through nearly a quarter of a century, and preserved unbroken peace. i know no record of which a monarch has better cause to be proud. in every direction his activities have been remarkable. "he has given his country that splendid fleet that we who know about fleets admire; he has preserved the tradition of the greatest army the world has ever seen; but it is in the arts of peace that he has been equally great. he has been the leader of his people in education, and in the solution of great social questions. "that is a great record, and it makes one feel a sense of rejoicing that the man who is associated with these things should be half an englishman. i have the feeling very strongly that in the last few years germany and england have become much more like each other than they used to be. it is because we have got so much like each other that a certain element of rivalry comes in. "we two nations have a great common task in the world--to make the world better. it is because the german emperor, i know, shares that conviction profoundly that it gives me the greatest pleasure to give you the toast of his name." the government, having sought to point the finger of ridicule at my first warning, must have been somewhat surprised at the phenomenal success which the book in question attained, for not only were over a million copies sold in different editions in english, but it was translated into no fewer than twenty-six languages--including japanese--and, further, was adopted as a text-book in the german army--though i may add that the details i gave of various vulnerable points around our coasts were so disguised as to be of little use to the enemy. i had had a disheartening experience. yet worse was to come. a couple of years later, while making certain inquiries in germany with a view to continuing my campaign, and my endeavour to disclose the real truth to the british public, i discovered, to my surprise, the existence of a wide-spread system of german espionage in england. just about that time colonel mark lockwood, the member for epping, asked a question in the house of commons regarding the reported presence of spies in essex. for his pains he was, of course, like myself, promptly snubbed. a week later, i ventured to declare, at a meeting in perth, that in our midst we were harbouring a new, most dangerous, and well-organised enemy--a horde of german spies. german spies in england! who ever heard such wild rubbish! this completed the bitterness of public opinion against me. the press unanimously declared that i had spoken wilful untruths; my statements were refuted in leading articles, and in consequence of my endeavour to indicate a grave national peril, a certain section of the press even went so far as to _boycott my writings altogether_! indeed, more than one first-class london newspaper which had regularly published my novels--i could name them, but i will not--refused to print any more of my work! i was, at the same time, inundated with letters from persons who openly abused me and called me a liar, and more than one anonymous communication, which i have still kept, written in red ink and probably from spies themselves, for the caligraphy is distinctly foreign, threatened me with death. such was my reward for daring to awaken the country to a sense of danger. it caused me some amusement, i must confess, yet it also taught me a severe lesson--the same bitter lesson which the british public, alas! taught lord roberts, who was so strenuously endeavouring to indicate the danger of our unpreparedness. it told me one plain truth, a truth spoken in the words of the noble general himself, who, with a sigh, one day said to me, "nothing, i fear, will arouse the public to a sense of danger until they one day awaken and find war declared." on the day following my speech, the german press, which published reports of it, called me "the german-hater," by which epithet i am still known in the fatherland. the editor of a certain london daily newspaper told me to my face: "there are no spies in england"; adding, "you are a fool to alarm the public by such a statement. nobody believes you." i, however, held my own views, and felt that it was my duty to act in one of two ways. either i should place the confidential information and documents which i had gathered, mostly from german sources, in the hands of the press, and thus vindicate myself; or give them over to the government, and allow them to deal with them in a befitting and confidential manner. the latter attitude i deemed to be the correct one, as an englishman--even though i have a foreign name. at the war office the officials at first sniffed, and then, having carefully examined the documents, saw at once that i had discovered a great and serious truth. for this reason i have never sought, until now, to vindicate myself in the public eye; yet i have the satisfaction of knowing that from that moment, until this hour of writing, a certain nameless department, known only by a code-number,--i will refer to it as the confidential department,--has been unremitting in its efforts to track down german secret agents and their deadly work. through six years i have been intimate with its workings. i know its splendid staff, its untiring and painstaking efforts, its thoroughness, its patriotism, and the astuteness of its head director, who is one of the finest englishmen of my acquaintance. there are men who, like myself, have since done work for it both at home and abroad, and at a considerable expenditure--patriotic men who have never asked for a single penny to cover even their expenses--men who have presented reports which have cost them long journeys abroad, many a watchful night, much personal danger, and considerable outlay. yet all the time the home office ridiculed the idea of spies, and thus misled the public. the archives of the secret department in question, which commenced its activity after the presentation of my array of facts, would be an amazing revelation to the public, but, alas! would, if published, bring ignominy, disaster, and undying shame to certain persons among us towards whom the kaiser, the master-spy, has, in the past decade, been unduly gracious. i could name british spies. i could write things here, shameful facts, which would, like my first allegations, be scouted with disbelief, although i could prove them in these pages. but, as a briton, i will not reveal facts which repose in those secret files, records of traitorous shame, of high-placed men in england who have lived for years in the enjoyment of generous allowances from a mysterious source. to write here the truth i feel sorely tempted, in spite of the law of libel. but enough! we are englishmen. let us wipe off the past, in the hope that such traitorous acts will never be repeated, and that at last our eyes are open to the grave dangers that beset us. to-day we have awakened, and the plain truth of all for which i have contended is surely obvious to the world. chapter ii the kaiser's secret revealed before proceeding further with this exposure of the clever and dastardly german plot against england, the reader will probably be interested in a confidential report which, in the course of my investigations, travelling hither and thither on the continent, i was able to secure, and to hand over to the british government for their consideration. it was placed, in confidence, before certain members of the cabinet, and is still in the archives of the confidential department. the report in question, i obtained--more fully than i can here reproduce it--from an intimate personal friend, who happened to be a high functionary in germany, and closely associated with the kaiser. germany has spies in england; we, too, have our friends in germany. shortly after the zeppelin airship had been tested and proved successful, a secret council was held at potsdam, in june, , at which the emperor presided, prince henry of prussia--a clever man whom i know personally--the representatives of the leading federal states, and the chiefs of the army and navy--including my informant--being present. i regret that i am not at liberty to give the name of my informant, for various reasons. one is that, though a german of high position, he holds pro-british views, and has, in consequence, more than once furnished me with secret information from berlin which has been of the greatest use to our intelligence department. suffice it to say that his identity is well known at whitehall, and that, although his report was at first regarded with suspicion, the searching investigation at once made resulted in its authenticity being fully established. that the kaiser had decided to make war, the british government first knew by the report in question--notwithstanding all the diplomatic juggling, and the publication of blue books and white books. the french yellow book published in the first week of december, , indeed, came as confirmation--if any confirmation were necessary--from the lips of king albert of belgium himself. now at this secret council the kaiser appeared, dressed in naval uniform, pale, determined, and somewhat nervous and unstrung. for more than two hours he spoke of the danger confronting the german empire from _within_ and without, illustrating his speech by many maps and diagrams, as well as some well-executed models of air-craft, designed for the war now proceeding. at first, the emperor's voice was almost inaudible, and he looked haggard and worn. [ ]"gentlemen," the emperor, in a low, hoarse voice, commenced, "in calling this council this evening, i have followed the divine command. almighty god has always been a great and true ally of the house of hohenzollern, and it is to him that i--just as my august ancestors did--look for inspiration and guidance in the hour of need. after long hours of fervent prayer light has, at last, come to me. you, my trusted councillors and my friends, before whom i have no secrets, can testify that it has been, ever since i ascended the throne, my most ardent desire to maintain the peace of the world and to cultivate, on a basis of mutual respect and esteem, friendship and goodwill with all the nations on the globe. i am aware that the course followed by me did not always meet with your approval, and that on many an occasion you would have been glad to see me use the mailed fist, rather than the silken glove chosen by me in my dealings with certain foreign nations. it was a source of profound grief to me to see my best intentions misunderstood, but bulletproof against public censure and criticism, and responsible only to the lord above us for my acts, i calmly continued to do what i considered to be my holy duty to the fatherland. true to the great traditions of prussia, and the house of hohenzollern, i believed in the necessity of maintaining a great army and an adequate navy as the best guarantee of peace. in our zeal for the preservation of peace we were compelled to keep pace with the ever-increasing armaments of our neighbours, until the limit seems now to have been reached. "we find ourselves now face to face with the most serious crisis in the history of our new german empire. owing to the heavy taxation, and the enormous increase in the cost of living, the discontent of the masses is assuming alarming proportions, and even infecting the middle and upper classes, which have, up to the present time, been the strongest pillar of the monarchy. but worst of all, there are unmistakable signs that the discontent is spreading even among the troops, and that a secret well-organised anti-military movement is afoot, calculated to destroy all discipline, and to incite both my soldiers and sailors to open disobedience and rebellion. as, according to the reports of my secret service, a similar movement is making itself felt in nearly all the states of europe; all indications point to the fact, which admits, indeed, no longer of any doubt, that we have to deal with an international revolutionary organisation whose voiced object is the overthrowing of throne and altar, and the establishment of a republican government. "the gravity of the situation can, in no way, be underrated. in the last session of the reichstag it was openly admitted that never before had there been among the german population so many friends of a republican form of government as at the present time, and the idea is rather gaining ground, not only among the masses, but also the classes, though i have given the strictest orders to my government for its suppression. the fact, however, remains, and i cannot afford to ignore it. "'breakers ahead!' is the call of the helmsman at the imperial ship of state, and i am ready to heed it. how to find an honourable and satisfactory solution of the problem is a question to which i have devoted the closest attention during these last months. the outlook is, i admit, dark, but we need not despair, for god, our great ally, has given into our hands the means of saving our empire from the dangers which are threatening its happiness and welfare. you know what i mean. it is that wonderful invention which his excellency count zeppelin was enabled, through the grace of the lord, to make for the safeguarding and glory of our beloved fatherland. in this invention god has placed the means at my disposal to lead germany triumphantly out of her present difficulties and to make, once and for all, good the words of our poet, '_deutschland, deutschland über alles!_' yes, gentlemen, germany over everything in the world, the first power on earth, both in peace and war; that is the place which i have been ordered by god to conquer for her, and which i will conquer for her, with the help of the almighty. "this is my irrevocable decision. at present we are, thanks to our airships, invincible, and can carry at will war into the enemy's own country. it goes without saying that if we want to maintain our superiority and to use it to the best advantage, we cannot postpone the necessary action much longer. in a few years our good friend, the enemy, may have a fleet of airships equal--if not superior--to our own, and where should i be then? great britain has thrown down the gauntlet by declaring that she will build to each german, two english dreadnoughts, and i will take up the challenge. now is our time. the attack has always been the best defence, and he who strikes the first blow generally comes triumphant out of the fray. to find an outlet for the discontent of the nation; to nip the growing republican sentiment in the bud; to fill our treasury; to reduce the burden of taxation; to gain new colonies and markets for our industries across the seas; to accomplish all this and still more, we simply have to invade england. "you do not look at all surprised, gentlemen, and i see from the joy on your faces that my words have found an echo in your hearts. at last this idea, which is so popular with the greater part of my people, and to the propagation of which i am so much indebted to the untiring efforts of my professors, teachers, and other loyal patriots, is to become a fact--a fact certainly not anticipated by the english panic-mongers when first creating the scare of a german invasion. our plans have been most carefully laid and prepared by our general staff. "another von moltke will, true to his great name, demonstrate to the world at large that we have not been resting on our laurels of and , and that, as the first condition of peace, we have been preparing all the time for war. the glorious deeds of our victorious armies will, i fear me not, be again repeated if not surpassed on the battlefields of great britain and france, assuring in their ultimate consequences to germany the place due to her at the head of nations. i need not go into details at the present moment. suffice it to say that preparations have been made to convey, at a word, a german army of invasion of a strength able to cope with any and all troops that great britain can muster against us. for the safe transport of the army of invasion we shall, to a considerable degree, rely on the fleets of fast steamers belonging to the hamburg-amerika line and the north-german lloyd, two patriotic companies, whose officials, employees, and agents have--throughout the world--proven their zeal and devotion to the cause of the empire, and whose tact and discretion have already helped my government in many an embarrassing position. herr ballin, director-general of the hamburg-amerika line, whom i received but a few days since on board my yacht 'hohenzollern' at swinemünde, is truly a great man and verily deserves something better than to be nicknamed 'the napoleon of german shipping'--as his enthusiastic compatriots call him. his activity, his energy, and his brains accomplish the most difficult things, and when the day of invasion arrives, he will reveal his plans. "of course it is too early yet to fix the exact date when the blow shall be struck. but i will say this, that we shall strike as soon as i have a sufficiently large fleet of zeppelins at my disposal. i have given orders for the hurried construction of more airships of the improved zeppelin type, and when these are ready we shall destroy england's north sea, channel, and atlantic fleets, after which nothing on earth can prevent the landing of our army on british soil, and its triumphant march to london. do you remember, my generals, what our never-to-be-forgotten field-marshal gebhard lebrecht von blücher exclaimed, when looking from the dome of st. paul's cathedral upon the vast metropolis at his feet. it was short, and to the point. 'what a splendid city to sack!' "you will desire to know how the outbreak of hostilities will be brought about. i can assure you on this point. certainly we shall not have to go far to find a just cause for war. my army of spies scattered over great britain and france, as it is over north and south america, as well as all the other parts of the world, where german interests may come to a clash with a foreign power, will take good care of that. _i have issued already some time since secret orders that will, at the proper moment, accomplish what we desire._ there is even now, as you are all aware, a state of private war existing between our country on the one side, and great britain and france on the other, which will assume an official character as soon as i give the word. it will become the starting point of a new era in the history of the world, known to all generations as the pan-german era. i once pledged my word that every german outside of the fatherland, in whatever part of the globe he might live, had a just claim to my imperial protection. at this solemn hour i repeat this pledge before you, with the addition, however, that i shall not rest and be satisfied until all the countries and territories that once were german, or where greater numbers of my former subjects now live, have become a part of the great mother-country, acknowledging me as their supreme lord in war and peace. "even now i rule supreme in the united states, where almost one half of the population is either of german birth, or of german descent, and where three million german voters do my bidding at the presidential elections. no american administration could remain in power against the will of the german voters, who through that admirable organisation, the german-american national league of the united states of america, control the destinies of the vast republic beyond the sea. if man ever was worthy of a high decoration at my hands it was herr dr. hexamer, the president of the league, who may justly be termed to be, by my grace, the acting ruler of all the germans in the united states. "who said that germany did ever acknowledge the monroe doctrine? the answer to this question was given by the roar of german guns at the bombardment of the venezuelan fort, san carlos, by our ships. the day is not far distant when my germans in the southern states of brazil will cut the bonds now tying them to the republic, and renew their allegiance to their former master. in the argentine, as well as in the other south american republics, a german-bund movement is spreading, as is the case in south africa, where, thanks to the neighbourhood of our colonies, events are shaping themselves in accordance with the ultimate aims of my imperial policy. through my ally, the emperor-king of austria-hungary, i have secured a strong foothold for germany in the near east, and, mark my word!--when the turkish 'pilaf'-pie will be partitioned, asia minor, syria and palestine--in short, the overland route to india--will become our property, and the german flag will wave over the holy shrines of jerusalem. "but to obtain this we must first crush england and france. the war will be short, sharp and decisive. after the destruction of the english fleets through our zeppelins, we shall meet with no serious resistance on the british isles, and can, therefore, march with nearly our whole strength into france. shall we respect the neutrality of holland? under the glorious emperor, charles v., both holland and belgium formed part of the german empire, and this they are this time to become again. we shall have two or three battles in france, when the french government, recognising the impossibility of prevailing with their disorganised, mutinous regiments against my german 'beasts,' will accede to my terms of peace. after that, the map of europe will look somewhat different from what it does now. while our operations are going on in england and france, russia will be held in check by austria-hungary. "the empire of the tsar is still suffering from the effects of its unfortunate war with japan, and is, therefore, not likely to burn its fingers again, the more so as it is conscious of the fact that any warlike measures against germany would at once lead to a new outbreak of the revolutionary movement--the end of which no man could possibly foresee. thus, you will agree with me, we have no real cause to fear russia. after the war, it will be time to set things right in america, and to teach my friends over there that i have not forgotten the object-lesson which admiral dewey saw fit to give me some years since, when we had the little altercation with castro. "_if god will help us, as i am convinced he will, i trust that at the end of the coming year the imperial treasury will be filled to overflowing with the gold of the british and french war indemnities_, that the discontent of our people will have ceased, that, thanks to our new colonies in all parts of the world, industry and trade will be flourishing as they never were before, and that the republican movement among my subjects, so abhorrent to my mind, will have vanished. "then--but not before--the moment will have come to talk of disarmament and arbitration. with great britain and france in the dust, with russia and the united states at my mercy, i shall set a new course to the destinies of the world--a course that will ensure to germany for all time to come the leading part among the nations of the globe. that accomplished, i shall unite all the people of the white race in a powerful alliance for the purpose of coping, under german guidance, with the yellow peril which is becoming more formidable with every year. then--as now--it must be 'germans to the front!'" the notes before me describe, in vivid language, the effect which this speech of the emperor had upon his devoted hearers. the old white-headed general von k---- even knelt before his majesty to kiss the hand which was gracefully extended to him. "it is truly the voice of god that has spoken out of your majesty," he cried in deep emotion. "god has chosen your imperial majesty as his worthy instrument to destroy this nightmare of british supremacy at sea, from which germany has suffered all these many years--and god's will be done!" the blasphemy of it all! in the subsequent council, which lasted nearly five hours through the night, the kaiser arrived with his advisers at a perfect understanding regarding the best ways and means to be adopted for a successful carrying out of his majesty's secret campaign for war. and prince henry of prussia soon afterwards organised a british motor-tour in germany and throughout england. and he became the idol of the royal automobile club! footnotes: [footnote : the german government, by some means, learnt that i was in possession of a report of this secret speech of the kaiser's, and a curious incident resulted. it was my intention, in september, , to write a book pointing out that germany meant war. with that object i gave to my friend mr. eveleigh nash, the publisher, of fawside house, covent garden, the opening chapters of the manuscript, together with the speech in question. he locked them, in my presence, in a drawer in his writing-table in his private room. two days later, when mr. nash opened that drawer he found they had been stolen! german secret agents undoubtedly committed the theft--which was reported in certain newspapers at the time--for i have since learnt that my manuscript is now in the archives of the secret service in berlin! this, in itself, is sufficient proof as showing how eager the kaiser was to suppress his declaration of war. it was fortunate that i had kept a copy of the emperor's speech.] chapter iii how the public were bamboozled though the foregoing has been known to the british cabinet for over six years, and through it, no doubt, to the various chancelleries of europe, not a word was allowed to leak out to the world until december nd, --after we had been at war four months. the determination of the war lord of germany--whose preparations against great britain had been so slyly and so cunningly made--was at last revealed by the publication of the french yellow book, which disclosed that in a dispatch dated november nd, , m. jules cambon, the french ambassador in berlin, reported a conversation between the emperor and the king of the belgians in the presence of general von moltke, the chief of the general staff. king albert had till then believed, as most people in great britain had believed, that the emperor was a friend of peace. but at this interview king albert, according to an excellent summary of the dispatches published in the _star_, found the emperor completely changed. he revealed himself as the champion of the war party which he had hitherto held in check. king albert learned that the emperor had "come to think that war with france was inevitable, and that things must come to that sooner or later." general von moltke spoke to king albert "exactly as his sovereign." he, too, declared that "war was necessary and inevitable." he said to king albert: "this time we must settle the business once and for all, and your majesty can have no idea of the irresistible enthusiasm which on that day will sweep over the whole german people." king albert vainly protested that it was a travesty of the intentions of the french government to interpret them in this fashion. he found the emperor "over-wrought and irritable." m. cambon suggested that the change in the emperor's attitude was due to jealousy of the popularity of the crown prince, "who flatters the passions of the pan-germans." he also suggested that the motive of the conversation was to induce king albert to oppose no resistance in the event of war. the french ambassador warned his government that the emperor was familiarising himself with an order of ideas once repugnant to him. in other words, as long ago as the kaiser was no longer working for the peace of europe, but was already in the hands of the prussian gang of militarists, who were working for war. the french yellow book proves up to the hilt the guilt of germany, in shattering the last hopes of peace at the end of july, . russia had proposed a formula for a direct agreement with austria, but on july th herr von jagow, without consulting austria, declared that this proposal was not acceptable. when germany discovered that austria was wavering and becoming more conciliatory, she threw off the mask, and suddenly hurled her ultimatum at russia. m. cambon reminded herr von jagow of his declaration that germany would not mobilise if russia only mobilised on the galician frontier. what was the german minister's reply? it was a subterfuge. he said: "it was not a definite undertaking." the german government, in its white paper, suppressed its despatches during the crucial period to vienna. it did not publish them because, we now know, it did not dare to reveal the truth. germany, as i have shown, had for a long time planned the attack on france through belgium. so long ago, indeed, as may th, , von moltke said: "we must begin war without waiting, in order to brutally crush all resistance." the evidence of the yellow book proves that the emperor and his _entourage_ had irrevocably resolved to frustrate all efforts of the allies to preserve the peace of europe. it confirms the kaiser's secret intentions revealed in the previous chapter, and it establishes--fully and finally--the guilt of the kaiser and of the german government. those british newspapers which were most active and resolute in keeping the country unprepared for the war that has come upon us, and which, if they had had their way, would have left us to-day almost naked to our enemies, are now suddenly rubbing their eyes, and discovering that germany had premeditated war for _quite a long time_. and this is up-to-date journalism! the public, alas! reposed confidence in such journals. happily, they do not now. what the country will never forget, if it consents to forgive, is the perversity with which they so long refused to look facts in the face. it is surely a damning coincidence that when the kaiser and von moltke were telling king albert that war was inevitable, was the very time chosen by the national liberal federation to demand the reduction of our navy estimates, and to threaten the government with a dangerous division in the party unless the demand were complied with! reduction in armaments, forsooth! the government knew the facts, and did indeed resist the demand; but for weeks there was a crisis in the cabinet, and even in january, , as the _globe_ pointed out, a minister took the occasion to declare that a unique opportunity had arrived for revising the scale of our expenditure on armaments! while mr. mckenna was, as late as last november, endeavouring in an outrageous manner to gag the _globe_, and to prevent that newspaper from telling the public the truth of the spy-peril, lord haldane--the scales from whose eyes regarding his friend the kaiser appear now to have fallen--made a speech on november th, , in the house of lords in which he, at last, admitted the existence of spies. the following are extracts from this speech:-- "with the extraordinary intelligence system which germany organised in this country _long before the war_, no doubt they had certain advantages which they ought not to have even of this kind.... if he were to harbour a suspicion it would be that the most formidable people were not aliens, but probably people of british nationality who had been suborned.... he wishes he were sure that when really valuable and dangerous pieces of information were given they were not given by people of our own nationality, but some of the information which had been given, could only have been given by people who had access to it because they were british. his belief was that we had had very little of this kind of thing, but that we had some, and that it was formidable he could not doubt. in seeking these sources of communication with the enemy it was desirable to go about the search in a scientific way, and to cast suspicion where it was most likely to be founded." such a contribution to the spy question was really very characteristic. it, however, came ill from one whose legal _confrère_ was, at that moment, being referred to in the house of commons as having a german chauffeur who had been naturalised after the war broke out, and _had gone for a holiday_ into switzerland! switzerland is a country not in the antarctic ocean, but right on the border of the land of the huns in europe, and the lord chief justice, according to mr. asquith at the guildhall, is in close association with cabinet ministers in these days of crises. perhaps, as a correspondent pointed out, it never struck our lord chancellor that the lord chief justice's "now-british" chauffeur might--though i hope not--have gone through switzerland into germany, and might, if so disposed, quite innocently have related there information to which he had access, not only because he was british, but because he was in the service of a highly-placed person. or, perhaps, he did realise it, and his reference to information given by persons of british nationality was a veiled protest against the action of some of his colleagues--against that other who also has a "now-british" chauffeur, or to a third, whose german governess, married to a german officer, left her position early in november, but has left her german maid behind her. perhaps he did not know these things, or he would also have known that other people may have access to information, not because they are british, but because they are in the employ of british cabinet ministers. hitherto, the security of our beloved empire had been disregarded by party politicians, and their attendant sycophants, in their frantic efforts to "get-on" socially, and to pile up dividends. what did "the city" care in the past for the nation's peril, so long as money was being made? in the many chats i had with the late lord roberts we deplored the apathy with which great britain regarded what was a serious and most perilous situation. but, after all, were the british public really to blame? they are discerning and intelligent, and above all, patriotic. had they been told the hideous truth, they would have risen in their masses, and men would have willingly come forward to serve and defend their country from the dastardly intentions of our hypocritical "friends" across the north sea, and their crafty emperor of the _volte-face_. it is not the fault of the british public themselves. the blame rests as an indelible blot upon certain members of the british government, who now stand in the pillory exposed, naked and ashamed. the apologetic speeches of certain members of the cabinet, and the subdued and altered tone of certain influential organs of the press, are, to the thinker, all-sufficient proof. in the insidious form of fiction--not daring to write fact after my bitter experiences and the seal of silence set upon my lips--i endeavoured, in my novel "spies of the kaiser" and other books, time after time, to warn the public of the true state of affairs which was being so carefully and so foolishly hidden. i knew the truth, but, in face of public opinion, i dared not write it in other fashion. naturally, if the government jeered at me, the public would do likewise. yet i confess that very often i was filled with the deepest regret, and on the continent i discussed with foreign statesmen, and with the kings of italy, servia, roumania and montenegro in private audiences i was granted by them, what i dared not discuss in london. our national existence was certainly at stake. lord roberts knew it. he--with members of the cabinet--had read the kaiser's fateful words which i have here printed in the foregoing pages, and it was this knowledge which prompted him to so strenuously urge the peril of our unpreparedness until the outbreak of war. the hypocrisy of the kaiser is sufficiently revealed by the fact that two months after his declaration at the secret council at potsdam he made a public speech at strasburg on august th in which he assured the world that the peace of europe was not in danger. in the same month, however, that the german emperor disclosed his secret intentions towards great britain, some important military manoeuvres took place in essex and were watched most closely by the german authorities. the spy-peril had then commenced. it would seem that the kaiser took the keenest interest in the matter. despite the fact that there was an officially accredited german military attaché, a number of german agents were also present, and among the number was count eulenburg, a secretary of the german embassy in london. a military correspondent of the _daily mail_ wrote that the count's taking of notes and making of sketches had excited a good deal of adverse criticism among the british officers who were familiar with the fact. the reports of all these secret agents were apparently to be laid before the kaiser, who was well aware of the significance of the operations in essex to both the german army and navy. the only organ of the press which recognised the spy-peril in its earliest stages was the _daily mail_, which never ceased to point out the imminent and serious danger, and to warn the public that germany meant us harm. because of this open policy, it was from time to time denounced by the deluded public--deluded because of official lies--for what was termed its "scaremongerings." but recent events have surely shown the world that that journal spoke the open truth, while all others, and more especially a certain dear old delightful london daily paper, so glibly told us that "there will be no war with germany," while even three days before the outbreak of war this same journal actually made a plea for "german culture." culture indeed! have not the modern huns now revealed themselves? what must readers of that paper now think? it has truly been said that the influence of the half-naked barbarians who swept over the thuringian forests soon after the birth of christianity has never been totally eradicated. there is, _au fond_, an inherent brutality in the german character which the saving grace of the art of music has never destroyed, the brutality which caused the destruction of louvain, of rheims, of ypres, of termonde, of malines, the wreck of cathedrals and churches, and the wholesale savage butchery of innocent men, women, and even tiny children. and this is the gallant and "cultured" nation which has been so admired and eulogised by certain well-known papers: the nation which has so cleverly spread its spies through every phase of our national life, and made such elaborate plans for her conquest that, in her arrogance, she has now risen to defy civilisation. here is one of many equally ridiculous extracts from that same journal which pleaded for "german culture." it was published after a zeppelin had flown miles, on january st, : " ... as far as national danger goes, the thing is not yet within sight. 'dirigibles' may, in the future, be useful for scouting and collecting intelligence when war has once begun, ... but talk about invasion by airship, or bombardment from the sky, need not, for a long time, be considered by ourselves or any other nation." again, a few days later, this same pro-german journal wrote:-- "it is maintained by some of our contemporaries that germany is struggling to regain her position of predominance in europe, such as she held more than thirty years ago. that is not our reading of the situation." i will not quote more. there are dozens of such expressions of opinions in the files of that unreliable organ of "public opinion." where should we have been to-day, i ask, had we suffered ourselves to be led by the nose by this "patriotic" organ of the press, which, with its sinister commercialism on the declaration of war, urged upon us to keep out of the fighting, and to capture the trade of our friends the belgians, french, and russians? this self-proclaimed organ of "humanitarianism" actually urged us to stand aside and make capital out of the agonies of those countries at war. i will quote the following from the article in its actual words on august the th--the day upon which war was declared:-- "if we remained neutral we should be, from the commercial point of view, in precisely the same position as the united states. we should be able to trade with all the belligerents (so far as the war allows of trade with them); we should be able to capture the bulk of their trade in neutral markets; we should keep our expenditure down; we should keep out of debt; we should have healthy finances." and this same organ of humanitarianism has assured us, for years, that no spies of germany existed in england, and that war was utterly out of the question. and the british public have paid their half-pennies for such bamboozle! one sighs to think of it! times without number--even to-day as i write--this journal has sought to ridicule those who attempt to tell the nation the truth concerning the underground peril existing in every part of our islands. its motive for so doing may be left to the inquisitive. probably few men have travelled so constantly up and down europe as i have done, in search of material for my books. in the course of my wanderings, and perhaps a somewhat erratic life on the continent, i have--ever since i recognised the spy-peril--made it my practice to seek out the spies of germany, and i know a good many of them. an incident which may interest the reader occurred on october th, : i was on the platform of waterloo station buying a paper, and chatting with the bookstall clerk, when i noticed a group of men, mostly in shabby overcoats and presenting a woebegone appearance, surrounded by a cordon of police in silver-trimmed helmets--county constabulary from the north. an excited crowd had surrounded them, and as i glanced across my attention was attracted by a man slightly better dressed than the others, though his well-cut grey overcoat was somewhat shabby. as his dark, narrow-set eyes met mine, he lifted his grey plush hat to me, and smiled across in recognition. for a moment i halted, puzzled. i had not realised that the group of men were prisoners. the fellow's face was familiar, and the next instant i recognised him. we had met a dozen times in various places in europe--the last time at salvini's, in milan, early in the previous year. he was a well-known agent of the german general staff, though i had never met him before on british soil. i crossed over to him, arousing the distinct suspicion of the constables and the curiosity of the crowd of onlookers. "you recollect me, mr. le queux--eh?" he asked in good english, with a laugh. "of course," i said, for i could not help a grain of sympathy with him, for, usually a resident of the best hotels, he was now herded with the scum of his compatriots. "well, what's the matter?" "matter!" he echoed. "you see! they've got me at last!" "speak french," i said in that language. "the police won't understand"; for the constable near him looked at me very suspiciously, and i had no desire to be arrested on waterloo platform. "_bien!_" said my friend, whom i will call by his assumed name, von sybertz, "i am arrested. it is the fortune of war! i am simply detained as an alien, and we are going to frimley, i hear. do not say anything; do not make it worse for me. that is all i ask, m'sieur le queux. you know me--too well--eh?" and he grinned. "i shall say nothing," was my reply. "but, in return, tell me what you know. tell me quickly," i urged, for i saw that the constables were preparing to move the prisoners towards the train. "what is the position?" he shrugged his shoulders. "bad. my friends are frantic," he replied. "all their plans have gone wrong. it is, i fear, our downfall. the kaiser is mad. i have no money. i came to england in the middle of august. i have been to portsmouth, to rosyth, hull, and liverpool; now i am deserted. i was arrested yesterday near manchester, though i had registered as german and thought myself safe. i was, as i have always been when in england, a teacher of languages. it covers so much," and he smiled. "is not this meeting strange, eh? we have chatted together--and laughed together, too--in nice, florence, rome--in many places. and now, monsieur, you have the laugh of me--eh? we must be beaten. germany begins to know the truth." "no, not the laugh," i protested. "it is, as you say, the fortune of war that you have been taken." "pass on, please," commanded the big constable gruffly at my elbow. "and you?--you will say nothing? promise me, m'sieur le queux," von sybertz urged again in french. "i have promised," was my reply. "you are arrested--for me, that is sufficient. i wish you no ill-will, though you are my enemy," i added. "ah, yes, you are english!" exclaimed the spy. "i knew--i have known always that the english are gentlemen. _au revoir_--and a thousand thanks for your promise." and my friend the spy--a man who, on account of his refined and gentlemanly bearing, and the money which had, for years, been at his command, was a particularly dangerous secret-agent of the kaiser--lifted his shabby grey hat politely, and then passed dolefully on, with the big constable at his elbow, to the train which stood waiting to convey him to that barbed-wire enclosure high upon frith hill. i watched him pass out of my sight, while the crowd, on their part, watched me in wonder. i knew i had aroused the suspicions of the police by speaking in a foreign tongue. that meeting had been a strangely dramatic one. in those moments there came up before me visions of past meetings. five years before, i had first known him living in a pretty white villa, with palms in front, on mont boron, outside nice, and taking his lunch daily at the reserve, at beaulieu, one of the most expensive luncheon-places in europe. i had met him in the russie in rome, in doney's in florence, and in the pera palace in constantinople. he was a gay, merry companion, and half a dozen times i had been to variety theatres with him and to garish night-cafés afterwards. yet i knew him to be a german international spy, and so intimate had we become that he had scarcely taken the trouble to conceal the fact from me. in those few brief moments there had been enacted before me, at that busy london terminus, the dénouement of a great life-drama, and, as the spy disappeared, there arose before me recollections of the gay places of europe where we had before met--the rooms at monte carlo, the casino at trouville, and other places where he had been such a well-known figure, always exquisitely dressed, always the acme of correctness, and always a great favourite with the fair sex. what would the latter think could they see him now? in silence and in sorrow i have watched the proceedings of many a german spy in this country--watched while the public have been lulled to slumber by those who rule. ah! it has all been a fearful comedy, which has, alas! now ended in tragedy--the tragedy of our dead sons, brothers and husbands who lie in unnumbered graves in france and in belgium. my thoughts revert to individual cases which i have investigated during recent years. at rosyth, i lived in an obscure hotel in queensferry under the name of william kelly, enduring three weeks of wearisome idleness, boating up and down the firth of forth, and watching, with interest, the movements of two germans. they had arrived in edinburgh from a tourist-ship which had touched at leith. the first suspicion of them had been conveyed to me by my friend mr. d. thomson, proprietor of the _dundee courier_, and i sped north to investigate. in passing i may say that this journal was one of the first--with the _daily mail_--to point out the danger of german spies. my journey was not without result, for i waited, i watched, and i returned to the intelligence department with certain important details which proved to be the beginning of a long campaign. those two germans, unsuspicious-looking professors with gold-rimmed spectacles, were making elaborate maps. but these maps were not ordnance maps, but maps of our weaknesses. our secret agents followed them to plymouth, to milford haven, to cromarty, and afterwards on a tour through ireland. surely it is betraying no confidence to say that one of our secret agents--a man whose remarkable career i hope to some day record in the guise of fiction--acted as their guide on that curious tour! i know i have written times without number of spies in the form of fiction. many people have asked me, "is it true?" to such i will say that the dramas i have written, short and long, have been penned solely with one single purpose--in order to call public attention to our peril. many of the stories i have written have been based upon actual fact. half a life spent in travelling up and down europe has shown me most conclusively how cleverly germany has, with the aid of her spies, made elaborate preparations to invade us. so intimate have i been with germany's secret agents that, during this last christmas, i had the _dis_pleasure of sending compliments of the season to two of them! i have dined at the ritz in paris on more than one occasion with the yellow-toothed old baroness x----, an austrian, high-born, smart, and covered with jewellery. with her she has usually one and sometimes two pretty "nieces," who speak french, and pose as french. perhaps they are, but one may be forgiven if one is suspicious. the baroness x---- always has on hand a goodly supply of these "nieces." i have met them at doney's in florence, at ciro's at monte carlo, at maxim's in paris, at shepheard's at cairo. i have chatted with these young ladies at the hotel hungaria in budapest, at the royal at dinard, at the grand in rome, and in the aviary at the métropole at brighton. but these merry little "nieces" are always different! baroness x---- and myself are in entire agreement. she knows what i know, and she sent me a christmas card this season and dated from the hague! she is certainly the ugliest old lady i have ever met, a figure well known in every european capital. her speech is like the filing of brass. as a linguist, however, she is really wonderful. i believe she speaks every european language perfectly, and arabic too, for she once told me, while we were together on a steamer going down the mediterranean, that she was born in smyrna, of austrian parents. as a spy of germany she is unique, and i give her her due. she is amazingly clever. to my certain knowledge, she and her nieces, two years ago, while living in nice beneath the same roof as myself, obtained through a young artillery officer a remarkable set of plans of the defences of the franco-italian frontier near the col di tenda. again, i know how she and her attendant couple of "nieces" were in ireland "on a tour" during the troubles of last year. and, further, i also know how many a military secret of our own war office has been "collected" by one or other of those pretty cigarette-smoking flapper "nieces," with whom i, too, have smoked cigarettes and chatted in french or italian. how often have i seen one or other of these sirens--daughters of a foreign countess as their dupes have believed them to be--driving about london in private cars or in taxis, or supping at restaurants. on a day in last november i found one of these interesting young ladies, dark-haired and _chic_--parisienne, of course--enjoying a tête-à-tête luncheon at the hut at wisley, on the ripley road, her cavalier being a man in khaki. i wondered what information she was trying to obtain. yet what could i do? how could i act, and interrupt such a perfectly innocent _déjeuner à deux_? yes, to the onlooker who knows, the manoeuvres are all very intensely interesting, and would be most amusing, if they were not all so grimly and terribly tragic. and who is to blame for all this? would it be suffered in germany? the law of libel, and a dozen other different acts, are suspended over the head of the unfortunate man who dares to risk ridicule and speak the truth. therefore, with my own personal experience of the utter incapability of the commissioner of metropolitan police to deal with spies, or even to reply to correspondence i have addressed to his hopeless department, and to the still greater discourtesy and amazing chaos existing in his ruling department, the home office, i ask myself whether it is of any use whatever _to trouble, or even exert oneself further in the matter_? it is for my readers, the public themselves, to demand the truth. the public are assuredly not blind to the fact that air raids have been made upon us directed by spies. i can only address these serious words to my circle of readers throughout the kingdom, and to make my bow, assuring them that while they were being gulled and bamboozled by those whom they have so foolishly trusted, i have, at personal loss to myself--which need not be counted--done my level best to counteract the evil which germany has spread in our midst. and my only request is that, by my works, constant and earnest as they have been, i may be judged. chapter iv under the kaiser's thumb by every subtle and underhand means in her power germany has prepared for her supreme effort to conquer us. armies of her spies have swarmed, and still swarm, over great britain, though their presence has been, and is even to-day, officially denied. the method adopted at the outset was to scatter secret agents broadcast, and to allot to each the collection of certain information. men, and women too, in all walks of life have made observations, prepared plans, noted the number of horses locally, the fodder supplies, the direction of telegraph-lines, the quickest method of destroying communications, blowing up tunnels, etc.; in fact, any information which might be of use in the event of a raid upon our shores. each group of spies has acted under the direction of a secret-agent, termed a "fixed post," and all have been, in turn, visited at periods varying from one month to six weeks by a person not likely to be suspected--usually in the guise of commercial-traveller, debt-collector, or insurance-agent, who collected the reports and made payments--the usual stipend being ten pounds per month. some spies in the higher walks of life were, of course, paid well, as much as one thousand pounds a year being given in one case--that of a lady who, until recently, lived in kensington--and in another to a german who, until a few weeks ago, was highly popular in the diplomatic circle. the chief bureau, to which all reports from england were sent, was an innocent-looking office in the montagne de la cour, in brussels--hence ostend was so often made a rendezvous between spies and traitors. it is certainly as well that the authorities have already taken precautions to guard our reservoirs. as far back as five years ago, a large number of the principal water supplies in england were reconnoitred by a band of itinerant musicians, who, though they played mournful airs in the streets, were really a group of very wide-awake german officers. they devoted three months to the metropolis--where they succeeded in making a complete plan of the water-mains supplying east london--and then afterwards visited manchester, glasgow, birmingham, liverpool, leeds, and newcastle. at the latter place they were detected, and being warned by the authorities, fled. they were "warned" because at that time there was no act to deal with them. just at this juncture a most fortunate incident occurred, though probably it will be met with an official denial. a young german who had been making observations around rosyth and beneath the forth bridge, was detected, and fled. the police sought him out and he was compelled to again fly without paying his rent, leaving his suit-case behind. after a month the landlady took this bag to the police, who, on opening it, found a quantity of documents, which were sealed up and sent to london. they were soon found to be most instructive, for not only was there a list of names of persons hitherto unsuspected of espionage, but also a little book containing the secret code used by the spies! needless to say, this has been of the greatest use to those engaged in the work of contra-espionage. of the good work done by the latter, the public, of course, know nothing, but it may be stated that many a confidential report destined for berlin was intercepted before it reached the spy's post-office, the shop of the barber ernst, in london--to which i will later on refer--and many a judicious hint has been given which has caused the suspect to pack his, or her, belongings and return by the hook of holland route. east anglia has, of course, been the happy hunting ground of spies, and the counties of lincoln, norfolk, suffolk and essex have, long ago, been very thoroughly surveyed, and every preparation made for a raid. it was found--as far back as four years ago--that next door, or in the vicinity of most village post-offices near the coast-line of those counties, a foreigner had taken up his residence, that german hairdressers and jewellers were everywhere setting up shops where custom did not warrant it; that germans took sea-side furnished houses or went as paying guests in the country, even in winter; while, of course, the number of german waiters--usually passing as austrians--had increased greatly. when the kaiser rented highcliffe castle, in hampshire, under the pretext that he was ill, he brought with him no fewer than thirty secretaries. why? a foreigner who comes here to recuperate does not want thirty secretaries--even though he may be an emperor! napoleon never wanted such a crowd of scribblers about him. but the truth was that these thirty secretaries were engaged with their imperial master-spy in reorganising and perfecting the various sections of his amazing spy-system in this country--a system that the british government were with culpable untruthfulness declaring only existed in the imagination of a novelist--myself. i wrote pointing out this, but only execrations again fell upon my unfortunate head. i was laughed at as a "sensationalist," scorned by the party of criminal apathy, and a dead set was made at me by a certain section of the press to jeer at, and crush myself and all my works into oblivion. let us go a step further. mr. anthony nugent, who writes with considerable authority in the _globe_, shall here speak. "the oddest situation in england," he says, "was just before the outbreak of the war. we had then, not only an ambassador's cloak in london covering prince lichnowsky, but a real ambassador in herr kühlmann, companion of the victorian order. [i wonder if he still wears the honourable insignia?] the ambassador was an honest man, and believed that he had a free hand in trying to improve our relations with germany. he was only here to give us 'taffy'--as the yankees say. all his speeches at oxford and at city banquets were sincere enough from his point of view, but he knew nothing of what was going on in the chancelleries at berlin, or downstairs in the embassy residence at carlton house terrace. "those who descend the duke of york's steps in pall mall, will see a common, unpretentious door on the right hand side, part of the way down. that was one of the entrances to the embassy, and quite a different class of people used it from those gay folk who came boldly in motor-cars to the front door, which sported the decoration of the imperial eagle. it was by the lower door there passed the principals in the espionage system, and it was in the lower rooms that herr kühlmann interviewed his 'friends.' he was a tall, good-looking man, with a specious suggestion of being straightforward and open dealing, but probably there never was so tortuous-minded a person at the embassy. he was there for many years, and knew all who were worth knowing. he it was who furnished the reports on which the emperor and the crown prince acted. "prince lichnowsky, for instance, foresaw that in the event of war, the unionists in ulster would support the government. herr kühlmann had sent over spies who masqueraded as journalists, and they came back from belfast believing that civil war was inevitable. herr kühlmann accepted their view, and thus deceived the kaiser and the german chancellor. the same gentleman was much interested in the indian movement, and i remember discussing with him the causes that led to the murder of a great anglo-indian official at the imperial institute. he was convinced that india was ripe for revolt. again he deceived the emperor on the subject. the german spy system was wide, and it was thorough, but its chief lacked imagination, and took niggling and petty views. in a word it is efficient in signalling, prying into arrangements, spreading false news, and securing minor successes, and that it can still do here, but had it realised how the whole world would be opposed to it, there would have been no war." the gross licence extended to our alien enemies in peace-time has, surely, been little short of criminal. fancy there having been a "german officers' club" in london, close to piccadilly circus! could anyone imagine an "english officers' club" in berlin--or in any other continental capital, for the matter of that? in the first place, there would not have been a sufficient number of english officers to run a club, even if it had been allowed by the german authorities, which would have been most unlikely. but, on the other hand, there were enough german officers in london, not only to support a club, but to give a large and expensive ball not very long ago at a well-known west end hotel! germany has a large army, and a considerable navy, but is leave lavished with such prodigality on her officers as to make it worth their while to have a special club of their own in the metropolis? one can hardly imagine this to be the case. why, then, were there so many german officers in london? we may be sure that they were not here for the benefit of _our_ country. the german officers' club was no secret society, and was, therefore, winked at by the sleepy british authorities. the war office may have argued that it enabled them to keep an eye on them, and there may be something in that plea. but what possible justification could have been found for allowing a considerable number of german officers to assemble near southborough--between tonbridge and tunbridge wells--not so very long ago, and to carry out what practically amounted to a "staff ride" in the "garden of england" over a very important strategic position? fancy such a piece of espionage being attempted in germany! it is even known that the german ambassador dined with the officers in question. had the german officers' club been under observation, could this have possibly been done without the cognisance of the authorities? the authorities knew of all that was in progress, but calmly looked on, and, as usual, did nothing. the downfall of england was being plotted, but what did they care, so long as all went smoothly and they enjoyed their own social standing and their own emoluments. there is an air of refreshing candour and simplicity in the official statement that no alien enemy is permitted to reside in a prohibited area without a special licence granted, after his case has been carefully examined, by the police. now, we know that proprietors and managers of hotels and licensed premises, as well as prominent residents, are usually on good terms with the police. it would surely be to their interest to cultivate good relations with them. and as the lord chancellor has assured us that the germans are people of "greater astuteness," it is only reasonable to suppose they would be particularly careful to entrust their spying work in this country to only the smartest and most crafty emissaries. one can imagine that a really clever german spy "bent on business" has had but very little difficulty in hoodwinking the honest man in blue, and obtaining from him the "permit" required for his signalling, or other work on the coast. the experiences of the last four months at liége, antwerp, mons, rheims, ypres, and other places, has taught us that it is not always the alien who is the spy. in each of those towns men who had lived for years as highly respectable and law-abiding citizens, and whom everyone believed to be french or belgian, suddenly revealed themselves as secret agents of the invaders, acting as their guides, and committing all sorts of outrages. in our own country it is the same. there are to-day many who have lived among us for years, and are highly respected, only waiting for the signal to be given to commence their operations. it is true that bombs from german air machines have been dropped on english ground--one fell in a garden at dover and damaged a cabbage, or maybe two--also that zeppelins flew over norfolk and dropped bombs, but so far no air fleet from germany has given the signal for german spies to start their arranged work of destruction in our midst, for the enemy has declared with its usual cynical frankness that their army of spies will only start their dastardly work when all is ready for the raid and the fleet of zeppelins sail over london and give the signal. chapter v how spies work the german spy system, as established in england, may be classified under various heads--military, naval, diplomatic, and also the _agents provocateurs_, those hirelings of germany who have, of late, been so diligent in stirring up sedition in ireland, and who, since the war began, have endeavoured, though not successfully, to engineer a strike of seamen at liverpool and a coal strike. first, every german resident in this country may be classed as a spy, for he is, at all times, ready to assist in the work of the official secret-agents of the fatherland. the military spy is usually a man who has received thorough instruction in sketching, photography, and in the drafting of reports, and on arrival here, has probably set up in business in a small garrison town. the trade of jeweller and watchmaker is one of the most favoured disguises, for the spy can rent a small shop, and though he cannot repair watches himself, he can engage an unsuspecting assistant to do so. therefore, to all intents and purposes, his business is a legitimate one. if he is a devout church or chapel-goer, and subscribes modestly to the local charities, he will soon become known, and will quickly number among his friends some military men from whom he can obtain information regarding movements of troops, and a-thousand-and-one military details, all of which he notes carefully in his reports, the latter being collected by a "traveller in jewellery," who visits him at regular intervals, and who makes payment in exchange. every report going out of great britain is carefully tabulated and indexed by a marvellous system in berlin. these, in turn, are compared, analysed and checked by experts, so that, at last, the information received is passed as accurate, and is then indexed for reference. now the military spy also keeps his eyes and ears open regarding the officers of the garrison. if an officer is in financial difficulties, the fact is sent forward, and some money-lender in london will most certainly come to his assistance and thus ingratiate himself as his "friend." again, there are wives of officers who are sometimes a little indiscreet, and in more than one known case blackmail has been levied upon the unfortunate woman, and then, suddenly, an easy way out of it all has been craftily revealed to her by a blackguard in german pay. from the wide-spread secret-service of germany, nothing is sacred. the german general staff laughs at our apathy, and boasts that it knows all about us, the military and civil population alike. in the archives of its intelligence department there are thousands upon thousands of detailed reports--furnished constantly throughout the past ten years--regarding the lives and means of prominent persons in england, with descriptions of their homes wherein, one day, the enemy hope to billet their troops. these unscrupulous men who act as "fixed-posts"--and it is no exaggeration to say that there are still hundreds in england alone, notwithstanding all official assurances to the contrary--have all gone through an elaborate system of training in signalling, in reducing messages to code, and in decoding them, in map-making, in the use of carrier-pigeons, and, in some cases, in the use of secret wireless. the naval spy works in a somewhat similar manner to his military colleague. at every naval port in great britain it is quite safe to assume that there are spies actively carrying on their work, though it is quite true that one or two, who have long been under suspicion, have now found it wise to disappear into oblivion. a favourite guise of the spy in a naval port is, it seems, to pose as a hairdresser, for in pursuance of that humble and most honourable calling, the secret agent has many opportunities to chat with his customers, and thus learn a good deal of what is in progress in both port and dockyard: what ships are putting to sea, and the strength and dispositions of various divisions of our navy. cases in recent years of spies at portsmouth, chatham, and plymouth have revealed how active germany has been in this direction. in one case, at plymouth, a salary of £ a year was offered to a mr. duff for information regarding naval matters, on the pretext that this information was required by a naval and military journal in germany. mr. duff, however, communicated with the authorities, who promptly arrested the spy--a man named schulz, who lived on a yacht on the river yealm. he was tried at the devon assizes and, certain documents being found upon him, he was sentenced to a year and nine months' imprisonment. what, we wonder, would have been his fate if he had been british, and had been arrested in germany? of diplomatic espionage little need be said in these pages. every nation has its secret service in diplomacy, a service rendered necessary perhaps by the diplomatic juggling of unscrupulous representatives of various nations. many diplomatic spies are women moving in the best society, and such persons abound in every capital in the world. the means of communication between the spy and his employers are several. innocent sketches may be made of woodland scenery, with a picturesque windmill and cottage in the foreground, and woods in the distance. yet this, when decoded in berlin--the old windmill representing a lighthouse, the trees a distant town, and so forth--will be found to be an elaborate plan of a harbour showing the disposition of the mines in its channel! again, there are codes in dozens of different forms of letters or figures with various combinations, key-numbers, cross-readings, etc. there is the three-figure code, the five-figure code, and so on, all of which, though difficult, can, if sufficient time be spent upon them, be eventually deciphered by those accustomed to dealing with such problems. far more difficult to decipher, however, are communications written as perfectly innocent ordinary correspondence upon trade or other matters, yet, by certain expressions, and by mentioning certain names, objects, or prices, they can be rightly read only by the person with whom those meanings have been prearranged. from the daring movements of the german fleet in the north sea it would appear that, through spies, the enemy are well aware of the limit and position of our mine-fields, while the position of every buoy is certainly known. when the first attack was made upon yarmouth, the enemy took his range from certain buoys, and the reason the shells fell short was that only the day before those buoys had been moved a mile further out to sea. again, for many years--indeed, until i called public attention to the matter--foreign pilots were allowed to ply their profession in the humber, and by that means we may rest assured that germany made many surveys of our east coast. the spies of germany are to be found everywhere, yet the home office and the police have shown themselves quite incapable of dealing effectively with them. the war office, under the excellent administration of lord kitchener, has surely been busy enough with military matters, and has had no time to deal with the enemy in our midst. neither has the admiralty. therefore the blame must rest upon the home office, who, instead of dealing with the question with a firm and drastic hand, actually issued a communiqué declaring that the spy peril no longer existed! as an illustration of germany's subtle preparations in the countries she intends to conquer, and as a warning to us here in great britain, surely nothing can be more illuminating than the following, written by a special correspondent of the _times_ with the french army near rheims. that journal--with the _daily mail_--has always been keenly alive to the alien peril in england, and its correspondent wrote:-- "nowhere else in france have the germans so thoroughly prepared their invasion as they did in champagne, which they hoped to make theirs. in the opinion of the inhabitants of �pernay, the saving of the town from violent pillage is only due to the desire of the germans not to ravage a country which they regarded as being already german soil. the wanton bombardment of rheims is accepted almost with delight, as being a clear indication that the enemy has been awakened by the battle of the marne from those pleasant dreams of conquest which inflamed the whole german nation with enthusiasm at the outset of the war. "the spy system thought out in time of peace in preparation for what is happening to-day has served germany well, and every day the accuracy of german gunfire pays a tribute to the zeal and efficiency with which these loathsome individuals accomplish a task for which they have sold their honour as frenchmen. hardly a week passes without some fresh discovery being made. at the headquarters of the different army corps along this section of the front, hardly a day passes without the arrest and examination of suspect peasants or strangers from other provinces. elaborate underground telephone installations have been discovered and destroyed. "one day a gendarme who wished to water his horse approached a well in the garden of an abandoned house. at the bottom of the well there was not truth but treason. comfortably installed in this disused shaft a german spy was engaged in making his report by telephone to the german intelligence department. "the mentality of the spy can never be explained, for how can one account for the mixture of the fine quality of bravery and the despicable greed of money which will keep a man in a city like rheims, exposed every hour of the day and night to death from the splinter of a shell fired at the town by his own paymasters? i do not suggest for a moment that of the , people who still inhabit the town of rheims and its cellars there is any large proportion of traitorous spies, but to the french intelligence department there is no question whatsoever that there is still a very efficient spying organisation at work in the city." among us here in great britain, i repeat, are men--hundreds of them--who are daily, nay hourly, plotting our downfall, and are awaiting the signal to act as the german general staff has arranged that they shall act. to attempt to disguise the fact longer is useless. we have lived in the fool's paradise which the government prepared for us long enough. we were assured that there would be no war. but war has come, and thousands of the precious lives of our gallant lads have been lost--and thousands more will yet be lost. we cannot trust the german tradesman who has even lived long among us apparently honourable and highly respected. a case in point is that of a man who, for the past twenty-six years, has carried on a prosperous business in the north of london. at the outbreak of war he registered himself as an alien, and one day asked the police for a permit to travel beyond the regulation five miles in order to attend a concert. he was watched, and it was found that, instead of going to the concert, he had travelled in an opposite direction, where he had met and conferred with a number of his compatriots who were evidently secret agents. this is but one illustration of many known cases in the metropolis. can we still close our eyes to what germany intends to do? the government knew the enemy's intentions when, in , there was placed before them the emperor's speech, which i have already reproduced. perhaps it may not be uninteresting if i recount how i myself was approached by the german general staff--and i believe others must have been approached in a like manner. the incident only serves to show the "astuteness"--as lord haldane has so well put it--of our enemies. one day, in september, , i received through a mutual friend, a lady, an invitation to dine at the house of a prominent official at the war office, who, in his note to me, declared that he had greatly admired my patriotism, and asked me to dine _en famille_ one sunday evening. i accepted the invitation, and went. the official's name, i may here say, figures often in your daily newspapers to-day. to my great surprise, i found among the guests the german ambassador, the chancellor of the embassy, the military and naval attachés with their ladies, and several popular actors and actresses. in a corner of the drawing-room after dinner, i found myself chatting with a german attaché, who turned the conversation upon my anti-german writings. by his invitation, i met him at his club next day. he entertained me to an expensive luncheon, and then suddenly laughed at me for what he termed my misguided propaganda. "there will be no war between your country and mine," he assured me. "you are so very foolish, my dear mr. le queux. you will ruin your reputation by these fixed ideas of yours. why not change them? we desire no quarrel with great britain, but we, of course, realise that you are doing what you consider to be your duty." "it _is_ my duty," i responded. my diplomatic friend sucked at his cigar, and laughed. "as a literary man you, of course, write to interest the public. but you would interest your public just as _easily_ by writing in _favour_ of germany--and, i tell you that we should quickly recognise the favour you do us--_and recompense you for it_." i rose from my chair. i confess that i grew angry, and i told him what was in my mind. i gave him a message to his own secret service, in berlin, which was very terse and to the point, and then i left the room. but that was not all. i instituted inquiries regarding the official at the war office who had been the means of introducing us, and within a fortnight that official--whose dealings with the enemy were proved to be suspicious--was relieved of his post. i give this as one single instance of the cunning manner in which the german secret service have endeavoured to nobble and bribe me, so as to close my mouth and thus combat my activity. another instance was when the norddeutscher lloyd line, of bremen, kindly invited me to take a voyage round the world, free of expense, so that i might visit the various german colonies and write some descriptions of them. and, on a third occasion, german diplomats were amazingly kind to me, both in constantinople and in belgrade, and again broadly hinted at their readiness to win me over to their side. how pitiable, how absolutely criminal our apathy has been! do not the souls of a million dead upon the battlefields of france and belgium rise against the plotters to-day? does not the onus of the frightful loss of the flower of our dear lads lie, not upon our four-hundred-a-year legislators, but upon some of the golfing, dividend-seeking, pushful men who have ruled our country through the past ten years? without politics, as i am, i here wish to pay a tribute--the tribute which the whole nation should pay--to mr. lloyd george and his advisers, who came in for so much adverse criticism before the war. i declare as my opinion--an opinion which millions share--that the manner in which the chancellor of the exchequer faced and grappled with the financial situation at the outbreak of war, was an illustration of british pluck, of coolness and of readiness that is unequalled in our history. the poor suffered nothing, and to-day--even though we are struggling for our very existence--we hear not a word of that winter-cry "the unemployed." i trust, therefore, that the reader will find my outspoken criticisms just, and perfectly without prejudice, for, as i have already stated, my only feeling is one of pure patriotism towards my king and the country that gave me birth. though i am beyond the age-limit to serve in the army, it is in defence of my king and country, and in order to reveal the naked truth to a public which has so long been pitiably bamboozled and reassured, that i have ventured to pen this plain, serious, and straightforward indictment, which no amount of official juggling can ever disprove. chapter vi some methods of secret agents some of the cases of espionage within my own knowledge--and into many of them i have myself made discreet inquiry--may not prove uninteresting. foreign governesses, usually a hard-worked and poorly-paid class, are often in a position to furnish important information, and very serious cases have recently been proved against them. these young women have lived in the intimacy of the homes of men of every grade, cabinet ministers, members of parliament, financiers, officers of both services, and officials of every class. by the very nature of their duties, and their extreme intimacy with their employers, they are, naturally, in a position to gather much valuable information, and often even to get sight of their employers' correspondence, which can easily be noted and handed over to the proper quarter for transmission to berlin. here is a case already reported by me. not very long ago, in the service of a very well-known member of parliament living in essex, lived a clever, good-looking, and intensely musical young german governess, who was regarded by the member's wife as "a perfect treasure," and who took the greatest interest in her two little charges. for over two years fräulein had been in the service of this pleasant household, being, of course, regarded as "one of the family." in the grounds of the big country house in question was a secluded summer-house, and here fräulein was in the habit of reading alone, and writing her letters. one hot summer's afternoon she had gone there as usual, when about an hour later one of the under-gardeners, in passing, saw her lying back in her chair unconscious. she had been seized with a fit. he raised the alarm, she was carried back to the house, and the doctor was at once telephoned for. meanwhile her mistress, greatly alarmed, went out to the summer-house in order to see whether her unconsciousness could be accounted for. upon the table she noticed a number of documents which did not appear to be letters which a governess might receive, and, on examination, she found to her dismay that, not only were they carefully-written reports of conversations between her husband and a certain cabinet minister who had been their guest during the previous week-end, but there were also copies of several confidential letters from one of the government departments to her husband. that the girl was a clever and most dangerous spy was at once proved, yet, rather than there should be any unpleasant publicity, the girl was, that same night, packed off unceremoniously across to the hook of holland. in another instance a german governess in the employ of an officer's wife at chatham was discovered endeavouring to obtain confidential information; and in a third, at plymouth, a charming young lady was caught red-handed. these three glaring cases are within my own knowledge; therefore, there probably have been many others where, after detection, the girls have been summarily dismissed by their employers, who, naturally, have hesitated to court publicity by prosecution. it therefore behoves everyone employing a foreign governess--and more especially anyone occupying an official position--to be alert and wary. many of these young ladies are known to have been trained for the dastardly work which they have been so successfully carrying out, and, while posing as loyal and dutiful servants of their employers, and eating at their tables, they have been listening attentively to their secrets. we have, of late, been told a good deal of the danger of secret agents among the alien staffs of hotels, and, in deference to public opinion, the authorities have cleared our hotels of all germans and austrians. though holding no brief for the alien servant, i must say, at once, that i have never known one single instance of a hotel servant of lower grade being actually proved to be a secret agent. it is a fact, however, that among the hall-porters of some of the principal hotels were, until the outbreak of war, several well-known spies. the class of person who is much more dangerous is the so-called "naturalised" alien. among these are, no doubt, spies, men who have long ago taken out naturalisation papers for the sole purpose of blinding us, and of being afforded opportunities to pursue their nefarious calling. to-day, while thousands of men who have for years worked hard for a living are in idleness in detention camps, these gentry are free to move about where they will because they are so-called british subjects. surely the heart of a german is always german, just as the heart of a true-born briton is always british, whatever papers he may sign. i contend that every german who has been "naturalised" during the last seven years should be treated as other aliens are treated, and we should then be nearer the end of the spy-peril. "naturalised" foreign baronets, financiers, merchants, ship-owners, and persons of both sexes of high social standing, constitute a very grave peril in our midst, though mr. mckenna has not yet appeared to have awakened to it, even though the press and the public are, happily, no longer blind to the german preparations. in the month of november, while spies were being reported in hundreds by the public themselves, the home office was actually engaged in holding an inquiry _into whether there had really been any atrocities committed by the german soldiery in belgium_! and i was officially asked to assist in this! as far as can be gathered from mr. mckenna's reply in november to the parliamentary attack on the methods of dealing with the spy peril, the position was still a most unsatisfactory one. though he admitted that we still have , enemy aliens at large among us, nobody is assumed to be a spy unless he is an unnaturalised german. even if he fulfils this condition, he is then to be caught "in the act" of spying, or if really strong suspicion be aroused, some evidence against him may be "looked for." but until this is "found," and so long as he complies with the posted-up registration orders, etc., he may continue unmolested. in short, after the steed is stolen, our stable door may be shut. one sighs in despair. could anything be more hopeless? if the matter were not so very serious, the position would be gilbertian in its comedy. though we are at war, our sons being shot down and our national existence threatened, yet there is yet another very strong factor in favour of the german spy. according to mr. mckenna, he himself is only responsible for the london district, while elsewhere the county constabulary, under the chief constables of counties, are "to pay every attention to representations of the naval and military authorities," in the matter of hostile espionage.[ ] this strikes me as one of the finest examples of "how not to do it" that we have heard of for some time, and it must indeed be a source of delight to the secret "enemy within our gates." fancy such a ridiculous regulation in germany! of some of the hundreds of cases of undoubted espionage which have been brought to my notice since the outbreak of war, i will enumerate a few. one was that of two germans who--posing as poles--rented a large country house at £ a year, bought a quantity of furniture, and settled down to a quiet life. the house in question was situated at a very important point on the main london and north western railway, and the grounds ran down to a viaduct which, if destroyed, would cut off a most important line of communication. the suspicion of a neighbour was aroused. he informed the police, and a constable _in full uniform_ began to make inquiries of the neighbours, the result being that the interesting pair left the house one night, and have not since been seen. outside london, the county constabulary are making praiseworthy efforts to find spies, but when men in uniform set out to make inquiries--as they unfortunately do in so many cases--then the system becomes hopeless. the same thing happened in a small coast town in norfolk where signalling at night had been noticed. indeed, in two instances in the same town, and again in dunbar, the appearance of the police inspector caused the flight of the spies--as undoubtedly they were. as regards the county of norfolk, it has long received the most careful attention of german secret agents. at the outbreak of war the chief constable, major egbert napier, with commendable patriotism, devoted all his energies to the ferreting out of suspicious characters, spies who were no doubt settled near and on the coast in readiness to assist the enemy in case of an attempted landing. by major napier's untiring efforts a very large area has been cleared, more especially from cromer along by sheringham, weybourne--a particularly vulnerable point--and from cley-next-the-sea to wells and king's lynn. major napier engaged, at my instigation, a well-known detective-officer who, for some years, had been engaged at the criminal investigation department at new scotland yard, specially attached to deal with german criminals for extradition back to germany. he was a russian, naturalised english, and spoke german perfectly, being born in riga--and an ideal officer to inquire into the whole german spy system in norfolk. well, after major napier had asked him to go forth on his mission, i saw him and wished him all success. within a fortnight this shrewd officer returned to me with a hopeless story. wherever he went the coastguard refused to tell him anything, or any of their suspicions, as they said they were sworn to secrecy, while the superintendents and inspectors of the norfolk constabulary--with few exceptions--even though he bore proper credentials signed by the chief constable himself, actually _refused to give him any assistance or information whatsoever_! this keen and clever detective-officer returned to the chief constable of norfolk and told him that he was certain spies still existed along the coast, but expressed regret at the hopeless state of affairs. if any government authority would like to question the officer upon his experiences, i shall be pleased to furnish that department with his private address. i had a curious experience myself in norfolk. in a field, high upon the cliff between cromer and runton, i last year established a high-power wireless installation. when in working order--with a receiving range of , miles or more, according to atmospheric conditions--i allowed visitors to inspect it. there came along certain inquisitive persons with a slight accent in their speech, and of these i believe no fewer than eight are now interned. it formed quite an interesting trap for spies! from the great mass of authentic reports of german spies lying before me as i write, it is difficult to single out one case more illuminating than another. it may perhaps be of interest, however, to know that i was the first to report to the authorities a secret store of german arms and ammunition in london, afterwards removed, and subsequently seized after the outbreak of war. other stores have, it is said, been found in various parts of the country, the secrets of which, of course, have never been allowed to leak out to the public, for fear of creating alarm. that secret stores of petrol, in readiness for that raid upon us by zeppelins which germany has so long promised, have been thought to exist in scotland, is shown by the reward of £ , offered by the commander-in-chief in scotland for any information leading to the discovery of any such bases. but in connection with this, the situation is really most ludicrous. though, on november th, , a london newspaper reproduced a copy of the poster offering the reward--a poster exhibited upon hoardings all over scotland--yet the press censor actually issued to the london press orders to suppress all fact or comment concerning it! we may surely ask why? if scotland is told the truth, why may not england know it? between rye and winchelsea of late, on four occasions, people have been detected flashing lights from the most seaward point between those places to german submarines. in fact, two of the spies actually had the audacity to build a shanty from which they signalled! this matter was promptly reported by certain residents in the locality to the dover military authorities, but they replied that it was "out of their division." then they reported to the admiralty, but only received the usual typewritten "thanks" in these terms:-- "the director of the intelligence division presents to mr. ---- his compliments, and begs to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of his letter of ----. "admiralty war staff: intelligence division." now what happened? early in the morning of december th, in the midst of a thick hazy rain, half-a-dozen german submarines are reported to have made a daring dash for the western entrance of dover harbour, where several of our warships were lying at anchor. fortunately they were discovered by men working the searchlights, heavy guns were turned upon them, and one submarine, if not more, was sunk. we have to thank spies in the vicinity for this attempt, in which we so narrowly escaped disaster. if not through spies, how could the enemy have known that, just at the time the attack was made, dover was without its boom-defence? and the question arises whether the spies were those detected near rye? in all probability there exists somewhere in the neighbourhood a secret wireless station sufficiently powerful to send intelligence say five miles to sea by day, and double that distance at night. by this means the enemy's submarines could easily learn the truth. therefore the authorities should lose no time in making domiciliary visits to any house where a suspect may be living. and if secret wireless exists near dover, then there may be--as there probably are, since small wireless stations are not costly to fit up, and could, till the outbreak of war, be purchased without arousing the least suspicion--other stations in the vicinity of other of our naval bases, the peril of which will easily be recognised. the replies by the admiralty to persons who give information are curt and unsatisfactory enough, yet if a resident in the metropolitan area writes to the chief commissioner of police upon a serious matter concerning espionage--he will _not even receive the courtesy of a reply_! at least, that has been my own experience. it is appalling to think that the authorities are so utterly incapable of dealing with the situation to-day, even though our men are laying down their lives for us, and fighting as only britons can fight. existence of carefully-prepared concrete emplacements, in readiness for the huge german krupp guns, has been reported to me from a dozen different quarters--sometimes they are concealed in the form of a concrete carriage-drive, in others as a tennis-court, or a yard enclosed by stables. workmen who have actually been employed in laying them down, and have given me the enormous thicknesses of the concrete used, have communicated with me, and indicated where these long-considered preparations of the enemy are to-day to be found. but as it is nobody's business, and as mr. mckenna has assured us that we are quite safe, and that the spy-peril has been snuffed-out, the position is here again hopeless, and we are compelled to live daily upon the edge of a volcano. oh! when will england rub her eyes and awaken? as events have proved in belgium and france, so here, in our own dear country, i fear we have spies in every department of the public service. i say boldly, without fear of contradiction--that if our apathetic home department continues to close its eyes as it is now doing, we shall be very rudely stirred up one day when the zeppelins come in force--as the authorities fear by the darkening of london. from the lessons taught us in france, i fear that in every department of our public services, the post-office, the railways, the docks, the electric generating-stations, in our arsenals, in our government factories, and among those executing certain government contracts--everywhere, from wick to walmer--the spy still exists, and he is merely awaiting the signal of his masters to strike: to blow up bridges and tunnels, to destroy water-supplies, docks, power-stations and wireless-stations: to cut telegraphs and telephones, and to create panic--a sudden and fearful panic--which it would be to the interest of the invaders to create. at my suggestion the postmaster-general, at the outbreak of war, ordered each letter-carrier in the kingdom to prepare lists of foreigners on their "walk," and upon those lists hundreds of arrests of aliens took place. no doubt many spies were "rounded-up" by this process, but alas! many still remain, sufficient of the "naturalised,"--even those "naturalised" after the war,--to form a very efficient advance-guard to our invading enemy, who hate us with such a deadly, undying hatred. if zeppelins are to raid us successfully they must have secret bases for the supply of petrol for their return journey. such bases can only be established in out-of-the-way places where, on descending, air-craft would not be fired upon. the moors, those of yorkshire, dartmoor, and certain districts of scotland and the lake country, are admirably adapted for this purpose, for there are spots which could easily be recognised from the air--by the direction of the roads, running like ribbons across the heather--where considerable stores could easily be secreted without anyone being the wiser. this is a petrol war, and if any raid is attempted upon the country, petrol will be wanted in great quantities by the enemy. is it not, therefore, with our knowledge of germany's long-completed preparations at maubeuge, antwerp, along the heights of the aisne, and in other places, quite safe to assume that considerable--even greater--preparations have already been made in our own country--made in the days when the british public were lulled to sleep by the judas-like assurances of the kaiser and his friendly visits to our king, and when any honest attempt to lift the veil was met with abuse and derision. if we assume that preparations have been made, it is, surely, our duty to now discover them. petrol and ammunition are the two things which the enemy will want if they dare to attempt a dash upon our coast. therefore it would be very wise for the authorities to make a house-to-house visitation, and search from garret to cellar all premises until lately occupied by aliens in the eastern counties, and all houses still occupied by "naturalised" foreigners, who, if they were honestly "british subjects" as they declare, could not possibly object. there are many licensed premises, too, held by the "naturalised," and the cellars of these should certainly be searched. hundreds of "naturalised" germans and austrians are living--immune from even suspicion. they are of all grades, from watchmakers and hotel-keepers to wealthy financiers. if only the government would deal with the "naturalised," as any sane system of government would in these unparalleled circumstances, then it would give a free hand to the chief constables of lincolnshire, norfolk, suffolk, essex, and kent to clear out, once and for ever, the canker-worm of espionage which has, alas! been allowed to eat so very nearly into britain's heart. i am not affected by that disease known as spy-mania. i write only of what i know, of what i have witnessed with my own eyes and have heard with my own ears. i therefore appeal most strongly, with all my patriotism, to the reader, man or woman, to pause, to reflect, to think, and to demand that justice shall, at this crisis of our national life, be done. we want no more attempts to gag the press, no evasive speeches in the house--no more pandering to the foreign financier or bestowing upon him birthday honours: no more kid-gloved legislation for our monied enemies whose sons, in some cases, are fighting against us, but sturdy, honest and deliberate action--the action with the iron-hand of justice in the interests of our own beloved empire. footnotes: [footnote : even at this moment of our peril, it is doubtful if the public will find at new scotland yard a single detective able to pass himself off as a german and thus be in a position to make close investigation. there are, certainly, several who speak german, but in a dozen words they betray their british nationality. surely the police cannot hope for good results without possessing agents competent to carry out what is a difficult and delicate task. the extradition department is no longer what it was under chief-inspector greenham.] chapter vii master-spies and their cunning we shall probably never be able to realise a hundredth part of what germany has done by her spy system, but we know enough to realise that, for years, no country and no walks of life--from the highest to the lowest--have been free from the presence of her ubiquitous and unscrupulous secret agents. nothing in the way of espionage has been too large, or too small, for attention. her spies have swarmed in all cities, and in every village; her agents have ranked among the leaders of social and commercial life, and among the sweepings and outcasts of great communities. the wealthiest of commercial men have not shrunk from acting as her secret agents. she has not been above employing beside them the very dregs of the community. no such a system has ever been seen in the world; i hope it is safe to say that no such system will ever be seen again. indeed, so despicable is this german spy system that even the leader of the opposition in the reichstag, herr richter, one day rose from his seat and protested against "the more than doubtful morality of the individuals employed." this protest was made because it was known that the secret service of germany countenanced rank immorality and vice, the suborning of high officials, and the shameless engagement of women of ill-fame in the search for information. the official feeling in germany concerning such debased methods was well illustrated by the reply of herr von puttkamer, the minister for the interior, who said:-- "it is the right and duty of the state to employ special and extraordinary methods, and even if that honest and estimable functionary, police-councillor rumpff, has employed the methods of which he is accused, in order to secure for the state the benefits of useful intelligence, i here publicly express to him my satisfaction and thanks." that statement is certainly informing. it reveals to us the low, vile methods of our enemies. the german spy system, as we know it to-day, is the creation of one carl stieber, and it dates back to about the year . stieber, who was an obscure saxon, began his career of espionage by betraying the revolutionary socialists, with whom he pretended to sympathise, and so successful was he in this respect that he very soon obtained employment among the regular police, and was afterwards created head of a department which finally worked quite independently, and was beyond police control. stieber could never have achieved the success he did but for the luck or good management which, during his work among the revolutionaries, brought him to the notice of frederick william, the king of prussia. under the royal patronage he was secure against counter-plotters among the military and the police, both of whom hated him beyond measure as an interloper who was seen to be dangerous to their interests. up to this time, it should be remembered, the game of espionage, so far as military matters were concerned, had been a matter solely for the military authorities, and they did not fail to resent the new influence, which very speedily threatened to make itself all-powerful--as, indeed, it ultimately did--in this particular field of prussian activity. it must not be supposed that stieber--upon whose model the russian secret police was afterwards established--confined his activities to either the enemies or the criminals of prussia. he established a close watch on persons even of high rank, and many a tit-bit of information went to regale the mind of his royal master. in a sense, frederick william was, like the modern kaiser, the master-spy, for without his confidence stieber could never have achieved the success he did, against both the military and the police, influences which, even in those days, were almost, but not quite, all-powerful in germany. stieber's greatest achievement in the field of actual spying was his work which led to the crushing of austria at sadowa in . at this he laboured for years, and it is not too much to say that his work assured the success of the campaign. by the time the prussian armies were on the move, stieber had established such an army of spies and agents throughout bohemia, that it was a matter of absolute impossibility for the unfortunate austrians to make a single move without information being promptly carried to their enemies. so successful was stieber's method found, that it was only natural that it should be tried in other countries. france was the next victim, and the campaign of - is so recent that it is hardly necessary to do more than remind the reader how thoroughly the germans were served by their spy system. as in the present war, the advancing germans found, in every town and village, swarms of agents who were ready to provide them with information and guidance, and it was even said that the german invaders were better acquainted with the country they were attacking than were the officers entrusted with its defence. we have seen the same thing in the present war, when time after time the germans have been led into towns and districts by men who have lived there for years and, in many cases, had even become naturalised frenchmen the better to carry on their work. it speaks volumes for the perfection of the german military machine that, on the outbreak of hostilities, these men should have been able, without the slightest difficulty, to join the corps operating in the districts with which they had become perfectly familiar by years of residence. and they were able, not merely to give topographical information, but even to indicate where stores of food and petrol could be found, and to point out to their comrades where the best prospects of loot and plunder existed. all this was merely a natural development of the system which carl stieber established, and which his successors have developed to the highest pitch of unscrupulous perfection. after the war of - , the system which stieber invented found its place in german administration, and it has continued ever since as a separate and highly-organised department, spending vast sums of money--about £ , a year--and extending its ramifications to an incredible extent. it may be mentioned, incidentally, that its workings and methods have been copied by the german commercial world, and many a british employer has, during the past few years, paid dearly through his closest commercial secrets being given away to his keenest german rivals by the patient, diligent and hard-working german clerk, who was willing to work for a mere pittance for the advantage of "learning english" and studying british methods. there cannot now be the slightest doubt that thousands of these german employees were, before the war, really in the pay of german firms, and were busily engaged in sending to germany all the information they could possibly pick up which would tend to help the german and injure the british merchant and manufacturer. i hope they have over-reached themselves, and that when the war is over we shall see a great deal less of the english worker being supplanted by spying germans, whose apparent cheapness has been the costliest labour englishmen have ever employed. "never trust or employ a german, and always make him pay cash" ought to be the british commercial motto for the future. stieber died in the early nineties, but he was succeeded by others quite as clever, and even more unscrupulous than himself, some of whom--though by no means all--have become faintly known to us through the revelations made in the too few cases of espionage where prosecution has been undertaken by our sleepy authorities. i say "very few," of course, in the comparative meaning of the phrase. actually, there have been a fair number of cases, but when we consider the slyness of german methods we must come to the conclusion that not a fraction of the whole have been dealt with, in spite of the amusing claim of mr. mckenna that he has succeeded in smashing the german spy organisation in this country. our leniency in this respect is a matter of amazement to people in france, and other countries where, from bitter experience, the german spy-peril is better understood, and it is also a matter of some resentment. every blow at england, it is argued, injures the cause of the allies as a whole, and the worst blows are likely enough to be struck by the undetected and unpunished spy. in almost every case of espionage in england in recent years, the name of steinhauer, "of potsdam," has figured prominently. he is, at the moment, the chief of the kaiser's spy-system, and there is no doubt that he fully enjoys the confidence and friendship of his royal master. steinhauer--as he is known to our secret service--is an officer in the prussian guard, and is about forty years of age. personally, he is a man of charming manners, of splendid education, and of excellent presence, capable of taking his place--as he has frequently done--in the very best society. steinhauer--the man of a hundred aliases--acting under the direct instructions of the kaiser, and with the closest support and co-operation of the german military authorities, established in england such a network of naval and military spies as, when it was tardily discovered, fairly made our authorities aghast. the allegations i have made in these pages are borne out by mr. mckenna's own admission, that hardly anything was done in the matter until about the year ; yet, as i have indicated, long before this the germans were actually plotting war against england, and were preparing for it and looking forward to the day when they might hope to wage it with every prospect of success. the following extract from a public statement by the home secretary is worth quoting. it will be noticed that steinhauer's name is not mentioned, but there is no doubt that he was the head of the organisation of which the home secretary speaks. mr. mckenna stated in his remarkable and somewhat ludicrous communiqué of october th, :-- "the special intelligence department ... was able in three years, from to , to discover the ramifications of the german secret service in england. in spite of enormous effort and lavish expenditure by the enemy, little valuable information fell into their hands.... there is good reason to believe that the spy organisation, crushed at the outbreak of the war, has not been re-established.... how completely that system had been suppressed in the early days of the war is clear from the fact disclosed in a german army order--that on st august the german military commanders were ignorant of the dispatch and movements of the british expeditionary force, although these had been known for many days to a large number of people in this country." such an attempt as this to lull us into a false sense of security was little short of criminal. if not from spies, asked a correspondent of the _globe_, from whom did germany obtain, in , the very valuable information that oil was to be the sole source of motive power for the "queen elizabeth" (v. _taschenbuch der kriegsflotten_, january, )? certainly not from any english official source; for we were kept entirely in the dark as to this momentous change until the _morning post_ announced in july, , that the battleship in question would consume liquid fuel only. even minor details did not escape the notice of german spies during the period specified by mr. mckenna. for instance, the _taschenbuch_ for contains this statement:-- "'hermes,' at present tender to air-craft, and as such only carries eight in. guns." yet it was not until the "hermes" had been sunk in the channel by a german submarine, that any official statement was made as to how she had been employed and her armament reduced! again, there is irrefutable evidence to show that german agents were ready waiting in france for the disembarkation of at least some details of the british expeditionary force, and the whole world knows that the german emperor's insolent reference to sir john french's army was made _before august st_. further evidence of the activity of german spies before and since the outbreak of the war is to be found in the following extract from a letter written by an english naval officer, and published in the _times_ of november th under the heading, "in the north sea":-- "their (_i.e._, the germans') submarines are outside even now, and it seems funny where they get their information. but, at any rate, they are well served, as they knew where the fleet was when we were at devonport, and we did not know ourselves." taking all these facts into consideration, it is evident that the german spy system is more than a match for the intelligence division of the admiralty war staff. steinhauer--the chief of german espionage--was the author and inspiration of these "enormous efforts," and of the lavish expenditure of money. with unlimited means at his disposal from the german secret service funds, a close personal friend of the kaiser, a man of undoubted ability, great charm of manner and unquestionable daring, the man known as steinhauer must be ranked as one of the most dangerous of our enemies. i have met him more than once. he speaks english practically like an englishman, and, out of uniform, might well pass for an englishman in any cosmopolitan gathering. about eight years ago he was appointed to look after the german secret service, with special instructions from the emperor to particularly devote himself to england. he made frequent visits to this country; he got to know many german residents here of the better class, whose efforts might be of value to him, and within twelve months--while our red-tape-tangled government departments closed their eyes and dreamed--had actively at work a swarm of agents in every dockyard town and garrison where the picking up of information of value would be possible or likely. how he must have smiled! every important town and city, many villages on the coast, every naval base had its agent or agents, and there can be no doubt that it was the result of steinhauer's wonderful activities that at last aroused even the supine british home office, which for years had jeered at me and reassured the public with official denials that there were no spies in england, and had laughed at the numerous warnings to them to "sit up and take notice." and all this in face of a great and terrible national peril! i would here like to pay a tribute to the thoroughness with which the confidential department have all along done their work. up to the limits to which the staff were allowed to go, they did magnificently. there can be no doubt that a good many of the most active german spies were detected and accounted for. the trouble is that the intelligence officers were not allowed to go far enough--indeed, since the war the director, who knew many of the spies personally, has actually been relieved of his post. why, we may well ask. do not let us inquire, however, but let us realise that after six months at war we still have at large amongst us some , alien enemies who would, in any other country, be safely under lock and key. this spy peril means the loss of our sons and our loved ones, and a blow at our empire. even the department is subject to ordinary human limitations, and we shall never be free from the spy-peril until we recognise with sherman that during war the military authority is superior to the civil; until we insist with sir oliver lodge that all foreign spies must be shot, and all native ones hanged. this steinhauer's crowning act of daring and cool "cheek" came in , when it is stated upon the best authority that he actually paid a visit to king george at buckingham palace, as a member of the german emperor's personal suite! in that year i met him. the kaiser visited london to attend the unveiling by the king of the queen victoria memorial. steinhauer, the spy, was actually a member of his suite! of the action of our false friend the kaiser in this matter it is difficult to speak with patience. at this time, it should be remembered, he was professing the firmest friendship for england, and more than one cabinet minister was full of his praise; yet this pinchbeck napoleon could find it within his notions of honour to introduce to england the one man of all others who was most active in the perfidious campaign against her. can it be wondered that with such an example of treachery to lead them, german diplomatists made small ado about tearing up the solemn treaty which guaranteed the neutrality of belgium! at this time, of course, steinhauer's real mission was unknown to our home office, and, of course, steinhauer is not his real name. it was not until later in the year that the confidential department fixed his identity and ascertained his true character. one sighs to realise the farce of it all. then began a campaign in which the germans were badly outwitted. without giving the slightest indication that anything unusual was on foot, or had been discovered, the special department--under the director who is, alas! no longer there--set to work. one branch of their activities was revealed in a recent case, when they calmly produced, in court, tracings of letters posted in london by steinhauer's agents. for once the spy had been met and beaten at his own game. in the meantime, some of steinhauer's chief agents had been identified, and were kept under the closest but most unostentatious surveillance. arrests were made in a number of cases, and in many others information was secured which bore prompt fruit when war was declared, and over two hundred of the "master-spy's" tools were captured in different parts of the country and interned. it is, however, beyond doubt that many of this man's agents, of greater or less influence or ability, are to-day still at liberty, and there is no doubt either that many have come over in the guise of belgian refugees; that, indeed, has been officially admitted. of course, they are now working under enormously greater difficulties in getting information, owing to the increased severity of the watch kept at all places of importance. and even to send it away when they have got it is not easy, though no doubt it is arranged, through italy, denmark, or scandinavia. here is an instance reported by me to the authorities, as i considered it full of suspicion. among the thousands of belgian refugees arriving in england just before the fall of antwerp--a city infested by german spies--there came among us a certain priest, with four other male companions. the priest explained to the relief committee which received him, that he was head of a certain college in belgium. he and his companions were, at their own request, passed on to a provincial relief committee. there the priest's penurious position naturally aroused much sympathy, and he and his companions were put into a good-sized house, given money for their maintenance, and petted by many charitable persons. the five were free to take observations in and around the place where they were domiciled. that our enemy would be glad of any details regarding it there can be no doubt. then, of a sudden--in the first days of january--the priest, to the surprise of the committee, announced the fact that as he had received a letter from the cardinal archbishop of his diocese, stating that many of his old pupils had returned, he must leave at once for home with two of his companions. one of the latter declared that he had to go to "look after his cows"--as though the germans would have left him any cows! when questioned, the priest admitted that he held monies of the college which he must hand over. to say the least, their behaviour was highly suspicious. by some persons who became acquainted with this curious request the matter was viewed with considerable suspicion. there seemed no urgent reason why the refugees in question should return, for their excuses, when challenged, were of the flimsiest character. however, they were able to obtain a sum of money, which went towards their travelling expenses. i at once went to the proper authorities--with the usual result. officials "got busy" scribbling reports and writing polite "acknowledgments," but nothing was done, and the priest and his friends were allowed to cross to flushing unmolested on january th. but while it may be true that the main spy organisation has been partially broken up--as mr. mckenna would have us believe--it should not be supposed, by any means, that the peril is at an end. letters can still be smuggled out of the country. to test this, i myself have communicated with friends in germany since the war by sending my letters to italy, where they were re-addressed, and replies have come by the same means. signals can, and are still, undoubtedly being made to german submarines lying within easy distance of our east coast. and there can be no doubt that the stream of secret german gold, part of the £ , a year, has, alas! done its work all too well in inducing at least a few renegade englishmen to betray their country. this thought leaves a nasty taste in one's mouth, but there are black sheep in all nations, and the black sheep of this kind are the master-spy's most precious instruments. very few of them, fortunately or unfortunately, as we may choose to think, have been discovered; but an example was made of one--the ex-naval gunner, parrott--who, perhaps, was one of the worst examples. much organising of the actual work of espionage in england is believed to have been carried on by count von der schulenberg, who was recently appointed governor of liége. a very interesting account of his clever methods was published by the _daily mail_ soon after his appointment was announced. von der schulenberg belongs to what is, unquestionably, the most dangerous type of spy--the monied man of good family, of a certain culture, enjoying the friendship of people in the better ranks of life, and above all, able to plead many hobbies to account for his presence in this country. we have many of a similar sort in our midst, posing as naturalised persons. it was in that schulenberg--whom i met at the hotel cecil, where i was living--first settled in england. he took a flat in jermyn street, where he spent a considerable time, probably in the work of familiarising himself with the ramifications of the german spy system in this country. he became well known among the german colony in the west end, and he was in the habit of spending considerable periods on some mysterious errands; at any rate he often disappeared for days from his favourite haunts. about two years ago this schulenberg left jermyn street--and the hotel cecil, where he often came in to see his friends--and went to live in borough green, kent, a quiet village within easy reach of chatham dockyard. here he posed, of all things in the world, as a poultry fancier! here he spent a good deal of time, sparing no pains to ingratiate himself with everybody in the district, and, to a great extent, succeeding. we next hear of him as a "breeder of bulldogs" in the little village of hemley-on-deben, in suffolk, not far from harwich. this was about the middle of . the amusing part of his pose here is that it was quite obvious to everyone that he knew nothing whatever about the subject which he made his hobby! he was utterly ignorant of bulldogs, and everything pertaining to them. however, they served as the excuse he wanted to cover his real operations. it is not thought that this schulenberg did any actual spying; it is more probable that he was merely an agent and a "cover" for the work of others. that he may have been an organiser under steinhauer is probable enough, and it is known that he received visits from mysterious germans, to one of whom, in particular, he paid considerable deference. after his departure, a very significant statement is said to have been made by a young man who is now serving in our army at the front. this man asserted that if he had been willing to do what von schulenberg asked him, he would, by this time, "have been a rich man, able to drive his own motor-car." we can make a pretty good guess as to the class of service that was sought. many other cases of a similar nature that have come to light make it plain that great britain was systematically divided out into territories, for the purpose of espionage, each territory having a head spy, or agent, to whom all others under him were responsible, and to whom they gave their reports for transmission to the headquarters of the german spy system in brussels. these cases are too numerous to mention individually, and it will be sufficient to quote one as an example, that of captain x----, of manchester. the captain was originally arrested for having--needless to say he was a german--travelled more than five miles from the city without permission. when the case came on the magistrates took the view that the offence was a mere oversight, and inflicted a small fine. later, however, certain facts came to light, and the captain was re-arrested at the instance of the military authorities. great importance was attached to the case, as the authorities believed that through it they would be able to lay their hands upon centres, not only in the north of england, but also in london, through which the germans were in receipt of important information. captain x---- was a man of the type who have done excellent service for germany among the too trustful english. of charming manners, apparently a rich man, and very "english" in his ways, he was able to move in good society, and numbered among his friends many prominent manchester people. but there was another side to his character of which his manchester friends were not aware. one of his favourite haunts was a certain german club in the city. here he was seen almost nightly, and it was noticed that he seemed to have a great friendship for certain hotel-waiters of german nationality, who, like himself, were members. these club waiters, who evidently possessed an amount of cash which is not common among men participating in the "tronc," were constantly occupied with the captain in a private room. they "did themselves well," and in course of time they attracted the attention of certain englishmen who were also members of the club. it could not escape notice that german waiters were rather curious friends for an apparently wealthy man moving in the best society in manchester, and there is only one explanation of their common activities. of the captain's ultimate fate i am ignorant, but we may assume that by this time he is beyond the capacity of doing us further harm, at any rate for a considerable time. "_place aux dames!_" among the "master spies" of the kaiser we must certainly include a proportion of the fair sex--those women of lax morals discussed in the reichstag. and of all the perplexing problems with which our authorities have had to deal of late, there is none more difficult than that of women who have been acting as agents of german espionage. it is a popular jibe that a woman cannot keep a secret. never was a popular opinion worse founded. to the spy no quality is more essential than the ability to hold his tongue--a casual word may be enough to betray him under circumstances in which he might think himself absolutely safe. and if some women, at any rate, could not be trusted to set a very rigid seal on their lips, the kaiser and other spy-masters would be robbed of some of their most able and desperate agents. history has shown us that the woman-spy is, if anything, far more dangerous than the man, once she gives herself heart and soul to the business. and the reason is obvious: she brings to bear subtle influences--especially if she is of the half-world--which are far beyond the capacity of the male spy. more often than not, she simply works on a man's passions, and there are endless cases of men who have given away important secrets not for mere sordid motives, but through the wiles of a pretty little woman by whom they have been temporarily enslaved. the woman-spy, as a rule, must be possessed of great personal charm of manner, and more than a share of good looks--often they are minor actresses or ladies of no profession. they are, indeed, the aristocrats of the spy profession, for they can work with good prospects of success in cases where the ordinary lure of money would be rejected with scorn, and, probably, personal violence if it were proffered. now, it is absolutely foreign to the british character to take any steps against women of whatever class unless there are very clear grounds upon which to act. we may be quite sure that this fact is fully recognised by the authorities at potsdam. there are to-day, in london--many around piccadilly circus, and practically uncontrolled--hundreds of german women, clever and capable, who are an unmistakable danger to our country. what to do with them is, admittedly, not a problem easy of solution. we, as britons, do not want to inflict on women the unavoidable hardships of the concentration camps if it can be avoided, but we certainly do want to protect ourselves. the suggestion has been made that these women should be compulsorily repatriated, and it seems as good a way of dealing with the difficulty as any. one of the most notorious of the german woman agents is believed to have come over to this country immediately after the fall of brussels. she is said to be an exceedingly accomplished woman, very good-looking, and widely travelled, and speaking seven languages. the confidential department are to-day keeping her under observation. a woman of this kind is especially dangerous owing to her ability to pass in any class of society, and it is to be hoped that the department has been able to curtail her opportunities for mischief. as i have, over and over again, stated in the course of these past few years of britain's slumber, the tremendous extent of the german spy system cannot be over-estimated, nor can it be too strongly impressed upon the public. nothing is too large, or too small, for the net of german espionage; no agent can be too highly, or too lowly, placed. from the few chiefs who really control the dastardly work, designed for our undoing, radiate channels which stretch into every department of life, pouring in a constant stream of facts of greater or less importance, but all having their proper place when correlated and arranged by the keen brains in berlin devoted to the work. never let it be forgotten that an apparently trivial incident may be the key for which the spy is patiently seeking, and that even a seemingly baseless rumour transmitted by the humble german, as the result of eavesdropping during his employment, may set the master-brain at work upon some matter of overwhelming importance. chapter viii the spy and the law there is a vast amount of misconception in the public mind on the subject of spying, and an almost complete ignorance of the law of dealing with spies, military and civil, in time of peace and in time of war. the subject is one which absolutely bristles with anomalies and incongruities. in all times and in all countries, and by the great majority of people, spying has been condemned as something essentially dishonourable--to call a man a spy has always been regarded as one of the deadliest insults. yet here we have at once the first, and perhaps the most striking, anomaly of the spy business--the men of unblemished personal honour, who, unquestionably, would not descend to any act which, in their views, was even tainted with meanness, have acted as spies. i will mention a few of these cases presently; in the meantime, it will be well to consider what international law has to say on the subject. naturally enough, the subject of spying met with a good deal of consideration on the part of the members of the hague convention, and, so far as there can be said to be international law in the matter, it is expressed in the conventional laws of war drawn up by the assemblage. the following articles of the convention dealing with the subject may be usefully quoted:-- article xxix. a person can only be considered a spy when, acting clandestinely, or on false pretences, he obtains or endeavours to obtain information in the zone of operations of a belligerent with the intention of communicating it to the hostile party. thus, soldiers not wearing a disguise who have penetrated into the zone of operations of the hostile army for the purpose of obtaining information are not considered spies. similarly, the following are not considered spies: soldiers and civilians, carrying out their mission openly, entrusted with the delivery of despatches intended either for their own army or for the enemy's army. to this class belong likewise persons sent in balloons for the purpose of carrying despatches, and generally of maintaining communications between the different parts of an army or a territory. article xxx. a spy taken in the act shall not be punished without previous trial. article xxxi. a spy who after rejoining the army to which he belongs is subsequently captured by the enemy, is treated as a prisoner of war, and incurs no responsibility for his previous acts of espionage. a very detailed and lucid exposition of the law dealing with spies is given in mr. j.m. spaight's "war rights on land," perhaps the fullest and most authoritative source of information on the work of the hague convention in respect to war on land. now, in the conduct of war early and accurate information is of supreme importance. one of the best instances of this on record was the capture of marshal macmahon's army by the germans in the franco-prussian war of - . this, of course, was not the work of a spy, but it was the result of information which a spy might very well have obtained. a paris paper published a statement indicating that macmahon's army had changed the direction of its march. this statement was telegraphed to london and appeared in the papers here. it caught the attention of the then german ambassador, who, realising its value, promptly telegraphed it to berlin. for moltke, of course, this was a heaven-sent opportunity of which his military genius made the fullest use. a new movement was at once set on foot, and the result was the surrender of macmahon with his entire force. granting that information of equal value may at any moment be obtained by a clever spy, it is obvious that commanders in the field are not only entitled, but bound to take the most drastic measures to defend themselves against spies. the work of a single spy may wreck a campaign and settle the fate of a nation, and here we have the real reason why the spy caught in the act is punished with relentless severity. "kill that spy" is, and should be, the rule of every commander in the field. then arises another consideration of equal importance: every commander is entitled and bound to do his utmost to secure the best possible information as to the enemy's forces, their disposition, their size, and, above all, their intentions. it is of even more importance to understand what your enemy intends to do than to know the forces which he has available to carry out his plans. how, then, are we to draw a distinction between perfectly legitimate scouting and reconnaissance work, which can involve no reprobation and no punishment, and the "spying" properly so called, which justifies the infliction of the death penalty? the answer lies in a couple of words--the spy acts under false pretences, while the soldier or scout acts quite openly; though, of course, concealing himself from observation and detection, he does not adopt any disguise or discard his uniform. the result is, that under no circumstances can a soldier wearing his uniform be treated as a spy. he may dare and do anything; if he is caught his sole punishment is that he is treated as a prisoner of war. so far as the soldier is concerned (the case of the civilian spy will be dealt with presently) disguise is the essence of spying. this point is clear beyond the possibility of misconception, and the commander who shot a soldier in uniform on the plea that he was acting as a spy would simply be committing a murder. usually, a military spy is a soldier who has laid aside his own uniform, and either adopted civilian dress, or clothed himself in the uniform of the enemy, or a neutral, the better to escape detection. for such, there is no mercy; the penalty of detection is death. the reason is obvious: the soldier in disguise is a far more dangerous enemy than the one who openly carries out his hostile acts. in war, as in peace, the enemy in disguise is most dangerous; the false friend is the soldier's as well as the civilian's worst peril. here we come to another anomaly: spying in itself is not a criminal act. that is clearly recognised by article xxxi. of the hague convention already quoted. consequently, unless he is taken in the act the spy is immune; once he has regained his own lines, and discarded his disguise, he is exempt from the consequences of his espionage, even though he were captured and identified ten minutes later. to constitute "spying" in the strict sense of the word, the offence must be carried out clandestinely, and _in the war area_. as we all know now, and as i and others pointed out years ago, the united kingdom for many years has been flooded with german agents busily engaged in picking up information on naval and military subjects which would be of value to germany. it is important to recognise that these agents _are not "spies" in the strict sense of the word_, since the united kingdom is, happily, not within the war zone. in time of peace they could not be shot. when war began, however, they were guilty of "war treason" and liable to the death penalty. the case of carl lody, with which i deal fully elsewhere, is a case in point. lody was not accused of "spying," but of "war treason." the word "spy," however, is convenient, and no doubt it will continue to be used without undue regard to the technicalities. it is necessary, i think, to make it clear how eminent soldiers have found it not beneath their dignity and honour to act as spies, even in the face of the general opprobrium which attaches to the spy. in the first place, the obtaining of information is essential to the successful conduct of war. secondly, it is recognised that no moral guilt attaches to the spy, as is shown by the fact that he can only be punished if he is taken in the act, and as a preventive measure. thirdly, we must remember that only a very brave man, ready to lay down his life for his country, could bring himself to act as a spy in war time. the spy, let it not be forgotten, is under no illusions; he takes his life in his hands, and he knows it. if he is caught there is no help for him; his doom is as certain as the rising of the sun. only a man to whom his life was as nothing if risking it would serve his country's cause, would dare to undertake the perilous work of spying in time of war. whatever other attributes the spy may possess, and many of them undoubtedly are individuals of a very undesirable kind, the possession of courage must be granted to them. naturally, it will be asked why the spy is so generally held in contempt, and, indeed, in abhorrence. that this should be so is, in all probability, due to a certain confusion of ideas between the soldier spy who, risking his life in war, may be playing a truly heroic part, and those miserable secret agents who, in time of peace and without risk, abuse for gold a nation's hospitality with the deliberate intention of working her ruin when war comes, or, still worse, the traitor who is ready to sell the interests of his own country. and it is one of the anomalies of the whole subject that the traitor who is ready to sell his country's interests to a possible enemy should, in time of peace, be punishable only by penal servitude, while the truly brave and often heroic soldier who in time of war risks his life in his country's cause, should meet certain death if he is detected. let us assume for a moment that a man of the former class, the day before the war broke out, had sold to germany information of some secret upon which the safety of the british empire depended. there is no such secret, but i assume it for the sake of argument. his maximum punishment would have been penal servitude. take next the case of a german soldier who, the day after war was declared, crept disguised into our lines and obtained information which might have enabled his commander to capture fifty british soldiers. we should have shot him without delay. yet will anyone contend that there is anything comparable in the moral turpitude of the two acts? it must not be understood, of course, that i am pleading for clemency for the spy; my plea is for greater severity for the traitor! we are now faced with another problem. if it is dishonourable to spy--and many eminent authorities, as well as public opinion, generally hold this to be the case--it is unquestionably dishonourable to employ spies. yet all commanders of all nations employ spies, and if any nation failed to do so, it might as well--as lord wolseley said--sheathe its sword for ever. we can take it for granted that, in his many campaigns, lord wolseley made the fullest use possible of spies, and yet his personal honour need not be questioned. we certainly cannot say that he was dishonoured by the use of means often regarded as dishonourable. moreover, great soldiers themselves have not hesitated to act as spies. the history of war is full of such cases. catinat spied in the disguise of a coal-heaver. montluc disguised himself as a cook. ashby, in the american civil war, visited the federal lines as a horse-doctor, while general nathaniel lyon visited the confederate camp at st. louis in disguise before he attacked and captured it. against the personal honour of such men as these no word can be said, and, as mr. spaight points out, it is surprising to find a military historian like sir henry hozier declaring that "spies have a dangerous task and not an honourable one." the truth seems to be that as regards the military spy in time of war, popular opinion stands in need of revision. in the face of the instances quoted, it cannot be fairly said that the military spy is necessarily a man of dishonour. the spy and the revolutionary, in some respects, fall under the same category. if they succeed, well and good; if they fail, they pay the inevitable penalty, and no mercy is shown them. yet the revolutionary as well as the spy may be a person of blameless honour. as a matter of fact, the germans themselves--whose sense of honour no one will regard as being excessively nice--seem to recognise the distinction between the military spy and the wretched agents of espionage, of whom they have made abundant use, who in times of peace, work, and can only work, by abusing the hospitality of the nation among whom they live, and by tempting men to betray their honour and their country's secrets. the japanese, too, one of the proudest of nations, and with a code of honour as strict as any in the world, have recognised that there is nothing essentially dishonourable about the military spy. during the war with russia, mr. douglas story relates, they captured a russian who was spying disguised as a chinaman. they shot him, of course, but they afterwards sent into the russian lines a message in which they hailed the spy as a brave man, and expressed the hope that the russian army held many others equally brave. perhaps the most remarkable spy case on record is that of major andré, which aroused the fiercest indignation during the american war of independence. andré, who was born in london in , joined the british army in canada, and became aide-de-camp to general clinton. benedict arnold, an american commandant, had undertaken to surrender to the british forces a fortress on the hudson river, and andré was sent by clinton to make the necessary arrangements. on the night of september th, , arnold and andré met at a place called haverstraw, on the hudson river. then andré changed his uniform for plain clothes, and attempted to pass through the american lines by means of a passport given him by arnold in the name of john anderson. as he was approaching the british lines, however, he was captured by a patrol of the enemy, who handed him over to the american military authorities. washington at once convened a board of officers, who found andré guilty of espionage, and declared that he ought to be put to death. curiously enough, andré himself did not protest against this sentence; all that he asked was that he should be shot instead of suffering the ignominious death of hanging. this request, however, was refused, and, accordingly, he was hanged on october nd, . the case created an uproar in england. the essence of spying is that the spy shall be caught while seeking information, and andré was not thus caught. the americans contended that so long as he was captured before he had returned to his own lines he was to be regarded as a spy, and, therefore, liable to condemnation. many people in england, and elsewhere, regarded andré as a martyr. george iii. granted a pension to his mother, a baronetcy was conferred on his brother, and, in , his remains were allowed to be exhumed, and were brought to england and buried in westminster abbey! it is most important to recognise the distinction between spying, properly so called, and "war treason." the inhabitants of an occupied territory do not owe any allegiance to an invader, but they do owe him the duty of remaining quiet and abstaining from acts which might endanger his safety or success. they are subject to his martial law regulations, and, under certain circumstances, they may be guilty of war treason. war treason has been defined by the germans as:-- "the act of damaging or imperilling the enemy's power by deceit, or by the transmission of messages to the national army on the subject of the position, movements, plans, etc., of the occupant, irrespective of whether the means by which the sender has come into the possession of the information be legitimate or illegitimate (_e.g._, by espionage)." it is, of course, regarded as an act of perfidy when a person whose rights as a non-combatant have been regarded abuses his position to render aid to the national army. non-combatants, save when the "levy in mass" has been put in force, have no right, it is considered, to meddle in any way with the operations of the contending armies. bearers of despatches, whether military or civilian, are not spies so long as they work openly. during the franco-prussian war, bismarck contended that all who attempted to pass out of paris by balloon were spies, and should be treated as such, and though those who were caught were not put to death, they were very harshly treated. he was, undoubtedly, wrong under international law as recognised at the present day. since those times, the aeroplane has placed in the hands of military commanders a powerful weapon, not only of espionage or scouting, but also of communicating information, and probably not even bismarck, were he still alive, could contend that the use of aeroplanes could be regarded as bringing the airman within the laws of espionage. and there is no difference in principle between the aeroplane and the balloon. obviously, there can be none of the concealment which is necessary to establish spying. the invention of wireless telegraphy brought about a curious problem in espionage during the russo-japanese war. a steamer, fitted with a wireless installation, followed the movements of the rival fleets in the interests of one of the london papers. she was boarded by a russian cruiser, and, as result, the russian government informed the neutral powers that should any neutral vessel be found within the russian maritime zone, having on board correspondents with apparatus of this kind--which, obviously, was not foreseen in the then existing conventions--used for the purpose of transmitting information to the enemy, the correspondents would be treated as spies, and the vessels made prizes of war. that position is now untenable. owing to the improvements made in wireless telegraphy, a very similar situation might arise in a land war. it is possible, to-day, to carry in an ordinary motor-car a wireless outfit capable of sending messages a very considerable distance; indeed, there is good reason for believing that such an apparatus is actually being used by german agents for transmitting information from the east and north-east districts of england, to enemy submarines lurking in the north sea. a rigorous search has been made for this mysterious car, which has been reported in various districts. naturally, when the apparatus is not in use it is concealed within the body of the car, which would then become, apparently, an ordinary touring vehicle, with nothing to distinguish it from hundreds of others passing freely along the roads. in this case there would be little doubt about the fate of the occupants of the car if they were caught. they would not be "spies" in the strict sense of the word, as their offence was not committed within the zone of the operations, but they would be guilty of "war treason," and liable to the death penalty. this is a very real danger, and the offence is one that it would be extremely difficult to detect. the popular idea of a wireless plant, gained no doubt from the enormous "aerials" of the high-power stations sending messages thousands of miles, is that wireless telegraphy is something that cannot be carried on without employing huge plant that it would be impossible to conceal. now i can claim to know something of wireless telegraphy--i have experimented for some years--and i can say, at once, that this is an exceedingly dangerous fallacy. in recent years very great improvements have been made in both transmitters and receivers, and to-day it is quite possible to establish in almost any house, a small, but powerful wireless plant, which would be utterly invisible from outside, but quite capable of sending messages from any spot near the coast to enemy vessels, such as submarines, lying a few miles away. of secret installations there are, no doubt, to-day, many in various parts of the country. several stations have, indeed, been discovered. the reason aliens were not allowed to possess a telephone was regarded as curious by some people. but it was because telephone-wires, when properly insulated and arranged, make quite a good "aerial." further, in any barn or long attic, aerial wires can be strung across, and give excellent results. the spy does not need spidery wires upon masts high above his house-top, or in his garden. if his instruments are sufficiently delicate, and are connected with the underground gas-pipe, or even to an ordinary wire-mattress, he will be able to receive messages from any of the high-power stations within a radius of, say, five hundred miles, while from a wire strung inside a disused factory-chimney, and thereby hidden, a wireless message can be despatched a couple of hundred miles. therefore the peril of all this will at once be realised, for any spy who knows sufficient to fit up a wireless station inside his own house, and is acquainted with the latest developments of the science, need not use lamp-signalling at night, or pigeons, or any other antiquated modes of communication. indeed, he can flash at night a code-message direct to norddeich or any other place on the german coast, and receive back his answer in a few moments, no one being able to detect, until after long search and inquiry, whence the mysterious buzz has emanated. it ought to be said, however, that it is problematical how long such a fixed station, established say in yorkshire, could be worked without detection, because its messages must--sooner or later--be picked up by some of our own post office or naval operators. the messages would be in cipher, of course, but the important thing would be to know that such a plant was being used. an expert wireless-operator, with a newly-invented instrument called a "direction-finder," can make a very good guess at the distance of the point of origin of any message he receives, and once the proper authorities were on the track of a secret wireless station, the work of hunting it down would be only a matter of time and trouble. such a case was reported a few weeks ago from the pacific coast, where a wireless station established in the centre of a remote district was giving the germans valuable help. it was tracked down and located, and it is said that a similar station was found in the centre of rome, and others in paris and antwerp. we might be equally successful here, but, in the meantime, it is more than likely that a good deal of damage might have been done. the case of a wireless installation used for a motor-car, however, presents much more difficulty of detection. we might know perfectly well that it was being used, and yet be unable to locate it on account of its mobility. it is practically certain that it would never be used twice from the same spot; indeed, it might operate along a line running a couple of hundred miles north and south, and still convey its messages to the enemy vessels. in such a case as this, we can only rely upon vigilance and good luck to turn the trick in our favour. in my view, the admiralty took an extremely unwise step when, at the beginning of the war, they closed all the private wireless stations in england. there are a great many of these stations--far more than the general public realises--and the majority of them were being worked by men whose loyalty and discretion stood absolutely above suspicion. these installations--free from the heavy load of business thrown upon the government coast stations--are quite capable of doing excellent work in constantly "listening" for illicit stations which might be in the hands of german spies for the purpose of giving information respecting our naval movements. the value of these small stations as a means of detecting hostile messages has been entirely under-estimated by the admiralty, who seem to consider the risk of englishmen being either traitors or fools more than outweighs the possibility of detecting secret wireless in the hands of our enemies. i have dwelt upon this matter at some length, because i am absolutely convinced of the very serious danger to which we are exposed from the use of wireless installations, small, but capable of working over any distance up to, say, one hundred miles--and even less would be amply sufficient--by german spies in great britain at the present moment. we now know quite enough of german methods to be aware that our enemy's spies are not only singularly daring, but singularly resourceful. i know what a small, compact, portable station can do in skilled hands, and i am strongly of opinion that the risks we are running in this respect are not sufficiently appreciated--perhaps are not understood--by the authorities. even to-day, in spite of the evidence that i and others have been able to bring forward for some years, and in spite even of numerous convictions during the past few months, there is too much of a tendency on the part of the government to try to "save its face" by declaring that the spy peril is enormously exaggerated. no doubt they will endeavour to refute my arguments in these pages. they declared, for so long, that there were no german spies in england, that even to-day they are reluctant to take the drastic steps which the situation urgently demands. on no other supposition can we explain the unparalleled liberty accorded to thousands of germans, whether naturalised or not, who are still permitted to live and move so freely among us. some, indeed, have been interned, and afterwards released. returning to the legal position of spies (after a digression perhaps not without its uses), it should be noted that the hague regulations distinguish between a member of the armed forces and a private citizen. the soldier spy who has rejoined the army cannot, afterwards, be punished for his act of espionage. the civilian who acts as a spy enjoys, however, no such privilege. he has no business to meddle with military affairs, and, should he be captured at any time, he is liable to pay the penalty of his former deeds. similarly, to harbour a spy is also a criminal offence. a person found guilty of espionage may either be hanged or shot; nowadays, the usual punishment is shooting, though the american code still prescribes hanging. in earlier times, also, he was liable to be executed on the spot, without formality of any kind. to-day, he must first be tried by court-martial in accordance with the established rules of martial law in the country in which the offence was committed. the position of civilians in an invaded territory who give or transmit to their own side information respecting the enemy's movements is not without interest to us now that threats of a german invasion are so freely indulged in by the press of germany, and preparations to defeat such an attack are being actively made by our own military authorities. there can be no doubt that if a resident of an occupied territory gives such information, he is guilty either of spying, or of a hostile act against the invader, amounting to war treason, and equally punishable by death. the "american instructions" are very emphatic on this point. they say:-- "if a citizen or subject of a country or place invaded or conquered gives information to his own government from which he is separated by the hostile army or to the army of his government he is a _war traitor_ and death is the penalty of his offence." thus, a belgian resident in brussels, during the german occupation, found sending information to the belgian authorities in france, would be shot out of hand by the germans, and they would be within their clear rights in shooting him. a more doubtful case would be that of an inhabitant of a district not yet occupied, who entered the war zone, obtained information, and, having sent it to his government, returned home, only to be captured later when the enemy occupied the district. the view is generally held, though the convention came to no very clear decision, that in such a case he could not be punished, as he was not supposed to belong to an occupied territory. such a man owes no duty to the enemy, as in the case of an occupied territory, and once he has completed his mission, he is free. it should be noted that the nationality of a spy is not material; neutrals found guilty may be punished as though they were the enemy subjects. many chinese who spied for the russians during the russo-japanese war were executed by the japanese. one of them was a chinese officer, and the government of china demanded an explanation. the japanese reply was quite unequivocal, and insisted on the right to punish spies, no matter of what nationality. as i have said, all nations spy in the interests of national self-preservation. it is not the _fact_ of german espionage that has roused the indignation of the civilised world against her. we have no feelings even of resentment against such men as carl lody, though, of course, we are entitled to protect ourselves against them. they owe us nothing, and they are clearly doing their duty in trying to help their country. what has aroused anti-german feelings--which are not likely to die out for many years--is the baseness of the german _method_: systematic "planting" of agents who, for years, have posed as the friends of those among whom they lived, yet have not hesitated to betray them in the first shock of war. thousands of paid german spies have deliberately become naturalised frenchmen, englishmen, and belgians, as a mere cloak for their efforts to betray the country of their adoption. hundreds of thousands of germans accepted for years as friends in this country, bearers even of british honours, have abused our hospitality, and added the vilest treachery to the blackest ingratitude. while posing as our friends, they have worked their best for our undoing, and--worse still--they have suborned and made traitors of poor men, to whom the lure of gold of this kind is simply that it is "not cricket," and for the false friend, not for the open enemy, the british people reserve their bitterest scorn and contempt. chapter ix a remarkable spy of the many cases of espionage which have come before the british public recently, surely none exceeds in interest and importance that of carl hans lody, who, after trial by court-martial, was shot in the tower of london early in november. lody was the first secret-service agent shot in england after the outbreak of war, and the first person executed in the tower since the middle of the eighteenth century. lody, beyond all question, was a very remarkable man. before going into the details of the charge against him, it is well worth while to recall some of the leading features of his career. born in berlin, he was only thirty-five, yet he had seen enough of life and the world to have satisfied many men of double his age. there is hardly a corner of the civilised world into which he had not travelled. he had been much in america, and it was a considerable help to him, in his work as a secret-service agent, that he spoke english with a decidedly american accent. this, no doubt, explains the fact--of which more presently--that he posed as an american, and used an american passport, which really belonged to a certain mr. charles a. inglis. it was as mr. charles a. inglis that lody arrived in england early in august. he knew england and scotland well, and he is believed to have been in this country once or twice earlier in the year. originally, he served in the german navy; after he left he became a steward on the liner "hamburg." in the meantime he married a very handsome american woman, to whom, apparently, though the marriage did not turn out very happily, he was very deeply attached. when the hamburg-amerika line established a series of personally conducted tours from berlin, lody secured an appointment to take charge of a party of rich americans who were going round the world. he made a similar tour in and in the summer of , and when the american medical societies held an international conference in london, lody was one of the guides who helped to show them round england. none of the americans, it may be mentioned, ever doubted that he belonged to their country. it was in august, as i have said, that lody came to england on the mission that led him to his death. he travelled as mr. inglis, though to an american acquaintance who chanced to meet him he was still lody. it was some weeks before the attention of the confidential department was drawn to him, and then began a game of hide-and-seek, which was not without a humorous side. from august till the middle of september, lody was in edinburgh, a district prohibited to enemy aliens, though not, of course, to an american. thence he sent, to stockholm, a telegram which aroused suspicion. on september th he was followed from the neighbourhood of rosyth, and with magnificent "bluff" he went direct to the police and complained. so well did he play the part of an injured and innocent american citizen, that the police actually apologised to him. he slipped away and, for a time, all trace of him was lost. then he went to london and began an examination of the steps that had been taken for the protection of the principal buildings. again the intelligence department got on his track, and from that moment his doom was sealed. no doubt he thought he had shaken off all suspicion, but he was soon to be undeceived. after a visit to scotland about the end of september, lody went to liverpool, no doubt to pick up all he could about the mersey defences, and then over to ireland in the guise of an american tourist on a visit to killarney. but the police had their eye on him all the time, and he was arrested and detained until the arrival of inspector ward of scotland yard. his trial and conviction followed. the public will never know the full extent of lody's doings as a spy, but it is beyond question that he was a most daring and dangerous man. the reports he made have not yet been published, but they were of such a character that, in the interests of the state, much of the evidence was taken in camera, and those who have been privileged to read them declare that, in their keen observation and clear expression, they are among the most remarkable documents that have ever come into the possession of the war office. the confidential department did its work well, and it is worth noting here that after grave suspicion fell upon lody, he was so closely shadowed that none of his reports left the country, and they were produced in evidence at the trial. lody's task was to travel about england and to send to germany news about our naval movements, about our losses and the steps that were being taken to repair them. one message he tried to send from edinburgh read:--"must cancel. johnson very ill last four days. shall leave shortly." innocent enough! but to berlin, as lody admitted at his trial, it meant that the british fleet, in four days, would be leaving the firth of forth. what, we may well wonder, was to be cancelled! there was a dramatic scene in the ancient guildhall when the court-martial assembled to try lody for his life--a scene strangely unfamiliar in a country which, for a generation, has had little experience of military trials. the court was composed of major-general lord cheylesmore as president, and eight officers in uniform. in the dock stood lody, guarded by two khaki-clad soldiers with bayonets fixed. the following were the charges on which lody was accused:-- the accused, carl hans lody, alias charles a. inglis, an enemy civilian, is charged--first charge--with committing a war crime, that is to say, war treason, against great britain, in that he at edinburgh, on or about september , , attempted to convey to a belligerent enemy of great britain--namely to germany--information calculated to be useful to that enemy by sending a letter headed edinburgh / / , and signed nazi, addressed to one karl j. stammer, berlin, which contained information with regard to the defence and preparations for war of great britain. the second charge is that of committing a war crime in that he on or about the th of september attempted to convey to a belligerent enemy of great britain--namely to germany--information calculated to be useful to that enemy, by sending a letter, headed dublin and signed nazi, and addressed to karl j. stammer, which contained information with regard to the defences and preparations for war of great britain. lody's movements were very clearly traced at the trial by mr. bodkin, who prosecuted for the crown. it was shown, by the visé on the american passport he was using, that he had been in berlin as recently as august th. another document found on him proved that he was in bergen, in norway, on august th. in all his movements he passed as charles a. inglis. it is not necessary to follow him in detail, but it may be mentioned that apparently he reported both to a man named burchard, at stockholm, and also to stammer at berlin. there were found in his notebook not only a copy of the "johnson" telegram, but also particulars of british losses in battle and in the naval fight in the north sea, a list of german cruisers and german ships sunk up to date, and also copies of four other communications to burchard. mr. bodkin made it clear that, through the post office officials, certain letters to and from persons abroad had been examined and copied, and in some cases delivered; since august th letters for norway and sweden posted in any part of the united kingdom were sent to london and there examined. several of these were to and from the prisoner. the main part of the evidence against lody was taken in camera and has never been made public, but that it was overwhelming there can be no doubt; indeed, lody himself admitted that he had had a fair trial, and was quite justly dealt with. it was, however, mentioned that his letters contained reports on such places as queensferry, near the naval base at rosyth, and various other places round the coast. there was a very remarkable incident when lody himself gave evidence, an incident which gives us a good deal of insight into the real character of this remarkable spy. having admitted that his name was on the german navy list, he said that when he went to berlin at the end of july he reported himself to "a certain department," making a request that he should not be sent on active service as he was an invalid, having undergone a serious operation some years before and being unfit to do any fighting. narrating events in berlin, lody said, "a proposition was put before me by a certain person." "are you willing," counsel asked him, "to give the name of that person?" then for the first time lody's iron nerve broke down. he burst into heavy sobs, and in a voice almost choked with emotion, replied: "i have pledged my word of honour not to give that name, and i cannot do it. although names have been discovered in my documents, i do feel that i have not broken my word of honour." "are you unwilling," counsel asked, "to tell us the position in life that person occupies?" again lody hesitated; then he added quietly that the person was a superior naval officer. "i was summoned to see him," he said; "and i had three or four interviews with him." then came a question which provoked a very remarkable reply. "are you willing," asked counsel, "to tell the court what took place at those interviews with your superior officer?" "i am willing to tell the court," said lody. "and i am willing not to conceal anything, but i should like it not to be in public, as i shall certainly refer to very essential and important affairs." lody was then asked to give the "principal instruction" that he received, and he did so readily. he was to remain in england until the first engagement had taken place between the two powers, and send information as regards the actual losses of the british fleet. then he was at liberty to go on to new york; he had previously asked for permission to do so. he was also told to get all the information he could with regard to the movements of the fleet, and what was going on in england, but was specially warned not to go and "spy round," but to see as much as every traveller could see. lody added that he was very reluctant to undertake this work, as he felt he was not well fitted for it. he pointed this out, he said. it was put to him that pressure was applied to him to induce him to undertake the mission, to which he replied: "there was no pressure, but there is certainly an understanding. if they make a suggestion you feel obliged to obey. i have never been a coward in my life, and i certainly won't be a shirker." let us give credit where credit is due--even in espionage. i think everyone will admit that, whatever view we may take of this spy's offence--and views on the subject of espionage will always vary widely--lody behaved as a brave man. he was, in the first place, absolutely loyal to his chiefs; there was about him nothing of the craven wretch as willing to sacrifice his own country as any other if he could hope by so doing to win any favour for himself. nor would he even speak in open court of matters which, as he thought, might have been prejudicial to us. one cannot but recognise his chivalry. it is not often that the man in the dock deserves all his counsel says about him, but lody was an exception, and the eloquent plea on his behalf made by mr. george elliott, k.c., who defended him, deserves to be remembered, not only for its references to lody, but as a tribute to british justice, which placed at the service of a dangerous adversary the skill of one of the most brilliant members of the english bar. whatever his fate might be, said mr. elliott, he hoped the accused would remember to the last hour of his existence that he had received from the country whose interests he came to betray a trial which, for fairness, was unrivalled in history. he said, quite frankly, that he came to this country in the service of his own--as a german actuated by patriotic german motives. he had told the court all that he could tell, refusing to speak only where it clashed with his word of honour as an officer and a gentleman. he was not a man who had sold his country for gold, and he had not attempted to corrupt a single british subject or official. "i plead for him," said mr. elliott, admitting that a conviction was unavoidable, but asking the court whether they could not find some extenuating circumstances, "not as a miserable coward, or as a fear-stricken wretch, but as a man born of a land to which he is true, whose history and traditions he cherishes. his own grandfather was a great soldier who held a fortress against napoleon, and it is in that spirit he wishes to stand before you here to-day. he was ready to offer himself on the altar of his country. i am not here to cringe for mercy; my client is not ashamed of anything he has done. many a man would do for england what he did for germany--may, in fact, be now doing it. whatever his fate, he will meet it bravely like a man." the verdict, as usual in the case of a court-martial, was not announced until some days later, when an official statement told us that lody had been shot. he maintained his courage to the end, and died without a tremor. before he died he left a letter in which he admitted he had had a fair trial, and expressed appreciation of the fact that he had been treated, not as a spy, but as an officer. now we come to the ugliest and darkest side of the lody case. it will be remembered that lody was able to get about by the aid of an american passport issued in the name of charles a. inglis. it was thought, at first, that this was merely a passport obtained either by forgery or by false pretences; as a matter of fact it was a perfectly genuine document, but lody had no right to it. how it came into his possession shows the depth of degradation to which the german general staff are prepared to descend. mr. inglis, it was ascertained after the trial, was a _bona fide_ american traveller holding a genuine passport. he left his passport with the american embassy in berlin for registration with the german foreign office, or some other department. the embassy sent it in for registration _and it was never returned_. nor was it ever heard of again until it turned up in the possession of carl lody--a spy in great britain! the german explanation to the american embassy was that the passport had been mislaid. the same fate, it is said, has befallen no fewer than _two hundred_ united states and british passports in germany, and the corollary of this astounding announcement is that at the present moment there may be two hundred german agents wandering about equipped with british and american passports which are perfectly genuine, and not in the least likely to be suspected. the stealing of these passports by the german authorities has been the subject of an official british communication, so that there can be no doubt about the fact, whether the exact number had been stated or not. "it has come to the notice of the foreign secretary," says the british statement, "that some passports belonging to british subjects leaving germany have been retained by the german authorities. such cases should be reported to the foreign office." i say without hesitation that i do not believe any other country on the face of the globe would descend to such methods as this. i say, moreover, that no nation capable of such conduct can be regarded as possessing a shred of public honour. it is comparable only to the white flag treachery, or the mounting of machine guns in red cross ambulances, which is a feature of german warfare, to the murder by bombs of non-combatants in districts where there cannot be any soldiers, to the sowing of mines on the high seas, to the making of shields for soldiers out of the bodies of miserable civilians, to the slaughter of women and children at louvain and aerschot. what will the civilised communities of the world have to say in the future to germans convicted out of their own mouths of disregarding every law of god and man that may operate to their disadvantage? but even out of the theft of the passports--no doubt regarded by them as an excellent stroke of "kultur"--the germans are not unlikely to reap trouble. the united states is not a country to be played with, and in this passport trick there lie the elements of serious trouble. americans will not be likely to lie down quietly while their passports are used for espionage, and it is more than likely that the germans have stirred up a hornets' nest about their ears. in the meantime, it is reported from washington that the government has instructed the embassy in berlin to sift the lody-inglis incident to the very bottom. that incident, too, has brought about much more stringent rules with regard to passports. henceforth no american or british passport will be recognised as valid which does not bear the certified photograph of its rightful owner, and extra photographs for registration purposes will have to be lodged with the embassy or consulate by which the passport is issued. in the meantime we may be quite sure that american passports in london will be the subject of very special attention. what diplomatic action the united states may take in the matter it is impossible to say, but we can be fairly sure that such a proceeding as the stealing of neutral passports and using them for the purposes of spying in great britain will hardly be allowed to pass without very serious protest. the lody case has had one good effect in bringing home to a public, which is, alas! too liable to be careless in such matters, the reality of the german spy-peril in the country. the public had been so consistently deluded in this matter by those who were perfectly aware of the real facts of german espionage that it was far too much inclined to look upon everyone who insisted that there was a very real and very urgent spy danger as a mere alarmist. it knows better now! anyone who glances at the columns of the daily press must be aware that public opinion is slowly awakening to the real urgency of the question, and, though i and others have been bitterly disappointed that our warnings have, to a great extent, gone unheeded, i am even now not without hope that we shall yet see the public insist that adequate steps shall be taken for our national safety in this respect. it is true we may offend germany by the drastic action the position demands. we may even, it is true, make the lot of englishmen still, unhappily, in germany, harder and more disagreeable. we shall regret either necessity. but the safety of the country has to come first. germany has never shown the slightest regard for our feelings, and i am sure that those of our countrymen who are prisoners in germany, military or civil, would cheerfully suffer any conceivable hardship rather than that the safety of our beloved empire should be jeopardised in the hope of making better terms for them. to think otherwise would be to assume that patriotism had entirely departed from us. chapter x some recent cases we can respect lody; we can have no other feelings but the bitterest scorn and contempt for such traitorous miscreants as the ex-naval gunner, charles parrott, who, early in , was sentenced to four years' penal servitude, under the official secrets act of , for selling official secrets likely to be useful to the enemy. the class of traitor to which parrott belongs represents the spy in his very lowest and most contemptible guise. about these wretched agents among us there is no redeeming feature. patriotism is, to them, a word of no meaning; to their country they have no attachment: their one idea is to make money, and to do this they are willing to risk the very existence of the nation to which they belong. show them gold, and there is no work on earth too dirty for them to undertake! and we have, i fear, many such men in our public services. it is men of this stamp who have made the very name of "spy" a by-word in all countries and all times--not the men who risk their lives in order to gain an advantage for the cause to which they are attached by every sacred obligation of honour. parrott, up to august, , was a gunner attached to h.m.s. "pembroke" at sheerness. he was a warrant officer, and as such would have opportunities of obtaining information which would be denied to those of lower rank. the charge against him was, of course, not one of spying, since the offence was not committed in time of war. it was couched in the following terms:-- that he being a british officer did feloniously communicate at ostend to a person unknown certain information in regard to the arms, armaments, dispositions and movements of ships and men of his majesty's navy which was calculated, or intended to be, or might be useful to an enemy. in considering parrott's case we have to remember that he was an englishman, in the service of the crown in the navy, and a british officer. he was in a position of responsibility, and his pay, with allowances, would work out at about £ a year, so that he had not even the excuse of poverty to urge in mitigation of his horrible offence. he had been in the navy for a number of years, and he was regarded as an efficient and trustworthy officer, so that he was able to become acquainted with matters which it was his obvious duty to guard with the most jealous care. he had been associated with the building of the "agamemnon" on the clyde, so that he was intimately acquainted with all those particulars of guns and armaments which, in the event of war, it would be of the utmost interest to an enemy to know. he knew, in fact, of confidential matters of the utmost importance. parrott, on july th, , asked for and obtained leave of absence, on the plea that he wanted to go to devonport. on the same day he sent a telegram, not from sheerness, where he lived, but from sittingbourne, to "richard dinger," at an address in berlin, saying, "coming eight o'clock saturday, seymour." the same day he left sheerness by train. a lady travelled with him as far as sittingbourne, and then he went on alone to dover. apparently he had already become an object of suspicion, for on the admiralty pier at dover he was questioned by detective-inspector grey. he was searched, and on him was found a piece of torn paper on which were the words: "when there is a chance," "coming over on saturday of that same week," "you telegraph probably saturday, then i make all my arrangements to leave the moment i get order." on the other side of the paper were the words, "richard dinger, esq.," and "with much love, yours, r." parrott's explanation of all this was that he had been writing to a woman in the name of another man, and that he was going to meet her at ostend. in his pocket was found a naval signal-form, and in answer to the inspector he admitted that he was a naval officer, and asked that his wife should not be told about the "lady." the inspector decided to let him go, but kept the paper. parrott evidently thought that the detective had no suspicion as to the real motive of his visit to ostend, or he would surely have taken the alarm. he crossed, however, to ostend, carefully shadowed all the time by no less acute an observer than ex-inspector melville of scotland yard. when the boat arrived at ostend, parrott went through the station, and was joined by another man. there was no greeting, no welcome, no handshaking, not a sign of recognition; the other man simply sidled up alongside parrott and they went off together. mr. melville formed the opinion that the man was a foreigner, and probably a german. they went about together for a time and then parrott returned to dover. an inquiry followed, and ultimately parrott's name was removed from the navy list. the case against him was not, however, complete, and it was not until october that the police were able to lay him by the heels. it was then found that he was having letters addressed to him in the name of couch delivered at a tobacconist's shop at chelsea. five or six letters came to him, and on november th two police officers went to the shop, where another letter had arrived. during the day parrott called, the letter was given to him, and he was at once arrested. in his presence the letter was opened. inside were two £ bank of england notes--which, it was afterwards shown, had been in circulation in germany--and a letter bearing the postmark "london, e.," which was as follows:-- dear mr. couch,--i am very much obliged to you for your prompt reply to my last letter. now i beg to place in your hands some questions in addition to my last letter. have the goodness to leave as soon as possible for firth of forth, ascertaining about the following:--which parts of the fleet are in or off the forth since november . only the vessels of the first and eighth destroyer flotilla, or which other men-of-war of any kind else? where is the second destroyer flotilla now? have there been mobilising tests of the flotillas and coast defences in the firth of forth? what are the flotillas doing or proposing now? what number of royal fleet reserve class a are called in now for the yearly exercise? where do they exercise? are any of these men kept longer than a fortnight? i think it will be necessary to stay some days at firth of forth for gathering information about those questions. i should be much obliged if i could be informed as soon as you have got satisfying statements about one or several of these points. do not wait to answer until you have found out all i wish to know. enclosed £ as travel expenses for the last and this journey. please tell me in the next letter after having returned to london your expenses that i can hand you the balance if the £ should not do it. i beg you to keep yourself ready, if possible also in the near future, to run over immediately to any place as soon as rumours as to extraordinary preparations of material and personal are running. in such a case please do not wait until you have received an order from me, but leave on your own accord, and at the same time send your address and make your doings known to me with particulars of the reason.--yours truly, richard. i have given this letter in full for several reasons. parrott was not definitely charged with giving information to germany, but the letter is obviously the work of a german, and, moreover, a german who was working in london--for it was posted in the eastern district! it suggests, moreover, that the germans suspected that some naval movements were on foot, and were willing to pay handsomely to get the news; it will be noted that parrott was practically given _carte blanche_ to spend what he liked without waiting for authority from his master. a subsequent examination of his banking account showed that he had paid in about fourteen £ notes, some of which had been in circulation in germany. he had also been in hamburg and flushing, two centres of german espionage. parrott's own explanation of the affair was that he met a woman in a london music hall and went over to ostend to see her. while he was there he failed to meet the woman, but a man came up to him and asked him if he was expecting to meet anyone. he replied that he expected to meet a lady, and the man then professed to know about her, and said she was unable to come. after that he received a letter from the man he met at ostend. at that time he had been dismissed from the service, and the letter expressed the concern of the writer, and the lady had offered to help him. he replied asking what assistance they could give, and had a letter asking him to go to hamburg. he went and met the man, who said he was a newspaper correspondent, and asked him to write an article once a week dealing with naval matters--a story curiously like that told by the spy schulz. he afterwards received a letter from "richard" outlining the kind of article required. the man said: "let me know the progress of warships building, ships launched, ships laid down, and the movements of ships. send me a specimen article dealing with the subject." he then bought a copy of a naval paper and from it wrote an article, which he sent. then parrott described how he got a letter from the lady asking him to go to rotterdam to see her. this he did, hoping, as he said, "to induce her to come to england, as he wished to raise the question why he was dismissed from the service." not unnaturally the lady declined to come, but parrott admitted that she told a man who was with her to pay his expenses, and then gave him francs. "i have little doubt but that you were entrapped by a woman," said mr. justice darling, in sending parrott to four years' penal servitude. "you have been long under suspicion," his lordship added; "i do not believe for a moment it was a first offence." even the liberal journals which had long insisted that there were no german spies in england thought this sentence was inadequate. "it will strike most people," said the _daily chronicle_, "as not erring on the side of over-severity." the case was a flagrant abuse of a most sacred trust, and deserved all the punishment the law allowed; as a matter of fact, it deserved a good deal more, and parrott was more than lucky that he was on trial, not in germany, but in england. the case of karl gustav ernst is of very great interest, not only as revealing some of the methods of the kaiser's "master-spy," the man steinhauer, but also as showing the utter futility of relying on "naturalisation" of germans to protect us against spying. we are constantly told that it is impossible for us to take steps against "naturalised" germans, as we have solemnly undertaken to treat them in all respects as englishmen, and we have even "naturalised" many germans since the outbreak of war. the ernst case ought to have been sufficient warning of the danger arising from the naturalised alien, but apparently there is no limit to the innocent trustfulness of our sleepy home office. how long it will be before we learn that a german no more changes his nature by adopting naturalisation than an ass does if he clothes himself in a lion's skin i cannot say; i only hope it will not be brought home to us by some terrible catastrophe which will seriously affect our fighting power. ernst, be it remembered, was not even naturalised; he claimed to have been born in england, and posed as an englishman. yet he was a spy; how much more, then, have we reason to suspect the recently "naturalised alien" whose national sympathies have not been blunted by birth and long residence in this country? the leopard cannot change his spots, and "once a german, always a german," is the only safe rule for us in the present crisis. ernst, who was a hairdresser in the caledonian road, london, had been for sixteen years in business there. his function was to act as a sort of "post-office" for steinhauer of potsdam, by whom letters were sent to him for distribution throughout england. in order to minimise risks of detection, these letters were posted in various parts of london. ernst, of course, besides acting as "post-office," made inquiries on his own account, and did some of the work of getting into touch with other agents. he was paid all out-of-pocket expenses and a kind of retaining fee, first of £ a month, and then, when he pointed out that the business was both risky and important, £ s. a month. ernst first came under suspicion of the nameless department as long ago as october, , and we ought to admit with cheerful gratitude that he was a very valuable ally to us! from the very commencement the authorities were, i happen to know, alive to what was going on, and the closest observation was kept on the hairdresser's shop. all letters were opened by the postal authorities, their contents were carefully copied, and a most useful accumulation of information thus came into the hands of the astute director of the department. it was not specifically stated that parrott was detected in this way, but as letters were sent to him by ernst we may well assume that by such means the authorities were put on his track. one of the most useful pieces of information picked up was a list of names and addresses of persons to whom letters from germany were sent for distribution, and who were spies at chatham, sheerness, portsmouth, rosyth, and other places. an amusing feature of the case was that after all these letters had been carefully examined and copied by the post office they were delivered in the ordinary course with only a very slight delay, and thus the suspicions of the spies, if indeed they entertained any, were most effectually put to sleep. the nameless department was not quite the fool the germans had some excuse for thinking it! an important discovery made early in the case was the _nom de guerre_ of steinhauer of potsdam. he had at that time become "mrs. reimers." "mr. j. walters, c/o k.g. ernst" was soon found to be ernst himself, who had long before suggested the adoption of that name to avoid suspicion. it will illustrate the thoroughness of german methods to mention that most of the letters sent to ernst were written on english paper, so that when he posted them there would be nothing to call special attention to them. one of the letters from steinhauer read in court was a request for english paper and envelopes, which ernst duly forwarded as "samples." many of the letters intercepted by the post office contained money, mostly in the shape of bank-notes. the work that ernst was doing was sufficiently important to justify a visit from the redoubtable steinhauer himself, as we learn from ernst's own statement. during the time he was in custody ernst made a statement to a detective in which he said:-- i am sorry i was introduced into this business. kronauer introduced me. i thought it was only a private inquiry business. i have only seen steinhauer once. that was just before christmas in . he came to my shop on a sunday morning. my shop was open and i had several customers there. he said to me, "are you mr. ernst?" and i said, "yes." he said, "do you know me?" i said, "no." he said, "you have heard of me, i am steinhauer. i see you are busy now. i want to have a quiet chat with you. i will come back after the shop is closed. what time do you close?" i said, "twelve o'clock." he said, "all right, i will come back after that, and went away. he returned later and came into my parlour, where we sat down and had a long talk." this statement is exceedingly interesting, as we know that steinhauer, as described in another chapter, was in london about this time, when he actually went to buckingham palace as a member of the kaiser's suite. that he should be able to spare time to visit a man in ernst's position shows what work the latter was doing, and also throws a good deal of light on the class of agent most useful to the germans--the "small" man, whose insignificant position does so much to guard him against suspicion. in one of his letters ernst represented himself as "a zealous stamp collector," of course to explain, in the event of detection, the constant remittances he was receiving from germany. this letter, addressed to "miss reimers," ran:-- dear mr. steinhauer,--best thanks for the marks, which were handed to me mid-day to-day. if you think it right you can in future send my advance direct to me without having recourse to a third person--namely, in the following way. i am a zealous stamp collector. many of my customers and also my assistants know this. on the occasion of the next remittance copy the following letter:-- "dear mr. ernst,--your last parcel of stamps arrived just in time to be included in last month's sale. messrs. kurt moeser and also koehler, the berlin stamp auctioneers, are realising good prices at their sales. i have enclosed marks on account, and will forward balance later. a receipt for the enclosed by return will oblige." i have sent you last sunday's paper. what i can see from the case henschel will go over to the british secret service just as the doctor from glasgow has done. it has also occurred to me that henschel's wife's maiden name was miss riley, and that one of scotland yard's special service inspectors, who had the case in hand, was also called riley. in conclusion, many greetings.--i remain, yours, j. walters. it may be mentioned incidentally that the "doctor from glasgow" was armgaard carl graves, a well-known spy. henschel was a german who was accused in london on his own confession of disclosing naval secrets and of conspiring with the ex-gunner parrott. it was suggested that certain information he gave was communicated under the understanding that he should not be prosecuted, and under the circumstances the crown withdrew the case, the accused giving an undertaking that he would not in any way make known the matter with which he had become acquainted. ernst's case was hopeless from the start; in fact, so complete was the evidence, that as soon as mr. bodkin had opened the case for the crown, his counsel withdrew, explaining that the prisoner had assured him he had had nothing to do with espionage, but that he (counsel) was sure mr. bodkin would not make an opening statement he could not justify. ernst was sent to seven years' penal servitude. "you are a mean, mercenary spy," said mr. justice coleridge in sentencing him, "ready to betray your country to the enemy for money; equally ready, i dare say, to betray germany to us for an increased reward." the case could not have been better summed up. i will now pass on to the case of armgaard carl graves, which is remarkable chiefly for its extraordinary sequel. graves, who was arrested in glasgow, had been receiving letters at the post office in the name of "john stafford." when he was taken into custody a memorandum-book found in his pocket was found to contain a number of leaves gummed together at the open edges. when they were cut apart the police found groups of figures opposite german phrases, apparently constituting a code. in a pocket-case several more groups of figures were found, the number being subtracted from each. that afterwards supplied the key to the code. there was also a note in german relating to a new gun under construction by beardmore and company, and three code telegrams from amsterdam. there were also found a number of maps covering the firth of forth and the vicinity, and a bundle of cartridge cases, including two of the latest british army pattern. the description of the new gun was said to be practically accurate, and it was also stated that graves' code appeared to indicate every class of ship in the navy, and also such strategic points as scapa flow, moray firth and cromarty--the same code which is probably being used by the naval spies still amongst us to-day. this code, used for the telegrams between the prisoner and his continental correspondents, was, said counsel for the crown, a very deadly one to be found in his possession. if the person utilising it were in a certain place on a certain day and found that mines were being laid, he would telegraph the figures , to , . "he seems to be the ideal character for a spy," counsel added; "he has a very high intelligence, and is sociable, genial and affable, while his moral character is not of a very high standard." he was sentenced to eighteen months' imprisonment. "well--exit armgaard carl graves," was the prisoner's only remark on hearing the decision. graves was sentenced on july rd, . on june th, , came the amazing announcement that he had been released. when, and why he was set at liberty, no one outside official circles knows; all the information given was that "graves was released in due course of law, but there is no further information to give." graves's own story was that he was released in order that he might join the british secret service, but this fact, and even the fact that he had been released, came to us from america. the sensational story of his release and subsequent adventures was published by the _new york american_ in the following narrative:-- armgaard carl graves, former secret agent in the german service, who was convicted of espionage in england last july and sentenced to eighteen months' imprisonment, declares that shortly after his sentence he was released in order that he might join the british secret service. he was sent to america, and there discovered that envoys of germany and japan had met in new york with the object of completing an anti-american agreement. he succeeded in making a copy of the document and cabling it to the british foreign office. he never got any payment from england, however, so has decided to make the contents public. the agreement binds germany not to interfere in a great japanese scheme of colonisation in the south seas. graves afterwards published a book in which he professed to give away many of the secrets of the german spy system. information we have received from other sources shows that a great deal of the book is well founded, and it may well be that on the whole it is a fairly reliable exposure of german methods. but the last thing one should do is to trust or believe the spy! according to graves--whose account we should accept with considerable reserve--the heads of the departments of the spy-organisation in berlin are all german officers, recruited from "the old feudal aristocracy." he declares that though they plan the work, they never execute it. "no active or commissioned officer," he says, "does secret service work." he shows, too, that whatever ethics they may hold about doing dirty work themselves, the german officers wash their hands entirely of the methods their subordinates may choose or find it necessary to adopt. one of them explained the matter to him in terms which admit of no misunderstanding. he said:-- we cannot afford to be squeamish. the interests at stake are too vast to let personal ethical questions stand in the way. what would be required of you in the first instance is to gain for us information such as we seek. the means by which you gain this information will be left entirely to your own discretion. we expect results. it was also made clear to him that he had only himself to depend upon, and if he got into trouble he would get no help. "be pleased to understand," was the official warning given at the first interview, "that this service is dangerous, and no official assistance could be given in any circumstances." as to the agents employed in this work, graves says the personal branch, the most important, is managed from the wilhelmstrasse, the german foreign office, the emperor in person, or his immediate privy councillor. he adds:-- the personnel consists of all classes of men and women. princes and counts, lawyers and doctors, actors and actresses, mondaines of the great world, demi-mondaines of the half-world, waiters and porters, all are made use of as occasion requires. it may well happen that your interesting acquaintance in the saloon of an express steamer, or your charming companion in the tea-room of the ritz, is the paid agent of some government. a sinister side of the profession is also revealed; grave risks are run by the spy even from his own side. a woman named olga bruder, whose death in a hotel on the russian border was described as suicide, is said to have been poisoned; a lieutenant von zastrov was compelled to fight duels until he was at last killed. they knew too much, graves declares, and the death sentence came from their own employers. one can well believe it, for the records of german espionage show that in their own interests the germans stick at nothing. one episode which graves relates concerns a famous dancer, still living, whom the germans believed to be a russian government spy. they suspected that she had an "affair" with a young officer in the potsdam garrison, and one night they became interested in a gold "vanity bag" which the young officer had given to her; they believed it contained some secret military intelligence. how they got possession of it was very clever. the dancer was at supper at the ice palace in berlin, and her bag lay on the table. a "clumsy" waiter upset a glass of champagne on the cloth. instantly the cloth was whipped off, and, with the bag inside it, was taken away. a moment or two later back came the waiter with the bag and many apologies. the waiter was a clever spy, and in the moment or two that he had been absent the incriminating letter had been secured. the bag was offered to the dancer, who at once opened it, and finding the letter had disappeared, promptly said the bag was not hers. but she was put over the frontier just the same. many more cases might be cited to show the ramifications of the german spy system in england, but i have selected the foregoing as typical, and most of the others follow more or less the same general outline. they all point to the same conclusion: that the number of german agents in england is endless, that they are to be found in all places and in all ranks of society, that they are clever and daring to the last degree, and that nothing is too large or too small for their attention. many of them, no doubt, have been interned; many of them, no doubt, are still at work, risking everything in their ceaseless efforts to bring about our undoing. there is only one effective protection--_to make a clean sweep of all germans and austrians, naturalised or not_, and confine them in the concentration camps until the war is over. treat them properly, by all means, but put them out of the way of doing us harm. this drastic measure, it is true, will not protect us against the traitor within our gates, but it would at least do much to remove the greatest source of peril. chapter xi , aliens at large in great britain we know, from official sources, that in spite of all the foolish self-congratulation of mr. mckenna and his friends--who are "getting on" towards birthday honours,--and his attempt to gag the _globe_, there are some , alien enemies still at large in great britain, and upon their activities on their country's behalf, until recently our only check was the shadowy form of "registration" that we have adopted. even many of those interned are now being released upon bonds being given by responsible citizens. unfortunately, anyone who ventures to suggest that these people--whose bonds may be signed by persons in german pay--may constitute a very serious danger, is at once branded, officially, as an alarmist, and accused of attempting to manufacture a "spy scare," whatever official optimists may mean by that term. i am no alarmist, and the last thing i should wish to see in our country would be a scare of any description. but as i have, for so many years, made a special study of the spy question, as the evidence i was able to lay before the government caused the establishment of our anti-espionage precautions, i think, without undue egotism, i may claim to know something about the matter. i should have remained silent unless i had been absolutely convinced that there is still a very real and very grave peril of espionage owing to our supineness in this matter of aliens living here practically uncontrolled, and certainly owing to their great numbers not being under anything like effective supervision. the popular idea of the spy still seems to be that he is, invariably, an individual sent specially from germany to wander about this country picking up such scraps of information as he can. there could be no more dangerous delusion. the germans are far too acute to trust to such methods; they know a great deal too much about the science of espionage to dream of thinking that foreigners sent hap-hazard into this country--obviously strangers and, therefore, most likely to invite attention--are likely to be able to carry out safely the difficult and dangerous work of espionage. their secret agents are chosen, invariably, with the utmost care and method. the "foreign" spy is not the worst peril; the real danger comes from those who, for years, have made their homes among us, who have married englishwomen, and have become so familiar to their neighbours that they are in little or no danger of being under the slightest suspicion. this has been proved over and over again, both here and in france, during the present war. the case of the barber ernst was a good instance. this man had carried on business at the same shop _for sixteen years_, and we can be quite sure that the last thing his neighbours thought of him was that he was a spy in german pay! no. he was a good englishman like the rest of us. yet, it was shown that he was a secret agent of the most dangerous character, and even worthy of a personal visit from the great and distinguished steinhauer himself! now i hope that the many who have read my books over the last twenty years will at least believe that i am one of the last men to be suspected of any desire to belittle my own countrymen. i am simply an englishman who has tried to interest them. to-day i point a peril to each and all of my million readers. but i wish to make it quite clear that nothing i say in this connection should be taken as reflecting on the work of our confidential department--a department which has done magnificently and which in every way i respect. they have matched brains against brains, and cunning against cunning, and the balance of the account is decidedly in their favour. they have, indeed, fooled steinhauer's agents all through--examined their correspondence and their reports, tracked the agents down by the information thus gained, arrested a large number of them, and to a very great extent smashed the organisation in its original form. so much i cheerfully admit, and congratulate them heartily upon their success. my point is that the work has not gone far enough, that what they have done has not been adequately supplemented, that much yet remains to be done before we can assume that a reasonable degree of security has been attained. on october th last, a very important statement was issued by the home secretary, describing the steps that had been taken "to deal with the system of espionage on which germany has placed so much reliance." i have shown elsewhere how the confidential department came into being, and how it was able to "discover the ramifications of the german secret service in england." in this statement mr. mckenna says:-- the agents ... were watched and shadowed without in general taking any hostile action or allowing them to know that their movements were watched. when, however, any actual step was taken to convey documents or plans of importance from this country to germany, the spy was arrested, and in such cases evidence sufficient to secure his conviction was usually found in his possession. proceedings under the official secrets act were taken by the director of public prosecutions, and in six cases sentences were passed varying from eighteen months to six years' penal servitude. at the same time steps were taken to mark down and keep under observation all the agents known to have been engaged in this traffic, so that when any necessity arose the police might lay hands upon them at once; and accordingly on august th, before the declaration of war, instructions were given by the home secretary for the arrest of twenty known spies, and all were arrested. this figure, it is added, does not cover over two hundred who were under suspicion or noted to be kept under special observation, the great majority of whom were interned at, or soon after, the declaration of war. now, although the spy organisation which had been established before the war may have been partially broken up, mr. mckenna admits that "it is still necessary to take _the most rigorous measures_ to prevent the establishment of any fresh organisation, and to deal with individual spies who might previously have been working in this country outside the organisation, or who might be sent here under the guise of neutrals after the declaration of war." here really we have the crux of the whole matter. it is easy enough to deal with the known spy; it is easy enough in time of war for the post office to watch very closely correspondence not only with germany, but also with neutral countries, from which letters can so easily be sent into germany--as i have sent them--and it is easy enough to censor cables. mr. mckenna says:-- this censorship has been extremely effective in stopping secret communications by cable or letter with the enemy, but as its existence was necessarily known to them, it has not, except in a few instances, produced materials for the detection of espionage. i should think not, indeed! would any sane person suspect the german secret service of such imbecility as endeavouring to send important reports by post or cable from this country in time of war, except as a last desperate resort to deal with some unexpected situation in an apparently harmless message? it was this very thing that brought about the downfall of lody, and the fact that he attempted to send a cable-message shows how urgent he thought it was that his message should reach its destination as soon as possible. he trusted to luck, but luck failed him. if i thought our confidential department regarded such a proceeding as normal, i should indeed be in despair. remember one highly important fact. it is perfectly easy to-day to travel from holland or denmark to berlin, and there is no difficulty in anyone with a british or american passport travelling from this country to holland. some two hundred british and american passports have been "mislaid"--in plainer language, stolen--by the german authorities. can we think for a moment that it would be impossible for the germans to find agents quite willing to run, as commercial travellers or what not, the trivial risk of making the journey from england to holland, where their information could be handed over for conveyance to berlin? lody came to england as an american; i have no doubt he could have gone back to berlin in the same guise if he had wanted to. we know perfectly well that every scrap of official news published here finds its way to berlin in a very short time--a distinguished british general a few days ago stated that the german commanders had copies of the london papers within a few hours of publication. where, then, assuming a spy in england has secured some useful information, lies the difficulty of transmitting it to those who are ready and anxious to receive it? suspected passengers on the steamers, it may be said, can be searched, and letters found upon them examined. is it to be imagined that a spy's reports would be written in copperplate on a large sheet of paper for all and sundry to read? need they even be written at all? censorship on mails and on cables, and the close examination of cross-channel passengers are excellent precautions, but, after all, we are only locking the door after the horse has been stolen. admit that the spy is here, grant that he has got hold of a piece of important information, and i will wager that he finds means of transmitting it to his government, if he possesses an ounce of sense. the man louis trabbaut, sentenced at marlborough street, had passed through the german lines nine times between london and brussels. more than this, it has been shown that the kaiser, since the war began, has been using a courier _to send letters to london_! on october th, mr. h.l. reiach, editor of the _yachting monthly_, received a card from vice-admiral k. von eisendecher, who is attached to the kaiser's suite, stating that he would no longer subscribe for that journal. there is no reason, as the _daily mail_ pointed out, why this particular communication should not have been sent by open post in the ordinary way, but for some reason the kaiser's admiral preferred to use the secret courier service. the letter, written at karlsruhe, was evidently brought over by a courier, stamped with an english penny stamp, and posted in the south-west district of london. i wonder what else came over by that courier, and, still more, what went back! "it is practically impossible," said a high police official discussing this incident, "to prevent this smuggling of letters." the only certain way to prevent it would be to detain and strip every passenger arriving at our south and east coast ports, and minutely examine every article of their clothing. the authorities have power to detain and search any suspected person, but that is very different from searching every passenger--man, woman and child. the real remedy lies not in these palliatives; the disease is desperate enough to call for drastic remedies. we must stop so far as is humanly possible--and no one asks more--the collection of information here. and there is only one really effective way of doing this--intern or deport every individual of enemy birth, naturalised or not, until the end of the war. now i am not alone in holding this opinion; it has been expressed by our judges, and by much more exalted individuals than my humble self. so recently as october th, the recorder of pontefract said:-- all those who have not been naturalised at all should be deported until the end of the war. those who had been naturalised during the past ten years, since when germany has been competing navally with england, should be interned under supervision but allowed to conduct their business; men naturalised over ten years ago should be allowed to live on their own premises under substantial bond for their good behaviour under police supervision. this is the opinion, not of a layman, but of a judge, speaking with all the authority and responsibility which must attach to his high office. must we write him down as a spy-maniac or an alarmist? lord leith of fyvie is a nobleman who has been giving special attention to the spy-peril, more particularly along the east coast. here is his view, expressed at torquay as recently as october rd:-- at last the chief spy has been removed from the neighbourhood of rosyth (it was late enough, i might remark!), and the government has recognised the necessity of making a wholesale sweep of aliens. there cannot be any distinction between classes. the only exception ought to be in favour of english women who have married aliens. all others ought to be transported to a neutral country; out of great britain they must go. such a course would certainly be the most humane course that could be taken. originally the east coast was the most dangerous zone, but in view of the desire of the "head spy and devil emperor william" to seize calais, it was necessary to deal with the whole coast. the government recently decided to arrest all enemy aliens between the ages of and . this, of course, meant that all men of military age were to be arrested, and it was a welcome step. no doubt this decision, which was announced on october nd, considerably reduced the danger of espionage arrangements that had previously been made, by removing many of the agents. but are we to assume that the home secretary considers that no german over is capable of acting the part of a spy? or is he under the impression that is the utmost age attained by germans in this country? "after this war," said mr. justice ridley at worcester assizes on october nd, "we must make an end of spies. the german nation appears to think that it can conquer europe by a system of espionage. we will have no more of that." most people will concur with the learned judge's view, but will regard it as rather belated to wait till "the end of the war" to make an end of the german espionage which is rampant _now_! it is often represented by well-meaning people that it would be unjust, and not in accordance with british fair-play, to take steps against aliens who have become naturalised. we are told that these people have been promised the full liberty accorded to british-born subjects, and that to treat them in a manner different from other englishmen would be to go back upon our solemn undertaking. i confess this argument leaves me unmoved. we have no use for the unpatriotic get-rich-at-the-expense-of-your-neighbour arguments. we are britons, and britons we will remain in spite of the puny leading articles in unimportant papers. naturalisation, in the great majority of cases, means absolutely nothing; it is, indeed, usually adopted purely for business reasons. seldom does a german become so imbued with profound veneration for our institutions and customs that nothing short of citizenship of our empire will satisfy his sacred feelings of patriotism. moreover, naturalisation is one of the spy's favourite devices, and surely one of his best methods of disarming any possible suspicion. but these are not ordinary times, and the requirements of the situation as we see it cannot surely be met by ordinary methods. nothing is more jealously guarded in this country than the right to be protected from arbitrary imprisonment. no one in england can be arrested and kept in custody for more than a few hours without being fully informed of the nature of the charge against him, and brought before a magistrate, whose duty it is to decide whether there is a _prima facie_ case against him, upon which he should be sent for trial. that, in ordinary times, is the british practice. yet, only a few days before i write, the high court refused an order, under the habeas corpus act, that an englishman, who had been imprisoned for over a week without any charge having been made against him, should be brought up for trial. the case was a remarkable one. a collision had occurred between a submarine and a british steamer, and the captain of the steamer was arrested. no charge being preferred against him, application was made to the high court. it was stated in court that a charge might be made, but that it was against the interests of the nation that it should be stated. the application was therefore refused. looking at the absolute stringency of english law on this subject at ordinary times, that was a very remarkable decision, but i venture to think it was absolutely correct, since the interests of the state must at all times over-ride the rights of the individual. the question of the guilt or innocence of the captain, it should be remembered, was not before the court, and was not even discussed. the same rule, i contend, should be applied to the naturalised alien. it was burke who said that it was not possible to frame an indictment against a nation, but we can say with tolerable certainty that no german loses his german sympathies simply because he takes out naturalisation papers at the british home office. undoubtedly, if it were determined to intern or deport all of alien birth, whether naturalised or not, there would be many cases of hardship, and many people who are good citizens and perfectly loyal to the country of their adoption would suffer. many such are suffering to-day. i am not going to suggest for a moment that every one of the thousands of aliens we have interned in the concentration camps is dangerous, either as a spy or as a combatant. i do insist, however, that many of them are, and to catch all the guilty we must necessarily, though with regret, inflict hardship on some who are innocent. exactly the same conditions apply to the naturalised alien; in many cases they apply with even greater force. in his published statement from which i have already quoted, mr. mckenna parades with intense satisfaction the absence, since the war began, of any outrages traceable to aliens. he says:-- another matter which has engaged the closest attention of the police has been the possibility of conspiracies to commit outrages. no trace whatever has been discovered of any such conspiracy, and no outrage of any sort has yet been committed by any alien--not even telegraph wires having been maliciously cut since the beginning of the war. as a dose of soothing-syrup administered in mr. mckenna's "best bedside manner" this is inimitable; as a contribution to the solution of a very serious problem, it lacks finality. i wonder whether it has ever occurred to the home secretary, or the sleepy department over which he presides, that, up to the present moment, there has not been the slightest necessity for any alien to commit an outrage of any description, and that to have done so before the time was ripe would merely have meant rousing such an outburst here that, when the time did come, there would probably not have been an alien left at liberty to give help at the psychological moment? what, in the name of johnson, would it profit a german, or germany, to blow up at the present moment a tube station or one or two bridges on our main lines? the time for that was when we were moving the expeditionary force, if at all, under present conditions. but the movement of the expeditionary force was carried out with such speed and secrecy that hardly anyone knew what was going on, and in any case a slight delay to a few units of that force would not have been a vital matter. now whether it is possible or not, whether it has a faint chance of success or whether it is foredoomed to hopeless failure, an invasion of england is at the present moment the dearest dream of every german heart. to compass that, they are prepared to make any and every sacrifice. personally, i have no fear that to-day such an invasion would have the remotest chance of success, but that is not the belief of germans, military or civilian. they believe that it is not only possible, but that it must succeed, and we know that plans for carrying it out have been carefully elaborated for years past. suppose the germans come. troops will be instantly hurried towards the scene of their landing by every railway in england. what, then, i ask, would be the value of a few skilfully placed charges of explosive? what, then, would be the value of a successful attempt to cut the trunk telephone or telegraph wires running along one of our main lines of communication? what would it mean to us if an important bridge on a main line were shattered, and many trainloads of troops delayed for hours? remember that in the unlikely event of invasion time will be calculated by minutes, for the germans must rely upon the effects of a desperate dash to strike us in a vital spot before we could overwhelm them by accumulated reinforcements. but mr. mckenna tells us "there is no evidence of a conspiracy to commit outrages." let us fold our arms and sleep! i wonder what the war office would tell him if he hinted that there was no evidence that the germans were planning to invade us, and that they had better cease the arrangements they are very properly making to deal with such a contingency, however remote or unlikely it may appear! it is not in the least degree likely that all the german arrangements and plans have been made for outside operations only, and that every internal device that could help to ruin us has been neglected; that is not at all the german way. it has already been officially admitted that there is reason for believing that the germans have established petrol stores in these islands. is there any reason why they should not equally have established depots of explosives for use in the same contingency? our naval authorities say quite plainly that, with the present disposition of the fleet, no invading force above the proportions of a raiding party intended to create panic could ever hope to reach these shores. to that, i think, the great majority of our people, supremely confident in our splendid navy, cordially subscribe. but in war no chances can be taken, for the unexpected always happens, and though we may not discuss the measures that have been adopted, it is known that the war office authorities have done everything possible to provide for even such a remote contingency. can we say that the home office has done everything possible to cut the claws of the german plotters, when so many potential enemies are still allowed to be at large amongst us? and further, many enemy aliens are now being released, and returning to their employment in hotels. mr. mckenna has quite justifiably claimed that the confidential department has broken up the organisation of spies that existed in england before the war. for that, i desire quite sincerely to give them every credit. the home secretary has admitted, however, the necessity of taking every possible step to deal with those who have come here since the war began. and in this connection a very serious position has been created by the swarms of unhappy refugees from belgium who have been pouring into the country for several months past. among these thousands, it is absolutely certain, there must be many clever german agents, possibly men who have long lived in belgium, and speak french or flemish without a trace of german accent. what steps are being taken to guard against this peril? it must be remembered that in the case of these unfortunate people there can be no question of passports, or papers of any kind. the great majority of them are quite glad enough to have escaped with their lives, without troubling about their papers, even had they wished to do so. there would not be the slightest difficulty in german agents slipping over amongst these thousands without any risk of detection, and we can be tolerably confident that many have done so. it has been suggested that some of the better educated belgians, about whose _bona fides_ there could be no question, should be given the work of tracking down any possible impostors. they would probably be glad of the work, and in this direction they could do much to help us. they would be only too keen upon doing so, for most of them are filled with a hatred of everything german, beside which our own growing dislike is a mere nothing. to lay by the heels one of the german spies who have contributed so powerfully to the ruin of belgium would be, to the average refugee, the keenest delight. i believe this plan would be well worth a trial, and i should like to see it put into effect immediately. the trial and conviction on a charge of high treason of mr. nicholas emil herman adolph ahlers, a naturalised german who, for some years, acted as german consul in sunderland, is a remarkable and emphatic corroboration of every word i have written as to the manner in which the authorities are dealing with the alien peril. mr. ahlers was accused of assisting german reservists to return to germany after the declaration of war. it was alleged that he sought out our enemies, impressed upon them the necessity of returning to germany, and gladly paid their fares. the striking feature of the affair was, it is alleged, ahlers' own statement, "although naturalised, i am a german at heart." on december th, the prisoner was convicted of high treason, and sentenced to death. yet anything more farcical could not well be imagined, and was certainly well in keeping with the tactics of the home office. mr. ahlers was prosecuted for having "adhered to the king's enemies." yet he had only, after all, succoured the king's enemies to the extent _actually allowed to him by the order in council_! as mr. justice bankes justly observed at the appeal, it is abhorrent to the mind that a man should be sentenced to death for doing what the home secretary's circular expressly permitted. as exposed in the court of appeal, the whole prosecution was simply another effort of the authorities to mislead and gull the public, and to play to the gallery. when this amazing prosecution was undertaken, and the solicitor-general was sent down to durham to invoke the majesty of the law, _the home office must have known_ that the order in council, issued by that same department, gave alien enemies--up to august the th--the right to leave our shores! therefore mr. ahlers ought never to have been prosecuted and sentenced to death. what was presented to the public as a grim and terrible tragedy, turned out to be an amusing, though hollow comedy. yet we find, even in the final scene at the court of appeal, the solicitor-general gallantly protesting that the order in council had nothing to do with the case. of course, as the press pointed out, had the matter been anything but the merest jest produced for the purpose of making the people of this country believe that the government were at last tackling the spy peril in earnest, the minister, or other official, who drew up the order in council might have found himself in an awkward position. it allowed alien enemies, without any distinction as to whether they were combatants or not, to leave this country and join the king's enemies _for a full week after war had been declared_, and whoever was responsible for it was much more deserving of condemnation than the unfortunate "german at heart." but a further fact seems to have escaped the notice of the public. it is this. when the conviction for high treason had been obtained against mr. ahlers--a conviction improperly obtained--the government, with their conscience awakened, hastened to prepare the public for the comedy by issuing from the press bureau the following illuminating communication:-- "the conviction of ahlers is subject to appeal, the judge having granted a certificate of appeal on certain points of law which arose at the trial. the sentence of death was the only one which the judge could pronounce in accordance with the law on a conviction for high treason. if, on the appeal, the conviction is affirmed, the secretary of state for home affairs will consider the question of advising a commutation of the death-sentence with a view to substituting a term of penal servitude or imprisonment." the whole prosecution was a ghastly hoax, for mr. ahlers had committed no legal offence. the proceedings, so dignified and realistic, which resulted in him lying under sentence of death for a crime which he had not committed, was merely a hollow pretence in order to give a sop to the public. it reflects no credit upon our authorities, whoever was responsible, and such proceedings are, surely, not in accordance with the high morality of british justice. it is important, however, as serving as yet another example of the pitiful rule-of-thumb methods which are being adopted towards this grave peril. if the home department, in its wisdom, bestirs itself in future and prosecutes dangerous aliens and spies, it is to be hoped that it will not endeavour to further mislead us by presenting such a lamentable spectacle as it has done in the case of mr. ahlers. surely this is not the moment when the department should be engaged in trying to discover whether the german soldiery were guilty of any atrocities in belgium. the futility of the latter i pointed out to mr. mckenna in a letter i ventured to address to him at the home office on december th, . it ran as follows:-- "sir,--though seven days have now elapsed since my letter of december rd, i am still awaiting a reply, as i am anxious--in the interests of the public--to have an explanation of the matter to which it refers. "i desire to point out to your department--which, according to mr. aitken's letter to me of november th, is making an inquiry into allegations of outrages by german troops, and in which my aid is requested--that any further waste of public time and public money may be avoided if it will--as it no doubt can do if it wishes--obtain, through the proper channels, a copy of general von bülow's proclamation posted in liége on august nd last. in this, the general in question declares in reference to the destruction of the town of andenne:-- "'it is _with my consent_ that the general had the whole place burned down, and about one hundred people shot.' "in addition, three official reports of the royal belgian commission, sent to me by his excellency the belgian minister, are before me, and i have interviewed m. carton de wiart, belgian minister of justice, regarding them. "further, i would point out that your department might, with advantage, examine the proclamation of field-marshal von der goltz, and also major deckmann's poster published at grivegnée. "as these, no doubt, will be as available to you as they are to the public press, perhaps your department may obviate further waste of time by examining them. "meanwhile, i await, with anticipation, a reply to my letter of december rd." let us hope that the home department--if only responsible for german spies in london, as it is--will really rub its eyes and awaken, ere it is too late. for five months the authorities had been continually warned by lord leith of fyvie, and others, of spies who were detected in the act of signalling at night off the east coast. the newspapers were flooded with correspondence on the subject, while i myself received more than a hundred letters asking me to urge the authorities to take up the matter, and deal with it. on december th, yorkshire had its first instalment of the fruits of the extraordinary manner in which this signalling has been permitted to continue, and the freedom given to spies. on the previous night it was noticed, by reliable observers, that the night signallers were specially active, and at eight o'clock next morning, the towns of scarborough, whitby, and hartlepool were bombarded by german ships, resulting in over four hundred persons being injured, and over one hundred killed, including many women and children. information supplied by secret means to the german navy had already enabled shells to be flung at yarmouth, but here, as in the attack in yorkshire, we have again very clear proof and evidence of spies. indeed, already orders have been issued to shoot at sight anyone found signalling from the coast--but, alas! after so many innocent persons have lost their lives! the daring adventure of the german ships show that they must have received information concerning the distribution of our fleet. according to the first lord of the admiralty, practically the whole fast cruiser force of the german navy, including some great ships vital to their fleet and utterly irreplaceable, was risked for the passing pleasure of killing as many english people as possible, irrespective of sex, age, or condition, in the limited time available. now we know sufficient of german thoroughness to be quite sure that they would never have risked a journey of over four hundred miles from their base, through a sea sown with mines, unless they were well acquainted with the channels left open. knowledge of the exact positions in which we have placed our mines could only have been gained through spies amongst us. surely this should be sufficient answer to mr. mckenna's communiqué to the press. a special correspondent of the london _evening news_, who passed between london and berlin twice, unsuspected, during the month of december, and even visited vienna, writing on december th of what he saw in the german capital, declared that he heard the raid upon scarborough discussed in certain circles in berlin on december th, _three days before it took place_! in the course of his comments he wrote:-- "i always thought the spy mania in england exaggerated, but now i am absolutely persuaded that even those englishmen who recognise this peril do not realise the lengths to which it goes. they have been suspecting waiters and servants, whilst the spies are in high social positions; they have contented themselves with searching the houses of german barbers and grocers, whilst neglecting the hands which collect and forward to berlin the information gathered by more humble satellites. "it is very sad to have to say such things, but i think the most dangerous spies still in england are not germans, whether naturalised or not, but are people belonging to neutral countries--even to countries actually fighting germany--and subjects of great britain herself. "i would not have written this if i was not sure of it; the diplomat from whom i got the information assured me that there are some english and french of both sexes who come regularly to berlin, or to frontier towns through neutral countries, and have conversations with officials and then return. the restrictions as to luggage and passports, both in france and in england, are not half as severe as they should be; _they are even slacker than at the beginning of the war_. i know, personally, of a number of stolen american passports under the shelter of which german spies are now travelling, and an italian consul with whom i happened to travel a few days ago, said he had discovered two fellows with false italian passports almost perfectly imitated. "in berlin i heard people, well-informed people, saying that in every english town of importance, and on every spot of strategical value on the british coast, germany has got _a few friends_ keeping their eyes open and ready to receive an eventual german raid, and to give their friends as strong a hand as possible." chapter xii how to end the spy-peril "after this war," said mr. justice ridley, in a passage already quoted, "we must make an end of spies." "after this war," however, may be too late. i contend we should make an end of spies _now_, and with that end in view i would propose very strong measures--so strong that, i willingly admit, only very grave national peril would justify it. that peril, i contend, actually exists to-day, _and no steps we can take to minimise it can be regarded as excessive_. at the present moment it is perfectly easy for any german agent to travel quite freely between england and the continent. as we know, the germans have in their possession a large number of stolen british and american passports. by means of these passports their agents can come and go between england and the continent practically as they please, taking with them any information they can pick up. and, although the collecting of information has been made much more difficult by the additional precautions taken since the outbreak of war, information is still to be obtained by those who know where and how to look for it. now, the only channels by which this information can be conveyed abroad at present are, first by correspondence in invisible ink beneath an unsuspicious letter addressed to a neutral country--this was proved at the court-martial of the prisoner of war, otto luz, at the douglas internment camp--secondly, by travellers between england and the continent, and thirdly, by secret wireless stations communicating between our shores and the german ships--probably submarines--lying off the coast. all three of these channels of leakage must be stopped. the first step should be the absolute closing of the sea routes from these shores to all persons, excepting those who are vouched for by the british foreign office. the second is a much closer and more persistent search for concealed wireless plants, and a third, a closer censorship upon outgoing mails to neutral countries. i happen to know that in certain instances censorship upon both cables and correspondence is quite inadequate. as to the second proposal, there will be no two opinions. wireless is already forbidden, and there is no hardship in taking steps to see that the law is obeyed. with regard to the first suggestion, i am well aware that many people will think it, as indeed it is, extremely drastic. it would, of course, cause great inconvenience, not only to british subjects, but to the subjects of neutral powers with whom we are on the best of terms. it would seriously interfere with business which we have every wish should continue, and i should never suggest it unless i were convinced of the urgent need. a correspondent who has just returned from holland, where, says the _evening news_, he saw british tradesmen doing business with german manufacturers, shows how easy it is for the germans to send professional spies to england _via_ flushing. a german permit will pass anyone over the belgian frontier into holland: a belgian passport is not necessary, but such passports are issued by the local authorities. there is nothing to prevent a german commander getting a belgian passport and issuing it to a german if it suits his purpose, while the present examination arrangements on the english side offer no obstacles to spies landing, especially from boats containing five or six hundred refugees. the remedy is to make the landing test far more stringent, and to use responsible belgians in the work. one can readily understand that the average englishman, even though he spoke french and flemish, would not be able to detect a german, speaking both languages, as being anything but a genuine belgian. such a man, however, would be readily detected by a belgian; however well he spoke the languages, some trick of accent or pronunciation would be sure to "give him away." thus our belgian friends could do much to prevent the german spy getting into the country. assume that the spy is here; how are we to prevent him getting out? by closing the sea routes to all who could not produce to our foreign office absolutely satisfactory guarantees of their _bona fides_. the ordinary passport system is not sufficient; the foreign office should demand, and see that it gets not only a photograph, but a very clear explanation of the business of every person who seeks to travel from england to the continent, backed by unimpeachable references from responsible british individuals, banks, or firms. in every single case of application for a passport it should be personal, and the most stringent enquiries should be made. i see no other means of putting an end to a danger which, whatever the official apologists may say, is still acute, and shows no signs of diminishing. under the best of conditions some leakage may take place. but our business is to see, by every means we can adopt, that the leakage is reduced to the smallest possible proportions. now, a few words as to the future. let us look forward to the time when the war is over, and europe is at peace again. will it be necessary for us to take steps to prevent a recrudescence of this german espionage, or can we assume that there will be nothing of the kind again? in the language of mr. justice ridley, we have got to "make an end of spies" once and for all. the spy system has gained a firm and, i believe, quite unshakeable footing in the german military system, and my own view is that directly the war is over the old game will begin all over again. whatever may be the result of the war, we can take it for granted that germany will cherish dreams of revenge, more especially against the "treacherous british," upon whom, at the present moment, she is pouring out all the vials of her concentrated hatred and malignity. she has been spending huge sums annually on her spy-system, and she will not readily give it up. i certainly cherish the hope that after the war we shall be spared the flood of german immigration that, quite apart from all questions of espionage, has, in past years, done so much harm to england by unloading on our crowded labour market a horde of ill-paid and wage-cutting workers, many of whom were trade spies, and who have done much to drive the british employee out of the positions which, by every natural and political law, he ought to hold. this has been made possible to a great extent by subsidies from german rivals anxious to get hold of british trade secrets. the german clerk will never be the welcome figure he has been in the past with certain british firms who have regarded nothing but cheapness in the appointment of their staffs. still, we may be certain that, welcome or unwelcome, the german will be with us again; as a rule, he is sufficiently thick-skinned to care very little whether he is wanted or not, provided he "gets there." he will be a potential danger, and his activities must be at once firmly restricted. with this end in view the french system of the registration and taxation of every alien coming to reside in this country ought to be insisted upon. many worthy people seem to think that there is something highly objectionable in a precaution which is taken by every european country except britain. as a matter of fact, there is nothing of the kind. every briton, in ordinary times, who goes to germany is registered by the police; there is no hardship and no inconvenience about it, and no reason whatever why the person whose motives are above suspicion should object to it. the same is true of russia, where the passport system is strict; yet, once you have registered, you are free to do pretty much as you please, so long as you do not attempt to interfere in political matters, which are surely no concern of the foreigner. germans should be the last people in the world to object to a policy of registration and supervision in this country, and to do them justice the reputable germans would never think of protesting. another essential precaution would be that every alien coming to reside in this country must produce his papers. there is no hardship in this; the honest foreigner never makes any trouble about showing his papers at any time. in every country save great britain everyone has to possess such papers, and there is no reason why he should not produce them when he goes from his own to another country. by a system of papers and registration, the police would be enabled at any moment to lay their hands on doubtful characters, quite apart from spies. it is also to be sincerely hoped that the lord chamberlain's department will request, as the _globe_ has justly demanded, that city financiers who have been accustomed to make use in this country, without the royal licence or the king's permission, of german titles of nobility, will discontinue this practice when they become "naturalised." we should then have fewer pinchbeck "barons" among us than at present. evidence has been accumulating during the past few years, and came to a head with the case of the german consul at sunderland, that naturalisation in the great majority of cases is a perfect farce. the "naturalised" are still "germans at heart." naturalisation is usually adopted either for spying or for business purposes, and to suppose that the mere fact makes a german into anything else is to argue a pitiful ignorance of human nature, and particularly of the german nature. there is in this, of course, no reproach; we should think as little of a german who forsook the cause of his country as of an englishman who turned renegade. the germans are an intensely patriotic people, and we may honour them for it, but we do not want to help them to further exercise their patriotism at our expense. notable changes in the law relating to the naturalisation of aliens were made by the new british nationality and status of aliens act, which came into force on january st, . among the most important of these is the power given to the home secretary to revoke certificates of naturalisation obtained by means of false declarations. the naturalisation act of is now repealed. that act contained no definition of the classes of people who are to be regarded as natural-born british subjects. this omission is rectified in the new act, by which such persons are defined as follows:-- (a) any person born within his majesty's dominions and allegiance; and (b) any person born out of his majesty's dominions whose father was a british subject at the time of that person's birth, and either was born within his majesty's allegiance, or was a person to whom a certificate of naturalisation had been granted; and (c) any person born on board a british ship, whether in foreign territorial waters or not. i regard section (c) as far too sweeping; it seems to imply that even the children of german emigrants born while their parents are travelling, say to america, on board a british vessel become british subjects, even though they may never set foot on british territory during the whole of their lives! in such a case, naturalisation will mean absolutely nothing to the person concerned, while it is conceivable that his claim to be a british subject might involve us in awkward entanglements. a person born on a foreign ship will not be regarded as a british subject merely because the ship was in british territorial waters at the time of the birth. children of british subjects, whether born before or after the passing of the act, will be deemed to have been born within the king's allegiance if born in a place where "by capitulation, grant, usage, sufferance or other lawful means his majesty exercises jurisdiction over british subjects." the qualifications for naturalisation are extended under the new act. section provides that the secretary of state may grant a certificate of naturalisation to any alien who shows (a) that he has resided in his majesty's dominions for a period of not less than five years in the manner required by this section, or been in the service of the crown for not less than five years within the last eight years before the application; and (b) that he is of good character, and has an adequate knowledge of the english language; and (c) that he intends, if his application is granted, either to reside in his majesty's dominions, or to enter or continue in the service of the crown. paragraph (b), which is new, is certainly very valuable and it will be cordially approved. hitherto, in the granting of naturalisation certificates, character and a knowledge of english were entirely disregarded. by means of the new provision we shall be able to shut out from british citizenship a large and exceedingly undesirable class of alien immigrants and render their deportation practicable in case of misbehaviour. in the case of a woman who was a british subject before her marriage to an alien, and whose husband has died, or whose marriage has been dissolved, the requirements of this section as to residence are not to apply, and the secretary of state may, in any other special case, grant a certificate of naturalisation, even though the four years' residence or five years' service has not been within the eight years immediately before the application for naturalisation. the provision as to the women is both humane and just. it will alleviate the hard lot of many englishwomen who married germans before the war, and whose cases under the old act involved much unmerited hardship. section of the act is very noteworthy. it provides that ( ) a person to whom a certificate of naturalisation is granted by a secretary of state shall, subject to the provisions of this act, be entitled to all political and other rights, powers and privileges, and be subject to all obligations, duties and liabilities to which a natural-born british subject is entitled or subject, and, as from the date of his naturalisation, have to all intents and purposes the status of a natural-born british subject. the rd section of the act of settlement, which disqualifies naturalised aliens from holding certain offices, is to have effect as though the word "naturalised" were omitted. this section applies, among other things, to membership of the privy council or either house of parliament, or to "any office or place of trust either civil or military." the power given to the secretary of state to revoke any naturalisation certificate obtained by false representation or fraud is contained in section , which says:-- ( ) where it appears to the secretary of state that a certificate of naturalisation granted by him has been obtained by false representations or fraud, the secretary of state may by order revoke the certificate, and the order of revocation shall have effect from such date as the secretary of state may direct. ( ) where the secretary of state revokes a certificate of naturalisation, he may order the certificate to be given up and cancelled, and any person refusing or neglecting to give up the certificate shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds. this is a very valuable provision, and it is one that, whenever fraud or false representation is detected, should be summarily and rigorously enforced. in the past our practice in the matter of naturalisation has been decidedly too lax; i fear the granting of certificates had become rather too much a matter of form, and possibly statements as to residence, etc., had not been too closely scrutinised. there is thus reason for believing that a good many individuals who are to-day masquerading as "british citizens" would have extreme difficulty in making good their claims to that honour if they were closely pressed for evidence. it is important to remember that under the naturalisation law a naturalised "undesirable alien" cannot be deported in the event of his being convicted of a certain class of offence to which the alien of the lower type is especially prone. these are just the men who most dread deportation, since they are usually well known to the police of their own country, and they are therefore most likely to resort to fraudulent means to secure the protection afforded by naturalisation here. when such individuals fall into the hands of the police in future, we may be sure that their papers will be scrutinised with special care, and should any evidence of fraud be detected we shall be able to strip them of their too easily obtained british nationality, and relieve ourselves of their presence. the taking out of naturalisation papers is one of the natural weapons of the spy, and by the circumstances of his case he is very frequently compelled to resort to devious means to secure his papers. under the new law it will be easier when he is detected to treat him as an enemy subject, since inquiry of a close character will be likely, if not practically certain, to reveal the deception of which he has been guilty. it is to be hoped on every ground that the new law will be rigorously enforced. i hold very strongly--and recent cases have justified my belief--that the _naturalised alien_ is among our most dangerous enemies. for this reason, if for no other, the acquisition of british nationality should be made as difficult as possible in order to protect our country against hordes of subjects whom we do not want and who, if the truth were told, would be found to have but the most shadowy claim to the honour they seek. but, as the _globe_ has well described it, the act is, at best, only a piece of belated legislation. it is to be regretted that the government could not have seen their way to issue a proclamation postponing its operation, so that parliament could have some further opportunity of discussing it before it is treated as settling the extremely difficult and complicated questions which are inherent in the subject, questions which have gained a new meaning in the last few months. it would be satisfactory, for instance, to investigate the very curious problems raised by the third section. under this, certain disqualifications which the act of settlement imposed upon naturalised aliens are again made inoperative except as against aliens. under the act of settlement naturalised aliens were prohibited from becoming members of the privy council, or of either house of parliament, and from holding any office or place of trust, "either civil or military." it is notorious that naturalised aliens have sat on both sides of the house of commons, _are actually members of the privy council_, and have occupied places of the most intimate trust in civil and military affairs. it is surely time we reverted to the older methods. no naturalised alien should be appointed a privy councillor. the whole act is therefore belated and incomplete. it does not, so far as one can understand it, provide for the one thing really necessary--that the individual seeking naturalisation in this country should divest himself altogether of any allegiance to the sovereignty under which he was born. whether he can do so, or not, is his affair. germany, by her new citizenship law, as the journal quoted has pointed out, has devised methods obviously designed to disguise the real nature of the act of a german on seeking naturalisation in a foreign country. against such attempts to deceive the nation of which a german, for his own ends, seeks to become a member, it may be difficult to continue effective measures, but at any rate we should make the attempt. naturalisation is primarily a favour granted to the alien, and is only in very rare and exceptional cases an advantage to the state which grants it. therefore it ought to be hedged about with such restrictions as will make it as certain as any laws can do, that the individual seeking it divests himself of all his former allegiance. it is perfectly certain, as the journal before mentioned has remarked, that there are in this country to-day many naturalised germans who, if they had not taken out letters of naturalisation (which are in effect letters of mark), would now be interned in some concentration camp. they are chartered enemies, who can be compared to none so justly as those german spies at the front who penetrate the allies' lines by wearing british uniforms. the french government have, unlike our own, been quick to see the danger that exists, and to cope with it. a bill has been introduced into the french parliament empowering the government to withdraw naturalisation from persons who preserve their original nationality, or who, by reason of their attitude to the enemies of france, are judged unworthy of french nationality. the stock exchange has taken similar action. british citizenship is a privilege which in no case ought to be lightly conferred, and assuredly it should never be relieved from the obligations which properly accompany its great advantages. no man can serve two masters, at any rate when they are at war with one another; and, to be just to the germans, they have not even tried. we know that the german espionage organisation in england was set up some time about the year , so that there has been plenty of time for the german general staff to get together quite a number of agents who, under our present system, fulfil all the demands of our naturalisation laws. we must make this more difficult in the future, remembering that the naturalised german is at least as much an object of suspicion as his non-naturalised brother. residence of aliens, whether naturalised or not, in the immediate vicinity of our dockyards, naval bases, and important strategical positions should be stopped, once and for all. we know how in many recent cases the activities of the german agent have been concentrated upon these points, where the most valuable information is often to be picked up, and if we are indeed to make an end of spies, this closing of certain areas to aliens is one of the first and most important steps to take.[ ] i have just heard of a case in one of our most important garrison towns, where, for years past, a shop overlooking the barracks has been in german occupation without apparently any business whatever being done; the stock was practically allowed to rot in the windows, and certainly the volume of trade was not enough to pay the rent. we can form our own conclusions as to the real object of such establishments. not very long ago captain persius, the well-known german naval expert, described, with his tongue in his cheek, the ease with which he was able to get information at certain british dockyards, and we know that many foreign visitors have been allowed practically free access to many of our battleships and to the naval ports. the case of the undergraduates who posed as foreign princes and were shown over one of our dreadnoughts will be well remembered. all this kind of thing must certainly be put an end to in the future. the question of wireless is also another matter to which we shall have to give considerable attention. it is very much a question whether we should not, in future, adopt some stricter system of compulsory registration of all wireless plant sold and worked in this country. we all hope, of course, that after the present war we shall see a long period of undisturbed peace, but not even that assurance ought to be allowed to blind us to future danger, any more than the belief that a german invasion of great britain is an impossibility should cause us to relax, for an instant, our preparations to meet it should it come. wireless is likely to play a growing part in our world communications, and the tremendous possibilities which attend its unauthorised use have to be reckoned with. i confess that i should have hesitated to introduce even into a novel such an incident as a german officer attempting to escape from this country packed up in a large box. yet such a case has just been reported; the man was detected and arrested by no more than a lucky accident just as the case was about to be placed on board the liner which was to convey it to rotterdam. examination of the case showed how carefully the plans for the escape had been made, and certainly there is a very strong suggestion that the affair could not have been undertaken without active assistance from persons outside the prison from which the officer had escaped. and those persons were spies. it was stated, i see, that the man is believed to have been trying to get over to germany with important information, and in all probability this is true; it is not at all likely that anyone would have adopted such a desperate expedient merely to escape from custody. the incident, in its practical bearings, is not of great importance, since it is not a plan likely to be adopted except by someone who was absolutely desperate, and obviously we cannot examine every packing case shipped abroad, even in war time. for us the importance of the incident lies in the light it throws upon the skill and resource of the german secret agents, and the need for straining every nerve to cope with their activity. one cannot but admire the courage and resource of a man who was ready to take the risks involved in this particularly daring adventure. whatever system we decide to adopt to protect ourselves against espionage in the future, there is no question that the entire matter ought to be in the hands of one central authority, with very wide powers of inquiry and action. we must put an end once and for all to the idiotic--no other word is strong enough--position in which mr. mckenna is able to say that outside london the spy-peril is no concern of his, and that he has no power of action. whether we complete and extend the operations of the confidential department, or whether some new organisation is brought into being, the matter of espionage for the country as a whole _ought to be centralised in the hands of a single authority_. i know certain people are likely to raise a grumble that the cost will be considerable. supposing it is? no one suggests that we should spend, as germany has been spending, £ , a year on spying on our neighbours; all that we need to do is to establish a complete system of contra-espionage, and look after the people who want to spy on us. in doing this, surely the expenditure of a few thousands a year would be money well invested. in france a system has been adopted--too late, unfortunately, so far as the present war is concerned--by which the public are invited to co-operate in the work of checking the activities of the spies, by giving to the proper authority information of any suspicious cases coming to their notice. my view is that a somewhat similar procedure should be adopted here. in this way public opinion would be educated up to the importance of the subject, and a great deal of valuable information would be acquired. it is certain, of course, that much of this information would be valueless, but it would be the duty of the special department to separate the chaff from the wheat, and to see that every suspicious case was duly inquired into. apart from anything else, this action by the public would, in itself, give the spies to pause, for they would realise how much more difficult it would be for them to carry on their nefarious work undetected. i come now to perhaps the most unpleasant feature of the spy problem--the possibility of our betrayal by traitors in our own ranks. i am proud to think that, in this respect, we are perhaps better off than any nation under the sun, but at the same time, there have been, in recent years, one or two proved cases, and, as i have already said, a good many where grounds existed for very grave suspicion. however mortifying it may be to our national pride, we cannot overlook the possibility of our secrets being sold to the enemy by men of our own blood. in this connection, i cannot do better than quote an instructive passage from paul lenoir's masterly book on "the german spy system in france," one of the most complete and fascinating exposures of german machinations that has ever been written, and a veritable mine of information on german aims and methods. lenoir relates how, on one occasion, he had a long conversation with a very distinguished member of the german spy administration who had expressed the wish to meet him. in the course of their conversation, the german said:-- "ah! if only you knew how many of your politicians who shout and declaim in france demanding the suppression of _your_ secret service funds--if you only knew how many of those men are drawing thumping good salaries out of _our_ secret service funds; if only you knew what proportion of their election expenses is paid by us every four years!" i do not suppose for a moment that we have in england anything of this kind; the class of men who secure election to the house of commons is no doubt above temptation. i, however, mention this instance, revealed be it remembered by a frenchman working hard in his country's cause, to show how very far the german espionage bureau is prepared to go to seduce men from their natural allegiance, and convert them into the most dangerous enemies of their country. and, with regret i confess it, we have to face the fact that even in our own services there are some whose honour is not proof against the lavish stream of german gold. how to detect and defeat them is indeed a difficult problem; all we can say is that in this, as in other matters, eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. but at least we can say that when they are caught these men ought to be made to pay a terrible price for their treachery, as an example and a deterrent to others. there must be no illegal sentences of death, as in the ahlers case. there must be no paltering with this blackest of crimes, and no concession to the sentimentalists of the cocoa-press. in conclusion, i appeal to my readers to believe that i do feel, after many years' study of this subject, that in german espionage lies one of the greatest dangers our beloved country has to face. i earnestly appeal to them to do all in their power to assist in forming a vigorous public opinion, that shall insist that, at whatever cost, this canker in our public life shall be rooted out. we must--and we can, if we devote our attention to it--make an end to the spy in our midst, and make it impossible that our hospitality shall be abused by those who are plotting our downfall. to do this a strong and healthy public opinion, which shall drive supine officials to determined action, is the first and greatest requisite. without that--and it is the purpose of this book to assist in rousing it--we shall drift back into the old rut of contemptuous and incredulous neglect, and it is more than probable that our last state will be worse than our first. we can rest assured that germany will never willingly give up the system that has paid her such enormous profits; it is for us to meet craft with craft, to smash her spy organisation, to show her that we are determined that we will put an end to an insidious form of attack which in time of peace--whatever we may think of espionage in time of war--is nothing short of moral and political corruption in its worst and most hideous form. another point which has apparently been overlooked by the public is the fact that as recently as january th the united states embassy, acting for germany and austria, announced the astounding fact that german men over , austrian men over , with all those physically unfit for military service, as well as all women of both countries, _may leave great britain and return to the land of their birth_! the ambassador stated that anyone wishing to do so should apply to the home office (permits department) for the necessary permission; and, further, that the austro-hungarian government were organising personally-conducted parties to vienna and budapest! now, it is to be sincerely hoped that the home office (permits department) will not consider any man who has a weak heart, a faulty leg, or bad teeth, or is over , incapable of acts of espionage. further, as alien women have been allowed to move freely about the country, and as our confidential department knows that the enemy has already made good use of the fair sex as spies, is it really too much to expect that the permits department will--if aliens are allowed to leave at all--grant the necessary passes with a very sparing hand, and submit to severe examination anyone desirous of joining these personally-conducted parties which sound so delightfully alluring? but to the man-in-the-street this official announcement of the united states embassy, especially after the prosecution of mr. ahlers, must cause considerable dismay. are we to allow these enemy aliens who have been among us ever since the outbreak of war to return, and carry with them all the information they have been able to gather? surely this is a most important point to which public attention should at once be directed! if the home office are actually about to issue permits to enemy aliens to return home, then why bother any further about espionage? we may just as well accept mr. mckenna's assurances, close our eyes, and fold our arms. further, with the illuminating discussion in the house of lords on january th, , the briton--as apart from the politician, or the supporter of the cocoa-press--surely cannot be satisfied. the government spokesmen told us that we still had among us no fewer than , germans and austrians at liberty, and of this number , were living in prohibited areas--an increase of since november th! the lack of organisation for dealing with these aliens is the most deplorable feature of the administration. there are three separate authorities. the navy, military and police all act according to their own interpretations of the defence of the realm act, and when one or other takes drastic steps for the removal of alien enemies, somebody who stands in the background reverses the process. a truly amazing state of affairs. the splendid efforts of the earl of portsmouth, the earl of crawford, lord leith of fyvie, viscount st. aldwyn, lord st. davids, the earl of selborne, viscount galway and lord curzon made in the house of lords seem, alas! to be of no avail, for, while on november th mr. mckenna gave details showing the distribution of male alien enemies, the latest figures supplied in the house of lords on january th by viscount allendale show:-- nov. th jan. th aberdeen to berwick northumberland to the wash the wash to thames estuary thames estuary to dorsetshire } devonport to plymouth } ____ ____ total our authorities have actually admitted that from november th to january th, more alien enemies have gone to live on the east coast of scotland and on the south coast of england! and mr. mckenna has permitted them to do so! surely by the official assurances of safety an attempt has been made to lull us to sleep--and we are now being slowly lulled into the hands of the enemy! in these same areas were , women alien enemies on november th, as compared with , at the present time. the figures show that there has been a decrease of in the neighbourhood of the yorkshire raid. but there has been an increase of on the south coast, and of on the east coast of scotland. under whose authority, one may surely ask, have alien enemies been permitted to settle on the scotch and south coasts? with these , alien enemies free to move five miles in each direction from any area in which they may be living, and power to make longer journeys if they can get a permit--not a very difficult thing to do--the home office is adding to the danger by encouraging a movement for the release of some of the , alien enemies interned originally because they were held to be dangerous. the chief constables who are being asked to certify such as might be released, may, i quite think with the _evening news_, be pardoned for giving a liberal interpretation of the request. surely every sane man must agree with the opinion expressed by the same outspoken journal, namely, that with some , germans and austrians, registered and naturalised, moving freely in our midst, a government which permits that freedom is taking risks which it ought not to take. the german government, in their wisdom, are not guilty of such folly. every british subject, even those who have lived there for forty years, and can hardly speak their mother-tongue, is interned. why, if a naturalised german is known to be an enemy of the country of his adoption--be he waiter or financier--should any tenderness be displayed towards him? he is an enemy, and whatever lord haldane or mr. mckenna may say, he must be treated as such. i write only as an englishman fighting for his own land. i repeat that i have no party politics, but only the stern resolve that _we must win this war_, and that all who lean to the enemy in any manner whatever must go, and be swept with their fine houses, their wives and their social surroundings into oblivion. to-day we, as britons, are fighting for our existence. to give our alien enemies a chance of espionage is a criminal act. sir henry dalziel advocates the constitution of an aliens board to deal with the whole subject. he evidently has no faith in the present indecision, for he has expressed himself in favour of moving all alien enemies fifty miles from the coast. the flabby policy of indecision is, one must agree, a mistake. no one wants to embarrass the government, who in so many ways have done admirably, but, in the face of the serious dangers which must arise from the presence of , alien enemies within our gates at this moment, even implicit confidence must not stand in the way of a stern and effective national defence. and the removal of the spy danger is, i maintain, eminently a matter of national defence. it is for the public to make a stern and unmistakable demand. * * * * * the following lines, from an anonymous pen, appeared on december th in the _evening news_, which has performed a patriotic work in pointing out the peril of spies, and demanding that they should be interned. though amusing, the words really contain a good deal of truth:-- _"will you walk into my parlour?" said the kaiser to the spy, "for i've lots of work to give you, and the pay is very high, and you've only got to send me a report from day to day, all about the english people, and the things they do and say._ _"there is fritz and franz and josef, though their names you may not know, you may write to them and see them, but as 'number so-and-so,' and should you meet your brother or your mother at the game, you are not to recognise them; they're numbers just the same._ _"you will travel through the country in the name of henry jones, or as donald p. mcscotty, selling artificial stones; you will rent a modest dwelling in the shadow of a base, and when nobody is looking you will photograph the place._ * * * * * _"then 'hoch' unto your kaiser, 'am tag' your daily cry, god bless our krupps and zeppelins, the victory is nigh. god bless our shells! and dum-dums! kultur shall fight her way; god, emperor, and fatherland in one almighty sway."_ footnotes: [footnote : thirty miles inland: military orders to east coast aliens.--notices to quit coastal towns adjoining the tyneside district were yesterday served by the police on behalf of the military authorities upon persons regarded as undesirable residents. the people affected include enemy aliens and naturalised aliens of both sexes, also british-born descendants of aliens, including even the second generation. exceptions have been made in cases of advanced age and extreme youthfulness. new addresses must be approved by the military. notices were also served on german residents in sunderland to leave the town and district and move into an area approved by the military authorities. the order applies to men, women, and children, whether naturalised or not, and must be obeyed within eight days. the approved area will be some inland place about thirty miles from the coast.--_daily mail_, december th, .] the end printed by w. mate & sons, ltd., bournemouth. revolt on io by nelson bond death stalked the _libra_. the io-plunging space liner freighted a secret weapon, and the rebel kreuther had vowed it should not arrive. [transcriber's note: this etext was produced from planet stories spring . extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the u.s. copyright on this publication was renewed.] the ship's clock bonged drowsily three times. bud chandler, the junior watch, glared at it languidly. "thus," he yawned, "endeth the lobster patrol. three bells, my fine bucko--and the soft, warm hay for you. or--" there was a hopeful note in his voice. "or would you like to finish out my trick for me? i'll stand double for _you_ some night." dan mallory said, "comets to you, sailor!" and he rose, stretching the kinks out of weary muscles. his collar was open at the throat, his back ached from five solid hours in the bucket-shaped control chair. his eyes were strained. that was from peering alternately at glowing panels, through a _perilens_ plate into the murky, blue-black space before the void-hurtling _libra_, and back to the panels again. "there's a little thing called sleep which i'm going to grab some of. as soon as norton shows up. where the pink cepheids--?" "tell you what. finish my trick tonight, dan, and i'll double for you _twice_. that's fair enough, isn't it?" "fair enough," said mallory, "but not sufficiently enticing. like an albino on a desert planetoid. ah, here's our hero now! welcome, sir relief! dump it into the basket and let poppa go seek the arms of morpheus." "who's she?" growled rick norton, third mate. his eyes were puffy; he squinted and glared at the bright lights of the control turret. "hell's howling acres, i'm tired! i just about got to sleep when--oh, well. log in order?" "directly." mallory shot a curious glance at norton. "just got to sleep? how come? what were you doing up so late?" "it wasn't official business," answered the junior officer curtly, "so it's none of yours. let's have your log sheet." he slumped into the control chair, squinted through the _perilens_ and made a few tiny course corrections. across the room, bud chandler's shoulders shrugged a reply to dan's swift lift of the eyebrows. the second mate's lips formed a word. "sore-head!" mallory nodded. norton _was_ a surly son-of-a-spacewrangler. but that wasn't any skin off his nose. he went to the chart table. footsteps clattered up the jacob's ladder, the door flew open and the old man stomped onto the bridge. he snapped, "'zuwere!" and glowered over mallory's shoulder, shrewd, space-faded eyes reading sense into the senior lieutenant's neat, precise columns. he jabbed a horny finger at one line of figures. "sure o' that, mallory? velocity that high?" mallory said respectfully, "yes, sir. all figures have been checked and double checked. we're point oh-oh-one on course. forced speed, point thirty-nine above normal." "checked and double checked," said captain algase, "is good enough most of the time. but this trip is special. and vitally important. forty thousand innocent lives depend on our reaching io damn soon! remember that, mallory. all of you remember that." the stern lines of his face eased a trifle. "it's been a hard shuttle, i know. a brutal, punishing trip. and we've all been under a terrific strain. but our difficulties are nothing compared to those of the garrison and the honest colonists of new fresno. they're looking to us for aid, and we're bringing them aid. "that is, someone aboard this ship is. i honestly don't know who that person is. no one knows except the man himself, the commander of the ssp intelligence department on earth, and maybe someone at new fresno. but he _is_ on board, either an officer, sailor or passenger, and he _is_ carrying to io the plans for the new ray weapon recently perfected by the ssp ordnance bureau. "those plans will enable our new fresno garrison to subdue this mysterious uprising on io. that's why the _libra_ is traveling at forced speed. that's why we must redouble every normal precaution to insure our reaching the io colony. that's why, too, we must keep our eyes open; watch even each other. what's the matter with you, norton?" * * * * * norton had started suddenly. now he muttered, red-faced, "sorry, sir. sudden light in the visiplate. it looked like a meteoride." "there's nothing there now," said the skipper. but chandler repeated, "watch each other, captain? i don't get it. we're all pledged and trusted members of the solar space patrol, aren't we? we all live by the ssp motto. i don't see--" he fingered his breast insignia, that tiny, golden rocket emblazoned with the words, _order out of chaos_. "i don't see why we should--" "because," explained the skipper grimly, "wherever there's an uprising there are converts to the new cause, traitors to the old. where there are plans, there are spies to steal them. that's not a warning from h.q.; that's plain, old-fashioned horse-sense. i fought through the rollie rebellion, you know. after the grantland massacre i discovered that one of my own messmates was in the pay of the mercurians. "i won't say for sure that there is a spy aboard the _libra_. but if there is, we must give him no opportunity to learn anything. weary or not, we must remain on the alert at all times. but i needn't say any more. finished, mallory?" "yes, sir. log in order, sir." "very good. you may retire. chandler, you seem to be fagged." bud said, "one more yawn and i'll be a zombie." "a gabby zombie?" sniffed the old man. "i'll finish your trick for you. go get some rest." still glowering, he plumped himself into the seat vacated by chandler, cut in the intercommunications board, audioed the radio turret. "is that you, sparks? wake up, you lazy scut! any news from the earth? or mars central?" the radioman's voice clacked metallically, "no, sir. i can't get through to any station. the rebel forces at new fresno are still jamming the ether with static interference on all wave bands." "well, keep trying. let me know if you get through. well?" the skipper glanced back over his shoulder. "well, i thought you two were tired? what are you waiting for? want to stand another trick apiece?" "no, sir!" said both men hastily. "we're leaving, sir!" they fled. "ain't he a whipper, though?" asked chandler affectionately. "he growls like a terrier pup, but he's got no more bite than a cup custard. 'scuse me!" a gigantic yawn split his grin in two. "must have been something i et!" "the hell of it is," said mallory ruefully, "now i'm off duty, i'm not a bit tired. i wasn't tired at all, really. just had hardening of the panties from squatting in that seat so long. got a cigarette?" chandler tossed him a package. "and don't swipe the coupon, either. six thousand more and i get an electronic microscope. well, you can do what you like. i'm going bye-bye and try to forget the waffles that bucket-seat has pressed into my hip pockets. 'night, pal!" his footsteps rang sharp little echoes on the metal flooring, echoes that hollowed as he disappeared down a corridor leading to the sleeping quarters and mallory turned toward the observation deck. * * * * * the tall first mate leaned against the heavy quartzite pane staring into the depths of space through which the _libra_ scudded. the sight was no novelty to him, but as ever it wakened in his heart a sense of awe, a feeling of weird instability, a sort of pride in man that he, of all the many, strange life-forms experimenting nature had devised, should so far be the only one whose imagination was so great, whose curiosity was so strong, that he had found a way to fling himself at blinding speed across the broad, unfathomable reaches of the void. it was disheartening to realize that even though he had attained the stars, man had not yet sloughed off the instincts and habits of the ape from which he sprang. man's genius had blazed a path across the spaceways, man's bravery had established new colonies from scorching mercury to frozen uranus. ssp lightships bridged the chasms between and beyond; even now the concentrated rays of faraway sol were steaming the rimy crust off pluto that earth's miners might extract the valuable ores revealed by the spectroscope. but with the growth of the colonies, man's ever latent cupidity had come into play. this past half century, thought dan mallory with a sort of savage anger, had been nothing but one long, bloody era of warfare between the forces of law and the outlawry of the greedy. now there was this uprising on the first satellite of jupiter; io. a charming little world. a pleasant earth-like orb, spinning quietly about its gigantic parent. up to this time, its natives had never been troublesome. squat, muscular creatures, more or less anthropoid, except for the fact that their complexions had a pale, greenish cast and their eyes were double-lidded like those of snakes. they had an intelligence of . on the solar constant scale. within a century or so the control board meant to award them autonomy; toward this end educators had been working ever since io had been removed from the british imperial protectorate in . trouble had sprung, both literally and figuratively, like a bolt from the blue. a cosmic _blitzkrieg_. one moment there had been peace and sweet content on io; the next came a frantic, garbled message about "a rebel army ... natives ... led by...." the rest had been drowned in an ear-drum blasting burst of electronic static that had rendered all further communication impossible. "kreuther!" said mallory thoughtfully. the affair sounded like one of kreuther's moves. that power-mad genius, exiled from earth after the thwarted lunar campaign of , was accustomed to strike in just this fashion. he alone, of all avowed ssp enemies, had the persuasive ability to win to his cause a horde of normally contented ionians, the wealth with which to set into motion war's red machinery, the genius with which to disrupt interplanetary communications. "but if it is kreuther," thought mallory consolingly, "this time he's bitten off more than he can chew. that new weapon--" he wondered, briefly, which officer, sailor, passenger, had been entrusted with the secret of the new ray gun's construction. then he cast the thought from his mind. it was none of his business. it were better he didn't know. it was at that stage of his reverie that a sudden byplay of movement captured his attention. in an instant he had cupped his cigarette into his palm, stepped into a dark patch of shadow. a figure had glided from the passageway that led to the sleeping quarters, was now peering uncertainly into the observation deck. it was david wilmot, one of the six passengers aboard the _libra_. wilmot's thin face was pinched with nervousness; he coughed, a thin little hacking sound in the muted quiet, then put the back of his hand to his mouth. dan stood motionless, his dark uniform blending perfectly with the drapes that concealed him. as he waited, watching, the door at the far end of the deck opened, a short, plump man in night-robe entered. wilmot sprang forward eagerly. his whisper carried to dan's keen ears. "have you got them, doctor?" "quiet, you fool!" dr. bonetti's forehead creased angrily; his eyeglasses reflected a subdued light owlishly. he fumbled in his pocket, passed something white to the other man. "here! but not a word, about this, mind you!" "i know. i know." wilmot seized the papers avidly, turned and fled down the corridor whence he had emerged. the doctor stared after him for a moment, shook his head regretfully, then disappeared. the door closed behind him softly. "_that's why, too, we must keep our eyes open--._" the skipper's words echoed in dan mallory's memory as he stepped from his hiding place, brow furrowed. what the devil was going on here? could bonetti have been the bearer of the secret plans; could wilmot have been the spy? had he just witnessed the sell-out of a traitor? but before he could get his jumbled thoughts into order, a voice addressed him from behind, gravely, quietly. "rather confusing, eh, lieutenant?" dan whirled to look into the face of garland smith, another of the _libra's_ passengers. he said, half pettishly, "you, captain? what are _you_ doing up at this time of night?" * * * * * the one-time officer of the ssp, now on the retired list, shot a swift glance at the glittering panorama visible through the quartzite plates. "night, lieutenant? night and day are nothing but quirks of speech out here, sleep a matter of habit. when you have lifted gravs as many years as _i_ have--" he sighed. "i was restless. and perhaps it is just as well. i witnessed the same thing you did. and strange things are going on aboard the _libra_." mallory said cautiously, "perhaps you're too apprehensive, captain. just because two passengers are sleepless like yourself, meet in the observation chamber--" "they're not the only two who are still awake. the whole slumbering ship stirs with movement, my boy. a moment or so before you arrived i saw albert lemming stealing down the no. corridor--and 'stealing' is the only word that describes his progress. before that, mrs. wilmot had a secret rendezvous with some one in the smoking room; i don't know who her companion was. and lady alice has not been in her cabin all night." the older man's eyes sought mallory's, his gaze was piercing. "my boy, i realize that i no longer rank you. but not so long ago, i was your senior. once a patrolman, always a patrolman, you know. i feel we are in the midst of an intrigue too weighty for one man to solve. perhaps the experience of an old officer may help. tell me, is it true what i have heard? that someone aboard this vessel is carrying to the new fresno garrison the secret of earth's new ray weapon? if so, the mysterious actions we've witnessed may be espionage, agents of the kreuther forces--" mallory said respectfully, "i'm very sorry, sir. i am not permitted to say anything. but i would suggest that in the morning you speak to captain algase. i'm sure he'll welcome your offer of assistance." his face clouded. slowly he said, "lady alice. where did you see her last?" "in the reading room." mallory saluted, turned and went to the ship's library. as he walked he found himself hoping, why, he did not try to explain to himself, that he would find the room empty. but it was not. a single lamp was lighted inside. as mallory pressed open the door, shadows danced on the farther wall; the wavering, unidimensional symbol of an upright figure spun and made swift, jabbing motions, dropped. there was a sound of paper rustling, the rough scrape of calfskin on buckram. then he was in the room, and lady alice was seated beside the refectory table, ostensibly reading a book. she glanced up with a little movement of surprise. "why, lieutenant, what a pleasant surprise!" mallory stifled the impulse to say, "pleasant?" he stared at the girl curiously, reminding himself for the hundredth time since she had come aboard this ship, six days ago, that as man and woman they had no common meeting ground, they lived on planes inordinately diverse. he was dan mallory, a lieutenant of the solar space patrol, a respectable, if underpaid, watchdog of law and order in man's widening circle of influence. moreover, he was a _young_ lieutenant. it would be years before he earned a major brevet, became an acceptable social figure. even if a miracle were to happen, if he were to be selected into the envied corps of lensmen, he would only be a super-cop. while she.... she was lady alice charwell, possessor of a name and title respected for more than eight hundred years. of course the title was now one of courtesy only; there was no duchy of io since the cession of that satellite to the world council. but once her father had been manor lord of the entire globe; in the _almanach de gotha_ her family name and crest still figured prominently. all of which had little to do with the fact that her eyes were blue as the morning mists of venus, that her limbs were white and straight and supple, softly feminine despite the mannish slack and shirt ensemble she affected, that her hair was a seine of sunlight gold that snared dan mallory's heart and quickened his breath. he forced his voice to calmness. he said, "lady alice, don't you think it would be better if you were to go to bed? this--this staying up at night--" her laughter was warm and delicious. "but, lieutenant! surely there's no harm in my reading myself to sleep?" "not a bit," agreed mallory. he bit his lip. "i might suggest, though, that unless you're reading a book in the lower venusian language, it would be easier to read if the book were right side up. and--" he walked past her, swiftly, stared at the book which, hastily thrust back into the bookcase, still jutted out beyond its fellows. "and you might find more interesting reading matter than a tactical survey of ionian military resources." the girl's face was scarlet. she came to her feet indignantly. "really, lieutenant, you go too far! i don't see that it is any of your business." "lady alice," said mallory pleadingly, "a state of war exists on io. strange things are happening aboard the _libra_, things the exact nature of which i am not at liberty to explain. if you will try to forget, for a moment, that i am a space officer--just think of me as a man--will you allow me to make the suggestion that you do absolutely nothing to lay your actions, your motives, open to any sort of suspicion? "i realize that as one who inherited a claim to the title, 'duchess of io,' you are deeply interested in current affairs on that colony. others may read another meaning into your actions, though. at least one person has already hinted that you--" lady alice's breathing was swift. "who?" she demanded. "who is this person?" "i'm sorry. i can't say. but will you do as i suggest?" there was a moment of silence. then the girl shut the book on her lap, laid it on the table, rose. "very well, lieutenant. i'm a rather poor deceiver, aren't i? nevertheless, i thank you for your well-meant advice." she moved toward the doorway, grace and poise in her every stride. and she turned there to smile back at him, her voice soft and unamused. "lieutenant," she said, "you should lay aside your shoulder-straps more often. the man beneath is most--interesting." then she was gone, leaving behind her a red-faced, speechless, utterly chaotic dan mallory. * * * * * at breakfast, mallory presided at the head of the table. bud chandler, arriving a few minutes late, stared at his comrade surprisedly. "why, skipper!" he said, "what this trip is doing for your complexion! you look thirty years younger. where did you get them pretty pink cheeks?" mallory growled, "sit down, pal, and shut up. the old man's grabbing forty, and he deserves 'em. he and norton ran into a loft-bound vacuole last night, had a hell of a time pulling out. didn't you hear the commotion?" "all i heard," complained bud, "was somebody in my room snoring. it woke me up once, and what made me maddest was when i found out it was me." he nodded to the assembled passengers, sat down and made wry faces over his grapefruit juice. albert lemming, the swarthy-skinned jewel merchant en route to his company's headquarters in new fresno, stared at the acting-captain curiously. "a vacuole, lieutenant? what's that?" "a hole in space. something like an air-pocket in the ether. they aren't particularly dangerous, but the one we ran into was whirling in the wrong direction; if captain algase hadn't pulled us out, we'd have lost time on our trip to io." mrs. wilmot looked up. she was not, thought mallory, a bad looking dame--if you went for that sharp, peaked sort of beauty. but there was a touch of cruelty to the cut of her lips, a pinched look about the nostrils, he didn't go for. and her eyes were too close together. she said, "that would be unfortunate, wouldn't it, lieutenant? losing time, i mean?" there was a touch of some subtler meaning behind her words; mallory couldn't decide just what it was. maybe it was sarcasm, maybe it was fear, maybe it was mockery. he said, "i think we all share the desire to reach new fresno as soon as possible, don't we?" her answer was unexpectedly sharp. "i don't care if we never reach there. i'd rather die peacefully in space than--" "_susan!_" her husband's voice sheared the end of the sentence into silence. her eyes glared defiance at him for a moment, then she returned to the business of eating. lemming looked embarrassed. dr. bonetti shook his head. captain smith coughed, suggested mildly, "captain algase must be an excellent astronavigator, lieutenant. i didn't notice a single jarring motion. in _my_ day, escape from a vacuole was a tedious, ship-wracking process. of course--" his eyes wandered about the table querulously, "of course there are so many new inventions nowadays. improvements in all lines. spacecraft, air-modifiers, armament--" mallory rose suddenly. he was half angry with the ex-space officer. smith wasn't being very subtle in his effort to help matters. no doubt the old duck meant well, but-- he said, "if you'll excuse me, ladies and gentlemen, i must go to the bridge. ready, bud?" bud chandler gulped, "ssswllwmcffy! ulp!" "what?" "i said, 'as soon as i swallow my coffee!'" repeated the second mate aggrievedly. "can't you understand english? let's go." lemming intercepted them as they passed his end of the table. he asked, "lieutenant, i've been wanting to ask for several days--might i be permitted to visit the bridge? this is my first spaceflight, you know. i've always wanted to see how the controls are operated." "speak to captain algase," suggested dan. "that's not within my power--yes, billy?" the mess-boy had just raced in from the outer deck, trayless, almost breathless. "y're wanted on the bridge immejitely, lootenant! cap'n orders!" his eyes were as big as saucers. "sparks just got a message through. a message from new fresno!" dan had just time to notice, out of the corner of one eye, how this bald pronouncement affected the passengers. he saw the concerted motion that dragged them all to their feet as if they were puppets on a single string; saw the sudden gleam in wilmot's eye, the worried frown that creased bonetti's forehead, heard the swift, startled gasp from lady alice and intercepted captain smith's darting glances from one to another of the listeners. lemming's voice quavered, "a--a message from new fresno!" and susan wilmot laughed, a short, strident, triumphant burst of sound. then dan mallory saw no more. for with chandler at his heels, he was pounding through the corridors to the jacob's ladder that fed the control turret. * * * * * captain algase was no beauty even when garbed in his officer's blues; in pajamas and slippers he was something out of a nightmare. his bare legs were like cylindrical hair mattresses, his pajama slacks bulged at the equator as if he were concealing there a half watermelon. his eyes were red and gummy, his temper like something that could be poured out of a cruet. as dan and bud entered the control turret he was battering the bewildered radioman's defenses into oblivion with a salvo of verbal thermite. "message!" he was howling. "you call this thing a message! i'll have you stewed in slow gravy for waking me up like this, sparks! of all the damn, dumb--" he saw his two lieutenants. "never mind, you two. go back and finish your breakfast. false alarm." "we've finished, skipper," said dan. "what's all the commotion?" "this _&![oe])$$[oe] _!--" began algase. sparks said miserably, "but it was marlowe's hand on the keys, cap'n! i swear it was. i know the message don't make sense, but you can't fool a bug-pounder. every radioman has a distinctive sending style. ask anybody. even one of them wise-cracking donovan boys. they'll tell you. and this was marlowe's hand--" "let's see," said mallory. he took the flimsy from his senior's fingers, frowned as he ran an eye over the cryptic symbols. "numerals! all numerals. sparks--?" "it was like this. the static interference is still going on. the audio wouldn't bring in voice at all. but as i was twisting the dials, i got this power wave from lunar iii, joe marlowe's station. it had a--a sort of cadence. i began putting down the things it sounded like, and--and that's what come out." chandler, peering over his comrade's shoulder, said, "well, hell's bells, are you all nuts? it must be a code of some sort. sparks, we use several numerical codes, don't we?" "yes." meekly. "but that ain't one of them, lieutenant. that don't fit no code in the reg book." mallory continued to stare at the message. it was long, and undeniably confusing. it read: . - - . - . - . - - - . - . - - . - . - . - . - - - . - - . - . - . - . - . - - - . - . - . - - - . - . - . - . - . - . - - - . - . - - - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - - - . - - . - .- . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - - - - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - - . - . - - . - - . - - . - - - . - - . - . - . - . - . -- "--and there it began all over again," said sparks. "the same sequence. i agree, it's a code. but what good is a code when we ain't got the key to it. it ain't a simple word substitution cryptogram or a five-by-five. i studied them in the academy, and tried them all before i brought this to the captain. in other words, it ain't no good to us unless we've got the clue--and we ain't got the clue!" * * * * * mallory said, "billy said this was a message from new fresno?" "well, he was wrong, as usual." determinedly. "it come from earth's moon. i know joe marlowe's fingers when i hear 'em. damn, we was classmates for three years. before i got crazy and gave up chemistry for key-pushing--" "chemistry!" mallory started. "did you say chemistry? did you and marlowe study chemistry together?" "yeah. why?" "why! because that's the answer. marlowe is nobody's fool. he knew you were the radioman aboard the _libra_, prepared a special code, the key to which would lie in your brain as the 'memory of auld lang syne'--bud, look at these figures again. you notice the number ' ' appearing over and over? even in that thick skull of yours, ' ' suggests--?" "oxygen," declared chandler promptly. "the atomic weight of oxygen." "and eighty-three point seven? forty-seven, nine?" "krypton. and--let's see--titanium?" "right! grab a pencil, pal! i think we've got a solution here. jot these down--krypton, europium, thorium, erbium--hold it!" he looked at his companion disgustedly. "just the symbols, you dope! don't you see? the symbols of the various elements employ every letter in the english language except 'j' and 'q'--and those are the two least commonly used, anyway. start over. krypton--" "kr," said bud. "europium--" "eu." "thorium. erbium--" "'kreuther'!" howled bud. "that's it, dan! keep going!" * * * * * the message slowly scrawled its way onto paper. a word appeared, another, another. then: "ten point twenty-five!" said mallory. "followed by . ! what the hell are they?" bud said, "maybe he made a mistake? boron's . . lithium's . --" "no. that's not it," said mallory. he frowned. captain algase had long since wakened completely, was listening to his two juniors with glowing pride. now he cut the gordian knot. "chromium," he suggested, "is fifty-two point one, dan. the reverse of the number that stumps you." "right! that's it, skipper! and the meaning must be that the symbol is to be written in reverse. 'rc' instead of 'cr.' there aren't enough combinations to spell every word in the language unless you use some subterfuges like that." "which makes the word," said bud, "'forces.' go on, pal...." mallory plunged into the heart of the coded letter. " . --" "argon," said bud, "'a.'" " . . indium. . --" "samarium. 'sa.' next?" "iodine." "'i.'" the message was finished. bud handed it to captain algase. mallory's curiosity was at fever pitch. he had not been able to piece the letters together as he went along; he had gained but a smattering here and there. he waited. the skipper read slowly, breaking the message up into coherent sentences. "'kreuther power behind revolution. heavy forces now threatening new fresno--'" "kreuther, huh?" growled bud. "i thought so." "'hasten assistance. lane warns--'" the captain stopped, stared a moment, glanced swiftly at mallory. there was a tight note in his voice. "'lane warns lady alice, cabal spy, now in _libra_--'" "lady alice!" blurted mallory. the warmth of the control turret suddenly weighed down upon him; his brow felt hot, oppressed, as if some gigantic hand had descended upon his temples. "'captain saith,'" continued algase, "'intensify protection of new secret ray.'" he crumpled the paper. "and that is all, gentlemen. mallory--" "yes, sir?" "our fears were justified. there _is_ a spy on the _libra_. we must take no chances. you will arrest lady alice charwell, place her under lock and key for the duration of the voyage." bud chandler muttered, "where does marlowe get that old english stuff? 'saith!' why didn't he say, 'says'?" "because," mallory answered mechanically, "there is no 'ys' combination in the elemental vocabulary. he had to say it that way." the recollection of his unpleasant duty flooded back on him; with it came protest. "but it can't be true, captain! there must be some mistake. surely lady alice wouldn't be--" "on the contrary, daniel," algase's voice was unusually gentle, "she would be. once her family owned all of io. it is more than likely that she should want to see the globe freed of board control; regain her lost property. she could well be in league with kreuther to overthrow the present government. according to this, she _is_." "yes, sir," acknowledged dan dully. he was thinking of captain smith's warning. of the book lady alice had been reading, the book on military tactics. "shall i make the--the arrest now, sir?" "yes, lieutenant." "very good, sir!" he turned and left the room. his jaw was white and rigid; a dull hurt was behind his eyes.... * * * * * a strained assemblage awaited his return to the mess hall. as he entered the room all conversation ended abruptly; an almost audible silence fell upon the group of passengers. lemming half rose from his seat, opened his mouth as though to say something, closed it again, his lips a white slit against the green pallor of his cheeks. lady alice's eyes were tense, expectant. captain smith moved forward to meet him. the ex-space officer's heavy frame was poised and ready; there was a note of subdued eagerness in his voice. he said stridently, "well, lieutenant--?" dan mallory's patience with the older man was quite exhausted. he said curtly, but in a voice that did not reach the ears of the others, "captain, i must remind you that you have no authority whatsoever on this ship! i appreciate your willingness to help, but--" angrily. "for god's sake, man, stop acting like the hero of a twenty-second century dime novel! stop fingering your needle-gun, and--" smith looked embarrassed. his heavy shoulders sagged, and swift contrition swept over mallory as the one-time officer said, "i--i'm sorry, lieutenant." lemming had found words at last. he asked, shakily, "the--the message, lieutenant? was it--?" he had to arrest lady alice, thought dan mallory. but he didn't have to humiliate her. to brand her eternally as a traitor in the eyes of her associates. and he still held doggedly to the hope that somehow, somewhere, had been made a dreadful mistake. he said, "the message was a routine transmission, mr. lemming. of no great importance. now, will you all be kind enough to disband, quietly?" no one moved. mallory, glancing at the faces about him, felt again that conviction that an interwoven webbing of intrigue entangled these passengers. he said, firmly, "that is not a request, but a command! you will all retire to the observation deck at once!" the little group stirred. mallory sought the side of lady alice, said, "i've been wanting to show you the ship, lady alice. wouldn't you like to see it now?" her look of pleased surprise burned him. she said, "why, lieutenant, how nice! i would enjoy it." they moved in a direction opposite that of the rest of the passengers. even so, they did not escape unnoticed. from the corner of his eye dan mallory caught the glitter of dr. bonetti's spectacles, realized that the dumpy man was watching them shrewdly. and for a moment his eye met that of captain garland smith; the old officer's head was nodding in mused speculation. he, too, had guessed mallory's concealed purpose. only the girl herself seemed unaware that this was not merely a pleasantry. her shoulder brushed that of mallory as they pressed through a narrow doorway; the soft, feminine warmth of her heaped reproach on the young lieutenant, as did her words. "lieutenant, i see you can take advice as well as give it. i had no idea, last night, when i suggested that you reveal the man beneath the uniform more often, that you would actually--" they were alone now. and mallory turned to face her, his voice purposely hard and impersonal. "if you please, lady alice! it is my painful duty to inform you that you are under arrest!" "under ar--!" her gasp ended in a burst of light laughter. she brought her hand to her forehead in mock salute. "aye, lieutenant! brig, ho! but if i'm not too inquisitive, what charges are preferred against me? murder? of course, i _do_ kill time most horribly, but these long trips--or could it be theft? i'm sure i've stolen nothing. unless you mean--" she paused in sudden confusion; her eyes lifted to his; there was something written there, something breathtaking. mallory had to hold tight. "the charge," he said tersely, "is--treason! that message was from lunar iii, lady alice. it bore a warning from the commander of the intelligence division there, advising us that you had been discovered to be a member of igor kreuther's organization!" * * * * * the light died from the girl's eyes, the smile on her lips turned to ice. her slim body stiffened, straightened. and for an instant dan mallory saw, with swift prescience, that this girl was not all charm and allure; that beneath her tempting softness there was a core, steel-strong, of strength and daring. "treason! treason, you--you blind fool!" she spat. "you dare accuse _me_, lady alice charwell, grand duchess of io, lady of the rocket and globe, maid of the golden crest, of--of treason! sir! my family ruled io when that dominion was first discovered. for almost three hundred years the charwell crest has--" "please, lady alice!" pleaded mallory. "i know how you feel about it. to your mind, your actions were not treasonable. but io is no longer yours; it is under the guardianship of the control board. and you mustn't talk this way. i will be called to testify against you; anything you say will be convicting evidence--" he touched her shoulder as though the warmth of his hand might melt its icy stiffness. she shrugged herself loose disdainfully. "i think we can dispense with the amenities, lieutenant. the smile on the lips ... the gracious invitation to 'see the ship' ... the friendly hand of comfort...." there was scorn, anger, pain in her eyes. "it is my right to demand the privilege of communicating with my accusers, is it not? those on earth who--?" "i'm sorry. no audio transmission is possible because of the blanket-static. the message came through in a code." "i see. i must wait, then, until we reach new fresno. never mind, lieutenant mallory. you have said enough. i presume you are placing me under guard? where--in my own quarters? very well. if you will be kind enough to escort me there!" she laughed brittlely. "but, of course, you will. you couldn't let a traitor out of your sight, could you?" in throbbing, bitter silence they moved down the corridors to lady alice's stateroom. there she spoke for the last time. "the message that accused me, lieutenant. might i be permitted to hear the damning evidence? what did it say?" there was no harm, thought mallory miserably, in telling her that. the words were like acid, etched into his brain. he repeated them. she listened intently, frowned--and then a new, curious look stole into her eyes. she said, "but--" "yes?" said mallory. "yes?" the look faded. she laughed scornfully. "hoping to hear more 'convicting evidence,' lieutenant? i'm so sorry to disappoint you. now, will you lock the door after me, please?" dan mallory made a last try. it would cost him his rocket if anyone heard his words, but-- "lady alice," he pleaded, "i'm honestly sorry about this. i don't believe you are guilty. if you'll trust me, tell me your side of the story, i'll do everything in my power to--" "you have done," said the girl tightly, "more than enough right now. guard me well, lieutenant!" with a short, mocking laugh she slipped through the door, mallory waited a long minute, then turned the key in the lock. its grate was a taunting sneer. he returned to the bridge.... * * * * * he couldn't help overhearing the end of that conversation. the runway that fed the control turret was narrow and metal-walled; it formed a perfect soundbox. moreover, the door was ajar. the voice was captain algase reached his ears perfectly as he approached the room. "--don't want to have to remind you again, norton, that it is highly unethical for a space officer to become involved with a woman passenger. especially with a married woman." and the surly voice of third mate rick norton saying, "very well, sir!" then footsteps approaching the door, a figure confronting his squarely, norton flushing, snarling, "getting an earful, mallory?" dan was in no mood for bickering. he said, "don't mind me, norton. i've known for months you were a skirt-chaser. i don't consider it any of my business." norton's cheeks flamed. he said insultingly, "and i suppose you stand behind your stripes as you say that?" "forget the stripes." mallory looked at his fists. "i stand behind these." "good!" norton swung. he was a well-built man, a strong man. his blow packed dynamite--but it needed a target to set off the percussion cap. it found no target but a moving one. mallory ducked, rolled with the punch, came up inside the third mate's guard to land a short, jabbing left to the midsection, a blasting right to the point of norton's jaw. norton gasped and collapsed soggily. arms behind him reached out to support his falling weight; other lips behind mallory whistled softly as bud chandler, coming up to serve his trick, witnessed the swift, decisive exchange of blows. and captain algase, releasing norton's inert form, glared at mallory. "well! well, lieutenant, i think you know we have rules against brawling?" "aye, sir!" "but--" captain algase stroked his jaw speculatively, "in this case--chandler, get him below! it served him right. maybe he'll spend this rest period sleeping, instead of stirring up trouble amongst the passengers. dan, my boy--" he led the way back into the turret, completed the log record for the previous trick, handed it to mallory, who had slipped into the control bucket. "twenty-four more earth hours and we'll be there," he said. "and, believe me, i'll be glad when this trip ends. trouble. nothing but trouble from beginning to end. long tricks and short tempers. norton getting mixed up with that wilmot dame--a damn' hussy if i ever saw one, and her husband a neurotic wreck. smith bothering the blistering hades out of me, wanting to 'help' catch spies and a thousand other--" he glanced at mallory, who had stiffened at the word. his glance was sympathetic. "i'm sorry i had to ask you to arrest her, daniel. but it's experiences like that that make strong men out of space officers. "you have to be hard in this business. crime hides beneath strange disguises. the sweetest smiles, the friendliest hand-shakes, the most honeyed words, may conceal--" "if you please, sir!" said dan mallory, white-lipped. "i know, lad. i've seen the way you looked at her. but remember--forty thousand innocent lives! had she learned the secret of that new weapon, our voyage might have been disastrous. from this distance she could have made a flight to io in one of the auxiliary safety rockets, given the plans to kreuther's forces. the very weapon we look to for salvation would have been used against us. io might have become a nest of rebellion, instead of a peaceful member of the solar family. now that we've snared our spy, the messenger--whoever he is--will be safe." on the visiplate it was a glowing red spark, but in the _perilens_ before him it was a gigantic orb dominating the heavens through which the _libra_ hurtled. jupiter; monster of sol's scattered brood, untamed sphere of writhing gases and vague mystery, itself a pseudo-parent emanating enough heat to make its far-flung satellites livable worlds. soon they would fling themselves, they aboard the _libra_, halfway around that gigantic orb, settle to the small body now wanly visible as a silver crescent. * * * * * dan mallory punched a control-key savagely, felt the _libra_ shake itself into a slightly changed curve, turned to his superior. "i'm not so sure of that, sir. oh, i'm not trying to defend lady alice. earth's intelligence officers don't make mistakes--not mistakes of that magnitude, anyway. but there are other passengers i don't trust. lemming. wilmot. dr. bonetti. why are they aboard the _libra_? why were they so excited when they heard we'd received a message from lunar iii? suppose one of them is also a spy?" "or suppose," said the skipper, "one of them bears the secret of the new ray weapon. wouldn't that one naturally be excited?" "but the others?" mallory inquired. "i don't know. you may have something there, daniel. i'm still taking no chances. i've put aiken on guard at lady alice's door. if anyone tries to liberate her--what _is_ it, sparks?" he snapped the query at the intercommunications box which was spluttering and growling. the radioman's tone was weary. "it's mr. wilmot again, sir. he insists on talking to you." "tell mr. wilmot i will see him at midday mess." sparks was stubborn about it. "but he insists his message is important, sir. he demands to see you at once. says--" "_demands!_" the skipper's jowls reddened. "please tell mr. wilmot passengers do not _demand_ favors of spaceship officers. i will see him at mess. that is all!" and he cut the communications board; turned to mallory angrily. "that's why i didn't put you on report for slugging norton. wilmot's mad as a hornet and i don't blame him. norton catting around after his wife--" chandler appeared, grinning. he said to mallory, "what a sock, pal, what a sock! if that guy counts sheep in his sleep, he's going to wake up allergic to mutton. wish i had done it. he's a grouchy son-of-a-- what's biting you?" mallory said, "that's just it, damn it! i don't quite know. it just came upon me like a flash that someone said something funny ... something that didn't ring true ... but i can't remember what it was. if i could--" "see, skipper? it's got him, too. we're all going to be candidates for the straitjacket squad when we finish this trip." algase smiled sourly. "well, don't lift gravs for the next twenty-four hours, that's all i ask. see you later, boys." he turned to leave; was interrupted by the buzz of the intercommunications box. "what, again! yes, sparks--what is it this time? if it's wilmot again, tell him to go beat his brains out with a rusty bar! i'll see him at--" sparks' voice was harsh with excitement. "it is wilmot, sir! but i can't tell him anything. he's dead, sir! murdered!" * * * * * chandler said, "murdered? mi-god!" captain algase said a more effective and less printable thing which ended in, "come on!" and he and chandler pounded down the runway, their footsteps ringing on the jacob's-ladder, disappearing in the distance. dan mallory, his thoughts chaotic, sat chained to his bucket seat by the obligation of guiding the spaceship through the treacherous void. his fingers played over the control keys automatically; slowly the chaos left his brain and cold, clear, reasoning thought took its place. wilmot dead. why? the first thought that suggested itself was norton. motive--jealousy. the desire to get susan wilmot's husband out of the way so-- but that was illogical. norton was a skirt-chaser and a quixotic fool, but he wasn't a criminal. murder was not in his line. why else, then? because wilmot had been the bearer of the formula? had he been slain by a spy? and if so, by whom? lady alice was in her cabin, or at least--with a swift constriction of the throat--dan hoped she was. he pressed the intercommunications button hurriedly; sparks' face appeared before him on the visiplate. "get me the m- plate, sparks! the one in the stateroom passageway!" the scene shifted. aiken, a space gob, looked up as the audio before him glowed into life, touched his forelock respectfully. "lieutenant mallory?" "the prisoner is in her stateroom?" "aye, sir." "she hasn't been out?" "not for a moment, sir." the sailor added, "might i ask the lootenant what the h--i mean, what's going on?" "plenty!" snapped dan. "that's all, sailor. carry on!" the glow faded. mallory shook his head. no dice on that hunch. then what else--? the thought came so suddenly, so breathtakingly, that it literally lifted him out of his chair. there was but one possible answer! the reverse of his former theory. wilmot was neither the bearer of the precious secret nor a spy. he was the "innocent bystander"; the traditional victim who, from time immemorial, has always been the one to get bopped. somehow the nervous, jittery little man had learned _who_ the spy was. he had attempted to communicate his knowledge to captain algase; the petulance of his own nature had rendered this impossible. and the spy, knowing that wilmot had learned his secret, had-- again he pressed the button. this time sparks said, "lieutenant mallory? have you seen mr. lemming? the captain wants to question him, but he can't be found anywhere--" "never mind that!" rapped mallory. "sparks, i want to know this. how was wilmot killed?" "rayed, sir. needled." "i thought as much. and who was the first to find him?" "dr. bonetti, sir. he's being held under suspicion. he confesses to having supplied wilmot with drugs, sir. _teklin-root_, sir. (that would be, thought mallory swiftly, the package surreptitiously exchanged in the observation room.) but he claims he didn't kill wilmot--" "quick, man! was captain smith anywhere around the radio turret when this happened?" "why--why, he _had_ been, sir. but he left before mr. wilmot did--" captain algase's face appeared in the visiplate beside that of sparks. "daniel, my boy, keep your eye peeled for lemming. he's disappeared. susan wilmot has told us he isn't a jewel merchant at all; he's a jewel thief! fleeing earth to gain settler's amnesty on io. wilmot knew his secret, tried to blackmail him. lemming threatened--" "you're after the wrong man!" screamed dan mallory. "captain, i see it all, now! the whole story. these other things have confused us. sparks, swiftly--get me that m- plate again!" * * * * * the scene spun, changed dizzily. once again mallory was gazing down the corridor where aiken had stood guard. but aiken no longer stood before lady alice charwell's door. he lay there, limp, still forever. a smoking hole charred his broad chest, crimson stirred sluggishly from the needle-ray's telltale trail. the door of the stateroom was open. a hoarse bellow told dan that the captain was seeing the same scene. "_she_ did it! she killed him and escaped!" "no!" roared mallory. "_smith_ did it! the man we should have suspected all the time; the man who _admitted_ his guilt, but i was too blind to see it. kreuther's spy. the renegade space officer--captain, did you feel that?" his space-trained senses had felt the swift, tiny moment of jarring repercussion that meant only one thing--that from one of the escape ports a life-skiff, an auxiliary safety rocket, had slipped from its base on the _libra_, taken off into space! "he's escaping! he's kidnaped her and taken off in a life-skiff. bud! take over! i'm lifting gravs!" and for the first time in his career as an officer of the ssp, lieutenant daniel mallory violated, deliberately, a rule of the space patrol handbook. he rammed the _libra's_ controls into the robot hands of the iron mike, and abandoned his post in mid-flight! * * * * * it was not that he considered himself more capable than his captain or the second mate. his move was dominated by only one thing, the urgent need for haste. safety rockets are, as everyone knows, blindingly fast. much faster than the heavier, sturdier, cruising vessels that bear them like so many unfledged wallabies in a pouch. give smith a flying start and he would never be apprehended. and _he_, dan mallory, was much nearer a life-skiff port than the other officers up in the loft of the radio turret. slipping, skidding, stumbling in his haste, he raced to the nearest port, flung open the control-bar, threw himself into the small, tear-shaped vehicle lying there. there were regulations demanding that air, food, water supplies be ascertained before flight in one of these was attempted. but there was no time for such nonsense now. each second seemed an hour as mallory warmed the hypatomic motors of the skiff, rammed the button that opened the _libra's_ outer shell, struck another that catapulted the safety-rocket away from its parent craft. then the dark of the womblike casing was gone, and he was blasting, under his own power, through space illumined with the candle-gleams of a trillion galactic motes. he set his range-finder and attractor--but even as their needles found their objective, his searching eyes located it. a tiny, silvery gleam against the tawny night ahead--a gleam from the stern of which flared burst upon flaming burst of superheated light. the rockets of smith's skiff, hell-bent for io! minutes _had_ been precious! vitally so. already the little craft was countless thousands of miles before him. it was a wide margin that separated him; and in that margin lay the difference between freedom and peonage for forty thousand earth-men, millions of ionians, the difference between life and death for the girl smith had kidnaped, the difference between victory and defeat for the solar patrolmen. there was only one way to catch smith. recognizing the fact, dan mallory bit his lip, set his jaw stubbornly. acceleration! acceleration great enough to fling him across the yawning void, enable him to snare his quarry in tensiles.... and he was not strapped! no safety corset to hold tight the straining cords of his viscera, no yards of gauze padding to keep his wracked body from literally flinging itself to shreds. no-- he glanced about him hurriedly. there were piles of cushions, soft, plump, airy, scattered about the metallic cockpit. he jammed a dozen of these behind him, under him, about him. there was an oxy-helmet in its container beside him; he thrust this over his head. its rubberoid halter settled about his chest, his shoulders. at least his straining eyes would not bulge from their sockets; by adjustment--if he could raise a hand--he could compensate accelerative force with pressure. he drew a deep breath. then, recklessly, wrenched the dial of the motor to full acceleration! * * * * * it was as though ten thousand fiery demons tore at his body with claws of flame. a weight, massive, imponderable, kicked the breath out of his lungs, forced it from his gaping mouth and flared nostrils into the helmet he wore. he gulped and strangled, fighting to draw into a shrunken chest a breach of fleeing life. one hand moved--or tried to--to his throat in an instinctive gesture of distress. the hand moved a half inch from his knee, flung itself back into his stomach like a leaden weight. the quick burst of nausea saved his life, because tortured ductless glands released a stream of adrenalin into his churning blood-stream, the miraculously adaptable body of man rose once again above its normal limitations. air crept into his lungs, his heart's tumultuous pounding no longer throbbed a threnody in his eardrums. still he could move with only the greatest of effort--but he could move! and his eyes, no longer blinded by the red mist that had drowned their sockets, saw the rocket-flares before him seem to literally stop in mid-flight, race back toward him! a great exultation seized him. he was hardly aware that bright blood had burst from his nostrils, and that as he opened his lips to shout hoarsely the corners of his mouth drooled red. the craft he pursued whirled fiercely toward him; like flame-riding charioteers they jockeyed across the cosmic wastes. smith knew he was there. must know. but--mallory's grin was the grimace of a gargoyle--he didn't have the guts to duplicate the young lieutenant's mad burst of speed. he was depending on other weapons. even as mallory experienced the thought, a stabbing beam spat backward from the other rocket, a coruscating ray of silver that bore sudden death. but mallory had anticipated the move; his slow hand had been straining for seconds to forestall it. he pressed a lever--the ship slid into a dive. another and the terrible pressure lifted from his limbs, his body felt suddenly light and buoyant, strength surged back to him with singing sweetness. again that stabbing ray searched for him. but dan mallory was no novice at the art of space warfare. he spun his craft into a cycloid laegland arc, the lethal ray spent itself on indestructible space, and when mallory came out of his maneuver he was within scant miles of his objective. grinning savagely, his hand sought the button that would smash smith's ship into oblivion--then stayed! lady alice! he could not destroy her with smith. because now he knew, certainly and surely, two things. one of which was that she must be the bearer of the secret ray formula to io. in no other way could you account for the fact that smith had dared everything to kidnap her. she carried the secret, not in papers, but in her mind. were she to die--and might the gods of space forbid that his hand should destroy her loveliness!--kreuther would still be the victor. for with her would perish the final hope of the besieged new fresno garrison. the other thing he realized was-- but there was no time for that now. his fingers spurned the ray button; found another. a jolt shivered the space-skiff from fore-quartz to rocket as his tensile beam reached across the closing miles, fastened its grip on smith's craft. mallory's grin tightened. he cut motors. his tensile beam would contract like a rubber band, drawing the two ships together. smith, feeling that beam upon him, unable to sheer it off, would not be able to turn a lethal radiation upon him now. for the tensile beam was a perfect conduction ray. to destroy one ship meant to destroy both. there was a groan behind him. shocked, he turned. from the storage bin, bleeding from nose, ears, mouth, body twisted as though wrung through some gigantic mangler, crawled the missing jewel thief--albert lemming! * * * * * mallory choked, sickened. "lord, man! how did you get aboard here? why--" liquid breath gurgled in lemming's throat. glaze filmed his eyeballs. "tried to--" he panted, "--stow away. wilmot dead--knew suspect me--hid--" his head fell forward to the floor. dan fingered his pulse, found there not the feeblest stir of life. lemming, fleeing the dreaded breath of suspicion, had lost the more important breath of life. the miracle was that he had survived, even so long, the tremendous acceleration that had taxed all mallory's space-trained, protected faculties. and the two space-skiffs closed inexorably the gap between them. mallory's quick brain leaped to the final problem. but before he could solve it, the small skiff audio burst into speech. "well done, whoever you are!" said the voice from the other skiff. "but you realize it won't do you any good?" mallory rasped, "i'm coming alongside in a minute, smith. stand by to surrender peaceably, or--" "or?" mocked the ex-space officer. "so it's you, lieutenant? i might have guessed it. your valor is exceeded only by your lack of foresight. i repeat, your hectic pursuit has done you no good." "never mind the talk. stand by. this is the end," said mallory. "this is checkmate, smith." "not checkmate, my gallant young friend," corrected smith. "_stalemate._ true, you hold me captive in your beam. but to what end? you can't hope to take me alive. whenever i choose, i can blast you and myself into atoms. and with us goes--" he paused significantly--"lady alice! ah, you are silent, lieutenant? i thought you would be. of course, i'm an old man. these youthful romancings no longer interest me. but--bless us, she's much too beautiful to die, isn't she, lieutenant?" lady alice's voice interrupted. "take him, dan! don't think about me. i'm not afraid to--" "you hear, lieutenant? the girl's gallantry is a fit match for your own. but by this time, surely, you have realized that if she dies, the secret of the new ray weapon dies with her. i think my leader's forces will have taken new fresno before a second messenger reaches io." it was the truth. knowing that, dan mallory groaned. this was a deadlock; one that neither force could break. he said slowly, "well, captain? what is your price for lady alice's safety?" "my own," replied the renegade spaceman promptly, "and the secret she bears. i'm not an unreasonable man, lieutenant. even though--" bitterness edged his words--"even though the solar space patrol did take the best years of my life, squeeze the heart out of me, throw my aging body into the discard like a dried pulp. no, i'm not unreasonable--" so that was it. the self-pity of an aging man, perhaps a man gone off his gravs from the letdown after active years. that was why smith had renounced his ssp pledge, gone over to the other side. captain algase's words rang in dan's memory. "where there are new causes, there are traitors to the old--" even a spaceman was not exempt from human weakness. "if lady alice will surrender her secret to me," the renegade captain was continuing, "with convincing proof that the formula she gives me is no lie, i will permit you both to live. i will allow you to keep one of these ships, return to safety--" mallory thought feverishly. it was against his every scruple to parley thus with the other man. but he could gain nothing by destroying himself and lady alice. alive, there was always a chance they might win through to the new fresno fort, carry their message, howsoever belated. if they died, kreuther and his hirelings would surely win. he said, "very well, smith. i accept. give him the formula, lady alice." her answer was tense, vivid. "no! no, dan, don't trust him! he won't keep his promise. i know he won't!" "we must take that chance." grimly. "tell him!" * * * * * the audio went dead. mallory waited impatiently. somewhere, lost in the immensity that engulfed them, the _libra_ surged through space on a mission now in the hands of the deadlocked three. so near that it was more sunlike than sol, jupiter swung in its titanic orbit about man's luminary. the endless night was spangled with an infinitude of stars. the stars toward which man, yearning, groped--while man's feet still stumbled through the muck and mire of deceit.... and the audio woke to life again. smith's voice was triumphant. "very well, lieutenant. i am satisfied. i have finished the demolition of power and arms units in this ship. its radio, however, still operates. i think it will sustain life for you until your friends arrive. i am ready to board your ship." lady alice's cry broke in, "be careful, dan! he'll kill you! he--" there was the sound of flesh upon flesh, a silence. then, "well, lieutenant?" dan said, "come ahead." "you will take your place," said smith, "in the pilot's seat where i can see you from the moment i enter the lock. put your hands above your head. do not move or turn as i enter. if you do--" "come ahead," repeated dan. the audio disconnected. dan sprang into motion. he believed lady alice's warning. and he was prepared to meet subtlety with subtlety; deceit with deceit. not yet had smith won. he bent and lifted the broken body of albert lemming. hurriedly he jammed the oxy-helmet down over the dead man's bloody features. he grunted, "sorry, pal!" as he hoisted lemming into the pilot's chair, forced stiffening arms back and up in token of surrender. the high back of the chair, the padded cushions made the form hold its position. he finished just in time. there was a scraping at the airlock. the two ships had drifted side to side now, and entry was a simple matter. mallory ducked back into the compartment from which lemming had emerged. his needle gun was in his hand, poised, ready.... smith entered quietly. he glanced once at the figure in the pilot's chair, said, "don't move, lieutenant--" and his arm raised. the girl's warning had been all too true. there was rankest treachery in the leveling of that gun, in the fiery needle dart that hurled across the chamber, burying itself in lemming's defenseless head. the stench of charred flesh filled the room. the dead body wobbled, lurched to the floor. and-- "now, _you_ stand still, smith!" gritted mallory. smith whirled, his jaw dropping open. in his eyes dawned horror, disappointment, rage. he cried out once, raised his gun. that was how he died. with his traitorous fingers lifted for the last time against a man who wore the uniform he had once worn ... and had disgraced.... * * * * * afterward, as they stood in the control turret of the _libra_, watching a sober-faced rick norton plot the landing that would bring new life to the ionian colonists, swift retribution to the fomenters of the uprising, bud chandler whaled his comrade's back enthusiastically. "guy," he said, "in words of one syllable, you're terrific!" "that's not one syllable," grinned mallory. "all right, then, you're a lallapalooza! but how the blue asteroids did you get onto the fact smith was the guy?" dan said, "it came to me almost too late. it had been worrying me subconsciously ever since i had to--" here he flushed--"had to arrest lady alice. i knew that someone had, in conversation with me, said something that didn't ring true. and when wilmot was killed for having discovered the truth about smith, i suddenly remembered what it was. "the night before we got the message from lunar iii, assuring us that kreuther was behind the revolution, smith had mentioned to me, quite casually, that he suspected there were on the _libra_ 'espionage agents of the kreuther forces.' what he was attempting to do, of course, was ally himself with us in order to divert suspicion. but he tipped his hand by that little slip of the tongue." lady alice smiled. she said, "well, you're not awfully smart. any of you. i knew he was the spy as soon as i heard the message from earth." captain algase interrupted, "yeah, that message! i'm going to raise an assortment of hell about that. causing us to arrest the one person on board we could really trust." "and all," smiled the girl, "because of one, small, chemical symbol that you misread. oh, yes, i understand now. i've seen the original. bud--you went to the academy, didn't you?" "why--why, yes." "your professor there must have been quite an old man. i mean your chemistry prof." "he was. ancient. but what has that got to do with it?" "everything. he taught you the old, the original chemical symbol for the element samarium. 'sa.' the more common symbol, the generally accepted one, is 'sm.' now you see what a great difference that one little error makes in the meaning of the message. you read it: "'lane warns lady alice, cabal spy, now on _libra_. captain saith intensify protection of new secret ray.'" "and it should have been read," broke in dan mallory, understanding at last, "'lane warns lady alice cabal spy now on _libra_--captain smith! intensify protection--' and so on. it was a warning _to_ you, not about you!" "exactly. naturally, i was--well, indignant when i was placed under arrest. afterward, i began to think it a good idea. confined to my quarters, guarded, i would be completely safe. but unfortunately captain smith guessed, when i was arrested, that _i_ was the bearer of the formula. so he killed my guard, seized the skiff, and kidnaped me. "saith!" grunted bud chandler disgustedly. "i told you that word was phony. joe marlowe never used good english in his life when a cuss-word would do just as well. hey! where are you two going?" it is doubtful whether dan mallory heard the question. there was one other little matter that needed clearing up--but soon! that was the way lady alice charwell, in the moment of their mutual peril, had hurdled the amenities of speech, addressed him not as "lieutenant," or even as plain "mallory," but as-- "dan," he said. "you called me 'dan.' it's not right, lady alice. you shouldn't do things like that unless you mean them. and i--" "suppose," she asked, "i like that part of your name best. it is a nice name, you know." dan mallory's big hands pawed futilely at the blue of his uniform. "so," he croaked, "is mallory. and--and i guess i'm completely crazy. i couldn't ask you to share a name like that. i'm just a space cop. and you're a lady. a titled lady." she said softly, "a lady, dan? there is no duchy of io any more. that's a thing of the past, and my title is only a courtesy. and, oh--i'm so tired of courtesies. i'm a space cop, too, now. there's nothing in the rules to keep two cops from teaming up, is there? oh, you big, damn, dumb idiot--!" her face, smiling up at his, was inclined at just the right angle. they told him afterward that rick norton made a swell landing. he didn't believe it. for it seemed to dan mallory that the whole cosmos was swirling and dancing and twisting upside down in a delirium of delight....