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diff --git a/40015.txt b/40015.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 77984c0..0000000 --- a/40015.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,2710 +0,0 @@ - A BOY SCOUT'S COURAGE - - - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost -no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it -under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this -eBook or online at http://www.gutenberg.org/license. - - -Title: A Boy Scout's Courage - -Author: Edward Griggs - -Release Date: June 17, 2012 [EBook #40015] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: US-ASCII - - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A BOY SCOUT'S COURAGE *** - - - - -Produced by Al Haines. - - - - -[Illustration: Cover] - - - - - A BOY SCOUT'S COURAGE - - - - _By_ - - EDWARD GRIGGS - - - - - THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING CO. - AKRON, OHIO ---- NEW YORK - - - - - Copyright, 1921 - By - The Saalfield Publishing Co. - - - - MADE IN THE U.S.A. - - - -TWELVE VOLUMES - - -1 A BOY SCOUT'S ADVENTURE -2 A BOY SCOUT'S DESTINY -3 A BOY SCOUT'S HOLIDAY -4 A BOY SCOUT'S CHANCE -5 A BOY SCOUT ON THE TRAIL -6 A BOY SCOUT MYSTERY -7 A BOY SCOUT PATRIOT -8 A BOY SCOUT HERO -9 A BOY SCOUT'S DARING -10 A BOY SCOUT'S COURAGE -11 A BOY SCOUT'S STRUGGLE -12 A BOY SCOUT'S SUCCESS - - - - - ---- - - - - -CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER I-A FRIEND IN NEED - CHAPTER II-AN UNEXPECTED BLOW - CHAPTER III-A GOOD WITNESS - CHAPTER IV-THE FIRST BLOW - CHAPTER V-THE SILENT WIRE - CHAPTER VI-A TREACHEROUS DEED - CHAPTER VII-THE TRAP - CHAPTER VIII-A DARING RUSE - CHAPTER IX-THE CIPHER - CHAPTER X-A CAPTURE FROM THE SKIES - CHAPTER XI-VINDICATION - - ---- - - - - - A BOY SCOUT'S COURAGE - - - - -CHAPTER I-A FRIEND IN NEED - - -"As long as I can't be at home, I'd rather be here than anywhere in the -world I can think of!" - -Was it little more than a week, thought Harry Fleming, American Boy -Scout living in London, since he had uttered those words so lightly? -Was it just a week since Grenfel, his English scoutmaster, had bidden -the boys good-bye? Was it just two days since father and mother had -been so suddenly recalled to the States? Was it just that very morning -that he and his good chum Dick Mercer had been detailed on this mission -which had led to the discovery of the secret heliographs so busily -sending messages to the enemy across the North Sea? Was it just a few -hours since the two Scouts, hot on the trail, had cached papers and -motorcycles and started the closer exploration of that mysterious estate -outside the sleepy English village, leased, so the village gossip had -it, by a rich American who eccentrically denied himself to all comers -and zealously guarded the privacy of his grounds? - -Was it just a few moments since he had urged, even commanded Dick Mercer -to leave him, caught in a trap set for just such trespassers as they? -Had he urged his chum to leave him in his agony, for the ankle was badly -wrenched, and seek safety in flight? For it was Harry Fleming, hero of -"A Boy Scout's Daring," whom we now find listening in an agony of fear -rather than of pain to such sounds as came to him after Dick had, so -reluctantly, left him pinned in the trap. He could hear, plainly -enough, the advance of the two searchers who had scared Dick into hiding -in the rhododendron bush; he could even see the gleam of their -flashlights, and was able, therefore, to guess what they were doing. -For the moment it seemed impossible to him that Dick should escape. - -As to himself, he was quite sure that he would be captured in a few -minutes, and, as a matter of fact, there were things that made the -prospect decidedly bearable. The pain in his ankle from the trap in -which he had been caught was excruciating. It seemed to him that he -must cry out, but he kept silence resolutely. As long as there was a -chance that he might not fall into the hands of the spies who were -searching the grounds, he meant to cling to it. - -But the chance was a very slim one, as he knew. He could imagine, -without difficulty, just about what the men with the flashlights would -do, by reasoning out his own course. They would look for footprints. -These would lead them to the spot where he and Dick had watched the -raising of the wireless mast, and thence along the path they had taken -to return to the wall and to safety. Thus they would come to him, and -he would be found, literally like a rat in a trap. - -And then, quite suddenly, came the diversion created by Dick's daring -dash for escape, when he sped from the bush and climbed the wall, -followed by the bullets that the searchers fired after him. Harry -started, hurting his imprisoned ankle terribly by the wrench his sudden -movement gave it. Then he listened eagerly for the cry he dreaded yet -expected to hear, that would tell him that Dick had been hit. It did -not come. Instead, he heard more men running, and then in a moment all -within the wall was quiet, and he could hear the hue and cry dying away -as they chased him along the road outside. - -"Well, by Jove!" he said to himself, enthusiastically, "I believe Dick's -fooled them! I didn't think he had it in him! That's bully for him! -He ought to get a medal for that!" - -It was some moments before he realized fully that he had gained a -respite, temporarily, at least. Obviously the two men who had been -searching with flashlights had followed Dick; there was at least a good -chance that no one else knew about him. He had decided that there was -some system of signal wires that rang an alarm when a trap was sprung. -But it might be that these two men were the only ones who were supposed -to follow up such an alarm. - -He carried a flashlight himself, and now he took the chance of playing -it on his ankle, to see if there was any chance of escape. He hooded -the light with his hand and looked carefully. But what he saw was not -encouraging. The steel band looked most formidable. It was on the -handcuff principle and any attempt to work his foot loose would only -make the grip tighter and increase his suffering. His spirits fell at -that. Then the only thing his brief immunity would do for him would be -to keep him in pain a little longer. He would be caught anyhow, and he -guessed that, if Dick got away, he would find his captors in a savage -mood. - -Even as he let the flashlight wink out, since it was dangerous to use it -more than was necessary, he heard a cautious movement within a few feet. -At first he thought it was an animal he had heard, so silent were its -movements. But in a moment a hand touched his own. He started -slightly, but kept quiet. - -"Hush-I'm a friend," said a voice, almost at his elbow. "I thought you -were somewhere around here, but I couldn't find you until you flashed -your light. You're caught in a trap, aren't you?" - -"Yes," said Dick. "Who are you?" - -"That's what I want to know about you, first," said the other boy-for it -was another boy, as Harry learned from his voice. Never had a sound -been more welcome in his ears than that voice! "Tell me who you are and -what you two were doing around here. I saw you this afternoon and -tracked you. I tried to before, but I couldn't, on account of your -motorcycles. Then I just happened to see you, when you were on foot. -Are you Boy Scouts?" - -"Yes," said Harry. "Are you?" - -"Yes. That's why I followed-especially when I saw you coming in here. -We've got a patrol in the village, but most of the scouts are at work in -the fields." - -Rapidly, and in a whisper, Harry explained a little, enough to make this -new ally understand. - -"You'd better get out, if you know how, and take word," said Harry. "I -think my chum got away, but it would be better to be sure. And they'll -be after me soon." - -"If they give us two or three minutes we'll both get out," said the -newcomer, confidently. "I know this place with my eyes shut. I used to -play here before the old family moved away. I'm the vicar's son, in the -village, and I always had the run of the park until these new people -came. And I've been in here a few times since then, too." - -"That's all right," said Harry. "But how am I going to get out of this -trap?" - -"Let me have your flashlight a moment," said the stranger. - -Harry gave it to him, and the other scout bent over his ankle. Harry -saw that he had a long, slender piece of wire. He guessed that he was -going to try to pick the lock. And in a minute or less Harry heard a -welcome click that told him his new found friend-a friend in need, -indeed, he was proving himself to be!-had succeeded. His ankle was -free. - -He struggled to his feet, and there was a moment of exquisite pain as -the blood rushed through his ankle and circulation was restored to his -numbed foot. But he was able to stand, and, although limpingly, to -walk. He had been fortunate, as a matter of fact, in that no bone had -been crushed. That might well have happened with such a trap, or a -ligament or tendon might have been wrenched or torn, in which case he -would have found it just about impossible to move at all. As it was, -however, he was able to get along, though he suffered considerable pain -every time he put his foot to the ground. - -It was no time, however, in which to think of discomforts so -comparatively trifling as that. When he was outside he would be able, -with the other scout's aid, to give his foot some attention, using the -first aid outfit that he always carried, as every scout should do. But -now the one thing to be done was to make good his escape. - -Harry realized, as soon as he was free, that he was not by any means out -of the woods. He was still decidedly in the enemy's country, and -getting out of it promised to be a difficult and a perilous task. He -was handicapped by his lack of knowledge of the place and what little he -did know was discouraging. He had proof that human enemies were not the -only ones he had to fear. And the only way he knew that offered a -chance of getting out offered, as well, the prospect of encountering the -men who had pursued Dick Mercer, returning. It was just as he made up -his mind to this that the other scout spoke again. - -"We can't get out the way you came in," he said. "Or, if we could, it's -too risky. But there's another way. I've been in here since these -people started putting their traps around, and I know where most of them -are. Come on!" - -Harry was glad to obey. He had no hankering for command. The thing to -do was to get out as quickly as he could. And so he followed, though he -had qualms when he saw that, instead of going toward the wall, they were -heading straight in and toward the great grey house. They circled the -woods that gave them the essential protection of darkness, and always -they got further and further from the place where Dick and Harry had -entered. Harry understood, of course, that there were other ways of -getting out but it took a few words to make him realize the present -situation as it actually was. - -"There's a spot on the other side they don't really guard at all," said -his companion. "It's where the river runs by the place. They think no -one would come that way. And I don't believe they know anything at all -about what I'm going to show you." - -Soon Harry heard the water rustling. And then, to his surprise, his -guide led him straight into a tangle of shrubbery. It was hard going -for him, for his ankle pained him a good deal, but he managed it. And -in a moment the other boy spoke, and, for the first time, in a natural -voice. - -"I say, I'm glad we're here!" he said, heartily. "D'ye see?" - -"It looks like a cave," said Harry. - -"It is, but it's more than that, too. This place is no end old, you -know. It was here when they fought the Wars of the Roses, I've heard. -And come on-I'll show you something!" - -He led the way on into the cave, which narrowed as they went. But -Harry, pointing his flashlight ahead, saw that it was not going to stop. - -"Oh! A secret passage! I understand now!" he exclaimed, finally. - -"Isn't it jolly?" said the other. "Can't you imagine what fun we used -to have here when we played about? You see, this may have been used to -bring in food in time of siege. There used to be another spur of this -tunnel that ran right into the house. But that was all let go to pot, -for some reason. This is all that is left. But it's enough. It runs -way down under the river-and in a jiffy we'll be out in the meadows on -the other side. I say, what's your name?" - -They hadn't had time to exchange the information each naturally craved -about the other before. And now, as they realized it, they both -laughed. Harry told his name. - -"Mine's Jack Young," said the other scout. "I say, you don't talk like -an Englishman?" - -"I'm not," explained Harry. "I'm American. But I'm for England just -now-and we were caught here trying to find out something about that -place." - -They came out into the open then, where the light of the stars enabled -them to see one another. Jack nodded. - -"I got an idea of what you were after-you two," he said. "The other -one's English, isn't he?" - -"Dick Mercer? Yes!" said Harry, astonished. "But how did you find out -about us?" - -"Stalked you," said Jack, happily. "Oh, I'm no end of a scout! I -followed you as soon as I caught you without your bicycles." - -"We must have been pretty stupid to let you do it, though," said Harry, -a little crestfallen. "I'm glad we did, but suppose you'd been an -enemy! A nice fix we'd have been in!" - -"That's just what I thought about you," admitted Jack. "You see, -everyone has sort of laughed at me down here because I said there might -be German spies about. I've always been suspicious of the people who -took Bray Park. They didn't act the way English people do. They didn't -come to church, and when the pater-I told you he was the vicar here, -didn't I?-went to call, they wouldn't let him in! Just sent word they -were out! Fancy treating the vicar like that!" he concluded with -spirit. - -Harry knew enough of the customs of the English countryside to -understand that the new tenants of Bray Park could not have chosen a -surer method of bringing down both dislike and suspicion upon -themselves. - -"That was a bit too thick, you know," Jack went on. "So when the war -started, I decided I'd keep my eyes open, especially on any strangers -who came around. So there you have it. I say! You'd better let me try -to make that ankle easier. You're limping badly." - -That was true, and Harry submitted gladly to such ministrations as Jack -knew how to offer. Cold water helped considerably; it reduced the -swelling. And then Jack skillfully improvised a brace, that, binding the -ankle tightly, gave it a fair measure of support. - -"Now try that!" he said. "See if it doesn't feel better!" - -"It certainly does," said Harry. "You're quite a doctor, aren't you? -Well, now the next thing to do is to try to find where Dick is. I know -where he went-to the place where we cached our cycles and our papers." - -Like Dick, he was hopelessly at sea, for the moment, as to his -whereabouts. And he had, moreover, to reckon with the turns and twists -of the tunnel, which there had been no way of following in the utter -darkness. But Jack Young, who, of course, could have found his way -anywhere within five miles of them blindfolded, helped him, and they -soon found that they were less than half a mile from the place. - -"Can you come on with me, Jack?" asked Harry. He felt that in his -rescuer he had found a new friend, and one whom he was going to like -very well, indeed, and he wanted his company, if it was possible. - -"Yes. No one knows I am out," said Jack, frankly. "The pater's like -the rest of them here-he doesn't take the war seriously yet. When I -said the other day that it might last long enough for me to be old -enough to go, he laughed at me. I really hope it won't, but I wouldn't -be surprised if it did, would you?" - -"No, I wouldn't. It's too early to tell anything about it yet, really. -But if the Germans fight the way they always have before, it's going to -be a long war." - -They talked as they went, and, though Harry's ankle was still painful, -the increased speed the bandaging made possible more than made up for -the time it had required. Harry was anxious about Dick; he wanted to -rejoin him as soon as possible. - -And so it was not long before they came near to the place where the -cycles had been cached. - -"We'd better go slow. In case anyone else watched us this afternoon, we -don't want to walk into a trap," said Harry. He was more upset than he -had cared to admit by the discovery that he and Dick had been spied upon -by Jack, excellent though it had been that it was so. For what Jack had -done it was conceivable that someone else, too, might have accomplished. - -"All right. You go ahead," said Jack. "I'll form a rear guard-d'ye -see? Then you can't be surprised." - -"That's a good idea," said Harry. "There, see that big tree, that -blasted one over there? I marked that. The cache is in a straight -line, almost, from that, where the ground dips a little. There's a -clump of bushes." - -"There's someone there, too," said Jack. "He's tugging at a cycle, as -if he were trying to get ready to start it." - -"That'll be Dick, then," said Harry, greatly relieved. "All right-I'll -go ahead!" - -He went on then, and soon he, too, saw Dick busy with the motorcycle. - -"Won't he be glad to see me, though?" he thought. "Poor old Dick! I -bet he's had a hard time." - -Then he called, softly. And Dick turned. But-it was not Dick. It was -Ernest Graves! - - - - -CHAPTER II-AN UNEXPECTED BLOW - - -For a moment it would have been hard to say which of them was more -completely staggered and amazed. - -"What are you doing here?" Harry gasped, finally. - -And then, all at once, it came over him that it did not matter what -Ernest answered; that there could be no reasonable and good explanation -for what he had caught Graves doing. - -"You sneak!" he cried. "What are you doing here-spying on us?" - -He sprang forward, and Graves, with a snarling cry of anger, lunged to -meet him. Had he not been handicapped by his lame ankle, Harry might -have given a good account of himself in a hand-to-hand fight with -Graves, but, as it was, the older boy's superior weight gave him almost -his own way. Before Jack, who was running up, could reach them, Graves -threw Harry off. He stood looking down on him for just a second. - -"That's what you get for interfering, young Fleming!" he said. "There's -something precious queer about you, my American friend! I fancy you'll -have to do some explaining about where you've been to-night!" - -Harry was struggling to his feet. Now he saw the papers in Graves' -hand. - -"You thief!" he cried. "Those papers belong to me! You've stolen them! -Give them here!" - -But Graves only laughed in his face. - -"Come and get them!" he taunted. And, before either of the scouts could -realize what he meant to do he had started one of the motorcycles, -sprung to the saddle, and started. In a moment he was out of sight, -around a bend in the road. Only the put-put of the motor, rapidly dying -away, remained of him. But, even in that moment, the two he left behind -him were busy. Jack sprang to the other motorcycle, and tried to start -it, but in vain. Something was wrong; the motor refused to start. - -"That's what he was doing when I saw him first!" cried Harry, with a -flash of inspiration. "I thought it was Dick, trying to start his -motor-but it was Graves trying to keep us from starting it! But he -can't have done very much-I don't believe he had the time. We ought to -be able to fix it pretty soon." - -"It's two miles to the repair place!" said Jack, blankly. - -"Not to this repair shop," said Harry, with a laugh. The need of prompt -and efficient action pulled him together. He forgot his wonder at -finding Graves, the pain of his ankle, everything but the instant need -of being busy. He had to get that cycle going and be off in pursuit; -that was all there was to it. - -"Give me a steady light," he directed. "I think he's probably -disconnected the wires of the magneto-that's what I'd do if I wanted to -put a motor out of business in a hurry. And if that's all, there's no -great harm done." - -"I don't see how you know all that!" wondered Jack. "I can ride one of -those things, but the best I can do is mend a puncture, if I should have -one." - -"Oh, it's easy enough," said Harry, working while he talked. "You see, -the motor itself can't be hurt unless you take an axe to it, and break -it all up! But to start you've got to have a spark-and you get that -from electricity. So there are these little wires that make the -connection. He didn't cut them, thank Heaven! He just disconnected -them. If he'd cut them I might really have been up a tree because that's -the sort of accident you wouldn't provide for in a repair kit." - -"It isn't an accident at all," said Jack, literally. - -"That's right," said Harry. "That's what I meant, too. Now let's see. -I think that's all. Good thing we came up when we did or he'd have cut -the tires to ribbons. And there are a lot of things I'd rather do than -ride one of these machines on its rims-to say nothing of how long the -wheels would last if one tried to go fast at all." - -He tried the engine; it answered beautifully. - -"Now is there a telephone in your father's house, Jack?" - -"Yes. Why?" for Jack was plainly puzzled. - -"So that I can call you up, of course! I'm going after Graves. Later -I'll tell you who he is. I'm in luck, really. He took Dick's -machine-and mine is a good ten miles an hour faster. I can race him and -beat him but, of course, he couldn't know which was the fastest. Dick's -is the best looking. I suppose that's why he picked it." - -"But where is Dick?" - -"That's what I'm coming to. They may have caught him but I hope not. I -don't think they did, either. I think he'll come along here pretty -soon. And, if he does, he'll have an awful surprise." - -"I'll stay here and tell him-" - -"You're a brick, Jack! It's just what I was going to ask you to do. I -can't leave word for him any other way, and I don't know what he'd think -if he came here and found the cycles and all gone. Then take him home -with you, will you? And I'll ring you up just as soon as I can. -Good-bye!" - -And everything being settled as far as he could foresee it then, Harry -went scooting off into the night on his machine. As he rode, with the -wind whipping into his face and eyes, and the incessant roar of the -engine in his ears, he knew he was starting what was likely to prove a -wild-goose chase. Even if he caught Graves, he didn't know what he could -do, except that he meant to get back the papers. - -More and more, as he rode on, the mystery of Graves' behavior puzzled -him, worried him. He knew that Graves had been sore and angry when he -had not been chosen for the special duty detail. But that did not seem -a sufficient reason for him to have acted as he had. He remembered, -too, the one glimpse of Graves they had caught before, in a place where -he did not seem to belong. - -And then, making the mystery still deeper, and defying explanation, as -it seemed to him, was the question of how Graves had known, first of -all, where they were, and of how he had reached the place. - -He had no motorcycle of his own or he would not have ridden away on -Dick's machine. He could not have come by train. Harry's head swam -with the problem that presented itself. And then, to make it worse, -there was that remark Graves had made. He had said Harry would find it -hard to explain where he had been. How did he know where they had been? -Why should he think it would be hard for them to explain their actions? - -"There isn't any answer," he said to himself. "And, if there was, I'm a -juggins to be trying to find it now. I'd better keep my mind on this -old machine, or it will ditch me! I know what I've got to do, anyhow, -even if I don't know why." - -Mile after mile he rode, getting the very best speed he could out of the -machine. Somewhere ahead of him, he was sure, riding back toward -London, was Graves. In this wild pursuit he was taking chances, of -course. Graves might have turned off the road almost anywhere. But if -he had done that, there was nothing to be done about it; that much was -certain. He could only keep on with the pursuit, hoping that his quarry -was following the straight road toward London. And, to be sure, there -was every reason for him to hope just that. - -By this time it was very late. No one was abroad; the countryside was -asleep. Once or twice he did find someone in the streets of a village -as he swept through; then he stopped, and asked if a man on another -motorcycle had passed ahead of him. Two or three times the yokel he -questioned didn't know; twice, however, he did get a definite assurance -that Graves was ahead of him. - -Somehow he never thought of the outrageously illegal speed he was -making. He knew the importance of his errand, and that, moreover, he -was a menace to nothing but the sleep of those he disturbed. No one was -abroad to get in his way, and he forgot utterly that there might be need -for caution, until, as he went through a fair sized town, he suddenly -saw three policemen, two of whom were also mounted on motorcycles, -waiting for him. - -They waved their arms, crying out to him to stop, and, seeing that he -was trapped, he did stop. - -"Let me by," he cried, angrily. "I'm on government service!" - -"Another of them?" One of the policemen looked doubtfully at the rest. -"Too many of you telling that tale to-night. And the last one said -there was a scorcher behind him. Have you got any papers? He had them!" - -Harry groaned! So Graves had managed to strike at him, even when he was -miles away. Evidently he, too, had been held up; evidently, also, he had -used Harry's credentials to get out of the scrape speeding had put him -in. - -"No, I haven't any credentials," he said, angrily. "But you can see my -uniform, can't you? I'm a Boy Scout, and we're all under government -orders now, like soldiers or sailors." - -"That's too thin, my lad," said the policeman who seemed to be -recognized as the leader. "Everyone we've caught for speeding too fast -since the war began has blamed it on the war. We'll have to take you -along, my boy. They telephoned to us from places you passed-they said -you were going so fast it was dangerous. And we saw you ourselves." - -In vain Harry pleaded. Now that he knew that Graves had used his -credentials from Colonel Throckmorton, he decided that it would be -foolish to claim his own identity. Graves had assumed that, and he had -had the practically conclusive advantage of striking the first blow. So -Harry decided to submit to the inevitable with the best grace he could -muster. - -"All right," he said. "I'll go along with you, officer. But you'll be -sorry before it's over!" - -"Maybe, sir," said the policeman. "But orders is orders, sir, and I've -got to obey them. Not that I likes running a young gentleman like -yourself in. But-" - -"Oh, I know you're only doing your duty, as you see it, officer," he -said. "Can't be helped-but I'm sorry. It's likely to cause a lot of -trouble." - -So he surrendered. But, even while he was doing so, he was planning to -escape from custody. - - - - -CHAPTER III-A GOOD WITNESS - - -Dick's surprise and concern when he found the cache empty and deserted, -with papers and motorcycles alike gone, may be imagined. For a moment -he thought he must be mistaken; that, after all, he had come to the -wrong place. But a quick search of the ground with his flashlight -showed him that he had come to the right spot. He could see the tracks -made by the wheels of the machine; he could see, also, evidences of the -brief struggle between Harry and Graves. For a moment his mystification -continued. But then, with a low laugh, Jack Young emerged from the -cover in which he had been hiding. - -"Hello, there!" he said. "I say, are you Dick Mercer?" - -"Yes!" gasped Dick. "But how ever do you know? I never saw you -before!" - -"Well, you see me now," said Jack. "Harry Fleming told me to look for -you here. He said you'd be along some time to-night, if you got away. -And he was sure you could get away, too." - -"Harry!" said Dick, dazed. "You've seen him? Where is he? Did he get -away? And what happened to the cycles and the papers we hid there? -Why-" - -"Hold on! One question at a time," said Jack. "Keep your shirt on, and -I'll tell you all I know about it. Then we can decide what is to be -done next. I think I'll attach myself temporarily to your patrol." - -"Oh, you're a scout, too, are you?" asked Dick. That seemed to explain a -good deal. He was used to having scouts turn up to help him out of -trouble. And so he listened as patiently as he could, while Jack -explained what had happened. - -"And that's all I know," said Jack, finally, when he had carried the -tale to the point where Harry rode off on the repaired motorcycle in -pursuit of Ernest Graves. "I should think you might really know more -about it now than I do." - -"Why, how could I? You saw it all!" - -"Yes, that's true enough. But you know Harry and I were too busy to -talk much after we found that motor was out of order. All I know is -that when we got here we found someone I'd never seen before and never -want to see again messing about with the cycles. We thought it must be -you, of course-at least Harry did, and of course I supposed he ought to -know." - -"And then you found it was Ernest Graves?" - -"Harry did. He took one look at him-and then they started right in -fighting. Harry seemed to be sure that was the thing to do. If I'd -been in his place, I'd have tried to arbitrate, I think. This chap -Graves was a lot bigger than he. He was carrying weight for age. You -see, I don't know yet who Graves is, or why Harry wanted to start -fighting him that way. I've been waiting patiently for you to come -along, so that you could tell me." - -"He's a sneak!" declared Dick, vehemently. "I suppose you know that -Harry's an American, don't you?" - -"Yes, but that's nothing against him." - -"Of course it isn't! But this Graves is the biggest and oldest chap in -our troop-he isn't in our patrol. And he thought that if any of us were -going to be chosen for special service, he ought to have the first -chance. So when they picked Harry and me, he began talking about -Harry's being an American. He tried to act as if he thought it wasn't -safe for anyone who wasn't English to be picked out!" - -"It looks as if he had acted on that idea, too, doesn't it, then? It -seems to me that he has followed you down here, just to get a chance to -play some trick on you. He got those papers, you see. And I fancy -you'll be blamed for losing them." - -"How did he know we were here?" said Dick, suddenly. "That's what I'd -like to know!" - -"Yes, it would be a good thing to find that out," said Jack, -thoughtfully. "Well, it will be hard to do. But we might find out how -he got here. I know this village and the country all around here pretty -well. And Gaffer Hodge will know, if anyone does. He's the most curious -man in the world. Come on-we'll see what he has to say." - -"Who is he?" asked Dick, as they began to walk briskly toward the -village. - -"You went through the village this afternoon, didn't you? Didn't you -see a very old man with white hair and a stick beside him, sitting in a -doorway next to the little shop by the Red Dog?" - -"Yes." - -"That's Gaffer Hodge. He's the oldest man in these parts. He can -remember the Crimean War and-oh, everything! He must be over a hundred -years old. And he watches everyone who comes in. If a stranger is in -the village he's never happy until he knows all about him. He was -awfully worried to-day about you and Harry, I heard," explained Jack. - -Dick laughed heartily. - -"Well, I do hope he can tell us something about Graves. The sneak! I -certainly hope Harry catches up to him. Do you think he can?" - -"Well, he might, if he was lucky. He said the cycle he was riding was -faster than the other one. But of course it would be very hard to tell -just which way to go. If Graves knew there was a chance that he might -be followed he ought to be able to give anyone who was even a mile -behind the slip." - -"Of course it's at night and that makes it harder for Harry." - -"Yes, I suppose it does. In the daytime Harry could find people to tell -him which way Graves was going, couldn't he?" - -"Yes. That's just what I meant." - -"Oh, I say, won't Gaffer Hodge be in bed and asleep?" - -"I don't think so. He doesn't seem to like to go to bed. He sits up -very late, and talks to the men when they start to go home from the Red -Dog. He likes to talk, you see. We'll soon know-that's one thing. -We'll be there now in no time." - -Sure enough, the old man was still up when they arrived. He was just -saying good-night, in a high, piping voice, to a little group of men who -had evidently been having a nightcap in the inn next to his house. When -he saw Jack he smiled. They were very good friends, and the old man had -found the boy one of his best listeners. The Gaffer liked to live in -the past; he was always delighted when anyone would let him tell his -tales of the things he remembered. - -"Good-evening, Gaffer," said Jack, respectfully. "This is my friend, -Dick Mercer. He's a Boy Scout from London." - -"Knew it! Knew it!" said Gaffer Hodge, with a senile chuckle. "I said -they was from Lunnon this afternoon when I seen them fust! Glad to meet -you, young maister." - -Then Jack described Graves as well as he could from his brief sight of -him, and Dick helped by what he remembered. - -"Did you see him come into town this afternoon. Gaffer?" asked Jack. - -"Let me think," said the old man. "Yes-I seen 'um. Came sneaking in, -he did, this afternoon as ever was! Been up to the big house at Bray -Park, he had. Came in in an automobile, he did. Then he went back -there. But he was in the post office when you and t'other young lad -from Lunnon went by, maister!" nodding his head as if well pleased. - -This was to Dick, and he and Jack stared at one another. Certainly -their visit to Gaffer Hodge had paid them well. - -"Are you sure of that, Gaffer?" asked Jack, quietly. "Sure that it was -an automobile from Bray Park?" - -"Sure as ever was!" said the old man, indignantly. Like all old people, -he hated anyone to question him, resenting the idea that anyone could -think he was mistaken. "Didn't I see the machine myself-a big grey one, -with black stripes as ever was, like all their automobiles?" - -"That's true-that's the way their cars are painted, and they have five -or six of them," said Jack. - -"Yes. And he come in the car from Lunnon before he went there-and then -he come out here. He saw you and t'other young lad from Lunnon go by, -maister, on your bicycles. He was watching you from the shop as ever -was!" - -"Thank you, Gaffer," said Jack, gravely. "You've told us just what we -wanted to know. I'll bring you some tobacco in the morning, if you -like. My father's just got a new lot down from London." - -"Thanks, thank'ee kindly," said the Gaffer, overjoyed at the prospect. - -Then they said good-night to the old man, who, plainly delighted at the -thought that he had been of some service to them, and at this proof of -his sharpness, of which he was always boasting, rose and hobbled into -his house. - -"He's really a wonderful old man," said Dick. - -"He certainly is," agreed Jack. "His memory seems to be as good as -ever, and he's awfully active, too. He's got rheumatism, but he can see -and hear as well as he ever could, my father says." - -They walked on, each turning over in his mind what they had heard about -Graves. - -"That's how he knew we were here," said Dick, finally. "I've been -puzzling about that. I remember now seeing that car as we went by. But -of course I didn't pay any particular attention to it, except that I saw -a little American flag on it." - -"Yes, they're supposed to be Americans, you know," said Jack. "And I -suppose they carry the flag so that the car won't be taken for the army. -The government has requisitioned almost all the cars in the country, you -know." - -"I'm almost afraid to think about this," said Dick, after a moment of -silence. "Graves must know those people in that house, if he's riding -about in their car. And they-" - -He paused, and they looked at one another. - -"I don't know what to do!" said Dick. "I wish there was some way to -tell Harry about what we've found out." - -Jack started. - -"I nearly forgot!" he said. "We'd better cut for my place. I told -Harry we'd be there if he telephoned, you know. Come on!" - - - - -CHAPTER IV-THE FIRST BLOW - - -To Harry, as he was taken off to the police station, it seemed the -hardest sort of hard luck that his chase of Graves should be interrupted -at such a critical time and just because he had been overspeeding. But -he realized that he was helpless, and that he would only waste his -breath if he tried to explain matters until he was brought before -someone who was really in authority. Then, if he had any luck, he might -be able to clear things up. But the men who arrested him were only -doing their duty as they saw it, and they had no discretionary power at -all. - -When he reached the station he was disappointed to find that no one was -on duty except a sleepy inspector, who was even less inclined to listen -to reason than the constables. - -"Everyone who breaks the law has a good excuse, my lad," he said. "If -we listened to all of them we might as well close up this place. You -can tell your story to the magistrate in the morning. You'll be well -treated to-night, and you're better off with us than running around the -country-a lad of your age! If I were your father, I should see to it -that you were in bed and asleep before this." - -There was no arguing with such a man, especially when he was sleepy. So -Harry submitted, very quietly, to being put into a cell. He was not -treated like a common prisoner; that much he was grateful for. His cell -was really a room, with windows that were not even barred. And he saw -that he could be very comfortable indeed. - -"You'll be all right here," said one of the constables. "Don't worry, -my lad. You'll be let off with a caution in the morning. Get to sleep -now-it's late, and you'll be roused bright and early in the morning." - -Harry smiled pleasantly, and thanked the man for his good advice. But -he had no intention whatever of taking it. He did not even take off his -clothes, though he did seize the welcome chance to use the washstand -that was in the room. He had been through a good deal since his last -chance to wash and clean up, and he was grimy and dirty. He discovered, -too, that he was ravenously hungry. Until that moment he had been too -active, too busy with brain and body, to notice his hunger. - -However, there was nothing to be done for that now. He and Dick had not -stopped for meals that day since breakfast, and they had eaten their -emergency rations in the early afternoon. In the tool case on his -impounded motorcycle Harry knew there were condensed food tablets-each -the equivalent of certain things like eggs, and steaks and chops. And -there were cakes of chocolate, too, the most nourishing of foods that -are small in bulk. But the knowledge did him little good now. He -didn't even know where the motorcycle had been stored for the night. It -had been confiscated, of course; in the morning it would be returned to -him. - -But he didn't allow his thoughts to dwell long on the matter of food. -It was vastly more important that he should get away. He had to get his -news to Colonel Throckmorton. Perhaps Dick had done that. But he -couldn't trust that chance. Aside from that, he wanted to know what had -become of Dick. And, for the life of him, he didn't see how he was to -get away. - -"If they weren't awfully sure of me, they'd have locked me up a lot more -carefully than this," he reflected. "And of course it would be hard. I -could get out of here easily enough." - -He had seen a drain pipe down which, he felt sure, he could climb. - -"But suppose I did," he went on, talking to himself. "I've got an idea -it would land me where I could be seen from the door-and I suppose -that's open all night. And, then if I got away from here, every -policeman in this town would know me. They'd pick me up if I tried to -get out, even if I walked." - -He looked out of the window. Not so far away he could see a faint glare -in the sky. That was London. He was already in the suburban chain that -ringed the great city. This place-he did not know its name, -certainly-was quite a town in itself. And he was so close to London that -there was no real open country. One town or borough ran right into the -next. The houses would grow fewer, thinning out, but before the gap -became real, the outskirts of the next borough would be reached. - -Straight in front of him, looking over the housetops, he could see the -gleam of water. It was a reservoir, he decided. Probably it -constituted the water supply for a considerable section. And then, as -he looked, he saw a flash-saw a great column of water rise in the air, -and descend, like pictures of a cloudburst. A moment after the -explosion, he heard a dull roar. And after the roar another sound. He -saw the water fade out and disappear, and it was a moment before he -realized what was happening. The reservoir had been blown up. And that -meant more than the danger and the discomfort of an interrupted water -supply. It meant an immediate catastrophe-the flooding of all the -streets nearby. - -In England, as he knew, such reservoirs were higher than the surrounding -country, as a rule. They were contained within high walls, and, after a -rainy summer, such as this had been, would be full to overflowing. He -was hammering at his door in a moment, and a sleepy policeman, aroused -by the sudden alarm, flung it open as he passed on his way to the floor -below. - -Harry rushed down, and mingled, unnoticed, with the policemen who had -been off duty, but summoned now to deal with this disaster. The -inspector who had received him paid no attention to him at all. - -"Out with you, men!" he cried. "There'll be trouble over this-no -telling but what people may be drowned. Double quick, now!" - -They rushed out, under command of a sergeant. The inspector stayed -behind, and now he looked at Harry. - -"Hullo!" he said. "How did you get out?" - -"I want to help!" said Harry, inspired. "I haven't done anything really -wrong, have I? Oughtn't I be allowed to do whatever I can, now that -something like this has happened?" - -"Go along with you!" said the inspector. "All right! But you'd better -come back-because we've got your motorcycle, and we'll keep that until -you come back for it." - -But it made little difference to Harry that he was, so to speak, out on -bail. The great thing was that he was free. He rushed out, but he -didn't make for the scene of the disaster to the reservoir, caused, as -he had guessed, by some spy. All the town was pouring out now, and the -streets were full of people making for the place where the explosion had -occurred. It was quite easy for Harry to slip through them and make for -London. He did not try to get his cycle. But before he had gone very -far he overtook a motor lorry that had broken down. He pitched in and -helped with the slight repairs it needed, and the driver invited him to -ride along with him. - -"Taking in provisions for the troops, I am," he said. "If you're going -to Lunnon, you might as well ride along with me. Eh, Tommy?" - -His question was addressed to a sleepy private, who was nodding on the -seat beside the driver. He started now, and looked at Harry. - -"All aboard!" he said, with a sleepy chuckle. "More the merrier, say I! -Up all night-that's what I've been! Fine sort of war this is! Do I see -any fightin'? I do not! I'm a bloomin' chaperone for cabbages and -cauliflowers and turnips, bless their little hearts!" - -Harry laughed. It was impossible not to do that. But he knew that if -the soldier wanted fighting, fighting he would get before long. Harry -could guess that regular troops-and this man was a regular-would not be -kept in England as soon as territorials and volunteers in sufficient -numbers had joined the colors. But meanwhile guards were necessary at -home. - -He told them, in exchange for the ride, of the explosion and the flood -that had probably followed it. - -"Bli'me!" said the soldier, surprised. "Think of that, now! What will -they be up to next-those Germans? That's what I'd like to know! Coming -over here to England and doing things like that! I'd have the law on -'em-that's what I'd do!" - -Harry laughed. So blind to the real side of war were men who, at any -moment, might find themselves face to face with the enemy! - - - - -CHAPTER V-THE SILENT WIRE - - -Probably Jack Young and Dick reached the vicarage just about the time -that saw Harry getting into trouble with the police for speeding. The -vicar was still up; he had a great habit of reading late. And he seemed -considerably surprised to find that Jack was not upstairs in bed. At -first he was inclined even to be angry, but he changed his mind when he -saw Dick, and heard something of what had happened. - -"Get your friend something to eat and I'll have them make a hot bath -ready," said the vicar. "He looks as if he needed both!" - -This was strictly true. Dick was as hungry and as grimy as Harry -himself. If anything, he was in even worse shape, for his flight -through the fields and the brook had enabled him to attach a good deal -of the soil of England to himself. So the thick sandwiches and the bowl -of milk that were speedily set before him were severely punished. And -while he ate both he and Jack poured out their story. Mr. Young frowned -as he listened. Although he was a clergyman and a lover of peace, he -was none the less a patriot. - -"Upon my word!" he said. "Wireless, you think, my boy?" - -"I'm sure of it, sir," said Dick. - -"And so'm I," chimed in Jack. "You know, sir, I've thought ever since -war seemed certain that Bray Park would bear a lot of watching and that -something ought to be done. Just because this is a little bit of a -village, without even a railroad station, people think nothing could -happen here. But if German spies wanted a headquarters, it's just the -sort of place they would pick out." - -"There's something in that," agreed the vicar, thoughtfully. But in his -own mind he was still very doubtful. The whole thing seemed incredible -to him. Yet, as a matter of fact, it was no more incredible than the -war itself. What inclined him to be dubious, as much as anything else, -was the fact that it was mere boys who had made the discovery. He had -read of outbreaks of spy fever in various parts of England, in which the -most harmless and inoffensive people were arrested and held until they -could give some good account of themselves. This made him hesitate, -while precious time was being wasted. - -"I hardly know what to do-what to suggest," he went on, musingly. "The -situation is complicated, really. Supposing you are right, and that -German spies really own Bray Park, and are using it as a central station -for sending news that they glean out of England, what could be done -about it?" - -"The place ought to be searched at once-everyone there ought to be -arrested!" declared Jack, impulsively. His father smiled. - -"Yes, but who's going to do it?" he said. "We've just one constable -here in Bray. And if there are Germans there in any number, what could -he do? I suppose we might send word to Hambridge and get some police or -some territorials over. Yes, that's the best thing to do." - -But now Dick spoke up in great eagerness. - -"I don't know, sir," he suggested. "If the soldiers came, the men in -the house there would find out they were coming, I'm afraid. Perhaps -they'd get away, or else manage to hide everything that would prove the -truth about them. I think it would be better to report direct to -Colonel Throckmorton. He knows what we found out near London, sir, you -see, and he'd be more ready to believe us." - -"Yes, probably you're right. Ring him up, then. It's late, but he won't -mind." - -What a different story there would have been to tell had someone had -that thought only half an hour earlier! But it is often so. The most -trivial miscalculation, the most insignificant mistake, seemingly, may -prove to be of the most vital importance. Dick went to the telephone. -It was one of the old-fashioned sort, still in almost universal use in -the rural parts of England, that require the use of a bell to call the -central office. Dick turned the crank, then took down the receiver. At -once he heard a confused buzzing sound that alarmed him. - -"I'm afraid the line is out of order, sir," he said. - -And after fifteen minutes it was plain that he was right. The wire had -either been cut or it had fallen or been short circuited in some other -way. Dick and Jack looked at one another blankly. The same thought had -come to each of them, and at the same moment. - -"They've cut the wires!" said Dick. "Now what shall we do? We can't -hear from Harry, either!" - -"We might have guessed they'd do that!" said Jack. "They must have had -some one out to watch us, Dick-perhaps they thought they'd have a chance -to catch us. They know that we've found out something, you see! It's a -good thing we stayed where we could make people hear us if we got into -any trouble." - -"Oh, nonsense!" said the vicar, suddenly. "You boys are letting your -imaginations run away with you! Things like that don't happen in -England. The wire is just out of order. It happens often enough, Jack, -as you know very well!" - -"Yes, sir," said Jack, doggedly. "But that's in winter, or after a -heavy storm-not in fine weather like this. I never knew the wire to be -out of order before when it was the way it is now." - -"Well, there's nothing to be done, in any case," said the vicar. "Be -off to bed, and wait until morning. There's nothing you can do now." - -Dick looked as if he were about to make some protest, but a glance at -Jack restrained him. Instead he got up, said good-night and followed -Jack upstairs. There he took his bath, except that he substituted cold -water for the hot, for he could guess what Jack meant to do. They were -going out again, that was certain. And, while it is easy to take cold, -especially when one is tired, after a hot bath, there is no such danger -if the water is cold. - -"Do you know where the telephone wire runs?" he asked Jack. - -"Yes, I do," said Jack. "I watched the men when they ran the wire in. -There are only three telephones in the village, except for the one at -Bray Park, and that's a special, private wire. We have one here, Doctor -Brunt has one, and there's another in the garage. They're all on one -party line, too. We won't have any trouble in finding out if the wire -was cut, I fancy." - -Their chief difficulty lay in getting out of the house. True, Jack had -not been positively ordered not to go out again, but he knew that if his -father saw him, he would be ordered to stay in. And he had not the -slightest intention of missing any part of the finest adventure he had -ever had a chance to enjoy-not he! He was a typical English boy, full -of the love of adventure and excitement for their own sake, even if he -was the son of a clergyman. And now he showed Dick what they would have -to do. - -"I used to slip out this way, sometimes," he said. "That was before I -was a scout. I-well, since I joined, I haven't done it. It didn't seem -right. But this is different. Don't you think so, Dick?" - -"I certainly do," said Dick. "Your pater doesn't understand, Jack. He -thinks we've just found a mare's nest, I fancy." - -Jack's route of escape was not a difficult one. It led to the roof of -the scullery, at the back of the house, and then, by a short and easy -drop of a few feet, to the back garden. Once they were in that, they -had no trouble. They could not be heard or seen from the front of the -house, and it was a simple matter of climbing fences until it was safe -to circle back and strike the road in front again. Jack led the way -until they came to the garage, which was at the end of the village, in -the direction of London. Their course also took them nearer to Bray -Park, but at the time they did not think of this. - -"There's where the wire starts from the garage, d'ye see?" said Jack, -pointing. "You see how easily we can follow it-it runs along those -poles, right beside the road." - -"It seems to be all right here," said Dick. - -"Oh, yes. They wouldn't have cut it so near the village," said Jack. -"We'll have to follow it along for a bit, I fancy-a mile or so, perhaps. -Better not talk much, either. And, I say, hadn't we better stay in the -shadow? They must have been watching us before-better not give them -another chance, if we can help it," was Jack's very wise suggestion. - -They had traveled nearly a mile when Dick suddenly noticed that the -telephone wire sagged between two posts. - -"I think it has been cut-and that we're near the place, too," he said -then. "Look, Jack! There's probably a break not far from here." - -"Right, oh!" said Jack. "Now we must be careful. I've just thought, -Dick, that they might have left someone to watch at the place where they -cut the wire." - -"Why, Jack?" - -"Well, they might have thought we, or someone else, might come along to -find out about it, just as we're doing. I'm beginning to think those -beggars are mighty clever, and that if we think of doing anything, -they're likely to think that we'll think of it. They've outwitted us at -every point so far." - -So now, instead of staying under the hedge, but still in the road, they -crept through a gap in the hedge, tearing their clothes as they did so, -since it was a blackberry row, and went along still in sight of the -poles and the wire, but protected by the hedge so that no one in the -road could see them. - -"There!" said Jack, at last. "See? You were right, Dick. There's the -place-and the wire was cut, too! It wasn't an accident. But I was sure -of that as soon as I found the line wasn't working." - -Sure enough, the wires were dangling. And there was something else. -Just as they stopped they heard the voices of two men. - -"There's the break, Bill," said the first voice. "Bli'me, if she ain't -cut, too! Now who did that? Bringing us out of our beds at this hour to -look for trouble!" - -"I'd like to lay my hands on them, that's all!" said the second voice. -"A good job they didn't carry the wire away-'twon't take us long to -repair, and that's one precious good thing!" - -"Linemen," said Jack. "But I wonder why they're here? They must have -come a long way. I shouldn't be surprised if they'd ridden on bicycles. -And I never heard of their sending to repair a wire at night before." - -"Listen," said Dick. "Perhaps we will find out." - -"Well, now that we've found it, we might as well repair it," said the -first lineman, grumblingly. "All comes of someone trying to get a -message through to Bray and making the manager believe it was a life and -death matter!" - -"Harry must have tried to telephone-that's why they've come," said Jack. -"I was wondering how they found out about the break. You see, as a -rule, no one would try to ring up anyone in Bray after seven o'clock or -so. And of course, they couldn't tell we were trying to ring, with the -wire cut like that." - -"Oh, Jack!" said Dick, suddenly. "If they're linemen, I believe they -have an instrument with them. Probably we could call to London from -here. Do you think they will let us do that?" - -"That's a good idea. We'll try it, anyway," said Jack. "Come on-it -must be safe enough now. These chaps won't hurt us." - -But Jack was premature in thinking that. For no sooner did the two -linemen see them than they rushed for them, much to both lads' surprise. - -"You're the ones that cut that wire," said the first, a dark, young -fellow. "I've a mind to give you a good hiding!" - -But they both rushed into explanations, and, luckily, the other lineman -recognized Jack. - -"It's the vicar's son from Bray, Tom," he said. "Let him alone." - -And then, while their attention was distracted, a bullet sang over their -heads. And "Hands oop!" said a guttural voice. - - - - -CHAPTER VI-A TREACHEROUS DEED - - -Harry Fleming had, of course, given up all hope of catching Graves by a -direct pursuit by the time he accepted the offer of a ride in the motor -truck that was carrying vegetables for the troops in quarters in London. -His only hope now was to get his information to Colonel Throckmorton as -soon as possible. At the first considerable town they reached, where he -found a telegraph office open, he wired to the colonel, using the code -which he had memorized. The price of a couple of glasses of beer had -induced the driver and the soldier to consent to a slight delay of the -truck, and he tried also to ring up Jack Young's house and find out what -had happened to Dick. - -When he found that the line was out of order he leaped at once to the -same conclusion that Jack and Dick had reached-that it had been cut on -purpose. He could not stay to see if it would be reopened soon. A stroke -of luck came his way, however. In this place Boy Scouts were guarding -the gas works and an electric light and power plant, and he found one -squad just coming off duty. He explained something of his errand to the -patrol leader, and got the assurance that the telephone people should be -made to repair the break in the wire. - -"We'll see to it that they find out what is the trouble, Fleming," said -the patrol leader, whose name was Burridge. "By the way, I know a scout -in your troop-Graves. He was on a scout with us a few weeks ago, when -he was visiting down here. Seemed to be no end of a good fellow." - -Harry was surprised for he had heard nothing of this before. But then -that was not strange. He and Graves were not on terms of intimacy, by -any means. He decided quickly not to say anything against Graves. It -could do no good and it might do harm. - -"Right," he said. "I know him-yes. I'll be going, then. You'll give -my message to Mercer or Young if there's any way of getting the line -clear?" - -"Yes, if I sit up until my next turn of duty," said Burridge, with a -smile. "Good luck, Fleming." - -Then Harry was off again. Dawn was very near now. The east, behind -him, was already lighted up with streaks of glowing crimson. Dark -clouds were massed there, and there was a feeling in the air that -carried a foreboding of rain, strengthening the threat of the red sky. -Harry was not sorry for that. There would be work at Bray Park that -might well fare better were it done under leaden skies. - -As he rode he puzzled long and hard over what he had learned. It seemed -to him that these German spies were taking desperate chances for what -promised to be, at best, a small reward. What information concerning -the British plans could they get that would be worth all they were -risking? The wireless at Bray Park; the central station near Willesden, -whence the reports were heliographed-it was an amazingly complete chain. -And Harry knew enough of modern warfare to feel that the information -could be important only to an enemy within striking distance. - -That was the point. It might be interesting to the German staff to know -the locations of British troops in England, and, more especially, their -destinations if they were going abroad as part of an expeditionary force -to France or Belgium. But the information would not be vital; it didn't -seem to Harry that it was worth all the risk implied. But if, on the -other hand, there was some plan for a German invasion of England, then -he would have no difficulty in understanding it. Then knowledge of -where to strike, of what points were guarded and what were not, would be -invaluable. - -"But what a juggins I am!" he said. "They can't invade England, even if -they could spare the troops. Not while the British fleet controls the -sea. They'd have to fly over." - -And in that half laughing expression he got the clue he was looking for. -Fly over! Why not? Flight was no longer a theory, a possibility of the -future. It was something definite, that had arrived. Even as he thought -of the possibility he looked up and saw, not more than a mile away, two -monoplanes of a well-known English army type flying low. - -"I never thought of that!" he said to himself. - -And now that the idea had come to him, he began to work out all sorts of -possibilities. He thought of a hundred different things that might -happen. He could see, all at once, the usefulness Bray Park might have. -Why, the place was like a volcano! It might erupt at any minute, -spreading ruin and destruction in all directions. It was a hostile -fortress, set down in the midst of a country that, even though it was at -war, could not believe that war might come home to it. - -He visualized, as the truck kept on its plodding way, the manner in -which warfare might be directed from a center like Bray Park. Thence -aeroplanes, skillfully fashioned to represent the British 'planes, and -so escape quick detection, might set forth. They could carry a man or -two, elude guards who thought the air lanes safe, and drop bombs here, -there-everywhere and anywhere. Perhaps some such aerial raid was -responsible for the explosion that had freed him only a very few hours -before. - -Warfare in England, carried on thus by a few men, would be none the less -deadly because it would not involve fighting. There would be no pitched -battles, that much he knew. Instead, there would be swift, stabbing -raids. Water works, gas works, would be blown up. Attempts would be -made to drop bombs in barracks, perhaps. Certainly every effort would -be made to destroy the great warehouses in which food was stored. It -was new, this sort of warfare; it defied the imagination. And yet it -was the warfare that, once he thought of it, it seemed certain that the -Germans would wage. - -He gritted his teeth at the thought of it. Perhaps all was fair in love -and war, as the old proverb said. But this seemed like sneaky, unfair -fighting to him. There was nothing about it of the glory of warfare. -He was learning for himself that modern warfare is an ugly thing. He -was to learn, later, that it still held its possibilities of glory, and -of heroism. Indeed, for that matter, he was willing to grant the -heroism of the men who dared these things that seemed to him so -horrible. They took their lives in their hands, knowing that if they -were caught they would be hung as spies. - -The truck was well into London now, and the dawn was full. A faint -drizzle was beginning to fall and the streets were covered with a fine -film of mud. People were about, and London was arousing itself to meet -the new day. Harry knew that he was near his journey's end. Tired as -he was, he was determined to make his report before he thought of sleep. -And then, suddenly, around a bend, came a sight that brought Harry to -his feet, scarcely able to believe his eyes. It was Graves, on a -bicycle. At the sight of Harry on the truck he stopped. Then he -turned. - -"Here he is!" he cried. "That's the one!" - -A squad of men on cycles, headed by a young officer, came after Graves. - -"Stop!" called the officer to the driver. - -Harry stared down, wondering. - -"You there-you Boy Scout-come down!" said the officer. - -Harry obeyed, wondering still more. He saw the gleam of malignant -triumph on the face of Graves. But not even the presence of the officer -restrained him. - -"Where are those papers you stole from me, you sneak?" he cried. - -"You keep away from me!" said Graves. "You-Yankee!" - -"Here, no quarreling!" said the officer. "Take him, men!" - -Two of the soldiers closed in on Harry. He stared at them and then at -the officer, stupefied. - -"What-what's this?" he stammered. - -"You're under arrest, my lad, on a charge of espionage!" said the -officer. "Espionage, and conspiracy to give aid and comfort to the -public enemy. Anything you say may be used against you." - -For a moment such a rush of words came to Harry that he was silent by -the sheer inability to decide which to utter first. But then he got -control of himself. - -"Who makes this charge against me!" he asked, thickly, his face flushing -scarlet in anger. - -"You will find that out in due time, my lad. Forward-march!" - -"But I've got important information! I must be allowed to see Colonel -Throckmorton at once! Oh, you've no idea of how important it may be!" - -"My orders are to place you under arrest. You can make application to -see anyone later. But now I have no discretion. Come! If you really -want to see Colonel Throckmorton, you had better move on." - -Harry knew as well as anyone the uselessness of appealing from such an -order, but he was frantic. Realizing the importance of the news he -carried, and beginning to glimpse vaguely the meaning of Graves and his -activity, he was almost beside himself. - -"Make Graves there give back the papers he took from me!" he cried. - -"I did take some papers, lieutenant," said Graves, with engaging -frankness. "But they were required to prove what I had suspected almost -from the first-that he was a spy. He was leading an English scout from -his own patrol into trouble, too. I suppose he thought he was more -likely to escape suspicion if he was with an Englishman." - -"It's not my affair," said the lieutenant, shrugging his shoulders. He -turned to Harry. "Come, my lad. I hope you can clear yourself. But -I've only one thing to do-and that is to obey my orders." - -Harry gave up, then, for the moment. He turned and began walking along, -a soldier on each side. But as he did so Graves turned to the -lieutenant. - -"I'll go and get my breakfast, then, sir," he said. "I'll come on to -Ealing later. Though, of course, they know all I can tell them -already." - -"All right," said the officer, indifferently. - -"You're never going to let him go!" exclaimed Harry, aghast. "Don't you -know he'll never come back?" - -"All the better for you, if he doesn't," said the officer. "That's -enough of your lip, my lad. Keep a quiet tongue in your head. Remember -you're a prisoner, and don't try giving orders to me." - - - - -CHAPTER VII-THE TRAP - - -The bullet that sang over their heads effectually broke up the -threatened trouble between Dick Mercer and Jack Young on one side, and -the telephone linemen on the other. With one accord they obeyed that -guttural order, "Hands oop!" - -They had been so interested in one another and in the cut wire that none -of them had noticed the practically noiseless approach of a great grey -motor car, with all lights out, that had stolen up on them. But now, -with a groan, Dick and Jack both knew it for one of the Bray Park cars. -So, after all, Dick's flight had been in vain. He had escaped the -guards of Bray Park once, only to walk straight into this new trap. -And, worst of all, there would be no Jack Young outside to help this -time, for Jack was a captive, too. Only-he was not! - -At the thought Dick had turned, to discover that Jack was not beside -him. It was very dark, but in a moment he caught the tiniest movement -over by the hedge, and saw a spot a little darker than the rest of the -ground about it. Jack, he saw at once, had taken the one faint chance -there was, dropped down, and crawled away, trusting that their captors -had not counted their party, and might not miss one boy. - -Just in time he slipped through a hole in the hedge. The next moment -one of the headlights of the grey motor flashed out, almost blinding the -three of them, as they held up their hands. In its light four men, well -armed with revolvers, were revealed. "Donnerwetter!" said one. "I made -sure there were four of them! So! Vell, it is enough. Into the car -with them!" - -No pretence about this chap! He was German, and didn't care who knew -it. He was unlike the man who had disguised himself as an English -officer, at the house of the heliograph, but had betrayed himself and -set this whole train of adventure going by his single slip and fall from -idiomatic English that Harry Fleming's sharp ears had caught. Dick, was -thrilled, somehow, even while he was being roughly bundled toward the -motor. If these fellows were as bold as this, cutting telephone wires, -running about without lights, giving up all secrecy and pretence, it -must mean that the occasion for which they had come was nearly over. It -must mean that their task, whatever it might be, was nearly -accomplished-the blow they had come to strike was about ready to be -driven home. - -"'Ere, who are you a shovin' off?" complained one of the linemen, as he -was pushed toward the motor. He made some effort to resist but the next -moment he pitched forward. One of the Germans had struck him on the -head with the butt of his revolver. It was a stunning blow, and the man -was certainly silenced. Dick recoiled angrily from the sight, but he -kept quiet. He knew he could do no good by interfering. But the sheer, -unnecessary brutality of it shocked and angered him. He felt that -Englishmen, or Americans, would not treat a prisoner so-especially one -who had not been fighting. These men were not even soldiers; they were -spies, which made the act the more outrageous. They were serving their -country, however, for all that, and that softened Dick's feeling toward -them a little. True, they were performing their service in a sneaky, -underhanded way that went against his grain. But it was service, and he -knew that England, too, probably used spies, forced to do so for -self-defence. He realized the value of the spy's work, and the courage -that work required. If these men were captured they would not share the -fate of those surrendering in battle but would be shot, or hung, without -ceremony. - -A minute later he was forced into the tonneau of the car, where he lay -curled up on the floor. Two of the Germans sat in the cushioned seat -while the two linemen, the one who had been hit still unconscious, were -pitched in beside him. The other two Germans were in front, and the car -began to move at a snail's pace. The man beside the driver began -speaking in German; his companion replied. But one of the two behind -interrupted, sharply. - -"Speak English, dummer kerl!" he exclaimed, angrily. "These English -people have not much sense, but if a passerby should hear us speaking -German, he would be suspicious. Our words he cannot hear and if they -are in English he will think all is well." - -"This is one of those we heard of this afternoon," said the driver. -"This Boy Scout. The other is riding to London-but he will not go so -far." - -He laughed at that, and Dick, knowing he was speaking of Harry, -shuddered. - -"Ja, that is all arranged," said the leader, with a chuckle. "Not for -long-that could not be. But we need only a few hours more. By this -time tomorrow morning all will be done. He comes, Von Wedel?" - -"We got the word to-night-yes," said the other man. "All is arranged -for him. Ealing-Houndsditch, first. There are the soldiers. Then -Buckingham Palace. Ah, what a lesson we shall teach these English! -Then the buildings at Whitehall. We shall strike at the heart of their -empire-the heart and the brains!" - -Dick listened, appalled. Did they think, then, that he, a boy, could -not understand? Or were they so sure of success that it did not matter? -As a matter of fact, he did not fully understand. Who was Von Wedel? -What was he going to do when he came? And how was he coming? - -However, it was not the time for speculation. There was the chance that -any moment they might say something he would understand, and, moreover, -if he got away, it was possible that he might repeat what he heard to -those who would be able to make more use of it. - -Just then the leader's foot touched Dick, and he drew away. The German -looked down at him, and laughed. - -"Frightened?" he said. "We won't hurt you! What a country! It sends -its children out against us!" - -His manner was kindly enough, and Dick felt himself warming a little to -the big man in spite of himself. - -"Listen, boy," said the leader. "You have seen things that were not for -your eyes. So you are to be put where knowledge of them will do no -harm-for a few hours. Then you can go. But until we have finished our -work, you must be kept. You shall not be hurt-I say it." - -Dick did not answer. He was thinking hard. He wondered if Jack would -try to rescue him. They were getting very near Bray Park, he felt, and -he thought that, once inside, neither Jack nor anyone else could get him -out until these men who had captured him were willing. Then the car -stopped suddenly. Dick saw that they were outside a little house. - -"Get out," said the leader. - -Dick and the telephone man who had not been hurt obeyed; the other -lineman was lifted out, more considerately this time. - -"Inside!" said the German with the thick, guttural voice. He pointed to -the open door, and they went inside. One of the Germans followed them, -and stood in the open door. - -"Werner, you are responsible for the prisoners, especially the boy," -said the leader. "See that none of them escape. You will be relieved -at the proper time. You understand?" - -"Ja, Herr Ritter!" said the man. "Zu befehl!" - -He saluted, and for the first time Dick had the feeling that this -strange procedure was, in some sense, military, even though there were -no uniforms. Then the door shut, and they were left in the house. - -It was just outside of Bray Park-he remembered it now. A tiny box of a -place it was, too, but solidly built of stone. It might have been used -as a tool house. There was one window; that and the door were the only -means of egress. The German looked hard at the window and laughed. -Dick saw then that it was barred. To get out that way, even if he had -the chance, would be impossible. And the guard evidently decided that. -He lay down across the door. - -"So!" he said. "I shall sleep-but with one ear open! You cannot get -out except across me. And I am a light sleeper!" - -Dick sat there, pondering wretchedly. The man who had been struck on -the head was breathing stertorously. His companion soon dropped off to -sleep, like the German, so that Dick was the only one awake. Through -the window, presently, came the herald of the dawn, the slowly advancing -light. And suddenly Dick saw a shadow against the light, looked up -intently, and saw that it was Jack Young. Jack pointed. Dick, not quite -understanding, moved to the spot at which he pointed. - -"Stay there!" said Jack, soundlessly. His lips formed the words but he -did not utter them. He nodded up and down vehemently, however, and Dick -understood him, and that he was to stay where he was. He nodded in -return, and settled down in his new position. And then Jack dropped out -of sight. - -For a long time, while the dawn waxed and the light through the window -grew stronger, Dick sat there wondering. Only the breathing of the -three men disturbed the quiet of the little hut. But then, from behind -him, he grew conscious of a faint noise. Not quite a noise, either; it -was more a vibration. He felt the earthen floor of the hut trembling -beneath him. And then at last he understood. - -He had nearly an hour still to wait. But at last the earth cracked and -yawned where he had been sitting. He heard a faint whisper. - -"Dig it out a little-there's a big hole underneath. You can squirm your -way through. I'm going to back out now." - -Dick obeyed, and a moment later he was working his way down, head first, -through the tunnel Jack had dug from the outside. He was small and -slight and he got through, somehow, though he was short of breath and -dirtier than he had ever been in his life when at last he was able to -straighten up-free. - -"Come on!" cried Jack. "We've no time to lose. I've got a couple of -bicycles here. We'd better run for it." - -Run for it they did, but there was no alarm. Behind them was the hut, -quiet and peaceful. And beyond the hut was the menace of Bray Park and -the mysteries of which the Germans had spoken in the great grey motor -car. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII-A DARING RUSE - - -Harry, furious as he was when he saw Graves allowed to go off after the -false accusation that had caused his arrest, was still able to control -himself sufficiently to think. He was beginning to see the whole plot -now, or to think he saw it. He remembered things that had seemed -trivial at the time of their occurrence, but that loomed up importantly -now. And one of the first things he realized was that he was probably -in no great danger, that the charge against him had not been made with -the serious idea of securing his conviction, but simply to cause his -detention for a little while, and to discredit any information he might -have. - -He could no longer doubt that Graves was in league with the spies on -whose trail he and Dick had fallen. And he understood that, if he kept -quiet, all would soon be all right for him. But if he did that, the -plans of the Germans would succeed. He had seen already an example of -what they could do, in the destruction of the water works. And it -seemed to him that it would be a poor thing to fail in what he had -undertaken simply to save himself. As soon as he reached that -conclusion he knew what he must do, or, at all events, what he must try -to do. - -For the officer who had arrested him he felt a good deal of contempt. -While it was true that orders had to be obeyed, there was no reason, -Harry felt, why the lieutenant should not have shown some discretion. -An officer of the regular army would have done so, he felt. But this -man looked unintelligent and stupid. Harry felt that he might safely -rely on his appearance. And he was right. The officer found himself in -a quandary at once. His men were mounted on cycles; Harry was on foot. -And Harry saw that he didn't quite know what to do. - -Finally he cut the Gordian knot, as it seemed to him, by impounding a -bicycle from a passing wheelman, who protested vigorously but in vain. -All he got for his cycle was a scrap of paper, stating that it had been -requisitioned for army use. And Harry was instructed to mount this -machine and ride along between two of the territorial soldiers. He had -been hoping for something like that, but had hardly dared to expect it. -He had fully made up his mind now to take all the risks he would run by -trying to escape. He could not get clear away, that much he knew. But -now he, too, like Graves, needed a little time. He did not mind being -recaptured in a short time if, in the meanwhile, he could be free to do -what he wanted. - -As to just how he would try to get away, he did not try to plan. He -felt that somewhere along the route some chance would present itself, -and that it would be better to trust to that than to make some plan. He -was ordered to the front of the squad-so that a better eye could be kept -upon him, as the lieutenant put it. Harry had irritated him by his -attempts to cause a change in the disposition of Graves and himself, and -the officer gave the impression now that he regarded Harry as a -desperate criminal, already tried and convicted. - -Harry counted upon the traffic, sure to increase as it grew later, to -give him his chance. Something accidental, he knew, there must be, or -he would not be able to get away. And it was not long before his chance -came. As they crossed a wide street there was a sudden outburst of -shouting. A runaway horse, dragging a delivery cart, came rushing down -on the squad, and in a moment it was broken up and confused. Harry -seized the chance. His bicycle, by a lucky chance, was a high geared -machine and before anyone knew he had gone he had turned a corner. In a -moment he threw himself off the machine, dragged it into a shop, ran -out, and in a moment dashed into another shop, crowded with customers. -And there for a moment, he stayed. There was a hue and cry outside. He -saw uniformed men, on bicycles, dashing by. He even rushed to the door -with the crowd in the shop to see what was amiss! And, when the chase -had passed, he walked out, very calmly, though his heart was in his -mouth, and quite unmolested got aboard a passing tram car. - -He was counting on the stupidity and lack of imagination of the -lieutenant, and his course was hardly as bold as it seems. As a matter -of fact it was his one chance to escape. He knew what the officer would -think-that, being in flight, he would try to get away as quickly as -possible from the scene of his escape. And so, by staying there, he was -in the one place where no one would think of looking for him! - -On the tram car he was fairly safe. It happened, fortunately, that he -had plenty of money with him. And his first move, when he felt it was -safe, was to get off the tram and look for a cab. He found a taxicab in -a short time, one of those that had escaped requisition by the -government, and in this he drove to an outfitting shop, where he bought -new clothes. He reasoned that he would be looked for all over, and that -if, instead of appearing as a Boy Scout in character dress of the -organization, he was in the ordinary clothes, he would have a better -chance. He managed the change easily, and then felt that it was safe for -him to try to get into communication with Dick. - -In this attempt luck was with him again. He called for the number of -the vicarage at Bray, only to find that the call was interrupted again -at the nearest telephone center. But this time he was asked to wait, -and in a moment he heard Jack Young's voice in his ear. - -"We came over to explain about the wire's being cut," said Jack. -"Dick's all right. He's here with me. Where are you? We've got to see -you just as soon as we can." - -"In London, but I'm coming down. I'm going to try to get a motor car, -too. I'm in a lot of trouble, Jack-it's Graves." - -"Come on down. We'll walk out along the road toward London and meet -you. We've got a lot to tell you, but I'm afraid to talk about it over -the telephone." - -"All right! I'll keep my eyes open for you." - -Getting a motor car was not easy. A great many had been taken by the -government. But Harry remembered that one was owned by a business -friend of his father's, an American, and this, with some difficulty, he -managed to borrow. He was known as a careful driver. He had learned to -drive his father's car at home, and Mr. Armstrong knew it. And so, when -Harry explained that it was a matter of the greatest urgency, he got -it-since he had established a reputation for honor that made Mr. -Armstrong understand that when Harry said a thing was urgent, urgent it -must be. - -Getting out of London was easy. If a search was being made for him-and -he had no doubt that that was true-he found no evidence of it. His -change of clothes was probably what saved him, for it altered his -appearance greatly. So he came near to Bray, and finally met his two -friends. - - - - -CHAPTER IX-THE CIPHER - - -"What happened to you?" asked Jack and Dick in chorus. - -Swiftly Harry explained. He told of his arrest as a spy and of his -escape. And when he mentioned the part that Ernest Graves had played in -the affair, Jack and Dick looked at one another. - -"We were afraid of something like that," said Jack. "Harry, we've found -out a lot of things, and we don't know what they mean! We're sure -something dreadful is going to happen to-night. And we're sure, too, -that Bray Park is going to be the centre of the trouble." - -"Tell me what you know," said Harry, crisply. "Then we'll put two and -two together. I say, Jack, we don't want to be seen, you know. Isn't -there some side road that doesn't lead anywhere, where I can run in with -the car while we talk?" - -"Yes. There's a place about a quarter of a mile further on that will do -splendidly," he replied. - -"All right. Lead the way! Tell me when we come to it. I've just -thought of something else I ought never to have forgotten. At least, I -thought of it when I took the things out of my pockets while I was -changing my clothes." - -They soon came to the turning Jack had thought of, and a run of a few -hundred yards took them entirely out of sight of the main road, and to a -place where they were able to feel fairly sure of not being molested. - -Then they exchanged stories. Harry told his first. Then he heard of -Dick's escape, and of his meeting with Jack. He nodded at the story -they had heard from Gaffer Hodge. - -"That accounts for how Graves knew," he said, with much satisfaction. -"What happened then?" - -When he heard of how they had thought too late of calling Colonel -Throckmorton by telephone he sighed. - -"If you'd only got that message through before Graves got in his work!" -he said. "He'd have had to believe you then, of course. How unlucky!" - -"I know," said Jack. "We were frightfully sorry. And then we went out -to find where the wire was cut, and they got Dick. But I got away, and -I managed to stay fairly close to them. I followed them when they left -Dick in a little stone house, as a prisoner, and I heard this-I heard -them talking about getting a big supply of petrol. Now what on earth do -they want petrol for? They said there would still be plenty left for -the automobiles-and then that they wouldn't need the cars any more, -anyhow! What on earth do you make of that, Harry?" - -"Tell me the rest, then I'll tell you what I think," said Harry. "How -did you get Dick out? And did you hear them saying anything that -sounded as if it might be useful, Dick?" - -"That was fine work!" he said, when he had heard a description of Dick's -rescue. "Jack, you seem to be around every time one of us gets into -trouble and needs help!" - -Then Dick told of the things he had overheard-the mysterious references -to Von Wedel and to things that were to be done to the barracks at -Ealing and Houndsditch. Harry got out a pencil and paper then, and made -a careful note of every name that Dick mentioned. Then he took a paper -from his pocket. - -"Remember this, Dick?" he asked. "It's the thing I spoke of that I -forgot until I came across it in my pocket this morning." - -"What is it, Harry?" - -"Don't you remember that we watched them heliographing some messages, -and put down the Morse signs? Here they are. Now the thing to do is to -see if we can't work out the meaning of the code. If it's a code that -uses words for phrases we're probably stuck, but I think it's more -likely to depend on inversions." - -"What do you mean, Harry?" asked Jack. "I'm sorry I don't know anything -about codes and ciphers." - -"Why, there are two main sorts of codes, Jack, and, of course, thousands -of variations of each of those principal kinds. In one kind the idea is -to save words-in telegraphing or cabling. So the things that are likely -to be said are represented by one word. For instance _Coal_, in a -mining code, might mean 'Struck vein at two hundred feet level.' In the -other sort of code, the letters are changed. That is done in all sorts -of ways, and there are various tricks. The way to get at nearly all of -them is to find out which letter or number or symbol is used most often, -and to remember that in an ordinary letter E will appear almost twice as -often as any other letter-in English, that is." - -"But won't this be in German?" - -"Yes. That's just why I wanted those names Dick heard. They are likely -to appear in any message that was sent. So, if we can find words that -correspond in length to those, we may be able to work it out. Here -goes, anyhow!" - -For a long time Harry puzzled over the message. He transcribed the Morse -symbols first into English letters and found they made a hopeless and -confused jumble, as he had expected. The key of the letter E was -useless, as he had also expected. But finally, by making himself think -in German, he began to see a light ahead. And after an hour's hard work -he gave a cry of exultation. - -"I believe I've got it!" he cried. "Listen and see if this doesn't -sound reasonable!" - -"Go ahead!" said Jack and Dick, eagerly. - -"Here it is," said Harry. "'Petrol just arranged. Supply on way. Reach -Bray Friday. Von Wedel may come. Red light markers arranged. Ealing -Houndsditch Buckingham Admiralty War Office. Closing.'" - -They stared at him, mystified. - -"I suppose it does make sense," said Dick. "But what on earth does it -mean, Harry?" - -"Oh, can't you see?" cried Harry. "Von Wedel is a commander of some -sort-that's plain, isn't it? And he's to carry out a raid, destroying or -attacking the places that are mentioned! How can he do that? He can't -be a naval commander. He can't be going to lead troops, because we know -they can't land. Then how can he get here? And why should he need -petrol?" - -They stared at him blankly. Then, suddenly, Dick understood. - -"He'll come through the air!" he cried. - -"Yes, in one of their big Zeppelins!" said Harry. "I suppose she has -been cruising off the coast. She's served as a wireless relay station, -too. The plant here at Bray Park could reach her, and she could relay -the messages on across the North Sea, to Heligoland or Wilhelmshaven. -She's waited until everything was ready." - -"That's what they mean by the red light markers, then?" - -"Yes. They could be on the roofs of houses, and masked, so that they -wouldn't be seen except from overhead. They'd be in certain fixed -positions, and the men on the Zeppelins would be able to calculate their -aim, and drop their bombs so many degrees to the left or the right of -the red marking lights." - -"But we've got aeroplanes flying about, haven't we?" said Jack. -"Wouldn't they see those lights and wonder about them?" - -"Yes, if they were showing all the time. But you can depend on it that -these Germans have provided for all that. They will have arranged for -the Zeppelin to be above the positions, as near as they can guess them, -at certain times-and the lights will only be shown at those times, and -then only for a few seconds. Even if someone else sees them, you see, -there won't be time to do anything." - -"You must be right, Harry!" said Jack, nervously. "There's no other way -to explain that message. How are we going to stop them?" - -"I don't know yet, but we'll have to work out some way of doing it. It -would be terrible for us to know what had been planned and still not be -able to stop them! I wish I knew where Graves was. I'd like-" - -He stopped, thinking hard. - -"What good would that do?" - -"Oh, I don't want him-not just now. But I don't want him to see me just -at present. I want to know where he is so that I can avoid him." - -"Suppose I scout into Bray?" suggested Jack. "I can find out something -that might be useful, perhaps. If any of them from Bray Park have come -into the village to-day I'll hear about it." - -"That's a good idea. Suppose you do that, Jack. I don't know just what -I'll do yet. But if I go away from here before you come back, Dick will -stay. I've got to think-there must be some way to beat them!" - - - - -CHAPTER X-A CAPTURE FROM THE SKIES - - -Jack went off to see what he could discover, and Harry, left behind with -Dick, racked his brain for some means of blocking the plan he was so -sure the Germans had made. He was furious at Graves, who had -discredited him with Colonel Throckmorton, as he believed. He minded -the personal unpleasantness involved far less than the thought that his -usefulness was blocked, for he felt that no information he might bring -would be received now. - -As he looked around it seemed incredible that such things as he was -trying to prevent could even be imagined. After the early rain, the day -had cleared up warm and lovely, and it was now that most perfect of -things, a beautiful summer day in England. The little road they had -taken was a sort of blind alley. It had brought them to a meadow, -whence the hay had already been cut. At the far side of this ran a -little brook, and all about them were trees. Except for the calls of -birds, and the ceaseless hum of insects, there was no sound to break the -stillness. It was a scene of peaceful beauty that could not be surpassed -anywhere in the world. And yet, only a few miles away, at the most, -were men who were planning deliberately to bring death and destruction -upon helpless enemies-to rain down death from the skies. - -By very contrast to the idyllic peace of all about them, the terrors of -war seemed more dreadful. That men who went to war should be killed and -wounded, bad though it was, still seemed legitimate. But this driving -home of an attack upon a city all unprepared, upon the many -non-combatants who would be bound to suffer, was another and more -dreadful thing. Harry could understand that it was war, that it was -permissible to do what these Germans planned. And yet- - -His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden change in the quality of the -noisy silence that the insects made. Just before he noticed it, half a -dozen bees had been humming near him. Now he heard something that -sounded like the humming of a far vaster bee. Suddenly it stopped, and, -as it did, he looked up, his eyes as well as Dick's being drawn upward -at the same moment. And they saw, high above them, an aeroplane with -dun colored wings. Its engine had stopped and it was descending now in -a beautiful series of volplaning curves. - -"Out of essence-he's got to come down," said Harry, appraisingly, to -Dick. "He'll manage it all right, too. He knows his business through -and through, that chap." - -"I wonder where he'll land," speculated Dick. - -"He's got to pick an open space, of course," said Harry. "And there -aren't so many of them around here. By Jove!" - -"Look! He's certainly coming down fast!" exclaimed Dick. - -"Yes-and, I say, I think he's heading for this meadow! Come on-start -that motor, Dick!" - -"Why? Don't you want him to see us?" - -"I don't mind him seeing us-I don't want him to see the car," explained -Harry. "We'll run it around that bend, out of sight from the meadow." - -"Why shouldn't he see it?" - -"Because if he's out of petrol he'll want to take all we've got and we -may not want him to have it. We don't know who he is, yet." - -The car was moving as Harry explained. As soon as the meadow was out of -sight Harry stopped the engine and got out of the car. - -"He may have seen it as he was coming down-the car, I mean," he said. -"But I doubt it. He's got other things to watch. That meadow for -one-and all his levers and his wheel. Guiding an aeroplane in a coast -like that down the air is no easy job." - -"Have you ever been up, Harry?" - -"Yes, often. I've never driven one myself, but I believe I could if I -had to. I've watched other people handle them so often that I know just -about everything that has to be done." - -"That's an English monoplane. I've seen them ever so often," said Dick. -"It's an army machine, I mean. See its number? It's just coming in -sight of us now. Wouldn't I like to fly her though?" - -"I'd like to know what it's doing around here," said Harry. "And it -seems funny to me if an English army aviator has started out without -enough petrol in his tank to see him through any flight he might be -making. And wouldn't he have headed for one of his supply stations as -soon as he found he was running short, instead of coming down in country -like this?" - -Dick stared at him. - -"Do you think it's another spy?" he asked. - -"I don't think anything about it yet, Dick. But I'm not going to be -caught napping. That's a Bleriot-and the British army flying corps uses -Bleriots. But anyone with the money can buy one and make it look like -an English army 'plane. Remember that." - -There was no mistake about that monoplane when it was once down. Its -pilot was German; he was unmistakably so. He had been flying very high -and when he landed he was still stiff from cold. - -"Petrol!" he cried eagerly, as he saw the two boys, "Where can I get -petrol? Quick! Answer me!" - -Harry shot a quick glance at Dick. - -"Come on," he said, beneath his breath. "We've got to get him and tie -him up." - -The aviator, cramped and stiffened as he was by the intense cold that -prevails in the high levels where he had been flying, was no match for -them. As they sprang at him his face took on the most ludicrous -appearance of utter surprise. Had he suspected that they would attack -him he might have drawn a pistol. As it was, he was helpless before the -two boys, both in the pink of condition and determined to capture him. -He made a struggle, but in two minutes he was lying roped, tied, and -utterly helpless. He was not silent; he breathed the most fearful -threats as to what would happen to them. But neither boy paid any -attention to him. - -"We've got to get him to the car," said Harry. "Can we drag him?" - -"Yes. But if we loosened his feet a little, he could walk," suggested -Dick. "That would be ever so much easier for him, and for us, too. I -should hate to be dragged. Let's make him walk." - -"Right-and a good idea!" said Harry. He loosened the ropes about the -aviator's feet, and helped him to stand. - -"March!" he said. "Don't try to get away-I've got a leading rope, you -see." - -He did have a loose end of rope, left over from a knot, and with this he -proceeded to lead the enraged German to the automobile. It looked for -all the world as if he were leading a dog, and for a moment Dick doubled -up in helpless laughter. The whole episode had its comic side, but it -was serious, too. - -"Now we've got to draw off the gasoline in the tank in this bucket," -said Harry. The German had been bestowed in the tonneau, and made as -comfortable as possible with rugs and cushions. His feet were securely -tied again, and there was no chance for him to escape. - -"What are you going to do?" asked Dick. "Are you going to try to fly in -that machine?" - -"I don't know, yet. But I'm going to have it ready, so that I can if I -need to," said Harry. "That Bleriot may be the saving of us yet, Dick. -There's no telling what we shall have to do." - -Even as he spoke Harry was making new plans, rendered possible by this -gift from the skies. He was beginning, at last, to see a way to -circumvent the Germans. What he had in mind was risky, certainly, and -might prove perilous in the extreme. But he did not let that aspect of -the situation worry him. His one concern was to foil the terrible plan -that the Germans had made, and he was willing to run any risk that would -help him to do so. - -"That Zeppelin is coming here to Bray Park-it's going to land here," -said Harry. "And if it ever gets away from here there will be no way of -stopping it from doing all the damage they have planned, or most of it. -Thanks to Graves, we wouldn't be believed if we told what we knew-we'd -probably just be put in the guard house. So we've got to try to stop it -ourselves." - -They had reached the Bleriot by that time. Harry filled the tank, and -looked at the motor. Then he sat in the driver's seat and practiced -with the levers, until he decided that he understood them thoroughly. -And, as he did this, he made his decision. - -"I'm going into Bray Park to-night," he said "This is the only way to -get in." - -"And I'm going with you," announced Dick. - - - - -CHAPTER XI-VINDICATION - - -At first Harry refused absolutely to consent to Dick's accompanying him, -but after a long argument he was forced to yield. - -"Why should you take all the risks when it isn't your own country, -especially?" asked Dick, almost sobbing. "I've got a right to go! And, -besides, you may need me." - -That was true enough, as Harry realized. Moreover, he had been -investigating the Bleriot, and he discovered that it was one of a new -safety type, with a gyroscope device to insure stability. The day was -almost without wind, and therefore it seemed that if such an excursion -could ever be safe, this was the time. He consented in the end, and -later he was to be thankful that he had. - -Once the decision was taken, they waited impatiently for the return of -Jack Young. Harry foresaw protests from Jack when he found out what -they meant to do, but for him there was an easy answer-there was room in -the aeroplane for only two people, and there was no way of carrying an -extra passenger. - -It was nearly dusk when Jack returned, and he had the forethought to -bring a basket of food with him-cold chicken, bread and butter, and -milk, as well as some fruit. - -"I didn't find out very much," he said, "except this. Someone from -London has been asking about you both. And this much more-at least a -dozen people have come down to Bray Park to-day from London." - -"Did you see any sign of soldiers from London?" - -"No," said Jack. - -He was disappointed when he found out what they meant to do, but he took -his disappointment pluckily when he saw that there was no help for it. -Harry explained very quietly to both Jack and Dick what he meant to do -and they listened, open mouthed, with wonder. - -"You'll have your part to play, Jack," said Harry. "Somehow I can't -believe that the letter I wrote to Colonel Throckmorton last night won't -have some effect. You have got to scout around in case anyone comes and -tell them all I've told you. You understand thoroughly, do you?" - -"Yes," said Jack, quietly. "When are you going to start?" - -"There's no use going up much before eleven o'clock," said Harry. -"Before that we'd be seen, and, besides, if a Zeppelin is coming, it -wouldn't be until after that. My plan is to scout to the east and try -to pick her up and watch her descend. I think I know just about where -she'll land-the only place where there's room for her. And then-" - -He stopped, and the others nodded, grimly. - -"I imagine she'll have about a hundred and twenty miles to travel in a -straight line-perhaps a little less," said Harry. "She can make that in -about two hours, or less. And she'll travel without lights, and in the -dark. Big as they are, those airships are painted so that they're -almost invisible from below. So if she comes by night, getting here -won't be as hard a job as it seems at first thought." - -Then the three of them went over in every detail the plan Harry had -formed. Dick and Harry took their places in the monoplane and rehearsed -every movement they would have to make. - -"I can't think of anything else that we can provide for now," said -Harry, at last. "Of course, we can't tell what will come up, and it -would be wonderful if everything came out just as we had planned. But -we've provided for everything we can think of. You know where you are to -be, Jack?" - -"Yes." - -"Then you'd better start pretty soon. Good-bye, Jack!" He held out his -hand. "We could never have worked this out without you. If we succeed -you'll have had a big part in what we've done." - -A little later Jack said good-bye in earnest, and then there was nothing -to do but wait. About them the voices of the insects and frogs changed, -with the darkening night. The stars came out, but the night was a dark -one. Harry looked at his watch from time to time and at last he got up. - -"Time to start!" he said. - -He felt a thrill of nervousness as the monoplane rose in the air. After -all, there was a difference between being the pilot and sitting still in -the car. But he managed very well, after a few anxious moments in the -ascent. And once they were clear of the trees and climbing swiftly, in -great spirals, there was a glorious sensation of freedom. Dick caught -his breath at first, then he got used to the queer motion, and cried -aloud in his delight. - -Harry headed straight into the east when he felt that he was high -enough. And suddenly he gave a cry. - -"Look!" he shouted in Dick's ear. "We didn't start a moment too soon. -See her-that great big cigar-shaped thing, dropping over there?" - -It was the Zeppelin-the battleship of the air. She was dipping down, -descending gracefully, over Bray Park. - -"I was right!" cried Harry. "Now we can go to work at once-we won't -have to land and wait!" - -He rose still higher, then flew straight for Bray Park. They were high, -but, far below, with lights moving about her, they could see the huge -bulk of the airship, as long as a moderate sized ocean liner. She -presented a perfect target. - -"Now!" said Harry. - -And at once Dick began dropping projectiles they had found in the -aeroplane-sharply pointed shells of steel. Harry had examined these-he -found they were really solid steel shot, cast like modern rifle bullets, -and calculated to penetrate, even without explosive action, when dropped -from a height. - -From the first two that Dick dropped there was no result. But with the -falling of the third a hissing sound came from below, and as Dick -rapidly dropped three more the noise increased. And they could see the -lights flying-plainly the men were running from the monster. Its bulk -lessened as the gas escaped from the great bag and then, in a moment -more, there was a terrific explosion that rocked the monoplane -violently. Had Harry not been ready for it, they might have been -brought down, But he had been prepared, and was flying away. Down below -there was now a great glare from the burning wreckage, lighting up the -whole scene. And suddenly there was a sharp breaking out of rifle fire. -At first he thought the men below had seen them, and were firing upward. -But in a moment he saw the truth. Bray Park had been attacked from -outside! - -Even before they reached the ground, in the meadow where Harry and Jack -had emerged from the tunnel, the firing was over. But now a searchlight -was playing on the ground on the opposite bank, and Harry and Dick saw, -to their wonder and delight, that the ground swarmed with khaki-clad -soldiers. In the same moment Jack ran up to them. - -"The soldiers had the place surrounded!" he cried, exultingly. "They -must have believed your letter after all, Harry! Come on-there's a boat -here! Aren't you coming over?" - -They were rowing for the other shore before the words were well spoken. -And, once over, they were seized at once by two soldiers. - -"More of them," said one of the soldiers. "Where's the colonel?" - -Without trying to explain, they let themselves be taken to where Colonel -Throckmorton stood near the burning wreckage. At the sight of Harry his -face lighted up. - -"What do you know about this?" he asked, sternly, pointing to the -wrecked airship. - -Harry explained in a few words. - -"Very good," said the colonel. "You are under arrest-you broke arrest -this morning. I suppose you know that is a serious offence, whether -your original arrest was justified or not?" - -"I felt I had to do it, sir," said Harry. He had caught the glint of a -smile in the colonel's eyes. - -"Explain yourself, sir," said the colonel. "Report fully as to your -movements to-day. Perhaps I shall recommend you for a medal instead of -court martialling you, after all." - -And so the story came out, and Harry learned that the colonel had never -believed Graves, but had chosen to let him think he did. - -"The boy Graves is a German, and older than he seems," said the colonel. -"He was here as a spy. He is in custody now, and you have broken up a -dangerous raid and a still more dangerous system of espionage. If you -hadn't come along with your aeroplane, we would never have stopped the -raid. I had ordered aviators to be here, but it is plain that something -has gone wrong. You have done more than well. I shall see to it that -your services are properly recognized. And now be off with you, and get -some sleep. 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