AN UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER.
"Now that we have so kindly been permitted to enter," said Lord
Hastings, "I don't believe it would be half a bad idea for us to go
ashore; or at least two of us."
"I speak to go with you, sir," exclaimed Frank.
"So do I, sir," said Jack.
"Well, all three of us can't go," Lord Hastings decided. "We'll draw
straws to see who are the fortunate--or unfortunate--two. I'll draw with
you. The one who gets the short one loses."
He drew three toothpicks from his pocket, and putting them behind his
back, broke one. Then he held them out to Frank.
"Pick one," he said.
Frank did so, and glanced at it eagerly. It had not been broken.
"I go," he declared.
"It's between us now," said Lord Hastings to Jack. "Pick one, Jack."
He held up the remaining two toothpicks Jack gazed at them earnestly.
"I'll take this one," the lad said at length, and picked the one on the
right.
"You win," said Lord Hastings quietly. "I'm the fellow that must remain
behind."
Jack was equally as pleased as Frank, but he did not manifest the same
enthusiasm.
"And what is it you expect us to learn, sir?" asked Jack. "I'm sure I
haven't any idea."
"Nor I, sir," declared Frank.
Lord Hastings smiled.
"You see," he said, "it might have been better to let me go." Then he
added after a brief pause: "I don't know that I had any particular plan
in view. I was just going ashore and stroll about a bit. It is barely
possible that one of you may overhear something. I wouldn't stay more
than two hours at the most." He glanced at his watch. "Two o'clock now,"
he said. "I shall expect you back here at 4.30 at the latest."
The lads nodded.
"Will it be best for us to row ashore ourselves, sir?" asked Frank. "Or
shall we have one of the men take us?"
"You would better go alone," replied Lord Hastings, after a moment's
hesitation. "You can tie your boat up some place. I hardly think any one
will bother it. A sailor might betray all of us unconsciously. In a game
like this, the fewer the better is my motto."
"Come on, Jack; let's be moving," said Frank impatiently. "There is no
use staying here all day. Hurry up."
"Now you just hold your horses," replied his chum. "We'll get there soon
enough--maybe a little too soon, so far as we know."
Nevertheless the lads wasted no further time in talk and five minutes
later the two were rowing shoreward in a little boat.
As they rowed along, they saw several other under-the-sea craft at
anchor and upon the bridges of one or two stood officers. These saluted
as the boys passed, but none so much as hailed them.
"These German uniforms seem to be pretty good things," Frank remarked in
a low voice. "Guess they carry the entree any place in the town."
"We'll see," returned Jack briefly.
Fifteen minutes later they reached a landing and climbed ashore. Then
they tied the little boat up, against their return, and started down the
first street.
"Pretty likely looking town, this," declared Jack, as his gaze roved
about.
"Yes," Frank agreed, "but you can still see the marks of the German
shells that struck during the siege."
They looked around with interest--though not so curiously as to attract
attention--and continued along the street.
For an hour and more they strolled about gazing at the various sights of
interest, but learning nothing of value. Several times they approached
knots of German officers, attempting to overhear their conversation. But
there was nothing in any of this street-corner talk which was worth
hearing, being concerned chiefly with accounts of adventures and curious
episodes.
The lads were saluted frequently as they passed along and they returned
these salutes with customary German stiffness. No one spoke to them and
for this they were duly thankful, although each spoke German like a
native and ran little risk of detection on that score.
Frank glanced at his watch.
"Five minutes to four," he said. "Time to be moving back."
Jack nodded.
"May as well, I guess," he agreed. "If you ask me, this has been an
afternoon wasted. I don't seem to have learned anything of importance
and I don't believe you have either."
"You've been with me right along," replied Frank. "You know as much as I
do."
They retraced their steps toward the water front.
And here, in the place they would have felt least likely to encounter a
familiar face, that very thing happened. They were still a short
distance from the water-front when a man brushed by them closely,
walking rapidly. His head was lowered and his face was well muffled in
spite of the fact that the day was not cold. There was something
familiar about him, though neither lad could place him. After he had
passed both lads turned and looked after him with one accord.
"There is something familiar about that fellow," Jack declared. "I've
seen him some place before."
"And so have I," agreed Frank. "And I have a feeling that it was not
under very favorable circumstances."
Each lad racked his brain for a brief moment; then Jack said:
"Well, I guess it doesn't make any difference. Let's go."
He turned about and took a step forward. Frank was about to do the same,
when a sudden thought flashed into his head.
"Wait a minute," he called. "I think I've got him."
"Who?" demanded Jack.
"Davis!" said Frank quietly. I'll bet a pretty red apple that man is
Davis."
"By Jove!" said Jack. "I wonder--now what would he be doing here?"
"I don't know," replied Frank, "but I feel sure that's who it is. Come
on. Let's go after him. We'll lose him in a minute."
Even as he spoke the man he felt sure was Davis turned a corner. Not
waiting for Jack to agree, Frank hurried after him. Jack followed.
The man ahead was walking rapidly, but the two lads gained on him. After
two blocks' walking they were less than fifty yards in the
rear--slouching along cautiously, with heads lowered, for they did not
wish to be recognized if the man were really Davis.
Once the man turned and gazed at the two figures behind him; then,
apparently satisfied that he was not being followed, he moved on again.
After two more blocks he doubled around a corner. Frank and Jack turned
the corner a moment later, just in time to see Davis mount a short
flight of steps, open a door and enter the house.
Frank and Jack walked by, taking careful note of the number of the
house, however, and without glancing up again, continued down the street
and turned the next corner.
There they halted as of one mind while Frank peeped around the corner,
remarking:
"Don't want him to trick us. I don't think he knew he was being
followed, but you never can tell."
The lads stood there for perhaps ten minutes; then Jack reached a
decision.
"As long as we have come this far," he said, "we may as well finish this
man hunt. We'll go and have a look for him."
"How do you figure we are going to get into the house?" demanded Frank.
"Or do you just plan to ring the bell and ask for 'Mr. Davis'?"
"We'll have to get in some way," returned Jack, "or else admit that we
are wrong."
"I won't admit I'm wrong," declared Frank grimly. "I feel positive the
man is Davis."
"So do I," replied Jack; "else I wouldn't be so keen about getting into
that house. We'll go back and skirmish around a bit, anyhow."
They retraced their steps slowly, and passing the house where the man
had entered, took careful note of it.
It was a two-story building. Steps led to a porch, not high above the
street, but still high enough to make the single window in front beyond
reach from the street below. A narrow passage was between it and the
house on the left. It was built flush against the house on the right.
At the corner the lads again turned and retraced their steps. "I'm going
to try the door," said Jack. "You slink back in that dark alleyway until
you hear from me."
Frank signified that he understood, and passing the house, did as Jack
had instructed, the latter mounting the steps quietly and swiftly.
The lad laid a hand on the knob and turned it. Then he pushed on the
door, but it held fast.
"Locked," he said, plainly disappointed.
There was no window in the little vestibule and the single front window
was beyond reach from the porch. Neither was there a transom that could
be forced.
"No means of getting in here," Jack told himself.
He descended the steps and joined Frank in the alleyway.
"Well?" Frank greeted him.
Jack shook his head.
"Can't get in that way," he said.
"Well," said Frank, "I have been doing a little exploring while you were
up there and I have found a way."
"How?" asked Jack, a little surprised.
For answer, Frank motioned to a little aperture in the side of the
house, close to the ground.
"Window into the basement," he explained. "It's open."
Jack wasted no time. He dropped to his hands and knees and, pushing the
window open, shoved his feet through. Then he wriggled his body through
the opening and dropped.
It was not a hard fall and he picked himself up unhurt. He called softly
to Frank and the latter was beside him a moment later. Walking softly,
Jack led the way up a little flight of stairs to a door which opened
easily. He stepped inside.
Frank followed and Jack closed the door. It was perfectly dark.
But suddenly the darkness was lighted up. The astonished lads gazed into
the muzzles of a pair of automatics and a well-known voice cried:
"Hands up!"