THE MASKED RECRUIT
A little silence lengthened, while the strange aviator continued to
peer out with strangely shining eyes through the holes of his mask.
The effect of that human intelligence, sheltered in there behind that
expressionless celluloid, whose frail thinness they all knew covered
unspeakable frightfulness, became uncanny.
Some of the men eased the tension by blowing ribbons of smoke or
by relighting tobacco that had gone out while the stranger had been
talking. Others shifted, a bit uneasily. Voices began to mutter, pro
and con. The Master suddenly knocked again, for silence.
"I am going to accept this man," said he, sharply. "You notice I
do not put this to a vote, or consult you about it. Nor shall I, in
anything. The prime condition of this whole undertaking, as I was
saying when Captain Alden here arrived, is unquestioning obedience to
my authority.
"No one who is unwilling to swear that, need go any further. You must
have confidence in my plans, my judgment. And you must be willing to
obey. It is all very autocratic, I know, but the expedition cannot
proceed on any other basis.
"You are to go where I will, act as I command, and only regain your
liberty when the undertaking is at an end. I shall not order any man
to go anywhere, or do anything, that I would not do myself. On this
you can rely.
"In case of my death, the authority falls on Major Bohannan. He is
today the only man who knows my plans, and with whom I have had any
discussion. If we both are killed, then you can elect your own leader.
But so long as either of us lives, you have no authority and no
redress. I hope that's perfectly understood. Does any man wish to
withdraw?"
Not one budged. All stood to their decision, hard as rock.
"Very well," said the Master, grimly. "But remember, disobedience
incurs the death penalty, and it will be rigorously enforced. My word
is to be supreme.
"Such being the case, I decide to take this man. His skill as an
aviator cannot be denied. We shall need that. His ability to endure
suffering and still remain efficient seems proved. That may be
valuable; probably will be.
"I shall examine his credentials. If he turns out to be a spy--well,
life will be short, for him."
He addressed himself to the masked aviator, who was still standing in
an attitude of military attention.
"You are now one of us, sir. You become the thirtieth member of a
little group of as brave men, as daring and determined fighters as
can be found in America or in the world--all tried and tempered by the
fires of war; all decorated for conspicuous valor; all ready to follow
me to the ends of the earth and die, if need be; all eager to share in
an undertaking as yet unknown to them, but one that promises to be
the most extraordinary adventure ever undertaken on this planet. You
understand all that, sir?"
"I do!"
"Raise your right hand, sir."
The aviator obeyed.
"All the others, too!"
Every hand went up.
"Swear allegiance to me, fidelity, secrecy, courage, obedience. On the
thing you hold most dear, your honor as fighting-men, swear it!"
The shout that answered him, from every throat, made the eagle's nest
ring with wild echoes. The Master smiled, as the hands sank.
"With men like you," said he, "failure is impossible. The expedition
is to start at once, tomorrow night. No man in it has now any ties
or home or kin that overbalance his ties to me and to the _esprit de
corps_ of our body.
"The past is dead, for you. The future is all a mystery. You are
to live only in the present, day by day. And now for some practical
details.
"The means of transport you do not know. The perils and rewards are
problematical. Of the former there will be enough; as for the latter,
those lie on the knees of the gods. There will be no payment for any
man. Not a cent of money is involved in this service.
"Commissary will be furnished. Each man is to wear his campaign
equipment--his uniform and such kit as he can store in a rucksack.
Bring small-arms and ammunition. In addition, I will furnish bombing
material and six Lewis guns, with ammunition, also other materials of
which I shall now say nothing. These things will be transported to
the proper place without labor on your part. I think I have made the
outlines of the matter reasonably clear to every man present."
"Our orders, sir?" asked a voice with a French accent, down the table.
"Are we to have no precise orders before leaving this room?"
"You are. Each man will receive his own, sealed, before leaving. I
am now about to give them out, in alphabetical rotation. This will
dismiss the meeting. You will withdraw as inconspicuously as you
came. Remember, you are to become as cogs in the machine that I have
devised. At the exact place, hour, minute, and second you are to do
exactly the thing ordered, _and nothing else_. Neglect, disobedience,
or failure will positively not be condoned, but will be punished as I
see fit, even to the death penalty.
"Come forward now, as I call your names, and receive what I shall give
you."
He opened a drawer in the table, took out many small boxes and
arranged them before him. Each box was carefully wrapped in stout
paper, securely tied, and sealed with red wax.
Standing there, firm, impassive, with narrowed eyes, he began reading
the names:
"Adams--Auchincloss--Brodeur--Cracowicz--Daimamoto--Emilio--Frazier--"
As each man's name was uttered he came down along the table, took the
box extended to him, thrust it into his pocket, saluted stiffly, and
withdrew in silence. At the end of a few minutes, no one was left but
the Master, Bohannan, and the man in the celluloid mask.
"Have you no orders for me, sir?" asked the aviator, still erect
in his place at the far end of the table. His eyes shone out darkly
through his shield.
"None, sir."
"All the others--"
"You are different." The Master set hands on his hips, and coldly
studied this strange figure. "The others have had their orders
carefully worked out for them, prepared, synchronized. You have come,
so to speak, as an extemporization, an auxiliary; you will add one
more unit to the flyers in the expedition, of which there are nine
aces, including Major Bohannan here. The others are now on their
way to their lodgings, to study their instructions, to memorize, and
prepare to carry them out. You are to remain here, with Major Bohannan
and with me."
"Until what time, sir?"
"Until we start. You will be under continual surveillance. If you
make any attempt to communicate in any way with anyone outside my
apartment, it will be the last thing you will ever do. You will
receive no other warning. Tomorrow night you will accompany us. Till
then, you remain my--guest."
The aviator nodded.
"Very well, sir," he accepted. "But, my machine?"
"I will attend to your machine."
"I should hate to leave it there on the roof."
"It will not be left on the roof."
"I don't understand, exactly--"
"There will be very many things you do not understand before this
expedition is over and done with. I need say no more."
Sharply he clapped his hands, thrice. In a moment, Rrisa appeared at
the door. The Master spoke a few guttural, aspirated words of Arabic.
Rrisa beckoned the stranger, who obeyed.
At the exit he faced about and sharply saluted. The Master returned
it. Then he vanished, and the door noiselessly closed behind them.
The Master turned to Bohannan.
"Now," said he, "these few last details. Time is growing very short.
Only a few hours remain. To work, Major--to work!"
At this same moment Auchincloss had already arrived at his rooms in
the McAlpine; and there, having carefully locked his door, had settled
himself at his desk with his sealed box before him.
For a moment he studied it under the electric light. Then, breaking
the wax with fingers tensed by eagerness, he tore it open. He spread
the contents on his blotting-pad. There was a small pocket-compass of
the best quality, a plain-cased watch wound up and going, a map and
a folded sheet of paper covered with typewriting. Auchincloss fell to
reading:
GENERAL ORDERS
You are to learn your specific orders by heart, and then destroy this
paper. You are to act on these orders, irrespective of every other
man. You are not to communicate the contents of this paper to any
other. This might upset the pre-arranged plan. You might try to join
forces, assist each other, or exercise some mistaken judgment that
might result in ruin. Each man is to keep his orders an absolute
secret. This is vital.
Each man, like yourself, is provided with a map, a watch, and a
compass. These watches are all self-luminous, all accurately adjusted
to synchronize to the second, and all will run forty-eight hours.
SPECIFIC ORDERS
Tomorrow, proceed inconspicuously to Tenafly, New Jersey, and hire a
room at the Cutter Inn. Carry your kit in a suit-case. At 7:30 p.m.,
go to Englewood. Go up Englewood Avenue toward the Palisades, turn
left (north) along the road near edge of cliff; proceed half a mile
and enter woods at your right. There you will find path marked "A" on
your map. Put on rucksack and discard suit-case, which, of course,
is to have no identifying marks. Proceed along path to point "B," and
from under board you will find there take box with weapon enclosed.
Box will also contain vacuum searchlight and directions for use of
weapon, exact time, direction, and elevation for discharging same, and
further instructions how to proceed. Act on these to the second. If
interfered with, kill; but kill quietly, so as to avoid giving the
alarm.
I expect every man to do his duty to the full. There will be but one
excuse for failure, and that is death.
The Master.