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diff --git a/21955.txt b/21955.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..42f0eb5 --- /dev/null +++ b/21955.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6476 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Secret Wireless, by Lewis E. Theiss, +Illustrated by Frank T. Merrill + + +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 www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Secret Wireless + or, The Spy Hunt of the Camp Brady Patrol + + +Author: Lewis E. Theiss + + + +Release Date: June 28, 2007 [eBook #21955] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SECRET WIRELESS*** + + +E-text prepared by Al Haines + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 21914-h.htm or 21914-h.zip: + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/1/9/5/21914/21914-h/21914-h.htm) + or + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/1/9/5/21914/21914-h.zip) + + + + + +THE SECRET WIRELESS + +or + +The Spy Hunt of the Camp Brady Patrol + +by + +LEWIS E. THEISS + +Illustrated by Frank T. Merrill + + + + + + + +[Frontispiece: no caption] + + + +W. A. Wilde Company +Boston ------ Chicago +Copyrighted, 1918, +by W. A. Wilde Company +All rights reserved + +THE SECRET WIRELESS + + + + +To + +WALTER K. RHODES, A.M., E.E., + + PROFESSOR OF ELECTRO-TECHNICS + IN BUCKNELL UNIVERSITY, + + TO WHOSE KINDLY HELPFULNESS IS DUE + WHATEVER OF TECHNICAL MERIT THERE + MAY BE IN THIS AND COMPANION STORIES + OF THE "WIRELESS," + +This Book is Dedicated + + + + +Contents + + + I. WHAT CAME OF HENRY'S IDEA + II. HENRY OVERCOMES AN OBSTACLE + III. THE WIRELESS PATROL PREPARES FOR ACTION + IV. THE SCENE OF ACTION + V. THE MESSAGE IN CIPHER + VI. A NEW DANGER POINT + VII. CONFUSION WORSE CONFOUNDED + VIII. WHERE MONEY TALKED + IX. A FRESH START + X. THE PURSUIT IN THE DARK + XI. AN UNSUCCESSFUL SEARCH + XII. ANOTHER OBSTACLE + XIII. WHAT HENRY DISCOVERED + XIV. THE RIDDLE SOLVED + XV. ANOTHER MYSTERY UNRAVELED + XVI. AN UNEXPECTED MESSAGE + XVII. A CHANGE IN CIPHERS + XVIII. TOO LATE + XIX. THE ENEMY ESCAPES + XX. A CLUE FROM THE AIR + XXI. THE CAPTURE OF THE SPIES + XXII. A TASK ACCOMPLISHED + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + + + Frontispiece + + Up came a sliding inner tube + + + + +The Secret Wireless + + +CHAPTER I + +WHAT CAME OF HENRY'S IDEA + +Henry Harper was sitting in the doorway of the workshop in his father's +back yard, where the Camp Brady Wireless Club made their headquarters. +He was reading the morning newspaper. Suddenly he sprang to his feet. +His face grew black. His free hand clenched. + +"That's terrible!" he exclaimed. "Terrible!" + +He walked across the shop, spread the newspaper on the bench and began +to read aloud the big head-lines that had so aroused him. + + LEAK IN NAVY DEPARTMENT + + _Germans Knew of Departure of Transport Fleet_ + _First Contingent of Pershing's Men Attacked, by Waiting + Submarines_ + +"It's terrible, terrible!" repeated Henry. "Their spies are +everywhere. They stop at nothing. Who could have been villain enough +to give them the information? It is terrible!" + +In his agitation Henry began to pace up and down the floor of the shop. +His face grew blacker and blacker as he brooded over the story of +treachery. Though Henry was not yet eighteen, he was affected far more +deeply by the story than most boys of his age would have been. For +when the Camp Brady Wireless Club, of which Henry was president, had +been practising the previous summer, Henry had been called upon to +replace one of Uncle Sam's radio men who was suddenly stricken with +appendicitis, and Henry had taken the operator's oath of fidelity to +his government. So to him treachery appeared doubly black. + +For some moments he paced up and down the shop. Suddenly he stopped +short. A new idea had come to him. + +"How did they get the news to Germany?" he asked aloud. "Both the +cables and the mails are censored--and besides the mails would be too +slow. It must have been the wireless. Can there be traitors in the +wireless service, too?" + +Henry was silent a moment, his brow wrinkled in thought. "Never!" he +cried suddenly. "Uncle Sam's radio men are true blue. It's a secret +wireless! A secret wireless! The Germans have got a hidden station +somewhere." + +The black look left his face. The scowl was replaced by a gleam of +joy. "That means a job for us!" he cried. "The wireless patrol can +help find that station, just as we found the German dynamiters at Elk +City." + +For when the wireless patrol had been at Camp Brady only a few weeks +previously, acting as official operators for the commander of the +troops guarding that section of the country, Roy Mercer had picked an +innocent-looking message out of the air one night and by accident had +found a code message in it revealing a German plot to dynamite a great +dam and destroy a munition city; and later the wireless patrol had run +down the dynamiters themselves in the very nick of time, after the +state police had failed to find them, and had saved the city. + +With Henry, to think was to act. "I'll write Captain Hardy at once," +he said to himself. + +Captain Hardy was a young physician who had been leader of the club of +boys that had camped on his father's farm near old Fort Brady, and that +had subsequently become the Camp Brady Wireless Club. But Captain +Hardy was no longer leader of the club. He had offered his services to +his country, and was now Captain Hardy of the Medical Officers' Reserve +Corps. It was his standing and his friendship with the Chief of the +Radio Service that had made it possible to secure permission for the +Camp Brady boys to act as radio men for the state troops the preceding +summer, although the government had forbidden amateurs to send wireless +messages. And Henry, believing that his idolized leader could +accomplish anything, now cleared a space at his desk in a corner of the +shop, and wrote him a long letter, setting forth all that was in his +heart. + +The promptness with which the answer came should have warned Henry that +the reply was not the one he hoped for. But his faith in his leader +was so great that he never doubted for a moment that if Captain Hardy +favored the proposal, he could effect its accomplishment. With a shout +of joy, Henry seized the letter from the hand of the postman and ran to +his favorite haunt, the workshop, to read it. As he did so, the smile +faded from his face and a look of utter despair succeeded it, for this +was what he read: + + +"MY DEAR HENRY: + +"It was a very great pleasure to receive your letter, with the little +items of information about the members of the club, and your plan to be +helpful in the present emergency. I know exactly how you feel. Every +true American is filled with similar loathing for the treacherous +enemies that infest our land, and with the same ardent desire to hunt +them down and bring them to justice. You may be very sure that our +secret service men are hard on the trail of many of them. Yet the very +story of treachery that has so stirred your indignation shows that the +secret service men cannot cope with them. But the fault is not with +the secret service. It lies with Congress, which has persistently +refused to appropriate sufficient money to make the service adequate. +As far as it goes, it is the peer of any secret service. Of course +help is needed, but I very much fear it is not the sort of assistance +that the Camp Brady boys are prepared to give. + +"You see, Henry, there are two possibilities. Either there is a leak +in the navy department itself, as your story says, or else the sailing +of the troops was observed at the port of embarkation and their +destination guessed at. There is nothing you could do in the way of +apprehending a spy in Washington, and I doubt if you could be of much +assistance in detecting German agents in our ports. Of course I know +how skilful the boys are with their wireless, especially you and Willie +Brown, and I know what close observers Roy Mercer and Lew Heinsling +are. And I realize, too, that in running down the dynamiters at the +Elk City reservoir after both the Pennsylvania troops and the state +police had failed, you proved that the wireless patrol was a mighty +efficient organization. But that campaign was accomplished in the +mountains and forests where your training in scouting and woodcraft has +made you at home. Conditions in a great seaport would be so strange +and confusing to all of you that I fear you would be more of a +hindrance than a help. + +"I am sorry about it, for I know how keenly you feel and how eager you +are to help your country. The best way you can do that is to continue +in school, learning all you can and making yourselves more and more +efficient as wireless operators. In a very short time, I suspect, +Uncle Sam will be in pressing need of good radio men. Then, although +you are still young, your chance will come; for your ability is already +known to the Chief of the Radio Service through your capture of the +dynamiters last summer. + +"As you know, our camp is just outside of Washington. I happen to be +going into the city to-morrow. Of course, I shall take occasion to lay +your suggestion before the Chief. But do not build any hopes on that +statement. I have no idea anything will come of it. But it may help +the Chief to bear you in mind later on. I am sorry to dash your hopes, +but I cannot do otherwise than to tell you the truth. Of course if +anything should come of it, I will let you know promptly. Remember me +to all the other boys. + +"Sincerely yours, + + "JAMES HARDY." + + +Henry's face became longer and longer as he read. When he had finished +the letter there was more than a suspicion of moisture in his eyes. + +"Oh!" he cried, "if only I could be with Captain Hardy when he sees the +Chief of the Radio Service, I'd _make_ the Chief understand that we can +help. We could be just as useful to the radio men as the Baker Street +Irregulars were to Sherlock Holmes. Oh! I just wish I could be with +him. I wonder when he will see the Chief." + +Henry picked up the envelope and examined the postmark. "This was +mailed yesterday morning," he muttered, "and Captain Hardy said he was +going to Washington to-morrow. That's to-day. Maybe he's with him +this afternoon. Maybe he went this morning. I'm sure he knows by this +time what the result is. Oh! I wish I were with him. I'd just _make_ +that Radio Chief take us." + +As he spoke a telegraph messenger entered the yard. He caught sight of +Henry in the workshop door. "Hey!" he called. "Does Henry Harper live +here? Got a message for him." + +Henry was almost too much amazed to answer. He had never received a +telegram in his life before. + +"Hey!" called the messenger again. "Are you asleep?" + +"No," was the answer, "and I'm Henry Harper." + +"Then why didn't you say so?" + +Henry ran forward and seized the yellow envelope. "Where's it from?" +he asked. + +"Washington," said the messenger. + +"Washington!" repeated Henry. "Washington! Then we're to go." + +"If you'll sign here," said the messenger, "I'll go. I can't stand +here all day. Nothin' to pay." + +Henry signed the messenger's book, then tore open the envelope and took +out the following telegram: "Want you, Roy, Lew, and Willie to meet me +Pennsylvania Station New York City Friday two P. M. for work suggested +in your letter." + + + + +CHAPTER II + +HENRY OVERCOMES AN OBSTACLE + +Could the messenger boy have seen Henry after the latter had read the +telegram, he would soon have changed his mind as to Henry's sleepiness. +For a very brief space--just long enough to reread the message once or +twice--Henry stood like one dazed, as motionless as a statue, and as +silent as a sign-post. Then he gave a loud whoop and began to dance +around the little shop. For a boy who was ordinarily so sober as +Henry, such conduct was scandalously riotous. He skipped about the +tiny wireless room, waving his hat in his hand, cheering for the Camp +Brady Wireless Patrol, and making loud declarations as to what that +organization would do to the enemies of the country. + +Ordinarily Henry would have restrained himself. Not even the news that +the Camp Brady Patrol had been selected to perform the wireless service +at the guard headquarters the preceding summer had excited Henry as did +this message from his captain. But that was scarcely to be wondered +at. The work for the commander of the Pennsylvania guards had promised +nothing but the sending of uninteresting and wordy despatches, though +to be sure it had turned out quite differently before it was ended. +But the task now in view promised excitement from the start. It +breathed adventure, romance. To hunt spies--to trace traitors--to turn +the searchlight on hidden crimes and dark deeds--to outwit clever +men--to take a man's part in a man's world--to do deeds of daring and +bravery--and above all to serve his country and save his fellows--these +were the things that came into his mind as the probable results of the +precious communication he held in his hand. + +Forgotten were the tedious hours of monotony that his sober senses +would have told him must make up the greater part of any such labor as +that he was now about to embark upon. Forgotten were the dull, deadly +dull and uninteresting days that his experience should have told him +lay before him. In his enthusiasm Henry saw only the bright spots. +The mental vision he looked upon glowed with rosy light. And Henry +gave himself up utterly to enjoyment of the prospect. + +So he danced and shouted and waved his hat, and cheered for the Camp +Brady Patrol, until in his excitement he danced too close to the side +of the tiny shop. His wildly waving hat came into contact with sundry +tools and kettles and other metal implements hung up on nails to be out +of the way. Down came saws and pails and a sprinkling can, and the +hoe, and a dozen other articles in a noisy crash. It sounded as though +a cyclone had suddenly descended upon the little shop, or a +42-centimeter shell had burst within. The exultant chant of the lone +occupant of the building suddenly ceased. But its place was instantly +taken by another voice as Henry's mother suddenly appeared on the back +porch of the house, looking anxiously toward the workshop. + +"Henry! Henry!" came her anxious call. + +"Yes, mother," replied Henry, disentangling himself from the wreckage, +and thrusting his head out of the shop door. "What is it?" + +"Whatever are you doing?" demanded Mrs. Harper. "I thought the shop +had tumbled in." + +"It's only some things I knocked down," laughed Henry. Then his +enthusiasm bubbled over again. "Just think, mother," he cried. "We're +going! We're going! Captain Hardy has sent for us!" + +Mrs. Harper looked at her son anxiously. His words meant absolutely +nothing to her, for Henry had not told any one of his letter to his +captain. Suddenly she feared that perhaps something had fallen on +Henry's head and momentarily unbalanced him. + +"Going?" she said. "Where? What are you talking about?" + +"We're going to New York City to help catch German spies," cried Henry, +beginning to dance about again in his excitement. "Isn't it bully! +And we'll catch 'em, too, just as we did the dynamiters." + +"I guess you're going crazy," said his mother. Then as Henry continued +his demonstration, his mother said sharply, "You stop right there, +Henry Harper, and tell me what all this nonsense means about German +spies and New York and Captain Hardy. You know very well that Captain +Hardy is in Washington with the army." + +Henry at once calmed down and took a grip on himself. "Yes, mother," +he said. "Captain Hardy was in Washington, but he is going to New +York----" + +"How do you know?" interrupted Mrs. Harper impatiently. + +"He just telegraphed me----" + +"Telegraphed you!" said the incredulous Mrs. Harper. "What would +Captain Hardy be telegraphing to a youngster like you for, I'd like to +know." + +"In answer to my letter----" began Henry, but again his mother cut him +short. + +"Your letter?" she said. "What letter? I didn't know that you had +written him a letter." + +"You see, mother," said Henry patiently, "when I read in the newspapers +the other day that the Germans had found out about the sailing of +Pershing's men, and had sent submarines to lay in wait for them out in +the ocean, the idea came to me that perhaps the wireless patrol could +help to discover----" + +"Henry Harper, I hope you never had the impudence to suggest that you +youngsters could----" + +"I did, mother. But I don't think it was impudence. I wrote to Dr. +Hardy and asked if the wireless patrol couldn't help catch the spies +who are sending news to Germany." + +"Well of all things!" ejaculated Mrs. Harper. "What will you infants +do next? Offer to relieve the President of his job?" + +"Well, we did catch the dynamiters at the Elk City reservoir," +protested Henry defensively. "And we did it after the state police and +the national guards had failed. I don't see why we can't help catch +German spies in New York just as well as in Pennsylvania." + +"Humph!" said Mrs. Harper. "It's a lot of help you youngsters would be +in catching real spies. You just happened to stumble on these +dynamiters and now you think you can do thing. But that's the way with +boys. They're all alike." + +"But, mother," protested Henry, "boys can be useful in lots of ways. +And just because they are boys nobody thinks of suspecting them." + +"There's one place where a certain boy I know could be of a lot of use +and never be suspected," agreed Mrs. Harper. "And that's at that +woodpile back of the shed." + +"Please don't interrupt me, mother," said Henry. "You asked me to tell +you about our trip to New York." + +"About your dream of a trip to New York," corrected Mrs. Harper. "You +don't for one minute think you are really going to New York, do you?" + +"Indeed we are," replied Henry. "And this is how it came about. When +I read of the leak in the navy's secrets and the attempts of the +Germans to torpedo our transports, I wrote to Captain Hardy about it. +I told him we could be just as useful catching German spies in New York +as we were in Pennsylvania. He answered and said he didn't think we +could be of any use, but----" + +"Showed his sense," interrupted Mrs. Harper. + +"But he said," continued Henry, paying no attention to the +interruption, "that he would mention the matter to the Chief of the +Radio Service and let me know if anything came of it. And something +has come of it, mother. Just think! We're to go. Here's the telegram +itself." + +Mrs. Harper took the yellow paper that Henry held out to her and read +it slowly and carefully. "Well, I never!" she said at last. "I never +did! But I don't know whether to let you go or not. Why, you'd be +lost inside of ten minutes in New York, and instead of being a help to +the police, you'd keep them busy hunting for you. I don't know about +this. Wait till your father gets home and we'll talk it over." + +"But, mother," protested Henry, "I can't wait. And we've _got_ to go. +The Chief of the Radio Service has asked for our help. That means the +government wants us. If it wants us, it must need us. And we've just +got to go." + +"Humph!" said Mrs. Harper. + +"And besides," added Henry, reading the signs in his mother's face, +"Dr. Hardy is to be in New York with us, so we can't get into trouble." + +"Well, that alters the case," said Mrs. Harper. "With Dr. Hardy to +look after you, I reckon you _can't_ go very far astray." + +"Then we can go, mother?" + +"I suppose so. I know your father thinks every one of us should do +everything he possibly can to help win this war. But it gets me to +know what you youngsters can do that will be of any use. Still, I +guess the government wouldn't have sent for you if it didn't want you, +and I won't stand in the road of the government." + +"Hurrah!" shouted Henry. "Then I'm off to tell the others." And he +darted out of the yard and was away like an arrow. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +THE WIRELESS PATROL PREPARES FOR ACTION + +At top speed Henry tore down the street. + +Half a block from his home he passed a schoolmate. + +"Hey! What's your hurry?" the latter called out, as Henry dashed past +him. + +"Wireless patrol ordered out!" Henry shouted over his shoulder, as he +darted on down the street. + +"Wait a minute!" called the other lad. + +"Can't," cried Henry. "Got to get the patrol together to go on a spy +hunt." + +At the words "spy hunt" the other boy leaped forward and ran after +Henry at top speed. "What's up?" he asked enviously, as he overtook +Henry and raced along beside him. For the lad did not belong to the +wireless patrol. + +"Ordered to New York by the government," panted Henry, "to hunt for +German spies." + +The announcement had all the effect Henry intended it to have. For a +full half minute his companion said never a word, but ran mutely beside +him, his eyes fastened incredulously on Henry. Then, "Gee whiz!" he +said. "You're not really goin' to New York!" + +"Sure thing," panted Henry. "Just got a telegram from Washington." + +That was too much for Henry's companion. "Gee whiz!" he said again. +"I wish I belonged to the wireless patrol." + +Henry looked at him sympathetically, half sorry that he had said what +he had. "Maybe you will some day," he replied. "Good-bye." + +They had reached the home of wee Willie Brown. Henry stopped abruptly +and turned in at the open gate. He mounted the steps and rang the +bell. Mrs. Brown opened the door. + +"Is Willie--at home--Mrs. Brown?" he asked, all out of breath. + +"Yes, Henry," replied Mrs. Brown. "You'll find him up in his room." + +"Is he busy?" + +"Oh! He's tinkering with his wireless, as usual," said Mrs. Brown. +"But he's always glad to see you, Henry." + +"He will be this time, I'm sure," said Henry. "The wireless patrol is +ordered out on a spy hunt." + +"What! Not again?" queried Mrs. Brown, in astonishment. "Where are +you going this time?" + +"To New York," rejoined Henry, and his voice plainly showed his +exultation. + +"Tell me more about it." Mrs. Brown was at once all seriousness. + +Henry turned away from the stair door and explained the situation to +Mrs. Brown, who was very sober. But when Henry said that Dr. Hardy had +asked the boys to come and that he would himself be with them in New +York, the serious look vanished from Mrs. Brown's face. "That's all +right, then," she said. "If Dr. Hardy wants you and is to be there to +look after you, it is all right. I am glad Willie has the opportunity +to go. He has never been in a really big city." + +Henry went on up to Willie's room and broke the news to him. And the +sounds that came down to Mrs. Brown made her laugh heartily. But it +was a laugh of sympathy. She remembered that she had once been young +herself. Presently the racket up-stairs subsided. Then came the +clatter of noisy and eager feet on the stairs. And a moment later +Henry and Willie skipped out of the door, tore through the gate, and +went racing up the street toward Roy Mercer's house. + +But Roy was not at home. He was, as Henry had suspected he would be, +at work in the garage where he had been employed during the school +vacation. But Henry thought it would be well to secure permission from +Mrs. Mercer for Roy to take the trip to New York, for she was inclined +to be rather strict with Roy. + +"Captain Hardy has just sent me a request for four of the boys of the +wireless patrol to come to New York," said Henry, diplomatically, "and +Roy is one of the four he wants. We came to see if he may go." + +Mrs. Mercer looked at Henry keenly. "What are you going to do in New +York," she demanded, "and who's to pay the bills?" + +"I don't know exactly what we're to do," said Henry, "but we're to help +the wireless service. I think they want us to listen in and pick up +low-length messages that the high-powered government stations don't +get. The government will pay our expenses." + +"Humph!" said Mrs. Mercer. Then she was silent a moment in thought. +"When does Dr. Hardy want you to go?" + +"He wants us to meet him in New York at two o'clock Friday afternoon. +That means we should have to leave here on the early morning train +Friday." + +"I don't know about this," said Mrs. Mercer. "All play and no work is +just as bad for a boy as no play and all work. And Roy has done +nothing but play all summer. He has been at that camp of yours ever +since school closed. And besides, he is earning three dollars a week +working at the garage." + +Henry had feared that Mrs. Mercer would object to Roy's going. Roy's +father had been sick and unable to work for some weeks, and Henry knew +that the three dollars Roy earned each week were badly needed in the +Mercer home. + +"I think that the government will pay Roy more than he earns now," +explained Henry. "And I hope that you will let him go because Captain +Hardy wants only certain boys and Roy is one of them. He is very +necessary to the success of our work." + +"I'll see what Roy's father says," was the reply, and Mrs. Mercer +vanished within the house. + +Meantime Henry and Willie stood on the porch hardly daring to speak to +one another, so fearful were they that Roy might not be allowed to go. +When Mrs. Mercer suddenly appeared again and announced briefly that Roy +could go, they thanked her, and as soon as they could get around a +corner, they gave vent to their feelings in a loud whoop. + +Lew Heinsling was picked up a few minutes later, with no objection on +the part of his parents, and the three boys raced to the garage, where +they imparted the news to Roy. + +School, which normally should already have been in session, had been +kept from opening by an epidemic of measles; and no one knew when it +would convene. But there was no apparent chance of an early opening, +for the epidemic was then at its worst. There was no obstacle now in +the way of the four boys. Roy got his employer's permission to leave +the garage for an hour, and the four boys hurried to the wireless +patrol headquarters in Henry's shop, to discuss the adventure that lay +before them. + +That night the entire patrol assembled in the little workshop and those +who were not to go enviously discussed the coming adventure with the +four who had been summoned to duty. For no one in the patrol doubted +that the expedition would end in adventure and excitement, to say +nothing of the delights of a trip to the nation's metropolis. Their +common experience in running down the dynamiters at the Elk City +reservoir gave these boys the certainty that both adventure and danger +lay ahead of their four lucky fellows. But could they have known how +truly thrilling and adventurous were the days ahead of their +companions; could they have foreseen all the strange and exciting +situations that would confront their fellows; could they have guessed +the part their comrades of the wireless patrol were about to play in +wiping out this hidden menace to our troops on the ocean, they would +have been envious indeed. + +But they could not know these things. And they recognized the fact +that Captain Hardy had asked for these four because of their superior +attainments, because they were best fitted to do the work in hand. So +the stay-at-homes loyally crushed down their feeling of envy and united +in a hearty send-off for their fellows. Every member of the patrol was +at the railroad station Friday morning to bid good-bye to their four +comrades who were to play no inconspicuous part in the stirring days to +come, and who were to make known to the country at large the name of +the Camp Brady Wireless Patrol. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE SCENE OF ACTION + +As the conductor shouted "All aboard!" the little group of boys on the +station platform suddenly parted, and the four who had stood in the +centre of the ring, vigorously shaking hands, now moved hastily toward +the train and scrambled up the steps. The conductor waved his signal +to the engine-driver and swung aboard. The locomotive bell began to +ring, there was a hissing of steam, and a puffing of the great +locomotive, and the train slid gently forward. On the car platform +stood the four departing members of the wireless patrol, waving fond +farewells to their less fortunate members. Then they turned and +entered the coach, with the cheers of their comrades ringing in their +ears, their hearts beating with high determination to give all that +they had of strength and skill and courage and patience to the grim +task that lay ahead of them. + +In no time Central City was lost from sight. The familiar fields and +woods vanished. The country grew strange. Soon they were passing +through a region entirely unknown to them. But so busy was each boy +with his thoughts that he hardly noticed what at other times would have +held his closest attention; for the pictures in each mind were just as +unfamiliar as the landscape through which they were speeding. + +"What was to be the nature of their work?" each boy was asking himself. +"Would they sit and listen in, as they had done at Camp Brady, or would +they be set to roving about, trying to pick out suspicious characters, +or detect suspicious acts? And what would New York be like? What was +there about this great, roaring city of men that was so attractive, +that drew such multitudes to it, that grew with such uncanny swiftness? +What was New York like, anyway?" + +And almost before they knew it, the train rolled into a tunnel, dived +under a great river, and emerged again in a huge yard far below the +level of the streets, that was filled with many tracks and closed in +with enormous walls of cement. Then the train ran into a great shed +and came to rest. The boys left the coach, mounted a long flight of +iron steps and found themselves in the city of their dreams--New York. + +And there, at the gateway, was their beloved captain. They swarmed +about him and grasped his hand. Then Captain Hardy led them to a +corner of the waiting-room that offered a little privacy, and there +they sat down in a group, close to one another, to talk over the +business that had brought them again together. + +"As I wrote you in my letter, Henry," said Captain Hardy, "I was not at +all hopeful that your plan would meet with official encouragement. But +I had promised you that I would mention it to the Chief of the Radio +Service and I did so. It didn't take him a minute to decide on it. To +my surprise he said he wanted you. 'I haven't a bit of doubt,' said +he, 'that the country's full of secret German wireless outfits. They +are probably of small sending power and operate in unusual wave +lengths. It is almost impossible for our regular service to detect +them. In fact I don't know how we are ever going to locate them unless +we organize the amateurs all over the country so that they can listen +in and catch practically everything that goes through the air. We are +not able to do that yet, but I shall be very glad to have the help of +your boys. I've been mighty interested in the way they handled that +affair at Elk City. They are experienced and have good sense. They +should be very useful to Uncle Sam.'" Dr. Hardy paused and smiled. +"You see," he went on, "the Chief has kept pretty close watch of you +boys. He knows all about the affair at Elk City." And Captain Hardy +smiled affectionately at his charges. + +"What are the Radio Chief's instructions?" asked Roy. "What are we to +do?" + +"The Radio Service," replied Captain Hardy, "has no agencies for making +arrests and detecting crime. So we shall work under the direction of +the secret service and in cooperation with the police. And our first +duty is to make ourselves known to both." + +"If the Chief of the Radio Service wanted the wireless patrol," said +Roy, "why did you telegraph for just the four of us? And why are we in +New York instead of Washington?" + +"You couldn't be of any use in Washington," said Captain Hardy, "but +you may be of a great deal of service here. You see New York is a +difficult place to guard. This is our principal port. It is so vast +that it is next to impossible to watch all of it, and there are +hundreds of thousands of Germans or people of German descent living +here. The Radio Chief needs sharp eyes and ears as well as trained +fingers just now, and he knows that you boys combine these +qualifications. He suggested that I send for four of you and see what +you could accomplish. I chose you four because you have shown the +greatest ability along the lines necessary." + +A flush of pleasure glowed in each of the faces before him. For a +moment Willie Brown forgot where he was, forgot the crowd and the great +station and the strange sights and sounds about him, forgot even why he +was in New York, while his mind went back to that first summer at Camp +Brady, when he had been the most backward, self-distrustful, helpless +lad in camp. Now he was chosen to serve his government, to do work of +the greatest importance for his country; and he had been selected +because of his ability. No wonder Willie blessed the day he first saw +Camp Brady. No wonder his eyes were wet with a grateful mist as he +looked affectionately at his captain, who had made him what he was. + +But Willie had little time for revery. Roy was speaking again, asking +another of those sharp questions that showed very well why he should +have been chosen as a spy hunter, or for anything else that required +keenness of mind. + +"What about yourself?" Roy was saying. "Do you have to go back to your +medical duties? We can work ever so much better with you to lead us +than we could with a stranger." + +Roy alone had grasped the possibility that Captain Hardy might not be +able to remain with them. Now every eye was fixed anxiously on Captain +Hardy's face. + +"No," he said, "I do not have to return to Washington. It is of the +utmost importance to catch these spies and the government could well +afford to give up one ordinary doctor in order to get four skilled spy +hunters." He paused and smiled, then added: "So I have been detailed +to special duty in New York." + +The boys could hardly repress a shout of joy. + +"And my instructions," continued Captain Hardy, "were to get into touch +with the police and the secret service immediately. As I have told +you, we must get acquainted with both. But before we do, I suggest +that we take a look at the town where we are to work in the days to +come. Let's be moving." + +They rose and passed through the station. Its great vaulted ceiling, +half as high as a church steeple, its huge flights of steps, its +enormous corridors, its wonderful stonework, dwarfing into +insignificance anything they had ever seen before, fairly awed the boys +from Central City. It was Roy's keen eye that caught sight of the +great maps of the world high up on the walls. The crowds of people +coming and going hardly seemed like crowds, so vast was the structure. +With reluctant feet the four boys pushed on. But when they had mounted +the steps to the arcade and caught sight of the illuminated +transparencies showing scenes along the railway's path, they came to a +dead stop. For Willie Brown, with his almost uncanny eye for +landscapes, at once declared that a certain picture represented a +mountain scene not twenty-five miles from Central City; and when the +others appealed to Captain Hardy, the latter confirmed Willie's +statement. + +When the four lads reached the sidewalk they were almost distracted. +Thousands of people were hurrying along, passing in endless throngs up +and down the street. Never had the boys from Central City seen people +in such a rush. + +"What's the hurry?" demanded Roy. "Why does everybody walk so fast? +What's up?" + +"Nothing," replied Captain Hardy, with a smile. "That's just the New +York gait. Everybody walks fast here, and does everything else fast; +and if you boys want to make a reputation in New York you'll have to +hustle some. But I don't want you to make that kind of a reputation," +he continued, hastily yanking Willie Brown from in front of a passing +motor-car. "You will have to keep your eyes open here." + +And indeed they had to. Motor-cars were rushing about as numerous as +flies in August. Trolley-cars followed one another up and down Seventh +Avenue in endless processions. Wagons and trucks stretched along the +highway in slow-moving lines as far as the eye could see. Bells were +ringing, whistles tooting, horns blowing, motor-cars honking, newsies +shouting. The grinding of car-wheels, the rattle of carts, the clatter +of hoofs on the asphalt, the shuffling of feet on the sidewalk, and a +thousand other noises combined to make an indescribable and confusing +roar. The noise and bustle were bewildering. + +"I guess mother was right," thought Henry. "It would be mighty easy to +get lost here. The wireless patrol will have to look sharp or the +police will be called upon to find it." + +And indeed there were so many distracting things that the four spy +hunters found it difficult not to get lost. At every step something +new and unfamiliar claimed their attention and caused them to pause and +look about. + +Captain Hardy let his charges go at their own gait. He paused when +they wanted to look at something, took sharp care of them at crossings, +and told them how to cross the streets so as to avoid accidents. And +ever he kept his eye on them to see that none of the four became +separated from the group. It pleased him to note how quickly they +learned to avoid the traffic and dodge difficulties. Their training in +observation had not been in vain. + +To Herald Square the captain led his party. There, in a little eddy of +sidewalk traffic, he drew them together. + +"The streets that run lengthwise of the island," he said, "are called +avenues, and the one before you is Sixth Avenue. The station we just +left faces on Seventh Avenue. The cross streets are numbered, and the +one we are on is Thirty-fourth Street. Broadway comes up the island on +a long diagonal. Right here where Broadway, Thirty-fourth Street, and +Sixth Avenue intersect, is one of the busiest corners in the city. +Overhead are two elevated railway tracks. On the ground are six +street-car tracks, crossing one another. Under the surface are two +subway tracks. So you have three layers of people passing and +repassing above or below one another. I want you to remember what I +have said as to the arrangement of the thoroughfares--avenues run north +and south, streets east and west. If you get that thought in your +mind, you won't go very far out of your way. + +"And there is one thing more to remember. In some cities, such as +Philadelphia, the street numbers run 100 to each block. Here the +houses are numbered consecutively, and you can't tell by a number where +a house is. But if you should need to know, go to the nearest drug +store. Every New York drug store has a city directory. And in the +back of the directory you will find a table that will show you +approximately where to find the street number you want. Don't forget. +If you are to do effective work, you must become so familiar with New +York that you can find your way around as readily as you can in Central +City. Sometimes it may be necessary for you to go from place to place +in the shortest possible time and you must know not only how to get +there, but also how to take advantage of short cuts. We'll get some +maps after a time and study them." + +His young companions plied their leader with a thousand questions. +They wanted to know the names of all the big buildings in sight. They +had all heard of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel and they gazed up +Thirty-fourth Street at this well-known hostelry with much curiosity. +They had heard of the Times Building and were eager to see it. + +"We can't spend much time sightseeing just now," said Captain Hardy. +"We must get into touch with the police and the secret service people +and get our instructions. Then we will take a day or two, if possible, +and see something of the town. It is most important for you to become +well acquainted with it at once. But I guess we can take time to slip +up to Times Square. It's only eight blocks up Broadway. Now I want +you boys to see everything you can as we go along, and to try to +remember all that you see. Wherever you go you must remember that you +are in New York to detect German spies and presumably to run down +German wireless outfits. We don't know where they are. We may be +looking at one this very instant. So keep your eyes open. If you see +anything that resembles a wireless outfit, or that might be used for +sending messages, take careful note of it. And keep your ears open for +suspicious conversations. Because you are boys, people will be less +careful in their talk when you are present than they would be with +older people about. The more youthful and unsophisticated you can make +yourselves appear, the better it will be for your purpose." + +Slowly the little party made its way up Broadway. By degrees the lads +became accustomed to the roar of the traffic and the rush of +pedestrians. At Times Square they paused for a look at the great +newspaper building that gives the place its name, and at the great +hotels rising on every side. Then they passed down a long flight of +steps and found themselves in a low, vaulted, underground subway +station. + +"Makes you think of the dugouts on the firing-line in France," +suggested the quick-witted Roy. + +An instant later a train thundered up to the platform and the boys +boarded it. A short ride and a short walk took them to Police +Headquarters. + +Captain Hardy sent his card to the Police Commissioner, with the +request for a brief interview. A few moments later he had presented +his credentials and introduced his companions, and four delighted boys +found themselves blushingly shaking hands with New York's famous chief +of police, Arthur Woods. Briefly Captain Hardy stated the purpose of +his visit and related the story of the capture of the Elk City +dynamiters. + +"I recall the incident distinctly," said the Commissioner. "The +newspapers were full of it. And I recall that when I read the story I +wished I had as accomplished and clever a squad of boys to help me with +some of my hard problems." + +The four boys flushed with happiness. But they were too much +embarrassed to make any reply. + +"Captain Hardy," said the Commissioner, "what is your plan of action?" + +"We have none as yet. We are to work under the direction of the secret +service. But we have not seen Chief Flynn yet. The boys just arrived." + +"Let me make one suggestion to you," said the Commissioner, turning +again to the boys. "Before you attempt to do any detective work make +yourselves familiar with the city. Get some maps and study them until +you know every street and alley. Take your maps and go over the city +on foot. Put several days in at it. Become acquainted with the +water-front, the piers, the surface cars, the subways, the ferries. +Learn the city so that you can get around rapidly. Make the +acquaintance of as many policemen, wireless operators, secret service +men, and other persons as you can. Don't forget that a kind deed or a +thoughtful act will help you to make friendships quicker than anything +else; and make all the friends you can. In police work you never know +who will be of assistance to you. And above all things don't talk. +Don't tell a living soul about your purpose or your plans. Let Captain +Hardy do that if it is necessary. Secrecy is absolutely essential to +the success of your work. Unless you can get along without betraying +yourselves you may as well go right back home. Remember the spies you +are after are also after you. If they learn what you are, they might +even take your lives." + +"Commissioner Woods," said Captain Hardy, after a pause, "I have been +wondering whether or not these boys should have some kind of passes +that will enable them to get through the police lines. There may come +times when it is of the highest importance that nothing shall interfere +with them. What do you think about it?" + +The Commissioner considered for a moment. "If I were sure they could +be trusted with----" + +"They can," interrupted Captain Hardy. "Absolutely." + +"Very well then." + +The Commissioner pressed a button on his desk. A clerk entered the +room. + +"Make out special police cards for Captain Hardy and these four lads," +he said, naming the boys. + +Again he turned to the young spy hunters. "The cards you are about to +get," he said, "will pass you by any policeman or put you through any +police line. Do not let any one know you have them and never use them +unless you absolutely must. It is best that not even the police should +know who you are. Be very careful not to lose your cards." + +"We will make some little cloth bags," said Henry, "and carry the cards +in them inside of our underclothes." + +"I see that you are resourceful," smiled the Commissioner. + +The clerk returned with the cards and handed them to Captain Hardy. + +"Before you go," said the Commissioner, "perhaps you would like to see +our wireless department and get acquainted with Sergeant Pearce who is +in charge of it." + +He summoned a patrolman to guide them to the wireless rooms and wished +the boys success. + +A few moments later Sergeant Pearce was showing them the apparatus. +Two operators sat at a wonderful Marconi outfit with receivers clamped +to their ears. In another room various instruments were installed here +and there, the walls were covered with diagrams of wireless instruments +and outfits, and lines of men were sitting at long tables with +receivers at their ears. It was the police wireless school. High +above the roof the aerial hung, suspended between the main dome and a +smaller dome at one end of the building. + +"We are going to equip every station-house with wireless," said +Sergeant Pearce, "and the men you saw at work in the school are being +trained for operators. We have put wireless outfits on some of the +patrol-wagons and on the police boat _Patrol_, so you see we can get +into touch instantly with any precinct or with the _Patrol_ no matter +in what part of the harbor she may be. And when you have as big a +harbor as we have, with several hundred miles of waterfront, that means +something." + +From Police Headquarters the little party went directly to the Post +Office Building, near the Brooklyn Bridge, to see Chief Flynn. He was +a large, heavy man, with black hair and eyes and a short mustache. He +shook hands with each of the party, and gave each a searching look. He +spoke quietly but right to the point. + +"I had word from Washington about you," he said. "Do you know anything +about the city?" + +The boys admitted their ignorance. + +"Then your first job is to get acquainted with New York. Get some maps +and guide-books. While you are getting your bearings you can establish +a wireless watch. I have a number of outfits in different parts of the +city. For the next week or two, while you are getting acquainted with +the city, I want you to maintain a twenty-four-hour watch at a place I +shall send you to. Divide the time among you so that some one is +listening in all the time. Here are the call signals of all the +legitimate plants you will hear, either on land or water. Pay +particular attention to call signals. If you catch one not in this +list, be sure to get every word sent and let me hear from you at once. +We have other operators listening in for messages of the usual +commercial wave lengths and for very long wave lengths, so you need +watch only for messages of less than three hundred meters." + +He wrote an address on a slip of paper and gave it to Captain Hardy. +"Go there," he directed. "A wireless outfit has been installed and +accommodations await you." + +He took the slip of paper from Captain Hardy and wrote some figures on +it. "That," said he, "is my private telephone number. But do not +bother me unless you get hold of something important." + +In another moment the wireless party found itself in the rush and roar +of lower Broadway. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +THE MESSAGE IN CIPHER + +The house to which Chief Flynn had directed the wireless patrol proved to +be a private residence on a side street that ran between Central Park and +the Hudson River. It was a tall house, standing two stories higher than +any other structure in the block. Like most of its neighbors it had +evidently seen better days. In places the brownstone front was cracked +and great chips had flaked off. The broken stones in the long flight of +steps that led up to the first floor were patched with colored cement +that had faded so the patches stood out baldly. The brass handrail above +the stone balustrade was battered and dirty. Altogether it was not a +very attractive looking place. + +The old lady who opened the door eyed them sharply. + +"A gentleman named Flynn recommended me to your place," said Captain +Hardy. "We shall need accommodations for quite a while." + +"You must be the gentleman from Washington that he 'phoned me about. You +are Captain Hardy?" + +"I am." + +"Come in," said the landlady cordially. "Any friends of Mr. Flynn's are +welcome. Your rooms are ready for you. Mr. Flynn said you wanted to be +together, so I have given you the entire top floor." + +She led the way up one narrow stairway after another until the party +reached the top floor. There she threw open the door to the front room +and withdrew. + +An exclamation of pleasure burst from the lips of the four boys. The +shabby exterior of the house and the dim and dingy hallways through which +they had come gave no hint of the cozy comfort that awaited them. The +room they now entered was of generous size, with soft gray wallpaper and +white woodwork. Along one side ran low, well-filled book-shelves. In +the middle of the opposite wall, with fire-making materials already piled +in it, was a small open grate, surmounted by an attractive mantel of +white woodwork. There were a writing-table, a comfortable couch, and +easy chairs. And what was most unusual for a city house, the room +possessed windows on three sides--two overlooking the street and one +giving a view over the housetops on either side. A door at the rear +opened into a second room that was equipped as a writing room, with a +broad table and several straight-backed chairs. Here, too, was an open +grate set in a white mantel. In the room behind this were a number of +cots. Back of all was the bath room. A snugger and more comfortable +place it would have been hard to find. But nowhere was there anything +that suggested a wireless outfit. + +The boys looked at one another questioningly. "He said there was an +outfit here," said Lew, "so there must be. But I don't see where it can +be." + +"It would be somewhere by itself," said Roy, "so that the operator +wouldn't be disturbed. It must be on another floor." + +"But if we are to keep a twenty-four-hour watch," argued Henry, "it ought +to be right in our apartment." + +"Let's look at the aerial, anyway," suggested Lew. + +A door at the end of the hallway quite evidently led to the roof. They +had noticed it as they followed their landlady up the stairs. Willie led +the way through it and the boys found themselves on the roof, which, like +the roofs of most city houses, was flat. Like its neighbors, also, this +roof was encumbered with a number of long, wire clothes-lines, but the +boys found nothing that suggested an aerial to them. Puzzled, they +returned to their apartment. + +Presently there was a rap at the door. Captain Hardy opened it and a man +dressed as a waiter, whom they had seen in the hallway as they entered, +stepped into the room. + +"I came to show you your outfit," he said. + +Stepping into the writing room, he grasped the corners of the mantel and +gave a sharp pull. The entire upper half of the mantel swung outward and +came to rest on the writing-table, revealing a compact but wonderfully +well-equipped wireless outfit, including even a wireless detector for +telling the direction a wireless message came from. The boys stared in +astonishment while the waiter grinned. + +"What kind of a boarding-house is this, anyway?" asked Lew. + +"This ain't no boardin'-house," replied the man. "This is a sort of +headquarters for secret service men from out of town." + +"Where's your aerial?" demanded Willie. + +"If you go on the roof you'll see it--that is you will if your eyes are +sharp enough." + +"I'll bet it's those wire clothes-lines," said Willie. + +"Nothin' wrong with your eyes," said the waiter with a smile. "But I +guess there wouldn't be, if the Chief sent you here." + +Naturally each of the boys was eager to test the outfit before them. +They crowded round it, sliding the coil, shifting the condenser, +examining this and that, and voicing their approval and pleasure in the +different instruments. + +"We may as well begin our watch at once," said Captain Hardy. "Each of +you will have to listen in six hours a day. If we divide the watches +into two tricks of three hours each, it will be easier for you." + +The matter was arranged accordingly, and the first trick given to the +most experienced operator, Henry. After the others had seen him take his +seat and adjust his receivers to his head, they withdrew from the +wireless room. + +But Henry was far from being in solitude. Sitting apparently alone, he +was listening to a multitude of voices; for before beginning his vigil he +wanted to test out his instruments and see how well they worked and how +sharply they would register sounds. So he sat at his table, tuning now +to this wave length and now to that, now catching a land message and now +one from the sea. Distinctly he caught the signal NAA from the great +navy wireless plant at Arlington. He recognized it before the operator +had finished sending his call signal. Night after night with his +home-made outfit at Central City, Henry had heard this station send forth +the time signals at ten o'clock; and during his brief period as radio man +for Uncle Sam he had often talked with Arlington, both sending and +receiving messages from the great station. But though he recognized the +voice, he did not know the language he heard; for Arlington was flinging +abroad a message in the secret code of the navy. Press messages and +commercial communications were buzzing through the air like swarms of +bees. Orders to departing steamships came surging over his line. +Suddenly a strong whining note filled the air, drowning out all other +notes, and Henry knew the Brooklyn Navy Yard was talking. He caught +messages from the Waldorf, from the Wanamaker station, from the police +wireless. Never had he heard so many messages or imagined that the air +could be so filled with talk. And had he not been a very able operator, +he would have been so confused by the babel that he would have understood +none of it clearly. But he tuned sharply, shutting out interfering +vibrations, and caught clearly message after message. But every message +that he intercepted was sent by a regularly licensed station. + +After he had sufficiently tested his instruments, and assured himself of +their ability to register even the faintest sounds sharply and +distinctly, Henry shifted his coils and condensers again and began to +listen in for messages of less than three hundred meters' wave length. +Instantly the room that had hummed with voices grew silent as a cave. No +message, no vibrations, no whisper of sound came to his waiting ears. +For three hours he sat, continually shifting his coils, but he heard +nothing. As well might he have sat three hours by a rock, waiting for it +to speak. And well he knew that this was only the first of many long +weary watches that would be kept ere the voice they looked for would come +out of the air. + +Vividly Henry recalled the long vigils at Camp Brady, when he sat for +many hours at a time listening for the call of the dynamiters. He +remembered how irksome that had been. He remembered the chill of the +night and the silence of the great forest. Here the watchers would be +more comfortable, but the vigil was likely to be as tedious and trying as +their watch in the Pennsylvania mountains had proved. But that watch had +been rewarded. The dynamiters had been located and captured. And Henry +never doubted that this vigil, too, would meet with success. So he +schooled himself to patience and keyed his ear and his instrument to the +keenest pitch. + +Meantime his companions had lost not a moment in beginning their study of +the city. When Captain Hardy emerged from the wireless room, he ran his +eye over the contents of the bookshelves; and one section he discovered +was filled with maps and guide-books and local histories, not only of New +York but also of other American cities. He found a large-scale map of +the metropolis and spread it out on the table, true to the indicated +compass points. Clustered about this outspread map, the other members of +the patrol followed with eager eyes and retentive minds their +instructor's every word. + +Dr. Hardy called their attention to the contour of Manhattan Island, long +and tongue-shaped, and running almost north and south. He showed them +the main thoroughfares, the great arteries of north and south traffic. +He traced for them the routes of subway, surface, and elevated car lines. +Together they located the tunnels and the ferries. They studied the +harbor and the different shipping districts, coming quickly to know where +the transatlantic liners docked, where the coastwise steamers were +berthed, and where tramp steamers could find safe anchorages. They +examined the harbor and adjacent waterways. They studied the locations +of police stations and hospitals, of passenger stations and freight +depots. They noted the location of the forts. They identified the sites +of the largest buildings. + +When they had finished with Manhattan, they studied one by one the other +boroughs--the Bronx, the boroughs east of Manhattan, Staten Island, and +finally the Jersey shore, searching always for what would lend itself to +spying or the use of a secret wireless. Especially they studied all that +related to ships that cross the Atlantic. + +Not in one evening or in one day was this accomplished, but through the +long hours of many days, as one boy after another took his turn at the +wireless. And between tricks at listening in or studying maps and +guide-books, they roamed the streets, traveled on subway and surface and +elevated trains, crossed the ferries, rode in the sightseeing motors, +visited the bridges, the museums, the public buildings, and within a +short time knew more about the topography and geography of the city than +nine-tenths of the people who lived in it. As they became accustomed to +the noise and the confusion and were able to find their way about with +ease, they scraped acquaintances on every side, and soon knew a multitude +of newsies, porters, policemen, truck drivers, car-conductors, and others. + +Hour after hour, day after day, night after night, they listened in. A +week passed. Then another went by. But excepting for one or two +snatches of talk, seemingly innocent, the watchers at the wireless caught +nothing. + +Then, as Roy was listening in one noon while his comrades were +down-stairs at luncheon, there was a sudden buzzing in his ear. Rapidly +he shifted coil and condenser until the vibrations came sharp and clear. +A call was sounding. 2XB was calling 5ZM. Roy seized his pencil and +copied the signals, at the same time trying hard to locate the direction +from which the signals came. It was well that Roy was a fast operator, +for the message that followed came with such rapidity that it taxed Roy's +ability to catch it. But he managed to get every letter. When the +message was ended, Roy reached for his list of stations and rapidly ran +through it. The stations he had overheard were not listed. There could +be no doubt about it. He had caught a message from a secret wireless. +He turned to the paper with the message. Here is what he had written +down: SRPSTSNIAOLTMIXNREHONTSTFIRG. But he could make no sense of it. +The letters would not form themselves into words, combine them as he +would. He rose and ran to the dining-room with the paper. + +Captain Hardy studied it for an instant. "Take this at once to Chief +Flynn," he said. "He may want to ask some questions about it. Willie +will relieve you at the wireless." + +Several hours passed before Roy returned, and Captain Hardy began to fear +lest, despite the training in the geography of the city, Roy had become +confused and gotten lost. Then suddenly the door of the wireless +apartment burst open and Roy flew in. + +"Chief Flynn told me he thought his men could unravel that message and +that I should wait a while," panted Roy, breathless from running up the +stairs. "And they did get it. It's what they call a transposition +cipher. Here is what it says." + +He held out a sheet of paper. On it the letters Roy had picked out of +the air were arranged in four lines, as follows: + + S R P S T S N + I A O L T M I + X N R E H O N + T S T F I R G + +"Read down instead of across," explained Roy. + +Captain Hardy studied the cipher a moment more, then read aloud: "Six +transports left this morning." + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +A NEW DANGER POINT + +For a moment there was dead silence. Then Captain Hardy spoke. "You +have done excellent work, Roy," he said. "Beyond doubt this is a +message from a German spy. It is fortunate you caught this particular +message, for it proves that, whether there is a leak in the navy +department or not, the Germans are watching our ships here in New York. +Did you catch the direction this came from, Roy?" + +"Yes, sir. I marked the direction on the blotter beneath the detector." + +"We'll take a look at it," said the leader, and the little band entered +the wireless room, where Lew was now on duty. + +On the white blotter they found a long black line, tipped with an angle +mark like an arrow-head. Captain Hardy got a map of the city, and +spreading it on the table true to the compass points, stretched a +yardstick across it in the direction indicated by the arrow. + +"Hoboken," he muttered. "The arrow points to Hoboken." For a moment he +studied the map before him. "You will remember," he said, looking up, +"that Hoboken is the point on the Jersey side of the Hudson where there +are such great railroad freight yards and such huge piers. Many +Atlantic liners sail from Hoboken. Evidently the Germans are watching +there. Of course they would be. Their spies are informing other +German agents every time a troop ship sails. And somehow they get that +news to Germany. It's a terrible menace to our army, boys. We must +put an end to it." + +"We will," came the reply from four sober-faced boys. + +"It's going to be a long task, boys," said Captain Hardy. "Get your +hats and we'll take a look at Hoboken." + +Leaving Lew at the wireless, the four others set out. They rode for a +distance on a Ninth Avenue elevated train, then walked to the ferry, +and in less than an hour of the time they left their headquarters found +themselves in the great Jersey shipping point. + +Never had the boys from Central City seen anything quite like the +water-front at Hoboken. The level ground was one great maze of +railroad tracks, freight depots, warehouses, and pier sheds. The wide +thoroughfare running along the waterfront presented a scene of +bewildering confusion. Trolley-cars, steam trains, motor trucks, +horse-drawn vehicles, and other conveyances were moving this way and +that. Whistles were tooting, motors honking, bells ringing, drivers +swearing, policemen shouting orders. Pedestrians were dodging in and +out, messenger boys were darting here and there. Porters were carrying +bundles on their shoulders, laborers were wheeling materials in steel +wheelbarrows, lines of heavily laden trucks were passing into steamship +piers, and guards and watchmen at every entrance were closely +scrutinizing all who approached. + +The four observers walked slowly along, studying every foot of the way. +High fences had been built here and there to hide what was going on +behind them. Covered ways led from railway terminals to pier sheds so +that none could see what had come by train. Even the gangways to the +ships were screened. Every precaution had been taken to baffle curious +eyes. + +"They've done their best," commented Captain Hardy, "but they can't +screen a ship on the river, and the Germans know when our transports +sail, even if they don't know what's in them. Any one with a good +glass can look out from any house along the river front and see clearly +every move made by a steamer. Let's take a stroll among these houses." + +They left the bustling water-front and passed to the higher ground +where stood the city proper. It was like most other American +municipalities--dirty, dingy, and unattractive, a hotchpotch of +buildings with no architectural unity. But it had one feature +possessed by few cities--an outlook on a great and busy harbor. + +As the boys stood looking at the rolling Hudson below them, watching +the ferry-boats come and go, like huge shuttles in a giant loom, +following the movements of steamers, and tugs and tow-boats, and +tracing the circling flight of the gulls, they forgot entirely the +errand that had brought them. Presently their leader broke the silence. + +"We shall have to get to work," he said. + +Starting at one end of the street, they walked slowly along its entire +length, studying every house that fronted on the river. They saw at +once that their task was hopeless. Square after square the houses +stretched in unbroken blocks. A hundred spies might be living in those +houses and no one be the wiser. A hundred wireless outfits might be +flashing messages among the clothes-lines on the roofs and only a roof +to roof survey would reveal the fact. But it was not necessary to run +even so slender a risk of discovery. As the wireless patrol knew only +too well, an aerial would work with great efficiency even though it +were strung in a chimney or erected entirely within doors. Yet the +little party continued its investigation until dusk, scanning every +window whence a glass might be directed toward the river, and threading +alleys and scrutinizing the wires of roofs and yards. But nowhere did +they see anything to arouse their suspicion. + +"We may as well go back, boys," their leader said at last. "We shall +have to depend upon our ears rather than our eyes if we are to catch +these villains. But we have made progress. We know where they are. +We have limited our field of observation to one place. Now we shall +have to do as we did at Elk City. We shall have to get two portable +sets with compact detectors and begin a watch in Hoboken. We'll have +to find this hidden wireless by triangulation, just as we caught the +dynamiters. But we haven't enough of a force to maintain two watches. +We shall likely have to send for more of the boys to come on." + +They recrossed the river and made their way back to their headquarters. +Lew had heard nothing. He was relieved by Henry. + +The others went down to dinner, and food was sent up to the lone +watcher. But when his trick was ended, he made the same report that +Lew had rendered. He, too, had heard nothing. + +"Doubtless," said Captain Hardy, "they use their wireless seldom for +fear of discovery. Probably they send a message only when troop ships +have actually sailed. That is likely the reason it was such a long +time before we caught the first message. And it may be just as long +before we hear another. But when it comes, we must be ready with our +two detectors. I'll see Chief Flynn about them in the morning. And +I'll tell him what we have learned in addition to what the cipher +message told us." + +"I wonder," said Roy, "how the secret service men ever unraveled that +cipher. I could never have done it. I was looking for something like +the code message we caught at Camp Brady." + +"It probably was not very difficult, Roy," replied Captain Hardy, "or +it could not have been fathomed so soon. I believe that most cipher +messages to-day are like the one you caught at Camp Brady. Apparently +they are innocent messages but they have a hidden meaning. The most +difficult cipher messages, I have heard, are of the substitution kind, +where many alphabets are used. It is pretty difficult to decipher such +messages unless you have the key word." + +"Then why didn't the Germans use a substitution cipher when they sent +this message about the transports?" asked Willie. "Then we might never +have been able to tell what they said." + +"It was hardly worth while, Willie. They know the authorities are +listening for their messages. It made no particular difference if the +contents of this message were known. But when they send out an order +for a spy to do something, I have no doubt they use the most difficult +code they can devise, or at least one that they believe only the spy +will understand. So we may expect to catch messages in different codes +before we are through with our work." + +Captain Hardy rose and began to look along the shelves of books. "Here +is a volume," he said presently, "that will tell us a great deal about +cipher messages." + +He had just laid open the book when Roy rushed in from the wireless +room. "I've got another message," he said, holding out a paper on +which was a long string of letters. + +"I wasn't expecting another message so soon," said Captain Hardy in +surprise. Slowly he read the letters on the paper Roy had given him: + + "FTSTITEIAFTDLLTNSYWTORPSLHVNRLEEYLIOTEIH + UAOSEIEGGEVNCENDRRTERNRADSNLEEITOCGEOSHM." + +"It looks like the same cipher used before," he went on. "If it is, we +can unravel this message without bothering the secret service. At any +rate we'll make a try at it. Where's that other message, Willie?" + +The first message was brought. Captain Hardy spread it on the table +and the group bent over it. + +"The letters divide evenly into four lines, you notice," said the +leader. "Let's see if this message will do the same." + +He counted the letters with his pencil. "Eighty," he announced. "That +would make four lines of twenty letters each. We'll try it." + +Rapidly he copied the first twenty letters. Below them he made a +second line of the next twenty letters. Then the third set of twenty +was written down. As he began the fourth row the three boys at his +side held their breath. + +"He's got it," Willie Brown cried, as Captain Hardy wrote down the +first letter. "He's got it. It spells four." + +Rapidly Captain Hardy finished out his line. The letters he had +written down read like this: + + FTSTITEIAFTDLLTNSYWT + ORPSLHVNRLEEYLIOTEIH + UAOSEIEGGEVNCENDRRTE + RNRADSNLEEITOCGEOSHM + +He picked up the paper and slowly spelled out the following message: + + "Four--transports--sailed--this--evening-- + Large--fleet--evidently--collecting-- + No--destroyers--with--them." + +For a moment there was complete silence. Then Henry spoke. "They can +see everything in Hoboken," he said. "It's a wonderful place to spy +from." + +"That message didn't come from Hoboken," said Roy, who had been +listening to their conversation with one ear while he kept his receiver +at the other. "It was for 5ZM all right, but it was signed 2XC instead +of 2XB and the detector doesn't point toward Hoboken." + +There was a rush for the wireless room. Captain Hardy seized a map, +spread it on the table, and again applied the yardstick, extending it +in the direction indicated by the detector. The stick pointed straight +toward the Narrows, at the entrance to the harbor. + +"That message came from Staten Island," said Captain Hardy with +conviction. "They have got two secret stations." + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +CONFUSION WORSE CONFOUNDED + +As the possibility of this new difficulty rose before them, the members +of the wireless patrol were almost staggered. They knew how difficult +it had been to locate the hidden wireless in the mountains at the Elk +City storage reservoir, where there were no other wireless plants to +distract them and no houses to conceal the apparatus. The obstacles +now before them appeared almost insuperable. + +The silence was broken by their leader. "I suppose we shall not learn +anything, but at least it will be better to look the ground over. So +in the morning we'll run over to Staten Island." + +Morning found Henry on the wireless watch. Lew's trick was to follow. +The two others and Captain Hardy left the house immediately after their +breakfast and set off for Staten Island. In order to see something of +the city as they journeyed, they went on the Ninth Avenue elevated +road, and in half an hour found themselves at South Ferry, whence the +city-owned ferry-boats leave for Staten Island. It was their first +visit to this ferry and they were impressed by the fine waiting-rooms +and the magnificent ferry-boats. + +The trip down the harbor thrilled them with pleasure. The narrow +channel between Manhattan Island and Governor's Island seemed to be +filled with snorting tugboats, strings of barges, great floats carrying +many loaded freight-cars, puffing steamships, and even sailing vessels. +Whistles were tooting on every side as pilots signaled to one another. + +"I don't see how they ever manage to keep from smashing into one +another," said Willie as he stood with wide eyes, watching the rapidly +moving craft about him. + +"They don't always," said Captain Hardy. "But accidents are +surprisingly few." + +Hardly had they gotten up speed before they passed close to Governor's +Island, the military reservation which was the army headquarters for +the Department of the East. With great interest they looked at Castle +William, the great circular stone fort, now useless for protection, but +venerable with age and tradition, that stood at the western edge of the +island. + +Soon they were past the island and out in the open bay. Far to the +left were the Brooklyn shores, with their great shipping terminals and +stores and clustered steamers. On the right, and still more distant, +ran the low Jersey coast, almost hidden in fog and smoke. Against this +dull background towered the Statue of Liberty. Reverently the boys +stood looking at this great image, known the world over as no other +statue is known, and symbolic of all a free earth holds dear--symbolic +of that liberty, fraternity, equality that the free men of the world +are giving their lives to preserve. A mist rose in their eyes as they +looked at this symbol of that which they, too, were giving their +devoted efforts to preserve--their homes, their families, their +freedom. And on every face came a set expression of determination +that, even though the countenances wearing it were youthful, boded no +good to the treacherous enemies of freedom whose trail they were that +very moment following. Then they flashed past Robbin's Reef light and +snuggled into their slip at Staten Island. + +Before them towered the community of St. George, straggling, like some +old world village, up the sloping streets to the heights. Quickly they +climbed a winding road that led to the top of the hill. Like Jerusalem +the golden, the village about them was beautiful for situation. For +miles it commanded an unobstructed view in almost every direction. To +the north were the rolling reaches of the Upper Bay across which they +had come, with the tall sky-scrapers of Manhattan towering heavenward +in the background and looking so near at hand that it was hard to +believe that they were six miles distant. Shaped not unlike a pear, +the great Bay tapered to stem-like dimensions as it flowed to the east +of Staten Island and found its way to that greater sheet of water, the +Lower Bay. On the opposite side of this passage rose the bluff shores +of Brooklyn. But the Staten Island shore towered high above everything +else. On opposite sides of the narrowest parts of the channel to the +sea were forts. And it was to this very Narrows that the wireless +detector had pointed when Roy caught the message on the previous night. + +"From somewhere in this neighborhood that message came," said Captain +Hardy. "And beyond a doubt it came from some house on the slope before +us. From this view-point an observer can see everything that takes +place in both Upper and Lower Bay and spy on every vessel passing +through the Narrows. With a powerful glass an observer on these slopes +could almost distinguish the buttons on the sailors' clothes or read +the compass on the bridge of a ship. Let us see what we can find." + +For a mile or two they walked leisurely along the brow of the hill, +carefully examining every house that possessed a good outlook over the +Narrows. They found many such, but as was the case in Hoboken, the +houses were as like as so many peas. In location or construction there +was nothing that would direct the finger of suspicion to one house +rather than another. Any house with an unobstructed outlook might +harbor a spy. + +When they had gone far enough along the brow of the hill Captain Hardy +said, "Let us go back along the slope. I suspect any observer would +get as near to the water as he could and yet have sufficient elevation +for a wide view. I believe the place we are looking for is somewhere +below us." + +They climbed down to a lower level and began their return walk. On the +slope the buildings were not so close together. There were more open +spaces, more undeveloped stretches where trees yet remained and +thickets of underbrush still stood undisturbed. + +"These houses would make better radio stations than those so closely +crowded together, I should think," commented Captain Hardy. + +Slowly they sauntered along, stopping near every suspicious house, +ostensibly to view the landscape, and giving it a searching examination +as they took in the view. And so artfully was their work done that no +one watching the eager group, looking now here, now there, would have +dreamed that ships and shipping were the last things they were +interested in. + +Slowly they worked their way along the slope, now climbing to higher +levels, now descending to lower, as it became necessary to view a +habitation from one side or the other. But search as they might, +nothing stood out in any place that was of a suspicious nature. There +were no questionable wire clothes-lines, for here every one seemed to +use cotton lines. No flagpoles rose aloft, up which antennas wires +could be hoisted in the guise of halyards. No kites flew from back +yards. No lightning-rods rose suspiciously above the housetops. There +were no tall chimneys inside which hidden wires might be stretched. +Nowhere was there anything at which they could definitely point the +finger of suspicion. + +Almost had they given up hope of finding anything that would help them, +when they came to a place where the slope jutted out sharply for a +little space, like the nose on a human face. The ground sloped outward +for a distance at a gentle angle, then dropped precipitously many feet. +But on either side of the nose of land the even slope of the hill was +unbroken, just as human cheeks continue their uninterrupted slope from +the forehead. Perched on this nose of land was an inconspicuous little +house. As the surrounding land was too steep for habitation, this +house stood by itself, the slope for many yards on either side being +overgrown with bushes and undergrowths, while a considerable stand of +pines grew at one side. The fenced-in yard of this house was large, +and by an ingenious system of curves a roadway had been built from the +public thoroughfare up to the little house. Evidently the owner +possessed a motor-car, for a tiny garage was snuggled into the hill +beside the dwelling. + +But the thing that at once attracted the little patrol was the view +afforded by the location. Indeed it was _the_ view-point +strategically; for the jutting nose of land gave an unobstructed +outlook toward both Bays which could be had from no other location on +the same level, while the Narrows lay immediately below the house and +so close that it seemed as though one could throw a stone from the +little house into the water. + +For several minutes the three searchers stared at the structure before +them. "I believe," said Willie, in the language of blind man's buff, +"that we are getting hot." + +"Let's look at the place from the other side," suggested Roy. + +Slowly they sauntered along the highway, now examining the Narrows, now +watching some ship in the offing, but gradually working their way to +the other side of the little house. Everywhere except at the rear of +the building, where the hill rose steeply, ornamental rows of windows +had been built into the structure, giving an uninterrupted view, north, +east, and south. + +"I'll bet there are no partition walls in that floor," said Roy, "and +if there aren't, anybody could sit in the front of the house and look +in three directions by merely turning his head. Why that place is just +made for spying on shipping." + +"And it's exactly where our wireless pointed," said Willie. + +"I wonder how we could get into the place and examine it." + +"You mustn't think of such a thing," said Captain Hardy. "If there is +a wireless outfit there, you may be sure that it will be as effectually +secreted as the one in our rooms is, and you would never find it. But +you would certainly alarm the people in the house, and the Chief warned +me that under no circumstances should we alarm the people we are +watching. We must get a complete case against them before any move is +made." + +"But if this is a wireless station, how are we going to know it unless +we search the house?" demanded Roy. + +"We shall have to keep a watch on the house itself and try to trail +everybody who goes in or out. And we shall keep up our wireless watch. +If messages are coming from here we shall run them down just as we +intended to run down the Hoboken messages. This place is so much +better for spy work, being near the forts as well as the waterways, +that we'll drop Hoboken and centre our efforts here. But I don't know +just how we'll do it. I'll have to let the Chief outline the plan. We +may have to move down here. But in the meantime you boys can keep the +place under observation very easily from some of these thickets." + +The three went on down the road and passed out of sight of the house, +laying their plans as they went. Arrived at the road to the ferry, +they separated, Captain Hardy continuing on down to the wharf, while +Willie and Roy turned about and retraced their steps. While Captain +Hardy was speeding back to Manhattan to consult the secret service men, +the two young scouts made their way to a turn of the road whence they +could barely see a gable of the house on the cliff. They had not met a +soul. They left the highway and scrambled up the slope to a dense +thicket of underbrush. Screened by this, they cautiously approached +the house and made their way unseen into the little stand of pines they +had previously noted. + +The cover was good. The pines on the outer edges of the stand, where +the light was ample, branched close to the ground, making a dense +hedge. Behind these protecting branches the two boys could move freely +without fear of discovery. By mounting upward a little distance, they +had a perfect view of the house they were watching, and could see all +who entered or left it. They found some limbs where they could sit +comfortably and took up their vigil. + +"Captain Hardy said we must trail anybody who came out of the house," +said Willie. "If we follow them on the road we could be seen and we +might be suspected. How can we trail them without being seen?" + +They looked around. Higher up the slope ran another road, so hidden by +shrubbery and bushy growths as to be almost invisible from below. A +person walking along this road could easily follow one on the highway +below without being seen. A brief study of the slope also showed them +a bushy way by which they could scramble unseen up to this road. + +Now they gave their undivided attention to the house before them, +studying every feature of house and grounds that they might be able, if +it became necessary, to make their way safely about the premises. But +no one came to the house, no one left it, no one appeared at a window, +and there was no sign whatever that a living being was in the house. + +The minutes began to drag. It was uninteresting to sit and scrutinize +a house when there was so much of real interest to see. So between +glances at the home on the cliff, the scouts began to study anew the +wonderful harbor that so fascinated them. + +Again they studied those distant sky-scrapers, which looked, at the +distance, like dream buildings, deceptive structures of the clouds. +The waters intervening were palpitant with life. As an hour passed, +and then another, the young watchers gave more and more attention to +the landscape and less to the house near by. The air was vibrant with +the tooting of whistles. The wind was sweeping the water before it in +graceful waves. The passing steamers churned it into yeasty foam. +Great sailing ships came surging in from the deeps, deck-laden with +heavy cargoes, parting the water with their high bows, their sails +bellying in the breeze and shining white in the sun. Tugs passed +restlessly to and fro, dragging behind them long strings of coal +barges. And once a great ocean liner came in through the Narrows, +making the very hills vibrate with the thunder of her whistle. +Intently the boys watched her as she slowed at quarantine and the port +physicians boarded her. By mere chance Willie turned his glance toward +the house on the cliff, and there, close to the front windows, stood a +man with field-glasses to his eyes, studying the liner in the Narrows +below. + +"Look!" gasped Willie. "There's a man in the window!" + +But before Roy could turn his head the figure had disappeared. + +"We almost missed him," said Willie. "We're poor scouts to forget what +we are about." + +They centred their gaze on the near-by house. Forgotten was the +glorious picture spread before them, forgotten everything but the +glass-fronted dwelling and the invisible man with the field-glasses. +But look as they would, they could see nothing further of a suspicious +nature. Another hour passed. Dinner time had long gone by. The one +o'clock whistle had blown. And their own stomachs told them accurately +what time it was; but they would not leave their post. Now that they +had once scented their quarry, as it were, or believed that they had, +they were like hounds on the trail. Their training at Camp Brady now +showed its effect. + +But the hours passed, the afternoon waned, and nothing further occurred +to draw their attention to the little house. Gradually their vigilance +relaxed. Their eyes wandered again to that fascinating harbor scene, +to the never-ending moving picture spread before them. Again they saw +tugs and ferry-boats plying busily back and forth, and the flashing +sails of great schooners. But presently they saw something like +nothing they had ever beheld. Far in the distance was a line of moving +objects, gliding through the waves in stately fashion, approaching one +behind the other at equal distances. Just what was approaching the two +scouts could not at first determine, so indistinct in outline were the +moving bulks. But presently, as the oncoming objects drew nearer, the +watchers saw that they were great ships. But they looked unlike any +ships they had ever seen or heard of. They seemed to be of no color +and of every color. They were streaked and splotched in the most +curious way. They looked as though some giant hand had flung eggs of +different colors against their sides. + +The boys looked at one another in astonishment. "Well, what in the +mischief ails those boats?" demanded Roy. + +They were silent a moment, becoming more amazed than ever. + +"I know," cried Willie suddenly. "They're camouflaged. They must be +transports." He turned his head for a glance at the house. "Quick!" +he said. "There's the man at the window again." + +For some minutes the figure before them stood motionless except for the +movement of his field-glasses, with which he swept the oncoming fleet +of transports. Then he drew back from the window again. The boys kept +their eyes fastened on the little house. For a long time nothing +occurred. Then a grocer's boy came in sight, struggling up the highway +with a basket of supplies on his arm. The watchers paid small +attention to him until he turned suddenly into the driveway leading up +to the house. A moment later he had disappeared within the building. + +"He's only a grocery boy," said Roy. + +"We'll have to watch him, anyway," said Willie. "I'll follow him when +he comes out and you watch the house." + +They had not long to wait. In a few minutes the boy came out, his +basket empty, and went skipping down the hill. Quick as a flash Willie +scrambled to the roadway above, and, screened by the shrubbery, +followed on the higher level. A quarter mile toward the ferry the two +highways came together. Willie reached the intersection at almost the +same time as the grocer's boy. Each took a glance at the other and +kept on his way, Willie dropping a few yards behind the other lad. + +A quarter of a mile further on the slope changed and the district was +thickly built up. The errand boy soon entered a store. Willie had +just time for a quick glance at the sign on the window. It read, +"Fritz Berger, Fancy Groceries." Then Willie opened the door and +followed the errand boy into the place. + +A florid, burly man with upturned mustaches stood behind the counter. +The errand boy was talking to him. In his hand he held a silver dollar. + +"Here is the money for Mr. Baum's sugar," he was saying. + +"Good!" said the grocer, seizing the coin, which he dropped in his +pocket. Then he turned to Willie. "Well?" he said inquiringly. + +"Sugar," said Willie. "I want five pounds of sugar." + +"I have no more," said the grocer. "It is all sold." + +"Pshaw!" said Willie. "Where can I get some?" + +"I don't know," said the grocer. + +"Got any candy?" asked Willie. + +"Sure. In that case." + +Willie walked to the show-case and slowly examined the stock. "Give me +ten cents' worth of those chocolates," he finally ordered. + +The storekeeper weighed out the candy and dumped it in a bag. He took +the proffered dime, dropped it in his till, and turned away. + +Willie left the store and stood for a moment undecided as to which way +to go. "Nothing doing there," he said to himself. Then he turned a +corner and started down the hill. The supper hour was approaching. +People were coming up the street from the ferry, homeward bound from +Manhattan. A motor-car came chugging up the road and drew close to the +curb. The driver turned his car about, clamped on the brake, and +stepped out, leaving his engine running. Willie went on down the +street and was soon in the midst of a throng coming up from the ferry. +He stopped to look at a jeweler's clock, turned about, and started on +his way to rejoin Roy. Suddenly he heard the softly whistled signal of +the wireless patrol. He turned sharply about and saw Captain Hardy +across the street. He dodged a motor-car that was rooming down the +hill and crossed to his captain. There had been no sign of life about +the little house since the grocer's boy came out. + +"Come," said the leader. "I have seen the Chief and he is going to +arrange it so that we can watch this place in comfort. We will go back +home now." + +They climbed cautiously to the road above. "By George!" exclaimed +Captain Hardy suddenly. "You boys haven't had a bite to eat since +breakfast. I forgot all about that." + +"How about yourself?" asked Roy. + +"Well, I haven't either, but that's different. I've had a chance to +get something if I had thought of it. We won't wait until we get home +to eat. There's a restaurant at the ferry-house. We'll have a good +dinner there." + +More than an hour passed before the three rose from their table. +Another hour had gone by before they reached their headquarters. They +were tired and sleepy. But their drowsiness vanished when Henry rushed +into the living-room of their apartment and thrust a sheet of paper +into Captain Hardy's hands. + +"It's another message," he said, "and we deciphered it ourselves." + +Captain Hardy stepped to the light and read the message aloud. "Five +more transports sailed late this afternoon. All camouflaged." + +"We know the man who sent that message," cried Willie. "We've been +watching him all the afternoon, down on the hillside at Staten Island." + +"But this message didn't come from Staten Island," said Henry. "The +detector points straight east over Brooklyn, and the message was sent +from a long way off. It was very faint." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +WHERE MONEY TALKED + +For a full minute the members of the wireless patrol stared at one +another in speechless amazement. Then Willie broke the silence. + +"I don't care where it came from," he said. "I just know that the man +we were watching sent it." + +"But how could he have sent it, when the wireless pointed to Brooklyn?" +demanded Henry. + +"Oh! I don't mean that he actually sent it with his own fingers," said +Willie. "But we saw him watching the ships and there isn't any other +place in the whole harbor where you can get such a good view of them. +I just know he had something to do with that message." + +"I'll bet the Germans have got a string of wireless outfits and that +what he does is to stay in that house and spy on ships that pass +through the Narrows and then telephone to one of these secret wireless +stations," said the nimble-witted Roy. "And if that's the case he +hasn't any wireless at all himself." + +"If Roy is right," said Henry, "it's a pretty clever scheme. The +secret service could take his house to pieces and not find a wire in +it. Yet he's the man that's sending the messages, or at least starting +them." + +"Roy is doubtless correct," said their leader. "We know they have at +least three stations and they may have many more. The object of that, +of course, is to baffle any wireless man who may be on their track. If +we hadn't stumbled on this spy post at Staten Island, we should have +been completely blocked ourselves. But we've got something definite to +work on now. We've got a definite clue. And sooner or later we will +uncover some of their hidden stations. From now on we've got to watch +this man on Staten Island as well as listen for messages. I don't see +how we are to do it unless we send for more of the boys or move to +Staten Island." + +When the matter was laid before Chief Flynn he said no more boys were +needed. Too many boys in one house would attract attention. So he +arranged to transfer the wireless patrol to Staten Island. Living on +the slope above the suspected house was a well-to-do but childless +couple with a rather large house, who were warm friends of the Chief's; +and they readily agreed, as a matter of service to their country, to +take the wireless patrol into their home. So a wireless outfit was +installed, with a concealed aerial, and the boys found themselves +situated even more pleasantly than they had been before. + +And it was well that they were pleasantly situated, for though their +task was not difficult in one sense, in another it was extremely +trying. Six hours a day each boy sat at the wireless listening in. +Had it been possible to tune to longer wave lengths and pick up the +interesting news with which the air was fairly alive, the task would +have been anything but irksome. But to sit hour after hour with their +instruments tuned to the short wave lengths used by the German agents +and hear nothing, was trying enough. The watch on the spy's nest +proved hardly less tedious. From a gable-window in the attic a very +fair view could be had of the little house below. Here, on rainy days, +a watcher sat during all the hours of daylight; and on other days the +sheltering pines hid an observer. But day followed day, night +succeeded night, and no message was registered on the wireless +instrument nor did anything suspicious occur in the house under +surveillance. + +Indeed the fact that nothing did occur was in itself suspicious. For +there was hardly a sign of life about the house. No man left it in the +morning bound for business. No woman emerged from its door to go +shopping of an afternoon. For days at a time nobody entered or left +the place, excepting the grocer's boy who came with food. + +Then one day a motor-car, with its top raised, chugged up the highway +and climbed the steep driveway to the house on the cliff. Henry was in +the attic gable on watch and he promptly notified his comrades. There +was a rush for the third story, and four heads crowded close together +as four pairs of eyes sought to identify the make and number of the +car. But the name-plate was missing, and the license tag was so dusty +that the number could not be read. + +"Run down to the pines with this, quick," said Captain Hardy, thrusting +his field-glasses into Willie's hand, "and get the number of that car. +See if you can tell what make it is and look for distinguishing marks." + +Willie scrambled down the slope through the concealing shrubbery and +approached the house as near as he dared. But he had hardly reached +his station when the driver ran down the steps of the house, sprang to +the wheel, and was off at a fast pace. Willie climbed cautiously back +to headquarters. + +"Did you get its number?" asked his chief. + +"No," replied Willie. "It was covered with dust. And I couldn't tell +what make of car it was. But I saw the driver and I am sure I have +seen him before and the car, too." + +"That's not unlikely," said Captain Hardy, "if he lives anywhere near +here. We've been here several days now." + +"I'm sure I've seen that man somewhere," said Willie. "I wish I could +remember where it was." + +Another day passed and another, and still the little house on the cliff +showed no signs of life. But one afternoon the monotonous watch came +to a sudden end. Lew, in the attic gable, espied a fleet of transports +coming down the bay. Instantly he spread the alarm. + +"You boys slip down to the pines," said Captain Hardy to Willie and +Roy. "If any one comes out of the house trail him. Now we'll find out +whether this spy--if he be a spy--telephones his news or sends it out +by messenger. The Chief has had the telephone wires tapped and is +receiving a record of all conversations." + +Lew continued his watch aloft. Henry sat tense at the wireless, +waiting to catch any possible message, and Roy and Willie scrambled +cautiously down to their favorite observation post in the pines. On +came the transports, riding the waves in a stately column; yet the +little house seemed as lifeless as ever. + +"Watch close," whispered Willie. "Don't let anything escape us." + +On came the ships, nearer and nearer, throwing the white spray away +from their bows. They passed Robbin's Reef light. They drew close to +the entrance to the Narrows. Breathlessly the boys awaited their +nearer approach. The transports reached the narrowest part of the +passage and still there was no sign of life in the little house. +Willie gave a sigh of disappointment and started to speak; but before +he could utter a word there was a movement in the window before them +and the man they had previously seen appeared for a moment sweeping the +Narrows with his glasses. Then he disappeared from sight. + +"It's him!" exclaimed Willie, forgetting his grammar in his excitement. +"Now he's either telephoning his message or getting it ready for a +messenger. We'll soon know." + +They had not long to wait. A figure was seen coming up the highway. + +"It's only the grocer's boy," said Willie in disappointment. "This is +the time he usually comes." + +"I wonder if we aren't on a wild-goose chase," said Roy. "Maybe the +man in that house isn't any spy at all. I begin to think so." + +"I don't," maintained Willie. "I just know he's a spy, but how he +sends his messages I can't figure out." + +Just then the grocer's boy came out of the house. "There's no use +trailing him," said Roy. "We already know who he is. While we're +following him the messenger might come--if there is one." + +"Captain Hardy said we should follow any one who left the house," said +Willie, "so I suppose we'll have to watch this errand boy. You go this +time, Roy." + +In a minute Roy had reached the higher thoroughfare. He ran down the +road at top speed and got to the grocery store before the loitering +errand boy even came up into this higher road from the lower +thoroughfare. But instead of entering the store, Roy turned the +corner, retracing his steps in time to enter the store half a minute +before the errand boy got there. + +The grocer was behind the counter. "Have you any crackers?" asked Roy. + +The grocer took down a package of Uneeda biscuits. + +"You don't have any loose ones?" asked Roy. + +"No, these are all we keep." + +"Guess I'll have to take 'em," said Roy. "Got any candy?" + +"In the case there," was the answer. + +Roy walked over to the show-case and began to examine the stock. Just +then the errand boy came in. + +"Here's the money for the sugar," he said, handing the grocer a silver +dollar. + +The grocer took the coin and carelessly dropped it into his pocket. + +Roy continued his inspection of the stock of sweetmeats. "Give me five +cents' worth of gum-drops," he said. + +The grocer began to weigh them out. A tall man with gauntlets and with +motor goggles on his forehead came in. + +"Hello, Fritz," he said jovially. "Got that sugar for me yet?" + +"Just sold my last ounce," said the grocer. "I haven't been able to +get a bit for three days." + +"Himmel!" said the customer. "How much longer have I got to go without +sugar in my coffee?" + +He turned to go. + +"Hello!" called the grocer. "Here's that dollar I owe you." + +The man turned back, and the grocer pulled the coin from his pocket and +dropped it into the man's gloved hand. + +"Good luck to you," he said, then finished weighing out the gum-drops +for Roy, and dropped the nickel in his cash drawer. + +Slowly Roy retraced his steps. "Well, what happened?" asked Willie, as +Roy rejoined him. + +"Nothing," said Roy in disgust. "The errand boy came in and handed the +grocer a dollar that he had collected for sugar. Pretty soon an +automobile driver came in to get some sugar and the grocer said he +hadn't any more, but he paid him a dollar he owed him." + +Willie was silent, turning the matter over in his mind. "Then what?" +he asked after a time. + +"Nothing, except that I bought some candy and the grocer put the money +in his cash drawer. Then I left." + +"Where else would he put it?" asked Willie, abstractedly, as he tried +to read some meaning into the grocer's apparently meaningless acts. + +"Well," said Roy, "he didn't put the dollar the errand boy gave him +into the drawer. He dropped that into his pocket." + +"Why, that's exactly what happened when I was in there the other day," +said Willie in surprise. + +The daylight waned. Dusk came on. It grew too dark to see the spy's +house from the pines. It was past time to relieve Henry at the +wireless. The two scouts climbed to their own house for orders. As +they came up the stairs they heard the voice of Henry. + +"Come quick," he called. "I've got another message." + +Everybody rushed to Henry's side. Captain Hardy seized the sheet of +paper from Henry's hand, and counted the long string of letters written +on it. Quickly he rearranged them in four equal lines. Then slowly he +read the cipher. "Another transport fleet assembling. First five +boats went to sea this afternoon." + +"Where did this message come from?" he demanded, as he laid down the +paper. + +"From some point down the Jersey coast," said Henry, "and probably not +more than twenty miles away." + +A long silence followed. "We're simply up against it," said Lew +dejectedly. "We don't get anywhere." + +Suddenly Willie jumped to his feet with a cry. "I've got it! I've got +it!" he almost shouted. "Why didn't I see it before?" + +"Got what?" asked Roy, astonished. + +Willie paid no attention to his question. "What sort of a looking man +was that motorist?" he cried. + +"A tall fellow, with black hair and with a big scar on his cheek," said +the astonished Roy. + +"I knew it," cried Willie. "I knew it! Now I know how the messages +are carried. It's as plain as can be." + +His fellows clustered about him. "What do you mean?" said Captain +Hardy eagerly. "Explain." + +"Well," said Willie, "when I followed that grocer's boy the other day, +I saw him give the grocer a dollar which he said he had collected for +sugar. The grocer put it in his pocket. But when I gave him money for +candy he dropped it in his till. Just after I left the store and +turned the corner a man drove up in a motor. I noticed him because he +turned his car completely around and stopped at the curb. He got out +and left his engine running. When I crossed the street to meet you, +after you whistled, I dodged a motor-car. It was the same car, but I +thought nothing of it." He paused, as though collecting his thoughts. + +"Go on," said their leader eagerly. + +"To-day," resumed Willie, "Roy followed that same grocer's boy from the +house on the cliff to the grocery store and saw him give the grocer a +dollar, which he said he had collected for sugar. The grocer dropped +the coin in his pocket, but he put Roy's nickel in his drawer. A +minute later an automobile driver came in. The grocer said he owed him +a dollar and gave him the coin from his pocket. That driver was the +same one I saw the other day." + +"How do you know?" interrupted Captain Hardy. "You didn't see him +to-day?" + +"But Roy saw him. He's a tall man with black hair and with a scar on +his left cheek. That's the man I saw, and it's the man who drove up to +the house on the cliff the other day. I knew that I had seen him, but +I couldn't remember just where." For a moment he stood silent, fairly +panting with excitement. + +"Well?" said Lew. "What about him? The grocer could owe him a dollar +as well as anybody." + +"But he didn't owe him a dollar," cried Willie. "Don't you see? The +spy in the house below gave that dollar to the errand boy. He gave it +to the grocer. He gave it to the motor driver. It's the same dollar. +He didn't put it in the till with the other coins. He kept it in his +pocket separate. That automobile driver is the man who carried the +messages to the wireless. The messages are on the dollars." + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +A FRESH START + +Amazed, the members of the little patrol looked at one another silently. + +"How could they send a message on a dollar?" demanded Lew at last. +"They'd have to engrave it, and then they'd never dare to use the +dollar again. Besides, it would be too dangerous. If the message were +on paper, the paper could be burned or chewed up and swallowed, and the +evidence of crime destroyed. But they couldn't erase the engraving on +a dollar." + +"I don't know how they do it," said Willie, "but I'm sure they write +their messages on those dollars." + +"Willie is doubtless right," said Captain Hardy. "We don't know how +they do it, but the evidence leads directly to the conclusion Willie +has come to. The spy in the house below us writes his messages on +dollars and sends them through this grocer's boy and the motor-car +driver to the various secret wireless plants the Germans evidently +possess near New York. I think that is plain. And it indicates new +lines of action for us. We must not only continue to listen in for +messages and watch this spy's nest, but we shall have to follow this +motor-car driver and also learn the secret of the dollars." + +"Hurrah!" cried Roy, his eyes shining. "Now there'll be something +doing." Then he struck a tragic attitude and declaimed, "Little do the +treacherous hawks in yonder nest realize that the eagles of the law are +about to swoop down on them." + +"Some orator, Roy," said Lew. "If we're eagles, we must have wings. +Are mine sprouting yet?" And he turned his back to Roy for the +latter's examination. + +When the laughter ceased, their leader went on, "You boys are to be +congratulated for your discovery. You have accomplished a great deal. +But what has been done is little compared with what remains to be done. +And so far you have worked in safety. The work ahead may be very +dangerous. The hidden wireless stations we are after are probably in +lonely places. The men operating them are desperate fellows and will +not hesitate even to commit murder. If one of you boys should follow +this motor driver into a lonesome spot and then be caught, you might +never return." + +The smiles faded from the faces before him. But the grave looks that +succeeded were not expressions of fear. Rather they were looks of +determination--the same set marks of grim purpose that Captain Hardy +had seen on these same youthful faces when the wireless patrol was +stalking the desperate dynamiters at the Elk City reservoir. + +Again it was Roy who brought back the smiles. "If we have to follow +that automobile driver," he said, "it's a question of 'where do we go +from here, boys?'" + +"Only the boy who does the following can answer that question," +answered Captain Hardy. "But there are several matters that we can +decide at once. I think that we've determined pretty definitely that +the man in the house below us----" + +"In the hawk's nest," interrupted Roy. + +"Well, the man in the hawk's nest," continued their leader, smiling, +"is a German spy, that he is there to report the movements of our +transports, and that he does it by means of messages sent out on silver +dollars. Now we've got to get hold of one of those dollars. That +might not be a difficult task in itself. We could hold up the grocer's +boy and take the dollar away from him, or we might get it away from him +by trickery and substitute another dollar for the stolen one. We might +even be able to pick the grocer's pocket and give him a substitute +coin. But neither plan would help us because the trick would soon be +discovered and the spies would know that they are suspected. It +wouldn't do us any good to get their code if they knew we had it. They +would simply use another. What we must do is to locate their agents, +one after another, learn their codes and ciphers, and catch their +messages in the air. When we have laid bare the entire scheme and +learned who their agents are, then the secret service can grab the +entire organization at once and end this treachery for good." + +Captain Hardy paused and looked uneasily across the room, as though +lost in thought. His companions were quiet as mice, each also busy +with his own thoughts. + +"It's a long, hard task, boys," said the captain, after a time, and he +drew a deep breath, "a long task and, from now on, a dangerous task. +Whatever you do, boys, remember the Chief's warning. Above all else, +we must be careful not to alarm the men we are watching." + +As Captain Hardy rose to get his hat he said, "I don't quite see how we +are to follow this motor-car driver without being detected. So I am +going over to Manhattan to see the agent the Chief has put in charge of +this investigation. Perhaps I'll have some interesting news for you +when I return. Meantime, keep your eyes and ears open and be careful." + +With renewed interest and determination the members of the wireless +patrol returned to their posts. But though they listened faithfully at +the wireless and uninterruptedly watched the hawk's nest on the cliff +below them, no alarming sound came out of the air and no suggestive +movement occurred within their vision. + +Their captain came back with a smile of satisfaction on his face. But +the members of the wireless patrol were too well disciplined to +question their leader. They knew that, as always before, he would give +them the proper orders at the proper time; and that if they obeyed +those orders faithfully and intelligently, success would follow. But +Captain Hardy was different in many respects from other commanders, and +his subordinates were not at all like ordinary privates in an army. +There was no question as to their loyalty, discretion, or intelligence; +and their leader believed he could attain the greatest success by +taking them into his confidence. So presently he answered the question +that each boy was longing to ask. + +From his pocket he produced detailed maps of all the neighboring +country, so mounted on cheese-cloth, after being cut into squares, that +they could be folded into small size without injuring the maps +themselves. Thus the bearer could always follow his route, whether he +walked or rode, whether the air was calm or the wind blew fiercely, by +carrying in his hand the necessary map folded in small compass. + +Now Captain Hardy spread out his maps full length on a table, and for +half an hour the little group bent over them, heads close together, +examining the topography of the city's environs as once they had +studied the city itself. Marked to show altitudes, roads, byways, +rivers, streams, marshes, woodlands, and even the buildings themselves, +these maps enabled the little group of scouts to see, through their +imaginations, every foot of the country about New York. + +They visualized the great, flat, low-lying stretches of southern Long +Island and New Jersey; the abrupt bluffs of Long Island's northern +coast by the shore of the Sound; the various watery arms that encircle +the American metropolis, permitting ships to sail in every direction; +the majestic Hudson leading straight north through a wonderful country +of rocks and hills, the impressive Palisades flanking its western bank +with their towering perpendicular walls of stone; and the rocky, +rolling country lying west of them, interspersed with streams and +swamps and woodlands and open fields and clustered villages. And when +they had finished their study of the maps, they knew more about the +topography of the country they had studied, its roads and paths and +groves and elevations and other physical characteristics, than half the +people who lived in the region. So they were prepared, if need be, to +find their way about with little difficulty. And it was well they were +so prepared. In the dangerous days to come they were to need all this +knowledge. + +When they had studied the maps to their hearts' content--and each of +the four boys again and again examined them--Captain Hardy folded the +maps and thrust them into a waterproof cover. They made a neat little +packet like a thin book. + +"You will be interested to learn what the secret service has found +out," said Captain Hardy, as he stowed the maps in his pocket. "When I +left here, I reported immediately to the man in charge of this +particular investigation. Our discovery seems to me so important that +I ventured to ask why the secret service men didn't take the case up +themselves, as they would no doubt get along much faster than we +possibly can. For it seems to me message sending ought to be stopped +at once. The agent said that all this was true, but that the secret +service was so crowded with work it had to take up the most important +matters first." + +"Most important matters!" cried Roy, in indignation. "Doesn't the +secret service consider the guarding of our troops important?" + +"Yes, Roy. But whether the Germans know exactly when our ships leave +or not, their submarines will be waiting for them and our destroyers +will always be guarding the transports. But here in New York German +spies are trying to create riots, to blow up buildings, to burn +factories. They destroyed almost a million bushels of wheat in one +fire recently. So you see that the secret service first must watch the +enemies that are trying to destroy our greatest city. Our secret +service isn't one-quarter as large as it should be. That is the fault +of Congress. But meantime it is doing wonderful work, and it is a +great privilege to be able to assist in that work." + +"But what have they found out about this job?" demanded Roy. + +"You're like a hound on a keen scent, Roy," said their leader. +"Nothing ever takes you away from your objective. Well, this is what +they've found. It seems that they have been keeping a record of the +grocer's telephone messages, as well as those from the 'hawk's nest' +down below. Every time transports sail, some one in Hoboken calls up +this grocer and says, 'I have some sugar on the way. Do you want any?' +And the grocer replies, 'Yes. How many barrels can you let me have?' +And the man in Hoboken gives the number. That number corresponds with +the number of transports about to sail. So you see how the grocer +knows when to send his boy for the wireless messages. But before he +sends him, he always telephones to the 'hawk's nest' and says, 'I have +some sugar coming and can let you have five pounds to-day. Do you want +it?' And the number of pounds he offers is the same as the number of +ships that are to sail. So the spy below us knows what to look for. +And I suppose the man in Hoboken also telephones the automobile driver +when to come for the dollars." + +"Who is this man in Hoboken that does the telephoning?" demanded Roy, +when Captain Hardy had done speaking. + +"Ah! That they don't know. He has always called up from a different +place and has gotten away before the secret service could spot him. +But the agent assures me that they'll have him soon. He always +telephones from a station close to the piers where the transports load. +The next time he calls for the grocer, the telephone operator is going +to delay him while she notifies a secret service agent posted near by +with a motor-cycle. So they'll spot him and trail him. + +"And that reminds me," continued Captain Hardy, after a pause, "that +we're to do a little motor-cycle work ourselves, and that Henry has +been selected for the job because he is familiar with motor-cycles." + +Henry's eyes lighted with pleasure. Not only was he the oldest boy in +the wireless patrol, and Captain Hardy's first lieutenant, but he was +one of those natural mechanics who seem to know instinctively how to +handle tools and make things. Indeed he had constructed his own +wireless outfit and shown his fellows how to make theirs; and he could +repair a motor-cycle almost as skilfully as a garage man. So it was +natural that he should be selected for this task. + +But there was still another reason why his captain had chosen him for +the work he had in mind. Though not so quick or clever as Roy, Henry +was a keen observer and close reasoner. Moreover, he was entirely +dependable, was very discreet, and being the largest boy in the party, +was best fitted to take care of himself if he got into trouble. + +"We are going to trail this automobile driver with a motor-cycle, as +you have probably guessed," explained Captain Hardy to the little group +of scouts. "And Henry is to do the trailing. Come, Henry. We'll go +take a look at your machine. The secret service people said that it +would be here in half an hour." + +"Where? In this house?" asked Roy eagerly. + +"No, not here, but at a house around the corner from the grocer's. It +will always be in readiness for instant use." + +As Henry put on his hat and followed his leader, the other scouts +looked at him somewhat enviously. "Remember," said their leader, +turning about, "each one of you has his work to do, just as Henry has. +See that you do it." + +At once the boys returned to their posts, while Henry and his captain +passed out of the house and went down the street. Instead of going +directly to their destination, the two made their way by a roundabout +route and kept a sharp lookout lest they should meet the grocer or his +boy. But they passed almost no one and came soon to a little white +house, not far from the grocer's store, that was set back in a yard +behind a high hedge. Connected with the house was a small garage, +built so as to resemble an extension of the dwelling. + +A keen-eyed woman answered their knock at the door and looked at them +questioningly. + +"We are the sugar refiners sent by the Federal Sugar Company," said +Captain Hardy, repeating the words given him by the secret service +agent. + +"I've been looking for you," replied the woman. "Come in." And she +led them at once through the house to the garage. + +Henry was about to ask Captain Hardy what he meant by saying that they +were sugar refiners, but when he saw the motor-cycle that awaited him +he forgot his question and gave a sharp cry of exultation. It was a +beautiful machine, with tires so strong and thick they were practically +puncture proof and were evidently equal to any demand that was likely +to be made upon them. Evidently the engine was one of great power. +The frame of the machine was a dark gray; and Henry instantly noted the +fact that there was an almost utter absence of nickel about the +motorcycle. The spokes, handle-bars, and trimmings were all enameled +black. The headlight was a powerful electric one, with a black cap +over the lens. With great interest Henry examined the spark- and +gasoline-controls, the motor itself, and finally the muffler, which was +of the most improved variety. He looked in the gasoline-tank and found +it full. The oil-tank was brimming. Every moving part had been +carefully greased and cleaned. + +"What's this?" cried Henry, of a sudden, noting what seemed to be an +extra and unnecessary piece of framework. + +"Take it out and see," said Captain Hardy, with a smile. + +Carefully Henry examined the fastenings, to see how the extra tubing +was adjusted. Then he drew it forth. + +"A metal cane," he said, puzzled. "What is it? What is it for?" + +Captain Hardy explained. Then he picked up a small electric torch, +some well insulated wires that lay coiled on a near-by chair, and +something that looked like a giant fountain pen. He handed these +articles to Henry, and repeated what the secret service man had told +him as to their use. + +"Put them in your pocket and be very careful that you do not lose +them," directed Captain Hardy. "Carry them with you so that you can +run to your motor-cycle at a second's notice. Now replace that cane on +the machine." + +Henry slid the cane back and fastened it in place. It was gray, like +the car, and seemed to be a part of it. Then Captain Hardy fastened +the little map case above the gasoline-tank in such a way that Henry +could pluck out a map as he rode. + +"Now," he said, "there is nothing to do but wait until the automobile +driver comes for another dollar. Then you must follow him wherever he +goes. You must watch every movement he makes. But you must not let +him see you. It's a hard thing to ask of you, Henry, for everything +hinges upon your success." + +A look of determination flashed in Henry's eyes. "I'll do my best," he +said simply. + +"I know you will," rejoined his leader. Then he added, with a smile, +"Now we'll go back to the eagle's nest and wait for the hawk to appear." + + + + +CHAPTER X + +THE PURSUIT IN THE DARK + +Day followed day but that bird of prey did not appear. "A watched pot +never boils," said Henry at last, trying to conquer his impatience; and +he turned his mind from the task of following the automobile driver to +the even more difficult task of securing one of the dollars. For +sooner or later the wireless patrol would have to procure one of these +mysterious coins. But Henry could see no way to accomplish that end +without alarming the quarry. Day after day the little patrol discussed +the question. It was useless to think of securing a coin from the man +on the cliff, from the grocer's boy, or from the grocer himself; for +none of the three had possession of the coins very long after they were +marked. And what became of the coins after they left the grocer's +hands could as yet be only guessed at. + +Again and again, as the days passed, the members of the wireless patrol +discussed the secret of the dollars, but nowhere could they find even +the suggestion of a solution. Slowly time dragged on. Day followed +day. The watch grew monotonous and tiresome. There were no signs of +hostile activity in the hawk's nest and the secret service had no +suspicious telephone conversations to report. It required all their +resolution to keep the young scouts at their task of listening in. +They even began to think that they had been detected and that the +activities of the spy in the hawk's nest were ended. + +Then, one afternoon, galvanizing them to sudden action, came a cryptic +message from the secret service, announcing that the Federal Sugar +Company could use experienced refiners at once. Henry took the +message, and recalling what Captain Hardy had told the woman when they +went to see the motor-cycle, at once guessed its meaning. He ran to +Captain Hardy and repeated it. + +"You guessed rightly," said Captain Hardy. "Hereafter we, too, have to +use code messages, and we just carried out the spy idea about sugar. +This message is to warn us that transports are sailing. Go to your +stations, boys." + +Lew flew back to the wireless. Roy and Willie hustled down to the pine +grove. Henry, his heart beating fast, hurried away to his motorcycle +station. + +For a long, long time nothing happened. Then a line of transports came +into view. Presently the spy appeared at his window, sweeping the +channel with his powerful glasses. For several moments he studied the +passing ships carefully, then withdrew from the window and was lost to +sight. In a very few moments the scouts saw the grocer's boy, with his +basket and a few small packages, enter the house, then hurry away. Roy +trailed him directly to the grocery store, but did not enter. + +Henry, meantime, impatient, like Paul Revere, "to mount and ride," +stood peering out of a tiny window of the garage, awaiting the expected +motor-car. In his eagerness minutes seemed like hours. As time passed +and no motorcar came, he began to believe that none would come, that +the spies had learned of the trap set for them, and that they had +discontinued their work or devised some new plan of operation. So +impatient did Henry become that he could hardly refrain from running +into the street to see if any motor-cars were approaching. At last his +anxiety was relieved. He heard the regular beating of a motor climbing +the hill. Then as he glued his eye to the tiny window the familiar +car, a powerful roadster, with its top raised, rolled by. Again Henry +tried to catch the number and failed. Then he knew that the +dust-covered license number was not dust covered by accident. Quickly +he noted the treads of the tires, and the shape of the wheel hubs, +axles, and springs, so that he could identify the car. Then it passed +from his sight. + +And now his anxiety suddenly grew a hundredfold. Always before, the +car had returned the way it came. Suppose that this time it should go +back by another route and he should miss it. He could not endure the +thought. Quickly he opened the door and peered forth. The driver was +just turning his car, as he had always done before. The matter was +settled. He would pass Henry's hiding place on his return. Quickly +Henry shut the door and waited with what patience he could command. + +for what seemed like an hour he waited. His pulse beat fast with +excitement. He could hardly compel himself to stand quietly by his +window and wait. The old fear that the motorist had gone away by some +other route returned and began to torture him. He wanted to run out +into the street and assure himself that the car was still in sight. +And then, when it seemed he could endure the suspense not a second +longer, he heard the purring of a motor, and the car he was waiting for +slid quietly by and began to descend the hill toward the ferry. + +At once a new fear sprang up in Henry's heart. Suppose the motor-cycle +wouldn't go. Suppose he should be so slow as to miss the ferry-boat. +Desperately he flung open the door and trundled his motor-cycle out to +the street. The roadster was only a block ahead of him. Speedily +Henry pushed the cycle along the road. The motor began to bark and +Henry leaped to the saddle. In another instant he was speeding after +the roadster and was already so near it that he had to jam on his brake +to avoid coming up to it. Near the ferry there was more traffic and +Henry felt relieved. He dropped back a little distance and was almost +completely hidden from the roadster by the carts and cars between them. +So they proceeded to the ferry, the suspected driver bringing his +roadster to a halt near the front of the ferry-boat just as Henry, +following a string of wagons and carts, reached the other end of the +craft. Then the whistle blew and the boat pulled out into the Bay. + +But Henry had now no eyes for the sights in the harbor that had +formerly so fascinated him. His entire attention was centred on the +roadster. The driver of the roadster remained in his seat, calmly +looking out over the Bay. Henry stood his machine against a post and +sought a position near by where he was sheltered from the spy's +observation by a huge coal truck, but where he could himself distinctly +see the roadster by peering through the spokes of the truck wheels. +Again he made a mental inventory of the distinguishing features of the +car he was following. And before the ferry-boat reached Manhattan he +could have passed a perfect examination as to the appearance of the +roadster. + +It was already dusk when the boat slid into its slip, and the heavy +clouds overhead gave promise of a dark night. Henry was thankful. Up +Broadway he followed the roadster at a safe distance, then up Park Row, +and so to the Brooklyn Bridge. Across this magic structure, one +hundred and fifty feet above the surface of the water, Henry continued +to follow the roadster. The great buildings, piled skyward in huge +masses, were twinkling with a million lights. Boats were coming and +going on the stream below. Electric cars followed one another across +the bridge in endless procession. Elevated railway trains thundered +past unceasingly. Up-stream shone the fairy lights of the other +bridges that span the East River. The Navy Yard lay in full view. But +the scene that at other times Henry would have found entrancing, now he +scarcely noticed. He had eyes for one thing only--the rolling +motor-car ahead of him and the red eye that now glowed at its rear. + +He turned on his light and at a safe distance followed the roadster, +which was heading due east. They passed the business portions of +Brooklyn. They left Prospect Park behind them. They traversed a +region of apartment-houses. Then came less thickly settled districts, +with block after block of private residences, each in its own little +yard. And so they proceeded to the very outskirts of the city, where +houses gave place to vacant lots and vacant lots were succeeded by open +fields. Darkness had come. Traffic had grown less and less. Now +there were no sheltering vehicles between himself and the roadster. A +great fear of discovery sprang up in Henry's heart. He switched off +his light, risking arrest, and rode on in the darkness. Occasionally +he passed under a lone street lamp. And now he understood why his +machine was enameled black instead of being nickel finished. It gave +back no answering gleam when beams of light fell upon it. It was made +for just the secret sort of work it was doing now. For, with his motor +completely muffled, his lamp extinguished, Henry was now riding through +the night like a dark shadow. + +Long before this, Henry had slipped the proper map from its case and +had followed his route as far as he was able to see. Though his eyes +could no longer pierce the darkness, Henry knew that he was passing +through a lonely, undeveloped section of land. Dimly he glimpsed tiny +bits of woodland here and there. The lonely lights Henry occasionally +saw were the lamps in isolated farmhouses. He could no longer tell +exactly where he was, though he knew the road he was following. But he +had watched his speedometer closely and he knew he was traveling about +twenty miles an hour. He was keeping pace with the motor-car, but +riding several hundred yards behind it. So they continued for a long +time. + +Suddenly the motor-car swung round a curve and vanished from sight. +Henry knew the car had rounded a curve because he saw the lights swing. +A minute later as he was about to reach the curve himself, he heard the +rapid beating of hoofs and a team of horses came tearing round the bend +and charged straight at him. Evidently the driver had lost control of +them and it flashed into Henry's mind that they had been frightened by +the roadster ahead. But he had no time to think of anything. The +frantic animals bore down on him like an express-train. Quick as +thought Henry turned sharply to the right and threw on his power. The +horses were almost upon him. The driver glimpsed him, cursed him +savagely for having no light, and gave a powerful heave on the reins. +The horses swerved in one direction as Henry shot in the other, missing +them by less than a foot. Before he could straighten his machine +again, it had left the road and was plunging over the rough surface of +a field. + +Henry jammed his brake on so suddenly that it toppled him from the +saddle, but neither he nor the machine was injured. He turned the +motor-cycle about and headed for the road. And now his hair almost +stood on end. In the darkness he could dimly see some great lumber +piles, as large as houses. He had all but crashed into them at high +speed. Now he understood why the roadster's light had disappeared when +the car turned the curve. It had been hidden by these great lumber +piles. Rapidly Henry ran back to the road. He knew the motor-car +would now be far ahead of him. He should have to hasten to overtake +it. He ran along the highway, pushing his machine, and leaped to the +saddle when the engine began to explode regularly. Then he turned the +curve and peered ahead into the darkness. The road seemed to lie +straight before him, but the motor-car had utterly vanished. + +For a moment Henry rode on, almost bewildered. Then he looked rapidly +about him. No farmhouse was in sight to which the motorcar might have +gone. No light gleamed anywhere. But he could dimly see trees here +and there. And he made out a wooden fence lining the left side of the +road. + +"Lucky I didn't shoot in that direction when I met that team," muttered +Henry. "I'd have gone clear through that fence." He dismounted, set +his machine up, and took out his pocket torch. Holding it close to the +road, he began to examine the highway. "There are the marks of his +rear tires," he muttered. + +And thankful indeed was the puzzled scout that he had learned so well +at Camp Brady to observe carefully. He mounted his wheel and rode a +few hundred yards further. Then he examined the road again. He found +the tracks he was searching for. He rode on and dismounting, found in +two places the telltale marks. But the third time he examined the +highway there were no marks of the roadster's tires visible. + +"He left the road between this point and the last stop," murmured Henry. + +He went back a hundred feet and searched. There were no tire marks. +Another hundred feet showed no prints in the dust. But the third +hundred revealed the wheel marks. "Ah!" said Henry, "he turned off +close by." + +He set his wheel against the fence and went forward, following the +prints with his light, which he shaded carefully and held close to the +road. Within fifty feet the marks turned straight off to the left. +The car had passed from the highway through a gap in the fence, into an +open field. What the field was like Henry could only conjecture. He +dared not flash his light around to see. + +He ran back and got his machine, then followed the wheel prints into +the field. They did not show readily on the grassy surface, and soon +he had lost them altogether. At first a sense of fear clutched at his +heart. He recalled his leader's words as to the dangerous nature of +this duty. Here he was in exactly the lonely situation his captain had +foreseen, by himself, and with no means of defense. The enemy he was +trailing had disappeared. He might be a mile distant or he might be +waiting for his pursuer, behind the nearest tree. Henry shivered with +fear and stood irresolute. But the feeling passed when he realized +that he had lost the trail, that his quarry had escaped him, that he +had failed his captain. A wave of remorse swept over him. The sense +of fear left him entirely, and he bent all his energies to the task of +finding the motor-car. He hid his wheel in a thicket that he might +work faster, pausing only to snatch from it the metal cane fastened to +the frame. + +Cautiously he glided forward, crouching as he moved, and taking +advantage of every rock and bush he could see to screen himself. He +held his breath and listened. Now he crept forward a foot at a time. +Now he advanced swiftly for yards. He worked his way to the right and +the left. But nowhere could he see what he was searching for, and no +betraying sound came out of the thick blackness. + +"It's no use," he said to himself bitterly, after he had searched for a +quarter of an hour. "I have lost him, and if I am not careful I'll +lose his message as well." + +Near by he could dimly discern a tall stump. He ran over to it and on +it laid his map, a pencil, his electric torch, his knife, the wires +that he had been carrying in his pocket, and the giant fountain pen. +Grasping the tip of his cane he gave a sharp tug and an inner lining +slid outward. From this he drew out a third length, and from that a +fourth. His metal cane was in reality an extension rod, not unlike a +telescoping fishing-rod. It was fully ten feet long. In its curved +handle was a small opening, like a keyhole. Into this Henry jammed the +bayonet connection that terminated one of the wires. The other end of +the wire he thrust into a like opening in the side of his big fountain +pen. Into the opposite side of his pen he fastened one end of his +second wire, attaching the other end of this wire to his knife, which +he thrust deep into the earth. Then, raising the extended cane aloft +with his left hand, he put the point of his fountain pen to his right +ear and listened. The mysterious articles that the secret service had +supplied constituted a complete wireless receiving set. He could catch +any message sent from a point within six or eight miles. + +He was not a moment too soon. Hardly had he gotten the fountain pen +adjusted before there came a crackling in his ear. He rested his cane, +upright, against the stump, and began to tune his instrument by sliding +the cap of the fountain pen in and out. In a second he had tuned it +perfectly. The sounds came to him with startling clearness. + +"He's near at hand," muttered Henry. + +He seized his pencil and wrote down on his map the letters that were +sounding in his ear. Then with frantic haste he disconnected his +instrument, telescoped his extension cane, and gathered up the +different articles and thrust them into his pockets. As rapidly as he +could pick his way, he went back to his hidden machine. He fastened +the metal cane in place, and got everything ready for a quick start. + +Suddenly a faint purring noise came to his ears. "Ah!" muttered Henry, +"he's started his motor. He's off in that direction. What shall I do?" + +His first impulse was to run at speed toward the purring motor, and to +try to locate exactly the position of the hidden wireless station. But +discretion showed him that was not wise. The spy might turn his lights +on at any moment and Henry would be caught. Then everything was lost. + +"I must make sure I can find the place in the daytime," muttered Henry. +Carefully he gauged the sound, deciding whence it came. "He's right +off there," he said. And with his heel he made a long mark in the +turf, pointing straight toward the sound. + +Almost before he finished, the sound grew louder and Henry knew the car +was advancing. He shrank back into the thicket, dragging his +motor-cycle with him. An instant later the roadster rolled softly +past, not more than fifty feet distant. In a moment more the car had +reached the fence and turned into the highway. Its lights suddenly +flashed out and the car went bowling down the road toward Brooklyn. + +Henry leaped from the thicket and ran toward the highway, pushing his +motor-cycle before him. He paused at the opening in the fence, and +with his knife smoothed a space on one of the posts and marked a cross +on it with his pencil. Then he ran to the highway, started his motor, +and was soon flying down the road in pursuit of the roadster. And as +he had come, so he returned, with lights out, until Brooklyn was +reached and the streets were once more alive with traffic. + +At a safe distance he followed the unsuspecting motorist and saw him +turn into a private yard in Flatbush. Instantly Henry dismounted, +thrust his wheel behind a hedge that fenced a private residence, and +gained a position where he could watch the spy's house. He saw the spy +close and lock his garage and enter the house. Stealthily Henry +approached and noted the house number. At the corner he got the name +of the street. Then he hurried back to his hidden motor-cycle and was +soon flying back to his comrades at the eagle's nest. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +AN UNSUCCESSFUL SEARCH + +It was characteristic of Henry that he should tell the worst about +himself first. In his own manly way he was willing to accept the blame +for his failure. + +"He got away from me," he began, so chagrined that he could hardly +repress the tears. "I didn't find the hidden wireless and I have +failed in my task." + +Before his captain he stood with downcast eyes and tortured heart. His +experience at Camp Brady had taught him that the wireless patrol +expected every member to do his duty--and he had failed. + +Captain Hardy looked at his lieutenant for a moment without answering. +He had not the slightest idea of what had occurred, but he recognized +instantly the manliness of Henry's report. The latter was offering no +excuses, making no attempt to shield himself from the consequences of +his failure. + +"Suppose you tell us just what happened," said the leader gently, "and +we can judge better how badly you have failed." + +Gratefully Henry looked up. He had not expected a scolding. That was +not Captain Hardy's way of disciplining his boys. But he had felt sure +his leader would show how deeply he was disappointed, for Captain Hardy +was terribly in earnest in this quest for spies. So once again Henry's +heart went out to his captain. Rapidly he related what had befallen +him. As he proceeded with his story, his leader's face lost its look +of grave concern, his eyes began to flash with interest, his cheeks to +burn with eagerness. When Henry's narrative had reached the point +where the motor-car had disappeared in the field and Henry was +searching for it. Captain Hardy held up his hand. + +"Stop a moment," he interrupted. "You were in no wise to blame for +what happened, and instead of being condemned for failure you are to be +commended for your success. Many a boy would never have found where +that car went. And even though you did not learn exactly where the car +was, you have located the field and you may be sure that driver never +went very far in a field. We shall find the place easily enough. Go +on." + +Henry looked at his leader gratefully and a happy light came into his +eyes. "Do you really think I didn't fail?" he asked eagerly. + +"Assuredly," insisted Captain Hardy. "I think that you have learned +enough to enable us to locate this hidden station. Go on." + +Henry proceeded with the story of his search in the dark, of his +uncertainty as to what he should do, of his fear of missing the message +as well as the car, and of how he had intercepted that message, marked +the fence post, and located the home of the automobile driver. + +"Why, Henry," cried Captain Hardy, when the recital was ended, +"whatever put it into your head that you had failed? You have done +well--exceedingly well." + +"But I didn't find the hidden station, and you said that was so +important." + +"That is a mere detail, Henry. We shall find it easily enough. We +have our experience at Elk City to direct us." + +"That's just why I felt so bad," said Henry. "If these Germans have +concealed their wireless plant as skilfully as the dynamiters did at +Elk City, we may never find where it is." + +"We'll try before we give up hope," said the captain smiling. "And +even if we never find it, we now know something more important than the +location of one of their several wireless plants. We know where +another member of the gang lives. That is excellent, Henry, excellent! +The Chief will be more than pleased. I know he is a great deal more +concerned about this wireless situation than he permits us to think. +The public is clamoring for protection for the troops and the Chief +simply cannot accomplish one-fourth of what is demanded of him. If we +uncover this gang for him, we shall do a very real service to America, +boys." + +"We'll do it," cried Willie vehemently. "We'll do it. We'll get 'em +just as sure as we got the dynamiters." + +"I believe we shall," smiled the captain. "And if that's the way you +all feel about it, I know we shall. We're closing in on them fast. +To-morrow we'll go out to that field Henry has marked and see what we +can find in the daylight." + +So it happened that the succeeding forenoon found the five members of +the wireless patrol rolling rapidly toward the point of investigation, +in a motor-car furnished by the secret service and driven by one of its +agents. Henry sat beside the driver and pointed out the way, while the +others crowded into the rear of the car. + +With his map on his knees Henry traced the way. Speedily they passed +through the built-up portion of Brooklyn and came shortly to the +sparsely settled district through which their road ran. Henry scanned +the way with curious interest. He had been over the road but he knew +nothing of what he had passed. Occasionally they whirled by a tree +close to the road that Henry thought he had glimpsed in the darkness. +So they flew forward until Henry, looking eagerly ahead, cried out, +"There are the lumber piles." + +The driver slowed his car almost to a walk and they looked in the dust +for telltale marks. Few teams had passed since Henry's adventure, and +in the dust could still plainly be seen the marks of Henry's wheel as +he had turned sharply into the field, and the narrow tracks of the +vehicle that had almost run him down. + +But Henry was more interested in marks of another sort. "There!" he +cried suddenly. "See those tracks? They're the marks of the spy's +roadster." And he pointed to parallel tread marks, one made by a chain +tread tire and one by a diamond tread. + +They passed on. Not many hundred yards distant was an opening in the +fence. "That's the place he turned off," insisted Henry. "See that +light place where I shaved the post?" + +But they did not turn into the field. Instead the motor-car continued +steadily on its way. A half mile up the highway was a road-house known +to the driver. + +"It's about eleven o'clock now," said the secret service man. "We'll +have luncheon at the roadhouse and in the meantime we can stroll around +and hunt up this wireless plant. We'd attract too much attention if we +drove directly into the field." + +They stopped at the road-house, ordered luncheon, and said they would +stroll about until noon. Then they wandered, apparently aimlessly, +about the place and into the fields. The country was nearly level, +with slight depressions here and little hillocks there, and bits of +woodland all about. The road-house was the only structure in sight, +and when they had passed beyond a slight elevation, even this was +hidden. Apparently there was not a soul in the neighborhood. They +paused just inside a little grove and made sure that no one was +following them from the road-house. Then they pushed rapidly on into +the little thicket which Henry recognized as his hiding-place of the +previous night. + +After a moment's search, Henry found the mark he had made in the turf. +"The motor-car was in that direction," he explained, pointing along his +turf mark. + +His fellows looked in the direction of his outstretched arm. At a +distance of a quarter of a mile was a thick little grove. Henry was +pointing straight at the heart of it. + +The scouts had kept themselves well hidden in the thicket as Henry was +finding his mark. If any one was in the wood, that person could not as +yet see them. + +"I have no doubt we shall find the secret station in that grove," said +Captain Hardy. "I see several tall trees sticking up above the others +that might conceal aerials. I doubt if any one is there now, but some +one might be. So we shall have to approach carefully and in such a way +that we can capture any one who might be within the grove. Suppose we +advance on it from all four sides, as we did on the willow copse at the +Elk City reservoir. Then if any one is within the grove we shall see +him." + +The leader gave each boy his orders and the advance began. Henry was +to circle and enter the woods from the rear. Roy was to approach from +one side and Willie from the other. Lew was to go in at the front. +Captain Hardy and the secret service man were to station themselves +outside the wood so that they could see every point of its exterior and +detect any one leaving it. Each glided away toward his post. + +At a given signal from Captain Hardy, the boys began to work their way +silently from their posts into the grove. This was small in extent and +such precautions seemed almost unnecessary. But after their desperate +experience with the dynamiters, the members of the wireless patrol were +taking no chances. They knew full well that discretion is the better +part of valor. And they knew, in addition, that the success of their +search might depend upon the caution with which they proceeded. So +they went forward, when the captain's signal rang out, like so many +Indians on the war-path, stalking a hated enemy. + +Indeed they were almost as invisible as Indians. Each had circled +skilfully to his post. And now each crept forward silently, slipping +from rock to bush, taking advantage of the slightest cover, and +advancing so stealthily through the tall grass that even the two men on +watch outside the grove could hardly tell where the scouts were moving. +And any one inside the grove could not have detected them at all. + +The four scouts reached the four sides of the grove almost +simultaneously. Each of the four crept round the trunk of a big tree +and squatted down with the trunk at his back, to look and to listen. +From side to side their eyes roved, examining every tree and stump in +sight. But they saw nothing on the ground or in the branches overhead +to alarm them. There was no indication of human presence other than +their own; and Willie was certain that the wood was deserted, for +several small flocks of birds flew up in alarm as he penetrated the +grove. Had other men been within the wood, he knew the birds would +long ago have been frightened away. + +Slowly the four scouts worked their way toward the centre of the grove, +gliding round the trunks of trees and stopping every few feet to look +and listen. But they heard nothing, saw nothing, to indicate that any +man was within the grove. Each one, as he advanced, scouted to right +and left of his line of march, so that when the four met in the centre +of the wood, they had covered every rod of ground within the grove. +And they had found nobody. + +What was more, they had seen no signs of a wireless outfit. But, in +view of their experience in searching for the dynamiters' hidden +wireless, this was not surprising. None of the scouts had expected to +find the secret plant without a thorough search. As soon as Captain +Hardy and the secret service man joined them, a systematic search of +the wood was begun. + +There could not have been more than two hundred trees in the little +grove. Satisfied that the place contained no enemy agents, Captain +Hardy took his company to one end of the ground and began a careful +examination of each tree. The six searchers strung out in a line +across the grove, testing each tree as they advanced. They scanned the +trunks and thumped them with clubs to make sure that they were not +hollow. They peered at them from all sides, looking for holes and +hollow limbs. With sticks they scratched away the leaves from about +the bases of the trees, turning up the soil for several inches and +testing it for hidden wires. All the trees seemed sound. No hollow +limbs were discovered. No suspicious marks were found in the earth +about the tree trunks. The tall trees noted by Captain Hardy seemed +never to have been touched by man. From tree to tree the search +proceeded until every tree in the grove had been tested and the scouts +were on the far edge of the wood. But no hidden wire, no secret +instruments, no skilfully concealed aerials were found. + +Blankly the searchers looked at one another. "It must be here," said +Henry. "I am absolutely certain that the motor-car came from this +direction and was about this distance from where I stood. And the +signals were so loud and clear that I'm just sure they were sent from +some spot close by." + +"Let us look for wheel tracks," suggested Captain Hardy. "If we can +find where the car stopped, we shall know that the message was sent +from some point near by. Search along the sides of the grove first." + +The party divided, and three searchers examined the ground along each +side of the grove. Walking abreast and several feet distant from one +another, they covered a broad strip of ground. Twice each party +retraced its tracks but found nothing. + +"Try another strip, farther away from the grove," said Captain Hardy. + +Again the searchers lined up and went slowly forward on either side of +the woods. Bending low, stepping slowly, sometimes kneeling to examine +a suspicious mark, they moved carefully on. The thick turf had taken +no telltale imprint. + +"I fear it's useless," sighed the leader. + +"Let's try again," pleaded Willie. "The car was here. We know that. +And somewhere it was bound to make a mark. It might have gone beyond +the grove." + +They made another search, this time extending their examination to the +land beyond the wood. Suddenly Roy gave a cry. "Here it is," he +called. + +The others ran to him. And there, sure enough, in a little bare spot +between two hummocks of grass, was the plain imprint of a diamond +tread. Instantly Roy and Willie dropped to their knees and began to +feel along the line of the tire mark. + +Henry and Lew, meantime, searched to right and left of them. "Here's +his other wheel track," suddenly cried Lew, and there, sure enough, was +a distinct impression of a chain tread tire. + +They proceeded in the direction in which the car had been moving. +"Here's where he turned," cried Henry. + +The turf before him was torn and ragged. Distinctly they could see the +impression made by the driving wheels as they gripped the ground in +starting. + +"Then here is where he stood," said Captain Hardy. "It is immediately +behind the wood. Your mark pointed straight enough, Henry, but your +man was farther away than you thought. Probably he ran behind this +grove to make doubly sure he would not be seen from the highway. The +hidden station must be in this end of the grove. We'll search again." + +Once more they plunged into the wood. Again they examined every tree. +Up one trunk after another shinned Roy and Lew, who were born climbers. +But hunt as they would, search as they might, they found nothing to +indicate a secret wireless. At last, completely baffled, they gave up +the search. + +"It's here," insisted Captain Hardy. "Our experience at the Elk City +reservoir makes me sure of that. They're too clever for us. But we'll +get them yet. We'll follow that roadster so closely next time that we +can't miss the secret. It's too bad, boys, but don't be discouraged. +We have done much to come so close. Now we'll go back to the +road-house. It's long past time for luncheon." + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +ANOTHER OBSTACLE + +Time wore on. Now that there was something definite to work on, the +secret service began to take a more active part in the spy hunt. + +"You have helped us greatly," said the Chief to Captain Hardy, one day. +"My men were so rushed with work that they simply could not take the +time to go hunting round for clues. But now that the wireless patrol +has furnished those clues, we shall be able to follow them up. But we +want you to continue at work just the same. You can still help us." + +But the members of the wireless patrol, and especially Henry, found +small satisfaction in the Chief's praise. They had not come to New +York merely to furnish the secret service with clues. They had come to +uncover the system by which spies were betraying the movements of our +transports. At the Elk City reservoir they had succeeded where trained +men had failed; and they meant to succeed here also. They felt that +the Chief was patting them on the head, as it were, and telling them +that they were good little boys. They meant to show him they were the +equals of his own men, even if the Chief's words, instead of pleasing +them, stimulated them to half angry activity. + +"He needn't think that just because we're boys and come from the +country we aren't any good," argued Roy. "That's the way everybody +talks about boys. That's the way they talked about us at Elk City +until we caught the dynamiters and showed them what we could do. We'll +show Uncle Sam's men, too. I don't care if they are famous detectives. +We'll get these fellows ourselves. We're not going to have the secret +service step in now and take all the credit." + +But it was one thing to talk so confidently and quite another to +accomplish the end they were striving for. They had not yet discovered +a single one of the hidden wireless stations, and the secret of the +dollar was still a secret. As far as the members of the wireless +patrol could see, it was likely to remain a secret. How they could +secure one of the dollars without being detected, they did not know; +and how they were to read the message, even if they did get the dollar, +was more than they could see; for by this time they had dropped the +idea that the messages were engraved on the coins. More and more those +dollars appeared a great and insuperable obstacle. + +"Couldn't we manage to see the spy when he marks those dollars?" asked +Roy. "Is there any way that we could get into his house and hide, so +as to watch him?" + +"You mustn't think of trying," said Captain Hardy decisively. "But +possibly you could find a new place to watch from that would enable you +to see him better. These field-glasses of mine are very powerful, and +if you can find the proper view-point, you can see him well, even from +a distance." + +Without a word Roy grabbed his hat and darted out of the house. A +second later he was slipping through the thicket on the sloping +hillside. Cautiously he crawled from one point to another. The only +station that gave any promise of success was the pine grove originally +selected. The tree from which they had been watching the spy's house +was a giant pine that towered above every other tree in the grove. But +the scouts had never dared to ascend beyond the protecting foliage of +the other trees, lest they be detected. So they had been looking +upward at an angle, as they watched the spy's house. Roy now saw that +if he were to climb high up in the big pine, he would be on a level +with the spy's windows, and could doubtless see clearly into the house. +The difficulty would be to make the climb without being detected. + +Roy made his way back to headquarters and reported on his observations. +"I didn't go up," he said, "for fear he would see me." + +"You were wise," replied Captain Hardy. "We must devise some plan by +which you can get up the tree unnoticed." + +"Camouflage!" said Willie suddenly. "Fix one of us up like a pine +tree. Then he won't see us." + +"Just the idea," said Lew laughing. + +"We'll have to use the smallest boy in the bunch," said Captain Hardy, +"and that's you, Willie. Come. We'll see what we can do with you. Go +get me some samples of pine bark and needles." + +Willie speedily got the desired objects. Captain Hardy examined them +critically. "You ought to have a dark brown suit, painted with +irregular stripes, like branches, and dabs of green, like foliage." + +"Don't forget his face," cried Roy in glee. "That will have to be +painted brown and green also." + +A laugh went up. "I'm merely telling what ought to be done, Willie," +said Captain Hardy reassuringly, "not what we shall do. We have to +guard against observation by persons other than this spy. If the +neighbors saw a boy going out of here garbed the way you want Willie +fixed up, Roy, they would begin to ask questions. And we don't know +what the spy's relations are with his neighbors. What we shall have to +do is to dress Willie in clothes as nearly the color of the tree as +possible. We can get shoes, stockings, and a suit of clothes to match +the tree trunk. We can get a cap the shade of these pine-needles. +That leaves hands and face. They, too, must be disguised. A pair of +gloves of the proper shade will take care of the hands. But what about +the face?" + +"Nothing for it but to paint it," said Roy, his eyes dancing. + +"I guess you're right," said Captain Hardy. Willie made a wry face. +The captain saw him. "The trench raiders blacken both their hands and +faces when they steal out into No Man's Land at night," he said. "But +we won't use real paint, Willie. We'll get some theatrical paint that +comes off easily. I'll get the necessary materials at once." + +He noted down the sizes needed and went out. And it was well he acted +so promptly. That very afternoon a message from the secret service +informed them that more transports were sailing. + +"Come with me and get on your pine tree outfit, Willie," suggested +their leader. "You other boys go to your stations at once." + +Henry's task henceforth was to trail the driver of the roadster. He +hurried away to his waiting motor-cycle. Lew was at the wireless key +again. Roy scurried out to the pine grove, and Willie followed his +captain to be "camouflaged." A few moments later, dressed in his new +brown clothes, and a chocolate brown in complexion, he slipped from the +house and joined Roy. + +Impatiently they waited for the first transport to appear. It was a +long time coming. But finally Willie picked it out with his glasses, +far up the Bay, as it nosed its way steadily through the rolling waves. +Behind it was another transport. As the ships drew near, Willie +mounted as far up in the tree as he dared, crouching behind the tops of +the surrounding trees, and hugging his own tree trunk, motionless, +awaiting his opportunity to climb to his ultimate post. His heart beat +fast. His legs shook slightly with excitement. He was trembling all +over, so eager was he to make the ascent. On came the boats. Long ago +they had passed Robbin's Reef. Now they were well into the Narrows. +Suddenly the spy appeared at his window, sweeping the channel with his +glasses, his hands shutting off his vision on the sides, like blinders +on a horse. Quickly Willie scurried up the tree, wrapping himself +closely about the slender trunk, concealing as much of his body as he +could, and snuggling behind the sparse clumps of foliage. Then he +brought his glasses to bear, and sat silently studying the spy's house. + +The interior of the dwelling was as he had guessed it to be. There was +no partition wall in the forward part of the building, a single column +upholding the ceiling, so that, above the low sash curtains, Willie +could see entirely through the glassed-in room. This was more than +comfortable. Willie saw a row of low book-shelves lining the north +side of the great room. There were numerous fine pictures and plaster +casts here and there. A piano stood in one corner, a talking-machine +in another. The light within seemed to flicker, and Willie guessed +that in the rear of the room, where he could not see it, a log was +burning in an open fireplace; for the days were growing very chilly. + +But before Willie could complete his observations, the spy turned from +the window and walked toward a large, flat desk in the centre of the +room. Willie shrank close against the tree and remained as motionless +as a stone image. But the spy never once glanced out of the window. +He sank into a chair before the desk, switched on an electric desk +light, and began to write on a piece of paper. Evidently he was +arranging his message. When this was done to his satisfaction, he +reached into the desk and drew forth a dollar. Willie could see it +plainly as the spy laid it on his desk blotter, under the lamp. +Intently Willie strained forward. The spy leaned forward and fumbled +about the bottom of his desk. His hands and arms were hidden and +Willie could only conjecture what was happening. Then Willie gave a +little gasp of surprise as the spy straightened up and laid on the +blotter beside the dollar a curious little thing like nothing Willie +had ever seen. Evidently it was of metal for it shone under the light. +Willie screwed up his face as he strained his eyes to identify the +object. It seemed to be a disc of exactly the same size as the dollar. +Yet it was not solid, because Willie could see the blotter through it. +To Willie the thing resembled nothing so much as a spider-web. What it +was, Willie could not even guess. + +Meantime the spy had pulled open a drawer, from which he took a slender +instrument, which also Willie could not identify. But evidently it had +a sharp point; for the spy, after placing the disc on the dollar, +scratched the milled edge of the coin with the little instrument, then +he began to make marks here and there through the little disc, on the +surface of the dollar. From time to time he turned the coin, and +occasionally he looked at the writing on his paper. He seemed quite +expert, for he worked fast. He finished his task and leaned over +behind his desk, evidently to put the curious disc in its secret +repository. + +Quick as a flash, Willie slid from his exposed perch and safely gained +the concealing shelter of the lower tree tops before the spy +straightened up again. Willie climbed on down the tree and joined Roy +at the usual observation post. + +"What did you see?" asked Roy eagerly. + +When Willie had told him, Roy groaned. "Gee! That makes it all the +harder. Now we've got to get one of those discs as well as a marked +dollar before we can discover how they send their messages." + +The grocer's boy came and went. Roy trailed him back to the store, but +prudently kept out of sight. There was nothing to be gained by +entering the store again. Meantime Willie scrambled up to the house +and related to Lew and his captain what he had seen. And they agreed +with Roy that the problem, instead of being easier, had become more +difficult. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +WHAT HENRY DISCOVERED + +Henry, meantime, was waiting at his station with eagerness and +quickened determination. Despite his leader's generous words, Henry +felt in his heart that his last effort had been a failure. It was true +that he had made it possible to learn the identity of the driver of the +roadster, and that the secret service men had in the meanwhile been +looking up the man's record; but Henry felt that he should also have +discovered the location of the secret wireless. Now he made up his +mind that nothing should balk him in the present attempt. That neither +accident nor anything else should hinder him from accomplishing his +purpose. He would be more skilful than he had ever been before. He +would watch closer. He would follow his quarry, as silently as a +shadow and as closely. He would do all that his leader expected of +him--and more. + +Thus resolving, steeling his mind to the greatest effort of his life, +Henry stood at the little window in the garage, all atremble with +eagerness. He thought he knew every inch of the spy's roadster, but +when that car finally rolled past, Henry studied it as he had never +studied anything before. Again he noted the tread of each tire and +looked for cuts or other distinguishing marks in them. As good luck +would have it, a turning wagon obstructed the roadster just as it +reached the little garage, and the roadster came almost to a dead stop. +Henry studied its running-gear, its radiator and bonnet, its dash-board +and wind-shield. And when his eyes got so far, they went no further. +The standards that held up the wind-shield were bulkier and thicker +than any other such parts Henry could remember. The difference was not +great, yet there was a difference; and like the accomplished scout he +was, Henry noted that difference and questioned it. But, like Willie +with the spider-web disc, he was completely puzzled. The enlarged +standards might mean anything or nothing. The car rolled on and again +Henry looked in vain at the number. Some part of it was always dust +covered. But Henry observed that the hidden figures were not the same +from day to day. + +When the car returned from the grocer's, Henry jumped to his +motor-cycle and made his way to the ferry by a route different from the +roadster's. He knew he was taking a chance, but he also knew that an +accomplice might be trailing the roadster to see if the latter were +watched. Henry could follow the spy to the ferry once without arousing +much suspicion; but if he were twice seen to do so, his usefulness +might be ended. He knew when the ferry-boat would leave its slip and +he made his way aboard just before the gate closed. + +At once he had a feeling that he had acted wisely. The roadster was +again in the forward part of the boat, but this time the driver did not +sit placidly looking out over the Bay. He seemed nervous, and every +little while turned sharp around and looked about him. Fortunately +Henry had concealed his wheel behind a truck and was himself where the +spy could not see him. When he noted the spy's restlessness, it +flashed into his mind that perhaps the secret service men who had been +investigating this spy had not been so careful as they should have +been, and that the spy had taken alarm. It was a discouraging thought, +for it made Henry's task vastly more difficult. Wisely, therefore, he +went into the cabin and sat down. The spy could not see him, and if +the latter should stroll about the boat, there was nothing to indicate +to whom the motor-cycle belonged. + +As the gate opened and the roadster rolled from the ferry-boat, Henry +prudently remained well behind it. Up Broadway they went, as fast as +the traffic would allow, their pace gradually quickening as they drew +away from the congested lower end of the island. The spy drove +straight up Broadway. He circled Union Square and continued north. He +passed Madison Square and still held to Broadway. Past the shopping +district, past Longacre Square, past Columbus Circle, the roadster +continued, still on the city's main highway. And at a discreet +distance Henry followed. + +Now they reached the apartment-house district and slid past block after +block of bulky living apartments. And so they continued past Columbia +University and down the grade beyond. And here Henry's troubles began. +The roadster turned to the left, and Henry knew the driver was making +for the Fort Lee ferry. + +How should he gain the boat unnoticed? How should he follow, +undetected, along the Jersey roads? For after they had crossed the +Hudson there would be an end to that concealing traffic that had so far +hidden him. He must follow the roadster over lonely roads and yet +remain unseen. It was a problem to disturb any one. And it worried +Henry not a little. Fortunately dusk was at hand, though the +curtaining darkness would not fall for some time. + +When the boat reached the Jersey shore, Henry permitted the roadster to +get a long start before he went ashore. The spy turned to the right +and began to climb the long grade parallel to the river, that would +lead him to the top of the Palisades. When the roadster was almost out +of sight, Henry mounted his motor-cycle and followed. Even if his +quarry should pass completely from view, Henry had no fear of losing +him; for the roadster's tracks were plain in the dusty road. + +The dusk deepened. As it grew darker, Henry came closer to his quarry, +though he kept behind elevations and curves in the road so as still to +remain invisible to the driver of the car ahead. Thus they rode for +some miles. The country was as Henry had pictured it from his study of +the maps. It was sparsely built up, woodlands were on every hand, and +the surface of the land was rolling and rock-strewn. It was an +excellent place in which to hide--and also an excellent place in which +to dodge one's enemies. As Henry thought of this, he drew closer and +closer to the car, though still seeking to remain out of sight. As the +light failed, and it became difficult to distinguish the marks in the +dust before him, Henry drew up so that he could see the roadster, but +he discreetly rode close to the side of the highway, where the +overhanging trees shadowed him. Even had the roadster's driver been +looking straight in his direction, he might never have seen Henry. He +was, as he had determined to be, a veritable shadow. + +So they rolled northward. At last it grew dark. The driver of the +roadster switched on his lights. Now Henry crept still closer. He was +in the dark, his lamp unlighted, his motor running silently, and he had +no further fear of discovery. + +It was well that darkness had come. They had now reached a lonely +region where there were few houses. Here, Henry judged, was an +excellent place for a secret wireless. And he judged correctly, for +hardly had the thought come into his mind before the roadster turned +sharply to the left and disappeared. Henry darted up the road. He +came at once to what he judged was a large field. Trees no longer +bordered the highway on the left side. Dimly Henry saw objects here +and there which he thought were boulders and clumps of bushes. He saw +no light and stood for a second peering into the darkness, listening +with bated breath. Straight ahead of him he heard the faint purring of +a muffled motor. He knew that he was not many hundred feet behind it +and that this time the car could not escape him. He thrust his +motor-cycle into some near-by bushes, first whipping out his metal +cane. Then he ran speedily but carefully after the car. + +Evidently it was moving cautiously. Henry rapidly drew near to it. +When he had come so close that he could see it distinctly, he dropped +to a walk and began to look about, trying to see what was around him. +Here in the field it was lighter than it had been on the highway under +the shadowing trees. The field was, as Henry had guessed, a piece of +wild land, grown up with thickets, with great boulders here and there. +Directly ahead of him was a clump of bushes. Henry hastened to put +them between himself and the car. It was well he did; for hardly had +he gotten behind them before the car stopped and the driver got out. +The car was not more than two hundred feet distant. + +Henry dropped to the ground and lay still for a moment. Then he crept, +like an Indian, toward the sheltering thicket. Through it he advanced +until he was not more than fifty feet from the motor-car. He could see +with fair distinctness, but was himself completely concealed. He lay +like a log, watching intently. + +The driver unfastened his top and slid it backward. As he did so, his +overcoat caught on the open door and he gave an exclamation of +impatience. When he had laid his top back, he lowered the upper half +of his wind-shield. Then, standing on the running-board, he tugged at +the top of his wind-shield standard. Up came a sliding inner tube. In +a flash the entire mystery stood revealed to Henry. The wind-shield +standard contained a collapsible mast, like the telescoping cane he +held in his hand. Doubtless an aerial was now fastened to the mast. +Somewhere within the car was a wireless outfit. Instead of having many +secret stations, the Germans had this one portable station. + +[Illustration: Up came a sliding inner tube] + +"How clever!" thought Henry. "And how well they deceived us." + +The spy proceeded to run up his mast. It must have reached twenty feet +into the air. And the aerial was dangling from it, too. Evidently the +spy had fastened that on before raising the mast. Fifty feet distant +stood a tree. The spy took something from the baggage container and +walked over to the tree, where, Henry judged by the sound, he was +fastening a hook. Then the spy carried over the other end of his +aerial and fastened it to the hook. In the darkness Henry could see +nothing of the details of this outfit, but he realized that the spy now +had an aerial at least fifty feet long and well above the ground. For +short distance communication it would answer perfectly. + +The spy returned to his car and got into the seat beside the driver's. +Henry wormed his way forward as far as he dared, hardly breathing, +fascinated by what he beheld. For now he could see plainly. The spy +had turned on a tiny light on his dashboard. Cautiously Henry rose to +his feet, keeping behind a thick bush, and peered over the side of the +car. The spy took a key from his pocket and unfastened a hidden lock. +The entire cowl board turned down, revealing a compact but powerful +wireless outfit. The aerial wire evidently was strung up within the +collapsing mast. + +From within the cowl the spy drew forth a curious metal disc, not +unlike a spider-web, and like nothing Henry had ever seen. He did not +know what it was. He hardly breathed as he stood watching. Then the +spy took a dollar from his pocket, examined the milled edge until he +found a scratch, fitted the curious disc over the dollar, and turning +the coin in his hand, slowly began to make letters on a slip of paper +on the inverted dash. When he had finished writing, he fastened the +disc back in the cowl, dropped the dollar in his overcoat pocket, and +began to send the message he had deciphered from the dollar. + +Henry leaned forward. He had no need of his own receiving instrument +to catch the letters. And he could not have used it if he had needed +it. But it was not important that he should catch the message. The +powerful sparks that were leaping across the spy's spark-gap told him +that a battery of considerable force was being used, and he knew that +Lew would catch that message away back on Staten Island. Lew had +caught the preceding message from Long Island, and it had been sent +from a distance fully as great as this. With distinctness the letters +came to Henry's ears and he realized that the man before him was an +expert operator. But the letters he heard made no sense. They would +have to be deciphered before the message could be understood. + +However, it was not the message that Henry was thinking of. It was the +dollar in the man's overcoat. "How could he get it? How could he get +it?" he asked himself over and over. A hundred wild ideas flashed +through his head, but he could think of no way to secure the coin +without betraying himself. + +Even as he was considering the matter, the spy finished sending his +message and snapped off his light. Tiny as the illumination had been, +the man was apparently completely blinded by the sudden darkness. As +he stepped from his seat, his overcoat again caught on the swinging +door. With an impatient oath he tore the coat from him and flung it on +the running-board. Then he felt for his tools and walked over to the +tree to lower the far end of his aerial. + +Henry's chance had come. With a bound he was beside the car. +Crouching, he seized the huddled coat, ran his hands tremblingly over +it, located the pocket, found the dollar, dropped the coat where he had +gotten it, and slipped back to his cover. + +He was not a second too soon. In his eagerness to get the coin he had +been clumsy, and had fumbled excitedly for several seconds before he +found it. Meantime, the spy, with practised skill, had taken down both +wires and fastening, and was well on his way back to the car. But +Henry gained his cover and was safe. + +A sudden fear smote him lest he betray himself. His heart beat so +loudly he was sure the spy would hear it. His breath came so excitedly +he was certain he could be heard yards away. For some time he crouched +motionless, hugging the ground, trying to hold his breath. But as +second followed second and the spy made no outcry, Henry gained +confidence. Suddenly a feeling of exultation came to him, so strong +that he could hardly refrain from shouting. For the first time he +thought of the real significance of what he had accomplished. He had +unraveled the mystery of the wireless. He had the dollar. The secrets +the wireless patrol had worked so hard to uncover were within his +grasp. As the full meaning of it all came to him, he felt that he must +cry out, that he must give voice to his feelings. He no longer dared +trust himself to remain where he was, lest he betray himself. +Clutching the dollar as he had never clung to anything in his life, he +picked up his cane and slowly began to worm his way backward, on his +belly, from the thicket. With the utmost caution, an inch at a time, +he moved, lest he snap a stick or strike a stone with his foot. As +soon as he was clear of the brush, he faced about, and crawled into the +darkness. + +The spy, meantime, was proceeding rapidly in reassembling his car. +Henry heard the windshield go up and the top being fastened. He heard +the baggage lid snap into place. Then he heard the spy swearing in a +low voice. Henry stopped, still as a hunted rabbit. + +"_Donnerwetter!_" he heard the man say. "I've lost that dollar." +There was a pause. Then came the words, "I'm not going to hunt for it +anyway. Somebody would see my light sure. And if anybody does find +it, he'll never guess what it is." + +Exultantly Henry rose to his feet, and crouching low, ran with soft, +swift tread to his motorcycle. He had the dollar. The owner believed +it was lost. Never was such luck. Trembling all over, he fastened his +cane to the frame of his wheel, trundled his car to the road and ran +with it in the direction he had come. He pushed it until his breath +was coming in gasps. Then he turned into the woods and hid. He would +take no chance of being seen by the spy or by any accomplice who might +have followed him. Presently Henry heard the motor-car pull out into +the road and go speeding back toward Manhattan. A quarter of an hour +later Henry returned to the highway, switched on his light, and was +soon bowling along on his way to his fellows and his chief, feeling +that he had in his keeping the future safety of a nation. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +THE RIDDLE SOLVED + +In the house above the hawk's nest, four boys and a man sat far into +the night, examining a marked dollar and trying to unravel the secret +of the scratches. From hand to hand the dollar passed and was examined +now this way, now that; but the little group could see no meaning in +the apparently aimless marks on the silver coin. Had some of them not +seen this dollar marked and its message deciphered and sent vibrating +through the air, they would have refused to believe that the coin +before them carried a message at all. It looked like any dollar that +has accidentally become marked. + +"To-morrow," said Captain Hardy, "we will turn the dollar over to the +secret service, and doubtless their experts will solve the problem +quick enough. But I certainly wish we could unravel this thing +ourselves. Wouldn't it be an achievement for the wireless patrol!" + +"It's going to be," declared Roy positively. "We're going to solve it. +We've just got to. We'll show those secret service men that boys are +some good after all." + +But the word was easier than the deed. Puzzle their brains as they +might, search the dollar as they would, they still found no key to the +language it spoke. + +"Tell me again what the message was," demanded Henry for the twentieth +time, and Lew once more passed to Henry the slip of paper on which he +had written the message, both in cipher and deciphered, the message he +had picked from the air. It read as follows: TRPSLOWAOSEDONBADATSTITY. + + T R P S L O + W A O S E D + O N R A D A + T S T I T Y + +Long Henry studied the piece of paper, softly reading the message to +himself. "Two transports sailed to-day. How did that automobile +driver get that message from this dollar?" he asked himself, and again +he picked up the coin and turned it in his hand. "If only we had that +disc," he sighed, "or a duplicate." + +At the word "duplicate," Roy pricked up his ears. "Maybe we can make +one," he said. + +"Likely!" scoffed Lew. + +"You never know till you try," rejoined Roy. Then he turned to Willie +and demanded, "What was the disc like that you saw?" + +"If I knew, I'd make one," said Willie. + +"Well," said Roy in a tone of disgust, "you know whether it was a foot +across or not, and whether it was round or square." + +"It was round, of course," said Willie, "and the same size as the +dollar. I told you that before." + +"We can make a disc the size of a dollar, anyway, even if it doesn't +get us anywhere," said Roy, putting the coin on a sheet of paper and +outlining it with a pencil. Then with scissors he cut the disc out. + +"You saw that disc, or one like it, Henry," continued Roy. "What did +it look like to you?" + +"Just like a spider-web, as Willie says," replied Henry. + +"All right, we'll make a spider-web," said Roy. + +He seized his pencil, made a dot in the centre of the disc, and from +the dot drew straight lines that radiated in different directions. +Then he drew a number of concentric circles about his dot. + +"I don't see how that helps any," he said, examining his drawing. "Yet +that's the kind of thing they used to mark that dollar." + +From hand to hand the paper passed, and each boy compared it with the +dollar. But none was any the wiser when he had finished. Their +leader, meantime, sat with his head in his hands, studiously turning +the matter over and over in his mind. For a long time he could make +nothing of it. + +After a while he looked up. "Let me see that paper," he said. + +Roy handed him the little disc. Captain Hardy laid the disc beside the +dollar on the table, and painstakingly examined again the marks on the +coin. After a time he took a sheet of paper and across it in a row +wrote down the letters of the alphabet. Then he picked up the message +and made check marks below the letters in his alphabet as he found +those letters in the message. When he had gone through the message, +his paper looked like this: + + ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ + / // / / /// /// / / + / / / /// + / / // + / + + +He picked it up and studied it. "Four T's," he said, "three S's, three +A's, and three O's. That ought to give us a clue." + +Again he turned to the dollar and began to study it, turning it slowly +round, counting the scratches this way and that, making geometric +figures of them. Four heads peered over his shoulder as he worked +silently with his pencil. + +"I can make nothing of it," he said after a time. + +Again he sat in deep thought, his fellows meanwhile once more examining +dollar and disc and the figures their leader had made on the paper. + +"Four T's," repeated Captain Hardy after an interval. "Surely that +ought to give us a clue." + +Once more he studied the penciled disc. Then he turned to the dollar +and again examined its markings. He suddenly exclaimed, "Here are four +scratches in a straight row." His eyes began to shine. Slowly he +turned the coin. "And here are three in another row, like this," and +he indicated the positions of the scratches on the paper disc. "You +notice that each row runs from the centre of the coin toward the edge. +Let's see if there are any more rows." + +Very slowly he turned the dollar. "And there are three in a row," he +said, indicating the scratches with his pencil, "and here are three +more. You notice that the rows all radiate from the centre, like +spokes in a wheel. I believe we are getting somewhere, boys." + +"'Like spokes in a wheel,'" repeated Roy to himself. "Rows of letters +like spokes in a wheel. Four scratches in one row or spoke--these must +be the four T's. Three scratches in these other rows must be O's and +A's and S's. I've got it! I've got it!" he suddenly shouted. "There +must be as many spokes as there are letters in the alphabet." + +"I believe you are right, Roy," said Captain Hardy, looking up with a +gleam in his eyes. "That's exactly what I am beginning to think. +We'll soon see if you are right. Make me another disc." + +With a pocket rule he measured the diameter of the dollar. +"Practically an inch and a half," he announced, putting down the +figures 1.5 on paper. He multiplied those figures by 3.1416. + +"That," said he, pointing to the resulting figures, 4.71+, "represents +the circumference of a dollar. Now we'll divide the circumference by +26, the number of letters in the alphabet." + +He performed the division. "Eighteen one-hundredths of an inch," he +announced. "That's practically a scant fifth of an inch. We'll call +it so, anyhow," he continued as he marked off the space on a sheet of +paper with his rule. "Each sector," he said, "gets exactly that amount +of space on the circumference." + +He pulled open the drawer of the desk and began to rummage through a +tray full of pens, pencils, and other drawing materials. "I wonder if +there is such a thing as a pair of dividers here," he remarked. And a +moment later he exclaimed "Good!" and drew forth the compasses he was +looking for. + +He set his dividers according to the space he had marked off with his +rule, then proceeded to divide the circumference of the new paper disc. +When he had gone completely round the disc, he seized pencil and ruler +and began to draw lines from centre to circumference--the spokes of his +wheel--each spoke running from the dot in the centre to one of the +points indicated by the dividers. When he had finished, the disc was +divided into twenty-six equal sectors, like tiny pieces of a pie. + +"We shall soon know whether you are right or not in your guess, Roy," +said Captain Hardy. + +He laid the dollar beside the disc and began to copy on the disc the +marks on the dollar. "We'll put four marks in this sector," he said, +making four dots with his pencil. "They are like those four scratches +here," and he pointed to the four marks in a row on the dollar. "They +must be four T's. At any rate we'll call this the T sector. On the +dollar you notice this row of three scratches--the next sector to the +left of the T sector. You remember we had three O's, three A's, and +three S's. These three scratches must, therefore, be O's, A's, or S's. +Since they are next to the T's, they are doubtless S's. I'll mark the +sector so anyway. That gives us the T sector and the S sector. If we +are on the right track, then the sector to the left of the S space is +the R sector, and so on. I'll mark the disc that way, anyhow." + +Slowly he turned the disc around, putting a letter at the bottom of +each sector. When he had finished, he had completed the alphabet. +About him clustered his four comrades, too deeply interested to speak. +They hardly even breathed. + +"Take this paper, Roy," said Captain Hardy, "and tell me how many times +each letter in the message appears." + +Roy took the paper on which Captain Hardy had made his numerical +enumeration. "Three A's," he said. + +Captain Hardy made three marks in the A sector. + +"No B's, no C's, and two D's." + +The D's were scored. So they went through the alphabet. When they +were done, the markings on the disc were practically a duplicate of +those on the dollar, for Captain Hardy studied the dollar each time +before marking the paper disc. + +"That's it," cried Willie. "That's it exactly." + +"It's right so far as it goes, Willie," said their leader, "but we +haven't all of it yet. Suppose I hand you a disc with four T's, three +S's, two Z's, three L's, and so on. Could you make a message out of +it?" + +Willie studied the disc on the desk. "No," he said, "I couldn't. I +shouldn't know how to arrange the letters to make words out of them." + +"Neither would anybody else," continued Captain Hardy. "Those spies +have some way of knowing how to tell the order in which to read these +letters." + +For some time he sat studying the scratches on the dollar. The four +boys were quiet as mice, each trying to solve the problem that stood +between them and complete mastery of the cipher. + +"You said that the metal disc resembled a spider's web," began Captain +Hardy, talking more to himself than to the boys. "We know what the +straight lines--the spokes--are for. The concentric circles must be to +indicate the order of the letters. Let me see." Again he studied the +dollar closely. "Some of these marks are near the centre of the disc, +some half-way between centre and circumference, and some close to the +outer edge. I believe the secret lies there." + +"Listen!" cried Willie of a sudden. "When a spider spins a web, she +begins at the centre and works outward. Maybe these spies write their +messages in the same way." + +"Willie," cried Captain Hardy, "you've hit it exactly. You're as good +a reasoner as you are an observer. Now we'll begin at the centre and +spin this message outward. What's the first letter?" + +"T," said four voices together. + +The captain took his dividers and found the scratch nearest the centre +of the disc. In the same sector with this scratch were three other +scratches in a line. + +"It's a T," he announced, "just as it should be." + +With his dividers he found the letter next nearest to the centre. It +stood alone. "That's a W," he announced. + +Rapidly he located the scratch the third nearest to the centre. "And +that's an O," he said, looking up with flashing eyes. "We need go no +farther. We have the entire secret. We have deciphered their cipher." + +A cry of exultation arose. + +"To-morrow," continued Captain Hardy, "we will get a piece of +transparent celluloid and make a disc like their own. We can ink in +the circles and the radius lines and our disc will be almost a +duplicate of theirs, except that our disc will be solid while their +discs have open spaces between the circles. But that is only a detail. +We can read their cipher as well as if we had one of their own discs." + +"Wait," cried Willie, as his comrades started to cheer again. "What is +the scratch on the milled edge of the dollar for?" + +"That," replied Captain Hardy, "is to indicate how the disc is to be +placed on the dollar. That scratch is exactly between the Z and the A +sectors. It shows where the alphabet begins. Now we have their entire +secret." + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +ANOTHER MYSTERY UNRAVELED + +A piece of transparent celluloid, furnished by their host from a broken +side curtain of his automobile, supplied Captain Hardy with the +material needed for making the disc that was to be the key to future +communications of the enemy. Carefully he cut the celluloid the size +of a dollar, then marked the exact centre of it. Next he clamped the +disc on the captured coin. Between the rows of letters he scratched in +the straight radius lines--the spokes of a wheel. Then Captain Hardy +put the end of one arm of his dividers in the dot at the centre of his +disc, and swept the other arm around, scratching a circle just outside +the first letter in the message--the innermost T. Examination showed +that this circle fell just inside of the second letter in the +message--the W. Adjusting his calipers, the draughtsman made a second +circle, just outside of this second letter. A third circle fell +between the first O and the second T of the message. So Captain Hardy +continued, each succeeding circle falling just outside of the +succeeding letter in the message. When he had finished, his disc +contained twenty-three concentric circles, between which could plainly +be seen the bright dots or scratches in the dingy dollar. + +"Whew!" said Captain Hardy, as he laid down his dividers. "That's +pretty fine work--twenty-three circles within a space of an inch and a +half. I'll wager a watchmaker made their pattern for them. The solid +parts of their metal discs can't be much larger than these lines I have +scratched on the celluloid. You were right when you named it, Willie. +The parts of it must be just about as thick as a spider-web." + +The boys passed the dollar and its superimposed disc from hand to hand, +examining them with eager interest. + +"Suppose they wanted to send a message with more than twenty-four +letters in it," said Roy. "How could they do it? I'm sure some of the +messages we intercepted had more than twenty-four letters in them." + +Captain Hardy picked up the disc-covered dollar and studied it +intently. "I suppose," he said after a time, "that they would put more +than one dot in the same circle, and the dots would be read in the same +way they are now. The one to be read first would be nearest the centre +of the coin, and so on. Or they could write on several coins, each +coin being numbered in some way, and corresponding to a paragraph in a +composition." + +Again he studied the dollar closely. "Clever!" he said admiringly. +"Mighty clever! Who would ever dream that those tiny scratches meant +anything? Many a time I've seen a dollar scratched and nicked a deal +worse than this one is, though they've evidently chosen a battered one +so that their own marks will be less noticeable. Why, that coin might +have passed through our hands a hundred times, and if we had not +actually seen it marked we should never dream it said anything other +than 'In God We Trust.' We've had a great stroke of luck, boys." + +He paused and meditated. "I wonder if it is luck," he went on. "May +not the motto on that dollar explain our good fortune? Perhaps it is +Providence rather than blind luck that has guided us. At any rate let +us hope so. Now I'm going to report to the Chief. Won't he get a +surprise?" + +And Captain Hardy left his subordinates, chuckling at the prospect of +the Chief's astonishment. + +But it was Captain Hardy who had the surprise. Instead of the stern, +silent, brusque man he had become accustomed to, Captain Hardy found +the Chief smiling and talkative. As his eye fell on Captain Hardy, the +Chief rubbed his hands with apparent satisfaction. Evidently something +had happened that had put him in an extremely good humor. + +"Ah! Captain Hardy," he said, "we beat you to it this time. I already +know what you have come to tell me. But I am glad to see you just the +same. One of our operators," continued the Chief, "happened to be +shifting his tuning-coil when our friends, the enemy, were sending +their message yesterday afternoon, so that I have all the latest spy +news." + +He paused and smiled at his astonished visitor. "You see," he added, a +real Irish twinkle coming into his eyes, "the secret service is not so +slow after all." + +"Congratulations!" cried Captain Hardy, in the same spirit of fun. +"The secret service is improving. But I have some news that may make +my trip not altogether without interest to you." + +The Chief interrupted him. "We know who the man is that has been +telephoning to your Staten Island grocer about sugar," he said. "When +he called up yesterday afternoon, the telegraph operator flashed the +tip to my man, who happened to be on duty within a few doors of the +place the man was talking from. Of course my man spotted him and +trailed him. The fellow proves to be a clerk on one of the piers where +transports are loading. His position gives him no opportunity to get +aboard the ships, so he does not know what goes into the transports. +But he does know how many boats are loading and about when they will +sail. Evidently he is afraid to telephone directly to any of the +better known German agents we are watching, and as far as that goes he +may not even know who they are. I suppose this plan of communicating +with Staten Island is to give the spy there a chance to observe the +transports as they sail from the harbor, and see if he can learn +anything about their cargoes. We have put this steamship clerk under +observation and from now on he will be watched night and day. We're +closing in on them fast." + +"Congratulations!" cried Captain Hardy again, this time in sober +earnest. "You are doing excellent work. Now when you hear what we----" + +Again the Chief interrupted him. "Oh! I haven't told you all _my_ +news yet, not by a long shot," he said. And again the head of the +secret service rubbed his hands together. "We know who the driver of +the wireless motor-car is. I don't mean we know the name he's using. +Anybody could get that out of a directory. It's Sanders. But we know +who he really is. And that's why we feel so good to-day. He's a man +we've been looking for for months. He is one of the German agents +implicated in the papers we seized in Wolf von Igel's office. The +secret service has been more than anxious to discover his whereabouts. +Now we have him, for he's under observation and cannot escape us. + +"He came to this country about a year before the war started," +continued the Chief, a gleam of satisfaction shining in his eyes, "and +bought out an insurance agent who made a specialty of insuring suburban +properties. From the beginning, he made a practice of visiting the +properties that he insured. This took him about a good deal and gave +him an excuse for being so much in a motor-car. Ah! What an ideal +situation for a spy! Clever, aren't they?" + +But the Chief gave his visitor no chance to reply to his query. +Smiling again, he went on, "But even this is not all. Of course you +understand, Captain, that your boys are not the only amateurs helping +us out in this pinch. Ever since we became convinced that the Germans +have a line of secret wireless stations by which they are relaying news +to their agents in Mexico--for we're morally certain that is where +these messages go--we've had trusted amateurs helping us just as you +have helped us--by listening in. Some of them have been at it for +weeks. When we could get no trace of secret messages along the direct +route to Mexico, where they would naturally have their stations, we +began to suspect that the Germans were using a round-about route in the +hope of deceiving us completely." + +"And you've located some of them?" + +"Exactly. Your boys will tell you that yesterday was one of those days +when radio communication is at its best--when an operator picks up +sounds that at other times he could not possibly hear. The result was +that we picked up yesterday's secret message at half a dozen different +points. Where do you think the first one was?" + +"Give it up." + +"Buffalo--north instead of south. Clever, eh? Then we got it near +Detroit, and Milwaukee, and Omaha, and Santa Fe. Finally one of our +listeners picked it up at Socorro, a place about one hundred and +seventy miles north of El Paso. Now we know the line of their +stations. We'll set a regiment of amateurs to listening in along that +line and we'll locate every station in it in no time. Then we'll grab +all their agents at the same time in one big raid and wipe out this spy +system for good." + +"That is great news," said Captain Hardy, his eyes sparkling with +interest. "Great! You certainly have cause to feel good." + +"For a little while," replied the Chief, "I thought I had even more +good news. But it proved to be a false alarm." + +"What was it?" inquired Captain Hardy as the Chief stopped speaking. + +"Oh! Simply this. Some time ago one of our listeners caught an +earlier message near Socorro, which gave us a hint as to where the +messages were crossing the border. We at once sent a number of expert +army wireless men into that part of the border region to listen in. +One message was picked up at a point fifty miles north of the boundary, +but it was very faint. Along the line itself the radio men have never +detected a sound. Yet your boys are intercepting the messages here, so +we know that they are being sent regularly. That made us think that +perhaps the messages were being telephoned the last lap of the journey +and carried over the line by a person." + +"I have no doubt that your theory is correct," said Captain Hardy. + +"Well, last night we thought for a time that we had the man who was +carrying the messages. When my operator here picked up the message +yesterday afternoon, I instantly sent a message to my subordinate in +charge of the work in the El Paso district, telling him of the sending +of the message and urging extra vigilance. Yet not one of the radio +men heard a sound. But in the middle of the night my men grabbed a +Mexican who had slipped past the armed guards and was starting to wade +across the Rio Grande to Mexico." + +"Excellent!" cried Captain Hardy. + +"Good enough as far as it went," said the Chief, with a wry face, "but +it didn't go far enough. The fellow was only a smuggler." + +"Are you certain, Chief?" + +"Sure as preaching, worse luck." + +"Was the man searched thoroughly?" + +"Now, Captain, what do you think the secret service is, anyway? Was he +searched! It would make your eyes pop out if you'd see the way we go +through a man. We strip him and give him a lemon bath to bring out any +secret message that might be written on his skin, and we take his +clothes apart scientifically, I tell you. No, this fellow had nothing +incriminating on him. After a grueling examination, he admitted that +he had crossed the line to smuggle in some tobacco. However, it's only +a question of time until we _do_ put our finger on the missing link. +Then for a great raid!" + +"How I shall welcome that day," said Captain Hardy. "This spy business +is never absent from my thoughts, with its menace to our boys on the +ocean." + +"I think that you will soon be free to go back to the army," said the +Chief. "Your work is about done. This thing is coming to a head fast +now. But of course I shall need your boys to listen in for a time, so +that we can know what the Germans are sending. But there will probably +be no more real work for you. We certainly are grateful for the help +you gave us, though. We have been terribly crowded these last few +weeks." + +In his pride at the work his boys had done, Captain Hardy momentarily +forgot the errand that had brought him to the Chief's office. He stood +before the head of the secret service, smiling happily. Again he began +to think of that long chain of secret wireless stations, so sinister +and so menacing, with voice crying treachery to voice through the air, +carrying word that at any time might cause the murder of thousands of +our brave soldiers. Mentally he journeyed along the line of those +stations--from New York to Buffalo, to Detroit, to Milwaukee, to Omaha, +to Santa Fe, to Socorro, to Mexico. With quick imagination he pictured +the scores of little secret stations needed to carry those treacherous +messages across so vast a span of earth. Some he saw skilfully hidden +in forests, as the wireless had been concealed at the Elk City +reservoir. Some he pictured in abandoned farmhouses. Others he saw in +barns, in the stacks of ruined factories. And some he imagined as +flinging their voices abroad amid the burning plains of the arid +border-lands. But he could not picture to himself the invisible +messenger that took the word across the boundary. He could not fathom +the mystery, he could not picture to himself the missing link in the +chain. As was always the case with him, his mind began at once to +grapple with its problem--in this instance the riddle of the missing +link. He actually forgot where he was. + +"I wonder," he said, though he was really talking to himself, "what was +done with that smuggler." + +"We clapped him into jail to await trial for smuggling," said the Chief. + +Captain Hardy came to himself with a start, and smiled. "You say they +got nothing incriminating on him," he remarked. "Did your men find +anything at all?" + +"Only the money he had gotten for his tobacco." + +Mechanically Captain Hardy had thrust his hand into his pocket. As the +Chief answered the question, Captain Hardy's fingers came in contact +with a silver dollar and a disc of celluloid. Of a sudden an eager +light flashed into his eyes. "What kind of money did that Mexican +have?" he demanded. + +"Some silver," said the Chief indifferently. + +"Of what denominations?" + +"Dollars. He had three of them." + +"What was done with that money?" asked the captain with an earnestness +that was almost tragic. + +"Oh! The greaser made such a disturbance that the jailer let him keep +it. He's got it with him in the jail." + +A great sigh burst from Captain Hardy's lips. "Telegraph your men +instantly," he cried, "to get those dollars. That Mexican is no +smuggler. He's a spy. He's the man who carries the messages across +the border. The messages are on the dollars. And here's the key to +the cipher!" + +And he drew from his pocket and laid before the Chief a battered silver +dollar and a curiously marked celluloid disc. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +AN UNEXPECTED MESSAGE + +"Was he surprised?" cried the four boys of the wireless patrol, as +their captain entered the living-room after his trip to the secret +service offices. + +Captain Hardy chuckled. "I think he was," he said. "But for a time it +was I who was surprised. The Chief knew from his own men all about +yesterday's message. One of them picked it up. What's more, he has a +lot of amateurs in different parts of the country listening in, just as +you are doing, and they picked up yesterday's message at enough +different points to indicate the line of the secret stations we are +after. The messages are crossing the border somewhere near El Paso. +But the Germans are getting them across in some way other than by +wireless. They know we'd spot their outfit quick. The Chief thinks +some one telephones the messages the last lap and that a messenger +carries them into Mexico." + +"And what about the dollar and the disc?" asked Roy. "What did the +Chief think of them?" + +"Well, he was surprised. And what's more, we got hold of that dollar +at exactly the right moment. The secret service men arrested a Mexican +who was wading the Rio Grande at El Paso last night. They searched him +and found nothing on him that seemed incriminating. They questioned +him and the fellow finally said he had smuggled some tobacco into this +country, so they put him in jail as a smuggler. The fellow had some +money he had gotten for his tobacco--and it was three silver dollars! +The secret service men down there knew nothing of what we have found +out here, so they gave the fellow back his money. But I am morally +certain that their man is the spy who carries the messages across the +border." + +"Of course," cried Willie. "What else could he be--sneaking across the +boundary with three silver dollars." + +Everybody laughed. + +"It doesn't follow that he's a spy, just because he has three silver +dollars. He may be a smuggler, all right enough. But I believe the +smuggling is just a blind. If he were a genuine smuggler, he'd bring +more than three dollars' worth of stuff across." + +"What have they done with his dollars now?" asked Roy eagerly. + +"I don't know, Roy. The Chief got into instant touch with his men at +El Paso as soon as I showed him the dollar Henry got. But I left +before I knew what the outcome was. However, I have no doubt they will +find that the dollars are what we suspect them to be." + +"Gee!" said Willie. "To think that the wireless patrol found out about +those dollars!" + +"I guess the secret service knows by this time that boys are worth +something," smiled Roy. "Before we get through, they may think so even +more." + +"You're certainly not increasing in modesty," laughed their leader. + +"Well, I don't care," said Roy hotly. "It makes me tired. Everybody +says, 'Oh! They're only boys.' Of course we're only boys, but look at +what we've done. Why, the wireless patrol has got the best set of +fellows----" + +But Roy's protest was smothered in a burst of laughter from his fellows. + +"Well, I'm glad you feel so good over what we've been fortunate enough +to accomplish," said Captain Hardy, "for I fear there will be no more +excitement for you. The Chief says his men now have the spy business +well in hand, and that all he wants of us from now on is merely to stay +here and catch their messages until he is ready to make his raid." + +"Just what I was saying," burst out Roy indignantly. "They won't let +us in on their raid because 'we're only boys.' But who was it caught +the dynamiters, if it wasn't 'just boys'? The men couldn't do it. +They tried twice and failed. Gee! It makes me tired." + +"Never mind, Roy," said Captain Hardy smiling. "Even if we don't have +any further taste of excitement, we can always remember that we had a +big part in catching these spies--for they're going to be caught, sure. +And you mustn't forget that if we stay here and do well the part +assigned to us, we are helping just as much as the men who actually +round up the spies. You know Milton says 'They also serve who only +stand and wait.' If there aren't any reserves to stand and wait behind +the lines, the men on the firing-line do not dare to push ahead. And +besides, Roy, it is seldom that four boys play so important a part in +great deeds as you four boys already have played." + +"Four boys and a man," corrected Henry. "Without you we could never +have gotten anywhere," and Henry looked affectionately at his captain. + +"Oh! Yes, I had a part in it," agreed the captain, "but it was only a +part." + +"But you read the ciphers," protested Henry. "If you hadn't done that, +we could not have made any headway at all." + +"And who caught the messages for me to decipher? The reason we have +gotten along so well is because we work together so perfectly. I want +to thank you boys for being so faithful. I've given you many hard +tasks to do." + +"After our experiences at Camp Brady," said Lew, "we couldn't do +anything else than be faithful. We know by experience what happens +when we don't do our duty." + +"Then you are going to listen in during the remainder of the spy hunt," +said Captain Hardy, with an affectionate smile, "just as faithfully as +though your work weren't already done and the spice gone out of it. I +know it will be dull and uninteresting, boys, but you've made such a +fine record that I don't want you to fall down now. So be very +careful--if only for my sake." + +"They've never talked once," said Henry ruefully, "excepting after the +transports sail. I don't suppose they ever will except when the ships +go out. We'll have to listen to nothing for twenty-four hours a day. +But we're going to do it just the same." + +He rose and walked toward the wireless room. "It's back to the mines +for me," he added. And he disappeared through the doorway of the +wireless room. + +But hardly had he sat down and clamped the receiver to his ears before +he cried out. His fellows came flocking into the room. Henry was +swiftly writing a string of letters on a sheet of paper. + +"Something of moment must be afoot," said Captain Hardy, in a low +voice, "for them to be talking at this time. It must be important, +indeed." + +"It's a long message," whispered Willie, as Henry continued to fashion +letter after letter. + +"Something tells me it is important," repeated Captain Hardy. "What +can it be? You don't suppose the secret service men have alarmed them, +do you?" + +Henry finished his writing and laid down his pencil. His chief picked +up the sheet of paper and scanned the long line of letters Henry had +made, like this: + + EEANNRDBOEUNRYWSEUTTERONSNNFEEIAYWMNVTTASANXJULEIGOKWSNVATYIZLETK + + +"Sixty-five," he said aloud, after counting the letters carefully. + +A frown came over his face as he stood looking at the paper in his +hand. "Sixty-five," he repeated. "All their other cipher messages +have made four even lines. You can't divide sixty-five evenly by four. +Boys, I believe--but we'll make sure first." + +He sank into a chair, laid the paper on the desk, and arranged the +letters according to the old plan, thus: + + EEANNRDBOEUNRYW + SEUTTERONSNNFEE + IAYWMNVTTASANXJ + ULEIGOKWSNVATYI + + +"I don't know what to do with the five letters left over," he said, as +he laid down his pencil. Then as he ran his eye down column after +column and across each line, he continued, "But I guess it makes no +difference. It is just as I thought. I feel more certain than ever +that something of great importance is afoot. They've switched to +another cipher." + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +A CHANGE IN CIPHERS + +For some moments there was a complete silence in the room. The members +of the wireless patrol looked at one another in astonishment, +questioning with their eyes the meaning of this new turn of events. +Captain Hardy sat staring at the message before him, his brow wrinkled, +his eyelids drawn close together, trying to find some new clue to the +puzzle before him. And until he spoke, the lads of the little patrol +forbore to utter a sound. So for some time the room remained as silent +as a tunnel. + +At last the captain glanced up from his paper and noted the intent +looks bent upon him, and the deep silence. He shook off his +abstraction. + +"It looks as though we were up against it," he said. "Every minute I +feel more certain that something serious has happened. Why should they +be sending radio messages at this hour, when they have never sent them +before excepting after the transports sailed? And why should they now +use a new cipher? Their plan evidently was to use radio communication +as little as possible, lest they be detected. So they sent nothing by +wireless but the most important news--the news of ship movements, which +had to be got to Germany at once. All other messages they conveyed in +some slower but safer way. We know they used the telephone, and sent +messages by a boy, and wrote on dollars, and carried messages by +motor-car, and probably sent code letters through the mails. For all +ordinary correspondence they used these slower, safer methods. Only +when they absolutely had to, did they employ the wireless. So we must +assume that they had to now." + +He paused and glanced from face to face. "But why the change of +cipher?" he continued. "It must be because they fear that the old +cipher will be understood." + +Again the captain fell silent. "What can have happened?" he inquired +soberly, "that makes the use of wireless so imperative? What can it +be? Only something new and unforeseen. And what could there be new +and unforeseen except the detection of their plot? More and more I am +convinced that these plotters have been alarmed." + +He fell into a brown study for a moment. "This message can mean +nothing else," he said after a little. "It is imperative that we learn +what it is at the earliest possible moment. Make four copies of the +message you took, Henry." + +Captain Hardy's first lieutenant took the paper from his leader's hand +and on four sheets of paper copied the string of letters he had picked +from the air. + +"Now, boys," said the leader of the patrol, when the copies were +complete, "put your thinking caps on. Each of you take one of these +copies and see what you can make of it. You know how we deciphered the +other cipher." + +In another moment four boys were wrinkling their foreheads as they bent +over the cryptic strings of letters. And over the room came a hush +deep as midnight's. + +For a few moments nobody broke the silence. Each boy was busy with his +own thoughts. + +Henry was scowling at his paper. Willie was studying the letters +before him, as in earlier days he had studied the landscapes about Camp +Brady and the Elk City reservoir. Lew already had a hopeless look on +his face. At threading the forest he was second to none in skill; but +at untangling mental puzzles, he had small ability. The nimble-witted +Roy was already setting about his task with that keenness so +characteristic of him. + +"Sixty-five letters," he said to himself. "If this cipher is anything +like the other, those letters must be arranged in columns of equal +size." + +For a second he sat scanning the letters. Then he muttered, "What will +divide sixty-five evenly?" And a moment later, he answered his own +query by adding, "Five, and thirteen." + +He paused and again ran his eye along the row of letters. "If this +cipher works like the other there must be five rows of thirteen letters +each, or thirteen rows of five each. I'll try the five rows first. +That's more like the other cipher." + +Swiftly he set down the five rows of letters, thus: + + E E A N N R D B O E U N R + Y W S E U T T E R O N S N + N F E E I A Y W M N V T T + A S A N X J U L E I G O K + W S N V A T Y I Z L E T K + +Eagerly he ran his eye down the columns of letters, as he had become +accustomed to doing with the old cipher, but the letters were +unintelligible. Next he read the letters across the rows, but with no +better result. The eager look faded from his eyes. + +"I'll have to try the other," he said, and began to make his letters +into rows of five each, thus: + + E E A N N + R D B O E + U N R Y W + S E U T T + E R O N S + N N F E E + I A Y W M + N V T T A + S A N X J + U L E I G + O K W S N + V A T Y I + Z L E T K + + +With renewed eagerness he ran his eye down the first column. +"E-R-U-S-E-N-I-N----" he began, then stopped short in disgust. +"Nothing doing that way," he muttered. + +Then he read the letters across the rows: "E-E-A-N-N----" + +"They've got me stopped," he said. And he threw down his pencil and +sat staring at the paper before him, twisting the letters into every +shape he could think of, but to no avail. + +Meantime each of the other members of the patrol was going through much +the same process. Lew gave up first, acknowledging himself beaten. +Henry sat scowling and working away industriously. Dr. Hardy tried +first one combination of letters, then another, but in vain. Willie +had laid out the letters in exactly the same way Roy had. But Willie +worked differently from any boy in the group. The rest had been +feverishly setting down letters as new combinations presented +themselves to their minds, whether the combinations seemed logical or +not. Willie first arranged his letters in the long rows and sat for +many minutes looking intently at them. + +At Camp Brady it was Willie who had learned, better than any other +member of the patrol, the lesson of observation. When the patrol was +practising scouting, which is only another name for close observing, +Willie had sat for hours studying the landscapes, even when his fellows +teased him. Thus he had learned to see everything within sight and +make note of it. And when a guide was needed later, to conduct a party +through the midnight woods in quest of the dynamiters' lair, Willie was +the scout who was able to do it. He had observed perfectly and so +carefully noted what he saw that even in the darkness he could find his +way. + +So now he examined his long rows of letters until he knew everything +about them; and he was certain they told no story. When he was +certain, he rearranged the letters, as Roy had done, in rows of five +each. Then he laid down his pencil and began another careful search. +He read the topmost line from left to right, and from right to left. +It made no sense. He took the second and found no meaning in it. +Another boy might have skipped the others, but not Willie. Each of the +thirteen rows he studied forward and backward. + +Then he ran his eye down the first column, just as Roy had done. It +spelled nothing. But when he began at the bottom and came upward, an +eager light leaped into his eyes. He could make nothing of the lowest +five letters; but the eight above certainly spelled two words: "nine +sure." If the message was in English, Willie knew he had found +something definite to work on. He could make nothing of the second +column, either upward or downward. But the third column gave him +distinctly the words "twenty four." The next column yielded more +words: "Six twenty." + +By this time Willie's eyes were flashing. He turned to the bottom of +the last column and began to read upward. A single glance confirmed +his suspicion. + +"Captain Hardy," he cried, jumping over to his chief, and laying his +paper on the captain's desk, "begin at the bottom of the last column +and read upward. I believe this cipher is exactly the opposite of the +other." + +Willie's fellows dropped their pencils and gathered eagerly about their +leader as he slowly read the letters, beginning at the bottom of the +last column and reading upward and backward in the exact opposite of +the way the former messages had been deciphered. + +"K," he read, "I-N-G-J-A-M-E-S-T-W-E-N-T-Y-S-I-X-T-W-E-N-T-Y- +O-N-E-T-W-E-N-T-Y-F-O-U-R-B-A-L-A-K-L-A-V-A-N-R-E-N-D-E-Z-V- +O-U-S-N-I-N-E-S-U-R-E." + +"Hurrah for Willie!" cried Roy, who had been putting down the letters +as Captain Hardy read them off. "He's solved the problem. Who says +boys aren't any good? I'll bet you----" + +But Roy was interrupted by his mates. "Read it to us," they demanded. + +"It's a funny message," said Roy, and slowly he read the following: +"King James twenty six twenty one twenty four----" Then he stopped. +"I can't read the next words," he said. + +Captain Hardy took the paper from Roy and read the entire message. +"King James twenty six twenty one twenty four Balaklavan rendezvous +nine sure." + +"What a queer message," said Henry. "What does it mean?" + +"It means," said Captain Hardy, "that the Germans have done their very +best to deceive us. They not only changed their cipher, but they sent +their message in code. We have read their cipher, but we know no more +than we did before. We can never work out their code. All we can do +is to guess at the meaning. Our difficulties, instead of being ended, +are just beginning. I am more and more convinced that this message is +important." + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +TOO LATE + +The look of astonishment that appeared on every face at the reading of +the message was soon succeeded by one of bewilderment. + +"How are we ever going to find out what it means?" demanded Willie. "We +can keep juggling letters around until we get them into the proper +combinations to make words out of them. But here we've got the words. +And they don't mean anything to us. And I don't see how we're ever going +to find out what they do mean. We couldn't juggle words around, too, +could we, Captain Hardy?" + +"No, Willie. There is no use trying that. The spies know what the words +mean, all right enough. And nobody else does, unless he has the key to +the code. All we can do is to guess what they mean." + +"It will take some tall guessing," laughed Roy. "I don't even know what +two of those words mean. Read 'em, Willie--those two long ones." + +Everybody laughed. "B-A-L-A-K-L-A-V-A-N R-E-N-D-E-Z-V-O-U-S," spelled +Willie. "They've got me stopped, too. What do they mean, Captain Hardy?" + +"Balaklavan evidently is an adjective referring to Balaklava. Does any +one of you remember that word? You've had it in history." + +"I know," said Henry. "That's where the Light Brigade made its famous +charge in the Crimean War." + +"Good," said Captain Hardy. "That's exactly right. So that word +evidently refers to a famous battle-ground. Can it be that we have +stumbled on a diplomatic message instead of one meant for these spies? +Could it be that this message has anything to do with the situation in +the Balkans, I wonder?" and Captain Hardy began to turn the matter over +in his mind. + +"You didn't tell us what that other word meant," said Roy. + +"Oh!" said the captain, with a smile. "That's a word of French origin +that means meeting-place. Balaklavan meeting-place, Balaklavan +meeting-place," repeated the captain. "This certainly must be an +important message. The Chief ought to know about it at once. But I +wouldn't dare telephone it. I'd have to take it to him." + +"Maybe _we_ could find out what it means," said Roy, "if only you would +stay to direct us. Wouldn't it be great if the wireless patrol----" + +"Roy," interrupted the patrol leader, "I know how you feel. You are very +loyal to the wireless patrol. But this is a case that calls for loyalty +to Uncle Sam first. The important thing is to get the message read--not +to have it read by any particular persons." + +"Let me take the message to the Chief," suggested Lew. "I am no good at +this sort of thing, but I can carry a message as fast as anybody. Then +you could stay here and help the others." + +"Very well, Lew. Take a copy of the message as we caught it, and a copy +of the cipher as we arranged it. The Chief will learn as much from them +as he would from half an hour's talk. Now hurry." + +In a few minutes Lew was speeding toward Manhattan with the message in +his pocket, while the remainder of the wireless patrol were drawn up +about Captain Hardy's desk, in earnest consultation. + +"If only we had an up-to-date history," sighed Henry. "Then we'd know +who the sovereigns are in the Balkans. All I know are Peter, of Servia, +and it seems to me that he abdicated or died; and Ferdinand, of Bulgaria; +and Constantine, of Greece, who abdicated in favor of his son Alexander; +and the king of Roumania--isn't his name Ferdinand, too?" + +"Then there is Charles, of Austria," suggested Captain Hardy, "and the +Turkish Sultan, and King Victor Emmanuel III, of Italy. But I can't +think of any King James. Well, we'll drop the kings at present and go on +with the cipher. That brings us to three groups of letters--twenty-six, +twenty-one, twenty-four. I know that code makers frequently use +arbitrary groups of letters or figures to represent given words or ideas, +but I haven't the slightest notion as to whether these figures belong +together or are to be read separately. And as to what they mean, we can +only guess. Since they seem to be in connection with some ruler and +something about a Balkan meeting-place, they might refer to troops. You +don't suppose the Germans are massing forces for another drive into +Roumania or that part of Russia around the Black Sea, do you?" + +For a little time there was complete silence, as each member of the party +struggled to remember all that he had read about the situation in the +near East. But none could throw any light on the matter. + +"Well, we will drop the numbers and go on," said Captain Hardy. "That +brings us back to the Balaklavan rendezvous. The word rendezvous plainly +indicates some kind of a meeting. A number of people are going to get +together somewhere. If the place indicated were not so evidently in the +Crimea, I should think that the message might mean that these German +agents we've been watching are summoned to a meeting somewhere." + +Again there was a long pause. "Henry," said Captain Hardy suddenly, "to +whom was this message sent, and by whom?" + +"It had the same call signals that have always been used. It must have +been sent from the motor-car station and it is intended for the same +station or stations the other messages were sent to. But we don't know +yet where they are." + +"What would this motor-car driver, Sanders, be sending out a message +about the Balkans for?" demanded Henry. "Is he connected with the German +diplomatic corps as well as with the spy activities?" + +"That's exactly what I was wondering about," replied Captain Hardy. "I +can make nothing of it. The only thing I can understand is the last part +of the message--'nine sure.' Somebody is to meet somebody somewhere at +nine o'clock sure." + +"If they meet at the Balaklavan rendez---- What's that word? I can't +remember, Captain Hardy," said Roy. + +"Rendezvous." + +"Well, if somebody is to meet at some place at nine o'clock, the place +can't be in the Balkans--not if the people who meet are the persons who +received this message." + +"You're right, Roy. And they couldn't meet in Europe, or even very far +away in the United States, for," he continued, glancing at his watch, "it +is already long past luncheon time." + +"Well," said Henry, "there wouldn't be any sense in telling these spies +about a meeting in the Balkans, anyway. So the message must be intended +to call them to a meeting themselves." + +"It must be so," assented Captain Hardy. "And if it is so, the situation +is serious. Why should they want to meet? And why should the need be so +urgent that they can't wait to send their message by safer channels, but +fling it out into the air for anybody to pick up and read, if he has +brains enough to do it? Hello! Here's Lew back again." And turning to +the new member of the group, the leader said, "What did the Chief think +of your message?" + +"He was as puzzled as we were. He said his cipher experts were as busy +as they could be with wireless messages of the utmost importance that the +Germans had sent from Brazil to Berlin and that government operators had +intercepted. But just as soon as he can get a man who knows anything +about ciphers and codes, he will put him at this job." + +"Then it's all the more important that we should unravel this thing +ourselves. If something is to be done at nine o'clock, we haven't a +moment to lose." + +Hastily they ate their luncheon, then filed back to their living-room, +where lay their maps, books, guides, and other equipment. + +"We had better clear off these tables and desks," said Captain Hardy, "so +that we shall have plenty of desk room. Suppose you pile these books on +that book-shelf there, Henry. And you, Willie, put those maps on the +mantel over the fireplace." + +Henry gathered up a huge armful of books and hastily dumped them on the +book-shelf indicated. They slid down into a heap, but none fell to the +floor. Henry, in his usual careful manner, began to set the books to +rights. + +"Never mind that now," exclaimed Captain Hardy. "That can wait until we +have more time." + +Willie, meanwhile, was hastily stacking maps on the mantelpiece. He did +not bother to fold them up, but put a weight on them and let the sheets +hang down toward the floor. In no time the desks were cleared, and the +little group soberly seated before them. + +"You've taken away the paper with the message on it," said Captain Hardy +to Henry. + +Henry started for the book-shelves, but Willie, who sat nearest the +shelves, was there almost before Henry was out of his chair. He scanned +the heap of books, looking for the missing paper. + +"There it is, under that Bible," he muttered. + +He lifted off the superimposed books, and shoved the Bible to one side. +The books began to slide, but Willie stopped them before they poured down +to the floor. The Bible he caught on the very edge of the shelf, its +covers open. He thrust the book back, seized the paper, and returned to +his seat. + +For perhaps an hour the little group worked on. Sometimes each labored +in silence, busy with his own thoughts. Again there was eager +discussion, as one or the other advanced some theory or idea as to the +meaning of the message. Then silence would come again. So the hours +rolled by. In one of these pauses, Willie sat with closed eyes, turning +the mystery over in his mind. But his brain was tired and other thoughts +would creep in. Once he caught himself thinking of Camp Brady. Again he +was thinking about the East River, and all the sights he had seen on a +trip he had made up that stream into the Sound. Rigidly he brought +himself back to his task. But presently his attention wandered again. +Now he was thinking about the book-shelf and the volume he had caught as +it was slipping to the floor. And then, as though a flash of lightning +had suddenly illuminated a dark place in his brain, he saw the words on +the open page of the book--words that in his haste he had barely +glimpsed, but that now came vividly to his mind: + + TO THE MOST HIGH AND MIGHTY PRINCE + + _JAMES,_ + _By the Grace of God_ + _King of Great Britain, etc._ + + +In another instant Willie was on his feet. "There's one King James that +we didn't think of," he said, "the King James of the Bible." + +His fellows laughed. "He's dead," said Roy. + +But Willie paid no attention to the comment. His look was centred on his +captain's face. And his captain's face was worth watching. Over it came +that eager look that always marked his countenance when he got new light +on a problem. + +"Willie," he said, "I can't see the connection offhand, but it may well +be that there is one. Can anybody think of any connection between King +James and Balaklava and these spies?" + +Nobody could. "The only thing that King James is remembered for," +continued Captain Hardy, "is this very Bible--the King James' version, as +we call it, in contradistinction to the Revised version. But I don't +quite see how we can connect him with the rest of the message. Read the +message over again, Henry." + +When Henry had read it, Roy said, "If it said Matthew, or Psalms instead +of King James, you would think that it was a text." + +Captain Hardy leaped to his feet. "Stupid!" he cried. "Why didn't I see +it before? Of course it's a text. Bring me the Bible. King James, 26, +21, 24," muttered Captain Hardy, as Roy placed it before him. "That must +indicate the book, chapter, and verse." + +He turned to the table of contents and began to count the books of the +Bible. "Ezekiel," he announced, when he reached twenty-six. "If our +theory is correct, this message refers to Ezekiel 21, 24. We'll soon +know whether we're right or not." + +His fingers trembled as he turned the pages, so eager was he. He found +Ezekiel, turned to the twenty-first chapter, and ran his shaking finger +down the columns until it rested on the twenty-fourth verse. + +"Listen," he said, and his companions scarcely breathed as he read: +"'Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Because ye have made your iniquity +to be remembered, in that your transgressions are discovered, so that in +all your doings your sins do appear; because, I say, that ye are come to +remembrance, ye shall be taken with the hand.'" + +For an instant complete silence followed the reading. Then Captain Hardy +said, "Willie, you've solved the riddle. And it is just as I feared. +The Germans have been alarmed. They know that they are detected. Now +everything is plain enough--in a way. They had to warn all the members +of the gang and they hadn't time to send messages. So they took a chance +on the wireless. But they used a new cipher and resorted to a code. The +use of the word 'rendezvous' indicates to my mind that they intend to +flee. They're going to meet at the 'Balaklavan rendezvous' at nine. +We've got to find where that is and get the secret service men there in +time to nab them. And the afternoon's almost gone already." + +Captain Hardy pulled out his watch and groaned as he looked at it. +"We've got to watch these spies, too," he said. "Above all things we +mustn't let them get away from us. If we can't find out where the +Balaklavan rendezvous is any other way, we can trail these fellows to it." + +Then the leader of the scouts turned to Lew. "Hustle down to the pine +tree," he directed, "and watch the hawk's nest. It may already be too +late. But if anybody is still there and comes out, trail him no matter +where he goes. You can get into touch with me by telephone. Meantime, +I'll communicate with the Chief." + +Lew hurried away and Captain Hardy left the room to telephone. He came +back with a white face. + +"The Chief hasn't a man available," he reported. "All his men are +watching some plotters who are trying to burn grain elevators and fire +shipping. He says it's up to us and the police. So I called Police +Headquarters and two detectives will be sent here at once. Pray Heaven +they come in time." + +Hardly had he finished speaking before Lew burst into the room. "Captain +Hardy," he cried, "I was too late. Just as I reached the pine grove, I +saw the spy running down the slope. He was a quarter of a mile away. I +ran after him. But before I got near the shore he stepped into a +motor-boat that was waiting and away he went. There were three other +persons in the boat, and I am sure one was the grocer and one his boy. I +had no way of following them, so I came straight back." + +Just then the door-bell rang. Their hostess announced two men to see +Captain Hardy. And the two detectives entered. + +"Too late," groaned Captain Hardy. "The birds have flown. And we do not +know where they have gone." + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +THE ENEMY ESCAPES + +Evidently the detectives were little interested in the case. They +asked a few perfunctory questions and went away without making any +effort to intercept the fleeing motor-boat. + +"They remind me of those state police at the Elk City reservoir," said +Roy indignantly, "They don't take any interest in anything they don't +do themselves. Or maybe they think the matter isn't worth bothering +with because we're only boys." + +"No, Roy," explained Captain Hardy, "I think it must be because we're +working with the secret service. The police and the secret service are +as jealous of each other as two cats; and the police don't want to do +anything that will bring any credit to the secret service. They might +have been able to do something to intercept that motor-boat. But I +don't know what we can do. What was the boat like, anyway?" + +Lew was able to give a good description of it; but evidently all +distinguishing marks had been removed from it. It was a craft of +perhaps thirty-five feet, slender, of light draft, and quite certainly +built for speed. There was no name at either bow or stern, and the +boat was painted a muddy gray that made it almost invisible at a little +distance, so well did the color harmonize with the color of the harbor +waters. Lew had watched it until it was almost out of sight; and all +he knew was that it had started straight out through the Narrows, as +though bound for the ocean. + +"It looks at first glance," said Captain Hardy, "as though they were +going to sea; but they couldn't go far in that craft. Perhaps there is +some larger vessel there that they hope to reach." + +He turned the idea over in his mind for a time. "I think it more +likely that they are heading for some point on land," he said. "They +are so clever at deception that that is most likely to be the case; and +if it is, they may not even be going in the direction they are headed +for. It will soon be dark. Then they could double back unseen. It's +my idea that Newark ought to be a good refuge for them. It's a pretty +big place, and it's full of German sympathizers--and they can reach it +the way they're going. All they need to do is to keep right on around +this island. That will take them to Newark Bay. I wonder if that +isn't what they're up to, anyway?" + +Willie went over to the mantel and brought a large map that showed all +the waters of the region. He spread it out on the table and the group +gathered around it, shoulders together, heads bent low. + +"They might be making for Raritan Bay or Jamaica Bay," suggested Henry. + +"Yes," replied Captain Hardy, "but I don't think it likely. Quite +evidently they fear pursuit, and they will know that they are safest +where boats are most numerous. And I should think that would be in +Newark Bay, although I don't really know." + +"They could coast along the shores of New Jersey," said Henry, "or of +Long Island. What would they be most likely to do?" + +"Ah!" replied Captain Hardy. "That's the very question. You know what +Sherlock Holmes used to say: 'Eliminate the impossible, and whatever +remains, no matter how improbable, is the truth.' I think that we can +eliminate the possibility of their going to sea. That is practically +impossible--unless--unless--there's a ship out there waiting for them. +If this were England instead of America, I'd say that's exactly what +was afoot: that there was a German boat somewhere offshore waiting for +them. But the possibility of there being such a ship here is so remote +that we can dismiss it." + +"If they aren't going offshore, where are they going?" demanded Lew. + +Everybody laughed. "That's what we've got to find out," replied +Captain Hardy. + +"I don't see how," said Lew hopelessly. + +"No more do I," rejoined their leader, "but we'll have to start with +what clues we have and try to follow them. All we know is that this +motor-boat is outward bound through the Narrows and presumably is going +to be at the Balaklavan rendezvous at nine o'clock." + +"I wish we had a Light Brigade to send after them," sighed Henry, and +as the others laughed, he began to quote what he remembered of +Tennyson's lines that have made the name of Balaklava immortal: + + "'Into the jaws of death, + Into the mouth of hell + Rode the six hundred.'" + + +Long ago dusk had come. The lights were lighted and the little group +of scouts still clustered about their maps, searching vainly for a +clue. Their hostess came to call them to dinner. + +"I am sorry," said Captain Hardy apologetically, "but we are at work on +a very grave matter and cannot possibly stop for dinner. Could you +conveniently send us up some coffee and sandwiches?" + +So, while they munched their sandwiches and sipped their hot coffee, +the members of the wireless patrol continued their search for the +missing clue. Occasionally Lew, more restless than his fellows, +strolled over to the window and stood gazing out over the harbor, with +its entrancing lights. + +"There goes the _Patrol_," he called out suddenly, as a boat bearing +the distinctive lights of the police department slipped down the +Narrows, while he was at the window. + +Captain Hardy gave an exclamation of annoyance. "Why didn't I think of +that boat?" he said savagely. "We might have been able to follow the +motor-boat if we could have gotten the _Patrol_ here. For all we know, +she may have been near at hand. And she is equipped with wireless, +too. Well, it's too late now." Then bitterly he added, "The man who +ordered the charge of the Light Brigade wasn't the only one who +blundered." + +"Is there any place near New York," suddenly demanded Henry, "named +Balaklava or Crimea or anything else that suggests Balaklava?" + +"Get that atlas from the book-shelves and see, Henry," replied Captain +Hardy. "Look through the list of towns, rivers, lakes, etc. And you, +Willie, study the map a while. That seems to be your forte. You may +find something to suggest Balaklava to you." + +Willie laid the map squarely on the table, and while Henry pored over +the atlas and the others talked, and thought at intervals, he began a +systematic survey of the map. And naturally he began in the region of +the Lower Bay, toward which the motor-boat had disappeared. + +Minute followed minute. Dusk turned to deep darkness. Captain Hardy +opened and shut his watch in desperation. Swiftly the time was drawing +near for the meeting of the spies, and the wireless patrol had not only +failed at the critical moment, had not only allowed the enemy to +escape, but had lost all track of them. It was a bitter thought and +Captain Hardy tried to shut it out of his mind and centre attention on +the problem in hand. Henry was still poring over names. Willie had +finished his methodical examination of the Lower Bay and was working +his way northward. He followed the boundaries of the harbor up through +the Narrows and along the Jersey shore, then pursued his quest +throughout the length and breadth of Newark Bay. But he found nothing +suggestive of Balaklava. Back to the Bay he traced his route, then +slowly traversed its waters. Past Bayonne, past Bedloe's Island, past +Jersey City, and up the Hudson his pencil slowly moved, as he surveyed +every name and looked at every turn and angle of the shore. Then he +came back to the eastern side of the Narrows and went north along the +Brooklyn shore. Past the Erie Basin, past Governor's Island, past the +Brooklyn Bridge, past the Navy Yard, past Blackwell's Island, past +Ward's Island, past Hell Gate, with its swirling currents, and on into +the Sound, he traveled in imagination, examining every point and word +on the map, but he saw nothing suggestive. + +The minutes crept on. Eight o'clock had already struck. Captain Hardy +was in a fever of anxiety. He could no longer sit still, but was +pacing the floor. Lew, utterly hopeless of helping, stood at the +window, looking out over the myriad lights of the harbor. + +"There's the _Patrol_," he said. "She's coming back up the Narrows." + +"If we only knew where to go, it wouldn't be too late yet," said +Captain Hardy in a tragic voice. "It is awful to think that we have +failed." In an agony of mind he began to pace the floor. + +Henry had finished his perusal of the atlas and was thinking +desperately over the problem. "I'd gladly go where the Light Brigade +went," he muttered, "if only it would take us to those spies." And +again he began to quote: + + "'Into the jaws of death, + Into the mouth of hell + Rode the six hundred.'" + + +Hardly had he finished, when Willie gave a loud cry. "Hell Gate!" he +almost shrieked. "That's where they are going to meet." + +Captain Hardy stopped abruptly in his walk. The flush of hope crept +into his cheek. "It's far-fetched," he said, "but it may be. It's the +only chance we've got. Can we make it in time? Where's the _Patrol_, +Lew?" + +"Right there, sir; almost out of the Narrows." + +"Quick, Henry. The wireless." + +Henry rushed to the wireless room. Captain Hardy strode after him. +The others followed. With eager, skilful fingers, Henry adjusted his +instrument and began to flash out the call for the police-boat. + +Almost at once he got an answer. As Henry wrote down the letters, +Captain Hardy leaned over his shoulder, his eyes fastened on Henry's +pencil. + +"Tell them the secret service needs them at the landing at once, Henry. +Tell them to hurry." + +Then, while Henry was flashing his message into the night, Captain +Hardy ran to the window to see what the _Patrol_ would do. On and on +it went, as though it had no intention of stopping, and cold beads of +perspiration stood out on Captain Hardy's forehead, and he clasped and +unclasped his hands in his excitement. On went the boat. Captain +Hardy tore back to Henry's side. + +"What do they say?" he demanded. + +"They're coming, sir." + +Again the captain stepped to the window. The little steamer was just +beginning to turn. + +"Get your hats and coats, quick," ordered the leader. + +In a second the scouts were ready. In another, the little party +emerged from the house and started pell-mell down the hill in a mad +race to reach the landing before the police-boat got there. + +Boat and boys touched the wharf at almost the same instant, and Captain +Hardy's party leaped aboard before the steamer had entirely lost her +headway. An officer stood at the gunwale, peering through the dark at +the figures that swarmed aboard. + +"I'm Lieutenant Gavigan, in command," he said, advancing toward Captain +Hardy. "Are you the party that called us?" + +"Yes," replied Captain Hardy. + +A look of astonishment came over the lieutenant's face. "Your wireless +said we was wanted by the secret service," said the puzzled lieutenant, +"but these boys do not belong to the secret service. And I don't know +you, either." + +"I will explain everything," said Captain Hardy, "but make haste. +We're after German spies that are to meet at Hell Gate at nine o'clock. +Crowd on every ounce of steam you can." + +"Hell Gate!" said the lieutenant sarcastically. "And do you think I'm +going to take you to Hell Gate, just on your say-so--you and a crowd of +kids I don't know from Adam? What do you think would happen to +Lieutenant Gavigan if he went gallivantin' round the Bay without orders +on joy rides like that? Nothin' doin'." + +Captain Hardy smothered the indignation he felt, and began to explain +courteously. "Lieutenant Gavigan," he said, "I am Captain Hardy of the +United States Medical Reserve Corps and these boys are members of the +Camp Brady Wireless Patrol. Last summer we did the wireless work for +some of the Pennsylvania troops guarding public works, and in the +course of our duties were fortunate enough to detect and capture some +German spies who were endeavoring to blow up a great reservoir and +cause another flood like that which wiped out Johnstown. For the last +few weeks we have been helping the United States secret service keep +track of German spies in New York, for, as you no doubt know, the +secret service is short handed." + +"Short handed," sneered the lieutenant. "Yes, and short minded, too, +to be employin' a parcel of kids. But that's about as much sense as +the secret service has got. If they want any spies caught, why don't +they call in the cops? We'd catch 'em soon enough." + +Captain Hardy choked down his resentment and went on. "We're not +making any boasts as to our abilities, Lieutenant Gavigan," he said, +"but we are doing all we can to help and the secret service thought +well enough of us to put us to work." + +The police officer looked the captain over critically. "How do I know +you are what you say you are?" he asked. "Where are your credentials?" + +A sudden fear smote Captain Hardy. Were all their efforts to come to +naught? Were the treacherous spies to get away, now, when it seemed +that they might yet be apprehended? + +"We have never thought credentials would be necessary," he said, "and +we have overlooked the need of providing ourselves with them. But we +can satisfy you fully. Only hurry, Lieutenant, hurry." + +"And where should I hurry?" the latter asked truculently. "You don't +think I'm goin' to risk my head takin' the likes of you on a joy ride +to Hell Gate, do you? Nothin' doin'. You come ashore and tell the +captain who you are and what you want, and if he says Hell Gate, why, +you'll get there, and if he don't, you won't. And that's all there is +to that." + +Very evidently it was useless to argue with the stubborn lieutenant. +In despair Captain Hardy turned aside, desperately thinking how to meet +the situation. Argument, he saw, was of no avail with this type of +man. Force would have to be used. But what had he to offer that would +impress the man? + +"Captain Hardy," said Roy, slipping up to his commander, "would our +police cards help any?" + +"The very thing," said Captain Hardy. "I had forgotten that you boys +had them." + +Captain Hardy hastened back to the commander of the Patrol. +"Lieutenant Gavigan," he said sharply, "there are more ways than one a +policeman can lose his head. One is by being a fool. Your +Commissioner is keenly interested in this work of ours and is giving us +all the assistance he can. Each one of my boys carries his personal +permission to go where he chooses. Roy, show this officer your pass." + +Roy produced his police card, and the three other boys followed his +example. + +"Those cards were given to my boys by the Commissioner in person," said +Captain Hardy impressively. "He is keeping in close touch with this +work. I should not want to have to report that you blocked our efforts +and made it possible for these spies to escape." + +The change in Lieutenant Gavigan was remarkable. "Crowd on all the +steam you've got, Jim," he shouted to the engineer. Then turning to +Captain Hardy, he said, "Why didn't you tell me you was on police +business? I'll send a wireless message at once for instructions." + +Captain Hardy raised his hand in protest. "Impossible!" he said. "If +the Germans should pick it up, everything would be lost. Our success +depends wholly upon the speed and secrecy with which we travel. How +much longer will it take to reach Hell Gate?" + +"A half an hour, anyway," said the lieutenant, who was beginning to +look worried. Then he added, "I'm takin' an awful chance, goin' up +there without orders." + +"And you're taking a worse one if you refuse to go," rejoined Captain +Hardy sternly. + +The lieutenant wavered. Captain Hardy strode into the cabin and seized +a piece of paper. Lieutenant Gavigan, curious, followed him. Rapidly +Captain Hardy wrote a message on the paper. + +"Send that to your Commissioner," he said, handing the completed +message to the commander of the _Patrol_. + +Lieutenant Gavigan ran his eyes hurriedly over the paper. "Captain +James Hardy, M. R. C.," ran the message, "and patrol of boys request +immediate assistance. Everything at stake. Send instructions at once." + +The lieutenant looked relieved. "The Commissioner won't be at his +office at this hour," he said, "but they'll know where to reach him." + +"Then rush it," said Captain Hardy, "and make every bit of speed you +can." + +He stepped out into the night again. Overhead myriad stars twinkled +brightly. The little craft was vibrating from stem to stern under the +rapid revolution of her engines. She was ploughing through the water, +throwing up a great white wave on either bow. On all sides of her +vessels were coming and going on their usual missions of peaceful +industry. Millions of lights twinkled in the great buildings of the +city and in the factories that lined the water-front. But Captain +Hardy had no eye for the beauties of the night or the swelling waves or +the stimulating harbor scene. He could think of nothing but the work +ahead of him, of the rendezvous in the darkness at Hell Gate. The +little steamer, ploughing her way through the water, seemed to Captain +Hardy to be almost motionless, so keen were his fears that he would be +too late. He pulled out his watch and groaned. The boat was well into +the East River, but it was already almost nine o'clock. In agony of +mind he began to pace up and down the deck. + +"Got an answer," said Lieutenant Gavigan, suddenly coming out of the +cabin, and he thrust a paper into Captain Hardy's hand. + +The latter stepped toward the light and read it. "Give any assistance +requested," it read. "Thank goodness, that's settled," muttered +Captain Hardy. + +Then he turned to the lieutenant, who was now more than ready to +oblige. "Can't you get a little more speed out of her?" he demanded. + +"I'll try," said the boat's commander, and he strode off to the engine +room. + +Past the Brooklyn Bridge, past the Manhattan Bridge, past the Navy +Yard, past factories and offices and great rows of tenements, the +little police-boat sped on. But the hands of Captain Hardy's watch +sped faster. Past Blackwell's Island, with its long prison buildings, +past the little lighthouse at its northern end, past the darkened area +of the East River Park, on toward the blackness of Hell Gate with its +frightful swirling waters, rushed the speeding craft. And now, drawn +by a common interest, boys and men alike crowded the bow, and policemen +and scouts stood in a close knot, gazing eagerly ahead into the +darkness. + +A motor-boat suddenly shot across the path of the Patrol. "Halt!" +cried Lieutenant Gavigan, seizing a megaphone. The motor-boat came to. +Lieutenant Gavigan was about to stop to examine it. + +"Go on," said Captain Hardy tensely. "That's not the boat--and there's +only one man in it anyway. We're after a gang." + +Darker became the way. The river broadened. The waters grew troubled. +High above loomed the great arch of the new railroad bridge over Hell +Gate. A sailing craft drifted silently toward them. Lieutenant +Gavigan looked questioningly toward Captain Hardy. The latter shook +his head. + +Again he drew forth his watch and held it close to his face. "Nine +ten," he said, in a voice that shook with emotion. + +On rushed the little steamer. It began to turn its nose toward the +wicked waters that gave the region its name. Then it ploughed into the +swirls and headed for the smooth reaches beyond. No craft of any sort +could be seen. + +"We'll have to go through," said the lieutenant. "We can't turn here." + +The boat passed under the great bridge and on through the seething +rapids. It ran on for a little distance, then circled and swung back. +Again it passed through the angry waters, then made a wide circuit, +steaming slowly along the land, while those aboard searched the +darkness, peering into every curve and indentation of the shore, to try +to spy out some sign of life. Tugs were shunting car barges, and an +occasional steam craft passed, but nowhere was there a sign of a +motor-boat or of the fugitive Germans. + +A great doubt came into Captain Hardy's mind. Could it be that after +all they had been on a wild-goose chase? He had thought the connection +between Hell Gate and the Balaklavan rendezvous far-fetched. But it +had been the one chance left. They had tried the theory out and they +were wrong. The wireless patrol had not merely lost the Germans. They +had lost all trace of them. They had failed in the crisis. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +A CLUE FROM THE AIR + +Slowly the little police-boat finished her circuit, nosing into every +dark nook and spying out every black corner; but blacker than either +the night or the water was the gloom in the hearts of Captain Hardy and +his fellow members of the wireless patrol. With bowed head the +disappointed leader turned to the commander of the boat, to tell him to +return to his dock. But Captain Hardy was too loyal to his fellows, +too resentful of Lieutenant Gavigan's remarks about them to indicate by +word or act that he thought they had been on a wild-goose chase. So he +said simply, "We were too late, Lieutenant. They have given us the +slip. But none the less I thank you for your assistance." + +Then he turned aside and stood peering gloomily into the dark waters, +that reflected the exact shade of his own mind. Appreciating better +than his youthful companions the full extent of the disaster that had +befallen them, he could not, for the time being, summon up his usual +fortitude or see any hopeful prospect. Now that the spies knew that +they were discovered, he felt sure that they would never risk the +sending of another wireless message. And a wireless message was the +sole clue by which his little patrol might once more pick up the trail +of the fugitives. + +But Captain Hardy's disappointment was no whit keener than that of his +fellows, nor his sufferings any more poignant; yet with the buoyancy of +inexperienced youth, hope was not entirely crushed in the heart of any +one of the young scouts. So absolute was their faith in their leader, +so astonishing had been the good fortune that so far had attended their +efforts, that each felt that in some way this present disaster would +yet be retrieved. And with hope as a motive power, each began, in a +manner true to his character, to attack the problem that confronted +them, to get ready for further service. It was a splendid example of +the spirit of "never say die" that their leader had drilled into +them--an example that he would be quick to follow, once the shock of +disappointment had passed away. + +Lew, hopeless of solving the puzzle of the spies' disappearance, was +thinking of how the scouts should equip themselves if they should be +called upon for a land pursuit; for at following trails and taking care +of himself in the open he had no superior in the wireless patrol. Roy, +keen minded as a Sherlock Holmes, was turning over in his mind the +problem of the spies' escape, trying to reason out what their line of +action would be in the immediate future. Willie was examining a mental +landscape to decide the same question. With that wonderful facility of +memory he had acquired by hours of practice at Camp Brady, he now +called up the maps of the neighboring waters he had been studying; and +in his mind's eye he could see every point and indentation of the +shore-lines, every arm of water, every inequality of the land as +pictured on the contour map, and the principal roads of the region. +And he was asking himself what a party of fugitives in a small boat +would naturally do. + +Henry, eager as always to learn more about the wireless, had +ingratiated himself with the _Patrol's_ wireless man and was eagerly +examining his instruments and plying him with questions. At first the +operator answered with good-natured tolerance as one replies to the +queries of a child. But when he saw how much Henry actually knew, and +found that though he was only a boy he had already acted as operator at +a government wireless station, he fell into an earnest discussion about +the possibilities of wireless in police work--for in New York the +police wireless was still in an experimental stage. Then he permitted +Henry to clamp on the receivers and listen in. + +Henry welcomed the opportunity, for in all the weeks they had been +watching the Germans, the wireless patrol had hardly had an opportunity +to listen to the myriad voices in the air. They had had to shut out +all other sounds and tune down to the low lengths used by the +Germans--and by nobody else. They had been like spectators at the +opera with their ears plugged to shut out the music. + +Now, as Henry eagerly listened in, he caught a sharp, whining note that +vibrated powerfully in his ear. "There's the Navy Yard calling," he +said, and a deep frown passed over his face, for it made him think of +submarines and the failure of the wireless patrol. For a moment he +tuned to a short length and listened for a spy message, as he had done +so many times before. + +"That's the Waldorf-Astoria talking," said Henry a moment later, and he +copied down the message and shoved it over to the police operator. + +Then followed press despatches--stories of land and sea, of fires and +battles, of shipwrecks and the arrest of a spy. And again Henry +scowled and slid his tuning-coil and briefly listened in at lower range. + +Down the river ploughed the little steamer, repassing, one by one, the +landmarks it had passed on its trip northward. As it steamed along and +the meaning of their failure became more apparent to the young scouts, +they became gloomier and gloomier. But Henry, exulting at the +opportunity to handle such an outfit, almost forgot their failure, and +drank in eagerly the gossip of the night. So engrossed was he, that he +was startled when he heard the order to slacken speed, and heard his +captain say, "Well, here we are, boys." + +Reluctantly he removed the receivers. Then, as an after-thought struck +him, he clamped them again to his ears, tuned his coil to a low length, +and strained his ears in one last search for a forbidden voice in the +dark. For a moment he sat listening vainly. Then, with unwilling +fingers, he began to take the clamps from his head. But suddenly he +jammed the receivers back on his ears and sat tense. + +"Hurry up, Henry," called Captain Hardy. "We're waiting for you." + +"Hush!" said Henry, lifting a warning hand. Then he sat rigid, bending +eagerly forward. In his ear a call was sounding. It was the old +familiar call of the motor station. He seized a pencil and began to +write. A moment later he jumped to his feet and went rushing after his +captain. + +"Here!" he called, thrusting a paper into Captain Hardy's hand. "The +motor-car station just sent this message." + +"The motor-car station!" exclaimed Captain Hardy, in astonishment. +"Then Sanders can't be aboard the motor-boat. The Chief said he had +him covered so closely that he could not escape--and evidently he +couldn't." A moment later Captain Hardy stood frowning, trying to +puzzle out the meaning of it. "I don't see how he could have sent a +message," he continued, "if he is so closely watched that he couldn't +get away." + +"Perhaps the message will tell us," suggested Roy. + +"Right again, Roy," said Captain Hardy. "We'll hurry to the office and +decipher it." + +On the run they made their way to the subway station at Bowling Green. +They caught a north bound train and shortly afterward swarmed up out of +the subway and made a rush for the secret service offices. + +With hardly more than a word of greeting they drew up at a table and +laid the paper with the message before them. + +"Forty," said Captain Hardy, counting the letters. "If they use the +same cipher they did last time, that'll make five columns of eight +letters each." Rapidly he set down the letters in the order indicated, +thus: + + T T E N R + H A S E Y + G Y U R A + I L O E B + N T V R O + D C Z E H + I A E V C + M X D E E + +Then slowly he read off the message: +"ECHO--BAY--REVERE--RENDEZVOUS--EXACTLY--AT--MIDNIGHT." + +With a cry of joy Captain Hardy leaped to his feet. "We've got another +chance," he said. "Sanders must be going to meet them at Revere +Rendezvous--wherever that is." Then, turning to a man at the next +desk, he inquired, "Where is Echo Bay?" + +"At New Rochelle," said the agent. "That's where Fort Slocum is." + +"Fort Slocum!" cried Captain Hardy. "This may be even more serious +than it seems. Can this man be spying on the fort, too? How far is +New Rochelle from here?" + +"Eighteen or twenty miles." + +"Can we get there by twelve o'clock?" + +"Sure. Why?" + +"The spies we are after are to meet at Echo Bay, Revere Rendezvous, at +midnight. Are you sure that we can get there?" Then he glanced at his +watch. "It's already long past ten." + +The Chief was still at the office. The agent went to consult him, and +came back for details. Captain Hardy stepped into the Chief's private +office and made the entire situation plain. The Chief sat like a cake +of ice, a thinking machine immovable and unmoved, listening to the +recital. + +"How many men have you here?" he asked his subordinate, the instant +Captain Hardy had done talking. + +"Four." + +"Two of you go by automobile, two by motorboat. Divide these boys and +take half with each party. Let those who go by land approach the +meeting-place on foot and hide. The motorboat must come in behind the +spy boat and cut off retreat. Be sure you are armed." + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +THE CAPTURE OF THE SPIES + +Without a moment's delay the party that was to go by boat, including +Henry and Roy, rushed off to the dock where the secret service had a +motor craft of the racing type, capable of making tremendous speed. +Almost as quickly the other party found itself seated in a powerful +touring-car, speeding northward. Captain Hardy, Willie, and Lew were +in the car, together with the two agents and the driver, who was +likewise a secret service man. + +Up Third Avenue rolled the big automobile, dodging wagons, shooting +past motor-cars, darting by trolleys, its horn shrieking an almost +unceasing warning as it charged onward at the very top of the speed +limit. Never had Willie or Lew ridden so fast in crowded +thoroughfares, and time and again they held their breath as the big car +rushed toward some obstacle in its path, expecting a crash. But under +the skilled hands of the driver the great machine swept in and out, +weaving its way through the traffic as an eel glides through water +growths. + +The first thrill passed, they turned to their captain and the secret +service agents who were earnestly discussing the situation. Overhead +the thunder of the elevated trains was such that at times they could +hardly hear what the men beside them were saying. + +"I am well acquainted with New Rochelle and the region of Echo Bay," +said one of the agents, "but I never heard of any Revere Rendezvous +there. However, the people of the town can doubtless tell us. We +shall have time to make inquiries." And turning to the driver, he +said, "Shove her to the limit, Jim." + +Already the car was well up-town. Traffic had grown steadily less, and +as steadily the driver increased his speed. Now they were rolling over +the smooth asphalt at twenty miles an hour. + +"No doubt they could tell us," replied Captain Hardy, "if there were +any such place. But I fear that the name is one of the spies' own +making," and he told the story of the Balaklavan rendezvous. "We think +that meant Hell Gate," explained Captain Hardy. "The fact that the +spies' motor-boat is now evidently on the Sound confirms that belief. +But the name was far-fetched. It took us a long time to work it out. +This new name may be equally obscure. We shall have to decipher it on +the way." + +The motor-car was approaching the Harlem River. "Your Balaklavan +rendezvous is only a few blocks off there," said the agent, pointing to +the east. + +The car rolled up to the bridge and passed over the dark waters where +tugs were shunting car-floats into their docks and churning up white +foam with their propellers. Thousands of lights were reflected in the +black depths. In a moment the Harlem was behind them, and they were in +the borough of the Bronx. On they sped up Third Avenue. + +The two boys were distracted. They wanted to see the sights, utterly +new to them, and they wanted to hear the discussion of their elders. +Willie, with that strange faculty of his for noting places and +locations, kept watching the street signs and trying to remember where +Third Avenue led to on the map. + +"There are three places on Echo Bay where a motor-boat and a motor-car +can easily meet," said one of the secret service men. "At the north +side of the harbor entrance is a finger of land called Premium Point. +On the other shore is Huguenot Park. And an arm of the bay runs inland +all the way to the main street passing north through the town." + +"Which place would they be most likely to select?" asked Captain Hardy. + +"Well, they'd hardly try Premium Point because that is a private +estate, and they would have difficulty in getting to the water-front." + +"Then that limits them to the two others." + +"Exactly. And one is as easy to get to as the other." + +Captain Hardy frowned. "What are we going to do?" he asked. "We might +pick the wrong place and miss them. And since there are several of +these spies in the boat, and they are desperate fellows, we'd never +dare divide our forces. What are we going to do?" + +"Gee!" said Willie. "We just passed Two Hundredth Street. Some town, +eh, with two hundred numbered streets?" + +The car rushed on. In silence the three men were considering how they +should meet the situation before them. + +"If only we could get into touch with our motor-boat," said one of the +secret service men, "we could arrange a plan to cover every +possibility." + +"We've got to find what this Revere Rendezvous is," insisted Captain +Hardy. "Can't you think of anything that would suggest such a name?" + +The three men fell silent, pondering the matter. The car swept on. + +"Hello!" said Willie. "We've left Third Avenue, but we're going so +fast now I can't make out the names on the sign-posts." + +And indeed they were going. As they approached the edge of the city +limits, where there was little traffic and the driver could see far +ahead, he pressed his foot on the accelerator and the great car went +roaring through the street at more than thirty miles an hour. And as +they drew closer and closer to the open country, the man at the wheel +rushed them on faster and faster. In vain Willie looked at the +sign-posts. The car darted past them with baffling speed. But Willie +wanted to know where he was. + +"What street are we on now?" he asked, leaning toward the driver. + +"The Boston Post Road," said the driver, without turning his head. + +Captain Hardy caught the name and his eyes flashed. "The Boston Post +Road!" he repeated. "Does this go anywhere near New Rochelle?" + +"Right through it," said the driver, "only they call it Main Street +within the town limits." + +"Does it pass near Echo Bay?" + +"It's the very road that meets the arm of the bay." + +Captain Hardy turned from the driver to the other secret service men. +"Can you think of anything that would connect the name of Revere with +the point where the bay touches this road?" + +"By George!" cried one of the men. "You've hit it exactly. I had +forgotten all about it, but there's a stone marker in a wee bit of a +park, put up to commemorate the passage of Paul Revere on his famous +ride. He came down this very road, and that marker is almost at the +exact spot where the road touches the arm of the bay." + +"Good!" said the captain. "That is probably the place." + +"Beyond a doubt. It's the logical place, too, come to think of it. +For if a fellow drove into Huguenot Park and found that somebody was +trailing him, he couldn't get away. He'd be bottled up. But if he +stuck to the Boston Post Road, he'd have all New England to run to. +What's more, there's a road-house near by, where cars can be left. +Things couldn't have been made to order any better." + +"Then I guess our course is clear," said the other agent. "We'll leave +our car near by and find good hiding-places close to the water at this +point." + +Meantime, the motor-boat, breasting the waves as though striving for a +speed prize, had borne Henry and Roy and their older companions rapidly +back over the path they had so recently traversed. Up the East River +the craft went roaring, under the great bridges, that at night seemed +only strings of fairy lights arching the stream, past prison walls and +towering tenements, and on to the swirling rapids so recently visited. + +The two boys paid little attention to what they were passing. Already +they had seen it twice. But never had either of them seen a craft like +that they were in. It was one of those long, low racing boats, steered +with a wheel like a motor-car, and slopingly decked over in front to +shield the driver. And it roared like an aeroplane as it tore through +the water. For the boys in the boat were rushing toward their goal +almost as swiftly as their comrades on land. + +What most interested Henry and Roy was the array of buttons and knobs +and other instruments on the dashboard, like the lighting buttons and +speedometer on an automobile. + +"I wonder what they are for," said Roy to Henry. "I never saw a boat +like this before." + +"Nor I, either," replied Henry. + +"Right you are," said one of their companions. "There probably isn't +another like it. It's both a motor-boat and an electric boat. +Sometimes we have to be very quiet about our work and then we would +never dare go roaring along as we are now. You can hear us a mile +away. So we have an electric motor and storage batteries for quiet +work. When we run by electricity, we don't make any more noise than a +swan." + +The boys expressed their admiration. "And nobody could see you, +either," said Roy. "The boat's exactly the color of the water. When +it's as dark as this, I'll bet you couldn't see it fifty yards away." + +"Well, you may have a chance to test your belief," said the agent with +a smile. + +"What do you think will happen?" asked Roy. + +"I don't know. But when that German motor-boat goes into Echo Bay, +we've got to go after it; and we don't dare be seen, either." + +"What's the bay like?" inquired Henry. + +"It's an irregular little sheet of water with several small islands in +it; and if these Germans go clear in, we'll nab them easily. But if +they don't, we may have a lively chase." + +On rushed the motor-boat. Past Classon Point, past the long projecting +finger of land known as Throgs Neck, with Fort Schuyler at its +extremity, then northward again into ever widening waters, past Elm +Point, and Hewlett Point, and Barker Point until they were fairly in +the wider reaches of Long Island Sound. + +On the right loomed the high and precipitous shores of Long Island, +hardly visible in the cloudy darkness. On the left, far across the +waving waters, was the unseen ragged coast of the mainland, broken by a +hundred irregular indentations, studded with numberless little +promontories, and fringed with islands as a woman's throat is girt with +a necklace of beads. Ahead of them stretched untold miles of gently +heaving water. And there, too, blazed two beacons to point the path +for mariners--the Sands Point Light, topping the eastern bluff, and the +fiery eye of Execution Rocks, that reared their jagged pinnacles far +out from the shore, to tear the bottoms of unwary ships. + +"We'll go straight north," said the man at the wheel, "for those spies +are without doubt biding their time in some sheltering cove among the +islands over there. And there they will doubtless stay until the hour +to meet their comrade." + +He flashed a pocket torch on his watch. "We are in good time," he +said. "We shall get there well before them. Then we shall have to +hide and see what happens." + +Straight up the Sound drove the rushing racer, plunging through the +rolling swells, tossing the spray to right and left. Ahead of it +glowed and winked the fiery eyes of the lighthouses. Along either +shore shone innumerable street lamps and the lights of late retiring +householders. Save for themselves the water seemed deserted. The +great steamers that ply between New England and the metropolis had long +since passed and vanished in the misty darkness to the north. No +freighters were breasting the waves, no tugs were puffing along with +strings of barges in their rear. No ferry-boats were crossing. And +none of the legion of sailing craft and motor-boats, none of the +thousands of pleasure yachts that sometimes dot the smiling waters in +the daytime, was abroad. The little secret-service boat seemed to be +alone in that vast expanse of water. + +Suddenly the boat careened violently. The boys were alarmed, but their +comrades merely smiled. + +"We're turning," explained the man at the wheel. "Now we'll go +straight into the harbor. And it will be just as well if we make less +noise." + +He slowed down his engine and the roaring sound died away. The boat +fell off in speed, but still pushed ahead with good momentum. For +perhaps a mile the boat advanced. Then the driver shut off his engine +entirely. + +"Those fellows might be in Echo Bay itself," he said. "They couldn't +find a safer place to hide than right among the pleasure craft. We +won't take any chance of being discovered. We'll just glide in like a +shadow and anchor where we can watch things." + +He switched over to his electric drive and the boat began to forge +ahead again, but with all the stealth of a tiger in the jungle. The +operation of its machinery was noiseless, and only the gentle slap of +the waves against the bow gave audible evidence of its passage. For a +considerable time they rode in silence. In the thick darkness the +shore was almost invisible while the glowing street lights that shone +here and there served only to accentuate the blackness of the night. +Close together in the cockpit huddled the passengers, for the air was +raw and chilly. + +"Until we've got those fellows safe in handcuffs," said the man in +charge of the party, "I don't want one of you to speak aloud. And stay +down in the bottom of the boat where you can't be seen." + +Noticeably the speed of the little craft fell off, It no longer drove +through the waves, but slipped through them so softly that even the +gentle splashing at the bow was ended. Presently Henry missed the +slight vibration, of which he had been but semi-conscious, and he knew +that the pilot had shut off his power completely. + +Now the shores, with their towering trees, began to loom up uncertainly +in the darkness, and Henry knew that the boat was slipping into the +harbor. Presently he became aware of a dark spot ahead of them on the +water, then another, and another; and straining his eyes, he saw that +before them lay a great company of motor-boats and sailing yachts. +Very slowly his own craft drew nearer, for it had all but lost its +headway, until it was close to the fleet of pleasure boats. Then there +was a tiny splash and one of the secret service men began to pay out +the anchor rope over the side. The little boat came to rest, and lay +quiet, rolling gently, while its occupants crouched in the cockpit, +listening and peering through the thick darkness as they waited. + +Never had either of the boys been in such a situation before, and the +strangeness, the mysteriousness of it impressed them powerfully. All +the sights and sounds of the day were missing and in their place arose +a host of unfamiliar sensations. Mist was rising all about them, +making the darkness denser and more impenetrable. Not a star was to be +seen. The shore-line was only a vague, uncertain black bulk. As they +huddled silently in the bottom of the little boat, they became +conscious of the voices of the night; but these voices were different +from the nocturnal whisperings of field and forest which they knew so +well. Now they heard only the lisping of water. Little wavelets broke +gently against their slender craft. And all about them rose the +musical whisper, the liquid murmur of waters gently lapping the rocks +or swelling against the sides of boats. At times the breeze could be +heard sighing softly through the rigging of near-by yachts. It was +weird and uncanny. + +And the sensations that came of it were strange and powerful. In the +forest the young scouts had lain in wait for enemies, had hidden in the +darkness to trap desperate foes, had watched, with bated breath and +pounding hearts, for shadowy forms to appear. They were not +unaccustomed to danger and the suspense of an ambush. But in the +forest they had solid ground beneath their feet. Trees and other +tangible objects were all about them. But here everything seemed +unreal, almost ghostly. The darkness of the forest was no blacker than +the night here in the open. And yet there was no shady covering of +leaves to shut out the light--only a strange, weird, unearthly canopy +of mist. In the forest innumerable tree trunks offered concealment to +approaching enemies; yet here in the open with nothing tangible to +obstruct the vision, it was almost impossible to see anything, strain +the eyes as one might. + +A feeling of awe came over the young scouts, and both were conscious of +a creepy sensation. So unreal appeared their surroundings that it +seemed as though anything coming out of the mist would be kin to it, +unreal and ghostly. So they sat in the bottom of the boat, only the +tops of their heads showing above the low gunwale, as they waited in +breathless silence, peering through the night, listening with cocked +ear, and straining forward to catch every slightest sound. + +Under the covered bow of the boat, the driver flashed his torch for a +second on the face of his watch. + +"Eleven forty-five," he muttered. "There ought to be something doing +soon." + +A minute passed. The silence was unbroken. Another minute went by. +The sighing of the wind in near-by riggings was the only audible sound. +Again a minute passed. No sound of boat or boatmen broke the gloomy +silence. Once more the pilot peeped stealthily at his watch and gave a +muttered exclamation. A feeling of uneasiness took possession of the +watchers. They stirred nervously. Dark fears crept into their minds. +Had something happened to alter the plans of the spies? Had Sanders +sent another wireless message to his comrades, naming another +meeting-place? Henry's heart almost stopped beating at the thought +that it might well have happened. Bending toward his comrade, he +whispered his fears. His voice trembled as he spoke. Roy uttered a +low exclamation of dismay. Then there was silence again, and the four +sat listening with strained attention--listening for what they feared +they would never hear. + +And then they heard it. From far down the Sound came the reports of a +rapidly beating marine motor. At first the noise was so faint as +scarcely to be audible, like the dropping of a pin on a bare floor. +Then the fog seemed to magnify the sound and it became suddenly louder. +Then it died away again, but it was more distinct than it had been at +first. A minute passed. Noticeably the sound grew in volume. Another +minute passed. Distinct now was every beat of the motor. With lips +parted, heads slightly turned, and eyes peering through the dark, the +watchers waited with beating pulses as the sound came on. There could +be no doubt it was made by a fast craft. And there could be no doubt +that the boat was rushing northward close to the shore. Was it the +boat they waited for? Would it turn at the harbor entrance? Or would +it go tearing onward, leaving them in despair? + +Now it was almost abreast of the harbor's mouth. Another minute, a few +seconds, would tell the story. And not one of the watchers breathed as +they hung on the sound. On and on it came, until the scouts knew that +it was directly abreast of the channel. Would it turn? Would it enter +the harbor? Or would it rush straight by? Unable longer to control +himself, Roy stretched out his hand and gripped Henry's shoulder. And +Henry, like himself, was all atremble. The secret service men stirred +nervously. But nobody said a word. + +Then the passage of the sound seemed to end. It was no longer rushing +by. It seemed stationary. But momentarily it grew in volume. It was +coming straight toward the watchers. The boat had entered the harbor. +A sigh of relief escaped every lip. + +"Up with your anchor," whispered the pilot, "before he shuts off his +power." + +His companion leaned stealthily over the side and rapidly paid in the +rope, lifting the light anchor over the gunwale and cautiously stowing +it in the bottom. And he was none too soon. Hardly was the anchor +aboard before the roaring sound ceased and the oncoming boat approached +with lessened speed. But the scouts' boat rode free, ready for instant +work. + +"Down with you," whispered the pilot. "Keep your heads below the +gunwale till they're past." + +The party crouched lower. On came the spy boat. Its muffled engine +beats were hardly louder than the pounding of the hearts that watched. +It drove steadily forward. Now it was a few fathoms astern. Now it +was abreast. Now it had passed. Stealthily four heads slipped above +the gunwale of the scout boat. The spy craft was already lost in +darkness. The pilot grasped his wheel. He turned a switch and the +boat began to vibrate silently. Then it moved forward, gathering +momentum with every second. Under the covered deck the other agent +flashed a light on his watch. + +"Eleven fifty-eight," he whispered. "They figured it down close." + +On went the boat. The craft ahead of them was still invisible though +but a few hundred feet distant. But by peering sharply at the water, +the pilot could see where it had passed. The surface was still +agitated. Faintly came the sound of the muffled motor. The pilot +increased his speed, but no sound came from his boat. Like a ghost it +glided through the dark waters. + +"Look sharp," whispered the pilot. "Let me know if you see them. +We've got to get as close to them as we can, and yet we must not be +seen." + +On went the spy craft. It slid past the park. The street leading to +that was faintly illumined by occasional lights. + +The pilot uttered a low exclamation of alarm. "If they look back," he +whispered, "those lights will betray us. We're right between them and +the spies." + +Sharply he swung his craft to the right, crowding close to the shallow +waters that edged the channel. If he ran into the mud flats disaster +might result. But to stay where they would be silhouetted against the +street lights was to court discovery. He had chosen the lesser of two +evils. + +On they went. Not yet had they come in sight of the fugitive craft in +front of them. The pilot increased his speed, leaning anxiously +forward as he peered through the darkness. Over the sides of the boat +his fellows craned their necks, searching the blackness for a glimpse +of the quarry. + +Suddenly they became aware that the motor ahead of them had stopped. +Then masses of shadow seemed to close in on either hand, making the +water itself darker than ever. The boat ahead had turned off its power +and was propelled only by the momentum it had gained. Instinctively +Roy laid his hand on the pilot's shoulder. But the latter had already +stopped his engine. + +As silent as a shadow the boat slid forward. Suddenly Roy detected +what he was looking for. At the same moment a high bank loomed up +directly before them. The craft ahead turned toward the right and +slipped along the narrowing channel. A few yards further on, it came +to rest, its nose lying softly against the muddy shore. Before it the +steep bank led upward to an open, level space that both Roy and Henry +felt instinctively was a public highway; for on either hand, though at +many rods' distance, could be seen the glow of a lamp that was +invisible itself. + +The scout boat also came to rest, its momentum overcome by the +resistance of the water. Like a shadow it lay, not more than fifty +yards from the waiting spy craft. Crouching low behind the gunwale, +its four occupants held their breath as they watched the party in the +boat ahead. Assisted by the faint glow of the distant street lamps, +they could vaguely make out the forms of their quarry; while the +darkness of their own background rendered them practically invisible. + +But no one in the spy boat was looking behind him. All were straining +their eyes for the man they had come to meet. Excepting for the gentle +voices of the night there was not a sound. Then a whistle rose from +the spy boat--a short, sharp note thrice repeated. From the darkness +an answer sounded a dozen rods distant. Then footsteps were heard, as +some one picked his way uncertainly along the sloping bank. Suddenly +the footsteps ceased and stillness reigned. Roy instantly comprehended +the fact that the person approaching had paused to listen. His heart +gave a leap of joy. He himself had heard no alarming noises, but he +instantly guessed that something had caught the ear of the stranger. +And Roy knew that his companions who had come by motor-car must have +made these sounds. Trembling with excitement, he gripped Henry's +shoulder. + +On came the man. Now the scouts could vaguely distinguish his form. +He called in a low voice, and some one in the spy boat answered. +Suddenly the man turned sharp about. From the darkness behind him came +the unmistakable sound of a pebble kicked by a human foot. In the +opposite direction a stone rolled down the bank and splashed noisily +into the water. With an oath, the man on the bank turned and ran +toward the motor-boat. To right and left in the darkness came the +scurrying of feet and the command "Halt!" The fugitive leaped forward. +Frantically the men in the spy craft were trying to head their boat +about. The fugitive reached it and leaped aboard. Then he turned to +face the figures rushing toward him. At the same instant the scout +boat suddenly moved forward. From the spy boat a pistol-shot rang out. +Before another could follow, an electric torch was shining full on the +spy craft, and the agent in the scout boat was covering the fugitives +with his automatic. + +"Drop that gun!" he commanded. "Hands up, or I'll fire!" + +Taken by surprise, the man who had just boarded the craft let his +weapon clatter to the floor. And in the sudden illumination Henry saw +with exultation that the man was the motor-car driver, the German +agent, Sanders. + +"Hands up!" repeated the secret service man imperatively, noticing that +one of the fugitives was crouching in the bottom of the boat with his +hands hidden. In reply the man straightened up. Like a flash his arm +shot out and a pistol cracked. But before a second bullet could +follow, a form leaped into the shallow water and a great fist shot into +the man's stomach, doubling him up like a jack-knife. The same hand +then grasped the nose of the spy craft and dragged it toward the shore, +while the pilot of the scout boat brought his craft close beside that +of the spies. Other torches flashed in the darkness, and one by one +the fugitives were manacled--Sanders, and the spy from the cliff, and +the German grocer, and his errand boy, and a stranger who ran the boat. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +A TASK ACCOMPLISHED + +Two hours later the party was grouped around Chief Flynn, who had +remained in his office to learn the result of the raid. Both +motor-boats had been left in charge of the New Rochelle road-house +keeper, and the entire party had returned to New York in the two +motor-cars--the secret service motor and Sanders' car, for Sanders had +left it at the road-house and slipped away into the darkness at +midnight. The clerk from Hoboken was under arrest, too. He had been +taken up by the man who was watching him. Sanders had eluded his +shadow by leaving his car late in the afternoon, at a garage, +ostensibly to have it washed, and by later leaving his house +surreptitiously in the dark. He had not been able to reach the +Balaklavan rendezvous in time to join his companions. But they had a +wireless equipment aboard their boat and he had made a later +appointment with them. And, even as Captain Hardy had suspected, he +had been nosing around Fort Slocum in the darkness. + +But this was all the secret service ever learned as to the operations +of this gang of wireless spies. The prisoners refused to name those +higher up, and the Chief could only guess whose might be the master +minds behind the plot. + +As for the various wireless agents who were relaying the spy messages +to Mexico, several were caught by decoy messages and shared the fate of +Sanders and the others. + +Even the mystery of the sudden flight of Sanders and his crew was +cleared up. Following the Chief's orders, his men on the border had +taken the three silver coins away from the Mexican. And, sure enough, +the coins contained messages. One was the message from New York +concerning the sailing of transports. The other messages were about +army secrets, and it is not yet known where they came from or how they +got into the hands of the Mexican. + +The latter protested violently when asked for his silver dollars, and +they had to be taken from him by force. The next day one of his guards +discovered that the left cuff of his shirt was missing. The shirt had +been intact when he was arrested. No trace of the cuff could be found +anywhere. The window of the room where the Mexican was confined +overlooked a public street. And it was believed by the secret service +men that the spy had written a message on his cuff in some way and +dropped it out of the window to a confederate. Thereupon a warning had +been flashed back along the wireless line--a warning message in the new +cipher that had so puzzled the lads of the wireless patrol. + +"It's all clear enough now," sighed Willie, when the story had been put +together, "but when you have only one piece of a jig-saw puzzle you +can't make much out of it. And one piece was about all we had for a +long time. I see it all now, but there's one thing I don't yet +understand. Why didn't they use a more difficult cipher?" + +"I suppose," explained the Chief, "that this very pursuit and capture +of the spies answers that question. They knew that if the secret +service picked up their messages, we could sooner or later decipher +anything they sent. But even a very simple cipher might baffle one +unaccustomed to such things. Always there was the danger that some one +would pick up their messages. So they chose ciphers that would bother +the ordinary man but that they themselves could read readily. They +didn't dare use a cipher that would require a long time to unravel, +because they foresaw that they might have to flee on short notice, just +as it happened." + +"I see," said Willie. + +"And now," said the Chief, "I want to tell you boys and your good +leader here how much you have done for me and your country. I didn't +have faith in your accomplishing much, but I thought that you might be +able to pick up wireless messages, if any were abroad, and so I agreed +to take you. You see we were almost desperate over the situation. We +knew what was going on, but we were so terribly short handed that we +could not spare men to run the spies down. I think that we shall have +no more trouble. The system is broken up. If we do have trouble, I'm +going to send for you boys at once. Meantime, you can now go back +home, knowing that few boys have done as much for America and Freedom +as you. I am more grateful to you than I can tell you." + +The little wireless patrol passed out into the night, its labors ended. +Now that the excitement was past, the boys realized how tired and +sleepy they were. As they crossed the Bay to their temporary home on +Staten Island, they had their last view of the harbor. Now it was +almost silent. Only a few boats were ploughing through its waters. +The great office-buildings were dark. The fiery lights of the city +were extinguished. But bright above the Bay flamed the torch of +Liberty. There, in that flickering light, was symbolized the thing +that millions of men were giving their lives to protect--the greatest +heritage of the ages. And as the boys from Central City looked at the +symbolic illumination, their hearts beat exultantly and their eyes grew +dim with joy at the thought that they, too, had been able, through +months of self-denial and rigid self-discipline, to prepare themselves +for the task that was now so happily ended. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SECRET WIRELESS*** + + +******* This file should be named 21955.txt or 21955.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/1/9/5/21955 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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