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