“You have your commands assigned, have you not?” the captain inquired.
“We have,” replied Schoen.
“Now, gentlemen, here is the thing of the utmost importance,” Herr Winckel spoke warningly. “The facts must not leak; they must not get to the United States officials. 71 That is so important that the whole plan will have to be dropped if there is any suspicion as to a leak.”
“I think a number of us will bear out what Winckel says,” O’Reilly spoke up. “For myself, and I think I speak for the other Irishmen here present and also for the forty thousand against England, but against the United States—never. Not one Irishman can be counted on if it comes to a showdown against the U. S. A.”
“Nor very many Germans,” added Winckel.
“So be it,” said Captain Knabe. “Shall we go over the ammunition storehouses, those that are in Canada and those that are in this country?”
Many of the places Ted could not make out, others he did. He realized that this was valuable information. Names though they were, they were clues and so might be important.
Much more was said by the many men and Ted stored up in his mind such information as he thought would be useful. At half past ten all the men had left and from what Ted heard he understood that Knabe, Winckel, 72 O’Reilly and Schoen were adjourning to some other place to perfect plans.
Ted cautiously stretched himself. He was wary and still watchful. Although his muscles were stiff and his bones ached, he had not dared to move. When he was fairly certain that he could move, he indulged in that luxury for at least five minutes. He had no trouble in leaving the building. Once outside, he hastened to a telephone booth. He had no intention of telephoning, but he did want to find out the address of Winckel. A plan was in his mind.
He found two Winckels in the telephone. He decided that in all likelihood it was the one on Michigan avenue, the other was somewhere on the North Side.