When Bob and Mr. Waterman arrived in Escouniaias early the next morning-they found things in a great state of excitement. It seems that Pierre and Jack had gotten in about nine o'clock the night before, hot on the trail of the spy. To the chagrin of Sandy MacPherson, an old friend of his named Field, had come into the store and without showing any signs of haste had made arrangements for a launch to take him down the river. This had been done and a half hour later Pierre had arrived. He had tried to explain the situation, but it was not until Jack had given his version of the matter that it dawned on the irate Sandy that the innocent-looking and very friendly Field was the German spy. When Mr. Waterman had told all that he knew about the matter Sandy was angrier than ever.
"That son-of-a-gun has played me for an easy mark for years," said Sandy. "About three years ago he got me to take into the woods a lot of electrical stuff on the pretense that he wanted it in trying out some ores that he thought were valuable. Then to put me farther off the scent, two years ago he came back with a story that his whole outfit had been burned down and totally destroyed."
"Have the Government agents been here?" asked Mr. Waterman.
"No," was the reply, "but they were up at Tadousac about six weeks ago, and they arrested three men there, though they held them only on suspicion. When I come to think of it, one of them was a Mr. Samson that used to come into the woods with Field. I think that Samson is still held and he'll get his share anyway."
The party, having told their end of the story, returned to the woods. Some three weeks later, on returning to Escoumains, they found out that Field had apparently made good his escape. He had landed near Riviere de Loup, and no doubt had gotten over into the United States from there.
CHAPTER IX
A WEEK ON THE TRAIL
The previous days had been so full of excitement that they had altogether forgotten that they were to go on a week's trip. Mr. Waterman went ahead making preparations. On Sunday evening, after the short devotions they always held on that day, said he: