“I did,” answered Tom, his mind going at once to the papers which he had received, but had not understood.
“You did not get much information from them, of course,” put in Cornwallis, with a laugh. “But that was not to be expected; you must become acquainted with the section first.”
The truth was slowly dawning upon the young scout; these men were not playing with him as he had supposed. They were serious; they had mistaken him for another—for a person whom they had never seen, and who was due in Charleston, upon some mysterious errand, at that time.
“This department of yours,” said Tarleton after a longer pause than usual, “is something new, is it not? I have heard that Chatham was strongly opposed to it, but that the king——”
“Hush!” Cornwallis laid his hand warningly upon the other’s arm. “That is a thing not to be spoken of.”
“Oh!” exclaimed Tarleton, impatiently, “among friends——”
“Even among friends,” said Cornwallis, “silence must be kept.” He turned to Tom. “Is this not so?”
“I believe,” answered Tom slowly, for he feared to betray himself, “that the utmost secrecy is considered necessary.”
“Exactly.” Cornwallis looked triumphantly at the other officer. “Just what I have always held since the matter was first brought to my attention. To hope to do anything by such means, one must work in the dark, so to speak—one must not allow even a whisper to reach the upper world, if success is to be hoped for.”
“Quite right,” and Tom bowed, more mystified than ever, but determined to carry out the matter to the end.