"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."