“What treachery!” the minister cried angrily. “I shall write immediately to the president and give him the name of my informant.” Then he looked with admiration at the midshipmen. “You boys are a marvel to me; how did you ever find this out?”
Well pleased with the impression their disclosure had made on the minister, they withdrew from his presence without telling him further. They were glad he hadn’t required proofs; to have given them would have greatly embarrassed the lads, for they could not tell the minister of the part they had taken in recapturing the arms; he might not agree to secrecy and this knowledge in the hands of the State Department in Washington might cause serious consequences.
O’Neil joined them at the door of the legation; he was now in a sailor uniform, borrowed from one of the men of the guard.
“Mr. Lazar is here,” he whispered, “with a Spaniard; they just came through the gate. There they are,” he added as the two men approached the house by the gravel walk and mounted the steps of the legation.
As Lazar passed them the lads saluted stiffly. He turned a glance full of hatred on them.
“Mr. Perry, wait here; I wish to see you,” he ordered sharply, then he and the visitor entered the minister’s office.
Phil stepped inside the house noiselessly and stopped breathlessly to listen. A sound of voices raised excitedly came from within the room. Phil quickly rejoined his companions.
“That was Mareno,” he exclaimed, “the owner of the automobile. I can never forget his voice in the tunnel. He will try to undo our work with the minister.”
Inside of a minute Señor Mareno appeared; his swarthy face was pale, showing the mental strain he was enduring.
“You see, I too was deceived,” he was urging the minister, standing on the threshold of his office.