CHAPTER VISPIES!
Fourdays after war was declared, on August 8th, a motor-bike dashed into the village, and from it jumped the District Commissioner. Before long, he, the Scoutmaster, and three of the Patrol-Leaders were shut into the Scout Headquarters; the Cubs hung about outside, longing to know what was on.
The Commissioner’s news was that the War Office urgently called on Scouts to guard the trunk cable-line from being tapped or cut in a certain area, day and night, at once, until further orders. German spies were suspected of tampering with most important telegraph wires. Government secrets were getting out, wrong messages were coming through. Also,messages were somehow getting through to Germany.
The Dutton Scouts were to patrol six miles of the road. The three Patrol-Leaders dashed off on their bikes. In an hour, the troop, in full kit, was patrolling the road and ready to challenge any doubtful person.
Spies!The very word thrilled Danny. And suddenly his heart stood still, and then went on at a great rate. Spies? That was it. His mysterious strangers were German spies, and they had some secret way of communicating with Germany!
The hot afternoon sun beat down on the dusty road that wound like a long white ribbon between the fields and woods. Two and two, the Scouts marched up and down, each couple along their allotted distance. With keen eyes they scanned the face of every passer-by. Now and then they challenged a person of doubtful appearance.
Once the excitement was great, when a disreputable-looking man utterly refused to answer,and tried to pass on, as if he had not heard. The two Ravens took him in charge, and marched him off to the police station. But, after all, he turned out to be a deaf and dumb tramp, well known in the neighbouring workhouse.
“You were quite right to take him up,” said the Commissioner, when he heard of this. “At such times we must take no risks.”
It was hot work patrolling the roads. The Ravens and Lions took on the day duty, and the Otters and Kangaroos, in charge of Senior Patrol-Leader Church, were told off for the still more important night work. The Cubs looked on with longing eyes. Could they do nothing?
Before long their turn came. They were entrusted with the distributing of rations to the Scouts on duty. Two Sixes undertook the food, and the two others the drink; and the thirsty Scouts were indeed glad of it. But the Cubs’ proudest moment came when the order was issued that the Scouts—onePatrol at a time—should knock off duty for half an hour, for tea, and that Cubs should take their place, and patrol the road in company with the Scout left on duty, one out of each couple. It was service for the King! They were guarding England from the Germans, and helping to keep her secrets from the enemy! Each Cub’s heart swelled with pride, as he marched by the side of his Scout.
He could almost imagine that a rifle with a fixed bayonet rested on his shoulder. Behind every tree healmostsaw a German. He simply itched to say, “Halt! Who goes there?”