47CHAPTER VSETTING A TRAP
The automobile came to a stop two blocks from the German meeting-place.
As the three walked toward it, a beggar stopped Strong. The latter gave him some coins. Ted, who was watching, saw a paper pass between the two. It was so quickly done that he was not even sure of it. He made no comment, as he knew that Strong would mention it, if he thought it necessary.
“The room is on the third floor,” Strong said. “There is someone in it now. That beggar has just been up there; he has been watching the house all morning, so that he could keep me in touch.
“Suppose, Ted, you go up and sell your papers. Go to every office. When you reach Room 318, size it up as well as you can. See what you can of 316 and 320 also.”
“All our work and our preparations have48been from 418,” Walker added. “Our friends are there.”
“Yes,” Strong said, “take a look in there, even though you will meet Bronson a little later.”
A boy tried to sell his papers in the many offices. He canvassed each floor and in due time reached the fourth. He came to Room 418 and saw a sign on the glass reading as follows:
TERENCE McMAHONINSURANCE AGENT AND ADJUSTERMAIN OFFICE—OLIVER BUILDINGRussell Bronson, Br. Mgr.
He entered. “Want a paper?” he asked one of the men.
The man took one. Ted glanced about and then went out. He had some idea of the room. He noticed that three other doors seemed to belong to the same office, Rooms 422, 420 and 416.
He soon reached the third floor. He went through the same routine, just as carefully and matter-of-factedly, as he had done on the other floors. When he reached 320 he found the door locked and a hand pointing49to 318 as the entrance. On the glass of that door he saw a sign which read:
NOVELTIES AND TOYSA. CHRISTENSEN
Ted opened the door. A man was inside, his feet perched upon a desk and he was reading a German newspaper.
“Paper, sir?” Ted asked him.
“No,” was the answer. He did not even glance up.
“I have a Staats-Zeitung and a Wochen-Blatt,” coaxed Ted. All this time he was taking stock of the room.
“A Wochen-Blatt? I’ll take one,” the man became interested. He offered a half dollar to Ted.
“I haven’t the change, but I will get it for you.” Ted was fighting for time, so that he could form impressions.
“And run away with my money?” the man sneered. “Not on your life. I’ll wait until later.”
“You can hold all my papers. I’ll come back.”
The man grudgingly gave the boy the money. At the corner store Ted found his50two friends; the automobile had long since left.
“Good work,” Strong commented, after hearing Ted. “Now, how can we get that fellow out of the building for half an hour?”
“When I suggested going out for the change,” volunteered Ted, “he didn’t want to trust me and said: ‘I’ll wait until later.’ Perhaps he intends going out.”
“Well, here is one way to coax him to go a little sooner. A German wants what he wants when he wants it, and he never stops wanting it until he gets it. When you go back, Ted, insist on being paid twice as much as the paper sells for. He probably will not pay it. He will consider it a holdup. But he will want that paper and it may hurry his departure. It is almost lunch-time anyway.
“Walker, you go to all the news-stands within three square blocks and also any stores you may see that sell newspapers and buy up any Wochen-Blatts they have. That ought to keep our friend busy trying to get what he wants and so give us more time. We will all meet in Room 418. I’ll steal up while you two are wrangling over your high-handed51outrage, Ted. Walker can come any time. There is small chance that he will be recognized. You see,” Strong added, his eyes smiling, “that’s the value of having the ordinary face Walker has. He looks like seventy-five million other folks, so no one would notice him.”
Ted rushed back to the office. “Everybody is poor around here or else they don’t want to make change. My, what trouble.” He was counting out the change and he now placed but forty cents on the man’s desk.
The man picked up the money and for a moment it looked as if he would not count it, but he did.
“Hey, boy, another nickel! You’re short here.”
“No, I’m not. I took a nickel for all the trouble I had in making change.” Ted felt mean and he knew his argument was a poor one, but he was doing it for a purpose.
“Five cents, or I don’t want the paper.” He made a threatening motion toward Ted.
Ted laughed at him. He threw the dime on the desk, picked up his paper and backed out of the door. The man was muttering fiercely in German.52
Out on the street our hero watched from a nearby door. It was just mid-day and people were hurrying for their lunch. But it was at least twenty minutes before he saw his man walk out of the building. He watched him and saw him stop at one, then at another stand and try to obtain the desired paper. He was not successful and Ted saw him stroll further down the street.
Two minutes later Ted was in Room 418. Walker joined them almost at the same time.
Ted was introduced to the man to whom he had sold a paper a little earlier and then the party got down to business.
“Walker, jump down and try the door,” said Strong. “Here is the key.”
But a new problem presented itself when Walker reported back that the key would not fit the lock and Strong, incredulous, had proven the truth of it for himself.
“Phew!” whistled Strong. “They must have changed the lock. They figured the old one was too easy for anyone who had a mind to enter. Come on, Walker, we’ll try the window.”
But they found no way of entering53through the window. It was securely fastened. Walker, with one foot on the edge of the fire-escape and the other on the ledge of the next room’s window and holding himself secure with one hand, attempted to open that window also, but found it just as securely locked.
“There is still one way before we think of any rough stuff,” said Strong. With the other three he went down to the third floor.
“Here, Ted, get on my shoulders and try the fanlight. Let’s pray that it opens.”
It opened so very easily that they all laughed. But they found that neither Walker, Strong nor Bronson could get through. But Ted could.
“Well,” said Bronson, “I reckon it’s up to the boy, isn’t it?”
“It certainly is,” said Strong.
Walker now very quickly, yet very clearly explained the workings and the manipulations of the dictaphone. Ted listened carefully as he was told how the wires should be laid and connected.
“You see, Ted,” Walker continued, “the whole thing is already prepared. We knew how little time we would have when the time54did come, so we did everything we could beforehand. You will find a place for these wires on the wall behind the steam-pipes. The floor moulding running along the window wall will move if you remove the screws—four of them. Then count off the sixteenth floor board—you work it this way,” Walker showed Ted how, “and it will pry loose. It is all very simple and should take no more than twenty minutes. It would take me ten.
“The floor-board has a little groove into which the wires will fit. You will find that where this board ends is another piece of moulding which will most surprisingly give way to your magic fingers, and the screwdriver, as did the moulding at the other end. On the big cabinet that is there, try that corner of it nearest you and against the wall, and there you will find that your wires will fit snugly. Your hands are small and can get in there, back of the cabinet. You just can’t go wrong. On top of the cabinet see that the mouthpiece or, rather, the listener, is propped up so that it faces the table. If you have any doubts call out—we will be here. You will also find that it will not be seen, for the cabinet is high.”55
“Be careful, Ted, about leaving things just as they were. It all will fit back snugly. Be twice as careful as you are quick,” Strong warned him.
“I shall be up here, Bronson will be one flight below, and the beggar is watching in the street. Walker will be up above passing the wires down to you.”
More than fifteen minutes had already been consumed. Strong had warned Ted to open the window of Room 420 and, should a warning come, hide in that room. A rope would be passed down for him from the window above.
Ted got to work at once. He found it even more simple than Walker had told him. In fifteen or twenty minutes he called out. “I think I am through.” He took another look about. He had carefully seen to everything and there was no sign of any disturbance.
“Wait a minute,” said Strong. There was a pause. Then he heard Strong speaking to him again, “Say something right out, not too loud, just ordinary conversation.”
“Want to buy a paper? News, Post,56American, Staats-Zeitung?” said Ted to the empty air.
There was another pause, then he heard Walker say to Strong, “It’s fine and distinct, old man.”
Ted took another look about. He lifted himself on the door-knob and then eager hands helped him out. Walker ran down the fire escape to take a look around the room and Strong hoisted himself up on the knob and also looked about. Ted’s work had been thorough and neither of them made any criticisms.
“Well, that’s something of a relief,” said Walker. Ted closed the fanlight.
“Nothing to do until tonight,” and Walker grinned.
“Let’s eat,” said Strong. “Coming with us, Bronson?”
“Certainly,” was the answer.
57CHAPTER VISTRONG SEEMS CHECKMATED
Ted was too excited to eat.
“Better eat, lad,” said Walker. “We do not know when we will get another chance today. If no one else seemed to be following his advice, he himself considered it good enough to heed. He was eating enough for two.
“I imagine it is going to be risky business tonight,” Bronson remarked. “I wish I could be with you.”
“It’s either going to be that, or it is going to be very simple,” Strong answered.
“That is the trouble with all adventure, these days,” Walker complained. “It’s always so very simple.”
“I consider this extremely interesting and exciting,” replied Strong. “It is like a tremendous game of chess with enough58elements of danger added to suit the most exacting. Don’t imagine that we shall not be in danger every second tonight. These Germans are cold-blooded. If we should happen to be in their way, should they find out how much we actually know, we can say good-bye; the sun would rise tomorrow, but we might not.”
He turned to Ted. “Well, lad, are you afraid?”
“I’m going to stick, of course,” was the reply.
“Well, comrades, here is the plan. The keys you see here, one for each of us, are for Room 420. We shall separate. At six-thirty we must all plan to be in that room. No noise must be made when you come; no sound must be made while you are there.”
“We had better make sure we do all our sneezing outside, eh?” Every one laughed with Walker.
“It will be your last sneeze, if it’s inside,” Strong laughingly warned him. “The least sound, a scraping chair, would be heard. Stay in Room 420; the fire escape makes 418 dangerous, if anyone should be curious and decide to come up and look into that room. Of course, there will be no lights turned on.59
“Should any of us fail to get there, he who does must make every effort to get the import of the conversation.”
“Can I do anything, before I leave for New York tonight?” asked Bronson.
“No, I guess not. Get your room into shape for us. Put the chairs where we cannot stumble over them. How long will you be gone?”
“I don’t know. These Germans certainly keep us busy. Some of our optimists are turning pessimists, now that Austria is declaring war against Servia. They are beginning to think that perhaps there is something in this war-talk. I have to go to them and tell them just how much there really is in it. I had much rather stay—wish I could.”
“I know that, Bronson, and there is no one I would rather have. But perhaps you will be of better service there. I shall code Wright the information we get tonight, if we get it. They will have it at the New York office.”
Strong and Walker returned to the Adams street office; Ted went home. He was glad of the chance to see more of his mother;60Helen, he knew, would not be home. Ted was very fond of his pretty, efficient sister, and proud of her rapid rise at the store.
He found his mother there when he reached home. He explained the reason for his wearing the newsboy’s clothes.
Ted spent a quiet, comfortable afternoon with her. Many things they still had to talk about and the mother realized how much it was the desire of Ted to have her and Helen come out to that great West, a land where contentment and opportunity, at least, were more likely to be found than in this place, in which she had lived so many years.
About three o’clock, only a half hour after he had been at Adams street, Strong was called to the telephone. He had been busy at a report, the call was unexpected and could only come from his secretary or from Ted, the only two besides Walker who knew of this new location.
It proved to be his secretary.
“A messenger boy came here a little while ago with a message for you,” she said.
“Read it.”
“‘A meeting is to be held at W.’s house.61If you will come, can get you in. 4:30!’ It is signed ‘J.’,” she added.
There was a pause. She continued: “It looks as if it comes from Jones. It is his writing, beyond doubt, but he signed his initial instead of his number.”
“I’ll come right over,” Strong answered, and his voice sounded perplexed.
Charles Jones was an operative, employed as a butler by the Winckel household. He had so often given proof of profound stupidity in everything except his duties in the household that Herr Winckel would have laughed at any suspicion of his being anything else but a butler. Herr Winckel was so fond of saying and repeating that the man had a butler mind it could never grasp anything outside of that.
In reality, Jones was shrewd, keen, able to obtain information without creating suspicion. He had been one of Strong’s best men and the latter felt he could count on him.
Could it be a trap, he wondered?
Strong was uncertain as to what he should do. To miss this meeting, which perhaps was important; to go there, on the other62hand, and endanger the chances of his getting to that night meeting?
“I wish I knew what to do, Walker.” Together they went over the phases of it as they walked down to the office.
“I’d go,” advised Walker. “You say that the boy could do his part. If they do want you out of the way, should this be a trap, they will hold us until morning; they would not dare hold us any longer. And, if they do, they will not feel the need for carefulness and the boy will thus have a better chance. It works well both ways.”
When they came to the office, Strong read the message again.
“We’ll go, Walker,” he decided. “Dress up. Be sure not to carry any papers.”
Two men came out of one of the inner offices a few minutes later. They would have been taken anywhere for two English servants; they might have been valets, footmen, even butlers. Each one looked the other over critically, but the disguise was thorough.
At fifteen minutes past the hour they reached the Winckel house, knocked at the servants’ entrance. The maid answered63and they asked for Mr. Jones. They appeared to be very superior, upper-class servants. Very English, too. She escorted them in and then opened a door for them to enter. They passed through. As they did, each one of them was pounced upon. They struggled against the sickening smell of the chloroform held tightly against their noses. Then they knew nothing more for a while.
An hour later they awoke with a feeling of nausea and the smell of chloroform all about them. They found themselves tied hand and foot and unable to move. From all appearances they seemed to be in the cellar of the house.
“Are you there, chief?” asked Walker, in a sick and very low voice.
“Yes, I’m here; going to stay awhile, I guess.”
“I wonder what happened? Suppose they got on to––?”
“They are probably gloating somewhere within earshot,” Strong warned him in a whisper. “They certainly have us out of the way for the time being,” he added, ruefully.
“Well, there’s nothing to do; we’re64caught,” Walker said, in his ordinary voice. Then, in a voice so low Strong could barely hear him, he inquired, “Are you pretty well tied? Can you do anything?”
“Can’t even move,” was the answer.
“Same here,” Walker said dejectedly. “They made a good job.”
At five o’clock Ted left home for downtown. He stopped off to buy some of the late editions of the newspapers and proceeded to the meeting-place. He made his rounds through several buildings and at last reached that particular one.
There was no one watching, however. With Strong out of the way the Germans felt quite secure.
At five-thirty he had already let himself into Room 420 and was preparing to make himself comfortable. He picked up the dictaphone every few minutes, but for a long time heard nothing. Things seemed quiet and he began to wonder where Strong and Walker were, what was delaying them. His heart was going at a great rate because of the forced quiet and the excited state of his mind.
Things would depend on him if the two65men did not come. Would he be able to carry out the plans?
“I can only do my best,” the boy said to himself. And there was a strong determination to make that best count.
It was now half past seven. He lifted the dictaphone oftener. Very soon he heard voices, very indistinct, but as he listened they became clearer and clearer. Then he began making out the words and the sense of the conversation.
“Yes,” said one voice. “We found out that this man Jones, who was Winckel’s butler, was one of their men. He dropped a card which young Winckel found. That was enough to warrant his being watched, although we did nothing for several days except to see that he got no further information.
“Today, at the point of a gun, we forced him to write a note to Strong telling him that there was to be a meeting at Winckel’s house at four-thirty and that he could get him in. Strong with another man came. We trapped them, bound them and they are now in the cellar out of harm’s way.”66
Ted welcomed the information. At least he knew just what to expect.
“It’s almost time for our friends to be here, isn’t it? What time is Captain Knabe coming?” said a voice.
“At about fifteen minutes after eight. He is coming with Winckel.”
“Say, Schmidt, it was a good piece of business to get Strong out of the way. He is too dangerous and resourceful to suit us.” This from O’Reilly.
“He has been a nuisance, hasn’t he?” answered Schmidt. “Hello, friends,” he said to some new-comers. “I have just been telling O’Reilly about our little affair this afternoon.”
There was the sound of a number of voices and of some laughing. Then more men came into the room, there was the scraping of chairs as men seated themselves.
Then there was quiet as two men entered. Greetings were exchanged and Ted realized that the two were Winckel and Captain Knabe.
As Captain Knabe was introduced to some of the men, Ted wrote the names down.67
“Let us get down to business, friends,” said one, who seemed to be the chairman. “Captain Knabe has come here from Washington, his time just now is important. Even more important is the need for immediate action. Captain Knabe, gentlemen.”
68CHAPTER VIITHE DICTAPHONE AT WORK
“I understand,” said Captain Knabe, “that some of the Irish gentlemen present do not understand German, and so, while I can do so much better in my native tongue, I shall talk in English.”
“How lucky,” thought Ted.
“Well, gentlemen, I have good news for you—war is to be declared the day after tomorrow.”
There was the sound of moving, falling chairs, of men getting to their feet. Then a whispered toast—a whisper that was almost loud because of the number of voices—“Der Tag.”
“You, in America, who have never given up your allegiance to the supreme nation, nor to the emperor, must do your share. Although war is to be declared the day after69tomorrow, it will be a matter of a few more days before we are at war with England; possibly it will be more than a week. I understand you are ready.”
Another voice spoke. “We are prepared. We will announce picnics at certain places; it is for you to tell us the locations.”
“I am ready to tell you that now,” replied the captain. “Concentrate on your picnic grounds near Detroit for the taking of Windsor. Herr Winckel has the plans. I have given him three sets—Windsor, Toronto, Winnipeg. He also has the charts which show how to move and what railroads to occupy. Our friends in Canada are to see that there are available cars, engines and even motors. Of course, all of you will know just what picnic grounds are to be selected, so we need waste no time on that.”
“How many men have you, Herr Winckel?” Captain Knabe wanted to know.
“Will you tell us, Schoen?” Herr Winckel asked.
“Approximately, armed and ready for the call, one hundred and twenty-five thousand men. There are also forty thousand Irishmen. O’Reilly has them equally prepared70and ready. Pfeffer reports thirty thousand men in Canada, eager for the call. They are so stationed that we can throw one hundred and fifty thousand men on Windsor and Toronto or such other points as are within one half day’s ordinary travel. For Montreal we would need eighteen hours’ additional notice. For Quebec we would need thirty. We figure that thirty thousand men will be enough for Winnipeg, although we shall have more.”
“The fool Englishmen,” sneered a voice.
“Not such fools, Schmidt. Do not underestimate them.” The voice was Winckel’s.
“Everything looks so easy,” said another voice.
“Aye,” said Captain Knabe, “we cannot help but win. But the Englishman fights best with his back to the wall.”
“You have your commands assigned, have you not?” the captain inquired.
“We have,” replied Schoen.
“Now, gentlemen, here is the thing of the utmost importance,” Herr Winckel spoke warningly. “The facts must not leak; they must not get to the United States officials.71That is so important that the whole plan will have to be dropped if there is any suspicion as to a leak.”
“I think a number of us will bear out what Winckel says,” O’Reilly spoke up. “For myself, and I think I speak for the other Irishmen here present and also for the forty thousand against England, but against the United States—never. Not one Irishman can be counted on if it comes to a showdown against the U. S. A.”
“Nor very many Germans,” added Winckel.
“So be it,” said Captain Knabe. “Shall we go over the ammunition storehouses, those that are in Canada and those that are in this country?”
Many of the places Ted could not make out, others he did. He realized that this was valuable information. Names though they were, they were clues and so might be important.
Much more was said by the many men and Ted stored up in his mind such information as he thought would be useful. At half past ten all the men had left and from what Ted heard he understood that Knabe, Winckel,72O’Reilly and Schoen were adjourning to some other place to perfect plans.
Ted cautiously stretched himself. He was wary and still watchful. Although his muscles were stiff and his bones ached, he had not dared to move. When he was fairly certain that he could move, he indulged in that luxury for at least five minutes. He had no trouble in leaving the building. Once outside, he hastened to a telephone booth. He had no intention of telephoning, but he did want to find out the address of Winckel. A plan was in his mind.
He found two Winckels in the telephone. He decided that in all likelihood it was the one on Michigan avenue, the other was somewhere on the North Side.
When he came to the first cross street he saw a passing taxi and hailed it. The driver had some suspicion as to the ability of his customer to pay, for Ted was still in his newsboy’s clothes. However, Ted proved he had the necessary funds and satisfied the chauffeur.
Ted left the taxi two blocks before he reached the Winckel residence. The inside of the house was almost, not quite dark.73Stealthily the boy investigated. He decided that any entrance would have to be made from the rear or the side of the building. The rear windows to the basement and the door he found were locked.
The boy studied the situation. He saw where he could enter through one place, but it would mean that he would have to remove a window glass. He decided against that. There was danger of being heard.
Though Ted was seeking an entrance he had not as yet made up his mind to try to go to the rescue of his friends. To go into the building and take chances? But then, after all, his information could be of use to Strong only, for he held the many threads.
It would be folly to call the police, Strong would not care to have the publicity, and then, too, the two men might not be there after all.
He decided, come what may, he would go in. He felt fairly certain that Winckel would not be in the house nor would he return for an hour or more. Before making any further attempt to get inside, Ted went to a nearby drug store. He obtained paper and stamped envelope and wrote the following74message to Strong’s office, addressing it to Strong’s secretary, Miss Ford.
“Unless you hear from us in the early morning, you will find us imprisoned in the cellar of Mr. Winckel’s house. I am now trying to get Mr. Strong and Mr. Walker out, but may not succeed.
Having mailed the letter he hurried back to the house. Cautiously he prowled about, trying to find a way into the basement. There was no way.
At any ordinary time Ted would have said it was impossible to get up on that ledge, but he managed it now. The house entrance was through a wide door, but one had to go down three steps and it made the floor an English basement. The floor above that was much higher than most ground floors and yet lower than most second floors. Ted crept along the narrow ledge holding on to such supports as were there. He reached a big window and by careful manipulation and urging the boy managed to force it open.
He crawled in. Spot’s suit was very useful now, for it held matches. Ted did not75intend to use any unless he had to, but the building was strange to him and the occasion for the use of them might arise. He knew that he would have two floors to travel, the one to the basement and the one to the cellar. He got down the one floor without mishap. He was about to begin the exploration of that floor for the entrance to the cellar, when he heard the key being inserted into the street door.
His heart leaped within him. Two people entered, a man and woman. They switched on a light. If these people had come thirty seconds earlier he would have been caught coming down the stairs, Ted thought, as he crouched behind the turn of the staircase.
“It was nice of you to see me home, Mr. Erkin,” said the young lady. “Will you be good enough to let the light burn, as some of the folks are not in yet? Come and see me some time.”
“Good-night, thank you, I will,” the man answered and left.
The boy thought, “Well, I certainly should be called Lucky. Here I wonder how to find an entrance to the cellar and they are kind enough to turn on a light for me.”76
It was fairly easy for Ted to find his way now, but because of the light he had to use even greater care.
The cellar seemed deserted, when he got there. It was pitch dark and it took several minutes for him to grow accustomed to the extreme darkness. Then he heard the faint murmur of voices.
Strong and Walker had slept fitfully and had been wide awake at various times. Strong had again been awakened and was insisting that Walker listen to him.
As Ted drew nearer, he heard Strong say, “I don’t think, the way I feel, I shall ever be able to move again. But if I knew that Ted was just the least bit successful I could be forever content.”
“The poor child—if he did anything at all,” Walker answered, “it would be wonderful. It’s a man’s job, what, then, could a boy do?”
As if in answer to the question, they heard a low voice call, “Mr. Strong, Mr. Strong!”
“Who is that?” the startled voice of Strong demanded.
“It’s me, Ted!” said that ungrammatical young man, a bit excitedly.
77TED FREES THE PRISONERS
TED FREES THE PRISONERS
78
“God bless you, boy. Is it really you? Have you a match?”
Ted struck one. Hurriedly he untied the two men, who were already questioning him excitedly and to whom he whispered assurances.
As they turned the corner (having left the building without trouble) Strong looked back. An auto passed north on Michigan avenue.
“That’s Winckel’s car,” he said. “We weren’t any too soon.”
Ted told the two men of the night’s adventures and they both listened eagerly. Strong was laboring under great excitement as the boy went on with his story. When Ted was through he placed his hand on Ted’s shoulder and said, quietly and very impressively, to him:
“I simply can’t tell you the things I long to say. You’re going to be a man, my boy! This is a day’s work of which you will always be proud.
“Knowing what we know, we can go to sleep tonight, awake in the morning with a plan as to just what we will do. I could almost cry with contentment. This news79you bring is what we have long striven to learn, and along comes Ted Marsh—Lucky, the Boy Scout—and makes Canada and England his very grateful and humble servants.
“There are several things we know we can do now,” he added. “We had best take a night to sleep it over.”
“You are a wonder, Ted, my friend,” added Walker.
“Come, let us go,” said Strong.
“We are all weary. I hate to leave you. I’d like to celebrate, but I guess we had better postpone it until tomorrow. See you at eight.”
80CHAPTER VIIIWINCKEL CALLS A HALT
There were glaring headlines in the newspapers the next morning. War was on. People who had doubted all along, who could not believe it possible, now had to believe. And, although England was as yet not involved, no one was optimistic enough to imagine that she would stay out of it.
Around newspaper offices, everywhere, excited, eager groups discussed it all. Many a man heard the thrilling call of his native land and many listened and made plans to return to either Germany, Russia, England or France.
Yet neither in headlines nor in the ordinary run of news, was there mention made of the events of our story. Silent, powerful forces were at work to keep it quiet.
The automobile of Herr Winckel stopped before his house and from it Schmidt,81O’Reilly and the owner alighted. They made their way to the cellar, a precaution as to the safekeeping of the prisoners. O’Reilly and Schmidt were to be guests of Winckel for the night. Much work had been planned for the morning.
“Quiet, aren’t they?” said Schmidt, as Winckel started to turn on the light.
“I guess they are asleep,” remarked O’Reilly. The light glared. A moment’s hush. There were astonished and wondering exclamations. The ropes which had held the prisoners tied, were strewn about, but the prisoners were nowhere.
“What can it mean?” exclaimed Winckel, searching vainly for an explanation.
Wild guesses were made by the three as to how the escape was made.
“Well,” said Winckel after awhile, “never mind how they escaped, the important thing is—how much have they found out of our plans.” He showed plainly how disturbed he was.
“How can they have found out about our plans? Pretty far fetched to imagine that they could have obtained any information—the82chances are that they did not escape until late this evening.”
O’Reilly interrupted Schmidt. “Is there any way in which we can find out the last time someone in the house saw the prisoners?”
“Good idea,” said Winckel. “We shall soon find out.”
The household was awakened. Inquiries and investigation showed that Lauer, a trusted employee of Winckel, had taken a last look at the prisoners at about ten o’clock. He was certain of that; he had heard their voices, although he could not make out what they spoke about.
There were sighs of relief from Schmidt and O’Reilly, who felt that the situation was covered, but Winckel was more skeptical and less canny.
“I will admit that they were here until ten o’clock and later. I will even admit that they were not listening at the conference. But how was their escape managed and why after ten? Did they have outside help and how did the outside help know of their imprisonment here?
“Both of you gentlemen may be tired and83may wish to retire. Please do so, if you want to. I am going down to our meeting place to see what I can see. A little late, I will admit, and it may not do us much good, but there is always a chance. It is important for us to find out if we have blundered, if our plans have been disclosed.”
Both Schmidt and O’Reilly insisted on accompanying Winckel and the three left the house in the next five minutes.
They reached the building in about twenty minutes. No policeman was about to see them violate the speed laws on the way. An immediate and careful search of the room was made, to see if anyone had been there since they left and also for any clue as to the probable leak.
“Nothing seems wrong as far as I can see,” O’Reilly started to say. “Hello, what is this?” He had discovered the cleverly concealed wires of the dictaphone. Winckel and Schmidt joined him on the instant. They traced the wires and soon found out the whole layout.
“Mischief is certainly afoot,” exclaimed Schmidt. The other men said nothing, but studied the proposition.84
“There still is a chance,” said O’Reilly In an unconvincing manner—as if he wanted to believe something his better sense did not permit him to do, “that this outfit was not used since Strong and the other man had been kept from it.”
A sickening thought at the same instant came to Schmidt. “O’Reilly, we talked about the prisoners, how we had trapped them, where they were—and all the time someone was listening. That someone heard all we had to say and then, after we were all through, he went up to Winckel’s house and rescued them.”
Winckel said nothing for many minutes; he seemed lost in thought. The other men waited for him to speak. Finally he did.
“We are a lot of dunces. We were so sure of ourselves, we felt we were so wise. Pride goeth before a fall and we fell. We must give up our plans. It is up to both of you to get busy, we still have time to keep out of trouble. There is a ray of comfort in that, at least.”
“I hate to think what Knabe and the others at the embassy will think,” was the rueful comment of Schmidt.85
“Don’t let that bother you. This plan has failed, we must plan again—when again we match wits, let us hope we shall be more careful and consequently more successful. Come, enough of post mortems, let’s get busy.”
It was a busy night for all of them. There were many men who had to be seen and who in turn had to see others. It was, so they explained to the others, a matter of life and death that all preparations cease at once, as there would be close and careful watch kept. There was much telephoning and telegraphing to the friends who were in other cities.
There can be nothing but thorough admiration for the effective, capable way these men went about calling a halt to all activities. Like a perfect, well oiled machine which slows down and then ceases its movements, until there is something tremendously impressive in its inaction and silence; like a well-drilled army which retreats magnificently and in its very retreat almost gains a victory, so much like all this, was the action and the work of these men at this time. They were obeyed as only the Germans86know how to obey. By morning, there was no sign, no clue to their plans and activities. One thing only remained to prove the danger to Canada that had been. Arsenals and warehouses holding weapons and vehicles of war were found at the places shown on the list that Ted had copied.
At Ottawa and a little later in London and in Washington, the powers—the men at the helm—found out that what would in all probability have been a successful invasion of Canada had been checked. And they found out, too, just how and in what way it had been done.
87CHAPTER IXAT OTTAWA
“Come in, both of you,” Strong called from the inside office. Ted had shown up at Strong’s office early the next day. He found Strong at his desk and he found afterwards that he had been there for more than two hours. His secretary told Ted that he was telephoning long distance and that Ted should wait. When the operative was through talking, he came out and saw Ted.
“Sit down a few minutes, Ted, I shall be busy,” he had said. He had returned to his office and proceeded to do some further telephoning. Walker had come in a little later and the two were busy going over the evening’s events when Strong called out as above.
“Well, Ted, I guess we are going to have war. At least we won the first victory, or rather you did.”88
Ted fidgeted at the praise and grinned sheepishly.
“I wonder,” said Walker, “if they have, found the dictaphone as yet.”
“You can safely figure on the fact that they did. They started a little investigation when they found that the birds had flown. But it does not matter how much they know we know, now. It’s a fight in the open from now on. I’m thankful for that.
“I have already notified Ottawa, New York, and the different capitals of the provinces. Washington also knows, our embassy has already notified them as to the location of the arsenals. They are going to issue orders from Ottawa to confiscate those in our own country at once.
“Ottawa wanted all the facts and it got them. I expect to hear further from them in the course of the day.”
“I wonder,” said Walker, “if our friends will be polite enough to return my dictaphone. They should, it does not belong to them and they probably know to whom, it does belong.”
“You might go over and claim it,” answered Strong.89
“I think I will, just to see old Winckel’s face.”
Strong turned to Ted.
“Dear lad,” he said, “what you did isn’t the kind of thing that can appear in the newspapers, but it is the kind about which history is made. It is a big job you have accomplished. The men who sent you down to us made no mistake in their judgment as to what you could do. Sir Robert Wingate wanted to know all about you, I must have talked to him for more than twenty minutes on the telephone.
“Walker and I go to Ottawa on a late train today. They want to see me, to go fever details.
“Well, let’s get busy with the last threads of what happened last night—we have to put it down on black and white for future, reference. When do you want to return to Wayland, Ted?”
“I should like to go by Saturday, if it can be arranged,” answered Ted.
“Well, I think it can be done. I shall return tomorrow night or early the following morning. You will be free for these two days. Have a good time; remember, we pay90all your expenses—nothing is too good for you. If you can, come down the day after tomorrow. I may have some news for you.”
“I shall be glad to come down,” answered Ted, as he wondered at the news to which Strong had reference.
They spent a half hour or more going over the events of the evening, Strong’s secretary taking notes. Then Ted left and returned home.
That afternoon he took his mother to the ball game and saw the Cubs defeat the Giants. He tried to explain the game to his mother, who pretended an interest and tried hard to understand. But she found her truant fancy going elsewhere—it centered about this boy of hers, her daughter and also about the husband who could not endure the troubleous times, not because of the hardship to himself so much as the hardship to her and the child.
Ted’s interest was not divided, however, except in rare moments when he would turn to his mother and accuse her of lack of interest. She would flush guiltily and pretend that she was interested. She would ask a question or two, but her very questions convicted91her, showed her inability to understand, and Ted gave it up as a hopeless job and comforted himself in the belief that only men understood the game, it was too deep for women, excepting one or two, who knew something.
As they rode home the boy and the mother discussed the improvement in their condition.
“We will never have to worry any more, mother, not as long as I am able,” the boy said, with all of youth’s surety and confidence.
Mrs. Marsh wiped an unbidden tear from her eye.
“I am very happy, dear. And yet, I would give so much if your father was one of us. He was a fine man, but things were against him, too much so.”
Ted did not answer, he felt that nothing he could say would help.
After a long period of quiet, the boy spoke a little more quietly: “Never mind, mother, you have Helen and me.”
“I am happy in my riches,” answered the mother proudly.92
When they reached home, both of them began to get the supper ready so that Helen would not have to wait. A brilliant idea came to Ted as they prepared. “Mother,” he said excitedly, “let’s not eat at home tonight. We are going to the theater, so let us have supper out.”
At first the mother demurred, but she gave way—there was great temptation in the unusual treat. When Helen came home and was told the plan she was even more excited than they; it was so unusual an adventure. You can readily believe that it was a happy party of three that repaired to one of the many nice restaurants in the loop and afterward to the theater. They did not reach home until late in the night. On the way home they discussed what the news could be that Strong would have for Ted.
The next day Ted spent at the Settlement, renewing old acquaintances. Miss White, who had taken Mrs. Dean’s place, was glad to see him and gave him a hearty welcome. She was greatly interested in his story of his year in the West and wanted to know all about Mrs. Dean. It was a great day for Ted and the pleasantest of his stay in Chicago.93
On his way home that night Ted began to wish for Wayland. He had not realized how much the place meant to him until now, Syd Graham and the rest of the boys seemed very dear, very desirable.
“I hope,” he said to himself, “that nothing will keep me from going on Saturday.”