CHAPTER XXIII.
AN UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER.
"Now that we have so kindly been permitted to enter," said LordHastings, "I don't believe it would be half a bad idea for us to goashore; or at least two of us."
"I speak to go with you, sir," exclaimed Frank.
"So do I, sir," said Jack.
"Well, all three of us can't go," Lord Hastings decided. "We'll drawstraws to see who are the fortunate--or unfortunate--two. I'll draw withyou. The one who gets the short one loses."
He drew three toothpicks from his pocket, and putting them behind hisback, broke one. Then he held them out to Frank.
"Pick one," he said.
Frank did so, and glanced at it eagerly. It had not been broken.
"I go," he declared.
"It's between us now," said Lord Hastings to Jack. "Pick one, Jack."
He held up the remaining two toothpicks Jack gazed at them earnestly.
"I'll take this one," the lad said at length, and picked the one on theright.
"You win," said Lord Hastings quietly. "I'm the fellow that must remainbehind."
Jack was equally as pleased as Frank, but he did not manifest the sameenthusiasm.
"And what is it you expect us to learn, sir?" asked Jack. "I'm sure Ihaven't any idea."
"Nor I, sir," declared Frank.
Lord Hastings smiled.
"You see," he said, "it might have been better to let me go." Then headded after a brief pause: "I don't know that I had any particular planin view. I was just going ashore and stroll about a bit. It is barelypossible that one of you may overhear something. I wouldn't stay morethan two hours at the most." He glanced at his watch. "Two o'clock now,"he said. "I shall expect you back here at 4.30 at the latest."
The lads nodded.
"Will it be best for us to row ashore ourselves, sir?" asked Frank. "Orshall we have one of the men take us?"
"You would better go alone," replied Lord Hastings, after a moment'shesitation. "You can tie your boat up some place. I hardly think any onewill bother it. A sailor might betray all of us unconsciously. In a gamelike this, the fewer the better is my motto."
"Come on, Jack; let's be moving," said Frank impatiently. "There is nouse staying here all day. Hurry up."
"Now you just hold your horses," replied his chum. "We'll get there soonenough--maybe a little too soon, so far as we know."
Nevertheless the lads wasted no further time in talk and five minuteslater the two were rowing shoreward in a little boat.
As they rowed along, they saw several other under-the-sea craft atanchor and upon the bridges of one or two stood officers. These salutedas the boys passed, but none so much as hailed them.
"These German uniforms seem to be pretty good things," Frank remarked ina low voice. "Guess they carry the entree any place in the town."
"We'll see," returned Jack briefly.
Fifteen minutes later they reached a landing and climbed ashore. Thenthey tied the little boat up, against their return, and started down thefirst street.
"Pretty likely looking town, this," declared Jack, as his gaze rovedabout.
"Yes," Frank agreed, "but you can still see the marks of the Germanshells that struck during the siege."
They looked around with interest--though not so curiously as to attractattention--and continued along the street.
For an hour and more they strolled about gazing at the various sights ofinterest, but learning nothing of value. Several times they approachedknots of German officers, attempting to overhear their conversation. Butthere was nothing in any of this street-corner talk which was worthhearing, being concerned chiefly with accounts of adventures and curiousepisodes.
The lads were saluted frequently as they passed along and they returnedthese salutes with customary German stiffness. No one spoke to them andfor this they were duly thankful, although each spoke German like anative and ran little risk of detection on that score.
Frank glanced at his watch.
"Five minutes to four," he said. "Time to be moving back."
Jack nodded.
"May as well, I guess," he agreed. "If you ask me, this has been anafternoon wasted. I don't seem to have learned anything of importanceand I don't believe you have either."
"You've been with me right along," replied Frank. "You know as much as Ido."
They retraced their steps toward the water front.
And here, in the place they would have felt least likely to encounter afamiliar face, that very thing happened. They were still a shortdistance from the water-front when a man brushed by them closely,walking rapidly. His head was lowered and his face was well muffled inspite of the fact that the day was not cold. There was somethingfamiliar about him, though neither lad could place him. After he hadpassed both lads turned and looked after him with one accord.
"There is something familiar about that fellow," Jack declared. "I'veseen him some place before."
"And so have I," agreed Frank. "And I have a feeling that it was notunder very favorable circumstances."
Each lad racked his brain for a brief moment; then Jack said:
"Well, I guess it doesn't make any difference. Let's go."
He turned about and took a step forward. Frank was about to do the same,when a sudden thought flashed into his head.
"Wait a minute," he called. "I think I've got him."
"Who?" demanded Jack.
"Davis!" said Frank quietly. I'll bet a pretty red apple that man isDavis."
"By Jove!" said Jack. "I wonder--now what would he be doing here?"
"I don't know," replied Frank, "but I feel sure that's who it is. Comeon. Let's go after him. We'll lose him in a minute."
Even as he spoke the man he felt sure was Davis turned a corner. Notwaiting for Jack to agree, Frank hurried after him. Jack followed.
The man ahead was walking rapidly, but the two lads gained on him. Aftertwo blocks' walking they were less than fifty yards in therear--slouching along cautiously, with heads lowered, for they did notwish to be recognized if the man were really Davis.
Once the man turned and gazed at the two figures behind him; then,apparently satisfied that he was not being followed, he moved on again.
After two more blocks he doubled around a corner. Frank and Jack turnedthe corner a moment later, just in time to see Davis mount a shortflight of steps, open a door and enter the house.
Frank and Jack walked by, taking careful note of the number of thehouse, however, and without glancing up again, continued down the streetand turned the next corner.
There they halted as of one mind while Frank peeped around the corner,remarking:
"Don't want him to trick us. I don't think he knew he was beingfollowed, but you never can tell."
The lads stood there for perhaps ten minutes; then Jack reached adecision.
"As long as we have come this far," he said, "we may as well finish thisman hunt. We'll go and have a look for him."
"How do you figure we are going to get into the house?" demanded Frank."Or do you just plan to ring the bell and ask for 'Mr. Davis'?"
"We'll have to get in some way," returned Jack, "or else admit that weare wrong."
"I won't admit I'm wrong," declared Frank grimly. "I feel positive theman is Davis."
"So do I," replied Jack; "else I wouldn't be so keen about getting intothat house. We'll go back and skirmish around a bit, anyhow."
They retraced their steps slowly, and passing the house where the manhad entered, took careful note of it.
It was a two-story building. Steps led to a porch, not high above thestreet, but still high enough to make the single window in front beyondreach from the street below. A narrow passage was between it and thehouse on the left. It was built flush against the house on the right.
At the corner the lads again turned and retraced their steps. "I'm goingto try the door," said Jack. "You slink back in that dark alleyway untilyou hear from me."
Frank signified that he understo
od, and passing the house, did as Jackhad instructed, the latter mounting the steps quietly and swiftly.
The lad laid a hand on the knob and turned it. Then he pushed on thedoor, but it held fast.
"Locked," he said, plainly disappointed.
There was no window in the little vestibule and the single front windowwas beyond reach from the porch. Neither was there a transom that couldbe forced.
"No means of getting in here," Jack told himself.
He descended the steps and joined Frank in the alleyway.
"Well?" Frank greeted him.
Jack shook his head.
"Can't get in that way," he said.
"Well," said Frank, "I have been doing a little exploring while you wereup there and I have found a way."
"How?" asked Jack, a little surprised.
For answer, Frank motioned to a little aperture in the side of thehouse, close to the ground.
"Window into the basement," he explained. "It's open."
Jack wasted no time. He dropped to his hands and knees and, pushing thewindow open, shoved his feet through. Then he wriggled his body throughthe opening and dropped.
It was not a hard fall and he picked himself up unhurt. He called softlyto Frank and the latter was beside him a moment later. Walking softly,Jack led the way up a little flight of stairs to a door which openedeasily. He stepped inside.
Frank followed and Jack closed the door. It was perfectly dark.
But suddenly the darkness was lighted up. The astonished lads gazed intothe muzzles of a pair of automatics and a well-known voice cried:
"Hands up!"