CHAPTER XIII
THE SPY
Tom Raymond and Jack Parmly looked first at one another and then at themajor. He had been smiling at their wonderment, but he was now serious,and regarded them gravely.
"Do you mean we have to do something to help catch this spy?" asked Tom.
"I'd like a hand in that!" exclaimed Jack. "I saw him first--he's mymeat!"
"Well, get him if you can, boys," said the Frenchman. "But I did notcome here to talk so much about him as about yourselves. The spy is adanger and a menace, but we know him and if he goes too far we can putout our hands and drag him back.
"No, what I referred to is more dangerous than merely trying to catch aspy at his sneaking work. I will tell you." The major suddenly left hisseat near the window of the boy's room, and quickly opened the doorleading to the hall. The passage was empty.
"I rather thought there might be an eavesdropper," the major explained."I was followed here, though I don't believe the spies know my mission.However, it is best to be careful. With your permission I'll pull downthe shade. There may be spies stationed across the street who, withpowerful glasses, might look through the window and gather something ofwhat we say by reading our lips. It has been done."
"The Germans don't leave much untried," commented Tom. "But what is ityou want us to do, if it isn't trying to trail the spy?"
The major motioned them to draw closer to him, and then, leaving thedoor into the hall open, so that he could note the approach of any one,he whispered:
"You are to be two members of a picked company of air scouts who are togo out, discover the big German gun, and destroy it!"
"Whew!" whistled Tom, after a moment of thought during which he and Jackexchanged quick glances.
"Well?" asked the officer. "How does that strike you? I believe that isanother of your captivating terms?"
"It's all to the good!" exclaimed Jack. "What say, Tom? We'll take thaton, won't we?"
"Well, I should say!" was the enthusiastic rejoinder. "When do we startto--"
"Hush!" cautioned the major. "Not so loud. Though we have taken everyprecaution, there may be spies unseen by us. We had better talk no moreabout it here."
"Then let's go to our new lodgings, if we are to move," suggested Tom."Will it be safe to talk there?"
"I think so," the major said. "At least you will be among friends. Notthat your landlord here is not a true Frenchman; but he can not controlthe actions of those to whom he lets lodgings. You will be better whereyou are going. Then you accept the mission?" he asked in anotherwhisper.
"Sure thing!" answered Tom, while Jack nodded his assent. "The soonerthe quicker!"
"I do not quite get that," the major confessed with a smile. "But Ithink I gather your meaning. Now if you will proceed to this address,"and he handed Tom a small slip of paper, "you will find a comfortablelodging, and you will be among friends."
"How soon can we start on--on this mission?" asked Tom.
"It will be better not to refer to it directly," the officer said. "Talkas little about it as you can. But you shall go as soon as thearrangements can be made. You will be notified."
"And what about seeing our friends--Mrs. Gleason?" asked Jack.
"Are you sure its _Mrs._. Gleason you want to see?" inquired Tom.
"Oh, cut it out!" advised Jack with a blush.
"You may see them soon now," the major told him with a smile. "And Ihope you'll soon have good news of your father," he added to Tom.
"I hope so, too. The suspense is telling on me."
"I should think it would. Now don't leave this bit of paper about withthe address of your new lodgings on. Better commit it to memory, andthen destroy the sheet. We want, if possible, to prevent the spy fromknowing where you have gone. I will call a taxicab for you. You can bepacked soon, I suppose?" he questioned.
"Within a half hour," answered Jack. "But say, won't that spy be on thewatch, and won't he learn from the taxicab driver where we have gone?"
"Not from _this_ taxicab driver," was the smiling answer. "He is one ofour best secret service men. But treat him as you would an ordinarychauffeur. You may even give him a tip, and he will not be offended,"and once more the major smiled.
Tom and Jack, having made sure they remembered the address given them,destroyed the paper, and then proceeded to get ready to move. MeanwhileMajor de Trouville took his departure, promising to keep incommunication with the Air Service boys.
Punctual to the half hour a taxicab appeared at the door. The boysobeyed the instructions they had received, and looked out to make surethe spy was not on hand. If he was, he was well concealed, for they didnot see him.
"Though I suppose he's somewhere around," said Jack.
"Well, maybe we can fool him," suggested Tom. "We're going quite on theother side of Paris."
They made sure that, as far as could be told by observation, there wasno one resembling the spy around the place or in the street in front,and then got into the cab with their baggage. The chauffeur seemed notto know them, but Tom thought there was just the slightest wink of oneeye, as though to indicate that the game was going well.
Their cab was driven out along the Boulevard Ragenta, past the Gare duNord, and across the Boulevard de Rochechquart to a small street runningoff the Rue Ramey, and there the cab stopped in front of a small butneat-looking house.
"Quiet enough neighborhood," remarked Jack, as they got down, and Tomtipped the cabman for the benefit of any spies who might be looking.
"Yes, I guess we can get some sleep here, if the big gun doesn't keep usawake," agreed Tom.
On the way they had passed several places where the havoc of the"Bertha" was noticeable.
Tom and Jack seemed to be expected, for the porter, who came down to gettheir bags, did not seem at all surprised to see them. He bade themfollow him, and a little later, the cab having chugged off, the boyswere settled in a pleasant room, a smiling landlady coming in to see ifthey wanted anything, and to tell them they could have meals with her atcertain hours, or they might dine out as they pleased.
"Your friends will be here shortly," she added.
"Our friends?" questioned Tom.
"Yes," with a nod and a smile. "I was told to say they would be hereshortly after you arrived."
"Oh, I guess she means the major and some of the officers will come tosee how we are situated, and to tell us more about--the big stunt," saidTom in English to his chum, assuming that "big stunt" would sufficientlydisguise to any listening spies, if such there were, the real objectthat lay before them.
"I suppose that's who she means," agreed Jack, as the landlady, who gaveher name as Madame Reboux, withdrew.
The boys were busy unpacking their few belongings, for they had notbrought much to Paris, not intending to stay long, when they heardvoices in the hall outside their room. And at the tones of a certainvoice Tom and Jack started and looked at one another.
"Listen!" exclaimed Tom.
"If I wasn't afraid you'd say I was dreaming, I'd say I knew thatvoice!" murmured Jack.
"I'd say the same," added Tom.
"Who would you say it was?" his chum challenged.
"Well, for a starter--"
He paused, for the voice sounded more plainly now, and it said:
"Yes, this is the right place, Mother. Oh, do you think the boys arehere yet?"
"It surely will be a pleasure to meet them again," said another voice,evidently that of a woman, the other having been a girl's.
"I hope they won't have forgotten us," the girl went on, and at thatJack could no longer keep quiet. He rushed to the door, opened it, andcried:
"Bessie! Is that you?"
"Oh, it's Jack! Mother, here's Jack!" cried the girl, and she and hermother were soon shaking hands with Tom and Jack.
"So, you two were the friends we were soon to see!" exclaimed Tom, as heplaced chairs for Mrs. Gleason and her daughter. Or, to be exact, Tomplaced a chair for the mother, while Jack got one for Bessie.
"Yes, we were told you would be here," said Bessie's mother. "We did notknow you were in Paris until we received word that it would be betterfor us to change our lodging and come here."
"The same word we received," said Jack. "Say, it's working out mightyqueer, isn't it, Tom?"
"Yes, but very satisfactorily, I should say. Things couldn't be nicer.How have you been?" he asked, for he had not seen the girl nor hermother since the sensational rescue from the perfidious Carl Potzfeldt.
"Very well indeed," answered Mrs. Gleason. "Both Bessie and I have beendoing Red Cross work. But isn't that great German gun terrible? Oh, howit has killed and maimed the poor women and children! The Huns arefiends!"
"I quite agree with you," said Tom, Jack meanwhile talking to Bessie."But it isn't doing them the military good they thought it would, and,if all goes well, it may not very long do them any service at all."
"You mean--" began Mrs. Gleason.
But just then Bessie, who had arisen to go to the window to view thestreet, turned back with a start, and grasped Jack's hand.
"Look! Look!" she whispered, and through the curtains she pointed to aman on the opposite side of the way.
"Do you know him?" asked Jack.
"Know him? Yes, to my sorrow."
"Who is it?" asked Tom.
"The spy!" exclaimed Jack. "The man we saw in the train, and the samefellow who tried to get into our lodgings. In spite of our precautionshe has found out where we are."
"I'm not so sure of that," said Tom. "He may not be here for anyparticular purpose. But do you know him too, Bessie?"
"Yes," the girl answered. "He was in the chateau where mother and I wereheld prisoners by Potzfeldt. He is a tool in the pay of that spy, and aspy himself!"
"Then we ought to do something!" exclaimed Jack, and he started to rushfrom the room.