and hated the job. There are a good many charts
of the coast, but they are all for the use of the fishermen."

"Wonderful!" Hayter scoffed. "My young friend, you may yet find
distinction in some other walk of life. Our secret service, I fancy,
will very soon be able to dispense with your energies."

"And I with your secret service," Lessingham agreed heartily. "I dare
say there may be some branches of it in which existence is tolerable.
That, however, does not apply to the task upon which I have been
engaged."

"You have been completely duped," Hayter told him calmly, "and the
information you have sent us is valueless. Sir Henry Cranston, instead
of being the type of man whom you have described, is one of the greatest
experts upon coast defense and mine-laying, in the English Admiralty."

Lessingham laughed shortly.

"That," he declared, "is perfectly absurd."

"It is," Hayter repeated, with emphasis, "the precise truth. Sir Henry
Cranton's fishing excursions are myths. He is simply transferred from
his fishing boat on to one of a little fleet of so-called mine sweepers,
from which he conducts his operations. Nearly every one of the most
important towns on the east coast are protected by minefields of his
design."

Lessingham was dumbfounded. His companion's manner was singularly
convincing.

"But how could Sir Henry or any one else keep this a secret?" he
protested. "Even his wife is scarcely on speaking terms with him because
she believes him to be an idler, and the whole neighbourhood gossips
over his slackness."

"The whole neighbourhood is easily fooled," Hayter retorted. "There are
one or two who know, however."

"There are one or two," Lessingham observed grimly, "who are beginning
to suspect me."

"That is a pity," Hayter admitted, "because it will be necessary for you
to return to Dreymarsh at once."

"Return to Dreymarsh at once? But Cranston is away. There is nothing for
me to do there in his absence."

"He will be back on Wednesday or Thursday night," was the confident
reply. "He will bring with him the plan of his latest defenses of a town
on the east coast, which our cruiser squadron purpose to bombard. We
must have that chart."

Lessingham listened in mute distress.

"Could you possibly get me relieved?" he begged. "The fact is--"

"We could not, and we will not," Hayter interrupted fiercely. "Unless
you wish me to denounce you at home as a renegade and a coward, you will
go through