remember all that he had read about the situation in the
near East. But none could throw any light on the matter.

"Well, we will drop the numbers and go on," said Captain Hardy. "That
brings us back to the Balaklavan rendezvous. The word rendezvous plainly
indicates some kind of a meeting. A number of people are going to get
together somewhere. If the place indicated were not so evidently in the
Crimea, I should think that the message might mean that these German
agents we've been watching are summoned to a meeting somewhere."

Again there was a long pause. "Henry," said Captain Hardy suddenly, "to
whom was this message sent, and by whom?"

"It had the same call signals that have always been used. It must have
been sent from the motor-car station and it is intended for the same
station or stations the other messages were sent to. But we don't know
yet where they are."

"What would this motor-car driver, Sanders, be sending out a message
about the Balkans for?" demanded Henry. "Is he connected with the German
diplomatic corps as well as with the spy activities?"

"That's exactly what I was wondering about," replied Captain Hardy. "I
can make nothing of it. The only thing I can understand is the last part
of the message--'nine sure.' Somebody is to meet somebody somewhere at
nine o'clock sure."

"If they meet at the Balaklavan rendez---- What's that word? I can't
remember, Captain Hardy," said Roy.

"Rendezvous."

"Well, if somebody is to meet at some place at nine o'clock, the place
can't be in the Balkans--not if the people who meet are the persons who
received this message."

"You're right, Roy. And they couldn't meet in Europe, or even very far
away in the United States, for," he continued, glancing at his watch, "it
is already long past luncheon time."

"Well," said Henry, "there wouldn't be any sense in telling these spies
about a meeting in the Balkans, anyway. So the message must be intended
to call them to a meeting themselves."

"It must be so," assented Captain Hardy. "And if it is so, the situation
is serious. Why should they want to meet? And why should the need be so
urgent that they can't wait to send their message by safer channels, but
fling it out into the air for anybody to pick up and read, if he has
brains enough to do it? Hello! Here's Lew back again." And turning to
the new member of the group, the leader said, "What did the Chief think
of your message?"

"He wa