. "And beyond a doubt it came from some house on the slope before
us. From this view-point an observer can see everything that takes
place in both Upper and Lower Bay and spy on every vessel passing
through the Narrows. With a powerful glass an observer on these slopes
could almost distinguish the buttons on the sailors' clothes or read
the compass on the bridge of a ship. Let us see what we can find."

For a mile or two they walked leisurely along the brow of the hill,
carefully examining every house that possessed a good outlook over the
Narrows. They found many such, but as was the case in Hoboken, the
houses were as like as so many peas. In location or construction there
was nothing that would direct the finger of suspicion to one house
rather than another. Any house with an unobstructed outlook might
harbor a spy.

When they had gone far enough along the brow of the hill Captain Hardy
said, "Let us go back along the slope. I suspect any observer would
get as near to the water as he could and yet have sufficient elevation
for a wide view. I believe the place we are looking for is somewhere
below us."

They climbed down to a lower level and began their return walk. On the
slope the buildings were not so close together. There were more open
spaces, more undeveloped stretches where trees yet remained and
thickets of underbrush still stood undisturbed.

"These houses would make better radio stations than those so closely
crowded together, I should think," commented Captain Hardy.

Slowly they sauntered along, stopping near every suspicious house,
ostensibly to view the landscape, and giving it a searching examination
as they took in the view. And so artfully was their work done that no
one watching the eager group, looking now here, now there, would have
dreamed that ships and shipping were the last things they were
interested in.

Slowly they worked their way along the slope, now climbing to higher
levels, now descending to lower, as it became necessary to view a
habitation from one side or the other. But search as they might,
nothing stood out in any place that was of a suspicious nature. There
were no questionable wire clothes-lines, for here every one seemed to
use cotton lines. No flagpoles rose aloft, up which antennas wires
could be hoisted in the guise of halyards. No kites flew from back
yards. No lightning-rods rose suspiciously above the housetops. There
were no tall chimneys inside w