ity of
millions? You have information which is needed, in the interest of
humanity, and even torture shall be resorted to if it can be obtained in
no other way."

"And so," Ned replied, calmly, "you are not merely a tool. As I
supposed, you are one of the men at the head of the conspiracy. You are
the man I came upon at Canton. You are the wretch who is trying to
involve two continents in war. Well, I hope to meet you under less
trying circumstances!"

The other laughed harshly and walked to the door. Listening with his
ear against the rough boards for an instant, he opened it a trifle and
glanced out. Ned heard sounds of a struggle there, and was about to
spring forward when his captor faced him with a provoking smile.

"By the way," he said, "I neglected to inform you that one threatening
movement will mean instant death to you. I am opposed to any bully-like
display of weapons, preferring to discuss this question with you without
coercion, but I took the precaution to place a rifleman at an opening in
one of the walls of this room. He has you 'covered,' as the saying is,
and so it is advisable for you to remain passive."

"What is going on out there?" demanded Ned.

"Your people seem to be protesting against leaving the place under
escort," laughed the other. "The two you left at the camp in the
cornfield were not so hard to control."

"You seem to have a good knowledge of a our movements," said Ned. "You
have a spy system well in hand here."

"That is refreshing, as coming from the mouth of a spy," retorted the
other. "If you are ready to talk business," he added, closing the door,
"I am ready to make a proposition."

"If your time and your breath are worth anything," the boy replied, "you
may as well save both."

"You have possession of certain documents taken from a certain wreck in
the Pacific Ocean?"

Ned made no reply.

"You possess certain information concerning an alleged plot."

Still no response from the boy.

"Without you, your government can make no headway in the investigation
now on foot."

Ned dropped into a chair and turned his face away with a well assumed
air of indifference. Really, he was anxious for the man to go on, to
say just how important were the papers and the information.

"We have it in our power to prevent the information you possess ever
reaching your government, but the documents you have we cannot get in
the usual way. Therefore we are offering you te