he assured me that this little place by the name of
Sempst is only a matter of six miles or so from where we are right now."

"Then," said Merritt, brightening up, "if only we stand a chance to get
around without being gobbled by the Germans, we might strike in there
to-morrow, and see if Steven Meredith is still at his post. The agent
sent word to my grandfather that he had accepted a position there in
charge of some manufacturing plant owned by a German firm in Brussels. I
think myself there may have been some truth in that story about his
being in the pay of the German Government, both over in America and
here!"

The wounded man was listening eagerly to what they said.

"Excuse me," he now broke in. "But that is not a common name; and I once
met a Steven Meredith, who pretended to be an American citizen, but who
I knew was an agent of the German Government. It may be the same man. I
entertained him, together with the German consul in New York City, at my
home in Hoboken. Do you happen to know any peculiarity about his looks
or manner that would identify him?"

"The man we are trying to find was tall," said Merritt quickly, "and has
a slight cast in his left eye. He talks with something of a twang, as
though he might be a Down-East Yankee."

"It must be the same!" declared Philip Krauss, as though convinced.
"That accent, I believe, was cleverly assumed for a purpose. Promise me
that you will not think it your duty to betray him to the enemy, and I
will tell you still more of him."

Merritt and Rob exchanged significant looks.

"We have no fight against either Germany or the Allies," Merritt
observed, "for Americans are neutral, and there would be no need of our
betraying him, even if we had the chance. So we can easily give you that
promise. He has something in his possession that belongs to my family;
and we have come a long way to get it; that is all we want of Steven
Meredith. Now, what can you tell us about him?"

"Only this," replied the wounded Hoboken brewer. "You have perhaps saved
my life, and I feel I am under heavy obligations for the favor. It is
worth something to my wife and family that I should live to see Hoboken
again. The man you are looking for is in the suburbs of Brussels. You
spoke of Sempst. He was there two days ago when my troop passed through.
That may ease your minds, my brave boys."

"Would you mind telling us how you know this?" asked Rob.

"I saw him, and talked with him," ca