e fellows are up to. I'm rather anxious to renew my
slight acquaintance with friend Copperstick. By Jove, what a cute move
to get contraband metal into Germany!"

"Not much at a time. It shows how hard up the Germans must be for
copper when it pays a fellow to carry over about half a hundredweight
at a time."

"Well, let's get a move on," said Ross. "Be careful how you descend.
The ivy will be fairly slippery with the wet."

Cautiously the two lads descended, reaching the ground without mishap.

"Our sweaters!" exclaimed Vernon.

"Dash it all! Yes," agreed his companion. "I had forgotten all about
them."

The sweaters, carefully rolled up, had been placed for security in one
corner of the chapel. Unless anyone actually came close to the spot,
they were hidden from sight.

"Neither of those fellows stood about here, I think," remarked Ross as
the chums retrieved and donned the additional clothing. "It's jolly
lucky, or they would have smelt a rat."

Trefusis and his companion went out into the rain, walking rapidly
towards a slight mound capped by a few irregularly shaped stones. It
was behind this rise of ground that the two spies had gone. Up to this
point, Ross argued, there was little need for caution; beyond, it would
be necessary to keep well under cover until they reached Main Beach.

"'Ware the skyline," cautioned Ross as the chums approached the hillock.

"Ay; 'ware the skyline," said a deep voice mockingly, "It's bad
strategy."

Turning, the lads made the disconcerting discovery that Ramblethorne
and von Ruhle were within five yards of their would-be trackers.

Ross realized that he and his chum had been badly outmanoeuvred.
Evidently the Germans suspected that they had been overheard, and
ostentatiously leaving the ruins for Main Beach Cove, they had made a
detour from the hillock, and had waited until Ross and Vernon had
emerged from the chapel. Then, taking advantage of the wet grass that
effectually deadened the sound of their footsteps, they had turned the
tables on their shadowers.

So completely taken aback were the two lads that they stood stock-still
as if rooted to the earth.

"Not a nice evening to be out, Trefusis," continued the doctor. "What
brings you on St. Mena's Island at this late hour of the day?"

"Our boat was left high and dry by the tide, so we had to wait and take
shelter," replied Ross.

"And so you chose a place where there was no shelter," remarked
Ra