rammatical young man, a bit excitedly.

[Illustration: TED FREES THE PRISONERS]

"God bless you, boy. Is it really you? Have you a match?"

Ted struck one. Hurriedly he untied the two men, who were already
questioning him excitedly and to whom he whispered assurances.

As they turned the corner (having left the building without trouble)
Strong looked back. An auto passed north on Michigan avenue.

"That's Winckel's car," he said. "We weren't any too soon."

Ted told the two men of the night's adventures and they both listened
eagerly. Strong was laboring under great excitement as the boy went on
with his story. When Ted was through he placed his hand on Ted's
shoulder and said, quietly and very impressively, to him:

"I simply can't tell you the things I long to say. You're going to be
a man, my boy! This is a day's work of which you will always be
proud.

"Knowing what we know, we can go to sleep tonight, awake in the
morning with a plan as to just what we will do. I could almost cry
with contentment. This news you bring is what we have long striven to
learn, and along comes Ted Marsh--Lucky, the Boy Scout--and makes
Canada and England his very grateful and humble servants.

"There are several things we know we can do now," he added. "We had
best take a night to sleep it over."

"You are a wonder, Ted, my friend," added Walker.

"Come, let us go," said Strong.

"We are all weary. I hate to leave you. I'd like to celebrate, but I
guess we had better postpone it until tomorrow. See you at eight."

CHAPTER VIII

WINCKEL CALLS A HALT

There were glaring headlines in the newspapers the next morning. War
was on. People who had doubted all along, who could not believe it
possible, now had to believe. And, although England was as yet not
involved, no one was optimistic enough to imagine that she would stay
out of it.

Around newspaper offices, everywhere, excited, eager groups discussed
it all. Many a man heard the thrilling call of his native land and
many listened and made plans to return to either Germany, Russia,
England or France.

Yet neither in headlines nor in the ordinary run of news, was there
mention made of the events of our story. Silent, powerful forces were
at work to keep it quiet.

The automobile of Herr Winckel stopped before his house and from it
Schmidt, O'Reilly and the owner alighted. They made their way to the
cellar, a precaution as to the safekeeping of the prisoners. O'R