tchell and Samps have already
organized Australia, and our three men in India will have ready
workers."

"What about the States?"

"That has an organization of its own," Van Heerden said; "it is costing
me a lot of money. All the men except you are at their stations waiting
for the word 'Go.' You will take the Canadian supplies with you."

"Do I take Bridgers?"

Van Heerden shook his head.

"I can't trust that fool. Otherwise he would be an ideal assistant for
you. Your work is simple. Before you leave I will give you a sealed
envelope containing a list of all our Canadian agents. You will also
find two code sentences, one of which means 'Commence operations,' and
the other, 'Cancel all instructions and destroy apparatus.'"

"Will the latter be necessary?" asked Milsom.

"It may be, though it is very unlikely. But I must provide against all
contingencies. I have made the organization as simple as possible. I
have a chief agent in every country, and on receipt of my message by the
chief of the organization, it will be repeated to the agents, who also
have a copy of the code."

"It seems too easy," said Milsom. "What chance is there of detection?"

"None whatever," said the doctor promptly. "Our only danger for the
moment is this man Beale, but he knows nothing, and so long as we only
have him guessing there is no great harm done--and, anyway, he hasn't
much longer to guess."

"It seems much too simple," said Milsom, shaking his head.

Van Heerden had heard a footfall in the hall, stepped quickly to the
door and opened it.

"Well, Gregory?" he said.

"He is here," replied the other, and waved his hand to a figure who
stood behind him. "Also, the parson is coming down the road."

"Good, let us have our friend in."

The pink-faced foreigner with his stiff little moustache and his yellow
boots stepped into the room, clicked his heels and bowed.

"Have I the honour of addressing Doctor von Heerden?"

"Van Heerden," corrected the doctor with a smile "that is my name."

Both men spoke in German.

"I have a letter for your excellency," said the messenger. "I have been
seeking you for many days and I wish to report that unauthorized persons
have attempted to take this from me."

Van Heerden nodded, tore open the envelope and read the half a dozen
lines.

"The test-word is 'Breslau,'" he said in a low voice, and the messenger
beamed.

"I have the honour to convey to you the word." He whispered somethin