t safely be allowed to
pass.

Unfortunately there was something in the car which Willie did not in
the least expect to find there. In the front of the tonneau was a large
packing-case. It was quite a common-looking packing-case made of rough
wood. The lid was neatly but firmly nailed down. It bore on its side in
large black letters the word "cube sugar".

Willie's suspicions were aroused. The owners of handsome and
beautifully-upholstered cars do not usually drive about with
packing-cases full of sugar at their feet. And this was a very large
case. It contained a hundredweight or a hundredweight and a half of
sugar--if it contained sugar at all. The words of the Colonel recurred
to Willie: "There's not a trick they're not up to. They'd deceive the
devil himself." Well, no earl or pretended earl should deceive Willie
Thornton. He gave an order to the sergeant.

"Take that case and open it," he said.

"Damn it," said the Earl, "you mustn't do that."

"My orders," said Willie, "are to examine every car thoroughly."

"But if you set that case down in the mud and open it in this downpour
of rain the--the contents will be spoiled."

"I can't help that, sir," said Willie. "My orders are quite definite."

"Look here," said Lord Ramelton, "if I give you my word that there
are no arms or ammunition in that case, if I write a statement to that
effect and sign it, will it satisfy you?"

"No, sir," said Willie. "Nothing will satisfy me except seeing for
myself."

Such is the devotion to duty of the young British officer. Against his
spirit the rage of the empire's enemies breaks in vain. Nor are the
statements of "these fellows," however plausible, of much avail.

Lord Ramelton swallowed, with some difficulty, the language which
gathered on his tongue's tip.

"Where's your superior officer?" he said.

Willie Thornton believed that all his superior officers were at least
ten miles away. He had not noticed--nor had anyone else--that a grey
military motor had driven into the village. In the grey motor was a
General, with two Staff Officers, all decorated with red cap-bands and
red tabs on their coats.

The military authorities were very much in earnest over the business of
searching motor-cars and guarding roads. Only at times of serious danger
do Generals, accompanied by Staff Officers, go out in the wet to visit
outpost detachments commanded by subalterns.

The General left his car and stepped across the road. He r