him to his fate. Yet
that Government was quite willing to profit by his labours; nay, sent
him there to gain that information. Yes, because Governments act upon
the idea that the friend of to-day may be the foe of to-morrow, so they
use such instruments freely. But if an instrument should break in the
hand, it is cast aside, and not a second thought is given to it.

The spy knew all this; he was no raw hand in this dangerous profession,
and he was now weighing in his mind whether it would be safe to let
this boy go. Had he seen too much? He tried to find out how much
Chippy had seen.

'What was I doing when you saw me first?' he asked lightly, and smiled.
But the smile was of the lips only, a mere mockery of a smile. The
eyes, the very heart of a smile, remained fiercely bright, and cold,
and questioning.

'Fiddlin' wi' yer boot,' said Chippy calmly; 'gettin' the stone out, I
s'pose.'

'Look here,' said the spy in quiet tones, 'have you seen me for the
last five minutes? Yes or no.'

He paused for a reply, but none came. Chippy was shaken. Yes or no.
That position admitted of no manoeuvring.

'What's this?' said the spy softly, and fingered with his left hand
Chippy's badge; his right hand was clutched with a grip of iron on
Chippy's shoulder.

'Scout's badge,' muttered Chippy.

'Ah, is it really?' murmured the spy. 'Yes, I've looked into that
movement. Well, on your word as a scout, yes or no.'

Chippy looked up. He forced a laugh.

'Why--look 'ere, Albert,' he began, and then twisted like an eel, and
tried to dive under the spy's arm. He had smiled and spoken, hoping to
throw the man off his guard, but this man was not easily deceived, and
his grip remained unshaken.

He gave a low, savage laugh. 'Thank you; that is all the answer I
want,' he said, and slipped his left hand into a hidden pocket under
his coat.

There is an instinct which teaches every living creature that the
moment has come when it must fight for its life. Chippy felt it
strongly, and he hurled himself upon the spy, kicking, biting, tearing
at him like a little tiger, but all in vain; in that powerful grip he
was utterly helpless. Yet no, that gallant struggle was not all in
vain, for it held the spy's whole attention as he mastered his victim,
and it prevented him from seeing a second boyish figure racing into the
hollow down the slope by which the spy had entered.

Chippy, clever Chippy, saw his staunch brother sco