es.

"This is only one of the depots established in the neighbourhood of the
metropolis," Raymond said. "There are others, and we must set to work to
discover them. Germany leaves nothing to chance, and there are already
in London fifty thousand well-trained men of the Fatherland, most of
whom belong to secret clubs, and who will on 'the Day' rise _en masse_
at the signal of invasion."

"But the Baron!" I exclaimed, half dazed. "Where is he?"

"They've just recovered portions of him," replied Ray, with a grin.

"But that New Year's card!" I exclaimed, and then amid the excitement
proceeded to tell Bellamy and my companion what had happened.

"The message you sent to Manchester was to acquaint Hartmann, who is
staying at this moment at the Midland Grand Hotel, with their intended
vengeance upon you, my dear old chap. Nierop was a Dutch merchant in the
City, and his habit was to import arms and ammunition in small
quantities, and distribute them to the different secret depots, one of
which we know is somewhere near the 'Adelaide,' in Chalk Farm Road,
another is at a house in Malmesbury Road, Canning Town, a third in
Shepperton Street, Hoxton, and a fourth is said to be close by the
chapel in Cowley Road, Leytonstone."

"And there are others besides," remarked Bellamy.

"Yes," remarked Raymond, "one is certainly somewhere in Crowland Road,
South Tottenham, another near the Gas Works at Hornsey, and others
somewhere between Highgate Hill and the New River reservoir. Besides,
there are no doubt several in such towns as Ipswich, Chelmsford,
Yarmouth, and Norwich."

The police had by this time taken possession of the stable, but no
information was given to the public, fearing that a panic might be
caused if the truth leaked out.

So the newspapers and the public believed the death of the German and
the Dutchman to be due to a gas explosion--at least that was what the
police reported at the inquest. Next day the arms and ammunition were
quietly removed in closed vans from the house and stable which the spies
had rented, and conveyed to safe keeping at Woolwich--where, I believe,
they still remain as evidence of the German intentions.

Londoners, indeed, sadly disregard the peril in which they are placed
with a hostile force already in their midst--an advance guard of the
enemy already on the alert, and but awaiting the landing of their
compatriots from the Fatherland.

No sane man can to-day declare that, with our