t waiting until I knew more about the place. If that
soldier hadn't been ready to see a ghost in anything he didn't have some
reason to expect to meet, I'd be in a lot of trouble now. And yet I'll
bet he's brave enough, too. If he had an enemy he could see and touch,
he'd fight all right."

But Fred had more to think about now than what had happened, or what
might have happened, either. He was more interested in what was to come
next. He went along, flashing his torch. There was no sound at the thin
wall, where he stopped, when he reached it, to listen for the sound of
voices in the great hall. That encouraged him. He decided that if any
soldiers had been left on guard in the place, they would have been in
there. And when he came near to the panel by which he had entered, when
he let his torch wink out he saw that there was a light ahead of him.

For a moment he caught his breath, wondering if some enemy had
discovered the secret, and was waiting to pounce on him. But he went on,
because he decided that if anyone were waiting they must know already
that he was in the tunnel. And in a moment he came face to face with old
Vladimir.

"The coast is clear, excellency," said the old Russian. "All the Germans
have gone--a curse upon them! My master has told me to treat you as if
you stood in his place until he returns. I have the things that Ivan
brought. Is it your pleasure that I should deliver them to you?"

Fred was puzzled for a moment. Then he remembered the wireless.

"Oh, yes, by all means!" he said. "And show me the room where the
wireless is. You know all about that, Vladimir?"

"I know where it is. I do not understand such devil's work, but I am an
old man, and stupid."

Fred laughed.

"Perhaps it's devil's work, but if we have any luck it will be pretty
useful to us," he said. "Come on, if it's safe for me to come out.
There's a lot for me to do."

Vladimir led the way to the top of the house. On the roof, like a
pent-house, there was a little room or cupola, and in this was a
partially dismantled wireless installation. Fred was left there alone
while Vladimir went off to get the things that Ivan had given to him for
safekeeping, and he studied the installation closely. It was different
from any that he had ever seen, but its leading principle, of course,
was familiar to him. At first it surprised him to find that it was
supplied with power by weak batteries, which the Germans had ruined.

"You couldn't