on board the
army collected at Kiel and convey it through the Kaiser Wilhelm Canal
into the North Sea, where the German battleships now at Antwerp will
join the French squadrons from Cherbourg. An attempt would then be made,
under cover of the warships, to land the German army and the French
troops from Boulogne at Dover, or some place near on the English coast.

"I acknowledge the receipt of 10,000 francs from Mynheer van
Spranekhuizen, but must ask you to send a further sum twice that amount.
My agents are risking their lives, and will not work for less."

"You, too, my dear Brodersen, have risked your life," said the
Lieutenant-Colonel seriously. "I should not like to give much for it at
the present moment."

"These notes are very instructive," observed Heideck. "If we strengthen
Admiral Hollway in the belief that we intend to land the German troops
in England from Antwerp and not from Kiel, our fleet of transports at
Kiel will be able to cross the North Sea all the more safely and effect
the landing in Scotland."

XXVIII

THE FATE OF A SPY

Colonel Mercier-Milon reported from Brussels that he had arrested
Countess Arselaarts and thought he had made a valuable capture. The
Countess was deeply in debt and lived very extravagantly. A little time
ago she had been assisted financially by an exalted personage, who had
left the country. Since then her resources had become exhausted, and
it was supposed that she had acted as a spy for the English at a high
salary. He added that he was on the point of discovering a widespread
network of espionage in France and Belgium.

Herr van Spranekhuizen and Hinnerk Brodersen of Schleswig had also been
arrested the same morning.

"I wish we had trustworthy information as to the strength of the British
fleet," said the Lieutenant-Colonel, who had communicated the above
report to Heideck. "Sometimes I am really inclined to believe that this
fleet is not so effective as all the world has hitherto assumed. It
is almost impossible for outsiders to get a clear insight into the
condition of the English navy. So far as I can remember, false
reports are systematically published about the fleet--officially,
semi-officially, and privately. From time to time a speaker is put up
in Parliament by the Government to deliver a violent attack on the naval
administration. He is contradicted by a representative of the Admiralty,
and dust is again thrown in the eyes of the world. On one o