on foot to the edge
of the lake. There, from behind a tree he had seen with his own eyes
seen this submarine advance toward him, and stop at the mouth of
Black Rock Creek. Was it the famous machine for which the whole world
was seeking, which thus came directly to his feet?

When the submarine was close to the rocks, two men climbed out upon
its deck and stepped ashore. Was one of them this Master of the
World, who had not been seen since he was reported from Lake
Superior? Was this the mysterious "Terror" which had thus risen from
the depths of Lake Erie?

"I was alone," said Wells. "Alone on the edge of the Creek. If you
and your assistants, Mr. Strock had been there, we four against two,
we would have been able to reach these men and seize them before they
could have regained their boat and fled."

"Probably," I answered. "But were there no others on the boat with
them? Still, if we had seized the two, we could at least have learned
who they were."

"And above all," added Wells, "if one of them turned out to be the
captain of the 'Terror!'"

"I have only one fear, Wells; this submarine, whether it is the one
we seek or another, may have left the creek since your departure."

"We shall know about that in a few hours, now. Pray Heaven they are
still there! Then when night comes?"

"But," I asked, "did you remain watching in the wood until night?"

"No; I left after an hour's watching, and rode straight for the
telegraph station at Toledo. I reached there late at night and sent
immediate word to Washington."

"That was night before last. Did you return yesterday to Black Rock
Creek?"

"Yes."

"The submarine was still there?"

"In the same spot."

"And the two men?"

"The same two men. I judge that some accident had happened, and they
came to this lonely spot to repair it."

"Probably so," said I. "Some damage which made it impossible for them
to regain their usual hiding-place. If only they are still here!"

"I have reason to believe they will be, for quite a lot of stuff was
taken out of the boat, and laid about upon the shore; and as well as
I could discern from a distance they seemed to be working on board."

"Only the two men?"

"Only the two."

"But," protested I, "can two be sufficient to handle an apparatus of
such speed, and of such intricacy, as to be at once automobile, boat
and submarine?"

"I think not, Mr. Strock; but I only saw the same two. Several times
they came to the edge