unsuspected by the few villagers who lived in the neighbourhood.

Keenly interested in his work Dick had thoroughly enjoyed the peaceful life in the depths of the beautiful forest. He and Jules had become the closest of friends, and with Yvette, whose winning personality seemed to bind him to her more closely day by day, they made up a happy house party. They were looked after by a capable old peasant woman who was the devoted slave of all three, but whose admiration for Yvette seemed to rise almost to the point of veneration.

On the day following the conversation recorded above, they were surprised to receive a visit from Regnier himself—an alert, dark-eyed man who seemed seriously perturbed.

“There is no time to be lost,” he declared. “I hear to-day from Gaston that he has managed to get a near view of the new German machine. He says it rose apparently from the flat roof of a house standing in its own grounds outside Spandau. He happened to be near and caught sight of it just in time. Of course it was dark and he could see no details. But he is positive that the machine rose nearly straight up from the flat roof at an angle far too steep for any of our machines. That alone is sufficient to show that the Germans have got hold of something new and valuable. He waited for a long time, and finally saw the machine return. He declares it landed again on the roof. Evidently, Monsieur Manton, they have found out something along the lines of your invention, even if they have not actually got your secret.”

“How far away was Gaston when he saw it?” asked Dick.

“It must have been at least a quarter of a mile,” replied Regnier, “as the grounds are very extensive. Gaston dared not venture an attempt to get inside; the high fence is utterly unscalable, and the two lodge gates are always kept locked and there is a keeper at each.”

“And he heard the engine?”

“Yes, he says so specifically,” replied the Chief.

“Well,” said Dick, “at any rate we are ahead of them to that extent. If it had been my machine he would not have heard the engine at all at that distance.”

“However,” he went on, “it is evidently time we acted. Now, Monsieur Regnier, Mademoiselle Pasquet has told me what you want. I am willing to go. But I shall have to take the Mohawk. How are we to hide it? I can get over and back at night safely enough, but to hide the machine in the day-time will be another matter.”

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