On the Trail


Harry had reached Colonel Throckmorton without difficulty and
before delivering Major French's message, he explained his
suspicions regarding the driver.

"What's that? 'Eh, what's that?" asked the colonel. "Spy? This
country's suffering from an epidemic of spy fever -- that's what!
Still -- a taxi cab driver, eh? Perhaps he's one of the many
who's tried to overcharge me. I'll put him in the guardhouse,
anyway! I'll find out if you're right later, young man!"

As a matter of fact, and as Harry surmised, Colonel Throckmorton
felt that it was not a time to take chances. He was almost sure
that Harry was letting his imagination run away with him, but it
would be safer to arrest a man by mistake than to let him go if
there was a chance that he was guilty. So he gave the order and
then turned to question Harry. The scout first gave Major
French's message, and Colonel Throckmorton immediately dispatched
an orderly after giving him certain whispered instructions.

"Now tell me just why you suspect your driver. Explain exactly
what happened," he said. He turned to a stenographer. "Take
notes of this, Johnson," he directed.

Harry told his story simply and well. When he quoted the
officer's remark to the cab driver, with the German inversion, the