that's the way he's got along in business is by never being
surprised by having something unfortunate happen, and by always
trying to be ready to make it as trifling as it can be."

So Harry wrote and posted his letter, taking care to word it so
that it would be hard for anyone except Colonel Throckmorton to
understand it. And, even after having purposely made the wording
rather obscure, he put it into code. And, after that, he thought
of still another precaution that might be wise. "We won't need
the credentials we've got in there tonight, Dick," he said. "Nor
our copies of the code, either. We'll bury them near where we
leave our motorcycles. Then when we get out we can easily get
them back, and if we should be caught they won't be found on us.
Remember, if we are caught, we're just boys out trespassing. Let
them think we're poachers, if they like."

But even Harry could think of no more precautions after that, and
they had a long and tiresome wait until they thought it was dark
enough to venture within the walls.

Getting over the wall was not difficult. They had thought they
might find broken glass on top, but there was nothing of the sort.
Once inside, however, they speedily discovered why that precaution
was not taken -- and also that they had had a remarkably narrow
escape. For scarcely had they dropped to the ground and taken
shelter when they saw a figure, carrying a gun, approaching. It
was a man making the rounds of the wall. While they watched he
met another man, also armed, and turned to retrace this steps.

"They've got two men, at least - maybe a lot more, doing that,"