to each of them the acid test, that he was sure he could rely on them,
as he liked to say, "to the last ditch."

For the rest, although he had taken only a few of them into his
confidence as to his real purposes and intentions, he had assured each
recruit that he would be required to do nothing that was contrary to
his duty to his fellow-man, his country, or his God.

And tomorrow the wheels would be set in motion. The undertaking to
which he had dedicated his life and colossal fortune would be
launched.

It was characteristic of Edestone that no sooner had he laid his head
upon the pillow than his eyes closed, and he slept as peacefully as a
tired child.




CHAPTER III

CROSSING WITH ROYALTY


After a perfectly uneventful voyage, the _Ivernia_, with Edestone
and his three men aboard, swung slowly to her dock. As the big vessel
had approached the coast the few cabin passengers were at first a
little nervous, but the contempt in which the officers held, or
pretended to hold, the submarine menace made itself soon felt
throughout the ship, and but for the thinness of their ranks all went