Part 19 (1/2)
”Then there is Charles, of Austria,” suggested Captain Hardy, ”and the Turkish Sultan, and King Victor Emmanuel III, of Italy. But I can't think of any King James. Well, we'll drop the kings at present and go on with the cipher. That brings us to three groups of letters--twenty-six, twenty-one, twenty-four. I know that code makers frequently use arbitrary groups of letters or figures to represent given words or ideas, but I haven't the slightest notion as to whether these figures belong together or are to be read separately. And as to what they mean, we can only guess. Since they seem to be in connection with some ruler and something about a Balkan meeting-place, they might refer to troops. You don't suppose the Germans are ma.s.sing forces for another drive into Roumania or that part of Russia around the Black Sea, do you?”
For a little time there was complete silence, as each member of the party struggled to remember all that he had read about the situation in the near East. But none could throw any light on the matter.
”Well, we will drop the numbers and go on,” said Captain Hardy. ”That brings us back to the Balaklavan rendezvous. The word rendezvous plainly indicates some kind of a meeting. A number of people are going to get together somewhere. If the place indicated were not so evidently in the Crimea, I should think that the message might mean that these German agents we've been watching are summoned to a meeting somewhere.”
Again there was a long pause. ”Henry,” said Captain Hardy suddenly, ”to whom was this message sent, and by whom?”
”It had the same call signals that have always been used. It must have been sent from the motor-car station and it is intended for the same station or stations the other messages were sent to. But we don't know yet where they are.”
”What would this motor-car driver, Sanders, be sending out a message about the Balkans for?” demanded Henry. ”Is he connected with the German diplomatic corps as well as with the spy activities?”
”That's exactly what I was wondering about,” replied Captain Hardy. ”I can make nothing of it. The only thing I can understand is the last part of the message--'nine sure.' Somebody is to meet somebody somewhere at nine o'clock sure.”
”If they meet at the Balaklavan rendez---- What's that word? I can't remember, Captain Hardy,” said Roy.
”Rendezvous.”
”Well, if somebody is to meet at some place at nine o'clock, the place can't be in the Balkans--not if the people who meet are the persons who received this message.”
”You're right, Roy. And they couldn't meet in Europe, or even very far away in the United States, for,” he continued, glancing at his watch, ”it is already long past luncheon time.”
”Well,” said Henry, ”there wouldn't be any sense in telling these spies about a meeting in the Balkans, anyway. So the message must be intended to call them to a meeting themselves.”
”It must be so,” a.s.sented Captain Hardy. ”And if it is so, the situation is serious. Why should they want to meet? And why should the need be so urgent that they can't wait to send their message by safer channels, but fling it out into the air for anybody to pick up and read, if he has brains enough to do it? h.e.l.lo! Here's Lew back again.” And turning to the new member of the group, the leader said, ”What did the Chief think of your message?”
”He was as puzzled as we were. He said his cipher experts were as busy as they could be with wireless messages of the utmost importance that the Germans had sent from Brazil to Berlin and that government operators had intercepted. But just as soon as he can get a man who knows anything about ciphers and codes, he will put him at this job.”
”Then it's all the more important that we should unravel this thing ourselves. If something is to be done at nine o'clock, we haven't a moment to lose.”
Hastily they ate their luncheon, then filed back to their living-room, where lay their maps, books, guides, and other equipment.
”We had better clear off these tables and desks,” said Captain Hardy, ”so that we shall have plenty of desk room. Suppose you pile these books on that book-shelf there, Henry. And you, Willie, put those maps on the mantel over the fireplace.”
Henry gathered up a huge armful of books and hastily dumped them on the book-shelf indicated. They slid down into a heap, but none fell to the floor. Henry, in his usual careful manner, began to set the books to rights.
”Never mind that now,” exclaimed Captain Hardy. ”That can wait until we have more time.”
Willie, meanwhile, was hastily stacking maps on the mantelpiece. He did not bother to fold them up, but put a weight on them and let the sheets hang down toward the floor. In no time the desks were cleared, and the little group soberly seated before them.
”You've taken away the paper with the message on it,” said Captain Hardy to Henry.
Henry started for the book-shelves, but Willie, who sat nearest the shelves, was there almost before Henry was out of his chair. He scanned the heap of books, looking for the missing paper.
”There it is, under that Bible,” he muttered.
He lifted off the superimposed books, and shoved the Bible to one side.
The books began to slide, but Willie stopped them before they poured down to the floor. The Bible he caught on the very edge of the shelf, its covers open. He thrust the book back, seized the paper, and returned to his seat.
For perhaps an hour the little group worked on. Sometimes each labored in silence, busy with his own thoughts. Again there was eager discussion, as one or the other advanced some theory or idea as to the meaning of the message. Then silence would come again. So the hours rolled by. In one of these pauses, Willie sat with closed eyes, turning the mystery over in his mind. But his brain was tired and other thoughts would creep in. Once he caught himself thinking of Camp Brady. Again he was thinking about the East River, and all the sights he had seen on a trip he had made up that stream into the Sound. Rigidly he brought himself back to his task. But presently his attention wandered again.