"It"s almost time for our friends to be here, isn"t it? What time is Captain Knabe coming?" said a voice.
"At about fifteen minutes after eight. He is coming with Winckel."
"Say, Schmidt, it was a good piece of business to get Strong out of the way. He is too dangerous and resourceful to suit us." This from O"Reilly.
"He has been a nuisance, hasn"t he?" answered Schmidt. "h.e.l.lo, friends," he said to some new-comers. "I have just been telling O"Reilly about our little affair this afternoon."
There was the sound of a number of voices and of some laughing. Then more men came into the room, there was the sc.r.a.ping of chairs as men seated themselves.
Then there was quiet as two men entered. Greetings were exchanged and Ted realized that the two were Winckel and Captain Knabe.
As Captain Knabe was introduced to some of the men, Ted wrote the names down.
"Let us get down to business, friends," said one, who seemed to be the chairman. "Captain Knabe has come here from Washington, his time just now is important. Even more important is the need for immediate action. Captain Knabe, gentlemen."
CHAPTER VII
THE DICTAPHONE AT WORK
"I understand," said Captain Knabe, "that some of the Irish gentlemen present do not understand German, and so, while I can do so much better in my native tongue, I shall talk in English."
"How lucky," thought Ted.
"Well, gentlemen, I have good news for you--war is to be declared the day after tomorrow."
There was the sound of moving, falling chairs, of men getting to their feet. Then a whispered toast--a whisper that was almost loud because of the number of voices--"Der Tag."
"You, in America, who have never given up your allegiance to the supreme nation, nor to the emperor, must do your share. Although war is to be declared the day after tomorrow, it will be a matter of a few more days before we are at war with England; possibly it will be more than a week. I understand you are ready."
Another voice spoke. "We are prepared. We will announce picnics at certain places; it is for you to tell us the locations."
"I am ready to tell you that now," replied the captain. "Concentrate on your picnic grounds near Detroit for the taking of Windsor. Herr Winckel has the plans. I have given him three sets--Windsor, Toronto, Winnipeg. He also has the charts which show how to move and what railroads to occupy. Our friends in Canada are to see that there are available cars, engines and even motors. Of course, all of you will know just what picnic grounds are to be selected, so we need waste no time on that."
"How many men have you, Herr Winckel?" Captain Knabe wanted to know.
"Will you tell us, Schoen?" Herr Winckel asked.
"Approximately, armed and ready for the call, one hundred and twenty-five thousand men. There are also forty thousand Irishmen.
O"Reilly has them equally prepared and ready. Pfeffer reports thirty thousand men in Canada, eager for the call. They are so stationed that we can throw one hundred and fifty thousand men on Windsor and Toronto or such other points as are within one half day"s ordinary travel. For Montreal we would need eighteen hours" additional notice. For Quebec we would need thirty. We figure that thirty thousand men will be enough for Winnipeg, although we shall have more."
"The fool Englishmen," sneered a voice.
"Not such fools, Schmidt. Do not underestimate them." The voice was Winckel"s.
"Everything looks so easy," said another voice.
"Aye," said Captain Knabe, "we cannot help but win. But the Englishman fights best with his back to the wall."
"You have your commands a.s.signed, have you not?" the captain inquired.
"We have," replied Schoen.
"Now, gentlemen, here is the thing of the utmost importance," Herr Winckel spoke warningly. "The facts must not leak; they must not get to the United States officials. That is so important that the whole plan will have to be dropped if there is any suspicion as to a leak."
"I think a number of us will bear out what Winckel says," O"Reilly spoke up. "For myself, and I think I speak for the other Irishmen here present and also for the forty thousand against England, but against the United States--never. Not one Irishman can be counted on if it comes to a showdown against the U. S. A."
"Nor very many Germans," added Winckel.
"So be it," said Captain Knabe. "Shall we go over the ammunition storehouses, those that are in Canada and those that are in this country?"
Many of the places Ted could not make out, others he did. He realized that this was valuable information. Names though they were, they were clues and so might be important.
Much more was said by the many men and Ted stored up in his mind such information as he thought would be useful. At half past ten all the men had left and from what Ted heard he understood that Knabe, Winckel, O"Reilly and Schoen were adjourning to some other place to perfect plans.
Ted cautiously stretched himself. He was wary and still watchful.
Although his muscles were stiff and his bones ached, he had not dared to move. When he was fairly certain that he could move, he indulged in that luxury for at least five minutes. He had no trouble in leaving the building. Once outside, he hastened to a telephone booth. He had no intention of telephoning, but he did want to find out the address of Winckel. A plan was in his mind.
He found two Winckels in the telephone. He decided that in all likelihood it was the one on Michigan avenue, the other was somewhere on the North Side.
When he came to the first cross street he saw a pa.s.sing taxi and hailed it. The driver had some suspicion as to the ability of his customer to pay, for Ted was still in his newsboy"s clothes. However, Ted proved he had the necessary funds and satisfied the chauffeur.
Ted left the taxi two blocks before he reached the Winckel residence.
The inside of the house was almost, not quite dark. Stealthily the boy investigated. He decided that any entrance would have to be made from the rear or the side of the building. The rear windows to the bas.e.m.e.nt and the door he found were locked.
The boy studied the situation. He saw where he could enter through one place, but it would mean that he would have to remove a window gla.s.s.
He decided against that. There was danger of being heard.
Though Ted was seeking an entrance he had not as yet made up his mind to try to go to the rescue of his friends. To go into the building and take chances? But then, after all, his information could be of use to Strong only, for he held the many threads.
It would be folly to call the police, Strong would not care to have the publicity, and then, too, the two men might not be there after all.
He decided, come what may, he would go in. He felt fairly certain that Winckel would not be in the house nor would he return for an hour or more. Before making any further attempt to get inside, Ted went to a nearby drug store. He obtained paper and stamped envelope and wrote the following message to Strong"s office, addressing it to Strong"s secretary, Miss Ford.
"Unless you hear from us in the early morning, you will find us imprisoned in the cellar of Mr. Winckel"s house. I am now trying to get Mr. Strong and Mr. Walker out, but may not succeed.
"11:15 p.m. Ted."
Having mailed the letter he hurried back to the house. Cautiously he prowled about, trying to find a way into the bas.e.m.e.nt. There was no way.
At any ordinary time Ted would have said it was impossible to get up on that ledge, but he managed it now. The house entrance was through a wide door, but one had to go down three steps and it made the floor an English bas.e.m.e.nt. The floor above that was much higher than most ground floors and yet lower than most second floors. Ted crept along the narrow ledge holding on to such supports as were there. He reached a big window and by careful manipulation and urging the boy managed to force it open.
He crawled in. Spot"s suit was very useful now, for it held matches.
Ted did not intend to use any unless he had to, but the building was strange to him and the occasion for the use of them might arise. He knew that he would have two floors to travel, the one to the bas.e.m.e.nt and the one to the cellar. He got down the one floor without mishap.
He was about to begin the exploration of that floor for the entrance to the cellar, when he heard the key being inserted into the street door.