In the same moment Jack ran up to them.
"The soldiers had the place surrounded!" he cried, exultingly. "They must
have believed your letter after all, Harry! Come on--there's a boat here!
Aren't you coming over?"
They were rowing for the other shore before the words were well spoken.
And, once over, they were seized at once by two soldiers.
"More of them," said one of the soldiers. "Where's the colonel?"
Without trying to explain, they let themselves be taken to where Colonel
Throckmorton stood near the burning wreckage. At the sight of Harry his
face lighted up.
"What do you know about this?" he asked, sternly, pointing to the wrecked
airship.
Harry explained in a few words.
"Very good," said the colonel. "You are under arrest--you broke arrest this
morning. I suppose you know that is a serious offence, whether your
original arrest was justified or not?"
"I felt I had to do it, sir," said Harry. He had caught the glint of a
smile in the colonel's eyes.
"Explain yourself, sir," said the colonel. "Report fully as to your
movements to-day. Perhaps I shall recommend you for a medal instead of
court martialling you, after all."
And so the story came out, and Harry learned that the colonel had never
believed Graves, but had chosen to let him think he did.
"The boy Graves is a German, and older than he seems," said the colonel.
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