Why, senor, I know myself of cases where rich men have entrusted their daughters to the care of the messengers, sure that in this way their daughters will arrive safely at their destination." "Yes," said Hillyard.

"I know of these men." "Ramon Castillo is as honest as the best of them." "Yes, but he is not one of them," said Hillyard.

"He is a stevedore with thirty years of the quayside and at the port of Barcelona, where there are German ships with their officers and crews on board." Hillyard was troubled.

He drew from his pocket creased letters and read them for the twentieth time with a frowning countenance.
"There is so much at stake.

Two hundred feluccas--two hundred motor-driven feluccas! And eighteen thousand men, on shore and sea?
See what it means! On our side, the complete surveillance of the Western Mediterranean! On the other side--against us--two hundred travelling supply bases for submarines, two hundred signal stations.