Confident that his own part in the game would never be known, Harry Vincent entered the laboratory along with Wilkins. There they joined the half dozen men who were already speculating on what had become of the mysterious intruder.
CHAPTER VIII
THE CONFERENCE
IT did not take long for the warning of a marauder to spread about the headquarters at Cedar Cove. The alarm was passed to guards outside the buildings. Wilkins ordered a prompt search of the entire premises.
All the while, the men remained in pairs. Wilkins had a teammate, like the rest, a fellow named Holgate. The two remained on guard in the laboratory after the others had set out to look for the intruder. Harry remained with Wilkins and Holgate.
While these three were looking about the laboratory, Commander Joseph Dadren entered. He had been summoned from the boat house.
The arrival of the skipper brought a prompt report from Wilkins, who accounted for every one in the place. Holgate seconded all of the statements. Both men mentioned that Harry had been working on the typewriter.
Pair by pair, searchers and guards returned. All made their reports. No trace had been found of any intruder. Dadren sent the men back to their posts. Leaving Harry in the laboratory, he went into the inner office. He returned, wearing a satisfied smile. Harry knew that he had found the plans still safe.
“Everything is all right, sir?” questioned Harry.
“Yes,” returned Dadren, dryly, “except for the fact that some one actually broke into the laboratory. That is serious enough. Don’t you think so, Vincent?”
HARRY studied the commander. Dadren was a tall, wiry man, whose weather-scarred face marked him as a sea dog. Blunt featured, square-jawed, he was a type of person who dealt in facts. His inventive genius lay chiefly in his ceaseless experimenting and his perseverance. The commander was a man who seldom deviated from a fixed purpose.
Harry knew that. He realized, also, that he must use tactful methods in suggesting that new danger might be encountered. Dadren was a fearless man. The simple suggestion that Dadren should postpone his trip would not go far. Harry used the commander’s question as a wedge of another sort.
“I think it is serious,” agreed Harry. “Look about, sir, and see for yourself. That fellow must have been mighty anxious to get in here, the way he chewed up those wires.”
“He blundered, though,” remarked Dadren, looking about the room. “Knocking over a lot of glass looks like the work of some ordinary miscreant.”
“I don’t agree, sir,” put in Harry. “I think the man was working in the dark. He may have seen the light in my room, where I was at the typewriter. He was probably afraid to use a flashlight, while somebody was about.”
“But why should he have searched the laboratory? If he came here after my plans, he should have known that they were in the office.”
“I don’t think so, sir. This is your private lab. He found papers here. He would have been a fool not to inspect them first. He probably used a flashlight for that, keeping it well guarded.”
“But what about the filing cabinet?”
“He made a natural mistake there. Opening the drawer without the light, he may have set some papers on top in a perfectly off-hand manner. That could have started the crash.”
The commander nodded. He was half convinced. Harry put in another thrust.
“The fellow’s getaway,” he said, “is proof that he was no apprentice. He made his way out of the court, even while the alarm was on.”
“That is true,” nodded Dadren. “He came in, too, while the place was guarded. Over the roof was the only way.”
“Unless he started from the inside,” suggested Harry.
The commander stared steadily at his secretary. Harry met the gaze unflinchingly. He saw a troubled look cloud Dadren’s face.
“I take it, Vincent,” he said, dryly, “that we have a spy in our midst.”
“Maybe two, sir.”
“Two?”
“Yes. The men are paired.”
“I see” — Dadren was nodding slowly — “yes, Vincent, your point is well chosen. At the same time, I doubt it. I took great care in teaming up my men. I doubt that any one man could induce another to act as his accomplice.”
THERE was a pause. Harry saw Dadren look to the door of the inner office. The commander had locked it after coming out. Harry saw a new chance to talk.
“I mentioned a possibility, sir,” he said. “I do not think it would be wise to ignore it. You can never trust too fully in the men whom you choose. In fact, that was why you obtained me through Professor Whitburn.”
“Did Whitburn tell you that?”
“Yes. He said that you wanted a first-class recommendation before taking any one into your employ.”
“I wanted you for a secretary, Vincent. That was a more important post than any other. I had men whom I could trust; but they were not qualified for the job.”
“I know that, sir. Don’t think that I am trying to belittle any of the men who were here when I came. I am merely speaking of my own experience.”
“With Whitburn?”
“Yes. I worked for him once, when he was developing his aerial torpedoes. He thought that all of his men could be trusted. He was wrong.”
“Suppose I change the men about,” suggested Dadren, in a tone that indicated a willingness to receive advice. “If two of them have conspired, they would be separated.”
“That might end trouble here,” agreed Harry. “In fact, it would certainly put a quietus on their game.”
“I shall do it,” declared Dadren. “To-night, Vincent, I shall prepare the new list and give it to you in the morning. If spies are present, their efforts will be nullified.”
“Except for one point,” put in Harry. “The most important point, commander.”
“What is that?”
“They will have no further purpose here.”
“Why not?”
“Because the plans will be gone. You are taking them to Washington.”
“That is a point, Vincent. Well, that makes it all the better. They made their attempt to-night. They failed. There is no cause for further worry.”
“There is every cause for worry, Commander.”
Dadren looked at Harry in surprise. The commander thought that his final statement had settled the matter. Harry had reopened the question. What was more, he spoke with assurance; for he felt certain that the trend was turning the way he wanted it.
“To-night was the beginning, sir,” stated Harry, in a serious tone. “The beginning — not the end. An attempt was made to steal the plans for your new submarine. That attempt will be repeated.”
“Not here, if I have taken the plans away.”
“That is exactly what I fear. An attack made elsewhere might succeed. You are heading into danger, sir. Grave danger, as to-night’s episode proves.”
“I do not fear danger, Vincent. It cannot be avoided.”
“It can. Most effectively.”
“How?”
“By keeping the plans here.”
THE commander stared at his secretary. Harry’s suggestion seemed preposterous to Dadren. Shaking his head, the naval officer spoke emphatically.
“I am taking those plans to Washington, Vincent,” he declared. “They are ready to be delivered to Senator Releston. After he has seen them and approved, they will go directly to the Navy Department.”
“I advise a postponement, sir,” returned Harry, boldly. “Put the men on new shifts. Keep the plans here. Bait those spies. Make them reveal themselves—”
“Enough,” interrupted Dadren. “You are here to take orders, Vincent — not to give them. Have you completed those letters I gave you this afternoon?”