carry off only a few watchmen and engineers. Mighty tough luck for
them."

"It can't be helped," Sullivan said ruthlessly. "You can't expect to
carry through a thing of this sort without some sacrifice. All we can
do is to believe that the end justifies the means. It's a case of the
greatest good to the greatest number."

"I--suppose--so."

"Well, then, why hesitate?"

"I ain't hesitating," announced Cronin quickly. "I just happened to
remember Maguire. He's one of the night watchmen at the upper mill and
a friend of mine."

"But we can't remember him, Cronin," Sullivan burst out. "It is unlucky
that he chances to be on duty, of course; but that is his misfortune.
We'd spare him if we could."

"I know, I know," Cronin said. "It's a pitiless business." Then, as if
his last feeble compunction vanished with the words, he added, "It's to
be the mills, then."

"Yes. We seem to be agreed on that," Sullivan replied eagerly. "I have
everything ready and I don't see why we can't go right ahead to-night
and plant the machines with their fuses timed for early morning. I
guess we can sneak into the factories all right--you to the upper mill
and I to the lower. If you get caught you can say you are hunting for
Maguire; and if I do--well, I must trust to my wits to invent a story.
But they won't catch me. I've never been caught yet, and I have handled
a number of bigger jobs than this one," concluded he with pride.

"Anything more you want to say to me?" asked Cronin.

"No, I guess not. I don't believe I need to hand you any advice. Just
stiffen up, that's all. Anything you want to say to me?"

"No. I shan't worry my head about you, you old fox. You're too much of
a master hand," Cronin returned, with an inflection that sounded like a
grin. "I imagine you can hold up your end."

"I rather imagine I can," drawled Sullivan.

"Then if there's nothing more to be said, I move we start back to town.
It must be late," Cronin asserted.

"It's black enough to be midnight," grumbled Sullivan. "We'd best go
directly to our houses--I to mine and you to yours. The explosives and
bombs I'll pack into two grips. Yours I'll hide in your back yard
underneath that boat. How'll that be?"

"O. K."

"You've got it straight in your head what you are to do?"

"Yes."

"And I can count on you?"

"Sure!"

"Then let's be off."

There was a splash as the canoe slipped into the water and afterward
Ted heard the regular dip of the pad