shall now say nothing. These things will be transported to
the proper place without labor on your part. I think I have made the
outlines of the matter reasonably clear to every man present."

"Our orders, sir?" asked a voice with a French accent, down the table.
"Are we to have no precise orders before leaving this room?"

"You are. Each man will receive his own, sealed, before leaving. I
am now about to give them out, in alphabetical rotation. This will
dismiss the meeting. You will withdraw as inconspicuously as you
came. Remember, you are to become as cogs in the machine that I have
devised. At the exact place, hour, minute, and second you are to do
exactly the thing ordered, _and nothing else_. Neglect, disobedience,
or failure will positively not be condoned, but will be punished as I
see fit, even to the death penalty.

"Come forward now, as I call your names, and receive what I shall give
you."

He opened a drawer in the table, took out many small boxes and
arranged them before him. Each box was carefully wrapped in stout
paper, securely tied, and sealed with red wax.

Standing there, firm, impassive, with narrowed eyes, he began reading
the names:

"Adams--Auchincloss--Brodeur--Cracowicz--Daimamoto--Emilio--Frazier--"

As each man's name was uttered he came down along the table, took the
box extended to him, thrust it into his pocket, saluted stiffly, and
withdrew in silence. At the end of a few minutes, no one was left but
the Master, Bohannan, and the man in the celluloid mask.

"Have you no orders for me, sir?" asked the aviator, still erect
in his place at the far end of the table. His eyes shone out darkly
through his shield.

"None, sir."

"All the others--"

"You are different." The Master set hands on his hips, and coldly
studied this strange figure. "The others have had their orders
carefully worked out for them, prepared, synchronized. You have come,
so to speak, as an extemporization, an auxiliary; you will add one
more unit to the flyers in the expedition, of which there are nine
aces, including Major Bohannan here. The others are now on their
way to their lodgings, to study their instructions, to memorize, and
prepare to carry them out. You are to remain here, with Major Bohannan
and with me."

"Until what time, sir?"

"Until we start. You will be under continual surveillance. If you
make any attempt to communicate in any way with anyone outside my
apartment, it will be the last