man if he speaks as well as you, Abel,"
she said.

"Now you're chaffing me," he replied.

"Not at all; I am sure you speak very well."

"If he's not a German he's a spy of some sort I'm certain. He's always
looking at maps, drawing plans, making notes and figuring up things.
It's my belief he's hit on Little Trent by chance and came to my place
because it's quiet and out of the way. There's something wrong with
him; if he's not German he's in the pay of somebody connected with 'em.
I'd bet my last bob he's a spy of some sort, and I'll keep my eye on
him," said Abel.

When Abel went into the Inn he found a map spread on the table in the
room occupied by Carl Meason. He glanced at it and saw small pins
stuck in various places where lines were printed. Putting on his
glasses he saw these were road lines and noticed most of them in which
the pins were sticking ran from the coast inland; he had no time for
further observation, as Meason entered the room.

"Rather a good map, is it not?" asked the man.

"Should think so; I don't know much about maps," said Abel. "What's
all these pins for?"

"I am a surveyor. I am going through some of the roads on this map; I
shall have to inspect them shortly. I came here to do my work quietly.
I daresay you wondered what I was at Little Trent for?" said Carl.

"I have been wondering," said Abel. "So you're a surveyor?"

"Yes; I'm considered clever at the work."

"You're a Government surveyor?" asked Abel.

"I am."

"I notice most of the roads you have marked run from the coast inland."

"That's my division; I am doing this for army purposes."

"Oh!" exclaimed Abel. "For our Government?"

Carl Meason looked at him quickly; Abel's face made him smile, he did
not look extra sharp.

"I'm not likely to survey roads for army purposes for any other
Government," he said.

"No, I suppose not. It must be interesting work."

"It is, very; the more you get into this business, the better you like
it," said Carl.

Abel left him bending over the map. When Carl heard the door closed he
looked up, a scowl on his face. "Curse the old fool," he muttered.
"Wonder why he asked me if it was our Government I was working for?"

He rolled up the map carefully, ticking the place where he had left the
pins in red ink.

CHAPTER IV

THE AUSTRALIAN GIRL

Derby week, London hummed and bustled with excitement. Sport was in
the air, racing; everybody talking about the grea