es knows much about the work that
other spies are doing. The rank and file merely get orders to go and do
such a thing, or find out about such a thing. Often they are not told
what they are doing it for. They obey their orders implicitly in detail
and make their reports, get new orders and go on to do something else.
Only their master spy-council here knows what the summary of their
efforts amounts to. Arresting old Hoff, or a dozen more like him, would
not cripple them much. Other men would be assigned in their places, and
the nefarious work would go on."

"I don't know," insisted Jane thoughtfully. "I believe that old Mr. Hoff
is a far bigger spoke in the wheel than you think. I watched his face as
I followed him this morning. He is a man of great intelligence, and I
should judge a man of education."

"They'd hardly be using a man of that sort to carry messages," objected
Carter. "Maybe you're right. We have not watched him long enough to find
out. We've got nothing yet on the young fellow. Maybe he's the real boss
of the outfit. At any rate he is the one the Chief is anxious to have
you keep tabs on. Are you to see him again?"

"Oh, yes," the girl answered quickly, a touch of color coming to her
face, "I think so. I asked him to come to see me. I think--in fact I'm
sure--he will. Do you want me to watch the bookshop to see if they leave
any more messages there?"

"No," said Carter. "I've got one of my men assigned to that. You keep
after the young fellow. Say, does your father keep an automobile?"

"Yes, but it's been put up for the winter. We're going to bring it out
as soon as Dad can find a chauffeur. Our man--the one we had last
year--has been drafted, and good chauffeurs are scarce now. Why did
you ask?"

"I'll find you a chauffeur," said Carter decisively.

"You mean"--Jane hesitated--"a detective?"

Carter grinned.

"An agent like you and me. K-27 is an expert chauffeur and mechanic with
fine references. His last job was with the British High Commission, and
they gave him good testimonials."

"What do you want him to do?"

"Driving the Strong car makes a good excuse for him to be around without
exciting suspicion. He might even come up-stairs once in a while to get
orders or do little repair jobs around the apartment. Some day,
supposing the people next door were all out, he might even succeed in
planting a dictograph so that you could sit there in your room and hear
all that was going on and wha