tion. Under the name of
Cornelius Vanderhuit his body was handed over to the authorities for
interment.

But the case did not end there. It remained for the competent
Authorities to decide the steps to be taken with reference to the
papers that had been found in von Ruhle's possession.

"I am keeping von Ruhle's 'malacca' as a memento," concluded Hawke.
"It may help me to discriminate between it and a portable metal tripod,
and save me from being placed under arrest by the military.
Fortunately, upon the last occasion, I did not meet with my Waterloo."

"The old chap feels a bit sore about it, I can see," remarked Ross.
"He's written a good deal more than he evidently intended. However, he
looks like 'making good' this time."

"It's a pity Ramblethorne slipped through the detectives' fingers,"
said Vernon, as he prepared to go on deck. "That fellow's bound to
cause trouble until he's laid by the heels."

It was Noel Fox's "trick". The Sub was standing on the bridge with his
eye glued to his telescope. A mile or so inland, on the summit of the
South Downs where they approach Beachy Head, three columns of smoke
were rising in the still air. There was nothing extraordinary in that.
It might be a farmer burning rubbish on his fields; but what attracted
the Sub's attention was the remarkable and systematic changes in the
density of the smoke. At one moment the two outside pillars were
heavy, the centre one being little more than a thin haze; at another
the conditions would be reversed.

Fox decided to take action. Rapidly the _Capella_ closed with the
shore, until she was within signalling distance of a coast-guard
station.

The station in question was not manned by coast-guards. Not considered
important, its complement was depleted at the outbreak of hostilities,
most of the men joining the large armoured cruisers. A chief officer
and a boatman alone remained. These were at a later period augmented
by a party of Sea Scouts.

As soon as the _Capella_ had "made her number", a signaller took up his
position on the roof of the chart-house.

"Fires burning one mile inland to north-west of coast-guard station,"
he semaphored. "Suspect smoke-signals. Investigate and report."

Keeping his telescope bearing on shore, Vernon watched the result of
the signal. Promptly half a dozen Scouts, mounted on bicycles, set off
to the position indicated. Their progress was hidden by an intervening
clump of trees, but