her tumbling over each other or else side-slipping into the morass,
which was a jolly sight worse. To make a long story short, we took up
our position, which was in the middle of a circular clump of furze
within 50 yards of the butts, at ten o'clock.

"There we stuck for nearly two mortal hours, and not so much as a
chance of having a cigarette. Of course the men were frightfully keen,
and it took me all my time to stop them from chin-wagging. Some of
them began to get jumpy, swearing they saw all manner of men and things.

"I had just looked at my watch--luminous face, thank goodness--when my
sergeant whispered to me that someone was approaching. It was then
close on twelve. He was right. There were three men ambling
cautiously along the sea-wall. They were talking softly. Once one of
them stopped, bent under the lee of a furze bush and lit a cigarette,
which seemed a rummy thing for a spy to do unless it was a prearranged
signal.

"We let them come on until they got within 20 yards, then up popped my
sergeant.

"'Halt, who goes there?' he shouted, loud enough to be heard a couple
of miles away.

"Bless me if the three fellows hadn't the cheek to answer in exactly
the same words, although they didn't sound particularly cheerful over
the job; and, instead of halting, one of them came on, holding a stick
above his head. The others didn't seem very keen to follow him, but
began jabbering away as hard as they could.

"So I gave orders for a couple of shots to be fired over their heads,
just to let them know what to expect when they deliberately ignore a
challenge. But instead of 'hands up' they bolted, with our men after
them.

"Then I had good reason to bless that blessed marsh, for between us and
the rifle-butt was a deep ditch filled with water, and a nice wire
fence on the other side. Half a dozen of us, myself included, were
floundering up to our waists; the others were lucky enough to avoid the
ditch by making straight for the path. But we had the fellows all
right."

"The spies?" asked Vernon.

Barraclough yawned, and then laughed mirthlessly.

"Nuthin' doing," he replied. "They were three members of a local
defence corps engaged in patrolling the marshes. Goodness only knows
what for, for they hadn't any weapon with them except walking-sticks.
Perhaps 'twas as well, though, for they might have let rip in their
excitement. When a man's nerves are all upset it's not safe for him to
have h