fact of the machine's appearance had been kept secret,
between the police and the agent who had warned them, and whom I was
hurrying to meet. No journal--and many would have paid high for the
chance--was printing this news. We had decided that nothing should
be revealed until our effort was at an end. No indiscretion would be
committed by either my comrades or myself.

The man to whom I was sent with an order from Mr. Ward was named
Arthur Wells. He awaited us at Toledo. The city of Toledo stands at
the western end of Lake Erie. Our train sped during the night across
West Virginia and Ohio. There was no delay; and before noon the next
day the locomotive stopped in the Toledo depot.

John Hart, Nab Walker and I stepped out with traveling bags in our
hands, and revolvers in our pockets. Perhaps we should need weapons
for an attack, or even to defend ourselves. Scarcely had I stepped
from the train when I picked out the man who awaited us. He was
scanning the arriving passengers impatiently, evidently as eager and
full of haste as I.

I approached him. "Mr. Wells?" said I.

"Mr. Strock?" asked he.

"Yes."

"I am at your command," said Mr. Wells.

"Are we to stop any time in Toledo?" I asked.

"No; with your permission, Mr. Strock. A carriage with two good
horses is waiting outside the station; and we must leave at once to
reach our destination as soon as possible."

"We will go at once," I answered, signing to my two men to follow us.
"Is it far?"

"Twenty miles."

"And the place is called?"

"Black Rock Creek."

Having left our bags at a hotel, we started on our drive. Much to my
surprise I found there were provisions sufficient for several days
packed beneath the seat of the carriage. Mr. Wells told me that the
region around Black Rock Creek was among the wildest in the state.
There was nothing there to attract either farmers or fishermen. We
would find not an inn for our meals nor a room in which to sleep.
Fortunately, during the July heat there would be no hardship even if
we had to lie one or two nights under the stars.

More probably, however, if we were successful, the matter would not
occupy us many hours. Either the commander of the "Terror" would be
surprised before he had a chance to escape, or he would take to
flight and we must give up all hope of arresting him.

I found Arthur Wells to be a man of about forty, large and powerful.
I knew him by reputation to be one of the best of our local