Bob Hunt in Canada | Page 6

happened so suddenly that neither Bob nor Pud

had time to say a word before they saw Bill turn to follow the soldier.
"May we not go with our friend?" asked Bob of the Tommie.
"I was about to ask that you accompany us, for though you are not
under arrest, I'll have to bring you along as witnesses."
"Don't worry, Pud," said Bob. "It'll be all right. We're not at war and we
were not doing anything very wrong."
"That's all very well," said Pud also in a low tone. "They may take us
for spies and keep us locked up here all summer."
"Oh, Tommyrot," said Bob, though at heart he did not know just what
was liable to happen.
In the meantime, the party went along the walk until they came to a big
door. They entered and soon were asked to seat themselves in a large
room in which there were many desks with officers seated and busily
writing. Gold lace, silver spurs, bright officer's swords, red caps, and
the air of discipline and business that characterized the whole room did
not fail to have its effect on the boys. Nor did they fail to notice that
each of the doors was guarded by soldiers with fixed bayonets standing
at attention. The Tommy who was escorting them took them up to one
of the desks and said,
"Captain Davidson, I have here under arrest, this young man with these
two others as witnesses."
"Of what are they accused?" asked the officer, as he glanced sharply at
the three of them.
"Of espionage," said the soldier.
"Of espionage?" said the officer. "That is a serious offense."
"I know it is but that is the term under which the offense comes,"
replied the soldier.

"This must be taken up by the Commandant himself," said the Captain,
as he touched a bell at his side. Immediately a young officer appeared.
"Captain Abercrombie, tell Major-General Norris, the Commandant,
that we have here a prisoner accused of espionage."
The orderly saluted and was soon lost to view behind a door at one end
of the hall. He was back in a few minutes. During that time, our three
adventurers stood and watched with interest the varied scene that was
taking-place before them.
"This is some lark," said Bill to Bob in a low tone.
"No communication between the prisoner and witnesses," said the
Tommy at once, as he moved nearer as if to enforce his demands. Pud
looked over at Bill with a sort of reproach in his eyes, for he had heard
the remark. Bob kept his eyes front for he was very much interested in
the comings and goings of the officers, orderlies and soldiers that came
and went throughout the hall.
"Captain Davidson," said the orderly as he returned, "the Commandant
requests that you send in the prisoner and witnesses to him at once.'
"Very well," said the Captain. "Here they are and I hand them over to
you together with Private Watkins, who arrested them."
They were then marched into the next room where they found a big
white-haired man sitting at a desk busily engaged. The orderly stopped
his charges at a respectful distance. The Commandant kept on writing
for a few minutes but suddenly he turned around and gave a sharp and
piercing look at the young Americans.
"Americans," said he, in rather a relieved tone. "Captain Abercrombie,
let me know the gist of this affair."
"Major-General Norris, I shall have to ask Private Watson to give you
the details at first hand, for as yet I know nothing about the matter,
except that one of these young men is accused of being a spy."

"Private Watson, give me the details of the matter."
"Your Excellency," said Private Watson, "I know nothing more than
that as I stood at my post on the Ramparts, near Gun No. 145, I saw
this young man (pointing to Bill) suddenly produce one of those very
small German cameras and try to take a photo of the gun and its
location."
"Young man, is this so?" asked the Commandant in a serious voice.
"It is so, except that I did not intend to do any harm; the gun seemed
very picturesque to me and I wanted a photo of it," said Bill.
"Were you not told that you should leave cameras of all kinds with the
gateman?" asked the Commandant.
"No," said Bill. "We came in a carriage and nothing was said to us."
"Then, you were given a card and asked to read it, were you not?"
continued the Commandant.
"Yes," said Bill, "but to tell the truth, I didn't read it carefully."
"Where is that card?" was the next question.
Bill fumbled in his pocket and in a moment held