"Will you tell me what time it is, sir?" he asked the leader of the party which surrounded them.

"As you ask in such a polite way, I shall do so," was the reply. "I wouldn't tell this other fellow anything. He's too smart." He produced his watch, and after a glance at it, said: "Five minutes to ten."

"By George!" exclaimed Jack. "And we were to meet Lord Hastings at the Lion Inn at 10 o'clock."

"I can promise you'll be at the Lion Inn at 10 o'clock," replied the leader of the capturing party, "but whether you will find Lord Hastings there I can't say."

"You mean you are taking us there?" asked Jack.

"Exactly."

"That's what I call luck," broke in Frank. "We'll be all right in a few moments now, Jack."

"You'll be all right till in the morning, I can guarantee that," growled their captor.

At the door of the inn he motioned them to enter ahead of him. They did so and the first person on whom their eyes rested was Lord Hastings.

"Well, I see you are on time----" the latter began, and then broke off as he saw the armed men behind them.

"Yes, sir, we are on time," replied Frank with a smile, "and we have brought company to see you, sir!"

CHAPTER III.

A LESSON.

Lord Hastings was on his feet by this time and advanced toward the two lads and their captors.

"What's the meaning of this?" he demanded of the man who appeared to be the leader.

"We caught these fellows scooting down the Thames in a high-power motorboat, sir," was the reply. "They were unable to give a satisfactory account of themselves and one of them took a shot at us. So we brought them here."

"Do you know who they are?" asked Lord Hastings, smiling a bit to himself.

"No, sir; but I would take them for a couple of German spies, sir."

"H-m-m," muttered Lord Hastings. He stroked his chin a moment and then asked: "And what do you intend to do with them?"

"Turn them over to Colonel Masterson, sir, who will return about midnight. He is stopping here, sir."

Lord Hastings seemed to consider the matter a few moments, and then, with a gesture, he turned on his heel, remarking:

"Well, I can't see that it is any of my business."

"Very good, sir," said the boys' captor.

Frank and Jack had remained quiet up to this time, but now the former took a step after his commander, exclaiming:

"Aren't you going to get us out of this, sir? You can explain that we have done no wrong."

Lord Hastings turned toward him.

"I have this officer's word," he said, indicating the boys' captor, "that you were captured under suspicious circ.u.mstances. I thought I knew you--both of you--but it may be that I have been mistaken. Stranger things have happened than for a man to sell out to the enemy. I cannot interfere with the officer in the performance of his duty."

"But, sir----" began Jack.

Now the officer interrupted.

"You know them?" he asked of Lord Hastings.

"I thought I did," was the reply. "It would seem that I have been mistaken."

"I should say it does," said the officer. "Certainly they were making their way down the river for no good purpose."

"I am afraid I must agree with you. However, I shall not interfere. You may do as you think best with them."

"Very good, sir." The officer motioned the boys to precede him to the stairs at the far end of the room. "Up with you," he commanded.

Frank hung back.

"Prod him up a bit there, men," instructed the officer.

A second man advanced and pushed his revolver against Frank's ribs.

"Move along," he commanded gruffly.

"Now look here----" began the lad, but Jack interrupted him.

"Come, Frank, don't be a fool," he said.

He led the way up the stairs, and Frank, still grumbling, followed. At the top of the steps the boys were marched into a small room. The door closed behind them and a key turned in the lock.

"Now," said Frank, turning to his friend, "what is the meaning of all this?"

"You know just as much about it as I do," was the reply.

"But a word from Lord Hastings would have settled all this."

"But he didn't give it, did he?"

"No, he didn't; and that's what seems so strange. It looks to me as though we are in for a peck of trouble."

"Say! you heard what Lord Hastings said about 'selling out.' Do you think he believes us guilty of such a thing?"

"It's hard to tell what a man believes in times like these. Men have been stood up against a wall and shot on less evidence. You remember taking a shot at the other boat, don't you?"