“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 circumstances.  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.