However, we got into conversation, in French, and I very soon found that, although representatives of different nationalities, we were both at the same game of making a plan of the fort.  We therefore joined forces, and behind a sandhill we compared notes as to what information we had already gained, and then devised a little plan by which to complete the whole scheme.

My friend took his place in a prominent position with his back to the fort and commenced to smoke, with every appearance of indifference to the defence work behind him.  This was meant to catch the sentry’s eye and attract his attention while I did some creeping and crawling and got round the other side of the work, where I was able to complete our survey in all its details.

[Illustration:  A sketch showing how I and another spy managed to obtain drawings of a fort absolutely under the eyes of a sentry.  The spy on the right of the picture is doing nothing more than attracting the attention of the sentry while on the left of the picture I am making the necessary drawings.]

It was late that night when we met in the “dodger’s” bedroom, and we made complete tracings and finished drawings, each of us taking his own copy for his own headquarters.  A day or two later we took steamer together for Malta, where we were to part on our respective homeward journeys—­he on his way back to Italy.

As we both had a day or two to wait at Malta, I acted as host to him during his stay.  As we entered the harbour I pointed out to him the big 110-ton guns which at that time protected the entrance, and were visible to anybody with two eyes in his head.  I pointed out various other interesting batteries to him which were equally obvious, but I omitted to mention other parts which would have been of greater interest to him.

He came away from Malta, however, with the idea that, on the whole, he had done a good stroke of business for his Government by going there, and convinced of his luck in getting hold of a fairly simple thing in the shape of myself to show him around.

It was my good fortune to meet him a few years later, when perhaps unwittingly he returned the compliment which I had done him in Malta.  He was then in charge of a large arsenal in one of the colonies of his country.  This was situated in a citadel perched on a high ridge with a rapid river flowing around the base.

My orders at that time were to try and ascertain whether any organisation existed in this colony for mobilising the natives as a reserve, should the regular troops be called away for action elsewhere.  Also whether there was any means arranged for arming these natives; if so, in what way and in what numbers.

Knowing that my friend was quartered in the place, I called upon him as the first step, without any definite plan in my mind as to how I was to set about getting the information.  He was kind enough to take me for a tour of inspection round the town, down to the river, and up in the citadel.