Doubtless if Captain Blynn had stopped for just a moment and considered the young officer before him, he would not have cut him to the quick by an insinuation so cruel. To do the brusque captain justice, he had regretted his words immediately he had spoken and seen the look of injured innocence and anger in Phil’s face, but the masterful way in which Phil had turned the tables on him was too much for the army man’s temper and hence the invective. In his heart he did not really believe that Phil was guilty of plotting against Tillotson. Without the interruption from the dock he might even have apologized to the spirited young navy man, but the general’s words injected a salutary humor into this dramatic situation and made him see how untenable and cruel was the attitude he had assumed. His face softened and an apology of a smile struggled for place on his sun-tanned countenance. “You’re dead game, youngster,” he exclaimed impetuously. “I believe you’re on the level, only you’re a bit too reticent; anyway, here’s my hand, and from now on we’ll work together instead of at cross purposes.” He took the surprised midshipman’s hand and shook it heartily. “Come up to the office at ten o’clock,” he added as he walked toward the gangway, the smile having disappeared and the alert business expression taking its place on his face. The midshipmen watched him cross the gangway and join the general, who had been taking his usual morning exercise before going to his office, and as the two walked along apparently deep in conversation an orderly stopped them, handing a telegram to the general. The lads saw him open it and read and then pass it to Captain Blynn. Both turned as if by a mutual impulse and glanced toward the gunboat, then changing their minds apparently, they again turned and walked briskly toward the headquarters building. “Something in the telegram concerns us in some way,” exclaimed the analytical Sydney. “I wonder what it said?” But Phil’s mind was too much occupied in thinking of the chameleon character of his new friend to give more than a passing thought to the contents of the telegram. CHAPTER XI A TRAITOR UNMASKED “How dared he accuse me of knowing about Tillotson’s disappearance?” Phil exclaimed as he sought unsuccessfully a solution to the mystery. “I don’t believe he really suspected us,” Sydney replied deprecatingly, “but it must have struck him as odd to say the least that you should pass an insurgent officer through the guards. You didn’t tell him why you did it or even give him any of the circumstances. I think it was natural that he should act as he did.” “I didn’t realize,” Phil said half laughing, “how queer it must have seemed to him. Well, I’m going up and make a clean breast of it. “Have you any suspicion as to the identity of the man I shot?” Phil suddenly asked.