“We were rather relieved you kept her on,” put in Rogers. “We had our suspicions of her all along. Any change might have put them too much on the alert.” “If you hadn’t given me a hint about her, Captain Rogers,” said Carter, “I might not have thought of setting this trap tonight. We finished up these order sheets just before I left the office and I told her to mail them.” “Instead she left them where Cary could get them tonight—as she has done numberless times before, so he could add his order for medicine for the German subs, above your signature.” “Exactly!” said Mr. Carter. “So that’s why there’s been so much suspicion about the orders that go in,” said Kitty. “But how has Lieutenant Cary been getting hold of the extra supplies when they come back?” “The shipments are carried to Cary’s office. That’s in the normal routine. It is a very simple matter for him to take out the extra things he has ordered. Punaro, in collecting rubbish, places the supplies intended for German subs under the trash in his dump cart, and later hides it aboard the rubbish barge.” “And Beeson?” asked Kitty. “You really think he’s the middleman?” “No doubt of that,” replied Captain Rogers. “He probably carts off quite a bit of fresh food with him when he comes for scraps for his hogs.” “That’s just what we figured,” said Kitty. “And I suppose Hazel Dawson was right about Lieutenant Cary playing chess with Krome to keep him occupied while Punaro gets away with the dirty work in the galley?” “No doubt that’s been his program.” While they had been talking, the fury of the wind had increased. Mr. Carter kept glancing uneasily toward the rattling windows. “Captain, if you’ll excuse me I think I’d better go back to our bungalow and bring my little boy and his nurse here. This wind is reaching an alarming force.” “Yes, yes, of course! They say it’s likely to reach hurricane proportions by morning.” Mr. Carter got up quickly. “I’m afraid it’s going to be ahead of schedule. Our small cottage is no place to spend the night.” Kitty threw aside the old sweater and jumped to her feet, frightened for Billy. “No, dear, you’d better not come with me. No use for you to get wet again,” said her father. “You’ve been through enough for one day. Hazel is on night duty. You can get some sleep in her room.” “Yes, young lady, you mustn’t take any more chances. We may need you here in the morning anyhow to answer further questions.” “I’ll stop by and tell Hazel you’re going to her room,” said her father when they started out. “I’ll arrange for Billy and Jane somehow here. Restrictions will be let down for such an emergency. So you just put everything out of your mind and get some sleep.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER TWENTY REWARDS