It was quite half a minute before Tom could get a grip on himself, so dark and mysterious had seemed this extraordinary communication. And it was not until afterward, when he was alone and not handicapped by his present embarrassment, that certain puzzling things about it became clear to him. At present he depended wholly upon what his superior told him and thought of nothing else. "That was taken from your tall friend," said the officer, "and it means, if it means anything, that somebody or other closely related to him is coming over to France on the _Texas Pioneer_. From his mention of the name to you I take it that is what T. P. means. "Now, my boy, we want to get hold of this fellow--he's a spy. Apparently, he won't have anything incriminating about him. My impression is that he's in the army and hopes to get himself captured by his friends. Yet he may desert and take a chance of getting into Germany through Holland. About the only clew there is, is the intimation that he's related to the prisoner. He may look like him. We've been trying to get in communication with Dieppe, where this transport is expected to dock to-morrow, but the wires seem to be shot into a tangle again. "Do you think you could make Dieppe before morning--eighty to ninety miles?" "Yes, sir. The first twenty or so will be bad on account of shell holes, I heard they threw as far as Forges." "Hmm," said the officer, drumming with his fingers. "We'll leave all that to you. The thing is to get there before morning." "I know they never let anybody ashore before daylight," said Tom, "because I worked on a transport." "Very well. Now we'll see if the general and others hereabouts have been overrating you. You've two things to do. One is to get to Dieppe before to-morrow morning. That's imperative. The other is to assist the authorities there to identify the writer of this letter if you can. Of course, you'll not concern yourself with anything else in the letter. I let you read it partly because of your very commendable bringing in of this important captive and partly because I want you to know how serious and important are the matters involved. I was rather impressed with what you said about--er--breed marks." "Yes, sir." "And I believe you're thoughtful and careful. You've ridden by night a good deal, I understand." "Yes, sir." "So. Now you are to ride at once to Breteuil, a little east of here, where they're holding this prisoner. You'll deliver a note I shall give you to Colonel Wallace, and he'll see to it that you have a look at the man, in a sufficiently good light. Don't be afraid to observe him closely. And whatever acuteness you may have in this way, let your country have the benefit of it." "Yes, sir."