“But, you see, when I dropped from the automobile, I wasn’t sure it was Millard.  I had had only a glance, and his face was away from me.”

“If you see that wretch again, jump on him wherever he is.”

“I could have done it, this last time,” Benson nodded.  “Yet I had an idea that, if I followed him, he might lead me to the place where he kept his maps and his other stolen information.  And he did, I guess,” added Jack, with a somewhat disappointed smile.

“Wait a moment.  I’ll try to get Major Woodruff over the wire,” muttered Lieutenant Ridder.  “He may have some orders for us.”

Major Woodruff was at his home.  He heard the message and sent his orders crisply.

“The major thinks we had better keep this matter from the police, yet, and do our best to find Millard, either in his own garments, or behind that gray dress and veil,” announced the Army lieutenant.

“Then I wish we had the other boys here,” muttered Jack, wistfully.

At that moment the ’phone bell rang.  It was Hal, reporting, and inquiring whether any word had come from his chum.

“Mr. Benson is here, and I think you’ll do well to get here as quickly as you can,” replied Ridder.

“Is there any word—­” began Hal Hastings.

Ting-ling-ling!  The ’phone bell rang, cutting off Hal.  The latter had received his orders, and his next concern was to obey them.  That was lesson number one in brisk Army discipline.

Hal was on hand in five minutes.  While Jack was recounting to him the adventure with Millard, Eph Somers came in.  He stood in the background, listening, his jaw gradually dropping until his mouth was wide open.

“You heard how Benson ran into the fellow?” asked Lieutenant Ridder, turning to Somers.

“Yes,” muttered Eph, disgustedly, “and I guess I have been enjoying the fool’s part of the adventure!”

“How so?” demanded the Army officer quickly.

“I met that same woman, I’ll bet a cookie,” growled Eph, “and—­and—­I—­”

“Well, sir?” demanded Lieutenant Ridder, briskly.

“I carried that bag for her—­carried it nearly two blocks!”

“What’s that?” cried Jack Benson, leaping up.  “How—­”

“No; I don’t believe, on second thought, that I’m the prize fool.”

“Come, come,” directed Lieutenant Ridder.  “Talk up quickly, young man.”

“If you want to hear what I have to say,” retorted Eph, with a slight flash of his eyes, “you’ll have to wait until I get around to it.”

It was serving direct notice on Ridder that Army briskness wouldn’t do in Eph’s case.

“Well, what have you to tell?” demanded the young lieutenant, impatiently.

“I was on my way back here,” Eph continued.  “Guess, maybe, I was eight blocks or so away from here.  I had been to the hotels that I agreed to visit, and—­”

“Why did you go to the hotel, anyway, after you knew Benson had sighted Millard?” broke in the Army officer.