CHAPTER VI.
THE SECRET AGENT.
Upon landing the three made their way at once to Jack’s small home, a rudely constructed native hut.
“Sorry I haven’t a better place to offer you,” said Jack, “but I guess you can put up with it for one day.”
“No apology is needed,” said Hetherington. “This is plenty good enough for me.”
“And for me,” declared Frank.
“Well, just make yourselves at home, then,” said Jack. “I’ll see if I can’t scare up something to eat.”
Their appetites appeased, Frank bethought himself of Hetherington’s promise to tell him his story, and reminded him of it.
Hetherington hesitated a moment, and then said:
“I don’t know as there is any reason I shouldn’t tell you, particularly as I undoubtedly owe my life to you both. In the first place, I am what is known as a secret agent of the British government.”
“A what?” demanded Jack.
“A secret agent; in other words, a diplomatic agent, though I am not officially recognized as such. Which means, that in the event of anything happening to me, England could not be held responsible for my actions, nor could I look to my government for aid.”
“I see what you mean,” said Frank, and Jack nodded his head in assent.
“You mean that what you do, although under instructions, you do at your own risk?” he questioned.
“Yes. For instance, if, in some diplomatic undertaking, I should be apprehended upon the order of a foreign government, say as a spy, or for some overt political act, my government would not countenance my action, even though I am acting under direct orders.”
“It must be dangerous work,” declared Frank.
“You take your life in your hands every time you are sent upon a mission,” said Jack.
Hetherington smiled grimly.
“Practically that,” he admitted. “It’s dangerous work, no doubt; but there is a spice of excitement to it that makes it worth while.”
“Besides which, someone has to do the work, I suppose,” suggested Frank.
“Precisely. Every one of the great powers has its set of secret agents. The peace of Europe has been saved more than once by these men. The game goes on daily, and our safety depends entirely upon our keeping our identity secret. More than one man has disappeared, never to be heard of again.”
“You don’t mean that they were assassinated?” demanded Jack.
“Exactly; nine times out of ten, when a secret agent is caught, his life pays the forfeit. Sounds barbarous, doesn’t it?” and Hetherington smiled.
“It certainly does,” replied Frank. “I thought the days of barbarism had passed.”
“Well, to tell the truth, England and France have given up such practice. Germany, Austria, and even Russia, in some cases, continue the old custom. So you may see why the life of a secret agent is not all roses.”
“I should say no roses at all,” declared Jack. “But go on with your story.”
“Well,” said Hetherington, “the situation is this, but,” and the speaker paused, “in case you haven’t political conditions in Europe at your finger-tips, I guess I had better explain how the great European powers are lined up.
“Germany, Austria and Italy, some years ago, formed what is now known as the Triple Alliance. This alliance sets forth that in case either country that signed the agreement is attacked by a hostile power, the other two members of the alliance are bound to support it. Although a natural enemy of Austria, Italy nevertheless was in some manner inveigled into the agreement, practically against her will. There is no doubt that in the days since the alliance was formed, she has been used as a cat’spaw by Germany. Now Italy is beginning to realize it.
“To offset the Triple Alliance and maintain the balance of power in Europe, England, France and Russia, a few years later, entered into a pact and the alignment of these three countries is known as the Triple Entente. While not bound to support each other in case of war, there never was any doubt that each would do so should the other be attacked. It was this knowledge that held the Kaiser’s warlike spirit in check until a few days ago.
“Now, in spite of the fact that Italy has begun to realize she is being used as a cat’spaw by Germany, and also in spite of the natural Italian antagonism toward Austria, Germany’s other ally, it will take more than this to keep Italy from joining her allies in the war. She is in honor bound to support the alliance, and she will, unless she can be made to believe that Germany, in secret conjunction with Austria, is plotting her downfall. And it is this that Italy must be made to believe.”
“But is that exactly fair?” Frank wanted to know.
“'All’s fair in love and war,’” quoted Hetherington. “Besides, we have learned enough through secret channels to know that it is true. Now we must make Italy see it without suspecting that we have had a hand in it.”
“Looks like quite a sizable job,” remarked Jack dryly.
“And so it is,” was the reply; “which is the reason I must be in Nalut as soon as possible.”
“Surely you don’t expect to accomplish all this by yourself?” exclaimed Frank.
“No, indeed,” replied Hetherington. “But I must do my part. The plans have all been laid, and day after to-morrow is the one set upon which to act.”
“But the thing I can’t see,” Jack broke in, “is why it is necessary to come to Africa to carry out the plans.”
“Well, it’s like this,” said the secret agent. “Suppose it became quite plain to Italy that Germany was aiding the Arabs in Tripoli to get up another serious insurrection against the Italian army——”
“But she’s not,” broke in Frank. “She has her hands too full elsewhere.”
“Who said she was?” demanded Hetherington. “But suppose old Francisco Dellaya, the great Italian diplomat, recognized as the foremost of all the diplomats in Europe, should come upon Abu ben Sedar, who has led more than one uprising against Italy, in Nalut, hobnobbing with a bearded man who presumably is in the Austrian or German army? Suppose he sees them about together once or twice? What do you suppose he’d think?”
“I see what you mean,” declared Frank. “But surely that would not be enough to satisfy him.”
“No; the plot goes deeper than that. But suppose, again, that he learned that Abu ben Sedar had been furnished with several thousand rifles of unmistakable German make, and that they had been delivered by a German vessel straight from Hamburg. Also a few machine guns. And suppose a hundred thousand freshly minted German and Austrian silver marks should be distributed to every hostile Arab in Tripoli? And suppose old Dellaya got wind of this? Do you see what I mean?”
Frank and Jack nodded affirmatively.
“This together with the fact that Dellaya had seen what he supposed was a German or Austrian officer pretty thick with Abu ben Sedar, would convince Dellaya that Germany and Austria were putting up some kind of a game on Italy,” continued the secret agent. “He would, without doubt, have the sheik followed, and we would see that he got plenty of evidence. Then would came a hurry call to his home government. And the next step would be that Italy, already only lukewarm toward the Triple Alliance, would withdraw its support, leaving Germany and Austria in the lurch. Do I make myself clear?”
“Perfectly,” replied Jack.
“But is the Italian diplomat in Tripoli?” asked Frank.
“No,” replied the secret agent, “but he will be day after to-morrow. Once a year he takes a cruise as the guest of Lord Hastings, apparently a wealthy English gentleman, but in reality a member of the British secret service. He has made many trips to Tripoli, and knows probably every Arab sheik within a hundred miles. All this was counted upon when we laid our plans. Oh, he will be there, all right, and he will see just what we have planned for him to see.”
“But how does it come that you were captured in Naples by Captain Harwood?” Frank demanded.
“I was just making my way to the ship on which I had engaged passage when I was set upon by three men, apparently Germans. I was overcome and carried aboard the ship, where you found me. That’s all I know about it.”
“Do you think your mission was suspected?”
“I am afraid so. I fear we have been harboring a traitor.”
“Well,” said Jack, “it’s getting late. I guess we would better turn in. We must get an early start in the morning.”