Page:Air Service Boys Flying for France.djvu/216

Rh The man commenced to fumble at a secret inside pocket. Tom watched him closely, and kept his automatic pistol always in sight, lest the treacherous Tuessig think to get the better of him. Tom had a poor opinion of the man, it must be remembered. He believed that any one who would do the work of a German spy in a neutral country, and who could steal into a private house and rob a safe, would not be above any rank treachery.

"There is the paper I took from your father, boy!" said the groaning man, as he held something out to Tom.

One look convinced the youth he had actually succeeded in securing the important part of his father's precious invention. He sighed with happiness as his fingers closed over the paper, which he instantly transferred to a safe pocket.

"It was never any good to me, as it proved," continued Adolph Tuessig. "In the interest of the Fatherland I hoped to get my hands on the rest of the design, sooner or later, and on that account kept carrying this around with me, for it was useless to give it over to my superiors, only to be reprimanded for failure. I am glad to be rid of it, for ever since that night I have run into hard luck."

His continued groans made Tom fear the other might be injured more seriously than up