Chester quickly drew his watch from his pocket and glanced at it.

"Nine o'clock," he said; "plenty of time."

"Plenty of time for what?" asked Hal in surprise.

"Why, plenty of time to save Captain Eberhardt."

"What have you got on your mind now?" demanded Hal, grasping his friend by the arm. "How do you figure you are going to save him?"

"Go back across the river," said Chester briefly.

"Go back!"

"Exactly. Didn't Captain Eberhardt put himself out attempting to save us?

He interceded for us, didn't he?"

"Yes, but--"

"Well, then, it is our fault that he is to be executed."

"I know all that," said Hal; "but, if we go back to intercede for him, we shall probably be shot in his stead."

"That's a chance we must take," said Chester briefly.

"Well," said Hal slowly, after some hesitation, "I don't know but you are right."

"Of course I'm right," declared Chester. "We can't stand by and have a man shot because of us."

He turned to the French officer, who stood by with wide-open mouth while this conversation progressed.

"Can you furnish us with a couple of French uniforms?" he asked.

"Why, yes," was the reply, "but I--"

"Never mind the rest of it," Chester broke in, "we haven't much time."

The officer said no more, but quickly left the tent, returning in a few moments with two uniforms, which he gave the lads.

"What's the object in changing clothes?" asked Hal.

"It may help a bit," replied Chester. "If we went back in civilian attire we would undoubtedly be shot."

"I don't see that changing now will help matters," said Hal.

"Well, I hardly think so, either; but it may."

Attired in the uniforms of French lieutenants, the boys were at last ready to go; but, before leaving, Hal drew the dispatch he carried and put it into the hands of the French officer, saying:

"Will you have this forwarded to General Joffre at once?"

"It shall be done," was the reply. "I shall attend to it immediately."

"I guess that's all, then," said Chester. "Good-by."

The French officer shook hands with them warmly.

"You are brave," he said simply, as the lads left him.

On the river they found a small rowboat. Into this they climbed hurriedly and set out for the opposite sh.o.r.e. Halfway across a bullet from the rifle of a German sentry greeted them. Chester immediately dropped his oars, and, standing erect in the boat, waved his handkerchief.

There was no further shooting.

On the opposite side of the river a squad of German troops, commanded by a sergeant, awaited them when they landed. Chester approached the sergeant, and said:

"Take us to General Steinbach at once."

"What for?" inquired the sergeant.

"That," said Hal quietly, "is none of your business."

"Is that so?" bl.u.s.tered the sergeant. "If you get too gay, I shall have you clapped in irons and kept right here."

"I'll guarantee that you shall lose your stripes if you do,"

returned Chester.

The German sergeant looked at him long and searchingly. Something in the lad's face must have impressed him, for he said gruffly:

"I'll take you to the general, but I warn you that your business with him must be urgent."

"It is," replied Chester, and once more he glanced at his watch.

It was now after eleven o'clock.

"Great Scott!" cried Chester, "if we don't hurry we are likely to be too late!"

Realizing that the lads--for some reason unknown to him--were in great haste, the sergeant, in spite of his recent gruffness, hurried them along.

It was a considerable distance to the German commander's headquarters, and Chester became nervous as the minutes flew by. Half past eleven came, and a quarter to twelve, and at last they came in sight of General Steinbach's tent.

They approached rapidly, and the sergeant inquired for the general.

"He has gone to witness the execution," was the reply.

"Where is the execution to take place?" asked Chester, stepping forward.

The German soldier pointed over his shoulder.

"Nice place for an execution back there," he said. "Plenty of trees, so the sun won't interfere with the aim of the executioners. I am waiting now to hear the pop of the rifles."