at. By the way, can you tell me
just where we are?"

"Thiaumont farm," returned the French officer; "or, rather, I should say,
just east of Thiaumont farm. You two fellows look somewhat done up. If
you will go to the farm you will find a place to sleep in the farmhouse.
By some trick of fate the house and barn still stand, although everything
else in this vicinity has been knocked to pieces by the big guns."

"Thanks," said Hal, again. "We shall take your advice. We are pretty
tired and a sleep will help out. It's too far back to our own quarters
when there is a place to bunk so handy."

The two lads left the young officer and made their way to the farmhouse.
Here they found a number of French officers already installed, but the
latter gladly made room for them.

"No beds," said one with a laugh, "but there is plenty of room on
the floor."

"I guess a bed would be too much to expect," said Chester, also
laughing. "Besides, it's been so long since I slept in one I don't
believe I could rest."

"The floor is plenty good enough for me," Hal agreed.

"Help yourselves then. You can pick out your own room."

"Guess we'll go upstairs then," said Hal. "It'll probably be more quiet
up there. These fellows down here are having too much fun to care about
sleep," and he waved his arm toward one corner of the room, where a group
of young French officers were engaged in a game of cards.

The two boys made their way upstairs and found a room to their liking in
the rear of the house. Here they stretched themselves out on the floor
and were asleep immediately. There were no other occupants of the room.

Outside the moon was shining, and it cast a beam of light into the room
where the two chums lay asleep. Several hours after the boys had closed
their eyes in sleep, the figure of a man appeared in the window without.
After some experimenting he opened the window softly and came in. He
closed the window gently behind him.

Chester stirred in his sleep and the man shrank back against the wall in
the darkness. For perhaps five minutes he remained there, and then, as
there was no further move by the sleeper, he advanced into the center of
the room. The light fell upon his face, and had the boys been awake, they
would have recognized in the intruder, Matin, the man who had attempted
to shoot Hal a short time before.

Matin approached the two sleepers quietly, seeking to make sure which was
Hal. He examined each closely and then