r, as he would be called in the United States,
promised to act for the boys. He was soon to call to see them, and,
meanwhile, they were waiting in their "apartment."

"I wonder how it all happened?" mused Joe, as he looked from one of the
barred windows at the not very cheerful prospect of roofs and chimneys.

"And what is the charge?" asked Charlie. "We can't even find that out."

"It practically amounts to being charged with being spies," said Blake.
"That is what I gather from the way we are being treated. We are held as
spies!"

"And Uncle Sam is fighting for the Allies!" cried Joe.

"Oh, well, it's all a mistake, of course, and we can explain it as soon
as we get a chance and have the United States consul give us a
certificate of good character," went on Blake. "That's what we've got to
have our lawyer do when he comes--talk with the United States consul."

"Well, I wish he'd hurry and come," remarked Joe. "It is no fun being
detained here. I want to get to the front and see some action. Our
cameras will get rusty if we don't use them."

"That's right," agreed Macaroni.

It was not until the next day, however, that a solicitor came,
explaining that he had been delayed after getting the message from the
boys. The lawyer, as Blake and his friends called him, proved to be a
genial gentleman who sympathized with the boys.

He had been in New York, knew something about moving pictures, and, best
of all, understood the desire of the American youths to be free and to
get into action.

"The first thing to be done," said Mr. Dorp, the solicitor, "is to find
out the nature of the charge against you, and who made it. Then we will
be in a position to act. I'll see Captain Bedell at once."

This he did, with the result that the boys were taken before the
officer, who smiled at them, said he was sorry for what had happened,
but that he had no choice in the matter.

"As for the nature of the charge against you, it is this," he said. "It
was reported to us that you came here to get pictures of British
defenses to be sold to Germany, and that your desire to go to the front,
to get views of and for the American army, was only a subterfuge to
cover your real purpose."

"Who made that charge?" asked Blake.

"It came in a letter to the War Department," was the answer, "and from
some one who signed himself Henry Littlefield of New York City. He is in
London, and he would appear when wanted, he said."

"May I see that l