Blake, with a chuckle.
"We will try to apprehend the two men," promised Captain Bedell, "but I
am afraid it is too late. It may seem strange to you that we held you on
the mere evidence of a letter from a man we did not know. But you must
remember that the nerves of every one are more or less upset over what
has happened. The poison of Germany's spy system had permeated all of
us, and nothing is normal. A man often suspects his best friend, so
though it may have seemed unusual to you to be arrested, or detained, as
we call it, still when all is considered it was not so strange.
"However, you are at liberty to go now, and we will do all we can to
help you. I have instructions to set you on your way to the front as
soon as you care to go, and every facility will be given you to take all
the pictures of your own troops you wish. I regret exceedingly what has
happened."
"Oh, let it go!" said Blake cheerfully. "You treated us decently, and,
as you say, these are war times."
"Which is my only excuse," said the captain, with a smile. "Now I am
going to see if we can not apprehend that German and his French
fellow-conspirator."
But, as may be guessed, "Henry Littlefield" was not to be found, nor
Lieutenant Secor, nor Levi Labenstein.
"Labenstein probably wrote that letter accusing us and mailed it just to
make trouble because we suspected him and Secor," said Blake.
"Well, it's lucky you had that note from him, or you'd never have been
able to convince the authorities here that he was a faker," remarked
Joe. "I guess he didn't count on that."
"Probably not," agreed Blake. "And now, boys, let's get busy!"
There was much to do after their release. They went back to their hotel
and began getting their baggage in shape for the trip to France. Their
cameras and reels were released from the custody of the war officials,
and with a glad smile Macaroni began overhauling them to see that they
had not been damaged on the trip.
"Right as ever!" he remarked, after a test. "Now they can begin the
_parlez vous Francaise?_ business as soon as they please."
Two days later the boys embarked for the passage across the Channel, and
though it was a desperately rough one, they were, by this time, seasoned
travelers and did not mind it.
The journey through France up to the front was anything but pleasant.
The train was slow and the cars uncomfortable, but the boys made the
best of it, and finally one afternoon, as the queer
|