o say for themselves; adding that unless they replied
instantly the order to cut them down would be given.

[Illustration: "Advance, and hold up your hands above your heads!" he
ordered.--_Page 149._]

CHAPTER XIV.

THE FIELD HOSPITAL.

"We are friends, three American boys only!"

Very often Rob had practiced his French so as to get this explanation
correct. If his accent happened to be altogether wrong, what he said
could be understood, and that was the main thing.

Apparently, what he had called out must have surprised the Belgian
officer in charge of the detachment, for he could be heard exchanging
comments with someone else. Then he spoke aloud again.

"Advance, and hold up your hands above your heads!" he ordered.

Rob understood the words, but of course his chums could not; so the
first thing he did was to elevate both hands as high as he could, and
say to them:

"Do the same as I am, both of you. The officer has ordered it. And then
come on over to where they are waiting for us!"

In this manner they drew near the spot where the others stood. Everyone
was staring very hard, for to see three boys dressed in khaki, and
talking unmistakable English among themselves, was indeed a considerable
surprise.

The one who held the lantern proved to be a lieutenant. He was a man of
middle age, and as the newcomers drew near he held up his light in order
the better to examine their make-up. What he saw must have created a
good impression, for the frown began to leave his face.

"It is fortunate that I speak English," he started in to say, greatly to
the delight as well as the surprise of Rob, "so you shall tell me how it
comes we find you here on this particular night, and so close to a spot
where a suspicious transaction was going on which we had the pleasure of
nipping in the bud."

Apparently the lieutenant was not wholly satisfied. He could not tell
but that these smart looking boys might have some connection with the
game he and his detachment had blocked in the capture of the two spies.

So Rob hastened to explain as briefly as he could.

"We have come to Belgium on some very important business that has
nothing whatever to do with the war. There is a man we must see, and it
happens that he was last reported in a town near Brussels. We know what
great risks we run in trying to pass between the lines of the hostile
armies; but we hope to keep out of the hands of the Germans; and as for
the Belgi