me the convincing response. "He
remembered me, though he put his finger on his lips, and looked around
him as though he were suspicious. He is, as you said, in charge of a
manufacturing plant, or appears to be, though he may have been sent
there to spy upon the people, and learn valuable facts for the service.
But I am glad to be able to do even a little in return for your
kindness."

As two soldiers wearing the Red Cross on their sleeves came along just
then with a stretcher, the boys beckoned to them, and had Philip Krauss
carried off to the field hospital. They did not see him again after
that. If, however, they should ever reach home again, they determined
some day to look the Hoboken man up, and learn of his further
adventures.

CHAPTER XX.

THE CAMP FIRES OF AN ARMY.

"Here, it's getting well along into the afternoon," remarked Tubby with
a forlorn look on his face, "and I'm so knocked out that if you told me
you meant to make a start for the little Belgian town right away I'd
faint, sure I would."

"Don't think of doing it, then, Tubby," Rob told him, "because the rest
of your chums are feeling in pretty much the same box themselves."

"We've had a terribly hard day of it, for a fact," agreed Merritt, as he
looked around upon the scene, and shuddered in spite of his well known
nerve.

"Then please tell me what's the program?" pleaded the fat scout. "That
munch of black bread was good enough to keep a fellow from starving to
death; but I certainly do hope there's a better prospect ahead of us for
supper."

"Rob, you've got a scheme!" asserted Merritt.

"What makes you think so?" asked the other, smiling languidly; for he
was very nearly exhausted from the hard work he had done acting as an
assistant field surgeon in the service of the Red Cross corps, doing
temporary work in binding up wounds, and giving stimulants to those who
were weak through loss of blood.

"Oh! I can tell it from the way you act," replied Merritt. "I haven't
been your closest chum all this time without getting to know what
different things mean. Now give us a pointer; what about getting some
supper, and finding a place to sleep to-night?"

"Well, do you think you could stand for another night in the hay?"
demanded Rob.

"Just try me, that's all!" whimpered Tubby. "And, say, if you're
thinking of going back to that village again, I only hope they'll be
good to us, and feed us like they did this morning."

"That's wha