omrade was always in the thoughts of the other
Army Boys.

"Poor old scout!" mourned Bart. "I wonder where he is now?"

"Working his heart out in some German camp, I suppose," said Billy
savagely.

"You see, Frank, your hunch hasn't worked out as you thought it would,"
said Bart. "You felt sure that Tom would be with us again before this."

"I know," admitted Frank. "My time-table has gone wrong, but I haven't
given up hope. Tom is only human and he can't work miracles. He may
have been so placed that it simply wasn't possible to make a break.
But one thing you can gamble on, and that is that he hasn't given up
trying. And when a man has that spirit his chance is sure to come."

"I wish I had your optimism," said Bart gloomily.

"Look at those skunks on the other side of the river," interrupted
Billy.

He pointed to a group of German soldiers who were making insulting
gestures and holding up huge placards with coarse inscriptions on them.

"Cheap skates," replied Frank. "You notice they're not quite so gay
when we get to close quarters with them."

"They get my goat," said Billy with irritation. "I'd like to cram
those placards down their throats."

"Pretty big mouthful," laughed Frank.

"We'll get them yet," said Billy vengefully.

"What's the use of saying 'yet,'" suggested Frank. "Why not say 'now'?"

They looked at him curiously.

"What do you mean?" queried Bart.

"Got anything up your sleeve?" asked Billy.

"An idea just came to me," replied Frank. "I don't know whether it's
any good, but perhaps it's worth chewing over."

"Let's have it," demanded Billy eagerly.

"Well," said Frank slowly, "I figure that there must be about twenty
Germans in that detachment just opposite us. What would be the matter
with a few of us going over there some dark night and cleaning up the
bunch?"

A delighted shout met the suggestion.

"Bully!" exclaimed Bart.

But though the approval was enthusiastic, practical difficulties soon
presented themselves.

"How are we to get across?" asked Bart dubiously.

"We haven't any boat on this side that's big enough," said Billy. "In
fact, I don't think we have any at all."

"That's an easy one," answered Frank. "Do you see that big lobster of
a boat on the other side? That looks as though it would carry almost a
dozen anyway. We won't need any more than that to nab the Huns,
because we'll have the advantage of the surprise if our plans go
through al