l right."

"But how are we going to get the boat?" asked Bart.

"Swim over for it," replied Frank. "I'll attend to that. Give me a
dark night and it's all I ask."

"Let's see what the corporal has to say about it," suggested Bart.

The corporal listened with interest. It was a plan after his own heart.

"You young roosters are always looking for fight," he grinned. "I'll
put it up to the captain and see what he says."

The assent of the captain was readily obtained as he knew the value of
such exploits in keeping the spirits of the men up to high fighting
pitch.

The night following there would be no moon until late, and it was fixed
on for carrying out the raid. Frank was to swim across the river and
get the boat. On the American side Wilson with eight men would be in
waiting. They would embark and try to reach the other side without
detection. Quick thinking and Yankee grit could be depended on to do
the rest.

The night came, black as pitch. Frank slid into the water as
noiselessly as a fish and struck out for the other side.

CHAPTER XI

GALLANT WORK

The water had a chill in it that struck to Frank's marrow, but the
reaction soon came and he proceeded swiftly, making as little noise as
possible, and keeping body and head low in the water. He was a
powerful swimmer, and the distance was as nothing to him. But the
greatest caution had to be exercised lest he be discovered by a sentry
whose shot would alarm his comrades and put an end to the projected
raid.

But fortune favored him and he soon reached the boat, which seemed to
be large enough, with some crowding, to carry the American party. It
swung with its stern toward the shore, to which it was held by a rope
that was passed about a cleat.

Frank clung for a moment to the bow and listened intently. He could
hear no breathing nor any other sound that indicated that any one was
on board. The Germans had evidently not dreamed of any such exploit as
that on which Frank was bent.

But that a watch was kept on the shore was evident, for Frank could
hear the measured step of a sentinel some distance away. The steps
receded as he listened, and he gathered that the patrol was an extended
one. Now was his time, while the sentry was at the further limit of
his beat.

Swiftly he climbed on board, slipped the rope from its cleat, and with
a push of an oar against the bank sent the boat some distance out into
the stream. He did not da