limited intellects one ought to be patient. I'll give you one more
chance. Think of the fellow you like the least in all the world."

"Nick Rabig!" the others exclaimed in one breath.

"Right," grinned Billy. "I knew that would get you. Nick seems to be
as popular with you as poison ivy at a church picnic."

"What cat dragged it in?" groaned Bart.

"Our unlucky day," growled Frank. "I knew something would happen when
I picked up the wrong shoe this morning."

"But how did he get back?" asked Bart, his curiosity overcoming his
repugnance.

"Came in on his own feet," replied Billy. "Escaped, so he says, after
performing prodigies of valor. To hear Nick talk you'd think he'd
wiped out half the German army."

His comrades laughed.

"I suppose we ought to kill the fatted calf," said Frank sarcastically.

"Where's the calf?" asked Bart. "Unless we take Billy here," he added
as an afterthought.

He dodged the pass that Billy made at him, and just then Fred Anderson,
another young soldier, strolled up.

"Heard the news?" he inquired.

"About Nick Rabig? Yes," replied Frank. "Billy's just been telling us
about it."

"Bad news travels fast," growled Bart.

"Nick doesn't seem to cut much ice with you fellows," commented Fred.
"I never thought much of him myself, but you seem to have it in for him
especially. I suppose it's because he tried to play that dirty trick
on Frank in the boxing bout."

"No, it isn't that," replied Frank. "I got satisfaction for that then
and there, and I don't hold grudges. It's something altogether outside
of personal matters. Have you heard any details about how Nick made
his escape?"

"Only a bit here and there," answered Fred. "I suppose it will all
come out later on. But it seems that he has a lot of information about
the German plans and he's now at headquarters being questioned by the
officers."

Frank turned the conversation into other channels, because although he
had the gravest reasons for believing Rabig to be a traitor, he did not
want to do the fellow an injustice or voice his suspicions until he was
able to confirm them by absolute proof.

Fred passed on after a few minutes and the boys looked at each other.

"Did you hear what Fred said about Nick's 'important information'?"
asked Frank.

"Important misinformation," growled Bart.

"Bunk," declared Billy.

"Of course, Nick has an advantage in understanding German," said Frank
cautiously, "and