to fire!"

At heart the Germans were cowards, and even though they still held their
pistols, when they saw the uplifted guns of, not alone the posse, but
also the cadets, pointed at them, they raised their hands without
further protest, and Tony Duval did the same; and thus the brief but
sharp encounter came to a termination.

"You are making a terrible mistake," said Emil Bauermann lamely. "We
have done no wrong."

"You can tell your story in court," answered William Pollock briefly,
and thereafter he made the Germans and Duval give up all their weapons.
Then he had some of his men search the evildoers and take from them
whatever papers and documents they carried. When he had a list of their
names he looked well satisfied.

"Bauermann, we have been trying to round you up for the past six
months," said he sternly. "You know you are wanted for that little
affair in Philadelphia." And at this the German looked much disturbed.

The cadets were exceedingly thankful for the opportune arrival of the
Secret Service man and his posse.

"Well, I told you I would come," said he. "I was delayed a little
though. You know in these war times matters do not always move as
swiftly as one would want. A good deal of the credit for this haul goes
to you boys," he added with a smile.

Much to the surprise of the cadets, in the crowd of newcomers was Herman
Crouse. The German-American farmer seemed well satisfied with what had
taken place.

"Mr. Pollock knows that I am true-blue," said he. "That Bauermann and
the rest of his gang thought they could use me. But I have fooled them
nicely. There is but one country for old Herman Crouse, and that is the
good old United States of America," and his face beamed as he spoke.

"That's the right way to talk!" cried Jack. "You don't know how pleased
I am to know the man we hauled out of that train wreck is true-blue."

"If we had thought you were a traitorous German, we might have left you
to shift for yourself," added Randy. "Although maybe I wouldn't have had
the heart to do that, either," he added, on second thought.

After the Germans and Duval had been made prisoners they were left at
the Lodge in charge of two of the Secret Service men and the cadets.
Then William Pollock and the other men took the sleigh and lost no time
in making their way to the old Parkingham house. They had some trouble
with the old German housekeeper, but wasted no words with her and
finally compelled her to