ositively, "because
we'll want to write it down in our log. Whatever his name turns out to
be it's bound to go down to posterity as belonging to one of the heroes
of the Battle of the Marne."

"There," continued Hanky Panky, "see, the general is going over himself
to see the wounded man now. Why, even he takes off his military cap. It
must be a proud time for the man who threw that bomb and wrecked the
German battery. He not only won the ford for his side, but like as not
saved the lives of scores of his comrades."

Rod was considering his plan of campaign.

"You can see that some of the officers are gathering under that shed
yonder," he went on to explain. "I reckon they mean to hold their
council of war there, because it looks like the best shelter around. I
wouldn't be surprised if the German forces had the same places for
headquarters before their retreat, because I can see a table there and
some camp chairs."

"Yes, and then, too, it seems to be out of range of the batteries that
were on the other side of the river; sort of protected as it were," Josh
observed, for he was quick to notice such things.

"All right," Rod wound up by saying; "our plan is to hang around until
the war council breaks up, and then try to find a chance to speak with
the commander-in-chief. All we want to do is to show him who and what we
are, and then ask about Andre. He may not have the time to bother with
it himself, but I hope he will put us in charge of some subordinate
officer who can tell us what we want to know, as well as take us to
Andre, if so be the poor fellow still lives."

While waiting they strolled around the immediate vicinity, being
considerably interested in all that was going on.

Josh in particular seemed disposed not to lose anything. He moved this
way and that, now watching the labors of a string of men dragging at a
rope by means of which they were helping the horses attached to a heavy
gun pull the same up out of the river; and a little later even observing
the field surgeon and his assistants binding up the grievous wounds of
scores of poor fellows who had been more or less injured in the battle.

Rod was seated on a stump and thinking seriously of their own affairs
when he suddenly became aware of the fact that his two chums were
hurrying toward him. He could also see that they looked both excited and
grave, as though something had happened to alarm them.

Of course the first thing that came into Rod's m