"Advance!" came the command, and the two lads obeyed.

An officer approached and looked at them closely. At sight of their
civilian clothes he stepped back.

"How do I know you are British officers?" he asked.

"Because I say so," replied Hal angrily. "Take us to your commanding
officer at once. We have just come across the river. Do you want us to
freeze to death here in the cold?"

"But he was not to be disturbed," replied the officer hesitatingly.

"Well, you lead us to his tent and we'll do the disturbing," said Chester
gruffly. "Hurry up, man."

Without further words the young officer motioned for the lads to follow
him, and, dismounting, they did so. At the entrance of a rather large
tent the officer halted.

"I don't like to disturb him," he said, "but--"

"We might possibly be German spies," said Chester, "so you had better
arouse him at once--unless you want to take the responsibility upon
yourself and find us quarters for the night."

"Oh, I couldn't do that," was the quick reply.

"Well, then, get your commanding officer out here immediately," ordered
Hal. "We are officers of General French's staff, and we are entitled to
some consideration, if we have to fight for it."

The French officer finally entered the tent, and returned a few moments
later followed by the officer in command of the outpost. To him the lads
explained the mission and recent difficulties, and the officer soon had
them fixed up with comfortable quarters, where, safe once more and
perfectly easy in their minds, they turned in for the night, and soon
were sleeping the sleep of the exhausted.

On the opposite shore the German camp was in confusion. The escape of the
prisoners had been discovered, and Captain Eberhardt, held responsible
for his prisoners' disappearance, was under arrest.

CHAPTER XII.

A NOBLE SACRIFICE.

"You say Captain Eberhardt is to be shot? What for?" demanded Hal.

"For allowing his prisoners to escape," was the reply of the German
soldier, captured the following morning by a squad of French troopers,
who had picked him up on their side of the river, where he had been on
scout duty.

The conversation was taking place in the tent of the French officer in
charge of the outpost. Questioned upon various topics the German had
volunteered the information that Captain Eberhardt, from whom Hal and
Chester had escaped the night before, was to be put to death.

"Tell us more about it," said Cheste