" he exclaimed, and added beneath his breath: "No wonder we are
having such trouble disposing of these English!"

"We hope, sir," said Hal, walking up to the German commander, "that you
will see fit to stay the execution."

"In that event, you will have to consider yourselves prisoners and stand
trial as spies," was the reply.

The lads bowed their heads in assent.

The general threw wide his arms in a sudden gesture.

"Captain Eberhardt shall go free," he said.

He turned, and with a word, dismissed the firing squad.

Captain Eberhardt approached the lads and grasped each by the hand before
the very eyes of the general.

"I can never thank you half enough," he said, and there were tears
in his eyes.

"Oh, that's all right," said Chester. "We couldn't do less."

General Steinbach turned upon Hal and Chester.

"Such bravery as you have exhibited," he said quietly, "is not often
seen. You are prisoners, but you have my word that you shall not even be
tried as spies. You shall be treated as prisoners, and sent back to
Berlin until the war is over."

Hal twisted his face into a wry expression.

"Back to Berlin!" he exclaimed in the deepest disgust, "where have I
heard that expression before?"

CHAPTER XIII.

STUBBS TO THE RESCUE.

Chester also uttered an exclamation of dismay.

"That phrase is certainly getting to be monotonous," he said. "It
seems that every time we turn around somebody talks of sending us back
to Berlin."

"Well, they won't get me back there if I can help it," said Hal.

"Nor me, either," agreed Chester.

General Steinbach now spoke again.

"You will not be sent back before to-morrow," he said; "in the
meantime, if you will give me your paroles, I shall be glad to have you
as my guests."

Chester glanced quickly at Hal, and the latter nodded his head
negatively.

"We are sorry, sir," said Chester, "but we cannot give our paroles."

The general hesitated for a brief moment.

"Oh, well," he said, "I don't know as it makes any difference. There
is no chance of your escaping again. I shall be pleased to have you
lunch with me."

The lads accepted this invitation gladly, for both were very hungry, and
they knew from past experiences that the Kaiser treated his officers to
the best that was to be obtained in the line of food.

They accompanied General Steinbach to his quarters, where they soon sat
down to a substantial meal. The meal over, the German commander walked