heir protecting trenches around the other side of this
stricken village, like a great embracing arm. It stirred him to think
that it was now within the refuge of the American lines and that the
arrogant Prussian officers could no longer defile those low, raftered
rooms.

He inquired of a sentinel where he could get some gasoline which he
would need later.

"There's a supply station along that road," the man said; "just beyond
the clearing."

Tom turned in that direction. The road took him out of the village and
through a little clump of woods to a clearing where several Americans
were guarding a couple of big gasoline tanks--part of the spoils of war.
He lingered for a few minutes and then strolled on toward the edge of
the denser wood beyond where the firing, though less frequent, could
still be heard.

He intended to go just far enough into this wood for a glimpse of the
forest shade which his scouting had taught him to love, and then to
return to headquarters for his machine.

Crossing a plank bridge across a narrow stream, he paused in the edge of
the woods and listened to the firing which still occurred at intervals
in the higher ground beyond. He knew that the fighting there was of the
old-fashioned sort, from behind protecting trees and wooded hillocks,
something like the good old fights of Indians and buckskin scouts away
home in the wild west of America. And he could not repress his impulse
to venture farther into the solitude.

[Illustration: TOM SLIPPED BEHIND A TREE AND WATCHED THE MAN WHO PAUSED
LIKE A STARTLED ANIMAL.]

The stream which he had crossed had evidently its source in the more
densely wooded hills beyond and he followed it on its narrowing way up
toward the locality where the fighting seemed now to be going on. Once a
group of khaki-clad figures passed stealthily among the trees, intent
upon some quest. The sight of their rifles reminded Tom that he was
himself in danger, but he reflected that he was in no greater danger
than they and that he had with him the small arm which all messengers
carried.

A little farther on he espied an American concealed behind a tree, who
nodded his head perfunctorily as Tom passed, seeming to discourage any
spoken greeting.

The path of the stream led into an area of thick undergrowth covering
the side of a gentle slope where the water tumbled down in little falls.
He must be approaching very near to the source, he thought, for the
stream was becoming