rse, to which Jack had agreed, and they were
ready to undertake the task set before them.

Tom hastened to help lift the little girl, so that his chum might get a
firm clasp with one arm around her. He also knew that Helene's
instinctive action in clinging to Jack's neck would greatly assist
matters.

Now Jack was sliding down. Tom's heart seemed to be in his throat with
suspense. Would the rope hold? He hoped age had not weakened the
strands, so that a sudden extra strain might cause it to part. Still he
had tested as best he could. It would hold--it must hold.

The seconds slipped by, though if Tom's feelings had been consulted they
might be said to drag; for it seemed an age before he knew that Jack had
safely landed by the sudden slackening of the rope.

How eagerly did Tom clamber over the window-sill and start downward! It
was a mere nothing to him, accustomed to all sorts of athletic action.
He quickly found himself alongside the crouching figure of Jack, who
still held the child in his arm as if to reassure her.

Louder than ever came the babel of voices from the road. The officers
had, it seemed, finally come to believe what the chauffeurs were saying.
Some unknown prowler had stolen their petrol while they waited for the
coming of their officers. The thought was demoralizing. The loud, sharp
whistle that now came to the ears of the air service boys must mean a
general alarm. There must be a body of troops in camp somewhere back of
the chateau. These would be quickly on the scene, ready to scour the
whole neighborhood, in the hope of ferreting out the spy who had been
trying to discover the subject of the consultation, or council of war.

Tom now took the lead. The sooner they made off the better for their
chances of ultimate escape. Delay now might lose them the game, for it
was to be expected that with the alarm once given all avenues of escape
would be closed, and a cordon of troops thrown around the chateau, in
hope of enmeshing the prowler.

This getting away required some clever work, because if they were
discovered it would be next to impossible to slip through, with Helene
to be carried, for of course the child could not run fast enough. Jack
clasped the child in his arms and followed close on Tom's heels.
Dodging, and taking advantage of such cover as presented itself they
succeeded in passing beyond what seemed to be the danger point. If
equally successful in eluding any soldiers who might be r