“All right,” said Chester, “let’s move.”

They started off slowly down the road and within the hour were in the town of Caronne, held by the Germans, but a few miles from the northern bank of the river Aisne.  Here they left the machine to avoid attracting unnecessary attention.

They lost no time, and made their way through the town as swiftly as possible.  They walked along boldly, and near the outskirts, coming upon a little restaurant Chester suggested a cup of coffee and a sandwich.  Hal assented and they entered the door.

They took seats at an improvised counter and soon were engaged in the pleasant occupation of satisfying their appetites.  A German officer, who had been eating in the rear of the restaurant, passed them on his way out, and, as he did so, he cast a quick look at Chester, and turned back toward him.

“Haven’t I seen you some place before?” he asked, tapping the lad on the shoulder.

The lad turned and glanced at him sharply, and his heart leaped into his throat.  He recognized the officer in a moment.  He was the man with whom Hal had fought in a farmhouse near Liege in the earlier days of the war, the man who, mistaking Chester for Hal, had spared the former’s life when he was sentenced to death by a band of conspirators in Louvain, and from whom the lad had escaped in time to warn the Belgian commander of the plot to deliver the town into the hands of the Germans.

“I don’t seem to remember you,” said Chester, replying to the German’s question.

The officer looked at him long and searchingly.  Chester returned the gaze without flinching, and finally the German, evidently satisfied that he had made a mistake, bowed and turned to leave.  Chester drew a quick breath of relief as the officer stepped from the door.

“Do you know who that was,” he whispered to Hal, who, although he had said no word, had been greatly surprised by the conversation between his friend and the German officer.

“No,” he replied.  “Who is he?”

“That,” replied Chester, “is the German whom you disarmed in Edna Johnson’s home and whose life you spared.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes; and it’s lucky he didn’t recognize us.”

“I should say it is.  Well, let’s be moving.”

The two lads left the restaurant and started on their journey again.  They had not gone a block, however, when they halted at a sudden hail from behind them.  Turning suddenly they saw the German officer hurrying after them.

“I can’t get you off my mind,” he said to Chester, as he came up.  “I am positive that I have seen you some place, but for the life of me I can’t tell where.”

“Well, you have the advantage of me,” replied the lad, his hand seeking his pocket and resting on the butt of one of his revolvers.

The two lads started to move on again, and at that moment the German explained: 

“I have it!  You are the lad who invaded our secret council in Louvain!”