An hour later Uncle John returned and to him the two mothers told their troubles.

“Well,” said Uncle John calmly, “I’ll fix ’em.”

It was now after six o’clock, and all descended to dinner.  The meal over, Uncle John called the two lads into his own room.  Motioning them to seats, he stepped out the door, and quickly turned the key in the lock.

“Now,” he said from the outside, “we shall see whether you’ll stay or not.”

Hal and Chester looked at each other in dismay.

“Great Scott!” cried the latter.  “What are we going to do now?”

Hal looked at his watch.

“After seven o’clock,” he said.  “We haven’t much time.”

He looked about the room, and his eye fell upon the telephone.  Quickly he stepped forward and placed the receiver to his ear.  After some questioning he turned to Hal with a smile.

“I guess it’s all right now,” he said.

“What are you trying to do?” asked Chester.

“You’ll see,” said Hal.

He turned to the telephone.

“I wish to speak with General Gallieni,” he said.  “Tell him it is the party he is expecting to-night at nine.  All right.”  He was silent a moment, then spoke again:  “General Gallieni?”

“Yes,” came the reply over the wire.

“This is Lieutenant Paine, whom you are depending on for to-night.  We are prisoners in room number 257,” and Hal gave the name of the hotel.

“What!” came the surprised reply.  “By whom are you being held?”

“By our uncle.  Cannot you send a detachment of soldiers with orders to take us before you at once?”

Hal heard a slight chuckle wafted over the wire.

“It shall be done,” came the reply, and the military governor of Paris rang off.

Hal turned to Chester with a smile.

“I guess that will fix it,” he said.

“Well, I should say so,” said Chester.  “But what will Uncle John and our mothers think when we are dragged away, apparently as prisoners?”

“I don’t know what they’ll think,” said Hal, “but we are in honor bound to see this thing through, and we must not let sentiment stand in the way.”

“I guess you are right,” said Chester slowly, after a moment’s hesitation.

“I know I am,” said Hal, and so the matter rested.

It was nearly eight o’clock, as Hal perceived by a glance at his watch, when the heavy sound of tramping feet became audible in the hall.

“Room 257,” came a voice from without.

There was a loud rap on the door.

“Who’s there?” called Hal, thinking to keep up the deception.

“Open the door in the name of the law!” came back the response.

From an adjoining room Mrs. Paine, Mrs. Crawford and Uncle John were startled by the pounding on the door, and looked into the hall just as the above conversation through the door took place.  Uncle John immediately stepped forward.