“Had we not better make him go with us?” questioned Chester.  “Is he not likely to betray us?”

“No; I am sure he would not,” said Hal.

“And I,” agreed the French captain.

“I am a little inclined to doubt the advisability of leaving him behind,” said Lieutenant Anderson, “but—­”

“Sir!” broke in the chauffeur.  “I am just as much a gentleman as you are, and my word is my bond!”

The young Englishman’s face flushed.

“Forgive me!” he exclaimed, extending his hand.  “I am sorry for my unreasonable doubts.  I am sure that you can be trusted.”

“I believe that our friend’s decision simplifies matters exceedingly,” declared Hal.

“In what way?” demanded the lieutenant.

“In the first place, it makes one less of us.  And, again, it does away with the necessity of one of us approaching the town alone, which is also a good thing.  While for two to approach the town is much better than four, under the circumstances, two are also better than one, for the reason that they can give a good account of themselves should occasion arise.”

“Which is good reasoning,” declared Captain Derevaux.  “I agree with you.”

“I suggest,” said Lieutenant Anderson, “that one of the boys go with you, captain, and the other with me.  I shall go back a short distance into the woods, make a detour, and enter the town from the west.”

“Another good idea,” replied the captain.  “Hal and I will wait here half an hour after you have gone, and will reach the town from this side at about the time you and Chester arrive.”

“Where shall we meet?”

“I believe the best plan would be to meet in the hotel.  Whichever of us arrives first will wait for the others.”

“Good,” said the lieutenant.  “The best part of that idea is that, providing we get into the town safely, the hotel will be the least likely place our pursuers will look for us.  They probably will figure we will sneak along the outskirts.”

“Sure,” broke in Chester.  “But how are we to get out of the town?  Won’t the other side be so closely guarded that we can’t get through?”

“Yes, I suppose they will be laying for us, all right, but we shall have to leave that to luck.  The thing to do now is to get in.  We will get out as best we may.”

“Right,” declared Hal; “and I guess that, as long as we are going, we might as well go now.  The sooner we start the better, is the way I look at it.”

Chester and the lieutenant said good-by to the chauffeur, and then Chester turned to Hal and held out his hand.

“In case—­” he said, as they gripped, and a moment later he and the young lieutenant were gone.

Hal, Captain Derevaux and the chauffeur reentered the woods, where they sat down to wait the half hour agreed upon.

As his chum’s form disappeared from sight, striding rapidly along beside the gallant lieutenant, Hal experienced a peculiar sinking sensation in the region of his stomach, while his heart throbbed jerkily, and he turned faint.  For almost the first time he realized the real seriousness of the situation.