“Move on there,” said the first officer angrily.

The lads obeyed without replying.

Inside the building they were led through a long corridor, and thence to a room which they were motioned to enter.  Inside stood a tall, stout man attired in full military uniform.

“General Ferrari, I guess,” Chester whispered to his friend.

Hal nodded in assent.  It was indeed General Ferrari, and he came forward.

“What have we here?” he demanded, addressing the officer.

“Spies, sir,” was the reply.

“Where did you find them?”

The officer explained.

“So Colonel Fuesco found them, eh?  You say they stole an important document from him?”

“Yes, sir, and the colonel will be here directly, sir.”

“Good, you may go.  Leave a guard outside the door.”

The officer saluted and took his departure, casting a sneering glance at the two lads.

“Sit down,” commanded the general.

The lads obeyed, and the general took a seat at a huge desk at the far end of the room and immediately plunged into a mass of correspondence.  For half an hour he was busy with his letters and paid no attention to the boys.  The latter also sat silently.

An orderly entered the room and announced: 

“Colonel Fuesco, sir.”

“Show him in,” said the general.

A moment later and the colonel came blustering in.  He gazed angrily at the two lads and spoke to General Ferrari in a whisper.  Then both turned upon the lads.

“Have you the paper?” demanded the general.

“No, sir,” replied Hal.  “We never had it in the first place.  Will you allow me to explain, sir?”

“Proceed,” said the general.

“First,” said Hal, “I would inform your excellency that we are officers in the British army, having recently come from France.”

He then went ahead with the story of how they had seen Colonel Fuesco relieved of his papers before the palace a short time ago.  At the conclusion of the story the colonel sniffed audibly.

“A likely tale,” he sneered.

“Silence, colonel,” said the general sharply.  “I shall go at this matter in my own way.  Can you prove your identity?” he asked of Hal.

“With time, yes,” was the reply.

At this moment the orderly again entered the room.

“The officer you were expecting, sir,” he said to General Ferrari.

“Have him enter,” said the general, and the orderly saluted and disappeared.

“There can be no doubt that these are spies, sir,” said Colonel Fuesco.

Chester became suddenly angry.

“That’s a lie,” he said flatly.

“What!” exclaimed the doughty colonel.  “You call me a liar?”

Before General Ferrari or Hal could move to stay him, he stepped close to Chester and struck him in the face.

Hal, knowing Chester’s quick temper, became alarmed and cried out sharply: