The general bowed courteously, and Hal and Stubbs left his quarters.

“You see,” said Stubbs when they were outside, “it wasn’t such a hard matter after all.”

“And to think,” said Hal, “that, in view of his recent experiences, he was so unwary as to betray where Chester and Colonel Anderson are confined.”

“Which was lucky for us,” declared Stubbs.  “It will save us a lot of worry and search.”

“Now what?” demanded Hal.

“Well,” was the reply, “I should say that there is nothing that can be done before dark.  However, we might as well take a look at the prison tent from the outside.  It is always well to know the lay of the land.”

Accordingly they turned their footsteps in that direction, and walked by the tent slowly.  And from the inside they heard the sound of Chester’s laugh, as he talked to Colonel Anderson.

“He’s not worrying any, that boy,” said Stubbs with a smile.  “We’ll get them out safely.”

All the afternoon the two prowled about the camp; and at last darkness fell.  It was time to get busy, for whatever was done must be accomplished before the break of day, when a firing squad would snuff out the lives of the two prisoners.

“Well, here we go,” said Stubbs.

He led the way slowly toward the prison tent.

CHAPTER XXIX.

Sentenced to die.

Chester’s and Lieutenant Anderson’s interview with General Brentz was far from being the pleasant few minutes that Hal and Stubbs had experienced.  Hal now considered the general a pleasant middle-aged man and a courteous gentleman; Chester looked upon him almost as a barbarian.

General Brentz was striding wrathfully up and down his quarters when Chester and Colonel Anderson were taken before him.  He greeted their arrival with a fierce scowl and motioned the guards outside the door with an angry gesture.

“So!” he exclaimed.  “You are British spies instead of German secret agents, eh?  Well, we know how to treat all such here.  What have you to say for yourselves?”

“Nothing,” said Colonel Anderson, replying for both.

“’Twould do you no good,” responded the officer.  “But there is one thing I would know.  How does it come that you are familiar with the password of the Wilhelmstrasse?”

“I can’t see where it would do any good to tell you, general,” replied Chester.

“But I demand to know.”

“You’ll never learn from me,” declared the lad.

Colonel Anderson smiled.

“That goes for me, too,” he said quietly.

The general glared wrathfully at first one and then the other.

“Very well,” he said, controlling his anger.  “You shall both be shot at sunrise.”

He gazed at the two closely to see what effect his words had; but if he expected to find an expression of fear upon either face, he was disappointed.  Colonel Anderson and Chester eyed him steadily, though neither spoke.