“Right about; forward, march!”

The lads obeyed this command, and the German stalked after them, keeping his rifle in readiness for a quick shot should his prisoners attempt to escape.

But the lads had no thought of taking to their heels, for they were fully aware that a bullet would stop one of them at least should they make even one false move.

They continued their walk, and presently came in view of what appeared to be a large German camp.  Here their captor marched them directly to the tent of the commanding officer.

“What are you doing within our lines?” was the latter’s first question after the soldier had related how he had made his capture.

“Well,” said Hal, “we were accidentally carried through your lines by a locomotive which we happened to be running when the rest of the train was blown up.  We couldn’t get back, so we went ahead.  We finally lost the engine, so we were making our way back to our own lines.”

“Lost the engine?  What do you mean?” asked the officer.

“Why,” Chester broke in, “we sent it over a precipice that it might not fall into the hands of the Germans.”

“You did, eh?” said the German officer.  “Well, I shall attend to your case in the morning.  Orderly!  See that these prisoners are carefully guarded, and have them brought to me the first thing in the morning.  Perhaps they may be induced to give me the information I require.”

“You won’t get any information out of us,” said Chester angrily.

“Won’t I?” replied the officer, with a sneer.  “We shall see.  Take them away.”

The two lads were led to a small field tent and thrust inside, with a guard on the outside.

“Well, here we are again,” said Chester, with a faint smile.  “What do you suppose will be done with us if we refuse to divulge what the general wants to know?”

“I’m sure I don’t know,” was Hal’s reply, “but I am afraid we are in for it this time.  I have never taken much stock in the tales I have heard of the barbarous treatment of the Germans toward their prisoners, but one look at the general’s face was enough to convince me that he would stop at nothing to gain his end.”

“The same thought struck me, too,” agreed Chester.  “But, one thing is certain, he’ll get no information out of me.”

“Nor out of me, either,” declared Hal.

Chester rose and started to walk around the tent.  In the darkness, he stumbled over something and fell to the ground.  Arising he reached in his pocket and produced a match.  A tiny flame lighted up the dark interior of the tent, and the lad stepped back with an ejaculation.

“Bicycles,” he muttered.

“What?” demanded Hal.

“Bicycles.  I wonder why they are here?”

“Probably dumped in here by a couple of men who have returned from a scouting expedition,” said Hal.

“By George!” exclaimed Chester suddenly.