“Great Scott,” he said, “we got out of there just in time.  Look.”

The rest looked back and saw the cause of his excitement.  In the shelter of a clump of trees Hal called a halt.

“There must be something up,” he declared, “or the German staff would not be this far south.  I don’t suppose General French has been informed of this.  In some way we must find out what is going on.”

“And I wouldn’t be surprised,” said Chester, “if they were using that farmhouse for a certain purpose.”

“By Jove!  I never thought of that,” said Hal.  “I believe you have hit it.  That is where they are making their plans.  I wonder”—­and he grew greatly excited.  “I wonder if by any chance the Kaiser could be in that party.”

“He is probably pretty near the whole party,” said Lieutenant Anderson dryly.  “Kaiser Wilhelm is no coward, and if his staff is there, this close to the British lines, the Kaiser is probably there also.”

“Then it’s a wonder the woman didn’t say something about the Kaiser being near.”

“She probably didn’t know him,” said the lieutenant.

Hal sat wrapped in thought for a long time.

“Do you know what I am going to do?” he said at length, dismounting.

“No.  What?” demanded Chester and Lieutenant Anderson in a single voice.

“I’m going to sneak back to the farmhouse, and see if by some hook or crook I can hear what is going on.  We shall probably not have another chance of overhearing the German plans.”

“Great Scott!” said Lieutenant Anderson, “that certainly is a bold plan.  You don’t mean it?”

“I certainly do,” was the reply.

“Then I shall go, too,” said Chester.

“And me,” declared Lieutenant Anderson.

“No you won’t,” said Hal, positively.  “The rest of you will stay here.  If I should get into any trouble, I shall fire my revolver, and then the rest of you can come up.  The six of us will be a match for them, the Kaiser included.”

Suddenly Chester was struck with a great inspiration.

“Why can’t we get the rest of our men, and capture the whole crowd?” he demanded in great excitement.

“I had thought of that,” replied Hal, “but something tells me it can’t be done—­a hunch, if you like.  I have a feeling that if we attempt such a thing our whole expedition will go wrong.  I can’t explain just what I mean, but I feel it.”

“And I too,” declared Lieutenant Anderson.  “I don’t know why, but I know it’s true.”

“Bosh!” said Chester, but the words of his two friends evidently had created some impression, for his ejaculation was only half-hearted.

“Well, if you must go by yourself, all right,” said Lieutenant Anderson.  “But my advice is that the sooner you get there the better.”

Hal nodded, and, a moment later, going some distance to one side, where he knew he could not be seen from the dining-room window, he walked slowly toward the house.