“Wait!” he commanded.  “There is something yet to be done and now is the time to do it.”  Thrusting a hand into a pocket he drew forth a leather case and opened it with unsteady fingers.  From the case he drew a small object wrapped in tissue paper.

“The Iron Cross,” murmured the boys.

“Yes, it is the Iron Cross,” agreed the professor.  “Time was when this was my most priceless possession.  Now I loathe it.  Its possession has troubled me greatly of late and it has been my intention to rid myself of the hateful thing.  Boys, what shall be done with it?”

“That is for you to say, Professor,” answered Tad in a low voice.

“Get an axe,” advised Chunky.

“Yes, yes, the axe,” agreed the professor.

Tad handed the tool to the professor.  The latter placed the once prized decoration on a stone and with one blow from the axe smashed the cross.  Blow after blow he rained on the medal until it lay scattered in pieces.  These the professor gathered up and hurled far from him.

“That is what I think of Germany, monarchial Germany, the assassin of innocent women and children.”

“Boys, ‘The Star-spangled Banner,’” cried Tad after a moment of impressive silence.

The youthful voices of the Pony Rider Boys rose in the National anthem, the deep bass voice of Professor Zepplin booming out above all the rest.

When next we meet our boys we shall find them in utterly different surroundings.  In the next volume of the present series our readers will find an extremely fascinating tale.  It is published under the title, The Pony Rider Boys On The Blue Ridge; Or, A Lucky Find in the Carolina Mountains.

THE END