" said Dubois. "If I were to tell you now
you would try to restrain me. You would say I was foolish."

"Are you going over to the German trenches?" demanded Leon.

"Wait and see," smiled Dubois.

"Well all I can say is that if you try a thing like that you are
crazy," exclaimed Leon warmly. "You saw how much good Armande's
expedition did and what happened to him."

"I knew you'd object to my plan," said Dubois.

"Then you admit that you are going over to their trenches?"

"I didn't say so. Let's not talk about it any more."

Although both boys tried hard they were unable to draw Dubois into
further conversation concerning his project. The talk finally drifted
into other channels and the Frenchman's plans, whatever they were, were
finally forgotten.

"Who was looking for a ball of twine?" asked a voice about a half-hour
later. "Who was it that wanted the string?"

The voice seemed strangely familiar to the ears of both Leon and Earl.
They peered eagerly through the darkness to see if they could discover
the identity of the speaker. All they could see was the faint outline
of some soldier's figure. The man, whoever it was, had a bandage tied
around his face.

"Did anyone here want twine?" he asked again.

"Jacques!" cried Leon eagerly. "What are you doing here?"

"Leon, is it you?" demanded Jacques, for it was the daring young
Frenchman who had returned. "Where is Earl?"

"Right here," exclaimed that individual briskly. "But what are you
doing back here so soon?"

"Why shouldn't I come back?"

"But you were wounded."

"Merely a scratch. The silly old doctors wanted me to remain in the
base hospital for a day or two but that is ridiculous."

"You are reckless, Jacques," said Leon reprovingly. "Still I am
awfully glad to see you again."

"Who wants this twine?" asked Jacques. "When I started back they gave
it to me to bring out to some one in this trench who had telephoned in
for it."

"I want it."

"Who are you?"

"Dubois."

"Ah, Dubois. What use can you have for string?"

"Let me have it and I'll soon show you."

Jacques handed the twine over to Dubois, who immediately unwound a
small section of it and tested its strength.

"That is fine," he murmured approvingly. "Now for the fun."

Without waiting a moment longer he placed the ball of string in his
pocket and climbed out of the trench. He did not even take his gun
with him. His companions were too surprised by his str