leeping
places."

"And the hangars are at some distance from the troop camp?" Tom
asked.

"The troop camp begins over that way," Papa Prim continued, pointing,
"for, as you will understand, there must be ground on which the
airplanes may run before they rise. So there is some distance.
I came near forgetting to tell you that, behind the hangars, are
four tents in which the hangar guard sleeps."

"And how many sentries at a time walk post around the hangars?"
Dick inquired.

"I do not know," confessed Papa Prim, "but I do not believe there
are more than three or four sentries on duty at a time. Of course,
there are other sentries on post at the camp."

"And airships leaving fly directly over the camp?" Tom wanted
to know.

"You have said truly," replied Papa Prim. "And are there anti-aircraft
guns in the camp?" Tom asked.

"In the troop camp, so I have heard, but I have not seen them,"
answered Papa Prim.

Removing his steel helmet and taking it in his left hand, Dick
bent over, seizing Papa Prim's hand.

"Good-bye for a little while, monsieur," he said earnestly. "We
go away with hearts full of gratitude to your own fine, loyal
heart. May you prosper and be happy, with your children safely
returned from Germany. May all good things in life be with you.
Our thanks will always be with you, and our thoughts often of
you, monsieur."

Tom Reade took leave of Papa Prim in equally hearty and grateful
words.

The two Americans watched the slim, bent old figure plodding homeward.
After looking the ground over critically, they stole forward
on their way.

"I didn't want him to see what disagreeable business we may have
on our hands within a few minutes," Dick whispered. "But see
here, Tom, I've just remembered that you didn't pay Papa Prim
for all his trouble, as you had planned."

"Didn't I?" Reade chuckled. "I did it without any dispute from
him, either. Dick, I wrapped five twenty-dollar American gold
pieces in cloth, so they wouldn't jingle, and stuffed the whole
tightly into a small canvas bag. While you were talking I slipped
it into one of his blouse pockets. Papa Prim will find the money
there, and he'll know who put it there, but he won't be able to
return it."

"American gold?" Dick echoed. "If the Germans ever know of his
having American gold they'll think it reason enough for hanging
him."

"No, they won't," Tom retorted, "though they would undoubtedly
think it reason enough for t