too
late. Now I want you to understand my plan. I haven't thought of the
details, because they will depend absolutely on conditions as you may
find them to be. But here is the outline. Three of you will take the
car. You, Jack, and one other Scout will leave that, when there is no
longer a chance of continuing to use it, and proceed on foot until you
are well within the enemy's lines. Then you will manage to get captured,
while seeming to make an effort to escape."

"Are we to give our parole then, sir?"

"On no account! But pretend to be frightened and discouraged. That is
legitimate. You mustn't give your word not to attempt to escape, because
that is an essential part of the plan. I have an idea that they will not
keep a very close watch on you, and that you will find it quite possible
to make a dash for liberty after dark. But before you do that you must
try to discover where the attack is to be made, by keeping your ears
open and your eyes as well, for possible movements of guns. Then you can
try to get away, rejoin the automobile, and get back to our lines. Do
you understand?"

"Yes, sir, I do! I think Pete Stubbs would be a good one to go with me,
with Tom Binns to look after the car, because he knows how to drive it.
Then if Pete and I couldn't both get away, one of us ought to be able to
manage it, I should think, anyhow."

"That's the reason for sending two of you, of course," said Durland.
"It's an outside chance, but you've done things almost as difficult.
Remember that you must exercise the utmost caution. In time of real
warfare no enterprise could be more dangerous, and the mere fact that
there is no actual danger involved now is no reason for you to grow
careless, though I need hardly give you such a warning."

"I'll do my best, sir," said Jack, enthusiastically. "It would certainly
be a great joke on them if we could work it."

"Well, do the best you can. I don't want you to think that I really
expect you to succeed. I think the chances are desperate. But, even if
you cannot escape, there will be no difficulty about exchanging you, for
we have a great many of their prisoners, including a number of officers,
and they will be very glad to get them back. Otherwise I am sure General
Harkness would never have consented to let you make the effort."

"If this were real war, and they saw us trying to escape, they would
fire at us, wouldn't they?" asked Jack. "What I want to know is whether
we're assume