at big gray dog I stumbled over outside--and which
almost bit me--is the property of your prisoners."

Hal stepped forward and saluted.

"He is, sir," he said.

The old general eyed the lad for some minutes in silence. Hal bore
the scrutiny without flinching. Then the general turned to Chester and
repeated the process. Chester also met his gaze squarely.

"Humph!" ejaculated the German commander; then turned suddenly to his
son.

"When you have introduced us," he said, "we shall all go in and have
something to eat!"

CHAPTER XXXII.

A PIECE OF PAPER.

Upon the two following days Hal and Chester, in company with the young
German lieutenant, viewed the sights in the German capital. Instead of
the peaceful, pleasure-loving city of their vacation, it now bore
naught but signs of war.

Officers in automobiles, afoot and on horseback, were rushing hither
and thither continually. Troops were moving through the streets of the
city upon every hand--some preparing to entrain for the west, and some
for the east, where even now it was known that the great hordes of the
Czar of all the Russias were approaching as fast as their vast numbers
would permit.

It was indeed a scene to delight a war-like eye, and it was not lost
upon the two lads.

"It's going to be an awful job to lick these fellows," Chester
confided to Hal, as they strolled about one afternoon.

"There is no question about that," was Hal's reply. "Still, it has to
be done."

"And will be done eventually," declared Chester grimly. "The trouble
is that we are not likely to see it done."

"Don't lose heart," said Hal. "Something may turn up. You never can
tell."

And something did turn up, though it was nothing the lads could
possibly have anticipated. As they walked down the street a squad of
German soldiers approached, in their center a man in civilian clothes.
Lieutenant Strauss and the boys approached them.

As the three neared, the officer in command of the squad called a
halt.

"What have we here?" asked Lieutenant Strauss.

"A spy, sir," was the reply.

"Where was he found?"

"About thirty miles west of the city."

"How does he account for his presence there?"

"He has not had much to say," replied the officer, "but he did tell me
that he fell from an aeroplane."

"Does he deny being a spy?"

"He does, sir."

"Then how does he account for the fact that he wears no uniform?"

"He doesn't account for it at all, sir. He ref