mother good night, and announcing their intention of
retiring early, made their way to their room.

There their air of leisure gave way to haste.

"We'll have to hurry," said Hal. "The general will fail to find his
maps at headquarters, and will be back here in two shakes of a lamb's
tail."

Quickly the lads threw on the young lieutenant's uniforms, and Chester
placed the maps in his pocket.

"We will have to go without revolvers," said Chester, "for we
certainly can't afford to wait until the general and lieutenant come
home."

"I should say not," Hal agreed. "The sooner we get out of here now the
better, providing we can get out."

Quickly, but silently, the boys made their way from the room and
descended the stairs. Stepping lightly upon a chair, Hal secured the
two swords, suspended in their scabbards with a pair of army belts,
and, leaping lightly down, passed one to Chester.

Quickly the lads strapped the swords around them and quietly they
opened the front door and closed it softly behind them. Then, with a
swaggering air, they descended the front steps, to bump squarely into
one of the guards.

The guard drew back respectfully and saluted.

"I beg your pardon, sir," he said, addressing Chester. "I saw you go
out once before, but I didn't see you return."

"You must be more careful," said Chester, imitating the lieutenant's
voice. "My friend and I came in a few moments ago and I didn't see you
anywhere."

"But I was right here, sir, or at least, only a few steps away,"
protested the soldier.

"Well, I'll pass over it this time," said Chester, "but don't let it
happen again. The prisoners might escape."

"Thank you, sir," replied the soldier, saluting again. "But the
prisoners will not escape while I am on guard. Never fear, sir."

The lads bade the soldier good night and walked slowly away. Once
around the first corner, however, they increased their pace, and soon
had put considerable distance between them and the Strauss home,
where, even now, the old general, having failed to find his maps at
headquarters, was again raging about, swearing that his documents had
been stolen.

Walking into a quiet little shop, Chester purchased two revolvers.
Also, while there, he withdrew the map from his pocket and studied it
carefully.

"I want to impress this firmly on my mind," he said to Hal, "for we
may not have a chance to look at it again for some time."

Hal also bent over and studied the map car