closely as he turned to the major, who
now went up to him. If the news moved him, he gave no sign of his
emotion. Instead he nodded quickly, once or twice; then he looked over
toward Frank and Henri. The major turned to them, beckoning, and they
went up. General Smith-Derrien was sitting at a table. Before him was an
ordnance map of the section covered by his operations.

"Now tell me exactly what happened, as quickly as you can," he said.
"You saw these Germans--just where? Point it out on the map. Give me
your position and the road they took."

Frank and Henri studied the map a moment. They traced their own course
from Amiens; soon they found the spot. The map was on a very large
scale, and it showed the hills and a great deal of detail. It was easy
to explain just where they had seen the Germans.

"They went into the woods, you say," said the general. "But why did you
think they stayed there? Why shouldn't they have gone on?"

"I went along the road to a spot where I could see beyond the woods,
sir," said Frank. "And there was no sign of them."

"You did? That was excellent--regular scouting. Oh, I fancy I
understand! Boy Scouts, are you?"

"Yes, sir," they echoed together.

"Well, if your information is exact--and I have no reason to doubt it,
of course--you did a very fine piece of scouting, and I shall be glad to
see that you get the proper amount of credit for it, when the time
comes. Now your information is most valuable. But before I can act on
it, I must be absolutely certain that it is accurate. Will one of you
help one of my scouts to determine this?"

"Let me go, sir," said Frank, quickly. "I was the one who saw the other
side of the woods--"

"But I know the country best," protested Henri. "And--"

"I think you'd better go," said the general to Frank. Perhaps he thought
Frank was English; in any case he selected him. "I don't think it will
be dangerous at all, or I shouldn't let you go. We haven't started using
boys in this war yet. Major, you will see to it that a start is made as
soon as possible!" turning to that officer.

The major saluted.

"Yes, sir, at once," he said. "The one who does not go can deliver the
despatches they brought from Amiens--a handful of marbles!"

"Eh? What's that? Those are the despatches from Colonel Menier. I'll
take those!"

Plainly, since he knew of them, he was the officer to whom they should
be delivered. So Frank and Henri, not without some misgivings,