fair France.

"Mark my word well. So, if I am spared to return to you, after the war,
I shall meet all of you again, and I shall be able to grasp the hand of
each one of you, and say: 'Well done! You have deserved well, you of
France and of the Boy Scouts Francais!'"

His sword flashed from his scabbard, and he held it stiffly to the
salute. Then sheathing it, he turned and stamped from the room. He went
with a high head and a happy heart to the service of the land he
loved--as millions of Frenchmen had gone or would go.

There was silence when he had gone. Quietly the scouts melted away to
the tasks they had in hand. The words of their departing leader had made
a great impression on them. Nor had his reminder of what they should and
should not do against the Germans been unnecessary.

"I suppose he must be right," said Henri, a little wistfully. "I shall
obey. But I had hoped that I might have a shot at a few Germans! Frank,
I have practiced so often with my rifle! I have killed hawks and
rabbits--"

"Let's find Colonel Menier," said Frank. "We can hurt the Germans far
more, I expect, by obeying orders than by killing a few. It is not the
killing of a few men that will settle this war, Henri! War is bad--war
is terrible. Let us not make it worse."

Then they went to the barracks, inquiring, as they had been told to do,
for Colonel Menier. Soon they were brought to him, a busy, tired looking
officer of the staff. He eyed them keenly.

CHAPTER VII

THE GLORY OF WAR

One glance at Henri seemed to satisfy him. The French boy, so typical of
his race, he was ready to take for granted. He asked just one question.

"You speak English well? You can understand thoroughly?"

"Yes, my colonel," answered Henri.

Then the officer turned to Frank.

"You are English--one of our allies?" he asked.

"No, sir." And Frank had to explain, for the hundredth time since the
war began, as it seemed to him, his nationality and his mixed blood. He
threw up his head a little proudly now as he told of his French mother.

"That is well enough," said the colonel. "You are neutral--in America.
But I think--ah, yes, I believe that you Americans remember Lafayette
and the help you had from Frenchmen once."

"I am ready to do what I can for France, colonel," said Frank, simply.
"That is all I can say."

"Or I, or any of us," said Colonel Menier. "Listen well, then. I shall
tell you things that no one else is to know. You, M