ght," he said, with a sigh of relief. "They'll have an
escort here for us as quickly as it can ride over. I suppose you know I
signalled for that?"

"Yes, sir."

The officer was plainly puzzled by Frank and Henri. He could not quite
understand what they were doing in what was decidedly disputed ground.
But he had not the instinct that would have prompted a French, and more
especially, a German officer, to question them and, if he was not fully
satisfied, to put them under restraint.

"All right. We'll be getting on," he said. "Ride along, now. I'm going
back. Don't get out of touch. And if I'm not around when we get to the
road where we are to turn off for Guise, stop them. They know you're
guiding us."

He went off, with a great sputtering of his engine, and Frank and Harry
rode along quietly. But Frank felt a strange uneasiness.

"I feel as if there was something wrong around here," he said.

"What do you mean, Frank? Everything's quiet now. Even the firing is not
as heavy as it was."

"I know, but just the same, that's how I feel. As if there was something
in the air. What's this--a village we're coming to?"

"Yes, and the crossroads where the 'buses must turn, for Guise is just
beyond here, too."

"Doesn't look much like war, does it?" said Frank. "Look at that church.
I suppose it's been there for centuries. But the clock looks new,
doesn't it?"

"Yes, and it's stopped, too," said Henri, with a laugh. "I suppose they
are so excited about the war that they've forgotten to wind it
properly."

"The time of day doesn't matter much just now," said Frank. "I think--"
He stopped short, staring as if fascinated at the clock. Then with a cry
to Henri to wait for him, he turned and pedalled furiously back in the
direction the officer had taken.

"Who is the commander?" he called to the soldier driver of one of the
'buses.

"Capting 'Ardy," replied the man.

"Thanks," Frank called, and went on as fast as he could. He met Captain
Hardy coming toward him. Swiftly he told him what he had seen, and
Hardy, tugging at his revolver, sped on. Frank followed but was left far
behind, naturally, by the speed of the motorcycle. When he reached the
church he looked up at the clock again. Captain Hardy's motorcycle was
lying in the street, and Henri was staring at the church door greatly
puzzled.

"What is the matter?" cried Henri. "The officer came back, jumped off
his machine and tore into the church as if his life d