word (presumably a
disparaging adjective) which preceded the word _Yankees_. "It's got
one--two--three--wait a minute--it's got thirty-seven letters to it.
_Go-o-od night_!"

"And that must be Arracourt," said Tom. "I heard about that place--it
ain't so far from Nancy. Gee, I wish we could read that letter!"

"I'd like to know what kind of a Yankee a b-l-o-e----"

But Archer gave it up in despair.

CHAPTER XI

THE SCOUT THROUGH ALSACE

As soon as it was dark they started southward, following the ridge.
Their way took them up hill and down dale, through rugged uplands where
they had to travel five miles to advance three, picking their way over
the trackless, rocky heights which formed the first foothills of the
mighty Alps.

"S'pose we should meet some one?" Archer suggested, as he followed Tom's
lead over the rocky ledges.

"Not up here," said Tom. "You can see lights way off south and maybe
we'll have to pass through some villages tomorrow night, but not
tonight. We'll only do about twelve miles tonight if it keeps up like
this."

"S'pose somebody should see us--when we'rre going through a village?
We'll tell him we'rre herre to back the Kaiser, hey?"

"S'pose he's a Frenchman that belongs in Alsace," Tom queried.

"Then we'll add on _out o' France_. We'll say--look out for that
rock!--We'll just say we'rre herre to back the Kaiser, and if he looks
sourr we'll say; _out o' France. Back the Kaiser out o' France_. We win
either way, see? A fellerr in prison told me General Perrshing wants a
lot of men with glass eyes--to peel onions. Look out you don't trip on
that root! Herre's anotherr. If you'rre under sixteen what part of the
arrmy do they put you in? The infantry, of course. Herre's----"

"Never mind," laughed Tom. "Look where you're stepping."

"What I'm worrying about now," said Archer, his spirits mounting as they
made their way southward, "is how we're going to cross the frontierr
when we get to it. They've got a big tangled fence of barrbed wirre all
along, even across the mountains, to where the battleline cuts in. And
it's got a good juicy electric current running through it all the time.
If you just touch it--good night!"

"I got an idea," said Tom simply.

"If I could get a piece of that electrified wirre for a souveneerr,"
mused Archer, "I'd----"

"You'll have a broken head for a souvenir in a minute," said Tom, "if
you don't watch where you're going."

"Gee, you've got eyes