enemy for papers?"

"Yes, sir. We're stuffed with note-books an' other little souveeners."

"Do your men ride?"

"Some of 'em, sir, but they'll foot it, if you don't mind. They hate
killing horses, so we turn 'em loose generally. This lot should be tied
up."

"What of the car?"

"Smithy will attend to that with a bomb, sir."

Bates evidently knew his business, so evidently that Dalroy did not even
question him as to the true inwardness of Smithy's attentions.

The squad cleared up their tasks with an extraordinary celerity. Smithy
crawled under the automobile with the flashlight, remained there exactly
thirty seconds, and reappeared.

The corporal saluted.

"We're ready now, sir," he said. "Perhaps her ladyship will march with
you behind the centre file?"

"Do you head the column?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then, for a little way, we'll accompany you. There were three in our
party, corporal. One, a Belgian named Jan Maertz, risked death to get
away and bring help. I'm afraid he has been captured on the Oosterzeele
road by two hussars detailed for the job. So, you see, I must try and
save him."

CHAPTER XIV

THE MARNE--AND AFTER

"That's awkward, sir," said the corporal, as the detachment moved off
into the night, leaving the motor-car's acetylene lamps still blazing
merrily.

"Why 'awkward'?" demanded Dalroy.

"Because, when we fellows met in a wood near Monze, we agreed that we'd
stick together, and fight to a finish; but if any man strayed by
accident, or got hit so badly that he couldn't march, he took his
chances, and the rest went on."

"Quite right. How does that affect the present situation?"

"Well, sir," said Bates, after a pause, "there's you an' the lady. Our
chaps are interested, if I may say it. You ought to have heard their
langwidge, even in whispers, when that--well, I can't call him anything
much worse than what he was, a German officer--when he was telling you
off, sir."

"What did the German officer say, sergeant?" put in Irene innocently.

"Corporal, your ladyship. Corporal Bates, of the 2nd Buffs."

"I'm sorry to have to interrupt," said Dalroy. "You must give Lady Irene
a full account some other time. If you are planning to cross the
Schelde to-night there is a long march before you. We part company at
the lane you spoke of. I leave her ladyship in the care of you and your
men with the greatest confidence. I make for Oosterzeele. If Jan Maertz
is a prisoner, I must do w