aul. If they're coming,
there'll be so many more that one more or less won't count."

"Well, they're coming! I'm more sure of that than ever since we found
that house. I say, Arthur, I think you'd better stay right out here in
the road with the motorcycle, while I run in and get the plans. If we
both went, we might be caught--and I don't want to have to explain
anything until we've told what we know to the staff officers."

"All right, Paul. But don't be long."

"I won't! Here we are! Now you wait--and I'll get back just as soon
as I can."

It was an easy matter, as it turned out, for Paul to slip into the
grounds and retrieve the plans. But it took time, and time, had he
only known it, was the one thing he could not afford to waste just
then. Somehow neither he nor Arthur had given a further thought to the
two Germans they had so cleverly eluded in the mysterious cottage.
They had felt that these two enemies, at least, might be counted out
for that night.

And so Paul, returning to the spot where he had left Arthur, took no
particular pains to conceal himself. He called out as he vaulted the
low wall between the grounds of his uncle's place and the road.

"It was easy!" he cried. "No one was about. They're probably so
excited that they haven't even missed us yet! Start your engine!
We've got to hurry now."

Arthur tried to obey. But there was some slight hitch in the starting
of the engine. Then the spark worked, and the motor began to throb.
The cycle started; Paul leaped up to his place behind. And then,
behind them, came a sudden roar, the sound of another motorcycle, and a
flash of light swept over them.

"Stop!" cried a voice--a voice they knew! It was one of the Germans!

"Go on! Hurry!" cried Paul. "Perhaps we can get away from them--we're
ahead, anyhow!"

The motorcycle leaped forward now, but from behind they could still
hear the barking of the exhaust of the other machine, and the excited
cries of the Germans. Luck was with them, however, for just at that
most critical of moments something must have gone wrong with the
pursuing machine. The noise of its motor ceased behind them. The
shouting continued, but only one voice was raised. Plainly the other
man was busy. While their luck held, Arthur pushed the machine at the
best speed he could get out of it. And it was well that he did, since
the trouble with the other motor was soon mended. It sprang into
sputtering life aga