enchy looked suddenly at him, then embraced him. "See, I will give you
ziss," he said, handing Tom the little iron button. "I haf' two--see? I
will tell you about zis," he added, drawing close and holding it so that
Tom could see. "It is made from ze cannon in my pappa's regiment. Zis is
when Alsace and Lorraine were lost--you see? Zey swear zey would win or
die together--and so zey all die--except seventy. So zese men, zey swear
zey will stand by each other, forever--zese seventy. You see? Even in
poor Alsace--and in Lorraine. So zese, ze haf' make from a piece of ze
cannon. You see? If once you can get across ze Zherman lines into
Alsace, zis will find you friends and shelter. Ah, but you must be
careful. You see? You must watch for zis button and when you see--zen
you can show zis. You will know ze person who wears ze button is
French--man, woman, peasant, child. Ze Zhermans do not know. Zey are
fine spies, fine sneaks! But zis zey do not know. You see?"

It was as much to please the generous Frenchy as for any other reason
(though, to be sure, he was glad to have it) that Tom took the little
button and put it in his pocket.

"Ze iron cross--you know zat?"

"I've heard about it," said Tom.

"Zat means murder, savagery, death! Zis little button means friendship,
help. Ze Zhermans do not know. You take this for--what you call--lucky
piece?"

"I'll always keep it," said Tom, little dreaming what it would mean to
him.

An authoritative voice was heard and they saw the soldiers throwing away
their cigars and cigarettes and emptying their pipes against the rail.
At the same time the electric light in the converted guard house was
extinguished and an officer came along calling something into each of
the staterooms along the promenade tier. They were entering the danger
zone.

CHAPTER VII

HE BECOMES VERY PROUD, AND ALSO VERY MUCH FRIGHTENED

Tom's talk with Frenchy left him feeling very proud that he was American
born. He had that advantage over the Frenchman, he thought, even though
Frenchy had escaped through a pass in the Alsatian mountains and made
such an adventurous flight.

When Frenchy had spoken of the American soldiers Tom felt especially
proud. He was glad that all his people so far as he knew anything about
them, were good out-and-out Yankees. Even his poor worthless father had
been a great patriot, and played the _Star-Spangled Banner_ on his old
accordion when he ought to have been at work