turned an anxious look upon Rod. To be taken for a spy
was a serious thing in these war times, when a short shrift often
followed such a charge.

Rod did not lose his self-possession. At the same time a little frown
appeared on his usually placid face.

"That is a serious thing you charge us with, my Colonel," he remarked.
"We are three American boys who were caught in the whirl of war. We
finally found our way out of Belgium with much difficulty. Two of our
number started back home, having been recalled by a message of
importance."

"But Belgium is far away from Paris, and the banks of the Marne, young
M'sieu!" said the officer, with a touch of satire in his cold voice, and
a look toward a man dressed as a civilian, who, Rod noticed, was
intently watching them.

"That is true, Monsieur le Colonel," immediately replied the boy, "and
we can explain that easily. We met with a poor French woman in Antwerp
whose story enlisted our sympathies. She had just come by a paper from a
lawyer in Paris whereby her husband would inherit quite a snug little
fortune if he signed the same document within a stated time. But as he
had hastened to join his regiment when war was declared she feared the
opportunity would be forever lost. And, my Colonel, we three boys,
hoping also to see something of what was going on along the French
front, gave Jeanne D'Aubrey our promise that we would try to find her
Andre, so that the paper might be signed."

The colonel appeared to be interested, also the other officers, for they
were all French, and as such could appreciate anything bordering on
chivalry. Nevertheless the commander shook his head a little sadly.

"That sounds very fine, young M'sieu," he went on to say, "but, alas!
what are we to believe when this gentleman, who is a fully accredited
member of the French Secret Service, informs us that he certainly saw
you communicating with the enemy only last night, and that there can be
no doubt of your guilt?"

At hearing this Hanky Panky uttered a low cry of alarm, while Josh
glared defiantly at the man in question, who was nodding his head as if
confirming all the colonel said.

"Aha! I smell a rat," Josh muttered, "and its name is Jules, too! I can
see his fine hand back of all this raw deal."

Rod had to think fast. He, too, believed that the Secret Agent must be
in the employ of the schemer; but it might not be advisable to say so as
bluntly as Josh seemed capable of doing.

"Kee