. The latter surveyed them critically.

"You'll do," he said at last, with an approving nod. "Now--are you
armed?"

"Two automatics each, sir, and a good supply of cartridges," said Hal.

"_Bien_! Here," the general handed each a little silver whistle, "should
you ever be in a tight place and in need of assistance, blow these, and,
if help is near, you will get it."

The lads shoved the whistles out of sight in the clothes.

"I guess that is about all," said the general. "Remember, the main thing
I want is Duval. Establish his true identity and learn where he can be
found and you will have done enough. The rest of the work will be for
other hands. By the way, if I were you, I would go first to the _Quartier
Latin_, and loiter about there. You know where it is?"

"No, sir," said Hal.

The general gave them the necessary directions and then rose.

"That is all," he said, and the lads, realizing that their interview was
at an end, saluted and took their departure.

For an hour they walked along the streets, and at last found themselves
in the midst of the Latin Quarter of the French capital. Here they saw
many others of their own apparent ilk, dressed in rags, dirty, and
carrying a certain hangdog and famished look.

"Guess we are in the right place," said Hal to Chester in a low voice.

"Looks like it," said Hal, "but the question is, how are we going to find
out anything?"

"We'll have to trust to luck," said Chester.

But Dame Fortune smiled upon them sooner than they could possibly have
anticipated, and it came about in this wise:

As the lads walked slowly along they were attracted by a terrible din and
confusion in the distance. They stopped for a moment and listened and
then went forward swiftly.

Rounding a corner into a dark side street they came abruptly upon the
scene of the confusion. A dirty little street Arab was defending himself
with bravery and skill against an overwhelming number of other rowdies.
The little fellow was fighting with tooth, nail and foot, but in spite of
his agility and stubbornness, he was getting the worst of the encounter.

He went down and the others piled on top of him.

"Come on, Hal," exclaimed Chester, "let's give the fellow a hand."

"All right," agreed the latter; "but, remember, no guns. It would
give us away."

They dashed quickly forward, and, striking out right and left, cleared a
path for themselves and were soon at the side of the fallen man. While
Ha