tenant gave an ugly, menacing grunt, but refused to say a word.

Daylight came, and with it a clear view of the American lines. A quarter
of an hour later they saw two horsemen coming toward them. Slim examined
them carefully with his glasses.

"The lieutenant and Frank," he announced. "Guess Joe's still on duty."

And Joe was. He was just relaying to the commander of the American
forces in France orders forwarded from London, and they were of the
greatest import to the three boys from Brighton.

CHAPTER XX

THE GREAT NEWS

"Well, Sergeants, how are you?" Lieutenant Mackinson greeted them, as he
and Frank came galloping up and swerved their horses around.

"Corporals, you mean, Lieutenant," Jerry corrected.

"No, I thought I meant sergeants," the lieutenant repeated. "In fact,
I'm quite sure I did."

"What do you mean?" Slim demanded eagerly, for the moment forgetting all
about their prisoners of war.

"Just what I said--sergeants," said Lieutenant Mackinson, smiling.

"Have we--Do you--" Jerry stopped to begin all over again, and the young
officer interrupted him.

"I suppose it's a little like telling secrets out of school," he said,
"but then, after all, it isn't any secret, for the news was out
yesterday afternoon. A lot of promotions were announced. Frank's been
made a corporal, and you boys--Joe, too--advanced to sergeant."

It was fully a minute before either lad could express himself, and the
lieutenant and Corporal Hoskins took a full measure of enjoyment out of
their apparent happy gratification.

"Lieutenant--" Slim began.

"Captain, if you please," Mr. Mackinson corrected amiably. "You see, I
was in the list, too."

Slim and Jerry simultaneously brought their horses to a halt while they
came to a full military salute.

As they approached Major Jones' headquarters with their prisoners,
Captain Mackinson turned another way and Corporal Hoskins dropped back.

Briefly, and without undue emphasis upon their own hardships or courage
or common sense, they gave the details of their activities since they
had left, and of the capture of Slim and the subsequent taking of his
captors.

"You have done well, exceptionally well," the major responded. "In
consequence whereof it gives me great pleasure to inform you that you
have been advanced to the rank of sergeant. In that respect I might
remind you that the next step is to a commission, and that merit and
courage will take a man to any com