leaves you half his fortune and me the other half. I have
been looking everywhere for you, and now I have found you. But I wish
the boys were here."

"What boys?" asked Miss Petersen.

Without answering this question the professor explained his errand,
and told of his long search for the girls, to their no small
astonishment. They were shocked to hear of their uncle's death, but
they had, long since, given up all hope of ever sharing in his wealth,
even though he had become reconciled to them after the deaths of their
parents.

"But it is all true," said Professor Snodgrass. "He wants you to share
in his fortune, or rather, he wanted you to, and I am to carry out his
wishes as expressed in his will. By so doing I get a fortune for
myself. It is really a great relief. But now tell me--how did you
girls get here? The last I heard of you was that you were near Metz."

"We were there," answered Miss Petersen; "but the German family with
whom we were staying after uncle went away thought the place in
danger of capture and left, taking us with them. Finally, after
traveling about, they said we had better shift for ourselves, as it
was dangerous for any German to befriend any American, which we are.
So we did what we could. We tried to make our way to the Allied lines,
but this was as far as we could get. Tell me, Professor, do you think
the Americans will come?"

"Oh, of course! Yes!" asserted Professor Snodgrass, who would have
said anything, just then, to gain time to think, and not to worry the
girls. "Of course they'll be here, but perhaps we had better go to
meet them."

"Oh, yes! Let's!" cried Dorothy. "Poor Uncle Emil! If he were only
here! He was very kind to us."

"Yes, we loved him," added Gladys softly. "He was so much like you,
Professor Snodgrass--you remind me very much of him."

"I am glad I do," was the simple answer. "Emil Petersen was a man to
be proud of. He was my friend. And now let us consider what is best to
do. I think we had better leave."

And so, though only after much protest on the part of the kind
Frenchman, who warned them of their danger, the three set out. A hat
was provided for Professor Snodgrass. They were going to try to reach
the American lines.

"I fear you will all be captured," said their host. "And, if you are,
it will go hard with you. The Germans hate the Americans worse than
ever since the recent defeat of the Kaiser's best troops. I fear you
will not get through."