n. A small, very much
excited lad came fairly bounding over the grass toward the figures of
the three chums and Professor Snodgrass.

"Oh, here you are!" cried the newcomer. "Found you at last--thought I
never would--asked everybody--nearly got stabbed by a sentry--had to
jump out of the way of a bullet--whoop--but here I am--Gosh! Say, it's
good to see you again--I told 'em I could find you--awful hot, ain't
it? Lots of things going on--never saw so many soldiers in all my
life--here they are, girls! I found 'em!"

Ned, Bob and Jerry gazed in amazement at the small lad. Ned murmured
his name--Andy Rush--and then Jerry, looking over the head of the
excited little chap, descried three girls approaching.

"Girls! Girls!" murmured the tall lad. "More girls! What does it
mean?"

CHAPTER VI

NODDY NIXON

Events were transpiring so rapidly for Ned, Bob and Jerry in the last
few hours, that it was no wonder they were somewhat startled. Coming
from strenuous bayonet practice to hear of a spy alarm, to have that
augmented by excitement over the big snake, to learn that the "spy"
was none other than Professor Snodgrass, and then to hear of his
strange mission, would have been almost too much for any group of lads
less sophisticated than this trio.

And hardly had they digested the news about the two missing girls, in
a search for whom they mentally agreed they would join, than along
came excitable Andy Rush and--more girls.

"There's Mollie Horton!" cried Ned, recognizing a girl who lived near
him in Cresville, and with whom he was very friendly.

"Yes, and I see Alice Vines," added Jerry.

"And Helen Gale is with her," commented Bob. "I'm glad she came!
Helen's a great girl for sport and----"

"You'd better be careful how you talk," warned Jerry, as the girls
continued to approach. "Helen and Helena are names very much alike,
but if you get them mixed up--well, Helen isn't one to stand any
nonsense."

"Aw, say----" began Bob, and then the nearer approach of the three
girls, to whom Andy Rush was beckoning, put a stop to any further talk
concerning them.

It might be added, to explain Jerry's reference, that Helena Schaeffer
was a girl in whom Bob Baker felt more than ordinary interest. At
first, because of the pro-German leanings of her father, she had been
a bit cold toward Bob when he joined the army with his chums, to fight
the Kaiser. But, as readers of the volume preceding this know, Helena
change