ed itself out on its course and,
flying high--absolutely hidden from the ground by a dense mass of black
clouds that seemed to spring up as if by magic--sped on.

Hal, with firm hands on the wheel, kept his gaze directly ahead. Chester
settled himself comfortably in his seat again, and Marquis, after
sniffing about for several moments, finally composed himself to sleep.

In spite of the fact that he was flying far above ground, the dog had
not shown a sign of nervousness or fright. Evidently he had no fear.
Possibly through his head flashed the thought that if these young boys
who were caring for him had saved him once, it was no more than they
would do again.

CHAPTER II.

BEYOND THE ENEMY.

Hal Paine and Chester Crawford, two young American lads, had already
seen much active service in the great European war of 1914, the greatest
war of all history.

With Hal's mother they had been in the capital of Germany when the
conflagration broke out. In making their way from Berlin they had been
separated from Mrs. Paine and, thrown upon their resources, it became
necessary for them to make their way out of Germany alone, or else to
stay in Berlin for an indefinite time. The boys elected to leave.

With Major Raoul Derevaux, a French Officer, then a captain, and Captain
Harry Anderson, an Englishman, they had finally succeeded in making
their way into the Belgian lines. They had witnessed the heroic defense
of the Belgians at Liege, and had themselves taken part in the battle.
Having accomplished several missions successfully, they had come to be
looked upon with the greatest respect by the Belgian commander.

At Louvain Hal was wounded, and Chester had him conveyed to Brussels.
Here the lads again fell in with Captain Anderson, and, through the good
offices of the latter, eventually found themselves attached to the
British forces on the continent. They had gained favor in the eyes of
Sir John French, the British Field Marshal in command of the British
troops, and had successfully accomplished several difficult missions.

Taken prisoners by the Germans, they had been saved from death at the
hands of a firing squad by the Emperor of Germany himself, and had
finally been taken back to Berlin.

In the streets of the German capital, one day, a message had been put
into their hands by an English prisoner, who declared that its delivery
to the Grand Duke Nicholas, commander of the hosts of the Czar of
Russia, was