ling along at a good
gait. Hal did not wish to go too fast, for he was not familiar with the
roads, and besides, the steep grade also precluded this.

Night fell. Hal stopped the car long enough to light the searchlights.

"They may betray our presence," he said, "but if I don't light them we
are likely to go into a ditch."

The car crept along slowly during the night hours, and morning found
them still in the mountains. With the coming of dawn, however, Hal put
on more speed, and by noon they were once more on the plains of Galicia.
Then Hal "let her out."

Suddenly the machine flashed by a body of troops. Hal swerved to one
side of the road just in time to avoid running into them. Chester caught
a glimpse of their uniforms.

"Russians!" he called to Hal.

"Are you sure?" the latter called back.

"Sure," replied Chester.

Hal reduced the speed of the car.

"In that event I'll slow down," he said.

The car went along now at a more moderate pace; but once again on a road
clear of troops, the speed was increased. They made several stops along
the route, and it was late the following afternoon when they recognized
the familiar minarets of Lodz. Half an hour later the lads were admitted
to the presence of the Grand Duke, Alexis remaining outside in the
automobile.

Hal made his report to the Grand Duke clearly and concisely.

"I feared as much," said the Russian commander-in-chief, when the lad
had finished. "You have done well, however. You will rejoin your
regiment as soon as convenient."

At this moment Count de Reslau appeared in the Grand Duke's tent. He did
not at first notice the presence of the two lads, and bowed to the
Russian commander.

"Your Excellency----" he began.

At that moment his eyes rested on Hal and Chester and a look of surprise
and consternation passed over his face.

"You here?" he cried.

Hal and Chester bowed.

"Yes, sir," said the latter quietly.

The Grand Duke turned to the count with a smile.

"And they have successfully performed their mission," he said. "But it
is even as I have feared. Brunnoi will support Austria. And what is
worse, my plans are being learned by at least one of his agents and sent
to the Austrian general staff."

"Impossible!" exclaimed the count, who had now regained his composure.
He turned to the two lads. "Certainly," he said, "when I saw you last I
did not expect that you would ever return here. It was a hazardous
mission the Duke sent yo