where there are cattle and I
learned to shoot and ride a horse and throw the rope pretty well."

"That's quite an accomplishment, all right," offered Jack.

"Agreed!" announced Jimmie. "But," he went on, "we're losing time and
I'm losing flesh while you argue about it. Leave Dave alone, now.
Can't you see him blushing over the praise you're giving him? Let's
hustle about and get some eats started. I'm hungry, I tell you!"

"All right, Jimmie, your wants shall be supplied. We'll make another
pot of coffee and all hands will take a cup with you for luck."

"This all happened so suddenly," said Ned, as the five lay about the
fires waiting for the cooking to be finished, "that I haven't had a
chance to ask you a question nor tell you how overjoyed I am to have
you with us again. But I'm really delighted. How did it happen?"

"Well, they took us with them after Dave knocked over one of their
tents," began Jimmie, with a sly look at his companion. "If it hadn't
been for that plucky kid over there, I most likely would have lost my
temper two or three times and tried to whip the whole German army."

"Oh, I say, you know," declared Dave. "He's putting it on too thick!
I really wasn't much help at all. It was Jimmie who got the Kaiser
into a good humor and then saved his life!"

"Go on, go on!" urged Ned, excitedly. "Tell us about it quickly!"

In response to the invitation, Jimmie and Dave together told the story
of their adventures since last seeing their chums. Jimmie was in turn
told of the exciting scenes through which the three boys had passed,
and to him also were made known the circumstances through which Dave
had joined the party. As the boys finally drew their narratives to a
conclusion, Jimmie, who had followed the tales of his comrades with
interest, turned to Ned and said:

"And so you were on the point of rescuing me when that fellow shot the
rope by which Dave was hanging and you thought it was all off!"

"You are right, we thought things were going wrong with us then."

"And after that you pretty nearly got into a trap yourselves."

"Yes and we were compelled to exchange our perfectly good uniforms for
some old rags that would disgrace a wharf rat!" was Ned's indignant
response. "Then we simply took the privilege of putting on these
garments. They are not what we would have chosen, but they match
yours."

"They fooled Dave and myself, all right," laughed Jimmie. "We thought
that we ha