Part 25 (1/2)
”All right,” Rod wound up by saying; ”our plan is to hang around until the war council breaks up, and then try to find a chance to speak with the commander-in-chief All ant to do is to show him who and e are, and then ask about Andre He may not have the time to bother with it hie of some subordinate officer who can tell us ant to know, as well as take us to Andre, if so be the poor fellow still lives”
While waiting they strolled around the i considerably interested in all that was going on
Josh in particular see Heofthe horses attached to a heavy gun pull the sa the field surgeon and his assistants binding up the grievous wounds of scores of poor felloho had been more or less injured in the battle
Rod was seated on a stu seriously of their own affairs when he suddenly beca toward hirave, as though so had happened to alar that came into Rod's ht have learned about the fate of Andre, and were now hurrying to tell him all their efforts had been in vain, for the husband of poor Jeanne could never sign his name to the paper they carried
”Is he dead, then?” was the way he addressed the up
”Oh! it isn't about Andre, Rod!” gasped Hanky Panky
”What then?” questioned the other, at the sah of relief, for he had feared the worst
”It's soiven us both a bad shock; he'll tell you, Rod,” continued the other, as tre visibly
”It's just this way, you see,” Josh spoke up ”There's a Gerain Whee! but he's got staring eyes, and he makes me think of a crazy man”
”Oh! he must be one of their wounded,” said Rod; ”when they pulled out in such a big hurry they couldn't take all with the that you've run across et aith the rest”
Josh shook his head with a vim
”Excuse me, Rod, but I don't think you've hit the real secret,” he went on to say ”This man has stayed here _for a purpose_, and he's about ready to lose his own life, I'd say, so as to carry it out I really and truly believe he must have a screw loose in the upper story”
”Go on,” said Rod, seeing that Josh evidently knew more than he had as yet explained
”I just noticed hi in a hole in the ground I happened to see hireen unifor else, Rod, that gave , and made the chills run down my back”
”Go on, and hurry, too!” advised Rod
”It was a wire, Rod, a wire that seeround, and disappear by the side of a tree It headed straight for the shelter that used to be the headquarters of the Gerht noaiting for the general to join the up, and looking white
”Yes, and ten chances to one there's a mine, planted under headquarters, which he eneral and all”
CHAPTER XXVII
WONDERFUL NEWS
”If what you suspect is true, Josh,” said Rod hurriedly, ”we a Can you lead us to the place where the et close to hi there?”
”Sure thing, Rod; why, I could have jumped down on his back if I'd wanted to; but I just hts, however, Rod changed his plan What he had conte seemed too risky; for if the ht touch the key and explode the h all the staff including the general hiathered as yet under the Headquarters shelter
”I'll try and get in touch with the officers before the council is called,” he told his comrades, and immediately started off