The Colonel, however, did not stop beside them. He evidently had letters to read, and wished to look them over in the seclusion of his tent.
“We will be having breakfast before long,” he remarked to the two boys on passing, “and I shall expect you to be my guests for the time being. While we eat our scanty meal you can tell me all you wish me to know.”
Here and there the fires had been built up again, and preparations were proceeding for the morning meal. This interested the boys. They had their customary appetites with them; and, besides, were amused to see how differently these men from the other side of the world went about certain things in connection with cooking.
It was not long before enticing odors began to arrive that caused Amos to express himself:
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“They know how to cook, let me tell you, Jack, even if their way of building a camp fireplace does look queer to us. I suppose different people have different ways of doing things. The result is, after all, the main thing, and if these splendid whiffs I’m getting mean anything I’ve got something to learn still.”
It was broad daylight when the Colonel came out of his tent again. Jack thought he looked as though he had had good news from home, for his eyes sparkled, and a smile could be seen on his bronzed face.
“Now, if you young chaps will sit down with me here at my camp table, we can talk while we eat,” he remarked as he joined them.
No one seemed to be at mess with the Colonel. Perhaps this was because they had duties elsewhere; or else he had let it be understood that he wished to be alone with the two American boys who had come from the Thunderer, bent on some mysterious errand that was yet to be made plain to him.
For a short time the conversation was on
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 general topics. The officer asked many questions, for he had not been in touch with the great outside world for weeks, and was naturally deeply interested in what might be going on across the Atlantic.
“I have been through your wonderful country years back,” he explained, as if to let them know why he took such an interest in America; “and I think it leads the whole world in many things. Most of us are hoping and praying that in this terrible world war that means everything to those who come after us, the Allies have the sympathy of the vast majority of your mixed people. Of course we recognize that nearly all who have Teuton blood in their veins would naturally side with our enemies.”
The boys assured him that as far as they knew that was the way things stood at the time they left home.
“And now,” continued the officer, kindly, “all I know about you is your names, so if you feel disposed to tell me what the Vice-Admiral wishes me to do for you I shall gladly take the matter
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 up, and act upon it, after today sees us through what we have laid out to perform.”
This was an invitation to begin at the start so as to tell him about Frank Turner, and how it happened he came to be turned out of his home some years back. Jack took it upon himself to be the spokesman, for Amos had insisted on this arrangement. He knew that Jack could gain more favors through his winning manner than he might ever expect to have come to him.
Jack did not enter too deeply into particulars. There was no need for them. When he spoke of Amos’ father having known Lord Kitchener long ago, and then handed the Territorial officer that wonderful paper which was now almost going to tatters through long handling, just as both boys expected, the result was all they could have hoped for.
After that Jack told how they had made their way along through that section of Belgium held by the Allies; and then, learning that Frank had gone to Northern France, searched for him there also.
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No doubt the Colonel was astute enough to realize that the chums must have undergone many hardships, and encountered numerous perils while trying to get on the track of the missing Frank. He did not ask for incidents, however. If, later on, the boys cared to go deeper into details he would be only too well pleased to listen; but just now the rough outlines of the case satisfied him.
How his eyes sparkled when Jack modestly told of their latest adventure. Like most others who were in the Dardanelles fight, the Colonel had heard wonderful stories concerning the blockade-runner, Captain Zenos; and it astonished him beyond measure to hear Jack tell how he and his chum had trapped the cunning Greek, and finally turned his cargo and powerboat over to the Allies.
Before the story had been barely finished he was insisting on shaking hands with the two American lads, after his breezy fashion.
“I am more than proud to have met you, to shake hands with you!” he declared. “You are
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 boys after my own heart. I can conceive of nothing finer than the trick you played on Zenos; and the only thing I regret is that you didn’t see fit to hand him over to our people. That man has carried a vast amount of shells to the enemy. Many of the Allies have lost their lives just because of him; and he would never have run the blockade again, you can rest assured.”
“That was what we feared,” said Jack, “and it bothered us to know what we ought to do. Circumstances settled it for us. You see, he was shut up below, with all that explosive stuff. If he believed we meant to hand him over to the British the chances were that, in a fit of desperation, he might have blown the boat up, and all of us would have perished with her.”
“And you made a bargain with him, did you, promising to let him go free on condition that he behaved himself? Well, my son, after all is said and done that seems to have been a wise move on your part. Zenos is a reckless scoundrel, and he knows what would happen to him if caught.”
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The story had now been finished, and the boys eagerly waited to hear what the Territorial officer would have to say. He seemed to be considering matters, since he remained silent for quite some............