Chester and the lieutenant had not arrived,
and once more Hal felt that queer sinking sensation in his stomach.
"If anything has happened to Chester," he mused, "I don't know what I
shall do."
But his anxiety was soon set at rest, for a few moments later Chester and
Lieutenant Anderson appeared in the doorway.
Hal jumped to his feet and seized Chester by the hand.
"I was afraid--" he began in a queer voice, but the lieutenant silenced
him with a gesture.
"Careful!" he whispered.
Hal returned to his seat and Chester and the lieutenant also sat down.
Hal recounted the experience he and the captain had had, and the
lieutenant said:
"Then we have no time to waste. We must leave here at once."
Rising, the four companions left the hotel.
"We must get something to eat before we go," declared the Frenchman, and
accordingly they dropped into a little restaurant, where they treated the
inner man to his entire satisfaction. Then they went to the street again.
"The best thing we can do is to go straight through the town and out on
the other side--if we can," said the lieutenant, and they turned their
steps toward the north once more.
They reached the northern extremity of the town without difficulty and
just as they were congratulating themselves on their good fortune, Hal
gripped lieutenant Anderson by the arm and whispered:
"Look!"
Not two hundred yards ahead could be seen a line of army huts, extending
on either side as far as the eye could see.
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