The general himself had not arrived yet. But, after a long wait, he came
in, alone. He motioned their guards away, and then turned on the boys
with a scowl.
"Do you remember me?" he demanded.
The two lads nodded affirmatively. They were, for the moment,
beyond speech.
"And I remember you," went on the general. "You," he continued, pointing
to Hal, "are the American upstart who almost knocked me over in the
station at Berlin. I said I would have you whipped. Well, my time has
come. Now, you just sit quiet," he said loudly, as Hal and Chester took a
step forward. "I will write out your sentence right now," and he turned
toward a table.
"I won't be whipped!" cried Hal to Chester. "They will have to kill
me first!"
The general paid no attention to this remark, but continued to write in
silence. Finally he arose, with a paper in his hand.
"Here is your sentence," he said, turning to Hal. "Read, and see what you
think of it."
Hal took the paper the general extended to him. As he read an expression
of amazement passed over his face.
Hal passed the paper to Chester without a word, and, as Chester read, he
also grew amazed. And no wonder.
For what the general had written was a safe-conduct for both lads to the
Belgian lines; and the signature at the bottom was that of General Count
Von Moltke, commander-in-chief of all the German armies!
Hal stepped forward.
"General," he stammered, "we--I--we don't know how to thank you.
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