"Come in," called Lieutenant Donaldson, as Bill knocked on the door. "Stand easy. Now, Grant and Higgins. I haven't had a chance of congratulating you on what you did the other day." "That wasn't nothing, sir--on'y luck, that was," murmured Bill, and Alf shuffled his feet sympathetically. Each had an uncomfortable feeling that he was obtaining credit on false pretenses. "However," continued the company commander, "what I want you to do now is to tell the intelligence officer just how it all happened, and answer his questions." He was looking at Higgins as he spoke, and could not help being struck with the expression of horrified apprehension that flitted across those ingenuous features. He said nothing, however, but while the intelligence officer was catechizing them he kept his sleepy-looking but most observant eyes more than ordinarily wide open. "And that's all you can tell me?" asked the I.O., after he had asked a dozen questions and received nothing but the most unsatisfactory of replies. "Yes, sir. The Boche, 'e didn't tell us nothing. 'E comes down the road, an' we jumps out on 'im. 'Iggins 'ere grabs 'is pistol, an' we marches 'im 'ome. That's all." "Did you question him at all?" "No, sir." "Why not? You didn't expect to see a Boche officer there, did you?" "No, sir." "Then why didn't you question him?" Bill looked about him for inspiration, and got it. "I thought, sir, as 'ow we ought to leave all that to you." Lieutenant Donaldson watched the relief overflow Alf's countenance, and wondered what all this could mean. "That's what the Staff seem to think, too," sighed the I.O., getting sadly to his feet. "Well, if that's all you can tell me, I'll be off. I hope it'll pacify the blighters. I can see myself getting shot at dawn over this business. So long, Donaldson." He went out. Higgins and Grant saluted and were about to follow, when Donaldson, taking a letter from his pocket, stopped them. "I've had a most curious letter," he said slowly, "from the Reserve Battalion." He looked up sharply as he spoke, and saw sheer panic terror gazing at him from Alf's eyes. "Captain Sandeman writes to ask if you two men are here or whether by any chance you have deserted. He gives your names and numbers correctly, and a description of you both, and says that these two men reported to his battalion and then broke out of the guard-room and mysteriously disappeared." He looked sharply from one to the other. Alf was trembling visibly; Bill was trying to look unconcerned, but with little success. "Now, listen to me," said Lieutenant Donaldson, in the most impressive voice he could summon. "Understand this. I've had my eye on you two men for some time, and this little game of yours has got to stop. I shall say no more now, but the next time...." He glanced once more at Alf, and saw that the effects of his remarks were good.