The sergeant of the guard came up shortly and relieved Frank, who hurried to his dugout to make some hasty preparations and tell his friends of his good fortune. They were overjoyed. “Lucky dog,” remarked Billy, giving him a resounding thump on the shoulder. “I only wish that the colonel needed three messengers instead of one so that we could all go along.” “If you fell overboard, you wouldn’t get wet,” chaffed Tom. “Give my best regards to the Heinies when you see them and tell them how sorry I am that they’ve got to eat crow.” “I won’t forget,” laughed Frank, as he shook hands hurriedly and hastened off. He found the colonel waiting for him. In a moment Frank had mounted the orderly’s horse and he and the colonel rode off together. “By the way,” remarked the colonel, in the course of the conversation that ensued as they rode side by side, “I heard from Andre two days ago, and he said that things were not progressing as favorably as he could hope in regard to the De Latour property. Quite unexpectedly additional obstacles have come up. I was not going to bother you about this, for I knew you would be greatly worried. But the war has changed many things, and things in law are not so easy to adjust as they were. I am still hoping that all will come out right in the end. He, however, expects that he will be able to have the title perfected before Christmas, which is now less than two months off. I know the delay is exasperating, but that is to be expected in all legal affairs. I thank the stars,” he added with a smile, “that I was made a soldier instead of a lawyer.” “I agree with you,” returned Frank, “and yet we couldn’t very well do without them, and I am very thankful to your brother as well as yourself for the kindness you have shown in trying to secure my mother’s rights.” Frank tried to speak lightly but he was forced to heave a heavy sigh. There had been so many delays in the past! Would his mother ever be able to prove her claim to that property and really take possession of it? In a little while they had reached the French lines. “You see,” smiled the colonel, “that I was right when I said it would be a race between us to see who would get first to Sedan. We’ve kept pretty well up with you, although your task has been far the harder. Oh, you Americans! I’m glad that you’re our friends instead of our enemies as I should hate to have to face your soldiers in the field.” “We’ll never meet except as brothers in arms,” returned Frank. “That’s what Washington and Lafayette were, and our nations have been the closest of friends ever since. The greatest republic of the old world and the greatest of the new have always stood and will always stand for liberty and civilization.”