"Nothing doing, Bart," Frank counseled in a low tone. "Hold your horses. I know just how you feel. I had to lick him once and maybe you'll have your turn. But not now. I want to find out whether he knows anything about Tom." "All right," said Bart, "but it comes hard." Nick saw them standing there, and for a fraction of a second seemed to be of two minds about keeping on. He hated them all cordially and he had no doubt of the feeling with which they regarded him. But his hesitation was only momentary, and he came on with just a little additional swagger in his gait. He would have passed without stopping but Frank spoke to him pleasantly enough. "Hello, Nick!" he said. "See you've got back." "That's plain enough to see," responded Nick surlily. "Papa's little sunshine," murmured Billy under his breath. "Huns seem to have fed you pretty well," remarked Frank. Rabig only grunted and looked at Frank suspiciously. "Did you see anything of Tom Bradford over there?" asked Frank. A look of surprise came into Rabig's little eyes. "No," he answered. "Was he captured?" "We're afraid so," answered Frank. "I didn't see him," declared Rabig. "Perhaps he's killed," he added, almost smacking his lips with satisfaction. They longed to kick him, but restrained themselves, and Rabig passed on. "Isn't he a sweet specimen?" asked Bart in disgust, as he looked at Rabig's receding figure. "Did you see how his eyes lighted up when he heard that Tom was gone?" put in Billy. "The only thing that would give him more satisfaction would be to have the same thing happen to Frank." "I guess he hates us all alike," said Frank. "Down in his heart he knows that we believe him to be a traitor. His only comfort is that we haven't been able to catch him with the goods. But that will come in time. A little more rope and he can be depended on to hang himself. But that can wait. What I'm more interested in is that he didn't have any news of Tom." "Perhaps he was lying," suggested Bart. "He may have seen Tom over there, but wouldn't give us the satisfaction of telling us." "No, I don't think it was that," commented Billy. "I was watching him closely while Frank was talking to him, and I could see that he was really surprised as well as pleased to learn that Tom was gone." "But even if he didn't see him, that doesn't prove that Tom isn't there," suggested Bart. "He may have been captured by some other division. Besides, to tell the truth, I don't believe that Rabig was in a prison camp at all. Did you notice how fat and well fed he looked? I'll bet that he's been living high on the best the Huns could give him."