Sadly the little man walked away. "By Jove! that is tough," commented Timothy. "Yet, with such information I should have done the same. Well, our jobs are saved, but I’ll bet Stubbs’ resignation will be unnecessary. He’s fired right now, though he doesn’t know it." And so it was none other than Anthony Stubbs who was responsible for the premature flash that reached America that the armistice had been signed. Every city in the United States, almost, when the news was heard, had declared a holiday. Hours and days passed and still the news could not be confirmed. And then the state department issued a statement denying it. The feeling of happiness changed to disappointment. But in the French city of Versailles Anthony Stubbs was, at the moment perhaps, the most disappointed man in the world. *CHAPTER XXII* *SPA* The German envoys, returning to their own lines, were silent as the big airplane driven by Hal sped across the allied lines. Eyes below were strained as the craft dashed along, for news traveled swiftly among the soldiers and word that the preliminary meeting between the German delegates and Marshal Foch had not been entirely satisfactory had spread among the troops. As General Dupree had told Hal, firing ceased in the zone that the airplane traversed. Guns snorted and bullets flew on all other sides, but Hal, laying his course by the map General Dupree had given him, avoided all danger. From the spokesman of the German delegates Hal had learned that their destination was the little German village of Spa. It was there that the German emperor and the High Command was quartered. Hal laid the nose of the airplane in that direction. Now, in flying, great distance can be covered in a very short period of time. The plane that Hal drove was capable of making almost 200 miles an hour under proper conditions. Hal, however, did not attempt to get that speed out of the machine. Flying well above the ground, the craft sped quietly along at something like 100 miles an hour. It was dark when they passed across the brief expanse of No Man’s Land. Looking down, Chester saw a few twinkling lights. These, he knew, came from the German positions. Some were signal lights for the enemy aircraft, others just the lights usually to be found in a great army encampment. Chester leaned forward and touched Hal on the shoulder. "Sure you have the right course?" he asked. "Perfectly," was Hal’s response, his voice raised almost to a shout to make himself heard above the humming of the motor and the purr of the giant wings of the aircraft. Chester sat back, apparently satisfied. The lights displayed among the German troops disappeared as the plane continued its journey toward the northeast. Soon, however, other lights came into view below. "This," said Hal, "should be Spa, unless my geography and sense of direction are all wrong. I’ll take a chance, at all events."