"You don’t mean it," was the colonel’s ejaculation. "You were certainly confounded lucky. It’s an event I would like to have seen myself. You must feel pretty important, eh?" "Not so important that we cannot do a little more before the war ends," Chester said quietly. "There is still work to be done," returned Colonel O’Neil quietly. "Hear the firing?" The lads did not need to strain their ears to hear the distant rumble of big guns and the sharp crack of infantry firing, nearer at hand. "Still at it, eh?" murmured Chester. "You would think that with the end of the war so close at hand, officers and men alike would be content to sit quiet." "On the contrary, though," laughed Colonel O’Neil, "it would appear that each side is determined to wreak what death and destruction it can before a few written words shall stop this business of wholesale killing and ruin." "So it would seem," Hal agreed. "But in the meantime, Colonel, is there nothing we can do? We would like to be in this war right up to the finish, you know, sir." The colonel considered briefly. "Well, yes, there is a little work you may do," he said. He turned to his desk and scribbled briefly. Turning again, he passed a paper to Chester. "Major Lawrence," he said, "has not yet been informed at what hour the armistice becomes effective. This message will enlighten him. Will you deliver it for me?" "Yes, sir," said Chester briefly. "And me, Colonel, what am I to do?" demanded Hal. "Oh, you, Major," laughed the colonel, "you accompany Major Crawford and see that my instructions are carried out." "It shall be done, sir," said Hal. The two lads left their colonel and hurried towards Major Lawrence’s detachment, at the extreme front. "Well," said Chester as they hurried along, "looks like our fighting days are over." "It certainly does," Hal agreed, "but you never can tell, you know." "True enough. It’s as likely as not that one of us may fall yet before the war ends." "I guess not," Hal said. "We’ve gone through four years of it now. I’ve begun to believe we bear charmed lives." "It does seem so, but it only takes one bullet, in the proper place, to settle that argument." "That’s right enough," Hal admitted, "but I’ve a feeling that we shall both live to spend many pleasant days in the United States." "Oh, I’m not thinking of getting killed," Chester declared. "I’m just remarking on what is possible." "Anything is possible at this age of the world," said Hal sententiously. The lads now had come within sight of Major Lawrence’s detachment. Bullets were flying thick and fast among the American troops, who had sought the shelter of long lines of funk holes, until recently in possession of the enemy. Chester delivered his message at once. "Well," said Major Lawrence, "I guess we’ll be about here when the war ends. Believe me, I am not going to order an advance when I know the war’s about over, and I don’t think the enemy will."