“No, they are not spies. I can’t make out just what their little game is. It’s important, though; you can see that. And we have got to stop it somehow.” “That ought to be easy enough. Just go back and get the bunch and a few soldiers, and take ’em.” “What’s the time, anyhow?” asked Porky. He answered his own question by fishing his wrist watch out of his pocket. He had put it there for fear the luminous dial might be seen. “Only eleven,” he said. “Plenty of time.” He sat staring into the darkness. There were very few flares now, although the night was usually kept bright with them. “Wonder why that is,” Porky said. “Something to do with our little mud house, don’t you think so?” said Beany. “Yes, I do,” answered his brother. “I wish I could make it out. Give us time, give us time!” “Well, come on! I want to get some one on the job,” said Beany. “I feel fidgety.” “Sit still,” said Porky. “I want to think.” “What you got in your head now?” said Beany. His voice sounded anxious. “We are going to take those men prisoners with our own little wrenches and just by our two selves.” “Three of them?” gasped Beany. “Three of them!” said Porky. “Come on!” CHAPTER VI TAKING THREE PRISONERS “Come nothing!” said Beany slangily. “You stay right here until we can talk this thing over, and make some sort of a plan. I don’t propose to go into something we can’t get out of.” “Well,” said Porky, “the only plan I have is so crazy that I’m sort of afraid to tell you about it. But it would certainly be sort of nifty to take those men ourselves instead of running back to the bunch for help. It would kind of put a little gilt on things and would be something to tell Bill and Peggy about when they grow up a little.” Beany was impressed. “I hadn’t thought of that,” he said. “Looks like we haven’t much to tell them about, nothing but the submarine and the secret passage and that sort of thing.” “And the spies back home,” added Porky. “No, we ought to wind up with something else. Beside, if I don’t get hold of a Hun or two after what we saw and heard back at the Duval farm, I don’t think I’ll ever live.” “Well, I’m with you,” agreed Beany. “Now let’s plan. We sure have got to get a prisoner or two our own selves. What’s next?” For twenty minutes the boys, heads close together, whispered rapidly. Then they rose and went noiselessly toward the false hillock.