Rapidly the General gave the necessary orders. The two men were led off a short distance and placed under close guard. An escort, with a couple of captains and an expert electrician, was named for the boys, and without a question from the General, who knew how to bide his time, the little party filed out of the tent and went back down the trail. When they were out of hearing, the General laughed and spoke. “I often wonder,” he said, “how those two boys pass the time in their own home. I don’t mind trying to run an army, but running those twins is a bigger task than I like to tackle. I am glad they don’t know just how glad I will be to hear the story they will tell us when they get the job finished. Three prisoners, and they want an escort of officers and an electrician! Well, they are on the trail of something, I’ll be bound! I would like to question those prisoners but I won’t spoil the boys’ innocent pleasure in what they are doing. But I _must_ say that I want one of you to keep an eye on them every second now until we return to headquarters. They are to be shipped home from there with a special passport, and I will be able to sleep better.” “They came with General Bright, did they not?” asked a Captain. “Yes, and when he was called to Paris, I foolishly offered to let them stay at headquarters. I thought they would play around and kill time until Bright came back. That’s what I get for overlooking their records. Things are bound to happen wherever they go.” “All boys are like that more or less, but this is a lively pair,” said the Captain. “They seem to want to know everything. They are studying all my books on the French and English guns now, and I heard one of them say the other day that he had some good ideas on airplanes.” “I hope he takes them home then,” said the General. “They are good youngsters, and I’ll be glad to get a receipt from their parents for them. They are perfectly obedient, and strict as any old regular about discipline, but no matter _what_ good care we try to take of them, they are always getting into tight places.” “Their coming over here seems a strange thing,” said one of the officers. “Sort of irregular.” “There _is_ a reason,” said the General. “They don’t know it themselves. They were sent across because it seemed a good thing to have a boy’s point of view for the boys over there of things over here. When I say they were sent, I do not mean that their expenses were paid. The Potters are amply able to spend money, but it was a good and patriotic thing for them to risk the lives of a fine pair like Porky and Beany. I don’t even know their real names. Not that it matters. They would make themselves felt if they were called Percy and Willie. They are that sort.” Talk drifted to other things and time passed until a stir and footsteps outside made it evident that the expedition had returned. The door flap opened and the party filed in, the remaining prisoner in their midst.