Slow as had been their flight from Amiens, their return was swift. Already they were in the outskirts. From every window hung the tricolor. Everywhere the people were mad with delight. The Germans had gone. At the sight of Colonel Menier's uniform women leaned from their windows, shrieking their joy. In the town itself French troops were everywhere, marching through. Guns thundered along, and there were English troops as well as French. Amiens was in holiday mood. Straight through the cheering crowds the car sped on. It drew up at last before the Hotel de Ville. Sentries stood at the main door, but at the sight of Colonel Menier they saluted and gave him free passage. Inside Colonel Menier spoke to a staff officer, who smiled and went into a room at the side. In a moment he returned. "The general will receive you, my colonel," he said. "Good!" He turned to Frank and Henri. "You are to meet the greatest man in France," he said. "Allons!" They followed him into the room. By the window stood a man, not tall, but large rather than fat. He turned quiet eyes toward them. Colonel Menier saluted. "Monsieur le General Joffre," he said. "I have the honor to present the Boy Scouts of whom you have heard--they who served General Smith-Derrien so well and who destroyed the Zeppelins near Abbeville." "These are the ones?" said the general. "In the name of France, I thank you! And in the name of France, and by order of His Excellency the President of the Republic, I hereby decorate you! For each, the cross of the Legion of Honor! Which is Francois Barnes?" glancing from one to the other. Frank stepped forward. General Joffre took the cross from his own breast and pinned it to Frank's. Then he turned to another officer, and received another cross from him. And this he affixed to Henri's breast. For a moment they were overcome. And then together they cried: "_Vive la France!_" * * * * * Transcriber's Notes: Obvious punctuation errors have been repaired. One instance each of LaFere and La Fere have been retained. End of Project Gutenberg's The Boy Scouts on the Trail, by George Durston