"Yes, and we owe him a lot," added Slim, "for he was really responsible in the first place for our getting here. If it hadn't been for what he taught us about telegraphy we'd never be sergeants now." "That's right," said Joe. "Fellows, Mr. Burton's getting pretty well along now. He'll be an old man before very long. I wish we three could do something to really show him our appreciation of what he's been to us." "We will," Jerry said. "We will. Let's make a promise to each other on that." And with this good resolution made, they started for the mess tent. The first fifteen minutes they gave over unstintedly to appeasing healthy and long-deferred appetites, and then Slim suddenly remembered Major Jones' final instructions. "Wonder what we have to report at General Young's headquarters at ten o'clock for?" he queried. "I'm nearly dead for sleep myself." "So am I," said Jerry. Both of them caught Joe's averted smile. "What's it for, do you know?" Jerry demanded. "Well, fellows, I think I do," Joe answered. "But I only learned it over the wireless--and that's information gained in a professional way, you know, and therefore secret. So don't ask me to tell you. In another hour we'll go over. You know I've been summoned, too." "No!" ejaculated Jerry. "Well, that's fine. But you'll be going over to learn something that you already know, while we'll be getting some real news, whatever it is." "That's right," said Joe. "And maybe it will be real news." Jerry and Slim both spent the intervening hour on their cots, and when Joe came to awaken them he found them snoring most unmusically. "What do you think?" he demanded, as soon as they were wide enough awake to realize what he was saying. "That German lieutenant that you brought in had papers on him that showed the whole plan of the German campaign in this sector for a month ahead. You boys made a great capture." At exactly ten o'clock they presented themselves to General Young's orderly, and a moment later were ushered into the presence of the supreme commander of that section of the American front. "Young men," the general began bluntly, without other formalities, "you have signally distinguished yourselves for judgment, foresight, and courage from the moment of your enlistment, it might be said. I have before me your records, beginning from the time of your discovery of the spy at work in the waters near the Philadelphia Navy Yard. "Congress has just passed a bill, and the President has signed it, providing for the higher military education of certain worthy young men in the army and navy, entirely at the expense of the government. Fortunately for the military service, these selections have been entirely removed from the realm of politics and are left to the commanders in the army and navy.